A nonaqueous battery having a positive electrode made of an active material of light metal or its alloy or an active material capable of intercalating/deintercalating lithium ion, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, in which the battery is sealed with a sealant containing a pitch and at least one montmorillonite group material. In a preferred embodiment, the amount of the montmorillonite group material is in the range of 2 to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the sealant minus solvents. The pitch may be a blown asphalt and the at least one montmorillonite group material may be a tri-octahedron type montmorillonite group material comprising a quaternary ammonium intercalated between layers. Alternatively, the pitch may be blown asphalt having a penetration (25.degree. C.) of 10 to 20 and the at least one montmorillonite group material may be a hectolite comprising a quaternary ammonium intercalated between layers.

A nonaqueous battery comprises an active material that can easily react with water (a light metal or its alloy or a material capable of intercalating/deintercalating lithium ion) as a negative electrode. Therefore, the nonaqueous battery is arranged such that there is no water incorporated in the electrolyte, and the battery container is hermetically sealed to prevent water from entering the container. The battery container consists of a can or metal member and an insulating sealing material (also referred to as "gasket"). In order to provide perfect sealing, a sealant is interposed between the can or metal member and the insulating sealing material. As such sealants, there have been proposed various compounds which allegedly can prevent the entry of water and exhibit resistance to an organic solvent, which is contained in the battery as an electricity-generating element. Among these proposed compounds, a pitch (bituminous substance) such as asphalt and coal tar are most widely used. JP-A-56-32671, JP-A-57-194453, JP-A-58-10365, and JP-A-59-859 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") disclose the use of pitch by itself as a sealant. These patents describe that the selection of a particular pitch having proper physical properties or the coating of such a sealant on the surface of both the metal member and the insulating sealing material renders the battery more resistant to liquid leakage at a temperature as high as 60.degree. C. at a relative humidity of 90%. However, their effects leave much to be desired.
Thus, mixtures of pitch with the following compounds have been proposed. One of these proposals is a mixture of pitch with a mineral oil as disclosed in JP-B-61-36344 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"). This proposal allegedly provides a further improvement in the resistance of the battery to liquid leakage during storage at a temperature as high as e.g., 60.degree. C. for 100 days or in a 60.degree. C.-minus 10.degree. C. heat cycle. JP-A-U-57-194254 (the term "JP-A-U" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese utility model application"), JP-A-58-112246, JP-A-59-78443, and JP-A-63-80471 disclose mixing a pitch with a silicone rubber. This approach allegedly provides an improvement in the resistance of the battery to liquid leakage during storage at a temperature as high as e.g., 60.degree. C. for 100 days or in a 60.degree. C.-minus 10.degree. C. heat cycle. Further, a method which comprises mixing a pitch with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin is proposed in JP-A-59-91660, and JP-A-63-202845. This approach allegedly provides an improvement in the resistance of the battery to liquid leakage during storage at a temperature as high as e.g., 60.degree. C. or 70.degree. C. for 100 days or in a 60.degree. C.-minus 10.degree. C. heat cycle by mixing a pitch with vinyl acetate or atactic polypropylene as a resin. JP-B-63-1706 discloses that the use of a cationic aqueous dispersion obtained by dispersion-suspending either a pitch (asphalt) or a rubber latex (e.g., styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, ethylenepropylene rubber) or a mixture thereof in water with a cationic surface active agent as a sealant allegedly provides an improvement in the resistance of the battery to liquid leakage during the storage at a temperature as high as 45.degree. C. at a relative humidity of 90% for 1 to 12 months. These approaches do provide an improvement in the resistance of the battery to liquid leakage during storage at elevated temperature. However, even these improved approaches leave much to be desired in the following respects.
The sealing of a nonaqueous battery can be accomplished by pressing a negative electrode can or positive electrode can against an insulating sealing material made of a synthetic resin via a sealant as shown by the reference numerals 12, 13, 14 and 15 in FIG. 2. The strength by which the negative or positive can is pressed against the sealing material is sealing strength. The sealing strength is affected by the shape of the sealing mold and the molding size of the insulating synthetic resin sealing material or metal member. In particular, the sealing mold is gradually worn away as the sealing process is repeatedly conducted. As a result, the sealing strength is gradually reduced. Therefore, nonaqueous batteries prepared according to the aforementioned proposed methods leave much to be desired in their resistance to liquid leakage when the sealing strength is reduced.

Nonaqueous battery sealed with a montmorillonite material


An object is to provide a PTC element capable of preventing lead terminals from delaminating from an element body. This PTC element 1 is a PTC element comprising an element body 10 in which an electroconductive filler is dispersed in a crystalline polymer, and a pair of terminal electrodes 12, 14 thermocompression-bonded with the element body 10 in between, wherein each of the pair of terminal electrodes 12, 14 has an overlapping region 121, 141 overlapping with the element body 10, and a nonoverlapping region 122, 142 not overlapping with the element body 10, and wherein the nonoverlapping region 122, 142 of each of the pair of terminal electrodes 12, 14 is constructed of a succession of a wide portion 122a a width of which is large across a direction in which the terminal electrode 12, 14 extends from the element body 10, and a narrow portion 122b a width of which is smaller than the width of the wide portion 122a.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element.
2. Related Background Art
A PTC element is known as an element for protecting a circuit element from overcurrent. The PTC element is an element that rapidly increases its positive temperature coefficient of resistance upon arrival at a specific temperature region. An example of the PTC element is the one described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-123473).


A flightless rock auger is used for drilling postholes through rock with the use of hydraulic pressure and at slow revolution per minute. The rock auger is used in combination with a conventional flighted auger used for drilling postholes in dirt and clay. During a posthole drilling operation, the rock auger is substituted for a conventional flighted auger as needed for drilling through and removing rock or other hard material such as concrete from the posthole. The rock auger is designed for use at very low revolutions per minute and can function utilizing only the weight of the auger; however, the rock auger is designed for use with pressure drilling units as well for cutting a circular hole through the rock and forming a plug which is to be lodged in the cavity of the rock auger cylinder to be removed from the posthole. The quick connection enables the shaft of a pressure drill unit to engage the flightless auger to be quickly substituted for the rock auger to facilitate fast removal of soft dirt from the posthole. A pilot drill bit can be disposed within the cutting head for extending outwardly pass the cutting edge thereof for starting the hole, breaking up rock, and holding the auger in position during the drilling operation. A portion of the cylindrical body can be removed to allow quick clearance of the plug.

The present invention relates to a flightless rock auger suspended from a derrick and powered by a shaft linked to a power source for removing plugs of rocks from post holes.
Poles for power lines and communication purposes are required to be vertical and arrange din straight lines. The poles may be planted in positions which are relatively inaccessible. A crane may be utilized for providing an outreaching means. Typically a digger derrick consists of a telescopic mobile crane from which is suspended a torque head. A flighted auger is suspended from the torque head and utilized for drilling in soil containing loose rock. The digger derrick is advantageous for extending the auger to the desired location. The auger may be stowed in a fixed position or extended in a telescoping position as needed to reach the desired location for drilling the hole.
Depending on the nature of the digging device, its digging element, or auger, torque head or hydraulic pressure is typically exerted on the digging element via air or oil hydraulic pressure exerted by the crane or cylinder in cooperative engagement therewith for forcing the digging element into the earth.
Although the conventional flighted auger is adequate for drilling through soil, or even soil with loose rock, the drilling operation must be suspended upon hitting a large rock or rock ledge because the flighted auger cannot penetrate the hard rock surface. The flighted auger is then lifted out of the hole and conventional methods of removing the obstruction with a steel shaft, crowbar, or explosive charge are used to break-up the hard rock. The flighted auger is then lowered into the hole to remove the loose rock.
A considerable amount of time is lost during the rock break-up and removal procedure. Moreover, an effort is continually being made to minimize work with explosives due to the liability of injury to workers and/or damage to residents or businesses in the area which may be in the area of the blasting zone and susceptible to rock or vibration damage.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Flightless rock auger for use with pressure drills with quick attachment and method of use


Uses of pyrrolopyrimidines with anti-Mer tyrosine kinase activity as anti-infective agents, immunostimulatory and immunomodulatory agents, anti-cancer agents (including against MerTK−/− tumors and ITD and TKD mutant forms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)), and as adjunctive agents in combination with chemotherapeutic, radiation or other standard of care for neoplasms.

