When focus adjustment operation is performed, a first measured distance acquired by utilization of TTL-AF and a second measured value acquired by utilization of a distance between the eyes have been computed in advance. The degree of reliability of the first measured distance is compared the degree of reliability of the second measured distance in accordance with a result of a determination as to whether or not a face is detected, a result of a determination as to whether or not an ambient brightness value Br is equal to or less than a reference value, a result of a determination as to whether or not a focal length “f” is equal to or less than a reference value, and a result of a determination as to whether or not a second measured distance De is less than a first measured distance Dt.

Many pieces of imaging apparatus currently on the market have an autofocus (hereinafter abbreviated as "AF") for automatically adjusting a focus. A technique called TTL-AF (through-the-lens AF) is heavily used for this AF function at the present time. TTL-AF is a technique utilizing the fact that the edge of an image of the subject becomes clear at a focused focal point. Specifically, according to this technique, a specific frequency component of a predetermined area in a captured image (a preview image) is extracted, and an evaluation value which is an index showing the intensity of a contrast is determined from the thus extracted frequency component. The focus adjustment system lens is moved back and forth in such a way that the evaluation value fulfills a predetermined condition; e.g., the acquisition of the maximum value, thereby performing focusing operation.
However, the TTL-AF has a problem of being likely to focus on an object (or an area) exhibiting high contrast. For instance, under the situation called a night-view portrait in which the image of a person located at a comparatively-close position is captured while a night view is taken as a background, the night view serving as a background is likely to exhibit higher contrast than does the person that is the principal subject. In this case, the previously-described evaluation value is likely to become higher by bringing the night view into focus rather than bringing the person into focus. For this reason, there arises a problem of the night view remaining in focus; i.e., the imaging apparatus being likely to enter a so-called "rear-focused" state.
An AF technique utilizing information about a captured face has recently been put forward as AF means other than the TTL-AF technique. For instance, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2003-75717 describes a technique of: extracting the face of a person from a captured image (a preview image); estimating a distance to a subject from the size of the face; and performing focus adjustment operation. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2006-18246 describes a technique of: extracting a face of a person from a captured image (a preview image) or a distance between the eyes of the person; essentially estimating a distance to the subject from the size of the person or the distance between the eyes; and effecting TTL-AF in the vicinity of the thus-essentially-estimated distance to the subject. As mentioned above, attainment of a focus on an area other than the principal subject is prevented to a certain extent by utilization of information about the face of the person that is the principal subject for AF.
However, because suitable and unsuitable conditions are present for TTL-AF, suitable and unsuitable conditions exist for AF utilizing face information, as well. Consequently, as described in the Laid-Open Publications, there arises a case where an accurate focus adjustment operation cannot be performed under certain image-capturing conditions even when AF utilizing face information is adopted.


An apparatus for determining a closure pressure of a fractured formation surrounding a wellbore is disclosed. The apparatus, in one embodiment, includes an isolation device for isolating a section of the wellbore, a fluid supply unit for supplying a fluid from the wellbore under pressure into the isolated section of the wellbore to cause a fracture in the formation proximate the isolated section, a receiving unit for receiving fluid from the isolated section at a constant or substantially constant rate due to pressure difference between the formation and the receiving unit, and a sensor for determining pressure of the formation during receiving of the fluid into the receiving unit. The apparatus further includes a controller for determining the closure pressure from the determined pressure.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for determining a closure pressure of a fractured formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
During both drilling of a wellbore and after drilling, fluid (oil, gas and water) from the formation is often extracted to determine the nature of the hydrocarbons in hydrocarbon-bearing formations. Fluid samples are often collected from formations at selected wellbore depths by a formation testing tool conveyed in the wellbore. The collected samples are analyzed to determine various properties of the fluid. Some formations, such as made of shale, have very low permeability (also referred to as "tight formations") and do not allow the formation fluid to flow into the wellbore when such formations are perforated to recover the hydrocarbons therefrom. Fractures, also referred to as micro-fractures are created in such formation to determine a geological characteristic of such formation. A useful characteristic or parameter of such formations is the closure pressure.
To determine the closure pressure in tight micro-fractured formations, a flow-back test (a test that involves flowing back the fluid from the fractured formation) can be used to determine the closure pressure of the formation. A deflection point in the pressure measurements made during the flow back test can be used to determine the closure pressure. During flow-back tests, it is desirable to draw the fluid from the formation into a testing tool at a constant or substantially constant flow rate. Such constant flow rates can be achieved by creating a positive pressure difference between the formation and a chamber in the tool receiving the fluid. Conventional formation testing tools are difficult to use for flow-back tests because such tools utilize reciprocating pumps, which pumps create a negative pressure between the formation and a receiving chamber in the tool. In addition, the reciprocating "strokes" of such pumps creates back pressure, which can obscure the clear identification of the deflection point in the pressure during the withdrawing of the fluid from the formation, which can lead to a large error in determining the closure pressure.
The disclosure herein provides an apparatus and method for determining the closure pressure of a fractured formation using a flow back test.

