A system and method of relaying all requests of a session through a single exit node or proxy server is provided. The method comprises several steps, such as relaying a request through a dedicated proxy media streaming server, hashing session identifier value and transmitting it across different protocols. The system assigns a unique identifier to a session. The unique identifier is inserted in various protocols and communicated to a proxy server provider. All subsequent requests are serviced through the same last-mile proxy server or exit node.

Media can be distributed on the internet in one of three ways: full download, progressive download, and streaming. Full download has the disadvantage of having to wait until the download is complete to view the media. It is only usable for non-real-time media. Progressive download is applied to the parts of the media progressively, so the user can begin viewing the media before it is fully downloaded. Progressive download is another method for non-real-time media distribution because a significant pre-load is usually required to begin viewing the media. Streaming, conversely, is real-time media distribution. It works by filling out a playout buffer at the client (usually a few seconds) and playing from the buffer as soon as it fills up. The advantage of streaming is almost instantaneous distribution of the media content.
However, streaming is extremely susceptible to network impairments, like packet loss and jitters. More specifically, if the rate of transmission of the media is lower than the playback rate, the playback buffer runs out and the media freezes until the buffer is filled out again.
Media streaming companies strive to offer uninterrupted experience to its users. They want playback to start instantly and to never stop unexpectedly in any network environment. One way to do that is to reduce the buffer size by compressing the media in more efficient ways. The other way is to ensure that the connection is stable and reliable and the servers can handle the load.
A key issue in media streaming is connection reliability. Reliability, formally speaking, is the ability of a connection to function under stated conditions for a period of time. Put simply, reliability means a connection should work and continue to work in a way that supports continuous streaming of the media.
A streaming service can decide to differentiate the service quality or content based on the geolocation of its users. For example, it can decide to reduce the quality of its services to reduce load on its servers or the ISPs in a certain region.
Media streaming companies include video and audio services, online gaming and gambling platforms and other services that require transferring high volumes of media content quickly. Online games are basically video games that are either partially or primarily played by streaming contents through the internet or any other available computer network. The design of online games can range from simple text-based environments to the incorporation of complex graphics and virtual realities. In recent days, gaming industries provide high quality standards, even reaching Ultra HD levels. The situation is very similar, in case of online gambling as well, where quality contents are streamed and accessed from all over the world.
However, online gaming and gambling industries do have their own set of challenges in providing quality content constantly without lag in user experience. Since online gaming websites are accessed by high numbers of users at the same time and their file sizes are big, online gaming providers face challenges in tackling the bottleneck situations and providing gaming downloads at optimal speed.
Lagging even for a second can be a great disadvantage to online gaming and gambling websites. Maintaining optimal speed and minimizing the lag in content delivery are two key challenges for online gaming and gambling providers. The quality and the content size of these websites is constantly increasing, so distributing their media to numerous users can be a challenge. For better handling of these problems, online gaming and gambling providers tend to use Content Delivery Networks (CDN) to improve latency and user experience.
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network (VPN), a technology that allows a network entity to connect to a private network over a public network. Traditionally the main function of VPN has been to allow for a roaming client, or a distant office connected to a public network, to connect to a private network for accessing the resources within e.g. business applications within a corporate LAN.
VPN technology was developed to allow remote users and branch offices to access corporate applications and resources. To ensure security, the private network connection is established using an encrypted layered tunneling protocol and VPN users use authentication methods, including passwords or certificates, to gain access to the VPN. In other applications, Internet users may secure their connections with a VPN, to circumvent geo-restrictions and censorship, or to connect to proxy servers to protect personal identity and location to stay anonymous on the Internet.
VPN customers generally use TCP for connection to resources on the Internet while connected to the VPN service provider. As a standard during the connection, a single end-to-end TCP link is established over the VPN tunnel from the VPN customer to the target resource on the Internet. The endpoints of this TCP connection negotiate, or inform each other of, the set of network capability thresholds available to them, through the use of optional parameters defined within the packets. When communicated during the established connection, these parameters will drive the functionality of the protocol, helping effectively manage the bandwidth available, and mitigate any negative factors interfering with the flow of data e.g. latency, congestion and packet loss.
A VPN server, to which a user connects, relays the user's requests through proxy servers. Proxy servers can perform several functions to increase data security and network performance, including acting as a firewall and web filter, providing shared network connections, and cache data to speed up common requests. Proxy servers can provide a high level of privacy. Proxy servers can change the IP address and other identifying information the web request contains (e.g., so that the destination server does not know who made the original request). Proxy servers can also be used to control internet usage of employees and children (e.g., organizations and parents can set up proxy servers to control and monitor how their employees or kids use the Internet) or improve browsing speeds and save bandwidth (e.g., proxy servers can cache, i.e. save a copy of the appropriate website data locally and when the requested content is available locally, the original request is served from the local copy).
Proxies can be used to bypass certain Internet restrictions (e.g. firewalls) by enabling a user to request content through a (remote) proxy server instead of accessing the content directly. Proxy servers are often used to get around geo-IP based content restrictions. If someone wants to get content from a United States (US) webpage that they are not allowed to access from their home country, the request can go through a proxy server that is located in the US, thus operating from a US IP address space. Using proxy services, the user's traffic seems to be coming from the US IP address.
A proxy server (a computer system or an application) connection by a client acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers. A client connects to the proxy server, requesting some service, such as a file, a connection, a web page, or other resources available from a different server. The proxy server evaluates the request for content and forwards the request to the actual target system or systems containing the corresponding content. After obtaining the content, the proxy server normally forwards the content to the original requestor, but other actions can also be performed by the proxy (e.g., return error message, etc.). Depending on the type of request, a proxy server may or may not have full visibility into the actual content fetched to the original requestor, e.g., in case of an encrypted Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) session, the proxy may serve as an intermediary, blindly forwarding the data without being aware of what is being forwarded.
The proxies can be divided into different types depending on what functions are provided or what servers are used. The proxies can also be divided into Residential Internet Protocol (IP) proxies, Datacenter IP proxies, and Mobile IP proxies. A Residential IP address is an address from the range specifically designated by the owning party as assigned to private customers. Usually a Residential proxy is an IP address linked to a physical device, for example, mobile phone or desktop computer, however businesswise the blocks of Residential IP addresses may be bought from the owning Proxy Service Provider by another company directly, in bulk. The real owners of the Residential IP address ranges, namely Internet service providers (ISPs), register residential IP addresses in public databases, which allows websites to determine a device's internet provider, network, and location. Datacenter IP proxy is the proxy server assigned with a datacenter IP. Datacenter IPs are IPs owned by companies, not by individuals. The datacenter proxies are actually IP addresses that are not located in a natural person's home. Instead, the datacenter proxies are associated with a secondary corporation. Mobile IP proxies may be considered a subset of the Residential proxy category. A mobile IP proxy is essentially one IP address that is obtained from mobile operators. Mobile IP proxies use mobile data, as opposed to a residential proxy that uses broadband ISPs or home Wi-Fi. A proxy server is basically a computer on the internet with its own IP address that the client's computer knows. When a client sends a web request, the request goes to the proxy server first. The proxy server then makes the web request on the client's behalf, collects the response from the web server, and forwards the web page data so that the client can see the page in the browser. When the proxy server forwards the web requests, the proxy server can make changes to the data but yet provide the data requested. A proxy server changes the client's IP address, so the web server is not provided the geographical location of the client. A proxy can encrypt the client's data so that the client's data becomes unreadable in transit. Also, a proxy server can block access to certain web pages, based on IP address, domain name, or the communication protocol parameters, such as the port requested.
Exit node proxies, or simply exit nodes, are gateways where encrypted traffic hits the Internet, or are proxies, and through these proxies the request from the user (or the entry node) reaches the Internet. There can be several proxies used to perform a user's request, but exit node proxy is the final proxy that contacts the target and forwards the information from the target to the queue to reach the user. There can be several proxies serving the user's request, forming a proxy chain, passing the request through each proxy in the linear sequence, with the exit node being the last link in the chain that ultimately passes the request to the Target, as well as transfers the reply back to the User through the original chain of proxies.
Normally, users access information online through human readable domain names. However, web browsers interact only through Internet protocol (IP) addresses. DNS facilitates in translating or in other words resolving the domain names into numerical IP addresses so that web browsers can direct the user to the targeted internet resources.
DNS is an acronym for Domain Name Services and is a standard protocol enabling the internet user to be directed to the target resource. Resolving domain names into numerical IP addresses is vital for locating and identifying target websites, servers, or devices along with underlying network protocols.
DNS resolving is carried out by a DNS resolver also known as a recursive resolver, which is a server designed to receive DNS queries from web browsers and other applications. A DNS query or a DNS request is a demand for information sent from a user's device to a DNS server, in most cases DNS request is sent in order to ask for the IP address associated with a domain name. The resolver receives the domain name and directs it to the root server and receives the details of Top-Level Domain name (TLD) server. Through the TLD name server, the root server receives the details of an authoritative name server and requests for IP addresses that match the desired domain name, the DNS query is resolved when it receives the requested IP address.
Nevertheless, DNS servers can be configured to redirect the user queries (requests) to a proxy server that represents the actual target server. This is done by replacing actual IP addresses of target servers for the IP addresses of the proxy server. These are usually carried out by proxy service providers to enhance their services and improve security. Apart from configuring the DNS servers, firewalls can also be used to reroute the user request and redirect them to a proxy server.
Exit nodes are the gateways that connect to the target website or service, like a media streaming service. However, big media streaming services cannot be efficiently placed on single servers. They rely on a much larger network of servers to maintain performance. They do this by building a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
CDNs take the original website and the media content it contains, and copy it across hundreds of servers spread all over the world. So, for example, when a user logs in from Egypt, instead of connecting to the main media streaming server in the United States it will load a copy of it from a CDN server that is the closest to Egypt. This greatly reduces latency. Latency is the time taken between a request and a response. CDNs are the tools to enable websites with a high number of users to load fast irrespective of where a user is.
For example, when a user begins to load the media, a streaming service can locate 10 closest servers that have the media loaded on them. The media streaming server can detect which one of them is the closest or works fastest on a user's internet connection, and then load media from there.
Another area where CDNs are greatly advantageous is online gaming. Users of online gaming websites continually expect fast downloads and streaming speeds in order to have the optimal experience. Considering many games are played on 4K or ultra HD with huge file sizes, it may be a constant challenge for online gaming providers to maintain the speed, quality, and connectivity. One of the main challenges to the gaming industry is the chance of lagging for players during a game play because even a one-second lag in an online gaming experience could ruin user experience. Connectivity has become a major issue for outlying geographical areas.
To tackle these challenges, companies that provide online gaming have employed CDNs to deliver their content without lag in speed and performance. Using CDNs for gaming also means that their contents are distributed globally over numerous servers instead of one main server. This breaks the bottleneck situation and allows users from all over the world to access the gaming content from the server that is nearer to them geographically.
Using CDN also allows online gaming providers to scale up their companies. Since online games continue to become larger in scope as players demand sophisticated graphics and capabilities, CDN appears to be the best solution to provide these gaming contents to users all over the globe without delay and other difficulties.
Like online gaming, online gambling websites also provide a wide variety of gambling options to their users through constant live updates and streaming. These websites also rely highly on connectivity and speed of content delivery. Moreover, gambling users can be sensitive to ping time, the round time taken for the response to reach the end user. To avoid such situations gambling service providers also tend to use CDN for improving user experience and to avoid lags. Distributing their contents over numerous servers across all geographical regions provides better user experience to online gamblers and easy access and reliability.
A significant challenge that VPN users face while accessing streaming, online gaming or gambling services through a proxy server is that these media services are often accessed on CDNs. This means that a user might connect to one server for authentication, another for media inventory search, and yet another for actual media streaming.
When a user passes from one server to another, their connection is recognized as a separate request. If this happens when a user is connected through a proxy service, a proxy management server identifies the separate requests and usually chooses to assign a new exit node for each distinct request, i.e. directing the user's requests through different IP addresses. A single user's traffic arriving from multiple IP addresses may trigger a restrictive user policy at the content owner's end and a streaming service provider can decide to log the user out or require to perform CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart).
To avoid this, current embodiments allow to retain the same exit node for an entire user's session despite changes in domain names or IP addresses of the targets in the user's requests to the streaming service provider. The current embodiments also allow to retain this sticky quality of the session through protocol changes along the way, for example communicating proxy protocol parameters through web request parameters.