MerTK is a member of a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family known as TAM, which also includes AXL and TYRO3. Each member of the TAM family contains an extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain and a conserved intracellular kinase domain. MerTK was first discovered in the laboratory of H. Shelton Earp at the University of North Carolina in 1994 (Graham et al., Cloning and mRNA expression analysis of a novel human proto-oncogene, c-mer. Cell Growth Differ 5, 647-657 (1994)). The TAM family members undergo ligand-induced homodimerization, followed by catalytic tyrosine kinase activation and intracellular signaling. Cross-phosphorylation has also been demonstrated within this RTK family, suggesting heterodimerization can occur also. These RTKs are widely expressed in many epithelial tissues and in cells of the immune, nervous, and reproductive systems. MerTK was given its name by the Earp laboratory because it was found to be expressed in monocytes and in tissues of epithelial and reproductive tissue.
As described in more detail below, ligand-bound MerTK can complex with phosphatidyl serine and it binds apoptotic cells which triggers ingestion and suppresses inflammatory cytokines. It is aberrantly expressed in certain cancers (for example, acute leukemia (ALL and AML) and some solid tumors (for example melanoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, glioblastoma and others).
The MerTK ligands include growth arrest-specific 6 protein (GAS6; Chen, et al; Oncogene (1997) 14, 2033-2039), protein-S, tubby and tubby-like protein-1 (TULP1), and galectin-3. Several of these ligands are present in serum and expressed locally in a number of tissues. These ligands bind to the extracellular domain of MerTK, resulting in tyrosine kinase activation.
Since the discovery of MerTK in the Earp laboratory in 1994, there has been a growing body of literature and patents that suggest the possibility of MerTK as a druggable target for a number of indications.
TAM receptor tyrosine kinases have been investigated for their involvement in certain infectious diseases. Shimojima, et al., reported the involvement of members of the Tyro3 receptor tyrosine kinase family, Axl, Dkt and MerTK, in the cell entry of filoviruses Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus, and concluded that each Tyro3 family member is likely a cell entry factor in the infection ("Tyro3 Family-mediated Cell Entry of Ebola and Marburg Viruses" Journal of Virology, October 2006 p. 10109-10116).
U.S. Pat. No. 8,415,361 to Lemke, et al. (claiming priority to a Nov. 9, 2007 provisional application), assigned to The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, describes the use of TAM receptor inhibitors as antimicrobials. In particular, the '361 patent reports that inhibition of the TAM pathway in virally infected macrophages from TAM triple knock-out mice leads to reduced levels of infection with a variety of pseudotyped viruses with either filoviral, retroviral or rhabdoviral glycoproteins. Brindley, et al., reported that in a bioinformatics-based screen for cellular genes that enhance Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) transduction, AXL mRNA expression strongly correlated with ZEBOV infection ("Tyrosine kinase receptor Axl enhances entry of Zaire ebolavirus without direct interactions with the viral glycoprotein" Virology, 415 (2011) 83-84).
Morizono, et al, published that Gas6 mediates binding of the virus to target cells by bridging virion envelope phosphatidyl serine to Axl on the target cells. Replication of vaccinia virus, which was previously reported to use apoptotic mimicry to enter cells, is enhanced by Gas6, and Morizono asserts that these results reveal an alternative molecular mechanism of viral entry that can broaden host range and enhance infectivity of enveloped viruses ("The Soluble Serum Protein Gas6 Bridges Virion Envelope Phosphatidylserine to the TAM Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Axl to mediate Viral Entry" Cell Host & Microbe 9, 286-298, 2011). In 2014, Morizono and Chen reported that virus binding by viral envelope phosphatidyl serine is a viral entry mechanism generalized to a number of families of viruses (Morizono and Chen, "Role of Phosphatidyl Receptors in Enveloped Virus Infection", J. Virology Vol 88(8), 4275-4290 (Jan. 29, 2014)).
WO2013/124324 filed by Amara et al. (priority date Feb. 21, 2012), and assigned to Institut National De La Sante et De La Recherche Medicale, reports that Dengue virus is mediated by the interaction between phosphatidylserine at the surface of the Dengue viral envelope and TAM receptors present at the surface of the host cell, and that such interaction can be blocked, thereby inhibiting entry of Dengue into host cells. They also report that the interaction between phosphatidyl serine and TAM receptors is used by other flaviviruses such as Yellow Fever, West Nile and perhaps Chikungunya. Amara focuses on antisense, siRNA and antibody approaches.
Similarly, Bhattacharayya et al., reports that several human viruses, for example Ebola, Dengue, and HIV, externalize PtdSer on their capsid during budding and use phosphatidylserine to bind to and activate TAM RTKs in the presence of TAM ligands, allowing entry of the virus into cells and furthermore, activation of MerTK in macrophages in response to viral particles expressing PtdSer stimulates an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile as if apoptotic material was being ingested, thereby inhibiting the anti-viral immune response. Bhattacharayya et al observe that TAM receptors are engaged by viruses to attenuate type 1 interferon signaling ("Enveloped viruses disable innate immune responses in dendritic cells by direct activation of TAM receptors", Cell Host & Microbe 14, 136,-147 (2013)). See also Meertens, L. et al. The TIM and TAM families of phosphatidylserine receptors mediate dengue virus entry. Cell Host Microbe 12, 544-557, doi:10.1016/j.chom.2012.08.009 (2012). Mercer, J. & Helenius, A. Vaccinia virus uses macropinocytosis and apoptotic mimicry to enter host cells. Science 320, 531-535, doi:10.1126/science.1155164 (2008).
MerTK is ectopically expressed or overexpressed in a number of hematologic and epithelial malignant cells. Expression of MerTK and GAS6 correlates with poor prognosis and/or chemoresistance in these tumor types. The mechanisms by which increased MerTK signaling in tumor cells contributes to tumor malignancy, however, remain unclear.
WO2013/052417 titled "Pyrrolopyrimidine Compounds for the Treatment of Cancer" filed by Wang, et al., and assigned to the University of North Carolina describe pyrrolopyrimidines with MerTK inhibitory activity for the treatment of tumors such as myeloid leukemia, lymphoblastic leukemia, melanoma, breast, lung, colon, liver, gastric, kidney, ovarian, uterine and brain cancer, wherein the pyrrolopyrimidines have the general structures below, with R substituents as defined in the those applications:

In November 2013, Dr. Stephen Frye presented data showing the inhibitory effects of a pyrrolopyrimidine compound (UNC2025) in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, MerTK-expressing AML cell lines, and MerTK-negative AML cell lines. In addition, the effect of UNC2025 was analyzed in an ALL 697 cell line xenograft model and a FLT3-ITD AML patient xenograft model. Frye, S. "Academic Drug Discovery and Chemical Biology", Presentation at the Northwestern 18th Annual Drug Discovery Symposium. November 2013. The structure of the pyrrolopyrimidine compound UNC2025 is:

WO2011/146313 and WO2014/062774, both titled "Pyrazolopyrimidine Compounds for the Treatment of Cancer" filed by Wang, et al., and assigned to the University of North Carolina describe pyrazolopyrimidines with MerTK inhibitory activity for the treatment of tumors such as myeloid leukemia, lymphoblastic leukemia, melanoma, breast, lung, colon, liver, gastric, kidney, ovarian, uterine and brain cancer, wherein the pyrazolopyrimidines have the general structures below, with R substituents as defined in the those applications:
WO2014/062774 further discloses pyrazolopyrimidine compounds for use in a method of treating or inhibiting blood clot formation.
In January 2012, Liu, J, et al., published a comparison of the activity of forty four pyrazolopyrimidine compounds against MerTK, Axl and Tyro3 kinases. One of these compounds (UNC569) was tested for inhibition of MerTK autophosphorylation in human B-ALL cells ("Discovery of Novel Small Molecule Mer Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia." ACS Med Chem Lett. 2012 Feb. 9; 3(2):129-134.). In May 2013, Schlegel, et al., published results on the pyrazolopyrimidine compound UNC1062, which reduced activation of MERTK-mediated downstream signaling, induced apoptosis in culture, reduced colony formation in soft agar, and inhibited invasion of melanoma cells ("MER receptor tyrosine kinase is a therapeutic target in melanoma." J Clin Invest. 2013 May; 123(5):2257-67).
In December 2013, Zhang, W., et al., also published a comparison of the activity of forty six 5-arylpyrimidine based compounds for treatment of tumors ("Pseudo-cyclization through intramolecular hydrogen bond enables discovery of pyridine substituted pyrimidines as new Mer kinase inhibitors." J Med. Chem., vol. 56:9683-9692, 2013). These pyrimidine compounds were identified using a pseudo-ring replacement strategy based on the previously identified pyrazolopyrimidine MerTK inhibitor, UNC569.
In July 2013, Liu, J, et al. published the first evidence of anti-tumor activity mediated by a member of this novel class of inhibitors. Specifically, the pyrazolopyrimidine compound UNC1062 inhibited MerTK phosphorylation and colony formation in soft agar ("UNC1062, a new and potent Mer inhibitor." Eur J Med Chem. 2013 July; 65:83-93). In November 2013, Christoph, S. et al., published effects of a pyrazolopyrimidine (UNC569) in ALL and ATRT (atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRT) ("UNC569, a novel small-molecule Mer inhibitor with efficacy against acute lymphoblastic leukemia in vitro and in vivo." Mol Cancer Ther. 2013 November; 12(11):2367-77). The MerTK inhibitors UNC569 and UNC1062 have the following structures:

An important observation was made in 2013 that MerTK −/− knock-out mice are less susceptible to tumor growth than normal mice. MerTK is normally expressed in myeloid lineage cells where it acts to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines following ingestion of apoptotic material. It was found that MerTK −/− leukocytes exhibit lower tumor cell-induced expression of wound healing cytokines (IL-10 and GAS6) and enhanced expression of acute inflammatory cytokines (IL-12 and IL-6). Further, intratumoral CD8+ lymphocytes are increased. The loss of MerTK in the tumor microenvironment in Mer−/− mice slowed the establishment, growth, and metastasis of mammary tumors and melanomas in immune competent, syngeneic mice. Cook, R. S. et al., MerTK inhibition in tumor leukocytes decreases tumor growth and metastasis, J Clin Invest 123, 3231-3242 (2013).
Linger et al. have also presented data demonstrating increased MerTK expression in E2A-PBX11 and other cytogenetic subgroups of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), and that MerTK inhibition may attenuate prosurvival and proliferation signaling. Linger et al., Mer receptor tyrosine kinase is a therapeutic target in pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Blood, vol. 122(9):1599-1609, 2013. Lee-Sherick, et al. ("Efficacy of a Mer and Flt3 tyrosine kinase small molecule inhibitor, UNC1666, in acute myeloid leukemia", Oncotarget, Advance Publications 2015 Feb. 10, 2015) have reported that UNC1666 (a pyrrolopyrimidine) decreases oncogenic signaling and myeloid survival in AML.
TAM (Tyro3-Axl-Mer) receptor tyrosine kinases have also been investigated for their involvement in platelet aggregation. In 2004, Chen et al, from the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, published that MerTK, presumably through activation by its ligand Gas6, participates in the regulation of platelet function in vitro and platelet-dependent thrombosis in vivo. Chen, et al, "Mer Receptor tyrosine Kinase Signaling Participates in Platelet Function", Arterioscler. Thromv. Vase. Biol. 1118-1123 June 2004. Chen reported that PtdSer on aggregating platelets activates MerTK, helping to stabilize clot formation. MerTK knockout mice have decreased platelet aggregation while maintaining normal bleeding times and coagulation parameters. Consequently, these mice appear to be protected from thrombosis without concomitant increased spontaneous bleeding (see also Angelillo-Scherrer A et al., Role of Gas6 receptors in platelet signaling during thrombus stabilization and implications for antithrombotic therapy. J. Clin. Invest. 2005, 115 (2), 237-246).
In 2007, Sather, et al., reported that membrane-bound MerTK is cleaved in the extracellular domain via a metalloproteinase to produce a soluble MerTK that decreased platelet aggregation in vitro and prevented fatal collagen/epinephrine-induced thromboembolism. "A soluble form of the Mer receptor tyrosine kinase inhibits macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells and platelet aggregation", Blood, Vol 109(3): 1026-1033).
Paolino et al. have reported on the treatment of wild-type NK cells with a newly developed small molecule TAM kinase inhibitor, LDC1267, that conferred therapeutic potential and efficiently enhancing anti-metastatic NK cell activity in vivo. Oral or intraperitoneal administration using this TAM inhibitor markedly reduced murine mammary cancer and melanoma metastases dependent on NK cells. See, Paolino, M., et al., The E3 ligase Cbl-b and TAM receptors regulate cancer metastasis via natural killer cells, Nature, vol. 507:508-512, 2014. LDC1267 is a highly selective TAM kinase inhibitor with IC50 of <5 nM, 8 nM, and 29 nM for MerTK, Tyro3, and Axl, respectively, and has the chemical structure:

Bernsmeier, et al., have noted that characteristics of decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) include susceptibility to infection, immune paresis and monocyte dysfunction. The authors found that the number of monocytes and macrophages that expressed MerTK was greatly increased in circulation, livers and lymph nodes of patients with ACLF. They found that addition of a substituted pyrazolopyrimidine UNC569 (see WO 2011/146313 filed by Wang, et al., and assigned to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, page 25) restored production of inflammatory cytokines. Bernsmeier, et al., "Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Have Increased Numbers of Regulatory Immune Cells Expressing the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase MERTK", Gastroenterology 2015; 1-13.
It is an object of the invention to identify new methods and compositions for the treatment of infectious diseases.
It is another object of the invention to identify new methods and compositions for the treatment of thrombosis.
It is another object of the invention to identify new methods and compositions for the treatment of a tumor, cancer or other neoplasm.
It is yet another object of the invention to identify new methods and compositions for the treatment of disorders that can be treated with immunosuppression, or which would benefit from immunostimulatory therapy.

Therapeutic uses of selected pyrrolopyrimidine compounds with anti-mer tyrosine kinase activity

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


A hair retaining headwear system for efficiently covering a user's head and retaining their ponytail outside of the headwear. The hair retaining headwear system generally includes a body adapted to be worn over a head of a user, wherein the body includes a forward end adapted to extend around a forehead and a rearward end opposite the forward end. A retaining element extends from the rearward end, wherein the retaining element includes a receiver opening to receive and retain hair extending from underneath the body away from the body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to headwear and more specifically it relates to a hair retaining headwear system for efficiently covering a user's head and retaining their ponytail outside of the headwear.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Headwear, such as bandanas and head wraps have been in use for years. The headwear is worn for purposes of comfort, warmth, protection from various elements and absorbing perspiration. The headwear is worn independently and also under various types of headgear or helmets. The headwear is often able to be comfortably worn; however for individuals with long hair the use of the headwear may often times be uncomfortable.
An individual with long hair generally prefers to retain their hair in an orderly manner when wearing the headwear to participate in various types of activities or sports. Retaining the hair in an orderly manner can help to prevent discomfort for the user from the hair bouncing about or positioning itself in front of the individual's eyes when the individual is being active. Retaining the hair in an orderly manner outside of the headwear can also prevent the user from having to "bunch" their hair underneath the headwear thus being a difficult process and causing discomfort.
Adjusting the headwear to accommodate for the plethora of hair may often times cause the headwear to become loosened or misaligned thus making the headwear uncomfortable to wear and not of a sufficient tautness around the head to efficiently retain the individual's perspiration. It is appreciated that at times it may also be desired to simply retain the ponytail, without providing a substantial amount of fabric over the user's head. Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved hair retaining headwear system for efficiently covering a user's head and retaining their ponytail outside of the headwear.


An anamorphic converter, which can be inserted into and removed from a lens group of an image-formation optical system, includes an anamorphic lens that satisfies the following conditions0.9<(AR1·βx)/(AR2·βy)<1.1(AR22+1)·βy2/(AR12+1)>1wherein βx represents a first focal distance magnification scale at a first cross-section containing an optical axis of the anamorphic lens, βy represents a second focal distance magnification scale at a second cross-section which is perpendicular to the first cross-section and contains the optical axis, AR1 represents an aspect ratio of an image-taking range in a field of the image-formation optical system, and AR2 represents an aspect ratio at an effective range of an image-taking unit disposed at an object image side of the lens group. As such, there is provided an anamorphic converter which is small and has high optical performance, suitable for digital cinematography.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anamorphic converter used with image-taking devices such as film cameras, television cameras, video cameras, or the like, for taking pictures with an aspect ratio which differs from that of the imaging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various techniques for recording and playback of images with conversion of aspect ratio have been conventionally proposed. Particularly, in the field of cinematography, a technique is widely used with a CinemaScope format (aspect ratio 2.35:1) picture recording/playback system wherein the picture is optically horizontally compressed using an anamorphic lens so as to be taken on film, and also shown at the time of playback by optically horizontally expanding the image on film using an anamorphic lens.
Known anamorphic converters include front converters which are attached to the object side of an image-formation optical system, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-13916 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-82691, for example. These converters are simple and do not exhibit vignetting because they ensure a suitable effective diameter regardless of the conversion ratio. Also, with regard to such front converters, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-25407 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-188271, for example, propose techniques for correcting astigmatism due to focus.
Also, with regard to a rear converter to be attached to the image side of an image-formation optical system, the arrangement described in Japanese Patent Publication 3,021,985 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,084) with reduced change in astigmatism due to focus is known. Further, there is known a converter, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,666, having a built-in converter and capable of being detachably inserted to the image side of the focusing group of the image-formation optical system. This built-in converter also is capable of reducing change in astigmatism.
Now, in recent years, video technology has seen a trend toward higher definition, to where digital cinema systems wherein cinematography carried out using HDTV systems are becoming commonplace. While imaging devices having an aspect ratio of 16:9 (1.78:1) are common with digital cinema systems, there is demand for an anamorphic converter for improving image quality by effectively utilizing pixels on the imaging device side in order to shoot pictures in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio CinemaScope format. Prerequisites for a cinematography anamorphic converter are that suitable aspect ratio conversion is performed, that there is no vignetting, that the effective image field of the image-formation optical system can be fully utilized, that there is little drop in light quantity at the periphery, and that high optical capabilities can be had over the entire zooming/focusing range of the image-formation optical system.
Now, although the front converter disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-13916 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-82691 are advantageous in being simple, and not exhibiting vignetting due to ensuring a suitable effective diameter regardless of the conversion ratio, however, further improvements are desired with regard to larger size and change in astigmatism due to focusing. Also, the arrangements disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-25407 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-188271 enable correcting of astigmatism due to focus. However, correcting means within the converter must be driven synchronously with the focusing of the image-formation optical system, thereby necessitating a complicated mechanism.
Also, the rear converter disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication 3,021,985 is advantageous in that there is no change in astigmatism due to focusing, but there is the need to suitably set the horizontal and vertical conversion scaling to suppress vignetting, and improvement is desired regarding change in field angle of the image-formation optical system. Further, the built-in converter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,666 also is advantageous in that there is little change in astigmatism due to focusing, but has a problem in that angular magnification is smaller than 1, and vignetting occurs.