Apparatus and method for determining closure pressure from flowback measurements of a fractured formation


The invention provides a shield structure which is compatible for a plurality of helmets in spite that an auxiliary shield mounting mechanism has a comparatively simple structure, is less expensive, and provides a good appearance as a whole. According to one aspect of the invention, each of left and right auxiliary shield mounting mechanisms which are disposed on a main shield includes an inner auxiliary shield mounting portion and outer auxiliary shield mounting portion in common.

In a full-face-type helmet or the like, when a regular shield (to be referred to as a "main shield" in this DESCRIPTION) tends to fog as in the rain, a shield structure is sometimes employed in which an anti-fogging auxiliary shield referred to as an anti-fogging sheet or the like is mounted on the main shield, as disclosed in, e.g., WO 01/13750 A1 (to be referred to as "the prior patent reference" hereinafter). In the helmet shield structure (to be referred to as "the shield structure of the prior patent reference" hereinafter) disclosed in the above prior patent reference, the anti-fogging auxiliary shield is detachably mounted on the inner surface of the main shield to maintain a slight gap with respect to the main shield. In this case, substantially semicircular left and right engaging notched recesses are formed in the left and right ends, respectively, of the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield. Left and right engaging headed shafts respectively having removal preventive heads for the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield are disposed on the main shield to correspond to the left and right engaging notched recesses (that is, engaging slits), respectively, such that the headed shafts project on the inner surface of the main shield. Such engaging headed shafts have eccentric shaft structures so that they can adjust the tension of the anti-fogging auxiliary shield with respect to the main shield. Also, the non-eccentric shafts of the engaging headed shafts on the proximal end sides are pivotally inserted in mounting holes of the main shield from the outer surface side of the main shield. The removal preventive heads are fixed to the eccentric shafts. Hence, the tension can be adjusted by pivoting the eccentric shafts.
In the shield structure of the prior patent reference as described above, when mounting the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield on the inner surface of the main shield, the left and right engaging headed shafts of the main shield are sequentially, relatively engaged with the left and right engaging notched recesses, respectively, of the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield. This engaging may be done by sequentially, relatively introducing the left and right ends of the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield into the eccentric shafts existing between the removable preventive heads of the left and right engaging headed shafts and the inner surface of the main shield. When removing the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield from the main shield, the left and right engaging headed shafts may be sequentially, relatively removed from the left and right engaging notched recesses, respectively, by performing operation reverse to that for engaging. With the shield structure of the prior patent reference having the arrangement as described above, a sealed space serving as a heat-insulating layer can be formed between the outer main shield and the inner anti-fogging auxiliary shield. The heat-insulating layer can serve to decrease the temperature difference between the inner and outer sides of each of the two shields, thus anti-fogging both the main shield and anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield.
In the full-face-type helmet or the like, when the rider travels a bad road as in motocross, the main shield tends to become dirty with mud or the like. For this reason, a shield structure may be used in which one or a plurality of layers of mudguard auxiliary shields each called a mudguard sheet, tear-off film, disposable sheet, or the like are mounted on the outer surface of the main shield such that they can be sequentially removed, as disclosed in the homepage of SHOEI CO., LTD. (http://jp.shoei.com/products/ja/parts_list.php?parts_id=1) (to be referred to as "the prior non-patent reference" hereinafter). In the shield structure (to be referred to as "the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference" hereinafter) for the helmet on which the mudguard outer auxiliary shield is mounted in this manner, left and right engaging holes are formed in the left and right ends, respectively, of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield. Each engaging hole is formed of a substantially circular center hole and a pair of upper and lower slits extending from the center hole outward along the diameter in opposite directions. Left and right engaging headed shafts respectively having removal preventive heads for the mudguard outer auxiliary shield are disposed on the main shield to correspond to the left and right engaging holes, respectively, such that the head shafts project on the outer surface of the main shield. Such engaging headed shafts have eccentric shaft structures so that they can adjust the tension of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield with respect to the main shield. Also, set screws inserted in the mounting holes of the main shield are screwed in the non-eccentric shafts of the engaging headed shafts at the proximal end sides from the inner surface side of the main shield. This fixes the engaging headed shafts to the main shield. Hence, the set screws are loosened by pivoting the engaging headed shafts, the engaging headed shafts and set screws are entirely pivoted by an appropriate amount, and after that the engaging headed shafts are pivoted with respect to the set screws so that the set screws are screwed in and fixed to the engaging headed shafts again. Then, the tension can be adjusted.
