A single interrogation device interrogates a plurality of transponders arranged within the range of transmission of the interrogation device and identifies them without any mutual interference.. The interference free operation is obtained by the interrogation device sequentially transmitting a plurality of RF interrogation pulses, separated from each other in time and whose energy changes from one pulse to the next one, to transponders which have an energy storage element and which respond to the interrogation pulses with an answer signal in dependence upon the condition that, at the end of each interrogation pulse, the charge voltage present at the energy storage element falls within a predetermined voltage range.

A transponder system is described, in which with the aid of an interrogation device batteryless transponders may be caused to transmit an answer signal, which may contain encoded information as regards the identity of the respectively reacting transponder and possibly further information as well. The particular feature of the transponder utilized is that it does not comprise any batteries to supply its operating power. The operating voltage which the transponder requires in order to transmit its response signal is obtained from a RF pulse interrogation which is transmitted by the interrogation device of the transponder system. In the transponder this RF interrogation pulse is rectified and the voltage then produced is utilized for charging a capacitor constituting an energy storing means. As soon as circuit unit in the transponder detects the end of this RF interrogation pulse and sufficient energy has been stored in the energy storing element, the transponder transmits the above noted answer signal. This answer signal may then be received and processed by the interrogation device.
Such transponders of the type described may, for instance be implanted in animals or by arranged on articles so that with the aid of the interrogation device, the animals or the articles may be identified on the basis of the encoded information in the answer signals.
One problem in conjunction with such a transponder system occurs if a plurality of transponders are present in the transmission range of the interrogation device. Such transponders then namely simultaneously receive one transmitted RF interrogation pulse and will then also transmit their answer signal back at the same time as well, if after the end of the RF interrogation pulse there is sufficient energy stored in their energy storing means. The simultaneously produced answer signals render unambiguous identification of the respective transponder by the interrogation device impossible.
In addition, if instead of the interrogator transmitting one high power interrogation pulse, which would provide at least the furthest transponder with enough energy to respond, the interrogator transmitted a successive series of low power to high power pulses, wherein the low power pulse would be enough energy to charge-up the closest transponder and the high power pulse would be enough energy to charge-up the furthest transponder, transponders will still simultaneously respond. To illustrate an example, assume that the transponder has a discharge function such that if the transponder does not receive adequate power to transmit an entire response telegram upon the termination of the interrogation pulse, the transponder discharges. Then, when the interrogator transmits a minimum power pulse, only the closest transponder is adequately charged with enough energy to respond, so there is no interference from other transponders trying to respond simultaneously. However, when the interrogator transmits a higher power interrogation pulse, not only are the further transponders charged-up adequately to respond, but the closer transponders are also charged up adequately to respond, thereby causing interference in the reception of either answer signal.

Method of interrogating a plurality of transponders arranged in the transmission range of an interrogating device and transponders for use in the said method


The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g., without requiring implementation of correction factors based upon Poisson statistics).

An emulsion is composed of droplets of a first fluid (i.e., dispersed phase) in a second fluid (i.e., continuous phase) that is immiscible with the first fluid. Emulsions are typically cloudy due to scattering of light at surfaces of the droplets. Clarity of emulsions can be improved by aligning the refractive indices of the immiscible phases, thereby mitigating light scattering effects. Clarity of emulsions can also be improved by forming microemulsions or nanoemulsions, in which the characteristic droplet size is less than the wavelength(s) of light being used to irradiate the emulsion (e.g., less than 100 nm).
In biotechnology applications (e.g., cell-related applications, nucleic acid-derived analyses, protein analyses, etc.), however, useful droplet sizes are typically greater than 1 micron in diameter. In order to generate emulsions with suitable clarity, one has to match the refractive indices of the emulsion fluid components (e.g., of the dispersed phase and the continuous phase). However, this approach requires small tolerances in relation to matching of refractive indices. Furthermore, such an approach is extremely sensitive to user error. For instance, for compositions where the refractive indices are tuned by addition of compounds, minor pipetting errors can cause the refractive index of the final mixture to fall outside of a suitable range. Refractive indices also change with temperature, and the degree of change can be different for different types of fluid. Thus, there are also typically finite temperature ranges in which an emulsion remains clear, which may not be appropriate for applications requiring modifications to the temperature of the emulsion.
Thus, there is a need in the field of sample processing to create a new and useful system and method for generation of an emulsion having suitable clarity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for generation of emulsions with suitable clarity with applications of use


A vehicle determines a first resistance of a starter motor and a starter cable connected thereto based at least in part on the first voltage of a power source. The vehicle determines a predicted minimum battery voltage based at least in part on the first resistance of the starter motor and the starter cable. The vehicle, in response to the predicted minimum battery voltage satisfying a threshold, enables a vehicle stop-start function, and, in response to the predicted minimum battery voltage failing to satisfy the threshold, disables the vehicle stop-start function.

Vehicle SS function allows a vehicle engine to automatically turn-off when a brake pedal is actuated and to automatically start (i.e., crank) when the brake pedal is relieved. Vehicles typically draw power from a 12-volt battery to crank the engine. Such battery is electrically coupled to various vehicle loads. These loads may be negatively impacted (e.g., shut down) when an engine crank occurs since an engine crank draws substantial amount of power form the battery. Additionally, the starter performance may decline as the starter ages.

System and method for controlling vehicle stop-start function based on measured and predicted cranking voltages and adaptive adjustment of circuit resistance


This invention relates to methods that have been found useful in reducing non-specific binding in immunochemical assays, via methods that can be implemented much faster than those used by Ishikawa. The techniques include the use of a lipophilic bridge, such as a liposome, or the elution of the antigen-antibody complex from the solid phase by the use of an anti-idiotypic antibody or an antibody, or the use of a heterologous reversible bridge.

Over the past 30 years, immunochemical assays have become increasingly widespread. The most sensitive type of immunoassay is the solid phase (heterogeneous) immunoassay. However, it is desirable to increase sensitivity even further in order to be able to detect analytes which are present in lower levels than is presently possible to detect and to be able to detect more accurately the concentrations of the analytes. Sensitivity of the solid phase immunoassay is limited by several factors, including non-specific binding (NSB) of the tracer to the solid phase. The NSB is a result of either direct adsorption of the tracer to the solid phase surface, or indirect adsorption, via binding to non-specific components of the assay mixture that are adsorbed to the surface of the solid phase. These non-specific components are at least partially different than the material to be assayed, but have affinity toward the tracer. The adsorption of the non-specific components can lead to decreased sensitivity and also to reduced accuracy. One way of reducing NSB is to use a process called immune complex transfer (ICT), which was pioneered by Ishikawa. (See Ishikawa et al, 185 Clinica Chimica Acta (1989) 223; and Kohno et al, 22 Clin Biochem (1989) 277.)
In a conventional heterogeneous immunoassay, the assayed material (analyte) is incubated with a labeled specific binder (tracer) and an unlabeled, solid phase-immobilized specific binder. The incubation is followed by washing the solid phase to remove unreacted tracer, and measuring the signal associated with the ternary complex: solid phase-immobilized specific binder/analyte/labeled specific binder. This measurement is done in the presence of the solid phase, and therefore includes the NSB. On the other hand, in the ICT assay, the ternary complex is eluted off of the solid phase and is measured in the absence of the solid phase and its associated NSB. Since some of the NSB is eluted as well, it is preferable to include in the ICT process a step in which the labeled complex is selectively recaptured with a new solid phase. This results in increased signal to noise ratio and higher assay sensitivity.
The ICT process requires elution of the immune complex under mild conditions, i.e. without breaking the bond formed between the analyte and the specific labeled binder. Also, the elution medium and elution conditions should not interfere with the recapture step. Ishikawa et al overcame this difficulty by constructing an immunochemical, reversible bridge between the solid phase specific binder and the solid phase, rather than employing the usual permanent attachment. They permanently immobilized to the solid phase an antibody against dinitrophenyl residues (anti-DNP), separately attached to the specific binder dinitrophenyl residues and then combined the two reagents to form a solid phase-immobilized specific binder. This provided a reversible immunochemical bond that could be broken by addition of excess dinitrophenyl-lysine (DNP-lys)
Although the use of solid phase immobilized anti-DNP/dinitrophenylated specific binder as the solid phase reagent by Ishikawa et al successfully reduced NSB, the method has two drawbacks: the major difficulty is the lengthy incubation with DNP-lys required for the elution step. Reducing the incubation time of this step is highly desirable in order to both obtain a quicker assay result and to minimized loss of sensitivity due to the time-dependent dissociation of the bond between the analyte and the labeled specific binder. A second difficulty is the added complexity, expense and instability associated with constructing the immunochemical bridge.