Anamorphic converter, lens device using the same, and image-taking device using the same


The present disclosure provides a laser projection component and a detection method thereof, and an electronic device. The laser projection component is applicable to the depth camera component and is configured to project a laser pattern. The detection method includes: obtaining the laser pattern; determining whether a preset identifier exists in the laser pattern; and determining that the depth camera component is abnormal when the preset identifier does not exist in the laser pattern.

A depth camera component uses a light source of a laser projection component to emit laser light, thereby assisting an infrared camera to obtain a structured light image. Under normal circumstances, the energy of the laser light emitted by the light source is attenuated after passing through an optical system (e.g. a collimating element, a diffractive optical element), thus causing no harm to the human body.

Laser projection component, detection method thereof, and electronic device

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A programmable electronic engine controller includes customer programmable engine and vehicle operating parameters. A communications device is connectable to said engine controller. Stored in the communications device are a predetermined set of parameters. The communications device downloads the engine and vehicle operating parameters that are present in the engine controller, compares those values to corresponding predetermined parameters, and prints an exception report based on that comparison.

In mechanically controlled compression ignition engines, the engine's physical structure often determines its operating characteristics. It is, therefore, difficult to vary the operating characteristics without varying the physical structure of the engine. With the advent of electronically controlled engines, the operating characteristics of the engine, and of the vehicle in which the engine is installed, could be easily changed by programming different parameters into the electronic controller.
When electronic controllers were first introduced on compression ignition engines, it was typical for all parameters to be preprogrammed into the controller at the factory. One set of parameters that typically are programmed at the factory are fuel limit data, which are stored as a function of engine speed and determine the rated horsepower output of the engine. Other factors that may be programmed into the engine may include fuel injection timing, engine speed limits and power derate strategies, among others. As electronic engine control became more well accepted and microprocessors and other control components became more robust, the controller was able to control other characteristics such as maximum vehicle speed, among others. In some electronically controlled engines, the customer is permitted to program some parameter values to most closely tailor the engine operating characteristics to her desired application.
For example, if the engine was purchased by a fleet, the fleet manager may want to limit the maximum speed at which the vehicle operator can drive to thereby improve fuel mileage. To provide the greatest flexibility and allow for differences in specific applications, the fleet manager would be permitted to program the maximum vehicle speed value within a range of permissible maximum vehicle speed values. Similarly, the fleet manager or end user might be permitted to program other operating conditions into the electronic controller.
Vehicle operators sometimes do not like the programmed limits and other values programmed by the fleet manager into the controller. And, in some instances vehicle operators or someone else might reprogram the customer selectable values to values other than those originally selected by the fleet manager. In those cases it would be possible for the vehicle operator to defeat some of the objectives of the fleet manager (e.g., to conserve fuel by limiting the maximum vehicle speed.) In prior art compression ignition engines, the fleet manager cannot tell that these values have been changed without driving the vehicle and guessing based on engine and vehicle performance.
It would be desirable to have an electronically controlled engine that could download a report to the fleet manager or other appropriate responsible party that would indicate to the fleet manager that the customer controlled parameters had been changed to values other than those that were originally programmed.

Programmable engine parameter verification apparatus and method of operating same


An articulating probe for a measurement device includes a base platform, a rotor platform that is movable relative to the base platform, and a sensor element coupled to the rotor platform. The rotor platform is coupled to the base platform via a spherical parallel kinematic system.

Measurement devices are generally used to determine geometric or physical variables, for example of workpieces, and can be designed, for example, as a roughness measurement device, hardness measurement device, surface measurement device or coordinate measuring machine. The herein presented measurement device is preferably a coordinate measuring machine.
Coordinate measuring machines serve for checking workpieces, for example as part of quality assurance, or for ascertaining the geometry of a workpiece entirely as part of what is known as "reverse engineering". Moreover, diverse further application possibilities are conceivable, such as e.g. process-controlling applications, in which the measurement technology is applied directly for online monitoring and online regulation of manufacturing and processing processes.
In coordinate measuring machines, different types of sensors may be used to capture the workpiece to be measured. In addition to sensors measuring on a tactile basis, use is also made of optical sensors, for example, that make contactless capturing of the coordinates of a measurement object or workpiece possible. There are also what are known as multi-sensor systems in which a plurality of tactile and/or optical sensors are used together.
Coordinate measuring machines known from the prior art typically have at least three translational degrees of freedom of movement which are realized, for example, by a movability of the measurement table along three axes. To further increase the freedom of movement or variability of the coordinate measuring machine, further components are typically attached to the coordinate measuring machine, which, for example, enable movement of a workpiece relative to a sensor element, for example by way of rotation about one or more rotation axes, and thus increase the number of degrees of freedom of the coordinate measuring machine.
In this case, what are known as rotary tables can be used for example, on which the workpiece to be measured is placed during the measurement process and is movable relative to the sensor element by way of a rotation of the rotary table about one or more rotation axes. Alternatively or for supplementary purposes, what are known as rotary swivel joints or swivel arms on which the sensor element of the coordinate measuring machine is provided can also be used in addition to rotary tables for workpieces. The rotary swivel joints are configured to move the sensor element relative to the workpiece by means of rotational and translational movement sequences about and/or along one or more axes. The rotary swivel joint together with the sensor element (independent of the type of sensor element) is usually referred to as articulating probe.
With the use of such rotatable or pivotable sensor elements, inter alia, the number of probe interchanges can be reduced or the interchanges can be avoided and paths arising from moving around the workpiece can be reduced. This helps increase the productivity of the coordinate measuring machine. Furthermore, due to the increased freedom of movement of the sensor element, the workpiece to be measured can be approached in its entirety, wherein for example measurement points on the surface can be approached which, without the additional freedom of movement of the sensor element relative to the workpiece, would be reachable only by reclamping, i.e. realigning, the workpiece.
Rotary swivel joints that are commercially available for the relative movability of sensor elements in relation to workpieces are available in various configuration stages and have, for example, one, two or three additional (rotational) degrees of freedom. As a well-known rotary swivel joint, the product REVO from Renishaw plc can be mentioned, for example.
A generally known problem concerning rotary swivel joints known from the prior art arises from the divergence of the masses or the mass moments of inertia with respect to the individual movement axes, which is in particular due to the serial configuration of the rotary swivel joints. For example, a movement axis is usually carried by a previous movement axis, which generally corresponds to a serial configuration of the kinematics. As a result of the serial configuration, any movement about the corresponding movement axis, which is basically intended to be a pure rotary movement, always comprises a translational movement component. This makes the movement sequence and thus regulation more complex.
In the case of kinematics with serial configuration, the movement axis located closest to the sensor element carries the lowest mass, specifically only that of the sensor element, and is therefore subject to the lowest mass moment of inertia during the rotary movement. The second movement axis, located after the first movement axis along the kinematic path starting from the sensor element, however, already has a higher mass, specifically the sum of the masses of the first movement axis and of the sensor element. This increase in mass results in the second movement axis already being subject to a correspondingly higher mass moment of inertia during a rotary movement. For a third movement axis in the kinematic path, the mass and thus the mass moment of inertia increase accordingly. Because of this, the divergence of the masses and mass moments of inertia occurs.
One solution approach is to modify the configuration of the kinematic path of rotary swivel joints in such a way that the first two movement axes intersect at a common point, that they consequently have a common center of rotation with two degrees of freedom. In this modification, however, the movement axis closest to the center of rotation, as viewed along the kinematic path starting from the sensor element, continues to have no point of intersection with the other two movement axes. Thus, even in this modified configuration of rotary swivel joints, there is still an (albeit smaller) divergence of the mass moments of inertia between the individual movement axes.

Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH


When decoding an OFDM signal, frame and frequency synchronisation is necessary. The invention shows a method enabling a high accuracy for frame and frequency synchronization, which leads to a very low error rate in comparison to prior art. The inventive method for processing an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex)-signal is based on calculating (S5) a maximum of metric values (Λ) for arrangements between a reference pilot pattern (REF-PP) and a received pilot pattern (REC-PP), on determining the respective maximizing arrangement, and on determining (S7) and maximizing integer frequency ({circumflex over (f)}I) and time offsets ({circumflex over (T)}sy) for frame synchronization and/or frequency synchronization (S8) of said OFDM-signal, wherein the calculation of said metric values (Λ) is based on the evaluation of pairs (REF-PC-PAIR (P,(k, l); P(k, l+Nl))) of reference pilot cells (REF-PC), the members of said pairs (REF-PC-PAIR (P,(k, l); P(k, l+Nl))) corresponding to the same discrete frequency (k) and to different discrete times (l), and based on the signals (R(k, l), R(k, l+Nl)) of corresponding received cells with respect to said discrete frequencies (k) and sad discrete times (l).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for processing an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex)-signal.
2. Description of Related Art
The OFDM technique is an efficient transmission technique to cope with many channel impairments. By inserting a guard interval between OFDM symbols, inter symbol interference (ISI) can be mitigated. Nevertheless, a robust time and frequency synchronization is necessary to achieve good performance of an OFDM system in severe channels. For many OFDM systems the transmission is organized in OFDM frames, which consist of several OFDM symbols. Therefore, a robust OFDM frame synchronization method is necessary, too.
A fractional time offset can be determined by calculating the correlation of the guard interval or parts thereof with the corresponding parts at the end of an OFDM symbol. With the same method an estimate of a fractional frequency offset, can be calculated. After the determination of the fractional time offset and the fractional frequency offset, the FFT window is positioned and a FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation) is done. The result of the FFT are received cells (cf. below). However, after this pre-processing method, a coarse frequency offset in multiples of the sub-carrier spacing and the beginning of a transmission frame, i. e. an OFDM frame, needs to be determined. The coarse frequency offset in multiples of the sub-carrier spacing can also be referred to as integer frequency offset and the term integer time offset can be used in order to describe the time offset in time units of an OFDM symbol.
After the integer frequency offset and the integer time offset have been determined, a frequency offset compensation and time offset compensation of the OFDM signal is performed.
The error rate of the determination of the integer frequency offset and the integer time offset has a strong influence on the performance of an OFDM receiver, i. e. the reliability of the synchronization of an OFDM receiver.


A self-indexing exit gate for a side-by-side milking parlor has a yoke member that is cantilevered on a sleeve that is journaled on an overhead rotary pivot bar. A latch member affords a limited amount of play between the sleeve member and the pivot bar. A pneumatic cylinder rotates the pivot bar between the first and second positions, which correspond to lowered and raised positions of the exit gate yoke member. The yoke member has a center of gravity positioned somewhat distally of the rotary shaft, which provides a small amount of play, that is, about six inches, at the point of contact with the shoulders of the cow. The latch member permits individual release of a cow from her stall without affecting the exit gates of the other stalls in the dairy parlor.

The present invention relates in general to the field of cattle stalls, and in particular to milking parlors and milking stalls designed for compactness, efficient parlor operation, and maximum comfort for the cows.
The milking parlor generally consists of an array of individual stalls, each designed to hold a cow or other dairy animal while she is being milked. An attendant or operator is usually required to be present at the parlor to perform such tasks as ensuring that the animals are properly situated in the stalls; washing the udders prior to milking; applying milker units; and monitoring and attending to the operation of the milking units. The attendant also ensures that the cows to be milked enter the dairy parlor through an entrance gate, and that they exit the dairy parlor through an exit gate when the milking is completed.
A recent development of parlor design is the so called side-by-side or parallel stall configuration. Here, the cow is positioned facing outwardly from the operator and milking takes place at the rear of the cow, that is, between the hind legs. Variations of this design include a V-shaped parlor arrangement and a curved parlor arrangement, the later being discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,119, having the same assignee as this matter.
These side-by-side parlors are designed so that cows enter through an entry gate into an aisle or pathway along the rear side of the parlor, and then turn approximately 90 degrees and enter the furthest stall that is not yet occupied by a cow. A scheme of sequencing gates can be employed to ensure that the cows proceed to the proper stall.
The milking parlor generally has a rear wall that defines one side of the entry aisle, dividers that serve as side walls, and an exit gate at the front of each stall. The rear wall, which can contain a kick bar and a manure shield, for example, defines the milker position. The cow's hind legs are to be positioned against this wall. The front or exit gate can be of a sideways swinging or race gate design, with doors that swing open to release the cow, or can be of an upward swinging or yoke-type design, which moves upward or above the cow to release her from the stall. The sequencing gate can form a part of the side wall that separates the cows from one another.
The cow stalls have a predetermined length, i.e., between the rear wall and the front gate when the same is in its lowered or closed position. However, the cows are not all of the same predetermined length from hind legs to shoulder. Consequently, an indexing system is desirable for a milking parlor of this type. The term "indexing" simply means adjusting the length of each stall of the milking parlor so that the rear legs of the cow are at the rear wall, that is, at the milker position. Indexing can be carried out by adjusting the stall length, i.e., the distance from the exit gate to the rear kick rail or manure shield, to correspond to the length of the cow in the dairy parlor stall. This can be accomplished by moving the front or exit gates back by means of pneumatic cylinders.
In indexing dairy parlor current systems, gang indexing is most frequently employed. For gang indexing, a single pneumatic cylinder adjusts the position of all of the exit gates of a group of cattle stalls in a milking parlor. Adjusting the gates as a group is considered easier and more cost effective than individual indexing using individual pneumatic cylinders. Fewer pneumatic actuators, fewer controls are required. However, gang indexing is useful only when all of the cows that are being milked at any one time are approximately the same length.
Also, in a pneumatic indexing scheme, in addition to the cylinders required for lifting and lowering the gates to release the cows after milking, an additional set of cylinders is commonly used for indexing. The additional cylinder is needed because pneumatic actuators when used for partial stroke operation require rather complex control equipment such as limit switching and special valves.

Self-indexing exit gate for milking parlor


The present invention provides a heating cable control system. The system is configured with an optical coupling circuit, a NTC break-off detection circuit, and a fourth comparator circuit. The optical coupling circuit has an input terminal, a first control terminal, and a second control terminal. The first and second control terminals are electrically connected to first terminals of a NTC resistive layer and a PTC resistive wire of the heating cable, respectively. A second terminal of the PTC detection circuit is electrically connected to a silicon-controlled switch circuit. A second terminal of the NTC resistive layer is electrically connected to a negative input terminal of the fourth comparator circuit through the NTC break-off detection circuit, and is compared against a third reference voltage circuit. As such, when the NTC resistive layer becomes open-circuited, the heating to the PTC resistive wire is stopped reliably, thereby enhancing usage safety.

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to heating devices, and more particular to a heating cable control system having an optical coupling circuit, a NTC break-off detection circuit, and a fourth comparator circuit.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, U.S. Pat. No. 8,164,035, titled Heating Device Having Dual-core Heating Cable, teaches a dual-core heating cable control system containing a dual-core heating cable 30 and a control device 20. The control device 20 contains a control circuit 6, a DC voltage circuit 22, a first comparator circuit 40, a second comparator circuit 41, a synchronous signal input circuit 23, a first reference voltage circuit 24, an adjustment circuit 27, a NTC (negative temperature coefficient) detection circuit 75, a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) detection circuit 72, a switch circuit, a load detection circuit 28, a protection circuit, a function selection circuit 29, and a status indicator circuit 74. The DC voltage circuit 22 provides DC voltage Vcc to power the control device 20 and, through the switch circuit, to activate the gate of a second silicon-controlled regulator so that the second silicon-controlled regulator conducts its anode and cathode, and that the AC is conducted to a PTC resistive wire of the dual-core heating cable to heat up. The PTC detection circuit obtains a load current through the PTC resistive wire and converts the load current to a voltage compared to the first reference voltage through the second comparator circuit. When a high level is detected, the heating up to the dual-core heating cable continues whereas a low level is detected, the heating up to the dual-core heating cable stops, thereby achieving constant temperature. Additionally, the dual-core heating cable is configured with a NTC resistive layer and electrical current flows through the PTC resistive wire, the NTC resistive layer, and then to the NTC detection circuit. The NTC detection circuit coverts the current to a voltage compared against the first reference voltage through the first comparator circuit. When a high level is detected, the heating up to the PTC resistive wire continues whereas a low level is detected, the heating up to the PTC resistive wire stops, thereby achieving a second over-temperature protection.
However, even though with the constant temperature and the second over-temperature protection, the heating cable control system still suffers the following disadvantage. When the NTC detection circuit stops heating up due to the second silicon-controlled regulator becomes open-circuited. The protection circuit could still trigger a first silicon-controlled regulator to conduct and the PTC resistive wire is still heated up. The NTC detection circuit then cannot accurately detect the breaking off of the NTC resistive layer and top the heating up to the PTC resistive wire. The dual-core heating cable then would be over-heated and damaged, or the user could be burned.