System and method for session affinity in proxy media routing


A hybrid powertrain includes a hybrid electro-mechanical transmission and a power source. A planetary gear set having a first, a second, and a third member connects the power source with a first and a second motor/generator. A battery is operatively connected to the motor/generators for receiving power therefrom and delivering power thereto. An input member rotates with the first member, the first motor/generator rotates with the second member, and the second motor/generator rotates with the output member. A first torque-transmitting mechanism is engagable to connect the second motor/generator for rotation with the third member. The battery and the second motor/generator provide an electric-only operating mode to power the output member when the first torque-transmitting mechanism is not engaged; the power source, planetary gear set and first motor/generator thereby being disconnected from the output member during the electric-only operating mode to prevent parasitic drag.

Hybrid vehicle powertrains utilize electrically-variable transmissions that combine the use of electric motors and conventional engine power to produce a more efficient vehicle via: (i) engine start-stop operation; (ii) more efficient engine operating points; and (iii) recapture of vehicle kinetic energy into a storage battery by means of regenerative braking. Some hybrid powertrains have an "input-split" architecture, whereby the engine power is split between a direct mechanical connection to the output wheels and an electric generator, with the latter both charging the onboard battery and/or delivering power to a motor connected to the output wheels. Operation with such a powerflow arrangement is referred to as an input-split operating mode. The transmission also functions as an electrically variable transmission (EVT), enabling more optimal engine operating speed and load. Some EVTs offer two EVT modes, as well as a number of fixed gear ratios, as in a conventional automatic transmission.
The intended operating mode of the aforementioned architectures is to blend the use of the conventional engine and electric motor/generators in the most efficient way possible. Therefore, unlike a purpose-built electric vehicle (EV), input-split EVT architectures are not designed to operate for an extended period of time using only battery power, and consequently are not as efficient in such an electric-only operating mode.

Hybrid powertrain with efficient electric-only mode


The invention relates to a cutting tool (1) comprising: a first handle (2) and a first blade (3) fixedly attached to each other, a second handle (4) and a second blade (5) pivotably attached to each other by a first pivot (6) and a second pivot (7). In order to obtain a cutting tool with an optimal cutting force, the cutting tool comprises a limiter (11) allowing the back end (9′) to move sideways (S) in relation to the second handle (4) and preventing the back end (9) at least from moving away from the second handle (4) in an axial direction (A) of the first pivot (6).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cutting tool and in particular to a cutting tool having an improved cutting performance.
2. Description of Prior Art
Previously there is known a cutting tool with a first handle fixedly attached to a first blade, and with a second handle and a second blade pivotably attached to each other at a pivot attaching also the first handle and the first blade to the second handle and the second blade.
In this known cutting tool, a second pivot is arranged at a distance from the first pivot to attach the second handle and the second blade pivotably to each other. In this way the second pivot makes it possible to transmit the force generated by a user on the handles to the blades as an optimal and maximal cutting force.
A problem with the prior art solution is, however, that as the cutting force increases the forces applied by the user on the handles tend to bend the material of the cutting tool as the handles, the blades and/or the pivot points yield. Such yielding can affect the distance between the blades resulting in a situation where the cutting tool no longer cuts the desired material efficiently.


A method and system are provided in which average vehicle speeds of tolled and non-tolled road segments between two locations are monitored and saved for reference in providing dynamic adjustment of the toll amount to be charged for use of the tolled segment in order to insure an efficient use of the tolled segment and a determination of an appropriate toll amount to be charged drivers in the tolled segment in view of real time traffic conditions of the tolled and the non-tolled segment. The toll adjustments are determined based upon the difference between actual average speeds of the tolled segment and actual average speeds of the non-tolled segment such that the toll adjustments are dynamic and depend upon real time traffic conditions in both the tolled and non-tolled segments of the travel route.