In the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference, when mounting the mudguard outer auxiliary shield on the outer side of the main shield, the left and right engaging headed shafts of the main shield are sequentially, relatively engaged with the left and right engaging holes, respectively, of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield. This engagement may be performed by sequentially, relatively inserting the left and right engaging headed shafts into the left and right engaging holes, respectively, of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield which includes one or a plurality of layers.
In the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference described above, when removing the mudguard outer auxiliary shield (if it includes a plurality of layers, the outermost mudguard outer auxiliary shield) dirty with mud or the like from the main shield, the following operation may be performed. More specifically, first, the operator such as the helmet wearer may hold the mudguard outer auxiliary shield at a portion near its left or right end with the hand and pull it substantially forward. In this case, the left or right (in other words, either one) engaging headed shaft of the main shield is extracted relatively from the left or right engaging hole of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield. Subsequently, when the operator further pulls the mudguard outer auxiliary shield substantially forward with his hand, the right or left (in other words, the other) engaging headed shaft of the main shield is also extracted relatively from the right or left engaging hole of the mudguard auxiliary shield. As a result, the mudguard auxiliary shield can be removed from the main shield completely.
Assume that not only the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield can be mounted on the main shield employed in the shield structure of the prior patent reference having the above arrangement, but also a mudguard outer auxiliary shield can be mounted on the same main shield as in the case of the main shield employed in the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference. Then, one type of main shield structure can be commonly employed in two types of helmets such as the helmet disclosed in the prior patent reference and the helmet disclosed in the prior non-patent reference. The main shield structure becomes compatible, which is preferable. In this case, left and right engaging headed shafts as those disposed on the main shield of the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference may be disposed on the main shield of the shield structure of the prior patent reference as second engaging headed shafts for the mudguard outer auxiliary shield. More specifically, the second engaging headed shafts are disposed on the main shield to project on the outer surface of the main shield. In this case, however, the main shield structure becomes complicated, and the number of components increases, leading to a high cost. In addition, to mount the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield and mudguard outer auxiliary shield, the main shield is provided with a large number of engaging headed shafts. This degrades the appearance of the main shield (and accordingly the shield structure).
Assume that not only the mudguard outer auxiliary shield can be mounted on the main shield employed in the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference, but also an anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield can be mounted on the same main shield as in the case of the main shield employed in the shield structure of the prior patent reference. Then, one type of main shield structure can be commonly employed in two types of helmets such as the helmet disclosed in the prior non-patent reference and the helmet disclosed in the prior patent reference. The main shield structure becomes compatible, which is preferable. In this case, left and right engaging headed shafts as those disposed on the main shield of the shield structure of the prior patent reference may be disposed on the main shield of the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference as second engaging headed shafts for the anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield. More specifically, the second engaging headed shafts are disposed on the main shield to project on the inner surface of the main shield. In this case, however, the main shield structure also becomes complicated, and the number of components increases, leading to a high cost. In addition, to mount the mudguard outer auxiliary shield and anti-fogging inner auxiliary shield, the main shield is provided with a large number of engaging headed shafts. This degrades the appearance of the main shield (and accordingly the shield structure).
Furthermore, in the case of the shield structure of the prior non-patent reference, when adjusting the tension of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield with respect to the main shield, as described above, the set screws must be loosened by pivoting the engaging headed shafts, the engaging headed shafts and set screws must be entirely pivoted by an appropriate amount, and after that the engaging headed shafts must be pivoted with respect to the set screws so that the set screws are screwed in and fixed to the engaging headed shafts again. This leads to cumbersome tension adjusting operation. In particular, when traveling a bad road on a motorbike as in motocross, the mudguard outer auxiliary shield tends to become dirty with mud or the like. Therefore, if a plurality of layers of mudguard outer auxiliary shields are mounted on the outer surface of the main shield, they must be sequentially removed one by one within a comparatively short time interval. Every time an outer auxiliary shield is to be removed (in other words, within a comparatively short time interval), the tension of a new mudguard outer auxiliary shield existing under the removed mudguard outer auxiliary shield must be adjusted. In this case, adjustment of the tension of the mudguard outer auxiliary shield is further complicated.