A front-loading syringe which comprises a movable plunger for injecting liquid contrast media, is rotatably mountable on a front wall of an injector housing with an interference fit and in sealed relationship with respect thereto, with or without a pressure jacket, by a first-quick release mechanism. At the same time, the plunger is connected to an injector drive mechanism by a second readily releasable mechanism. During the mounting operation, a sensor reads injection information from an indicator device on the syringe and feeds it to an injector control. An audible-and-tactile indicating mechanism also is activated when the syringe is essentially in the desired mounted position. The syringe may include reinforcing ribs which also function as volumetric gradations, and liquid media presence-or-absence indicating dots which appear circular against a liquid media background and oval-shaped against an air background. An injection end of the syringe comprises an injector portion of reduced diameter inside a screw-threaded attachment portion of larger diameter, and may include loop-shaped reinforcing handle portions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a front-loading medical injector and a syringe for use therewith, and more particularly to a front-loading medical injector apparatus wherein a syringe of special construction is mountable upon and removable from a front wall of an injector housing by a first readily releasable mechanism, while a plunger in the syringe is simultaneously connected to or dissembled from an injector drive member by a second readily releasable mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,736, issued to R. J. Kranys et al. on Feb. 8, 1977, and entitled, "Angiographic Injector", which is assigned to the same Assignee as the subject application, discloses an angiographic injector apparatus for injecting contrast media into the vascular system of an animal, in which angiographic syringes are rear-loaded into a pressure jacket of the injector. More specifically, the apparatus comprises a rotatable turret which carries a pair of the pressure jackets and which is rotatable so that when one of the pressure jackets, into which an angiographic syringe has been rear-loaded, is in an injection position, the other pressure jacket is in a position in which an associated angiographic syringe can be rear-loaded. Subsequently, when injection of contrast media from the first syringe is completed, the turret is rotated to move the first syringe to an unloading-loading position, with the second pressure jacket and the angiographic syringe then being moved into the injection position. In this apparatus, when each of the pressure jackets and its associated syringe has been located in the injection position, a drive member of the injector is moved forward to become drivingly engaged with a plunger in the syringe; however, the manner of engagement between the drive member and plunger is such that the drive member cannot be retracted without also retracting the plunger, which can cause body fluids of the animal to be retracted into the syringe unless the syringe is first disconnected from the animal.
An improved apparatus over the apparatus as disclosed in the Kranys et al. patent, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,980, issued to D. M. Reilly et al. on Jul. 7, 1987, and entitled "Angiographic Injector and Angiographic Syringe for Use Therewith", which also is assigned to the same Assignee as the subject application, In this apparatus, a drive member of the angiographic injector can be drivingly connected to, or disconnected from, a plunger of an angiographic syringe at any point along the path of travel of the plunger by a readily releasable mechanism. Thus, the apparatus of the Reilly et al. patent represented certain improvements over the Kranys et al. patent. However, the apparatus of the Reilly et al. patent, like that of the Kranys et al. patent, is of a rear-loading type comprising a pair of pressure jackets mounted upon a rotatable turret for moving the pressure jackets and syringes therein between injection and loading positions.
Accordingly, a need exists for a front-loading medical injector and a syringe of special construction so that the syringe can be readily and securely front-loaded directly and accurately in a desired position on the injector, thereby facilitating the loading-unloading operation, and a primary purpose of this invention is to provide such an arrangement with its various attendant advantages. Further, in certain instances, it is desirable that the syringe not be enclosed in a pressure jacket, in order that an operator be able to view the status of the syringe visually during an injection operation. By allowing the operator to see the syringe, the operator can, e.g., determine whether the syringe is empty or full, determine if it is being filled too fast and/or introducing too many air bubbles, when the syringe is filled, and the amount of contrast that has been delivered or remains in the syringe during a procedure. Another purpose of this invention is, in one embodiment, to provide an injector apparatus of such construction.

Front loading medical injector and syringe for use therewith


A control method of a communication terminal having a telephone directory user interface and a communication system, the control method and system include storing a plurality of telephone numbers corresponding to a destination user as telephone directory data, requesting a notification of location information of the destination user to a server, receiving location information of the destination user from a server, and displaying a telephone number corresponding to a current location of the destination user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication terminal having a telephone directory user interface that can register a plurality of telephone numbers for one destination, a control method of the communication terminal, and a control program of the communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional communication terminal having a telephone directory user interface that can register a plurality of telephone numbers for one destination, a technology is well-known that increases the chance of successfully originating a call by displaying the telephone number corresponding to a specific condition and using the telephone number in originating the call.
Examples of the technologies relating to ordering telephone numbers in a display when an arbitrary destination is selected include the following: registering a corresponding priority order concurrent with registering the telephone numbers of a destination, and displaying the telephone numbers in accordance with the priority order when selecting the destination from the telephone directory (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-234389); registering a corresponding priority time zone, and displaying the telephone number where the current time is in the priority time zone by referring to the current time when selecting the destination from the telephone directory (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-234389)
The above-described conventional technologies however, do not allow a user to reach the destination with any certainty and do not reliably guarantee a successful telephone call will be established. They merely display telephone numbers based on a priority value associated with the telephone numbers with the intent of reaching the destination in the most likely order.
In the conventional technologies described above, in some cases, the telephone number by which the destination can actually be reached may be located at a lower rank in the display order. In such cases, if the display order is followed, several telephone calls must be made before reaching the destination, resulting in increased toll charges, time consumption, and inconvenience in use.

Control method of communication terminal the communication terminal and control program of the communication terminal


Upon the receipt by an HTTP server over the Internet from a web browser for title information for audio or video data, the HTTP server retrieves the title information and sends it to the web browser along with a passcode particularly associated with the requested title information. Then, when an application server coupled to the HTTP server receives a request for the audio or video data from a viewer application associated with a web browser, the audio or video data will only be sent from a video server to the viewer application over the Internet if the request for the audio or video data is accompanied by the passcode. After sending the audio or video data to the viewer application, the passcode is invalidated. If the request for the audio or video data requests titles other than those associated with the passcode, the request is denied.

The present invention relates in general to information networks, and in particular, to transmission of data over the Internet.
With the rapid growth of the Internet and improvements in computer technology, the demand for transfers of audio and video data over the Internet will increase dramatically. Within the Internet, navigation and selection from video/audio sources are accomplished using web browser technology within an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) server. Video/audio selection can be accomplished in many application scenarios, from selection from a simple list to multimedia objects being integrated in the documents implementing an application.
Transfer of audio/video data over the Internet is typically enabled in response to a client computer web browser. As a result of such a web browsing process, metadata is returned from an application server, which is coupled to an HTTP (or other) server, to the client computer via the HTTP server. This metadata causes a helper application, or video/audio viewer, to be started in the client computer. The metadata is passed to this helper application, or viewer, and is used to initialize the client subsystem for the playback, to get connected to the application server for control functions, and to obtain loading and starting of the requested video/audio title(s). Information in the metadata includes an address of the application server, the identifier (unique title) for the file to be played, the type of encoding of the video/audio data, the bit rate of the encoded video/audio data, etc.
Using the received metadata, all interaction to request and control the play of video/audio data is accomplished between the client computer and the application server over an established link. Opening the session will result in a separate logical connection, which carries the digitized video between the video server, coupled to the application server, and the client computer. VCR-like control of the video is then supported over the client-to-application server link.
Access control, billing initiation, rights management functions, etc. will be part of the video/audio navigation and selection functions provided by the CGI (common gateway interface) programs in the HTTP server (or by programs in other types of servers: e.g., digital library search server). Having provided these functions at this level, a mechanism is required between the client computers and application server to provide security for the actual request and play of the video/audio data.
The present invention addresses the foregoing need by providing a security mechanism for implementation where a client computer has requested video/audio data from an application server coupled to an HTTP server. The security mechanism limits access to the application server by only those client computers with approved video requests (as determined by the application in the HTTP server application). Once a client computer is connected to the application server, the client computer is limited to playing only those titles originally selected during the navigation and selection process with the HTTP server. The security mechanism inhibits a client computer""s capability to intercept other client-approved requests, connect to the application server as a xe2x80x9cvalidxe2x80x9d approved client, and then have the ability to play the video intended for the originally approved requester.
More specifically, upon the receipt of a request from a client computer, the application server produces a random passticket (e.g., an N-digit code) to be used by a client computer to make a valid connection to the application server. The application server-generated passticket is then included as an element in the metadata sent to the client computer. The application server maintains a copy of this passticket for client connection validation.
The application server may include a time-out period between sending a passticket in the metadata and a client computer""s use of the passticket. With expiration of the timer without a use of the passticket by the client computer, the passticket is invalidated.
The application server maintains and associates with the passticket the requested title information, which is also returned as part of the metadata. When a client connects to the application server, the passticket is checked. The connection is rejected if the passticket is not currently valid in the application server. Once the passticket is validated with a user connect, it is then invalidated. When a client makes the play requests to the application server for a title, the title is validated against the titles associated with the passticket. Invalid title requests are rejected.
As the metadata is sent to the client computer over an open network, there is an exposure for another client computer to intercept and use the passticket (prior to the original requester""s connection to the application server). This can be defended by scrambling (e.g., encryption) the application server-generated passticket using a key which is known by the client computer. This scrambling could be accomplished by the HTTP server application. Use of a secure sockets layer in a secure web server would provide this level of security. Key management between the client computer and the server would also be done at this level. In addition to the scrambling of the passticket, the title information may also be scrambled. This could make metadata interception and break-in even more difficult as the application server also validates the title against a valid connect (valid passticket).
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.