In many areas where vehicle traffic is heavy at times, toll roads or toll road segments have been created to enable drivers to go from one location to another in a shorter time period than if they had taken non-toll alternative routes. The use of toll road segments is becoming a burgeoning and proposed trend in many countries. The use of toll and non-toll segments of certain routes between two locations may be implemented, for example, by separate multi-lane roads or even with a toll segment of a single multi-lane highway in order to enable the toll segment to be utilized as efficiently as possible such that free flow of vehicles can be maintained even during high volume "rush hour" periods. Typically, a non-toll road segment has traffic control systems and crossroads where traffic can cross whereas, for the same general route, a toll segment will have no crossroads or traffic signals. Even with toll and non-toll segments however, at times, there may be more traffic on one segment and less on the other segment and this situation may result in an inefficient use of toll and non-toll segments between two locations along a travel route.
For toll roads, electronic toll collection has been available for many years now. The contradiction of a regular toll is that for frequent travelers, the use of a tolled road segment becomes second nature—the idea of paying for the trip becomes so natural that they use the toll road without even thinking. As a result, many of today's toll roads, originally built to save time, are often more congested than the roads they were originally built to replace. Express Toll Lanes exist where lanes of traffic are reserved for vehicles that wish to pay in order to increase the probability of receiving a shorter duration to complete the journey between two specific locations where both a tolled and a non-toll road exists. As traffic congestion increases, the cost of using the road increases to act as a deterrent to using the tolled road segment. The primary issue with this type of approach is that drivers may not receive any benefit from the usage of the toll road instead of the non-toll roads, therefore not receiving value for payment of the toll. If the estimated time taken to drive the non-toll lanes is around the same time to drive the tolled lanes, then there is no value in using the tolled lanes. Also, paying a premium to use the toll lane does not necessarily guarantee free moving traffic.
Thus, there is a need for an improved system in which the amount of toll being charged in tolled segments of a travel route which includes both tolled and non-tolled segments, is adjusted so that the likelihood of free-flowing traffic in conjunction with providing value for money for the drivers in the vehicles which are using the tolled road segment is insured and maintained.

International Business Machines Corporation


An adaptively controlled noise reduction device in which an input video signal is supplied to first, second, and third adders and in which an output of the first adder is supplied to the second adder via a memory responsive to a controller whereby the memory provides a controllable delay. An output of the second adder is supplied via a first coefficient multiplication unit having variable attenuation that is controlled by the controller to the first adder as well as via a second coefficient multiplication unit having variable attenuation that is controlled by the controller to the third adder. A change-over switch responsive to the controller outputs either a signal from the third adder or from the memory. Therefore, a signal is output even during the delay period produced by the memory when the signal is delayed between the first and second adders.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for reducing the noise in picture signals and, more particularly, to a noise reduction device for reducing the noise in picture signals by taking advantage of field correlation or frame correlation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In video signal transmission or recording/reproducing apparatus, such as a TV receiver or a VTR, a noise reducing device for processing video signals with a noise reducing operation by taking advantage of the field correlation or frame correlation is utilized for obtaining high-quality video signals.
Such noise reducing device is provided with a memory having a storage capacity corresponding to a one-field or one-frame period. The difference between the input video signal and the video signal delayed by one field or by one frame from the input video signal is detected as noise. The detected output is multiplied by a noise-reducing coefficient and the resulting product is subtracted from the input video signal to produce a noise-reduced video signal.
With such noise reducing device, since the step of the noise-reducing effect is compulsorily changed over from outside, only a fixed noise reducing effect may be achieved for changes in the image or picture, so that a noise-reducing effect cannot be adapted to the actual state of the picture or the residual image.
On the other hand, if the noise reducing effect is enhanced, residual image tends to be left in the picture portions where changes in the motion are acute, so that a picture which is only hard to view can be produced. Conversely, if the residual image is inhibited, it becomes impossible to achieve the noise-reducing effect. Consequently, it is extremely difficult to set the characteristics of the noise reducing device so as to achieve the noise reducing effect in such a manner as to eliminate the residual image.

Adaptively controlled noise reduction device for producing a continuous output


A method of reproducing a central axis of a femoral neck prior to resection during an implantation process includes the step of attaching a frame to the acetabulum of a patient, wherein the frame includes first and second movable arms and a lockable swivel bearing. The method further includes the steps of orienting and locking the swivel bearing in position and utilizing the position of the swivel bearing to position acetabular instrumentation to match a planned acetabular implant orientation.

Joint arthroplasty is a well-known surgical procedure by which a diseased and/or damaged natural joint is replaced by a prosthetic joint. For example, in a hip arthroplasty surgical procedure, a prosthetic hip replaces a patient's natural hip. A typical prosthetic hip includes an acetabular orthopaedic prosthesis and/or femoral head orthopaedic prosthesis. A typical acetabular orthopaedic prosthesis includes an acetabular cup, which is secured to the patient's natural acetabulum, and an associated polymer bearing or ring.
To facilitate the replacement of the natural joint with an acetabular orthopaedic prosthesis, orthopaedic surgeons may use a variety of orthopaedic surgical instruments such as, for example, reamers, drill guides, drills, and/or other surgical instruments.

Acetabular orthopaedic surgical instrument and method of using same


A chair includes: a hollow frame including, on each lateral side of the chair, a front, a back, a bottom, a front bend arranged between the front and the bottom, and a back bend arranged between the back and the bottom; a seat attached to the front of the frame; a seat back attached to the back of the frame; at least one front stiffener insert arranged inside the frame at the front bend and extending along a partial length of the front and the bottom; and at least one back stiffener insert arranged inside the frame at the back bend and extending along a partial length of the back and the bottom. The front stiffener inserts and the back stiffener inserts stiffen the frame relative to a frame without such inserts. The seat back and the seat may be movable independently of each other relative to the bottom of the frame.

Many individuals who use chairs for long periods do not prefer to sit in a totally stiff chair. In response to this, manufacturers have produced adjustable chairs which provide individuals who use them with an added degree of comfort compared to stiff non-adjustable chairs. To accommodate these individuals, the adjustable chairs have numerous fine tuning adjustments. The adjustments can include devices for varying a height of the seating surface, varying the position of a seat back or adjusting the tension spring on a seat back for more or less support when an individual reclines.
Chairs which use these current seating designs may have to be constantly readjusted to allow an individual to position him/herself to a desired position. This may require a user to dismount the chair and fine tune the chair position to a desired configuration. This fine tuning may lead to further discomfort, and can impact the stability of the chair. As a result, the user must fine tune the chair again to a new setting to overcome these shortcomings. Over time, these chair settings may vary, requiring the user to again reset the chair to a desired configuration. As there is a constant need to fine tune the chair components, most users ignore the shortcomings of the chair configurations and merely use the chair in a non-optimal configuration. Such use in a non-optimal configuration can lead to significant problems such as worker fatigue and/or medical problems.
Another significant drawback of certain chair designs is that production of chairs which have numerous fine tuning adjustments is a complex procedure, increasing the overall production time and cost of the chair. Moreover, chairs which have numerous parts are more prone to fail, decreasing the overall service life.
Certain conventional chairs are believed to have a seat and a seat back that are positionally affixed to each other by connecting frame elements and that are cantilevered relative to a bottom support portion of a frame so that the seat and seat back are constrained to move in unison with each other relative to the bottom support portion of the frame, i.e., to the floor. Due to, e.g., ergonomics, user comfort, etc., there is believed to be a need for a chair in which the seat back and the seat are movable independently of each other relative to supporting frame members and to the floor.
There is believed to be a need for a chair which may provide a user with a supportive seating surface, but which remains flexible when a user shifts position, such as when the user rests against a chair back. There is also believed to be a need to maintain the amount of flexure for the chair such that a user may easily find a comfortable seated position.
There is believed to be a need for a chair design which may alleviate a user from having to continually finely adjust a chair position to maintain a comfortable configuration over time.
There is believed to be a further need to provide such a chair that may be inexpensive to manufacture and which may have a long service life.

Flexible chair with stiffener inserts and method for forming a chair

Center for Design Research and Development N.V.


A piston stopper for a medicine injector, wherein the stopper has a stopper body with a mesh section and at least one sealing element positioned at least partly around the circumference of the stopper body, wherein at least one of the sealing element and mesh section is connected to the stopper body in a material bond. A method for manufacturing such a piston stopper is encompassed.