Shield structure for helmet or goggles, and helmet comprising such shield structure


The present invention relates to a signal converter and a signal conversion method in which an interpolated image is formed on the basis of suitable classification according to features of an input image signal to obtain a high-definition image signal. In a frequency characteristic determination section, frequency characteristics of an input image signal are classified and evaluated with respect to each of predetermined unit blocks. On the basis of the result of this classification, the desired one of a plurality of pixel patterns is selected with respect to each of the unit blocks of the input image signal, thereby setting a spatial class. In a classification section, the input image signal forming the selected pixel pattern undergoes data compression processing by the number of quantization bits according to the frequency characteristics, thereby forming a spatial class after compression. Interpolated pixels are formed from the input image signal by using prediction coefficients or predicted values based on the spatial class after compression.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal converter and a signal conversion method. For example, the present invention is suitably applicable to an up-converter for converting a standard definition (SD) signal such as that of the NTSC system into a high definition (HD) signal such as that of the hi-vision system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an up-converter of this kind, an HD signal is formed from an SD signal by processing the SD signal by frequency interpolation so that the number of pixels is increased. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an SD signal represented by larger types of symbols ".largecircle." and ".DELTA." on scanning lines 1A is doubly frequency-interpolated in the horizontal and vertical directions to form an HD signal represented by smaller types of symbols ".largecircle." and ".DELTA.", thereby forming an HD image 1.
As an example of an interpolation method using an up-converter, a method of forming HD pixels at four positions from field data of an SD signal is known. With respect to an SD pixel represented by a symbol ".circleincircle." in FIG. 1, HD pixels are formed at four kinds of positions, i.e., mode-1 to mode-4 positions ,in the vicinity of the SD pixel by interpolation.
As an interpolation filter used for this interpolation, a spatial two-dimensional nonseparable filter 2 shown in FIG. 2 and a horizontal-vertical separable filter 3 shown in FIG. 3 are known.
In the two-dimensional nonseparable filter 2, two-dimensional filter sections 4A to 4D perform interpolation processing independently of each other with respect to HD pixels at mode-1 to mode-4 positions, respectively. The results of interpolation by the two-dimensional filter sections 4A to 4D are combined in series with each other by a selecting section 5 to obtain an HD signal.
The horizontal-vertical separable filter 3 performs processing for modes 1 and 3 by a vertical interpolation filter section 6A and processing for modes 2 and 4 by a vertical interpolation filter section 6B to form data of two HD signal scanning lines. Then the filter 3 interpolates HD pixels at four positions with respect to each scanning line by using horizontal filter sections 7A and 7B and arranges HD pixels in series in a selecting section 8 to form an HD signal.
In the above-described conventional up-converter, the number of pixels is increased but the spatial definition cannot be increased from that defined by an SD signal even if an ideal filter is employed as an interpolation filter. In practice, it is impossible to employ an ideal filter. Therefore, the definition of an HD signal is necessarily lower than that of the SD signal from which the HD signal is formed.
As a solution of such a problem, a classification adaptive processing method has been proposed (in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 328185/1993) in which an input SD signal is divided into several classes according to its features and a high-definition HD signal is formed by using prediction coefficients which are prediction data previously formed by learning with respect to the classes.
In the case of forming an HD signal by such a classification adaptive processing method, however, the accuracy of prediction of the HD signal is low if the input signal is not suitably classified according to its features.
Also, if the classification ability at the time of learning is not sufficiently high, it is possible that HD signals, which are to be separated into different classes, are separated into the same class. In such a case, prediction coefficients obtained by learning predict an average value of HD signals differing in characteristics, resulting in a reduction in the ability of restoring the definition of the resulting HD image signal.