System and method for transferring information over a computer network

International Business Machines Corporation


In a video game that progresses a game using a limited number of items, the game can be made more interesting. In an area data table 126-1 of a first area, a brand ‘CAT’ having a previous brand point ‘14%’ is ‘BEST 1’, and a brand ‘BOAR’ having a previous brand point ‘13%’ is ‘BEST 2’. In addition, a brand ‘TIGER’ having a previous brand point ‘3%’ is ‘WORST 2’, and a brand ‘RAT’ having a previous brand point ‘2%’ is ‘WORST 1’. Accordingly, if a player character executes a battle against an enemy character in the first area, when an item of the brand ‘CAT’, which is ‘BEST 1’, is used, its power becomes three times higher than a reference power, and when an item of the brand ‘BOAR’, which is ‘BEST 2’, is used, its power becomes one and half times higher than the reference power. In addition, when an item of the brand ‘TIGER’, which is ‘WORST 2’, is used, its power becomes 0.5 times lower than the reference power, and an item of the brand ‘RAT’, which is ‘WORST 1’, becomes unavailable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video game apparatus, a video game processing program, a program recording medium, and a video game processing method, which progress a game by executing a virtual battle between a player character and an enemy character according to an operation input.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, there is known a role playing game (RPG), in which a player selects one of a plurality of items, and plays a role of a player character with the selected item to execute a virtual battle against an enemy character (for example, see JP-A-2002-239217). In the RPG, a power value or a maximum power value during the battle against the enemy character is predefined for each item. The items are bought or sold through virtual shops in the world of the game, and then the player acquires a new item or sells an unnecessary item. The player plays a role of a player character to use an appropriate item according to a battle scene. Finally, if the player reaches a boss character, the corresponding stage is cleared.
However, the kinds or the number of usable items on the game is naturally limited. Accordingly, when a fixed power value or a price is defined for each item, even if a plurality of items are used, a battle pattern against an enemy character when a player character uses the items becomes monotonous. In addition, the items are bought or sold anytime without gain or loss. For this reason, as the game progresses, the player cannot get stimulation from the battle or game development, which causes the player to lose interest in the game.

Video game apparatus, video game processing program, program recording medium, and video game processing method


Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for employing a smart device for secure and authenticated event. The system may include a smart assistant device that receives an audible request from a user for an event with a merchant. The smart assistant device then establishes a secure active session with a mobile device associated with the user over a wireless network. The smart assistant device determines a digital voice ID for the received audible request for the event and transmits the digital voice ID and event information to the mobile device of the user. A smart assistant application of the mobile device validates the digital voice ID based on stored reference data. Event information and additional user execution information is then provided to an event processing system for asynchronous processing.

Smart devices, including voice assistant devices, voice assistant applications, and the like, are being utilized to execute events on behalf of their users, especially with respect to common or frequent events. However, because executing events through voice assistant devices generally requires voiced or otherwise audible commands, personal information security concerns (e.g., voice squatting and voice masquerading) are an important problem that need to be addressed for improved adoption and confidence in event executions via smart devices. Additionally, as voice assistant devices may be third party devices that initiate, but do not facilitate or execute, the events, users experience friction in their ability to easily manage characteristics of the events that they wish to execute. Therefore, a system that employs smart devices to execute events in a secure and authenticated manner, while also removing barriers or hurdles in managing the characteristics of the executed events, would address the issues currently present with smart device technology.

System employing smart device for secure and authenticated event execution


A new garbage can with lifting supports for reducing an amount of effort needed to lift and empty the garbage can. The inventive device includes a container having an open upper end, a closed lower end, and a side wall therebetween. The open upper end has a lid removably disposed thereover. A pair of lifting supports are coupled with respect to the container. An upper lifting support is disposed downwardly of the open upper end of the container. A lower lifting support is disposed upwardly of the closed lower end of the container.

1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to garbage cans and more particularly pertains to a new garbage can with lifting supports for reducing an amount of effort needed to lift and empty the garbage can.
2 Description of the Prior Art
The use of garbage cans is known in the prior art. More specifically, garbage cans heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art garbage cans include U.S. Pat. No. Des. 334,639 to Kroll; U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,344 to Davies et al.; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 269,643 to Hatrman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,023 to Yen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,170 to Ciancimino; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,357 to Robinson.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new garbage can with lifting supports. The inventive device includes a container having an open upper end, a closed lower end, and a side wall therebetween. The open upper end has a lid removably disposed thereover. A pair of lifting supports are coupled with respect to the container. An upper lifting support is disposed downwardly of the open upper end of the container. A lower lifting support is disposed upwardly of the closed lower end of the container.
In these respects, the garbage can with lifting supports according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of reducing an amount of effort needed to lift and empty the garbage can.


A ferroelectric memory device includes: a plurality of bit lines; a plurality of memory cells connected to each of the plurality of bit lines, and each storing “0” data with a smaller amount of readout charge or “1” data with a greater amount of readout charge according to a polarization state; a plurality of data lines; a plurality of charge transfer circuits that connect the plurality of bit lines to the plurality of data lines, respectively, based on a potential on each of the bit lines; a capacitor connected to each of the plurality of data lines for storing negative charge; a positive charge canceling circuit that pulls out positive charge corresponding to the amount of “0” data readout charge from each of the plurality of bit lines; and a sense amplifier that judges data read out from the memory cells.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a ferroelectric memory device that stores data according to polarization states of a ferroelectric capacitor, a method for driving the same, and electronic apparatuses.
2. Related Art
In a ferroelectric memory device that stores data using the hysteresis characteristic of its ferroelectric capacitor, a readout voltage is applied to the plate line, and a potential on the bit line which elevates according to the amount of charge discharged from the ferroelectric capacitor and a reference potential are compared to each other, whereby data is judged. In this instance, the voltage applied to the plate line is voltage-divided by the capacitance of the ferroelectric capacitor and the parasitic capacitance. For this reason, the readout voltage applied to the ferroelectric capacitor becomes smaller than the readout voltage applied to the plate line. There is a trend to set the power supply voltage lower because of the demand for a reduction in the power consumption of electronic apparatuses. When the power supply voltage is low, the amount of readout charge discharged onto the bit line from the ferroelectric, capacitor becomes smaller, and the readout margin lowers. To solve such a problem, a bit line sensing method has been proposed in which the initial potential on the bit line is controlled to be at a ground potential, and the readout voltage to be applied to the plate line is applied generally as it is to the ferroelectric capacitor thereby increasing the readout margin. For example, as a patent document describing the bit line ground sensing method, Japanese laid-open patent application JP-A-2002-133857 may be relevant.
According to an ordinary bit line ground sensing method, when the ferroelectric capacitance of "0" data is Cf0, the ferroelectric capacitance of "1" data is Cf1, the capacitance of a node to which charge on the bit line is transferred (hereafter, referred to as a data line) is Ctank, the initial potential on the data line is −Vini, the power source potential is VCC, the potential on the data line when "0" data is read out is Vtank0, and the potential on the data line when "1" is readout is Vtank1, the following relation is established.Vtank0=−Vini+VCC×Cf0/CtankVtank1=−Vini+VCC×Cf1/Ctank
This relation indicates that, the smaller the capacitance Ctank of the data line, the greater the potential difference between the potential on the data line when "0" data is read out and the potential on the data line when "1" data is read out (hereafter referred to as the readout margin), whereby the readout accuracy can be improved.
However, because the potential on the data line would not become greater than the initial potential (ground potential) on the bit line, neither "VCC×Cf0/Ctank" or "VCC×Cf1/Ctank" would become greater than Vini. Therefore, the formula shown above can be expressed by a formula below. It is noted that, in the following formula, a function min is a function with a return value that is the smallest parameter among plural parameters.Vtank0=min(VCC×Cf0/Ctank,Vini)−Vini Vtank1=min(VCC×Cf1/Ctank,Vini)−Vini
The readout margin ΔV can be obtained as follows.ΔV=Vtank1−Vtank0=min(VCC×Cf1/Ctank,Vini)−min(VCC×Cf0/Ctank,Vini)
According to the above formula, the readout margin ΔV assumes a maximum value at a point where Vtank1=0. The value of Ctank and the readout margin ΔVmax at this moment are as follows.Ctank=Cf1×VCC/Vini ΔVmax=Vini(1−Cf0/Cf1)
In theory, readout margins greater than ΔVmax cannot be obtained by the bit line ground sensing method described above. For example, when Cf0/Cf1=1/3, ΔVmax=2*Vini/3. The design value of Ctank has an optimum value, and the readout margin would reduce when its value is either greater or smaller.