The invention relates to a piston stopper for a medicine injector and to a method for manufacturing a piston stopper.
Medicine injectors conventionally comprise a cylindrical receptacle for a liquid medicine which is injected out through a cannula by means of a piston. These pistons typically have a shaft and a piston stopper which seals the cylinder off against its inner wall. To this end, pistons are conventionally used which are provided with at least one sealing ring positioned in a circumferential groove. In known embodiments, the piston stopper consists of a relatively hard material and a sealing ring or sealing rings, which consist of a softer material for a better seal, are inserted into the circumferential grooves elastically like rubber. Thus, they are held in the grooves only by their own elasticity.
In the above, conventional embodiments, the sealing rings have to be installed in a separate step, which is therefore time-consuming. Also, the sealing rings' hold in the circumferential grooves is heavily dependent on the spring elasticity of the sealing rings, such that poorly produced sealing rings, or rings manufactured from a material which is already quite old or otherwise flawed, easily slip out of the grooves. Because the sealing rings are simply tensioned into the grooves, the danger always exists that they may leave the groove in which they are received or be badly twisted in their hold during use, giving rise to major leakage problems.
Attempt have been made to solve this problem. One attempt involves manufacturing piston stoppers from a soft solid-rubber material as complete components, wherein the sealing rings are merely formed as protruding circumferential attachments of the stopper material. Even this solution, however, involves problems, specifically when there is a high counter pressure from the liquid to be expelled. Such a high counter pressure can, for example, arise when a cannula is deformed or kinked. Because of the totally soft material of the stopper, the latter gives in such cases and the piston travels further forward in the outlet direction, wherein the liquid between the piston and the cylindrical inner wall is pressed backwards. In particular, when using injectors which are outwardly sealed, for example, so-called "pens," there is the possibility that a patient would not even notice this process and believe that he or she has injected the medicine, when in fact it has flowed past the piston into the rear inner space of the cylinder.
Furthermore, piston stoppers in accordance with the prior art usually simply comprise threaded sections moulded into the stopper body, which do not establish an optimal connection with a plunger.


There is disclosed a portable free drifting oceanographic instrument package for cyclically collecting oceanic and/or fresh water environmental data over a range of depths. The instrument includes, in combination, a submersible housing having mounted thereto (1) a sensor suite for collecting selected environmental data relating to a surrounding medium, (2) a data storage resource for storing environmental data sensed by the sensor suite, (3) a dive control system for controllable positioning the apparatus to a selected depth, (4) a data communications system for facilitating full duplex communication between the apparatus and a remote communications site, (5) a locating system for determining the position of the apparatus, (6) a rechargeable power system for providing operational power to the instrument package, (7) an energy collection system with no moving parts for collecting energy from the environment to recharge the power system, and (8) a system controller for controlling operations of the sensor suite, the data storage resource, the dive control system, the data communications system, the locating system, the rechargeable power system and said energy collection system.

The present invention relates to the remote measuring of oceanic (and near surface atmospheric) data under the control of a teleoperator or data acquisition center. More particularly, the invention concerns an autonomous, generally free drifting, data acquisition instrument for extended collection of environmental data from an ocean or fresh water body.
The physical, biological and geological properties of the world's oceans and large fresh water bodies are severely undersampled in time and space. At present, only limited short-term data sets of small portions of such bodies are available. This lack of comprehensive oceanographic information is directly attributable to the high cost of data acquisition. Historically, data collection has been completed using instruments lowered from ships, or moored instrument arrays which must be recovered. The cost of operating a manned vessel on the high seas is prohibitive. Moreover, vessel availability cannot always be assured. Oceanographic experiments are thus constrained in many cases by factors other than the phenomenon which is intended for study.
In light of the foregoing, it is apparent that a lower cost per data point could be attained if the data acquisition process relied less on traditional ship based measurement techniques. To date, there have been various proposals of data acquisition devices which obtain environmental data without the need for a manned vessel to place the device or acquire data therefrom. However, there have been no proposals for a completely autonomous data acquisition instrument capable of: (1) cyclically profiling environmental data over a range of depths, (2) acquiring geographic positions, (3) conducting two way communications, and (4) collecting additional energy over extended periods of time.
With current systems, data collection and distribution is limited by telemetry and power systems, which reduce the amount of data collected and the life of the instrument. There is no provision for bi-directional communications and locating capability, and these instruments must therefore be preprogrammed or moored at fixed locations for later retrieval, all at increased expense. Duda, et al., "The Cartesian Diver: A Self-Profiling Lagrangian Velocity Recorder", Jour. of Atmos. and Ocean. Tech., Vol. 5, No. 1 (Feb 1988), describes a device to vertically profile several parameters. The data are stored in the device for later retrieval. There is no provision for determining location.
Rossby, et al., "The RAFOS System", Jour. of Atmos. and Ocean. Tech., Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec 1986), describes a subsurface free drifting device (RAFOS) which uses acoustic (experiment specific) tracking methods for determining location of the unit from a remote site (the device has no self-locating capability). Data is communicated using the ARGOS satellite system. Only a small amount of data is stored in RAFOS and the ARGOS satellite data transmission occurs only at the end of a drifting period. The ARGOS system is transmit only, and limited to approximately 256 bits/10 minute satellite pass with a maximum of thirty passes per day at the earth's poles and as low as six passes at the equator. It is significant that an ARGOS based instrument such as RAFOS does not know where it is and hence cannot make a decision based on position. The lack of instrument knowledge of position adds to the uncertainty of when a polar orbiting satellite will be available for data transmission. This uncertainty requires a high level of redundant data transmission and thus increases the amount of energy needed per bit of useful data.
Davis et al (Scripps Institute of Oceanography) have constructed a Lagrangian drifter (ALACE) similar to RAFOS also using ARGOS for data telemetry as well as location determination (from a remote site).
None of the foregoing systems include energy collection, global positioning capability (GPS) or global bi-directional telecommunications. Accordingly, persons skilled the art will recognize that there remains a compelling need for an autonomous controllable, oceanographic data sampling system capable of long term, free ranging movement through oceans and large fresh water bodies.


Disclosed is a Penicillium marneffei PMAP1 polypeptide and DNA(RNA) encoding such PMAP1 polypeptide. Also provided is a procedure for producing such polypeptide by recombinant DNA techniques and a procedure for generating antibodies against the said polypeptide. Also disclosed is a method of using such polypeptide and the antibodies against it for the diagnosis of systemic infections of Penicillium marneffei by detecting the presence of the specific antibodies as well as the PMAP1 protein antigen in clinical specimens taken from suspected patients. Also provided are methods of using the PMAP1 DNA(RNA) or protein sequence to identify and to clone its homologous genes from other pathogenic fungi. Therefore, the identification of PMAP1 homologous genes from other pathogenic fungi are made possible with this invention. Also described is a therapeutic regimen using the antibodies against Penicillium infection. Also provided is a method of immunization against the infection of Penicillium.