Signal converter and signal conversion method


An advantageous isolated morphic form of trilaciclib which is 2′-((5-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)amino)-7′,8′-dihydro-6′H-spiro[cyclohexane-1,9′-pyrazino[1′,2′:1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin]-6′-one, for example in the form of a di-hydrochloride salt or a dihydrochloride, dihydrate.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,598,186; 8,598,197; 9,957,276 10,189,849; and 10,189,850 and corresponding WO 2012/061156 assigned to G1 Therapeutics, Inc. describe a class of N-(heteroaryl)-pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-2-amine cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors including 2′-((5-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)amino)-7′,8′-dihydro-6′H-spiro[cyclohexane-1,9′-pyrazino[1′,2′:1,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin]-6′-one (Compound 1) with the formula
Synthetic procedures to make Compound 1 are described in US 2019/135820 and WO 2020/041770 both of which are assigned to G1 Therapeutics, Inc.
Compound 1 is referred to as "G1T28" or "trilaciclib." It transiently arrests normal cells to prevent chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and improve anti-tumor efficacy. It can be used, for example, in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) receiving topotecan chemotherapy, as well as in combination with etoposide and carboplatin in SCLC. It is also useful, for example, in combination with carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab (a PD-L1 inhibitor) in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Based on myelopreservation data in patients with SCLC trilaciclib has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (see, e.g., Weiss et al., "Myelopreservation with the CDK4/6 inhibitor trilaciclib in patients with small-cell lung cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy: a phase Ib/randomized phase II trial," Annals of Oncology 30:1613-1621 (2019); Daniel et al., "Trilaciclib decreases myelosuppression in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients receiving first-line chemotherapy plus atezolizumab," ESMO 2019 Congress Poster Abstract #1742PD). Compound 1 is also in human clinical trials for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer in combination with the standard of care for neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Morphic forms of trilaciclib and methods of manufacture thereof


A driving power control device for a hybrid vehicle controls the engagement state of a lockup clutch so that high efficiency in regeneration is obtainable. The driving power control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an engine and a motor-generator as power sources, an automatic transmission disposed between the power sources and driving wheels with an intervening torque converter having a lockup clutch, and an ECU for controlling selection of the power sources and for controlling a slip ratio of the torque converter. In this control device, a target slip ratio of the torque converter, which corresponds to a target amount of regeneration that is retrieved using regeneration amount determining factors, is obtained by executing a feedforward control operation using friction torque determining factors, and the slip ratio is controlled in a feedback manner based on the difference between the target slip ratio and the actual slip ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving power control device for a hybrid vehicle, which comprises an engine and a motor-generator as power sources, and an automatic transmission disposed between the power sources and driving wheels with an intervening torque converter having a lockup clutch, and which controls the degree of engagement of a lockup clutch during a regenerative operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a hybrid vehicle is known in the art, in which an engine and a motor-generator are provided as driving sources, and a portion of the kinetic energy of the vehicle is converted, by the motor-generator, into electrical energy which is stored in a battery device (generally known as a regenerative process) so that fuel efficiency can be improved. In such hybrid vehicles, a hybrid vehicle is also known, in which a torque converter having a lockup clutch is provided between the driving sources and driving wheels, and transmission efficiency of the driving power is adjusted by the lockup clutch.
In the above-mentioned regeneration process, if the lockup clutch is connected to the motor-generator during regenerative process, the kinetic energy of the driving wheels can be directly transmitted to the motor-generator. However, because torque fluctuations in the power sources are also directly transmitted to the driving wheels, noise and vibration are generated, which leads to degradation of drivability. Therefore, it is important to control the engaging state of the lockup clutch so as to obtain high efficiency of regeneration while preventing the above problems.
To prevent the above problems, a control device has been proposed, which controls the oil pressure for a lockup clutch so that power from power sources is transmitted with slip during a regeneration process. For example, a control device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-170903, which comprises a control section for controlling the engaging state of a lockup clutch, and which performs a control operation while receiving feedback of the engaging state (oil pressure) of the lockup clutch so that maximum efficiency of regeneration can be obtained.
However, a hybrid vehicle is driven in various driving states (for example, with or without brake operation, with or without cylinder deactivation operation, etc.), and obtainable regenerated electrical power (the amount of regeneration) varies depending on the driving state. Therefore, when the driving state changes, the amount of regeneration may vary considerably. Because the engaging state (controlling oil pressure) of the lockup clutch required to obtain the amount of regeneration at times varies considerably, it is impossible to control the engaging state so as to track large variations by controlling the oil pressure for the lockup clutch merely by a feedback method as described above.

Driving power control devices for hybrid vehicle


A portable computing device includes one or more microphones that function seamlessly with other components within the portable computing device. In one embodiment, a microphone opening is disposed on a side of the personal computing device and configured to be substantially perpendicular to a user. In another embodiment, a second microphone opening is disposed co-planar to the first microphone opening and positioned a predetermined distance apart. In another embodiment, one or more microphone openings can be disposed in a keyboard area and substantially between left and right sides of the portable computing device. In yet another embodiment, one or more microphone openings can be disposed underneath keycaps of the portable computing device.