Immune complex transfer with lypophilic bridge


A combination-identifiable padlock has a shell, a combination lock cylinder, a key lock cylinder and an identification assembly. The combination lock cylinder, the key lock cylinder and the identification assembly are mounted in the shell. When the correct key is inserted, the key lock cylinder is rotatable to actuate the identification assembly and combination lock cylinder is actuated to identify the combination. Therefore, the combination is retrievable to avoid the combination lock cylinder to become unusable when the combination is forgotten.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination-identifiable padlock, especially to a padlock with combination lock cylinder and a key lock cylinder.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Padlocks are common used small locks to easily lock objects such as bicycles, cabinets, suitcases and so on. Combination lock cylinders are usually used in the padlocks to perform locking and unlocking. If the user forgets the combination, the conventional padlock can only be broken to be unlocked and the broken conventional padlock cannot be reused. Therefore, some of the conventional padlocks have both a combination lock cylinder and a key lock cylinder. When the user forgets the combination, the user can still use a key to unlock the conventional padlock.
However, even the user can unlock the conventional padlock by the key when the combination is forgotten, the forgotten combination is still unknown. Then the conventional padlock is only able to be unlocked by the key while the combination lock cylinder is no longer operable since the combination is unidentified. Therefore, even the conventional padlock can be unlocked by the key, the conventional padlock still lose partial function after the combination is forgotten.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a combination-identifiable padlock to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A visualization module (1, 50, 100, 200), in particular for an endoscope (2), having an image sensor (3) and an illumination unit (4) for lighting a field of view of the image sensor (3), wherein the illumination unit (4) is arranged in the shadow of the image sensor (3) in the case of light that is incident perpendicularly on an end face (32) of the visualization module (1, 50, 100, 200), and the image sensor (3) and the illumination unit (4) are encapsulated at least partially in a transparent encapsulation material (5). A method for producing a visualization module (1, 50, 100, 200) is also provided.

The invention relates to a visualization module having an image sensor and an illumination unit for lighting a field of view of the image sensor. The visualization module can be provided in particular for mounting in an endoscope. The invention furthermore also relates to a method for producing a visualization module.
Such visualization modules are already known and are placed in an endoscope shaft for example at a distal end of an endoscope. Such a visualization module can then be used to record an image of an object and/or of a cavity into which the visualization module was inserted, for example by inserting the endoscope into the cavity.
Until now, such visualization modules had to be produced with relatively great outlay in a plurality of assembly steps. For this reason, the associated production costs are also relatively high.
In addition, it is desirable in principle for the external dimensions of a visualization module transversely or perpendicularly to a recording direction of an image sensor to be as small as possible, with the image sensor generally being oriented transversely or perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the visualization module.

Visualization module and method for producing a visualization module


Surgical procedures, tools and implants are disclosed for both conventional and reverse shoulder implant surgeries. The improved procedures, tools and implants relate to humeral head resurfacing, humeral head resection for standard implants, humeral head resection for reverse shoulder implants, glenoid resurfacing for standard shoulder implants and glenoid resurfacing for reverse shoulder implants. 3D scans and x-rays are used to develop virtual models of the patient anatomy, identify patient specific landmarks for anchoring guide wire installation blocks, templates and drill guides. 3D scans are also used to design patient specific tools and implants for the shoulder implant procedures and to pre-operatively determine the appropriate inclination and retroversion angles.

When a joint, such as a shoulder, hip or knee, becomes impaired due to arthritis, disease or trauma, it is sometimes necessary to replace all or part of the joint with one or more prostheses to restore function. Four anatomical characteristics that relate to shoulders are humeral and glenoid inclination and humeral retroversion and glenoid version, all of which can change as disease in the shoulder joint progresses.
For purposes of this disclosure, humeral inclination is defined as the angle between the plane of the anatomical neck of the proximal humerus and the metaphyseal axis of the humerus. Glenoid inclination is defined in the coronal plane as the angle between a line identifying the inferior-superior axis of the glenoid and a line connecting the intersection of the scapular spine with the medial border of the scapula and the middle of the spinoglenoid notch. Further, humeral retroversion (or humeral torsion) is defined as the angle between the normal vector to a plane defined by the perimeter of the anatomical neck and the transepicondylar axis of the distal humerus. Finally, glenoid version is defined in the axillary view as the angle between a line identifying the anterior-posterior rim of the glenoid cavity and a line perpendicular to a line identifying the scapular blade. Correction and modification of both humeral and glenoid inclination and version changes in diseased shoulder joints are benefits of successful shoulder implant procedures.
Anatomically, the average humeral inclination is approximately 135°, but can range from about 120° to about 150°. Average humeral retroversion is approximately 30°, but can range from about −5° to about 60°. Glenoid inclination can range from about 80° to about 100°, whereas glenoid version can range from about 0° to about −14°. In order to optimize balancing of soft tissues and post-operative function, it is crucial to establish the proper inclination and version for each patient. Incorrect inclination and version can lead to problems including limited function, subsequent dislocations, and prosthetic component loosening and wear. Unfortunately, with existing implants and installation techniques, these critical parameters are chosen in a freehand manner.
In many cases, when an implant is used as treatment for an arthritic shoulder joint, it is necessary to remove or resect the diseased humeral head and prepare the proximal end of the humeral shaft to receive the stem, body, inclination set and head. It is important that the humeral head preparation be accurate so that the position of the implant, which is determined in part by the configuration of the humeral head, replicates the original anatomic position of the humeral head.
In less severe cases, the humeral head may be resurfaced by installing an implant that covers the humeral head after the humeral head has been resurfaced which removes abnormalities such as osteophytes, tuberositites, etc. In more severe cases, such as irreparable rotator cuff rupture, standard shoulder implants, as described above, would not provide sufficient pain-free joint stability or an adequate range of motion. Thus, an implant with a "reverse" joint has been developed where a base plate is attached to the glenoid fossa with screws after the glenoid fossa has been resurfaced. A head, sometimes referred to as a glenosphere, is attached to the glenoid base plate, as opposed to the humeral head. The humeral head is still resected and a stem is inserted downward into the intramedullary canal. A cup-shaped reverse body is attached to the proximal end of the stem, which receives a polymeric insert, receives the head or glenosphere that is fixed to the glenoid base plate.
The above procedures, while providing significant advancements, still suffer from certain drawbacks. For example, the most critical step in a humeral head resurfacing technique is placement of the initial guide wire, over which the humeral head resurfacing body slides. Unfortunately, the placement of the guidewire is performed using a freehand technique and an alignment tool. Contemporaneously, the surgeon estimates the desired inclination from the coronal (vertical) plane or transverse (horizontal) plane and maintains this desired inclination while the surgeon estimates a desired retroversion. Holding the head template in this exact position, the surgeon then drive drives the central guide wire or K-wire through the guide of the template using a drill or other suitable tool.
Thus, an optimal final positioning of the symmetrical implant on the asymmetrical humeral head is dependent on the surgeon's ability to visualize the desired orientation in three dimensions and the surgeon's ability to hold the head template steady while inserting the guide wire.
For traditional (non-reverse) shoulder implants, many surgeons use intramedullary cutting jigs or a freehand technique to resect the humeral head. For the more severe cases that require a reverse implant as described above, an intramedullary cutting jig is required to minimize the possibility of reaming with the incorrect retroversion, which could cause the screws that anchor the glenoid base plate to extend through or "break out" of the cortical bone structure of the glenohumeral joint or scapula. To avoid this problem, a complex intramedullary cutting jig is used

Methods and devices for installing standard and reverse shoulder implants


For testing the intactness of stored data, intact data corresponding to the data to be tested from a component of the processing facility in a certain operating state of the processing facility in the intact state are first stored in a test device. To check the intactness of the data to be tested in a component a key is produced in the test device for each test, said key being different from those of prior tests. Using this key and a cryptographic algorithm one prepares two cryptograms. One cryptogram is prepared from the data to be tested by the component of the processing facility in which the data to be tested are stored. The other cryptogram is prepared from the intact data by the test device. After that the two cryptograms are compared with each other. If the cryptograms match, the data to be tested match the intact data and thus have no undesirable changes.