Systemic mycoses are very important infections in immunocompromised patients. In granulocytopenic patients following chemotherapy, bone marrow or organ transplant, Candida, Aspergillus and Mucoraceae cause serious fungal infections with current mortality rates of about 40% despite of the empirical anti-fungal therapy. In AIDS patients, Histoplasma for North America, Penicillium for Southeast Asia and Crytococcus occur most frequently. The mortality rate is usually very high.
The high mortality rate is partly due to the inability of making early, specific diagnosis of systemic fungal infections and therefore, the antifungal therapy is often delayed. Because of the low efficacy and high toxicity of antifungal drugs, there has been a significant limitation of prophylaxis with antifungal drugs (for review, J. L. Wheat, Clinical Approach to Infection in the Compromised Host, 3rd ed. Planum Medical Book Company, New York, 1994).
There has been a lack of specific test for the diagnosis of systemic fungal infections. Most of the fungal infections can not be easily diagnosed. With the exception of Cryptococcus that depends on the detection of fungal polysaccharide antigen in serum and Histoplasma in a crude cell extract (histoplasmin), the serology and antigen tests are virtually not effective in the diagnosis of systemic fungal infection due to the lack of sensitive and specificity.
Serology and antigen tests are most frequently used for the diagnosis of viral infections such as HIV and viral hepatitis. In all these cases, recombinant viral proteins and their antibodies are used for the tests. For most systemic fungal infections, however, the laboratory tests for diagnosis are usually unsatisfactory. Essentially all tests are made of crude antigens such as polysaccharides, therefore lack the desired specificity in most cases. Specific recombinant protein based diagnosis can be highly specific. Unlike viruses, however, pathogenic fungi are of far greater genomic complexity and most of the fungal genes can not be used for diagnosis. Therefore, to identify the very few good genes, if any, become the essence of this invention.
At present, the only fungal protein has been demonstrated to have very limited value in the diagnosis of the systemic fungal infection is Candida enolase (Walsh et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 324, 1026-1031). An enzyme assay was established for antigenaemia of enolase for the diagnosis of deep infection by Candida, however, there has been significant limitation in the sensitive of the assay. The application of such a test is very limited since tests on sequential specimens are needed to achieve only very moderate sensitive.
A year ago, it was reported in Lancet (Lancet 1994, 344, 444-5) about the serodiagnosis of Penicillium marneffei systemic infection. In that study, it was observed Penicillium marneffei infection in nearly 10% patients who have persistent fever despite multiple antimicrobials, and in 12% AIDS patients. Similar results were also obtained by Wong et al. at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong (Chung-Hua-I-Hsueh-Tsa-Chih-Taipei 1995, 55,127-36). The conventional method of diagnosis that depends on the isolation of the pathogen from blood specimens was very unsatisfactory, yielding only 10% success. Tissue biopsies were eventually obtained for the confirmation of diagnosis. The mean delay was 11 weeks. To solve the problem, it was established the serodiagnosis assay for Penicillium marneffei infection using immunofluorescent micrograph to determine the antibody titer against the fixed fungal cells. However, this assay requires special skills and equipment to perform. It is lengthy and technically more difficult. Most importantly, it is a very crude assay using whole cells as the antigen and therefore lacks adequate specificity.
Penicillium marneffei is one of the most important fungal pathogen in AIDS patients in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China. It was also reported in Europe and North America as imported pathogen carried by travelers. It causes disseminated infection which is always associated with non-specific symptoms including fever, anemia, weight loss and sometimes, skin lesions. In one of the more extensive recent studies done in Thailand (Lancet 1994, 344,110-3), 20% of AIDS people developed Penicillium marneffei infection. About half of the total cases (92) presented skin lesion which allowed the diagnosis through invasive procedures including bone-marrow aspirate and/or lymphoid and skin biopsies. The diagnosis was often delayed in patients who did not present skin lesions. Most patients who were diagnosed early responded to anti-fungal drugs, whereas most who were not diagnosed and treated died. Due to the high toxicity of anti-fungal drugs and the non-specific symptoms of Penicillium marneffei infection, early diagnosis is essential to achieve the cure.

Penicillium marneffei antigenic Protein 1

Flat D7, Block 26, Baguio Villa, 555 Victoria Road


An image-forming device includes photosensitive drums, a drum gear, a drum gear rotating body, a drum drive gear, and a drum drive gear rotating body. The drum gear is provided on an axial end of each photosensitive drum. The drum gear rotating body is provided adjacent to the drum gear for rotating together with the drum gear. The drum drive gear is engaged with the drum gear and has the same number of gear teeth as the drum gear. The drum drive gear rotating body is provided adjacent to the drum drive gear at a position corresponding to the drum gear rotating body for rotating together with the drum drive gear. A protrusion is provided on a peripheral edge of the drum gear rotating body, and a depression is formed on a peripheral edge of the drum drive gear rotating body. The phase of the drum gear and the phase of the drum drive gear are aligned when the protrusion is fitted into the depression.

In conventional tandem-type image-forming devices, it is difficult to manufacture the drum gears provided on the ends of the photosensitive drums and the drum drive gears disposed on the image-forming device side for driving the drum gears, without errors in shape or dimension. Such errors in the shape or dimension of the drum gear and drum drive gear cause the photosensitive drum, on which the drum gear is mounted, to rotate irregularly. When the image-forming device has a plurality of photosensitive drums, irregular rotations of the photosensitive drums may cause color registration problems in the image, resulting in a decline in image quality. Since the photosensitive drum is treated as a consumable that is discarded after use, the drum gear disposed on the photosensitive drum is normally formed of a resin material in order to minimize the manufacturing cost of the photosensitive drum. However, a resin gear is even more prone to errors in shape and dimension.
To resolve these problems, an image-forming device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. HEI-11-30893 provides a worm wheel mounted on an end of each photosensitive drum. A mark is provided on part of the worm wheel. By detecting the mark with a sensor disposed near the rotating worm wheel, the image-forming device can control the rotational position, or phase, of the worm wheel.
However, the image-forming device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. HEI-11-30893 requires extra steps in the manufacturing process to form a mark on the worm wheel. This technology also requires extra space for the sensors and extra parts for supporting the sensors. Hence, the image-forming device has a complex structure in the engaging parts between the end of the photosensitive drum and the drum drive gear that drives the photosensitive drum, leading to a rise in the manufacturing cost of the image-forming device.
Another technology proposes to reduce this rise in cost by integrating the photosensitive drums for three colors and providing a photo interrupter and cam mechanism for the remaining photosensitive drum in order to align the phase of that photosensitive drum with the three integrated photosensitive drums.
However, this method requires that photosensitive drums for three colors be integrated. Therefore, when the image quality of a photosensitive drum for one color degrades and the drum must be replaced, the photosensitive drums for the other two colors whose image quality has not degraded must also be replaced, resulting in an unnecessary expense. Further, the drum drive gears mounted in the body of the image-forming device can be set to the same phase during assembly at the factory, and certainly the phase of the drum gears of the photosensitive drums that engage with the drum drive gears may also be set in phase at the factory. However, when the photosensitive drums are replaced with replacement parts, it is difficult to set the phase of the drum gear for the new photosensitive drum.

Image-forming device having a drum drive gear for engaging a drum gear


A system or method including a display and sensor to detect touches of the display. The display can display an image of a keyboard. The image of the keyboard can be shaped to the locations of the touches of the display.

A computing device may include many different forms of input devices. The input devices may be for example keyboards or mice. A keyboard can be used for text entry or for other inputs such as direction or functions. A qwerty keyboard is a keyboard that has a specific layout for the keys to allow a user who is familiar with the qwerty keyboard to input text on the keyboard without looking on the keyboard. Portable electronics such as a portable phone may have a keyboard that is displayed on the phone. The keyboard on the phone may be displayed if the user selects an input area that is expecting text to be input.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention provides modified platelets having a reduced platelet clearance and methods for reducing platelet clearance. Also provided are compositions for the preservation of platelets. The invention also provides methods for making a pharmaceutical composition containing the modified platelets and for administering the pharmaceutical composition to a mammal to mediate hemostasis.