Portable computing devices have grown in popularity and capability. Early uses for portable computing devices were often limited to simple computing tasks such as number manipulation and word processing. Present applications can include advanced graphical rendering, musical composition, movie and music presentation and more.
In order to support the ever expanding list of applications desired by users, portable computing devices are including more sophisticated components into the space defined by the enclosure of the device. While users expect more performance and features from their portable computing devices, users also want a compact unit; that is, users want the enclosure to be as compact as feasible.
Including a microphone in a portable computing device can be difficult, especially as the device becomes more compact and increased audio quality and capability is desired. As the portable computing device becomes smaller, internal component density increases which can result in a microphone implementation that can yield poor audio performance.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a portable computing device that can support microphone capabilities within design constraints of the enclosure space.

Microphone features relating to a portable computing device


A board and waste container arrangement for a work surface having an edge includes a waste container having an open top, side walls and a bottom defining a waste receptacle for placement next to the edge of a work surface in a use position for the container. A board member having a bottom for placement on the work surface near the edge of the work surface in a use position for the board member, having a top and a discharge side. The discharge side of the board member is placed over and along the edge of the work surface when the board is in the use position. A pivot structure, such as a pair of ears extending from opposite ends of the discharge side of the board member, connects the board member to the container for pivotally mounting the container to the board member adjacent the discharge so that the container hangs over the edge of the work surface in the use positions of the container and the board member, with one side wall of the container being nearest the discharge side of the board member. The pivot structure, the container and the board member are arranged so that the container has a storage position with the one side wall of the container lying along and near the bottom of the board member. The container can be stored with its open top down, and with the board member extending upwardly along the side wall of the container.

The present invention relates in general to tools for kitchen and workshop areas, and in particular to a new and useful board for a work surface which is connected to a waste container or basket that hangs from the edge of the work surface for collecting waste.
U.S. Design Patent Des. 377,252 discloses a design by the present inventor for a counter top waste disposal unit. Although this unit has a waste container meant to hang from the edge of a work surface, it has no board member and is otherwise complicated in design and construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,318 discloses a food preparation appliance which combines a chopping board with a tray for collecting particles from the board. Magnets are used to link the tray to the board.
U.S. Design Patent Des. 317,551 discloses a combination knife rack and cutting board with drain.
U.S. Design Patent Des. 315,082 discloses a cutting board receptacle support.
A need remains for a simple, yet effective mechanism for hanging a container from the edge of a work space which combines with that container a board that can be used either for collection of waste, or as a cutting or chopping board, and at the work surface or counter top level.

Cutting or collection board with waste container for edge area of work surface


A TFT array substrate having compensated gate signal delays is disclosed. The TFT array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines insulatedly intersecting with the plurality of the gate lines, and a plurality of TFT switches, each of which is connected with one of the gate lines and one of the data lines. The TFT array substrate also includes a plurality of driving units, where the driving units are located at both ends of the gate lines, and each of the driving units is connected with at least one gate line to drive the TFT switches connected to the at least one gate line.

So far, flat panel displays such as Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) and Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) displays are popular in the present display market due to their advantages like a small volume, a light weight, a less thickness, low power consumption, low radiation. To display an image, each pixel in a flat panel display is driven by a Thin Film Transistor integrated in a TFT array substrate, so that the image is displayed in combination with peripheral driving circuitry. The Thin Film Transistors, which are switches for controlling the light emitting of the pixels, are essential for the LCD or the OLED display. To meet the increasingly demanding requirements for a narrowed frame and a better display effect of the flat panel display, it's necessary for those skilled in the art to narrow the frame of the flat panel display while improving the display effect of the flat panel display by compensating the gate signal delay.

TFT array substrate, display panel and display device

SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A particulate trap has a housing with an inlet and an outlet. The particulate trap also has a plurality of filters disposed within the housing in parallel relation. The particulate trap further has at least one electrode disposed within the housing and configured to impart a charge to particulates entrained within an exhaust flow as the particulates pass near the at least one electrode.