a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for testing the intactness of stored data in a processing facility for sheet material such as bank notes or papers of value.
b) Discussion of Related Technology
Such a processing facility is generally constructed of several components. Each of these components fulfills certain functions in processing the sheet material. One component of the processing facility is a control device which ranks higher than the other components. The control device controls the individual operations of the processing facility. The other components are designed as modules which perform the actual processing of the sheet material. Possible processing operations of individual modules are e.g. singling the sheet material from a stack, testing the sheet material for state or authenticity, transporting the sheet material, stacking or destroying the sheet material.
The processing facility components can be provided with memories for storing data necessary for operating the processing facility. These data can be for example control commands, programs, result data or reference data. The individual components of the processing facility are interconnected in such a way that data can be transferred between them.
The processing facility can be operated in different operating states. The operating states can be fixed for example by the operator inputting certain parameters. Such parameters can be the number of sheets to be tested, the denomination of bank notes, the type or quality of certain test criteria or similar information.
DE-PS 27 60 453 discloses such a processing facility. For storing data both the control device and individual modules have their own memories for storing data necessary for operating the processing facility. The data exchange between the control device and the modules is performed via a main memory which both the modules and the control device can access. In addition the modules are directly interconnected for data exchange.
DE-OS 33 47 607 shows a processing facility wherein a plurality of similar modules are used for optically testing the sheet material. Both the control device and the individual modules have their own memories for storing data. The individual modules are connected with one another and with the control device via a data bus. A higher-order memory which all components of the processing facility can access is additionally connected to the data bus.
In apparatus of the stated type undesirable changes can generally occur in the data stored in the processing facility. These changes can arise either from disturbances in the processing facility, such as data transmission errors or data loss, or from deliberate manipulation of the data with intent to defraud.
Known apparatus are provided with no measures for ascertaining undesirable changes in the data stored in the processing facility.
On these premises the invention is based on the problem of proposing a method for testing the intactness of data stored in a processing facility for sheet material to permit ascertainment of changes in said data.

Method for testing the intactness of stored data in a processing facility for sheet material such as bank notes or papers of value


A plurality of images obtained by capturing, dividing over a plurality of times, a printed material in which additional information is embedded are input. Feature information concerning each of the inputted plurality of images is extracted. A poor quality area in the images is evaluated. An overlapping area of the plurality of images is specified based on the feature information. Additional information embedded in the printed material is extracted based on a result of the evaluating and a result of the specifying.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for composing images.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a technique for multiplexing additional information of a large capacity such as audio information in a printed material such that it is difficult to distinguish visually has been disclosed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-174556). In recent years, it is becoming possible to obtain additional information of a large capacity that is multiplexed in a printed material by analyzing a composite image after capturing a printed material a plurality of times at a short range while moving a mobile terminal, and composing the plurality of captured images thus obtained.
In this way, a technique for composing a plurality of captured images upon a panorama capturing, for example, has been proposed as an image composing technique for composing a plurality of images (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-322059).
However, in conventional image composing techniques, a phenomenon of degradation of a captured image due to other objects such as a light source, or the like, being reflected in the printed material in a case where a printed material is captured by a camera is not considered at all.
In the case of capturing with a non-contact device such as a camera, a capturing target is mainly scenery, people, or the like, and it is uncommon that a printed material is the target. Even when a printed material is made to be a target, a continuity evaluation considering what is reflected in the printed material has not been performed. Also, there are cases where a plurality of printed materials are captured by a contact device such as a scanner, and a continuity evaluation is performed on the plurality of captured images. However, because a reflection phenomenon does not occur in capturing on a contact device, a continuity evaluation considering reflection is not performed. In other words, the phenomenon of reflection in a printed material is a completely new problem in image continuity evaluation techniques.
Specifically, there are cases in which if a plurality of printed materials are captured, and a plurality of images thus obtained are composed, a precision of an image composition degrades, or an image composition cannot be performed due to an influence of reflection.
In other words, if a printed material is captured by a camera, the content of the printed material itself cannot be distinguished due to a reflection of a light source, or the like, and the captured image is very degraded. In particular, a sheet having a high glossiness is often used for a high image quality print of a photograph, an album, or the like, but while on one side the appearance of the glossiness is very good, degradation of a captured image due to reflection is large.
In an image composing technique, processing for detecting an overlapping area at which the same/a similar object exists overlappingly in a plurality of images is important. This is, in other words, processing for searching for similar feature amounts among two images. This is a method of detecting the feature amounts of the images by using edge information of the images, for example.
FIG. 23A is an image in which an overlapping area exists in two images. Because the same "person A" exists in two images, it is possible to extract similar feature amounts for "person A".
FIG. 23B illustrates a condition in which a reflection of another object occurs at a portion of an overlapping area "person A" in one of two images in which an overlapping area exists. Originally, the "person A" portion is an area at which edges exist and feature amounts would have been extracted, but because "person A" becomes difficult to recognize due to the reflection, the feature amounts cannot be correctly extracted. Specifically, using conventional methods, due to a reflection included in at least one of a composition target image group, similar feature amounts cannot be extracted from an overlapping area of the images, and this becomes the cause of a reduction in the precision of the image composition. Furthermore, in FIG. 23B, because a common reflection is occurring, composition processing that is not intended by a user is performed if a composition is executed by taking a reflection portion to be an overlapping area.
Accordingly, there are cases in which reflection of another object in the printed material is the cause of degradation of a captured image, and degradation of the precision of the image composition occurs, or the image composition cannot be performed with conventional image compositing techniques that do not consider reflection. Also, because image composition cannot be performed, this leads to not being able to obtain additional information of a large capacity from a printed material.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for extracting information embedded in a printed material


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor package includes: a first metal body on which a part of a waveguide structure is formed; a second metal body including a mounting area for a semiconductor device and disposed on the first metal body; a line substrate on which a signal transmission line configured to communicate a waveguide with the semiconductor device mounted on the mounting area is formed; and a lid body disposed at a position facing the first metal body, interposing the second metal body and the line substrate. The lid body is made of resin, on which a structure corresponding to another waveguide structure on an extension of the waveguide structure in the first metal body is formed. The structure includes a metal-coated inner wall surface.

In the case of transmitting a signal of a millimeter waveband, a waveguide is sometimes used. A signal transmitted by the waveguide passes a signal transmission line such as a microstrip line and is inputted into a semiconductor. Generally, a quarter wavelength antenna line and a back-short structure are adopted at a connecting portion between the waveguide and the signal transmission line.
When a semiconductor package including the back-short structure is mounted with a semiconductor device having a large amount of heat generation, such as a semiconductor chip for signal power amplification, the semiconductor package is required to have high heat radiation characteristics. However, according to a semiconductor package in a related art which is lightweight and low cost, sufficient heat radiation characteristics cannot be obtained because the package has pseudo-waveguide in a dielectric substrate and the semiconductor device is mounted on the dielectric substrate.
Further, to reduce weight of a final product, the semiconductor package is desired to be lightweight. However, according to the semiconductor package in the related art, the back-short structure is heavyweight because of being made of metal.

Semiconductor package and semiconductor module


A computer-implemented method comprising receiving a user request. The method analyzes the data in a plurality of data sets to find inconsistent mappings. Data of data sets, such as columns formed by a join condition, are compared to determine matching or non-matching distinct characteristic values. A composite data set is generated based on the comparison. Another data set is compared with the composite data set, and the composite data set is enhanced. Each data set is compared in sequence, if the composite data set is not empty, until all data sets are analyzed. A result set is generated based on the matching or non-matching distinct characteristic values. The method may also determine if a join operates as a data filter. The operations that are used for analysis may include ‘count distinct’, ‘intersection’ and ‘Boolean operators’.

The present invention relates to computing, and in particular, to systems and methods for analyzing existing data models.
In business, academics, and government, data is often stored in different databases that may be in one or more computers in various locations. The databases may be generated by different sources. Valuable insight into the data is usually gained by combining data sets from the different sources, e.g. by combining sales, delivery and invoice data.
Various database software applications have tools available for defining combinations of data sets by logical relationships. One problem associated with these tools is the difficulty of using these tools by a user that has no or little technical background in query and database management programming. The user also needs a very good understanding of the data and metadata (e.g., data types) of the different data sets in order to combine the data sets for creating a consistent model and to understand the result set of the created model. This limits the group of users to a few experts. Consequently, there exists a need for improved systems and methods for analyzing the data of combined-data sets.