Platelets are anucleate bone marrow-derived blood cells that protect injured mammals from blood loss by adhering to sites of vascular injury and by promoting the formation of plasma fibrin clots. Humans depleted of circulating platelets by bone marrow failure suffer from life threatening spontaneous bleeding, and less severe deficiencies of platelets contribute to bleeding complications following trauma or surgery.
A reduction in the number of circulating platelets to below ˜70,000 per μL reportedly results in a prolongation of a standardized cutaneous bleeding time test, and the bleeding interval prolongs, extrapolating to near infinity as the platelet count falls to zero. Patients with platelet counts of less than 20,000 per μL are thought to be highly susceptible to spontaneous hemorrhage from mucosal surfaces, especially when the thrombocytopenia is caused by bone marrow failure and when the affected patients are ravaged with sepsis or other insults. The platelet deficiencies associated with bone marrow disorders such as aplastic anemia, acute and chronic leukemias, metastatic cancer but especially resulting from cancer treatment with ionizing radiation and chemotherapy represent a major public health problem. Thrombocytopenia associated with major surgery, injury and sepsis also eventuates in administration of significant numbers of platelet transfusions.
A major advance in medical care half a century ago was the development of platelet transfusions to correct such platelet deficiencies, and over 9 million platelet transfusions took place in the United States alone in 1999 (Jacobs et al., 2001). Platelets, however, unlike all other transplantable tissues, do not tolerate refrigeration, because they disappear rapidly from the circulation of recipients if subjected to even very short periods of chilling, and the cooling effect that shortens platelet survival is irreversible (Becker et al., 1973; Berger et al., 1998).
The resulting need to keep these cells at room temperature prior to transfusion has imposed a unique set of costly and complex logistical requirements for platelet storage. Because platelets are actively metabolic at room temperature, they require constant agitation in porous containers to allow for release of evolved CO2 to prevent the toxic consequences of metabolic acidosis. Room temperature storage conditions result in macromolecular degradation and reduced hemostatic functions of platelets, a set of defects known as "the storage lesion" (Chemoff and Snyder, 1992). But the major problem with room-temperature storage, leading to its short (5-day) limitation, is the higher risk of bacterial infection. Bacterial contamination of blood components is currently the most frequent infectious complication of blood component use, exceeding by far that of viral agents (Engelfriet et al., 2000). In the USA, 3000-4500 cases yearly of bacterial sepsis occur because of bacterially contaminated blood components (Yomtovian et al., 1993).
The mechanism underlying the unique irreversible cold intolerance of platelets has been a mystery as has its physiological significance. Circulating platelets are smooth-surfaced discs that convert to complex shapes as they react to vascular injury. Over 40 years ago investigators noted that discoid platelets also change shape at refrigeration temperatures (Zucker and Borrelli, 1954). Subsequent evidence that a discoid shape was the best predictor of viability for platelets stored at room temperature (Schlichter and Harker, 1976) led to the conclusion that the cold-induced shape change per se was responsible for the rapid clearance of chilled platelets. Presumably irregularly-shaped platelets deformed by cooling became entrapped in the microcirculation.
Based on our studies linking signaling to the mechanisms leading to platelet shape changes induced by ligands (Hartwig et al., 1995), we predicted that chilling, by inhibiting calcium extrusion, could elevate calcium levels to a degree consistent with the activation of the protein gelsolin, which severs actin filaments and caps barbed ends of actin filaments. We also reasoned that a membrane lipid phase transition at low temperatures would cluster phosphoinositides. Phosphoinositide clustering uncaps actin filament barbed ends (Janmey and Stossel, 1989) to create nucleation sites for filament elongation. We produced experimental evidence for both mechanisms, documenting gelsolin activation, actin filament barbed end uncapping, and actin assembly in cooled platelets (Hoffmeister et al., 2001; Winokur and Hartwig, 1995). Others have reported spectroscopic changes in chilled platelets consistent with a membrane phase transition (Tablin et al., 1996). This information suggested a method for preserving the discoid shape of chilled platelets, using a cell-permeable calcium chelator to inhibit the calcium rise and cytochalasin B to prevent barbed end actin assembly. Although addition of these agents retained platelets in a discoid shape at 4° C. (Winokur and Hartwig, 1995), such platelets also clear rapidly from the circulation, as we report here. Therefore, the problem of the rapid clearance of chilled platelets remains, and methods of increasing circulation time as well as storage time for platelets are needed.

Apparatus for prolonging survival of platelets


A computer-implemented method of accounting for angle-dependent wavelet stretch in seismic data based on a novel relationship between wavelet stretch and the cosine of a reflection angle of an acoustic ray. Conventional seismic data having at least one wavelet, such as data generated from a reflection seismic survey, is accessed. The data is processed such that at least one wavelet is subject to angle-dependent wavelet stretch. A reflection angle for at least one wavelet is also determined. An operator is utilized to calculate a wavelet stretch factor for at least one wavelet based on the cosine of the corresponding reflection angle of the wavelet. The wavelet stretch factor is applied to the seismic data to account for angle-dependent wavelet stretch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of accounting for angle-dependent wavelet stretch in seismic data. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of accounting for angle-dependent wavelet stretch in seismic data based on a novel relationship between wavelet stretch and a reflection angle of an acoustic ray.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of seismic surveys is now fundamental in the search for oil and gas reservoirs in the earth. Seismic surveys, including seismic reflection surveys, are typically performed by imparting acoustic energy of a known amplitude and frequency pattern at one or more locations of the earth (either at a land surface or in a marine environment) and then detecting reflected and refracted acoustic energy at other locations. The time delay between the imparting of the acoustic energy at the source location and the detection of the same wave at a receiver location is indicative of the depth at which a particular reflecting geological interface is located. The field of seismic data interpretation is concerned with techniques for analyzing the detected seismic waves to determine both the location and the properties of various geological strata.
As is known in the art, common depth point and other conventional seismic survey approaches utilize a plurality of source and receiver pairs to emit and detect acoustic energy or rays. However, due to the physical offset between different source and receiver pairs, acoustic energy or rays are detected at different times by the plurality of receivers. Thus, traces and wavelets resulting from conventional seismic survey approaches are often subject to shifting, known as normal move-out, caused by the physical offset between different source and receiver pairs.
Conventional and well-known methods, commonly referred to as normal move out correction, have long been employed to correct for normal-move out and its undesirable effects. However, normal move out correction, and other prestack processes such as time migration and depth migration, stretch wavelets as a function of angle. This angle-dependent stretching of the wavelet, commonly referred to as normal move-out stretch or angle-dependent wavelet stretch, results in the undesirable loss of high frequency data at far offset. The wavelet stretch flattens out the peaks of the wavelets, thereby extending the time length of each pulse over a wider range than an unstretched wavelet, resulting in energy bleeding. Such distortion or stretch is obviously undesirable, as it results in the loss of data which may be required or useful for additional analysis.
Various methods of accounting for angle-dependent wavelet stretch exist. However, these methods are generally unduly complex and require extensive calculations or modeling of data. As a result of this complexity, prior art methods of accounting for angle-dependent wavelet stretch generally require a great expenditure of human time and/or computing time, thereby preventing widespread use of the prior art methods. Furthermore, such complex and extensive calculations may not be easily included or implemented in existing methods or computer programs, thereby further inhibiting use of the prior art methods.
Additionally, prior art methods of accounting for wavelet stretch generally are unable to account for wavelet stretch in more than one situation. For instance, prior art methods which are operable to correct angle-dependent wavelet stretch in normal move out corrected data may not be operable to forward model wavelet stretch on seismic data. Similarly, prior methods for forward modeling wavelet stretch on seismic data may not be operable to correct for angle-dependent wavelet stretch, etc.

Method of accounting for wavelet stretch in seismic data


Any specific member for fixation is omitted from a fuel injection device so that number of parts is reduced and the fuel injection device is constructed at a reasonable cost. The fuel injection device for use in an internal combustion engine is provided with a fuel distribution pipe 1, plural connecting pipe members 4, and plural fuel injection valves 2, and each of the fuel injection valves 2 is inserted into a connecting pipe member 4. A band-shaped protrusion 7 extends in the radial direction from a flange portion of the connecting pipe member 4 and further extends in parallel to the axis of the fuel injection valve 2. The band-shaped protrusion 7 is provided with a fitting hole 8, and each fuel injection valve 2 is provided with a protrusion 9 fitted into the fitting hole 8.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection device used in an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to mounting structure for mounting a fuel injection valve on a fuel distribution pipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an example of conventional structure for mounting a fuel injection valve on a fuel distribution pipe, a fixing member that partially holds a connecting pipe member and the fuel injection valve and has a configuration corresponding to the fuel injection valve couples each of fuel injection valves with a fuel distributor without applying any force in the axial direction so as to fix the fuel injection valve in the axial direction (for example, see the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 1981-12051 (FIGS. 1 and 2)).
As another example of conventional structure for mounting a fuel injection valve on a fuel distribution pipe, a fuel injection valve is provided with at least two snap springs, and these snap springs extend in parallel to the axis of the fuel injection valve. In order to engage the fuel injection valve with an engaging flange provided on the connecting pipe member on the fuel distribution pipe side from backside, an engaging protrusion protruding in the transverse direction is supported on the surfaces facing each other (for example, see the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 1991-31572 (pages 7 and 8)).
Since the conventional fuel injection device used in an internal combustion engine is constructed as described above, the fuel injection device disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 1981-12051 has such problems that a large number of parts are necessary and man-hour and cost of installation are increased. This is because it is necessary to use another engaging member for engaging the fuel injection valve and the connecting pipe member together.
Since the fuel injection device disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 1991-31572 has a structure in which the snap springs extend in parallel to the axis of the fuel injection valves and are engaged with the engaging flanges provided on the connecting pipe members so as to be fitted between the engaging flanges from backside, a problem exists in that the engaged portions are easily disengaged when any force is applied in the direction of opening the snap springs.
Moreover, since the two snap springs extend in the axial direction, and a connector for electrical connection is arranged at the center in the circumferential direction thereof, several problems exist in that it is necessary to use any mold of a complicated configuration for injection molding and manufacturing cost is increased.