Ferroelectric memory device, its driving method and electronic apparatus


A method of aligning an image of an ink-jet printer. The method includes detecting a first moving speed of the carriage, detecting a first fire pulse delay time corresponding to the first detected moving speed from coordinate information in which moving speeds of the carriage and fire pulse delay times corresponding to each of the moving speeds are used as coordinate values, and generating a fire pulse after the first detected fire pulse delay time passes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing performed using an ink-jet printer, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for aligning an image of an ink-jet printer having a high quality to be printed on a printing paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fire pulse needed in a conventional apparatus for aligning an image of an ink-jet printer is generated using elements. As shown in FIG. 1, such a conventional apparatus includes, for example, an encoder sensing unit 10, a reference clock generating unit 12, a moving speed detecting unit 14, an interrupt generating unit 16, a central processing unit (CPU) 18, and a fire pulse generating unit 20. The fire pulse is a signal used to designate a printing position of an image to be printed on a printing paper. The encoder sensing unit 10 generates an encoder signal by sensing an encoder strip when a carriage (not shown) moves and outputs the generated encoder signal to the moving speed detecting unit 14 and the interrupt generating unit 16. The reference clock generating unit 12 generates a reference clock signal having a specified cycle and outputs the generated reference clock signal to the moving speed detecting unit 14. The moving speed detecting unit 14 detects the moving speed of the carriage in response to the encoder signal input from the encoder sensing unit 10 and the reference clock signal input from the reference clock generating unit 12 and outputs the detected moving speed to the CPU 18. In other words, the moving speed detecting unit 14 obtains the moving speed of the carriage by counting the cycle of the reference clock signal corresponding to the encoder signal having one cycle. The interrupt generating unit 16 generates an interrupt at each cycle of the encoder signal input from the encoder sensing unit 10 and outputs the generated interrupt to the CPU 18. The interrupt is a signal periodically generated by the interrupt generating unit 16 so that the CPU 18 forcibly controls calculation of a delay time of a fire pulse while a program is executed. The CPU 18 calculates the delay time of the fire pulse using the moving speed of the carriage input from the moving speed detecting unit 14 whenever the interrupt is generated by the interrupt generating unit 16, and outputs the calculated delay time of the fire pulse to the fire pulse generating unit 20. The fire pulse generating unit 20 generates the fire pulse after the delay time of the fire pulse input from the CPU 18 passes and outputs the generated fire pulse through an output terminal OUT1.
FIGS. 2A through 2C illustrate signals output from the encoder sensing unit 10, the reference clock generating unit 12, and the interrupt generating unit 16 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2A illustrates an encoder signal sensed by the encoder sensing unit 10, FIG. 2B illustrates a reference clock signal generated by the reference clock generating unit 12, and FIG. 2C illustrates an interrupt generated by the interrupt generating unit 16 at each cycle of the encoder signal. As shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C, the cycle of a reference clock signal corresponding to the encoder signal having one cycle is 6 times, and the moving speed of the carriage can be obtained by multiplying the cycle of the reference clock signal by a time occurring at one cycle of a specified reference clock signal.
However, when a single-pass printing operation is performed, a printing material having a low resolution is inevitably obtained, and in an acceleration and deceleration section of the carriage, the delay time of the fire pulse due to a variation in speed should be obtained by generating an interrupt at each cycle of an encoder signal. In other words, when an encoder interrupt is generated, the current moving speed of the carriage is sensed, and the delay time for the fire pulse for compensating an expected shooting position error is detected by predicting a shooting position of a printing paper from a sensing result. Frequent generation of an interrupt causes lowering of a printing processing speed of a printer. In addition, when a multi-pass printing operation is performed so as to increase resolution, the printing operation is performed only in a constant speed section of the carriage, or even though the printing operation is performed in the acceleration and deceleration section of the carriage, due to a fixed delay time for a fire pulse, a printing material having a low resolution is inevitably obtained.

Method and apparatus for aligning image of ink-jet printer


A core/shell structured powder different in composition between the inside the particle and the surface thereof before sintering, so that it is possible to sinter the powder at lower temperature and give a core/shell structured powder having a shell portion uniform in thickness after sintering; a multilayered ceramic capacitor having a longer lifetime, by preparing the multilayered ceramic capacitor by using a powder having a core/shell structure different in composition between the inside the particle and the surface thereof before sintering; and a method of producing a powder by synthesizing particles in the liquid containing a raw material, wherein particles different in composition at least between the inside the particle and the surface thereof are obtained by adding a composition to be incorporated as a component of the particles to the liquid during the synthetic process so that the composition of the liquid changes continuously or intermittently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a powder, the powder and a multilayered ceramic capacitor using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, improvement in performance and miniaturization of electronic devices is rapidly advanced, along with the progress of electronic parts such as IC and LSI. In accordance therewith, improvement in performance and reduction in size in capacitors, being an electronic part, and there exists a rapidly increasing demand for multilayered ceramic capacitors. For example, what terminal electrodes is formed on a capacitor element consisting of dielectric layers and internal electrodes alternately laminated is known as such a multilayered ceramic capacitor. Along with the demand for improvement in performance and miniaturization of the multilayered ceramic capacitors, there is a demand for improvement in electrical characteristics of its dielectric material, i.e., dielectric powder such as barium titanate.
The dielectric layer of a multilayered ceramic capacitor is required to satisfy, for example, a requirement for X7R specified in the standards of the U.S. Electronic Industries Association (EIA Standard) that the capacity temperature change rate in a temperature range of −55° C. to 125° C. should be within ±15% from that at a standard temperature of 25° C. For satisfying the requirement for X7R, proposed is a method of preparing particles of a dielectric powder having a core/shell structure. The core/shell structure is a structure of particle having a core portion inside the particle and a shell portion covering the core portion. For example, an additive containing various additional components such as magnesium and yttrium is added to the barium titanate powder and the resulting mixture is sintered, for forming the core/shell structure. In such a case, the particle contains pure barium titanate as a composition of the core portion and a solid solution of barium titanate and magnesium or yttrium as a composition of the shell portion. Presence of a shell portion of a dielectric material containing additional components as a shell portion reduces the fluctuation in specific dielectric constant in the temperature range at which the multilayered ceramic capacitor or the like is used, and allow production of a multilayered ceramic capacitor having an extended lifetime. Accordingly, there exists a need for particles different in composition between the inside the particle and the surface thereof, like those having a core/shell structure.
However, when a capacitor is sintered using a dielectric powder prepared by conventional methods, a solid solution of magnesium or yttrium added as the shell component becomes uneven in many cases and consequently generating heterogeneous phases in the composition after sintering. In addition, when a multilayered ceramic capacitor is prepared, excessive additional components, which are not sufficiently incorporated into the solid solution with the principal component, remained on the grain boundary, are reacted with the internal electrodes and therefore caused a problem of short circuiting of the internal electrodes.
To overcome such a problem, methods of producing a dielectric powder having a core/shell structure using a solid-phase method are disclosed (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-310469).

Method of producing a powder, powder, and multilayered ceramic capacitor using the same


The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages access to data. During operation, the system provides a graph-based data model of the data, wherein the graph-based model comprises a set of nodes and a set of directed edges among the nodes. Next, the system stores the graph-based data model in a set of partitions, wherein each partition from the set of partitions includes one or more nodes from the set of nodes and all outgoing edges from the one or more nodes. Finally, the system enables lookup of a set of outgoing edges associated with a source node from the one or more nodes.

Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to data models. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments relate to graph-based data models for partitioned data.
Related Art
Content on electronic devices is commonly synchronized, stored, shared, and/or backed up on online content management systems such as file hosting services, cloud storage services, and/or remote backup services. For example, images, audio, video, documents, executables, and/or other types of content may be stored on a network-enabled electronic device such as a personal computer, laptop computer, portable media player, tablet computer, and/or mobile phone. A user of the electronic device may also have a user account with a cloud storage service that allows copies of the content to be stored and/or backed up with the cloud storage service. The cloud storage service may further transmit the copies to other electronic devices of the user and/or other users who are authorized to access the files, thus synchronizing the content between the cloud storage service and electronic devices.
In addition, the widespread creation, transmission, sharing, and/or use of content through an online content management system may require the partitioning of a data model of the content, users, and/or other entities associated with the online content management system across multiple computer systems and/or storage mechanisms. For example, data for multiple users, content items, groups of users, and/or collections of content items in the online content management system may be tracked and/or accessed using a data model that is stored in a relational database. As use of the online content management system increases, the data model may outgrow the storage capacity of the computer system hosting the relational database and require partitioning among multiple computer systems and/or database instances.
Unfortunately, partitioning of conventional relational databases may be difficult and/or inefficient. For example, partitioning of a Structured Query Language (SQL) database may require manual rewriting of code for the SQL database, which may be tedious and/or cumbersome. On the other hand, structured storage mechanisms that are easily partitioned may not meet requirements for concurrent access to online content management systems. For example, a NoSQL database that is optimized for scalability and availability may not support the atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability (ACID) guarantees provided by relational databases. Consequently, access to data in online content management systems may be facilitated by mechanisms for improving the scalability, reliability, and integrity of data models of the data.

Graph-based data models for partitioned data