Systems and methods for analyzing existing data models


A magnetic resonance imaging includes: a first converter that converts some of the magnetic resonance signals, to be processed, corresponding to a plurality of channels into signals corresponding to a plurality of effective channels set within a first frequency band and converts magnetic resonance signals corresponding to other channels into signals corresponding to channels set within a second frequency band different from the first frequency band; a synthesizer that synthesizes the channel-converted signals; an extractor that extracts a signal included in the first frequency band from the synthesized signals; and a divider that divides the extracted signal into magnetic resonance signals corresponding to the plurality of effective channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus in which a high frequency receiving coil includes a plurality of coil elements or the high frequency receiving coil can be mounted with the plurality of coil elements, a signal selection method in the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, and a magnetic resonance imaging method in the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus can utilize various types of high frequency receiving coils according to the purpose. In some of the high frequency receiving coils, a plurality of coil elements is arranged. In addition, some of the high frequency receiving coils is also provided with, for example, local coils corresponding to different picture portions.
As such, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is configured such that a plurality of coil elements arranged in a high frequency receiving coil or a plurality of kinds of high frequency receiving coils is connected in parallel, and the number of coil elements or high frequency receiving coils is increasing. For example, there is a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus in which 128 coil elements can be connected in parallel.
In such magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, a technique of transmitting output signals of a plurality of coil elements in a frequency-multiplexing manner is disclosed in JP-A-2002-143122, for example.
On the other hand, all of the coil elements connected in parallel are not used at the same time. Therefore, the number of processing systems for processing the output signals from the coil elements is set to be less than the number of coil elements which can be connected to one another. For example, 32 processing systems are prepared for the 128 coil elements.
In this case, since an output signal from a coil element to be used needs to be selectively input to a corresponding processing system but the number of combinations of the coil elements and the processing systems is large, a selection circuit becomes very complicated. A matrix switch is generally used for the selection circuit. The matrix switch needs to have a matrix of s×s in order to freely select some of the 's' coil elements. When the selection circuit is formed by connecting a plurality of matrix switches to one another, each having a matrix of q×q (q<<s), in a multiple stage, the size of the selection circuit becomes smaller than that of a matrix switch having a matrix of s×s. However, in this case described above, the number of combinations of selectable coil elements is limited. This causes a problem in convenience.

MRI apparatus, signal selection method in MRI apparatus, and MRI method in magnetic resonance imaging apparatus


A system and method of delaying availability of a price change to checkout terminals following a change in price displayed by an electronic price label (EPL) which minimizes server overhead required to change prices. The method includes the steps of storing a first time associated with the change in price displayed by the EPL, providing a price change file for changing the first price to the second price and containing a delay period, reading the price change file to obtain the delay period, determining whether a current time is later than the first time plus the delay period, and executing the price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price.

The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a method of delaying availability of price changes to checkout terminals following EPL price changes.
In a traditional retail store, bar code scanners rely on price information maintained within a price-lookup (PLU) file. The PLU data file is typically stored in a single location at host server.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for each merchandise item in a store. EPLs display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A store may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. The EPL data file contains EPL identification information and EPL merchandise item information.
During management of prices in EPL systems, a situation may occur in which a customer sees a first price when viewing an EPL associated with an item, but sees a second price different from the first price when the item is scanned or recorded at the checkout counter. This situation occurs when the price of the item has been changed in the PLU file after the customer has viewed the EPL, but before the customer has checked out. This situation tends to occur most often in transaction establishments that regularly schedule price changes during peak shopping hours and in transaction establishments that have 24-hour shopping. The chance of this situation occurring increases with the length of time the consumer spends shopping in the transaction establishment.
Local state requirements mandate that there be at least some fraction of a minute delay between the time a price is changed and the time the new price is made available to checkout terminals. Additional delay may be necessary to increase the chance that consumers will purchase the item for the price they saw on the EPL.
While different methods of creating this delay already exist, they all entail suspending server processes for a given amount of time or creating additional processes which flow through lists containing PLU numbers, new prices, and times to apply the new prices. Both of these solutions negatively impact server performance.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of delaying availability of price changes to checkout terminals following EPL price changes which does not negatively impact server performance.

Method of delaying availability of price changes to checkout terminals following EPL price changes


Battery pack with intelligent display and methods to make various types of a battery pack with an intelligent display for the benefit of a user. One embodiment is a method of making a battery pack with intelligent display. A second embodiment is a battery pack with intelligent display that can display one or more parameters, such as charge remaining, current out, current in, watts out, watts in, time remaining, time to recharge one or more batteries, battery temperature, battery voltages, the age of the battery, and clock time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of battery packs, and more specifically to providing battery packs with displays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Battery packs have been known and used for many years, but such battery packs have been limited in their usefulness.
The biggest problem with the prior art external battery packs is that they do not indicate precisely when the battery will run out. There are prior art battery packs that have LED indicators to give a general approximation when the battery will be drained. These lights are unintelligent and do not give the user valuable information about the battery. The prior art battery packs provide an approximate indication that is not accurate and the indication is from simply measuring the voltage of the battery. By knowing the precise amount of how much charge is remaining in the battery pack, and the actual current draw (in and out) of the battery pack, the user gains a much better idea of their battery status.

External battery for mobile devices with intelligent display


An easy and low-cost method of producing a large-size and high-purity silicon carbide (SiC) single crystal includes reacting silicon vapor directly with a carbon-containing compound gas under a heated atmosphere (growth space 14) to grow a silicon carbide single crystal (15) on a silicon carbide seed crystal (12), in which the silicon vapor generated from molten silicon (13) is used as a silicon vapor source, and a hydrocarbon gas (9) (e.g., propane gas) is used as the carbon-containing compound gas.

A single crystal of SiC is used as a substrate of an SiC semiconductor useful as a semiconductor device such as a high-temperature working device, a power device and a blue light-emitting device. Various methods of growing such an SiC single crystal have hitherto been known. Among these conventional methods of growing an SiC single crystal is a sublimation recrystallization method. In the sublimation recrystallization method, silicon carbide constituting a source material is sublimated in a graphite crucible, so that a silicon carbide single crystal is recrystallized on a silicon carbide single crystal substrate which is disposed at a low-temperature region in the crucible. In this case, the temperature of the silicon carbide constituting a source material, the temperature of the siliconcarbide substrate and the atmosphere in the graphite crucible are precisely controlled in order to obtain a high-quality siliconcarbide single crystal.
In the above process, the sublimation of the silicon carbide powder constituting a source material takes place from the surface of the silicon carbide powder and the silicon carbide powder at the opening surface (sublimation surface).
Silicon carbide partly decomposes upon sublimation (to thereby form decomposition products such as Si vapor, Si.sub.2 C vapor and SiC.sub.2 vapor). The released vapors (or gases) in total have a greater silicon content than the carbon content. As a result, a carbon layer remains on the silicon carbide powder at the opening surface. In other words, in the above-described method, the sublimated silicon carbide necessarily passes through the carbon layer during sublimation. This makes it difficult to stably supply silicon carbide vapor (source material gas).
To overcome the above problems in the sublimation recrystallization method, various techniques have been proposed. For example, Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 6-128094 (No. 1) discloses a method of producing a silicon carbide single crystal in which a silicon-component gas (e.g., silane or derivatives thereof) and/or a carbon-component gas (e.g., hydrocarbon gases such as methane and ethane) is/are introduced into a growth reaction area when growing a silicon carbide single crystal on a seed crystal by sublimating a silicon carbide source material, in order to cancel fluctuation of the sublimated gas composition caused with the progress of sublimation reaction.
Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 6-298600 (No. 2) discloses a method of growing an SiC single crystal by a sublimation recrystallization process comprising heating and sublimating an SiC powder source material to grow an SiC single crystal on a seed crystal comprising an SiC single crystal maintained at a temperature lower than the temperature of the source material, in which an Si-containing gas is supplied as another SiC source in addition to the SiC powder.
Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 6-1698 (No. 3) discloses a method of producing a bulk single crystal of silicon carbide, comprising growing a silicon carbide single crystal on a seed crystal by a sublimation recrystallization method, in which a silicide of a transition metal (e.g., tungsten silicide and tantalum silicide) is added to the silicon carbide powder.
Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 6-56596 (No. 4) discloses a method of producing a silicon carbide single crystal, comprising growing a silicon carbide single crystal by a sublimation recrystallization method using a seed crystal, in which silicon nitride is added to the silicon carbide constituting a source material.
In addition to the above-described sublimation recrystallization methods, for example, Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2-293398 (No. 5) discloses a method of producing a high-quality crystalline silicon carbide by introducing a carbon-containing compound vapor and silicon vapor into a plasmareaction space (e.g., arc discharge space).
Furthermore, on page 609 of Technical Digest of "International Conference on SiC and Related Materials" (ICSCRM-95) (No. 6), it has been reported that a bulk single crystal of silicon carbide is obtained by carrying out a reaction represented by the following formula: EQU SiH.sub.4 +C.sub.3 H.sub.8 .fwdarw.SiC
at a temperature of 1800.degree. C. to 2300.degree. C.
However, even the above-described methods of No. 1 to No. 4 cannot perfectly compensate the composition fluctuation of silicon carbide vapor due to partial decomposition of silicon carbide upon sublimation, so that it is difficult to achieve a constant stable state during recrystallization of silicon carbide. Furthermore, in the case of growing a semiconductor-grade silicon carbide single crystal, which contains impurities in very little amounts, it is necessary to supply a source material of a high-purity silicon carbide powder commensurate with the desired single crystal. However, such a highly pure material costs much, which leads to a high cost of production of a silicon carbide single crystal.
The above-described method of No. 5 requires an apparatus of a large-volume plasma to obtain a large-size single crystal of silicon carbide. However, the plasma space (the arc discharge space) is not suitable for the crystal growth in a large size due to the narrow area of the arc discharge space. Therefore, this method is disadvantageous in that the producing apparatus necessarily becomes large-scale and costs much.
The above-described method of No. 6 is not suitable to mass production of bulk single crystals because the method employs expensive silane (SiH.sub.4) gas as a source material. Further, the growth rate of the crystal may decrease because silane contains hydrogen.
As described above, in producing a silicon carbide single crystal, the crystal growth using a recrystallization technique (methods of No. 1 to No. 4) has difficulties of accomplishing a stable (constant) crystal growth and obtaining a high-purity single crystal. This causes deterioration of electrical characteristics of a semiconductor substrate comprising the silicon carbide single crystal obtained by the methods. The other methods (methods of No. 5 and No. 6) also have difficulties of providing a low-cost production of a large-size crystal.
As a result of the intensive studies made by the present inventors to solve the above-described problems, the present invention has been accomplished.