A non-volatile memory device includes a first sensing line, a first word line, a depletion channel region, and impurity regions. The first sensing line and the first word line are formed adjacent to each other in parallel on a substrate. The first sensing line and the first word line have a tunnel oxide layer, a first conductive pattern, a dielectric layer pattern and a second conductive pattern sequentially stacked on the substrate. The depletion channel region is formed at an upper portion of the substrate under the first sensing line. The impurity regions are formed at upper portions of the substrate exposed by the first sensing line and the first word line.

1. Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a non-volatile memory device, a method of manufacturing the non-volatile memory device, and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a non-volatile memory device including a memory transistor and a select transistor in a unit cell, a method of manufacturing the non-volatile memory device and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) devices, which are a type of non-volatile memory device, are used in various fields because the EEPROM devices can electrically store and erase data and preserve data without being provided with power.
In an EEPROM device, electrons pass through a thin insulation layer, that is, a tunnel oxide layer, such as a silicon oxide layer, using Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling, so that electric charges may be stored in a floating gate in the EEPROM device. The on or off state of a transistor in the EEPROM device depends on the amount of the stored electric charges. A floating gate tunnel oxide (FLOTOX) type device, which is a type of EEPROM device, has a unit cell including a select transistor for selecting a cell and a memory transistor for storing data.
The sizes of unit cells in the EEPROM device are required to be reduced as the memory capacity of the EEPROM device increases. The properties of the unit cells, however, may become poor as the sizes of the unit cells in the EEPROM device are reduced.
When the sizes of the unit cells of the EEPROM device are reduced, the channel length of a memory transistor included in the EEPROM device may also be reduced. The memory transistor may have a threshold voltage that is poorly distributed in on-state and off-state operations as the channel length is reduced.
Depletion layers between a drain region and a source region of the memory transistor make contact with each other as a result of the reduction of the channel length, thereby forming a parasitic depletion capacitor under a tunnel oxide layer. As a result, a voltage drop may occur during the programming or erasing of data. When the memory transistor has the poorly distributed threshold voltage, a programming/erasing window margin may be decreased, so that accurately distinguishing data stored in a unit cell may be difficult.
Additionally, electrons may be trapped in the tunnel oxide layer of the memory transistor when data is repeatedly programmed or erased in the unit cell of the EEPROM device. When the electrons are trapped, the threshold voltage of the memory transistor is increased in an on-state, so that an on-current may be decreased. When the on-current is decreased, the decreased on-current may not be detected by a sense amplifier in a reading operation, so that the memory transistor may not accurately distinguish data.

Non-volatile memory device, method of manufacturing the same and method of operating the same


Pilot change-over valves for operating actuators are connected in a center bypassing form and a cut-off valve is disposed downstream of each such pilot change-over valves. Commands which are in a proportional relation to each other are outputted from a controller to a pilot port of the cut-off valve and a pilot port of a pilot change-over valve for boom. Both valves are closed synchronously. Operation commands for both valves can be altered with a volume control for setting operation characteristics. Hydraulic pump oils for arm are joined together by a confluent valve. Consequently, highly responsive operations can be attained in operating the attachment of a hydraulic excavator. This is effective in the ground hardening work with a bucket, the work for removing mud from the machine body and the work for scattering soil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic control circuit in a hydraulic excavator. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a system for changing over the responsivity of an attachment attached to the front portion of a hydraulic excavator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram described as FIG. 1 in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 207697/95. A hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 6 is equipped at the front portion thereof with a working attachment 1 comprising a boom 2, an arm 3 and a bucket 25. When time t0 required for actually depressing a lever is shorter than time T which has been preset for the lever depressing operation (time set by a lever depression time setting device 30), if a lever 15 of a remote control valve 12 for boom is operated, a pilot pressure acts shorter than the preset time T on a boom lowering pilot port 22 of a pilot change-over valve 8 for boom. The pilot pressure is detected by a pressure sensor 28 and the detected pressure signal is fed to a controller 29. On the basis of this pressure signal the controller 29 judges that the actual lever depressing time t0 is shorter than the preset time T, and does not output a throttled oil path position change-over command signal to an electromagnetic change-over valve 26. Since a solenoid 27 is deenergized and the electromagnetic change-over valve 26 is in an open oil path position ".alpha.", it is possible to perform operation in high responsivity. That is, it is possible to conduct a bucket striking work which requires a quick operation.
In the prior art shown in FIG. 6, however, when a work involving a quick operation which requires a high operation responsivity (for example, a ground hardening work with the back of a bucket, a soil scattering work, or a mud removing work from the machine body) is to be performed, it is necessary that a repeated change-over operation be done for the lever 15 of the remote control valve 12 for boom in a shorter time than the preset time T. This limitation imposed on the operation time has been inconvenient in executing operations.
In the prior art shown in FIG. 6, moreover, no means have been taken for effecting slow works which require a low operation responsivity (for example, a slope face correcting work, a leveling work, and a load lifting work).

Hydraulic control circuit in a hydraulic excavator


A pry device adapted for removing a lid from a container comprises a first lever member, a second lever member and a fulcrum element interconnecting the first and second lever members for relative pivotal movement therebetween. The first lever member has a first handle portion and a first lip portion opposite the first handle portion. The first lip portion is configured to engage an edge portion of the lid when the lid is secured to the container. The second lever member has a second handle portion and a second lip portion opposite the second handle portion. The second lip portion is configured to engage a flange on the container. The first and second lip portions are movable between a contracted position and an expanded position. In the contracted position, the first and second lip portions are at a first distance sufficiently to respectfully engage the edge portion of the lid and the flange. In the expanded position, the first and second lip portions are separated a second distance greater than the first distance while respectfully engaged with the edge portion of the lid and the flange. The first and second lip portions are operative to exert a prying force between the edge portion of the lid and the flange thereby removing the lid from the container when the first and second lip portions are moved from the contracted position to the extended position.

In today's world, containers are commonly package a variety of items. For example, in the restaurant industry, some bulk food items such as pickles or flour are delivered to restaurants in five-gallon pails made from high density polyethylene plastic. Even maintenance supplies such as powered detergents or liquid solvents necessary to maintain a clean kitchen in a restaurant are delivered in plastic containers of varying sizes. These containers are also employed to package paints, stains, caulks, chemicals and the like. In many instances, plastic containers have replaced glass containers primarily because plastic is lighter in weight and much more resistant to breakage.
Generally, this bulk type of container described above is constructed as a bucket or a pail having an upright wall which terminates in an upper rim and has a flange extending outwardly from the upright wall at a location proximate to the upper rim. Typically, a lid is provided with the container, and the lid has a collar which is releasably secured to the upper rim of the container to prevent spillage of the items if the container is upset or otherwise jostled. Sometimes, a wire handle is attached at opposed positions on the flange to facilitate the ease of carrying the container.
A problem associated with these types of plastic containers is the difficulty in removing the lid from the container. A screwdriver or crowbar can be used to pry the collar of the lid away from the rim of the container. A can opener-type device can also be used to remove the lid from the container. This can opener-type device has a claw extending from a handle portion. One end of the claw engages an edge portion of the collar of the lid while the other claw portion engages the top of the lid. Exerting a force on the handle portion of the can opener device causes the collar to be pried away from the rim.
Often, these methods of removing the lid from the container damages the lid and its collars. Sometimes, even the rim of the container is damaged. Additionally, these methods are often difficult and time-consuming. Damaging the lid and the container could be disadvantageous. For example, if paint was provided in this container, a damaged lid or rim could result in air entering into the container having residual paint. Exposing paint to air will eventually cause this paint to dry out and render it unusable for future use. Furthermore, there is a strong movement today to recycle products when possible. If a lid is damaged upon its removal, a new lid must be provided to recycle the old container. If both the lid and the container are damaged, they could not be recycled and both would have to be discarded after use.
Therefore, a need exists to provide an improved device for removing a lid from a container of the type as described above so that a lid can be removed from the container without damaging either the lid or the container. It is from these considerations and others that the present invention has evolved.