Internal combustion engines, including diesel engines, gasoline engines, natural gas engines, and other engines known in the art, may exhaust a complex mixture of air pollutants. The air pollutants may be composed of gaseous compounds and solid particulate matter, which may include unburned carbon particles called soot.
Due to increased attention on the environment, exhaust emission standards have become more stringent and the amount of particulates emitted from an engine may be regulated depending on the type of engine, size of engine, and/or class of engine. One method that has been implemented by engine manufacturers to comply with the regulation of particulate matter exhausted to the environment has been to remove the particulate matter from the exhaust flow of an engine using a particulate trap. A particulate trap is a filter designed to trap particulate matter in, for example, a mesh filtering media. Such a fine mesh filter media, designed to entrap small particulate matter, may saturate quickly with both large and small particulate matter, resulting in undesirable exhaust system back pressure. A coarse wire mesh filter media, designed to only trap large particulate matter without increasing exhaust system back pressure, however, may allow the smaller particulate matter to be exhausted to the atmosphere.
One method of trapping both large and small particulate matter within the same particulate trap without creating undesirable exhaust flow restriction is described in U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 5,557,923 (the '923 patent) issued to Bolt et al. on Sep. 24, 1996. The '923 patent describes a device for removing particulates produced by internal combustion engines that includes an electrode for electrostatically charging the particulates. The charged particulates are attracted to and trapped within an electrically grounded fine-mesh filter. A current is passed through the filter at regular intervals causing the filter material to heat to a temperature above the combustion temperature of the particulates (i.e., regeneration).
Although the device of the '923 patent may reduce the number of large and small particulates exhausted to the environment without increasing exhaust system back pressure, the device may require large amounts of energy during regeneration. The large amounts of energy may require large power producing components and power circuitry. As a result, initial cost as well as operational costs of the engine system utilizing the device may be expensive.
The disclosed particulate trap is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Particulate trap with electrostatic precipitator


A novel seashore paspalum cultivar (Paspalum vaginatum) is disclosed. The xe2x80x98SDX-1xe2x80x99 cultivar is characterized by having a fine texture, greater sod strength, increased rooting, improved color, improved density, and greater salinity tolerance. The cultivar is particularly well suited for golf courses, grass tennis lawns, lawn bowls, lawns, and athletic fields.

The present invention relates to a new cultivar of seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) that is particularly suited as a turf grass for recreational fields and golf courses. The new cultivar of the present invention is herein referred to by its cultivar name xe2x80x98SDX-1xe2x80x99.
The xe2x80x98SDX-1xe2x80x99 cultivar is a low growing halophytic grass spreading by rhizomes and stolons. The xe2x80x98SDX-1xe2x80x99 cultivar exhibits a dwarf growth habit that seldom exceeds two inches in mature height under conditions of full sun. The grass is particularly well suited for use on golf courses for putting greens mowed to xe2x85x9 inch and for fairways mowed to xc2xc inch. It is also suitable for lawns, grass tennis courses, lawn bowls, athletic fields or any other area where a fine textured close mown and low growing turf with superior salt tolerance is desired.


A system and method for enabling a user to request and receive product information, participate in voting or polling activities, reprint an article or other publication, request and authorize a purchase of a magazine subscription, music sound clip, or other product, and/or share personal information with other users. The service request and information delivery may provided over a mobile phone. The user dials a series of digits into their phone and enters them into the disclosed system, for example by pressing the send key on a mobile phone. The digits entered by the user include a prefix or routing code, and a data code. The dialed digits are transferred to a call switching system, which determines, based on the prefix code, a processing system to which a message is sent including the originally dialed digits as well as identification of the user or phone that placed the call. The processing system may then determine, based on the identification of the mobile phone that placed the call, a user account. The processing system further determines, based on the data code of the dialed digits, the product information or other service such as entry of a polling response, vote, or product purchase, that is to be provided. The user account information may then be used to determine a delivery technique, such as electronic mail using an electronic mail address associated with the phone that made the call, SMS/MMS/EMS Text messaging, or WAP push, through which the product information associated with the data code may be forwarded to the requesting user.