Method of producing silicon carbide single crystal


A sofa sleeper comprises a stationary wooden sofa frame and a foldable sofa bed assembly mounted to the frame which is adapted to move between a fully folded or retracted position within the frame to provide a seat when used as a sofa and an extended unfolded position when used as a bed. The foldable sofa bed assembly includes pivotally interconnected head, body, intermediate and foot frame sections each including a pair of opposed side rails to which a wire fabric or plastic sheeting material is attached. The body frame section includes a pair of opposed cross tie members which extend between the side rails and are adapted to support a plurality of transversely spaced, longitudinal extending sinuous wire springs. Preferably, a rigidity bar extends between the cross tie members to maintain the cross tie spacing. The body frame section including the cross tie members and the longitudinally extending sinuous wire springs are located immediately beneath the mattress supporting fabric or plastic sheeting material so as to provide an improved cushion foundation when the sofa sleeper is used as a seating surface and an improved mattress foundation when the sofa sleeper is used as a bed.

Foldable sofa sleepers having pivotally interconnected head, body, intermediate and foot sections movable between a fully folded or retracted position within the sofa frame for use as a seat, and an extended, unfolded position for use as a bed, are known in the art. Prior foldable sofa sleepers are typically characterized by a relatively poor sleeping surface and a less than desirable seating surface. Most prior sofa sleepers represent a compromise between a good bed and a good sofa in that no matter how well constructed, they are not as good for sleeping as most beds and not as good for seating as most sofas. Poor sleeping quality can be attributed to the provision of a poor foundation beneath the mattress, and poor seating quality stems from the same problem, a lack of firm foundation beneath the seat cushions.
Most sofa sleepers employ a wire fabric material or a sheet of woven polypropylene or other plastic materials extending between the side rails of the head, body, intermediate and foot sections of the sofa bed fixture for support of a foldable mattress. Wire fabric alone or plastic sheeting alone has proven to be unsatisfactory in providing sufficient support for both the mattress and seat cushions of the sofa sleeper. The mattress support sags excessively when the frame is unfolded for use as a bed and when providing a seat in the folded position.
In an effort to provide a better foundation beneath the mattress and seat cushions, attempts have been made to reinforce the wire fabric or plastic sheeting in all of the frame sections and particularly the body frame section of the sofa bed fixture where most of the weight is applied in using the sofa sleeper either as a bed or seat. Supports have been positioned beneath the fabric or plastic sheeting material in the area of the body frame section to help prevent sagging. While known supports for the fabric or plastic sheeting have provided improved foundation support for the mattress and seat cushions, such supports have failed to provide the user with the desired feel of a mattress supported by box springs when the sofa sleeper is used as a bed.

Sofa sleeper having sinuous spring reinforced shoulder area


A power tool includes a grip portion having a vertically extending axis; a main body provided at a top end of the grip portion and having an axis intersecting the vertical axis; a motor; an output portion projecting from the grip portion and rotatingly driven by the motor; a trigger provided for movement along a trigger moving zone; a stopper portion accommodated in the grip portion for protrusion and retraction into and from the trigger moving zone, the stopper portion adapted to selectively make contact with the trigger to thereby limit the maximum pulling amount of the trigger; and a stopper operating portion for operating the stopper portion. The stopper portion is protruded into or retracted from the trigger moving zone by slidingly actuating the stopper operating portion in a crosswise direction perpendicularly intersecting the axis of the main body as viewed from the top.

Examples of power tools used in tightening bolts or screws or drilling holes include a hand-held type power tool that has a grip portion whose axis extends in an up-down direction 3nd a main body provided on the to, end of the grip portion, the main body having an axis intersecting the axis of the grip portion such that the power tool can have a generally T-shaped or L-shaped configuration as a whole. As one example of this kind of power tool, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. S60-196904 ("prior art reference 1") discloses a power tool having a trigger provided on the top of a grip portion for movement along the axial direction of a body and a built-in speed control switch for controlling the rotation speed of a motor depending on the pulling amount of the trigger.
In such a power tool as disclosed in the prior art reference 1, a user should adjust the pulling amount of the trigger with a finger so as to perform a variety of tasks. For instance, if the user wishes to decrease the rotation speed of the motor, it is very difficult to stably keep the pulling amount of the trigger at, e.g., an intermediate level during the course of conducting an intended task. That is, this poses a problem in that great difficulty is encountered in constantly maintaining the rotation speed of the motor at an intermediate speed while carrying out the intended task.
Apart from the above-mentioned power tool wherein the main body is provided on the top end of the grip portion with its axis intersecting the axis of the grip portion such that the power tool can have a generally T-shaped or L-shaped configuration as a whole, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H6-254779 ("prior art reference 2") teaches a reciprocating saw that has a grasping portion, a trigger provided on the grasping portion to control the rotation speed of a motor in proportion to the pulling amount thereof and a stopper portion for retracting and protruding movement with respect to a moving zone of the trigger. In this reciprocating saw, the stopper portion can be protruded into the moving zone of the trigger through the manual actuation of an operating portion, thereby limiting the maximum rotating speed of the motor.
According to the power tool taught in the prior art reference 2, the operating portion for creating movement of the stopper portion is arranged on the top surface of the power tool independently of the grasping portion to thereby ensure that no finger reaches the operating portion when the grasping portion is gripped by a user. Providing the operating portion on the top surface of the power tool in this way, however, raises a possibility that the operating portion might be inadvertently actuated through the contact with a tool resting surface as the power tool is placed on the tool resting surface when not in use. This may sometimes change the maximum rotation speed of the motor without the user knowing of such change. Another problem is that the operating portion is vulnerable to damage when the power tool is mistakenly dropped and struck against a floor or the like.


A process for preparing polyarylate wherein a bivalent phenol compound having the structure of Formula 1 and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid halogen compound react to prepare a polyarylate, and wherein a nonionic surface-active agent is added. This decreases residual salts and improves the transmittance and the heat-resistance. In Formula 1, R1, R2, R3 and R4 denote the same as illustrated in the description.

Polyarylate refers to a linear polyester resin belonging to the aromatic group and is prepared by poly-condensing an aromatic diol and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid.
Such a polyarylate resin can have several molecular formulas, depending upon the source material. Polyarylate resin comprising structural units of Formula 2 described below that is reacted with bisphenol A as a bivalent phenol and terephthalic acid or isophthalic acid as a dicarboxylic acid by a polycondensation is an exemplary product.