Pry device adapted for removing container lids


A method for printing an image includes: generating a third table in which a second table, indicating a relationship between one of a plurality of brightness values and an amount of ink of an achromatic color for representing the one of the brightness values, is embedded in the first table, indicating a relationship between a color defined by each of the first lattice points and amounts of the ink of the achromatic color and ink of chromatic colors; converting first RGB components of the image data corresponding to a character area into the RGB components defined by the some of the lattice points based on brightness values of the RGB components of the image data, thereby generating modified image data; converting the RGB components of the modified image data into amounts of the ink o; and printing the image in accordance with the converted amounts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique capable of attaining a high-quality printing of characters by using a printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, high-quality copy images can be easily obtained by using a color copier. Such a color copier is substantially constituted with a scanner unit for reading an image and a printing unit for printing a copy image. On outputting the copy image, light is first shed to a manuscript image on the scanner unit to read light reflected from the manuscript image, thereby creating image data. Then, the thus read image data is converted to data on ink amount of CYMK respective colors (color conversion processing) and printing is executed on the basis of the thus obtained data on ink amounts by the printing unit to output a high-quality copy image.
On the other hand, color copiers have a tendency that characters on an image will inevitably result in a reduction in quality. Specifically, where characters are read by using a scanner unit, even a black-color character reflects light to some extent and develops into a character having a tinge of gray due to the thus read image data. Then, when the gray-tinged character is converted to data on ink amounts, it is converted to data on ink amounts in which CMY respective color inks are used in addition to K (black) ink for expressing gray color. Thus, the inks are used in an increased amount in printing and ooze out. Due to the above reason and others, characters undergo reduction in quality such as blurred outlines of the characters. Thus, there has been proposed a technique in which a character-specific color conversion table which is used for conversion to data on exclusive amounts of K ink is provided in addition to an ordinary color conversion table, and the character-specific color conversion table is used at a part of characters to effect conversion to the data on exclusive amounts of K ink, thereby avoiding characters blurred with inks or others to attain a high-quality printing of characters, as disclosed in JP-A-2006-197549.
However, the above-proposed a technique has a problem that a high-quality copy image is not easily obtained. Specifically, it is necessary to execute color conversion processing, while the ordinary color conversion table is switched to the character-specific color conversion table or vice versa, thereby the color conversion processing is inevitably complicated. For this reason, such a problem is posed that a high-quality copy image is not output easily.

Printing method, printing apparatus, corresponding table creating method and programs


An antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance device has a first antenna group, which includes at least one antenna element, and a second antenna group separated from the first antenna group, which likewise includes at least one antenna element. The antenna groups have respective cooperating coupler antenna parts that are fashioned and/or arranged such that, given a specific adjacent arrangement of the antenna groups with respect to one another, the coupler antenna parts form, by inductive coupling, a common boundary antenna element of the two antenna groups, which is inductively decoupled from the further antenna elements within the appertaining antenna groups. A corresponding method for coupling two antenna groups separated from one another employs such an antenna arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus of the type having a first antenna group, which comprises at least one antenna element, and a second antenna group, separate from the first antenna group, which likewise comprises at least one antenna element. The invention also concerns a method to couple two antenna groups that are separate from one another to acquire magnetic resonance signals, wherein the antenna groups each include at least one antenna element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the magnetic resonance examination of specific organs or body parts of a patient, surface antennas are increasingly used to receive the nuclear magnetic resonance signals (magnetic resonance signals). These surface antennas are arranged in the examination directly at the organ or body part of the patient to be examined, relatively close to the surface of the body. In contrast to larger antennas arranged farther from the patient that are normally used to generate an overall cross-section through a patient, these surface antennas have the consequent advantage of being able to be located closer to the region of interest. The noise component caused by the electrical losses within the body of the patient is thereby reduced, which causes the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a surface antenna, in principle, to be better than that of a farther removed antenna. A disadvantage is that an individual surface antenna is only able to generate an effective image within a predetermined spatial dimension, which lies in the order of magnitude of the diameter of the conductor loop of the surface antenna. The possibilities for use of such individual surface antennas are therefore very limited, due to the restricted region of observation. The region of observation can be expanded, by enlarging the diameter of the conductor loop of the surface antenna, but the enlargement of the conductor loop causes the same with an increase in the aforementioned electrical losses in the body of the patient and, as a consequence the signals are received with an increased noise component. Given use of an individual surface antenna, a compromise path must always be made between the best possible resolution on and the largest possible region of observation.
It is possible to enlarge the region of observation without reducing the resolution to the same degree by using a number of individual surface antennas arranged adjacent to one another, i.e. an entire field of antenna elements, which together form a large surface antenna. A problem of such antenna arrangements with a number of adjacent antenna elements is that a high-frequency current in an antenna element can induce a voltage in an adjacent antenna element, due to inductive coupling. This means that a signal generated in one of the adjacent antennas automatically also causes a signal component in an adjacent antenna element. The inductive coupling consequently degrades the signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, the complexity in the evaluation of the signals from coupled antenna elements is greater than in non-coupled antenna elements. An inductive coupling of the antenna elements therefore should be avoided if possible.
A method to decouple adjacent antennas is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,162, for example. The decoupling is achieved by overlapping the conductor loops of adjacent antennas to a certain degree, such that overall the inductive coupling between the affected antennas is minimal. Due to the mandatory overlap between the involved antenna elements, this decoupling method is not suitable in all cases to decouple adjacent coils.
For example, one such case exists when the adjacent antennas belong to different antenna groups, for example various antenna arrays that are located in separate housings. In a magnetic resonance examination the size of the antenna should be adjusted to the size of the subject to be examined or to the type and the purpose of the examination, a number of different-sized surface antennas have to be available at a magnetic resonance device, with an antenna having the suitable size for a specific examination being selected. In order to limit the number of antenna sizes that must be left at hand, and in order to achieve a greater variability and better adaptation for various uses, antenna arrays are in practice frequently assembled in the form of modules. Each antenna module has a housing with an antenna group, including a number of individual antennas, which form a small antenna array. By joining the antenna modules, antenna arrays of different sizes can be fashioned. A problem is that the antenna elements of the joined antenna groups (that are respectively located at the ends of the antenna groups arranged to one another) are arranged in very close proximity to one another and therefore would inductively couple into one another.
Conventionally, the housings for the antenna groups are fashioned at the edges with fitting pieces, such that both adjacent edge antenna elements overlap, given a coupling of the housings. This is shown in FIG. 1. A first antenna group with a number of individual antenna elements A arranged in a first antenna plane E1 is located in a first housing G1. A second antenna group, which has a number of individual antenna elements A arranged in a second antenna plane E2, is located in a further housing G2. The ends of both housings G1, G2 are fashioned such that, given a coupling of the housings G1, G2 with an accurate fit, the edge antenna elements of both antenna groups inevitably overlap in a suitable manner in order to achieve a decoupling between the adjacent edge antenna elements. As FIG. 1 also shows, the individual antenna elements A of both antenna groups are respectively arranged in different antenna planes E1, E2. This means that one of the antenna groups has a larger separation from the patient than the other antenna group, such that the signal-to-noise ratio of this antenna group is in principle worse. In addition, the housings G1, G2 are each relatively thick, so that a predetermined safety spacing is maintained from the antenna group arranged next to the patient.
A simple placement, one atop the other, of antenna groups that are assembled in simple housings without the fitting piece ends would lead to a widening of the antenna arrangement in the overlap region. Such an arrangement is therefore possible in all cases in examinations in which the antennas are placed upon the patient, but not in arrangements in which the patient is placed upon the antennas.
FIG. 2 shows an alternative that also is presently used in practice to couple two antenna groups. Here the separation ensues between the different housings G1, G2 by means of a common boundary antenna whose conductor paths respectively terminate in a plug contact S at the edges of the housings G1, G2. Given coupling, both halves of the boundary antenna are electrically connected with one another via the plug contact S, such that overall a continuous antenna array is formed. A problem in the use of such plug connections is that the electrical contacts can foul and wear. In particular, it can also become a problem if fluid reaches the plug contact S, which cannot be completely ruled out in the medical field.

Antenna arrangement and coupling method for a magnetic resonance apparatus