Recently, certain bivalent phenol compounds having a bulky substitute group are sometimes utilized to raise a transition temperature of separation (Tg). For example, the compound having the structure of Formula 3 can be adopted.

The polyarylate resin of Formula 2 is known in the art as an engineering plastic. In practice, the polyarylate can be widely used in the field of electric and electronic appliance part: for a switch, a socket, parts of a microwave, a relay case and a plate since the polymer. In mechanical products, it can be widely used as material or a packaging matter to prepare various products, such as inner or and outer parts of watch, parts of optical machine, parts of heating device including a contact breaker of gas, lenses for a housing or an automobile, overall housing products and instrument boards.
In reference, the method for preparing polyarylate resin, wherein n-butylbenzyl ammonium chloride is used as a cationic catalyst to prepare high molecular weight in the interfacial polymerization, has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 43670/1993. However, the polyarylate prepared above is liable to leave catalysts and salts in the organic phase of polymer solution after finishing the interfacial polymerization, because of a high lipophilic property of the catalyst. The resulting polyarylate resin may include a lot of residual catalysts and salts so as to reduce the physical property of polyarylate.
Also, the method for preparing 1,6-diaza[4,4]spirolactam compounds substituted by hydroxyaryl, has been demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,526. In this technique, the copolymer reacting an aromatic dicarboxylic acid halogen compound and a spirolactam compound substituted for hydroxyaryl and/or the tripolymer further added by a bivalent phenol compound, are prepared by using a cationic catalyst for the phase transition. This invention aims to provide a process for preparing a spirolactam compound, as expressed in the title. Within the scope of the invention, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid halogen compound and a bivalent phenol compound are included, focusing on the spirolactam compound. However, there are several disadvantages as follows. In technical aspects, the cationic catalyst for the phase transition increases Haze of film, if remained in the final resin (typically, 0.5% of Haze increases, if 0.5 wt % of catalyst remains); reduces the thermo-stability of polymer; needs to increase the frequency of cleaning; and the like. Even in economical aspects, the catalyst should be beyond a predetermined amount to synthesize a high molecular weight product as well as is very expensive.

Process for preparing polyarylate having high thermo-resistance and high transparency


Molded touch fastener elements or hooks that feature a head or crook that is quite large with respect to the size of the overall hook, or with respect to the entrance below the hook heads through which the loops must pass for engagement to occur. The hooks are particularly useful for high cycle life applications when mated with low loft loops.

Early male touch fastener products were generally woven materials, with hooks formed by cut filament loops. More recently, arrays of very small touch fastener elements have been formed by molding the fastener elements, or at least the stems of the elements, of resin forming an interconnecting sheet of material.
In most applications, male fastener elements are designed to releasably engage with a mating female fastener component carrying a field of loops or fibers. To engage the loops, the male fastener elements must penetrate the field of fibers at least until the tips of the engaging fastener element heads have sufficiently extended beyond some of the fibers, such that the fibers can be engaged within the crooks of the heads. Thus, enhancing penetration tends to lead to longer, more slender hooks.
Subsequent to engagement, retention of an engaged fiber or loop depends, at least for loads within the ability of the loop to resist breakage, upon resistance of the hook to distention and/or breakage. Distention is the opening of the crook under load of an engaged loop. For high cycle life applications, breakage of either both loops and hooks is undesirable. Thus, the ability of the fastening to resist peel loads in such applications is generally limited by the ability of the hook to resist distention.
Unfortunately, for many applications increasing the rigidity of hooks designed for maximum loop penetration, to increase their peel resistance, is either undesirable or impractical. For example, many applications require a gentle 'feel' of the male fastener element array against the skin.
Further improvements in the overall design of male fastener elements, particularly those formed or molded of resin and arranged in large numbers upon a surface for engaging loops or fibers, are desired. Preferably, such improved fastener elements will be readily and efficiently manufacturable without great advances in manufacturing methods.


A circuit for an ultrasonic electronic cigarette and the ultrasonic electronic cigarette are disclosed. The ultrasonic electronic cigarette includes an ultrasonic atomization sheet, a control circuit, a first drive oscillation circuit, a second drive oscillation circuit, and a power circuit. The control circuit is electrically connected to a first end of the ultrasonic atomization sheet through the first drive oscillation circuit, and the control circuit is electrically connected to a second end of the ultrasonic atomization sheet through the second drive oscillation circuit. The circuit for the ultrasonic electronic cigarette further includes a detection circuit. An output end of the detection circuit is electrically connected to the control circuit. And a detection end of the detection circuit is connected between the ultrasonic atomization sheet and the first drive oscillation circuit, or between the ultrasonic atomization sheet and the second drive oscillation circuit.

The circuit for the existing ultrasonic electronic cigarette is only driven by one path, that is, a control circuit is electrically connected to one end of an ultrasonic atomization sheet through a drive circuit and an oscillation circuit in sequence, which leads to the ultrasonic atomization sheet of the ultrasonic electronic cigarette cannot operate at full capacity, and the ultrasonic atomization sheet can only oscillate at half wave with low efficiency, severe heat generation, and fast depletion. At the same time, the power circuit comprises a plurality of lithium batteries, and the operating voltage and the oscillating voltage of different values are respectively provided by different lithium battery packs, so the cost is high and the size is large.

Circuit for ultrasonic electronic cigarette and ultrasonic electronic cigarette


A novel method and apparatus is disclosed for reducing power dissipation of RF power amplifiers when a reduced output power level is required. The mechanism has the specific purpose of optimizing the collector terminal voltage on portions of the amplifier's RF chain for maintaining linearity while minimizing power consumption. The apparatus permits a smaller DC to DC converter to be used than in prior art, such that it is implemented in the same semiconductor die or module. Furthermore, the invention eliminates the amplification and phase continuity issues that arise from switched state power amplifiers and envelope-following approaches.

Many people desire a longer operating lifetime for their battery-powered electronic, such as mobile telephones, MP3 players, and so forth. Typically in order for these battery-powered devices to conserve electrical power, their current consumption is managed preferably retaining operating characteristics thereof unaltered over as much of the battery operating range as possible.
Numerous techniques and publications exist, which detail methods and apparatus for improving power amplifier (PA) power consumption by varying supply voltage provided thereto using a DC to DC converter. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,702, discloses circuitry for controlling of a DC to DC converter in dependence upon sensed RF output signal power for the PA, which enables operation of the PA at high efficiencies as RF output signal power is changed.
Other variants use an envelope tracking power supply coupled with collector terminals of bipolar transistors in combination with a variable base terminal supply current in order to monitor PA power consumption. Unfortunately, envelope tracking requires a complex power supply and has yet to be demonstrated in a practical fashion.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,630,867 and 6,646,511 disclose the use of a power management unit in conjunction with a PA in order to monitor the power consumption of the PA and to vary an operating voltage applied to the PA in dependence upon the power consumption.
Unfortunately, the standard approach in using a DC to DC converter requires very large regulator components capable of delivering an output signal current of over 700 mA with a clean output spectrum. In general, the size and conversion efficiency of this regulator type is more problematic at high current due to dropping losses in pass transistors. Thus, using prior art DC to DC converter technology result in high cost and size issues. Additionally, the challenge in using the prior art circuits arises when these circuits are used in current sensitive devices, such as portable electronic devices.
A need therefore exists to provide a power amplifier with improved power consumption efficiency. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a power amplifier (PA) that utilizes a low current DC to DC converter for operation thereof.

Power amplifier (PA) efficiency with low current DC to DC converter


In an image forming apparatus, picture display control means causes display means to selectively display a simple picture which allows a limited number of basic functions to be selected, or a standard picture which allows all the functions, inclusive of the functions available with the simple picture, to be selected. The simple picture and standard picture are switched over by software. The operation of the apparatus may be permitted only when a user code matching any one of user codes registered beforehand is input; either the simple picture or the standard picture may be set for each user code and displayed as the initial picture. The apparatus allows the operator to set up functions matching the contents of image formation and operator's skill without resorting to an openable cover for concealing a part of function setting keys.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copier, laser printer or similar image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to an image forming apparatus allowing the operator to set functions easily on its operation panel without regard to the operator's skill.
2. Discussion of the Background
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 62-200365, for example, discloses a copier having an openable cover for covering a part of mode (function) setting keys on its operation panel. When the cover is closed to conceal a part of the mode setting keys, preselected standard (default) modes available with the concealed keys are unconditionally set up while some limited number of basic functions are selectable on the other or open keys. When the cover is opened, all the functions available with the keys are selectable. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-120572 teaches a copier having a display and a touch panel provided on the display surface of the display. The touch panel is a transparent sheet-like touch matrix switch. The display is implemented as, e.g., a liquid crystal display or a fluorescent display tube capable of displaying functions relating to an image forming apparatus and including sheet cassette information. When the operator of the copier touches a desired part of the touch panel, a function assigned to the desired part is set up.
The openable cover scheme selectively renders only some limited number of keys or all the keys accessible, so that the operator can select functions matching the contents of image formation and the operator's skill. However, the problem is that the operator must open and close the cover by hand. The touch panel scheme allows various kinds of functions to be selected because keys can be arranged in any desired layout, compared to a system using hard keys and light emitting diodes. However, such a scheme is not practicable without resorting to a complicated operation panel which would be a burden for some operators who desire only basic functions or are not fully experienced. Should the number of items available for the operator be reduced in order to facilitate the operation, the number of functions would, of course, be reduced.

Image forming apparatus promoting easy function setting


A method to perform a marine seismic survey includes obtaining marine seismic data corresponding to a subterranean formation under a water surface. The marine seismic data is generated from an underwater seismic sensor that is subject to an interference effect. The method further includes generating, by a computer processor and using a deconvolution operation, corrected marine seismic data based at least in part on the marine seismic data to compensate for the interference effect, and generating, by the computer processor, a marine seismic survey result based at least in part on the corrected marine seismic data.

Operations, such as geophysical surveying, drilling, logging, well completion and production, are typically performed to locate and gather valuable downhole fluids. Surveys are often performed using acquisition methodologies, such as seismic mapping, resistivity mapping, etc., to generate images of underground formations. These formations are often analyzed to determine the presence of subterranean assets, such as valuable fluids or minerals, or to determine if the formations have characteristics suitable for storing fluids. Although the subterranean assets are not limited to hydrocarbons such as oil, throughout this document, the terms "oilfield" and "oilfield operation" may be used interchangeably with the terms "field" and "field operation" to refer to a site (on land or over water) where any types of valuable fluids or minerals may be found and the activities required to extract them. The terms may also refer to sites where substances are deposited or stored by injecting them into the surface using boreholes and the operations associated with this process. Further, the term "field operation" refers to a field operation associated with a field, including activities related to field planning, wellbore drilling, wellbore completion and/or production using the wellbore.
Models of subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs and oil wells are often used in simulation (e.g., in modeling oil well behavior) to increase yields and to accelerate and/or enhance production from oil wells. Seismic interpretation tools and seismic-to-simulation programs may include numerous functionalities and apply complex techniques across many aspects of modeling and simulating. Such programs typically include a large suite of tools and different programs, collectively referred to as an exploration and production (E&P) tool. Users of such systems may spend many hours per day working with these tools in an effort to optimize geological interpretations and reservoir engineering development scenarios.
Marine time-lapse survey compares a series of marine seismic data captured at varying time intervals (e.g., 6-month interval, 1-year interval, etc.) over an extended time period. The series of marine seismic data are compared to detect changes in a subterranean geological structure (e.g., a reservoir) under water. For example, structural changes in a reservoir may be analyzed to determine hydrocarbon drainage status as a function of on-going production. Recent technology upgrades in marine seismic survey include improved seismic data bandwidth due to additional velocity information available using multi-component towed streamers. However, historical data from previous marine seismic surveys, without the benefit of these later technology upgrades, may suffer from lower bandwidth. Accordingly, marine time-lapse surveys based on such historical data may not benefit from the improved seismic data bandwidth of any current marine seismic survey. In other words, the current marine seismic survey has to be downgraded to the lower bandwidth before such survey may be compared to the historical data during the marine time-lapse survey.


Provided are an apparatus and a method for transmitting and deleting a regional information message that is available and effective only in a specific zone in a mobile communication system. A Base Station (BS) communicates with an Mobile Station (MS) using a radio resource and transmits information about whether the MS is located in a service zone of the BS to an Home Location Register (HLR). The HLR transmits location information of the MS to a message control server. The location information indicates whether the MS is located in a zone for transmitting the regional information message. The message control server transmits the regional information message or a deletion request message for deleting the regional information message to the MS depending on the location information of the MS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for managing a message in a mobile communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for selectively receiving a regional information message (i.e., a message that is available and effective only in a specific zone) at a mobile station (MS) in a mobile communication system and for automatically deleting the received regional information message from the MS when the MS leaves the specific zone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the use of mobile communication system is rapidly increasing with the development of communication technologies broadening the functions of mobile communication terminals. In addition to a call function, mobile communication terminals provide a variety of additional functions such as digital camera function, MP3 function, phonebook function, and short messaging service (SMS) function.
With a rapid increase in the use of a mobile communication service, the SMS function ranks, along with the call function, as the main function of mobile communication terminals. In addition to the SMS message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message is developed and used to transmit multimedia data such as music data and image data.
With rapid increase in the use of SMS message, mobile communication terminals are used to transmit messages related to advertisements or announcements for a specific zone. Hereinafter, the messages related to advertisements or announcements for a specific zone will be simply referred to as "regional information messages". When a mobile communication terminal is located in the specific zone, the regional information messages are then transmitted to the mobile communication terminal.
The regional information messages are available and effective only in the specific zone. Therefore, when the mobile communication terminal leaves the specific zone, the regional information messages become unnecessary. These unnecessary regional information messages may lead to lessen the memory capacity of the mobile communication terminal. In this case, a user of the mobile communication terminal is inconvenienced because he/she must manually delete the unnecessary regional information messages one by one.
What is therefore required is a technique for selectively receiving the regional information messages only in a desired zone and for automatically deleting the unnecessary regional information messages.

Apparatus and method for managing message in a mobile communication system


A door panel system and method according to which a door panel is coupled to a member such as a chassis. A door panel is coupled to the chassis and is automatically rotated relative to the chassis.

This invention relates generally to an information handling system and more particularly to a door, or moving panel, to cover peripherals and/or ports on a chassis of an information handling system.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
The use of a door to cover peripherals and/or ports on the chassis of an information handling system can improve cosmetics while protecting the peripherals and/or ports from damage.
However, it is difficult to design an optimum door that is robust enough to survive a requisite number of life cycles, yet can be stowed in a position that does not interfere with the operation of the system from any orientation.
Therefore what is needed is a door that overcomes the above problems, among others.

Door panel system for an information handling system


A shaped charge perforating apparatus (50) for perforating a subterranean well is disclosed. The shaped charge perforating apparatus (50) comprises a support member (62) having a plurality of shaped charge mounting locations each having shaped charge (56) positioned therein. Each of the shaped charges (56) has an initiation end and a discharge end. The initiation end of each shaped charge (56) is coupled to a detonator cord (70) The shaped charges (56) are enclosed in a carrier (52) having a plurality of recesses (54) spaced on an exterior surface thereof and having contoured bottom surfaces (80). Each of the recesses (54) is longitudinally and radially aligned with the discharge end of one of the shaped charges (56).

This invention relates, in general, to an apparatus for perforating a subterranean wellbore using shaped charges and, in particular, to a low debris shaped charge perforating apparatus that utilizes contoured recesses in the charge carrier that reduce the size of the holes made in the charge carrier upon detonation of the shaped charges thus enhancing debris containment.
Without limiting the scope of the present invention, its background will be described with reference to perforating a subterranean formation with a shape charge perforating apparatus, as an example.
After drilling the section of a subterranean wellbore that traverses a formation, individual lengths of relatively large diameter metal tubulars are typically secured together to form a casing string that is positioned within the wellbore. This casing string increases the integrity of the wellbore and provides a path for producing fluids from the producing intervals to the surface. Conventionally, the casing string is cemented within the wellbore. To produce fluids into the casing string, hydraulic opening or perforation must be made through the casing string, the cement and a short distance into the formation.
Typically, these perforations are created by detonating a series of shaped charges located within the casing string that are positioned adjacent to the formation. Specifically, one or more charge carriers are loaded with shaped charges that are connected with a detonating device, such as detonating cord. The charge carriers are then connected within a tool string that is lowered into the cased wellbore at the end of a tubing string, wireline, slick line, coil tubing or the like. Once the charge carriers are properly positioned in the wellbore such that shaped charges are adjacent to the formation to be perforated, the shaped charges are detonated. Upon detonation, each shaped charge creates a Jet that blasts through a scallop or recess in the carrier. Each jet creates a hydraulic opening through the casing and the cement and enters the formation forming a perforation.
When the shaped charges are detonated, numerous metal fragments are created due to, among other things, the disintegration of the metal casings of the shaped charges. These fragments often fall out or are blown out of the holes created in the carrier. As such, these fragments become debris that is left behind in the wellbore. It has been found that this debris can obstruct the passage of tools through the casing during subsequent operations. This is particularly problematic in the long production zones that are perforated in horizontal wells as the debris simply piles up on the lower side of such wells.
A need has therefore arisen for an apparatus and method that reduce the likelihood that debris will be left in the well following perforation of the formation. A need has also arisen for such an apparatus and method that will contain the fragments created when the shaped charges are detonated. Further, a need has arisen for such an apparatus and method that will enhance the performance of the shaped charges in perforating the formation.
The present invention disclosed herein comprises a shaped charge perforating apparatus and a method for perforating a subterranean formation using a shaped charge perforating apparatus that reduce the likelihood that debris will be left in a well following perforation of a formation. The shaped charge perforating apparatus of the present invention achieves this result by containing the fragments created when the shaped charges are detonated. In addition, the shaped charge perforating apparatus of the present invention enhances the performance of the shaped charges in perforating the formation.
The shaped charge perforating apparatus of the present invention comprises a support member having a plurality of shaped charge mounting locations each of which receive a shaped charge therein. The shaped charges each have an initiation end and a discharge end. The initiation ends of the shaped charges are each coupled to a detonator cord. The shaped charges are placed within an elongated and generally tubular carrier. The carrier has a plurality of recesses that are spaced on the exterior surface thereof and have contoured bottom surfaces. Each of the recesses is axially and radially aligned with the discharge end of one of the shaped charges such that the jet formed upon the initiation of each shaped charge will penetrate the carrier through a recess.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the contoured bottom surface of the recesses is formed such that the center depth of the recess in the carrier is greater than a perimeter depth of the recess. For example, the center depth of the recess may be greater than the perimeter depth of the recess at a point on the perimeter of the recess that is displaced from the center of the recess in a longitudinal direction. Alternatively or additionally, the center depth of the recess may be greater than the perimeter depth of the recess at a point on the perimeter of the recess that is displaced from the center of the recess in a circumferential direction.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the contoured bottom surface of the recesses is formed such that the recesses have a flat bottom portion proximate the center of the recesses and an angular bottom portion extending from the flat bottom portion to the perimeter of the recesses. In this embodiment, the angular bottom portion may have an angle of between about 10 and 40 degrees and may preferably have an angle of between about 15 and 25 degrees.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the contoured bottom surface of the recesses is formed such that the angular bottom portion extends from the flat bottom portion of the recess to the exterior surface of the carrier. In another embodiment of the present invention, the contoured bottom surface of the recesses is formed such that the angular bottom portion of the recess extends from the flat bottom portion of the recess to a sidewall section of the recess at a location offset from the exterior surface of the carrier by a depth.
The method for perforating a subterranean well of the present invention comprises running a shaped charge perforating apparatus of the present invention downhole, operating the shaped charge perforating apparatus and discharging jets formed from the shaped charges through respective contoured bottom surfaces of recesses in the shaped charge carrier. In such a method, the recesses have a center depth that is greater than a perimeter depth, either in the longitudinal direction from the center, the circumferential direction from the center or both. The recesses may have a flat bottom portion proximate the center of the recesses and an angular bottom portion extending from the flat bottom portion to the perimeter of the recesses. The angular bottom portion of the recesses may extend from the flat bottom portion of the recesses to the exterior surface of the carrier or may intersect the sidewall of the recesses at the perimeter of the recesses. In all such configurations, using the method of the present invention to discharge jets formed from the shaped charges through the respective contoured bottom surfaces minimizes the size of openings created through the carrier by the discharge of the jets and prevents peeling of the recesses in the longitudinal direction.

Low debris shaped charge perforating apparatus and method for use of same


In accordance with the invention, a quantum well device provides localized states for electrons having an energy E greater than the barrier height of the constituent quantum wells. The device comprises a confinement quantum well of width L.sub.w equal to an integer number n of deBroglie half wavelengths ##EQU1## and a plurality of adjacent quarter wavelength barriers and wells, each having a thickness equal to an odd number m of deBroglie quarter wavelengths. Constructive interference between the waves partially reflected by the interfaces between adjacent .lambda./4 barriers and .lambda./4 wells leads to the formation of a localized electron state at an energy E in the region of the confinement well. The device can be used in detectors and modulators employing transitions between a bound state within the well and the localized state above the well.

It is known that quantum well devices can bind electrons having energy less than the barrier heights of the constituent wells. Indeed such devices have been employed as infrared photodetectors. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,526 issued Jan. 16, 1990, to Bethea et al., discloses a detector wherein infrared radiation incident on a superlattice of doped quantum wells gives rise to intersubband resonance radiation which excites electrons from the ground state in a well into an excited state. A photocurrent results from excited electrons tunneling out of the quantum wells. U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,685, issued Jun. 11, 1991, to Bethea et al., also shows a quantum well radiation detector. The wells have but a single bound energy state.
The present applicant has discovered that, in addition to having electron bound states within a quantum well at energies below the barrier height, devices can be fabricated which have localized electron states at energies above the barrier height. This discovery permits the fabrication of a variety of new detectors and modulators.

Quantum well device for producing localized electron states for detectors and modulators


Tent structure includes a canopy formed of flexible sheet material. Poles are employed to support the canopy to form a tent interior. A web structure is attached to the canopy and formed of flexible sheet material. The web structure is maintained under tension when the canopy is supported. An article storage and support member formed of flexible sheet material is attached to the web structure within the tent interior and maintained under tension.

Many different tent configurations and structures are in existence, including tents having a dome-like structure formed from a canopy of fabric or other sheet or sheet-like material supported by bent support rods or poles connected to the canopy. Such rods are typically formed of a material which is relatively rigid and yet permits flexing. The rods, when flexed in arch form during assembly, cooperate with the canopy to provide the desired configuration of the tent.
Dome-type tents are not always as stable as one might wish, especially when subjected to external forces such as those produced by high winds. Furthermore, internal storage space is usually minimal in such structures.
The tent of the present invention incorporates structure which performs the dual function of adding strength and stability to the tent and adding article storage capacity inside the tent.
While it is known to incorporate pouches and shelves per se in tents, none of the known prior art arrangements provide the dual advantages of the present invention in a single structural combination.
The following United States patents are believed to be representative of the current state of the prior art in this area: U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,519, issued Oct. 19, 1976, U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,533, issued Jul. 11, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,504, issued Mar. 30, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,181, issued Nov. 21, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,698, issued Oct. 22, 1968, U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,672, issued May 11, 1965, U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,478, issued Aug. 13, 1957, U.S. Pat. No. 2,511,974, issued Jun. 20, 1950, U.S. Pat. No. 2,197,791, issued Apr. 23, 1940, U.S. Pat. No. 1,51,622, issued Mar. 31, 1925, U.S. Pat. No. 1,124,263, issued Jan. 12, 1915, U.S. Pat. No. 985,002, issued Feb. 21, 1911, British Patent Specification No. 1,264,328, published Feb. 23, 1972, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,195, issued Nov. 2, 1954.
Pages 5-8 of the Sierra Designs 1978 Catalog illustrates tent designs which utilize an arched pole connected at its lower ends by a tension member in the form of a panel extending between the leg of the arch which allegedly reinforces the arch and increases its load-bearing capacity. The same feature is described in a 1982 Sierra Designs poster. Such feature does not appear to add any interior article storage capacity in the tent interior whatsoever.
Representative types of pouches, shelves or holders employed within dome-type or other tents are also shown on page 103 of the REI Camping '96 catalog and in a 1989 Sierra Designs brochure describing a "portable attic" releasably attached to a tent and hanging therefrom. So-called gear lofts or attics do not appear to contribute in a meaningful way to the overall structural stability of the tent. Hanging pockets or pouches have been used in tent structures but they are often of a structurally unstable character and have relatively limited capacity, often being essentially planar in configuration. Considerable sagging of pocket structure often takes place in prior art constructions and such pockets do not add to the strength or stability of the tent.

Tent including web structure and article storage and support member