The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more specifically to a system and method for a telephone user to obtain information about an advertised product or service, participate in voting or polling activities, reprint an article or other publication, request and authorize a purchase of a magazine subscription, music sound clip, or other product, and/or share personal information with other users.
Marketers of various types of goods and services must be able to communicate product information to potential customers. Great efforts have been made to provide product information in ways that are effective, in terms of who the information is provided to, and the nature of the information provided. The difference between effective and ineffective product marketing campaigns often hinges on the specific advertising techniques used.
Various specific forms of advertising are currently in use, including television, radio, print, on-line and billboard advertising. In many cases, the people exposed to a given advertisement have differing degrees of interest in the product or service being advertised. For example, some of the people that see a billboard advertising a certain product might be completely uninterested in buying the advertised product, while others might become interested in obtaining more information about the product. In existing advertising approaches, when a potential customer desires further information regarding an advertised product, they must take some sort of affirmative step to obtain such information. The required step might be calling a toll-free "800" telephone number given in the advertising itself, or entering a URL web address later on their PC at home. However, such approaches are often inconvenient, since the telephone number must be quickly memorized, and the necessary call involves a voice conversation that provides more information about the product. The time at which the advertisement is seen or heard may not be a time when the potential customer can conveniently place the call. Additionally, if sufficient time passes after a toll-free telephone number is seen (and possibly recorded by the customer in some way), the potential customer may forget about it completely, and the call may never be placed. Other advertised sources of additional product information, such as Web sites, suffer from similar problems, since they require the potential customer to maintain interest in the product after exposure to the initial advertisement until a later point in time when the additional information can be expressly obtained. Remembering long and complex URLs for web sites after the initial advertising exposure has proven to be problematic for advertisers. The point of maximum influence from the advertiser's perspective is in the few seconds after the advertisement has been seen by the consumer. This is the so called emotional connection period and is the point when call to actions are most likely to elicit a response. Moreover, these existing techniques for providing additional product information cannot provide information tailored to an individual requester, since usually a single "800" number or Web site is, at least initially, accessed by all potential customers.
The increasing use and availability of mobile telephones, referred to also as cell phones and/or wireless phones, makes it more convenient for a potential customer to immediately dial an "800" number for additional information regarding an advertised product. However, the time required to obtain information in a voice conversation may still be a deterrent to many people making a call at the time they see the advertisement, since they are often busy driving or performing some other activity that makes placing a lengthy phone call impractical or impossible. Moreover, a potential consumer viewing an advertisement may not have a practical way to record information obtained during a phone call that they could refer to later.
For these reasons and others, it would be desirable to have a system for providing product information to potential customers that does not require them to dial a telephone number and obtain information through a voice based conversation, or be connected to a confusing IVR/Automated Attendant phone system, or remember a long URL, and/or have to enter a URL into a web enabled phone, which may be inconvenient with regard to URL entry. The system should facilitate the provision of personalized product information to potential customers, and minimize the resources used to provide such information, such as telephone system bandwidth. Additionally, the system should be convenient to set up for a given advertiser and/or product, and minimize the time required of the potential customer to request the information.


In one example, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a photodiode, a charge sensing unit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a controller. The controller is configured to: enable the photodiode to generate charge in response to incident light, accumulate at least a portion of the charge as residual charge until the photodiode becomes saturated by the residual charge, and transfer the remaining portion of the charge to the charge sensing unit as overflow charge if the photodiode becomes saturated by the residual charge. The controller is further configured to: generate, using the ADC, a first digital output based on the residual charge; after generating the first digital output, generate, using the ADC, a second digital output based on the overflow charge; and generate a digital representation of an intensity of the incident light based on at least one of the first digital output or the second digital output.

The disclosure relates generally to image sensors, and more specifically to pixel cell structure including interfacing circuitries for determining light intensity for image generation.
A typical image sensor includes a photodiode to measure the intensity of incident light by converting photons into charge (e.g., electrons or holes), and a charge storage device to store the charge. To reduce image distortion, a global shutter operation can be performed in which each photodiode of the array of photodiodes senses the incident light simultaneously in a global exposure period to generate charge. The charge generated by the array of photodiodes can then be quantized by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) into digital values to generate the image. One important performance metrics of an image sensor is global shutter efficiency (GSE), which measures how much of the charge stored in the charge storage device is contributed by parasitic light received outside the global exposure period.


Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus, including a representative face extraction unit configured to detect face images in an image frame that forms part of video image data, and select, from the detected face images, a face image to be used as index information. The representative face extraction unit is configured to calculate a score of each of the face images detected in the image frame based on characteristics of the face image, and select a detected face image whose score is high as an index-use face image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an imaging apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer program. In more detail, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an imaging apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer program which display a list of thumbnail images corresponding to images selected from among multiple pieces of video image data obtained by photographing using a video camera, for example, and perform a process of starting playback of a video with a position corresponding to a specified one of the thumbnail images in the list.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, many imaging apparatuses, such as digital cameras or digital video cameras, and many image processing apparatuses, such as DVD players, have a function of displaying a list of image data stored in a storage medium on an image display section or a monitor, for example.
For example, some imaging apparatuses or DVD players capable of playing a video have a capability to display a menu in which a title and chapters of the video are arranged, allow a user to select a desired content from the displayed menu, and play the selected content. Further, some devices are capable of performing a so-called index display process. The index display process is a process of displaying, in size-reduced (thumbnail) form, an image representative of a video obtained by one photographing process, that is, from start to end of photographing, using an imaging apparatus, for example. This makes it possible to start playback of the video with a frame of that image displayed on a display in size-reduced form, using this image as an index.
When indices of video data are displayed, size-reduced images of frames that are selected from among all the frames that constitute the video data are displayed. Accordingly, in order to allow the user to easily grasp contents of the video data, as significant frames as possible have to be selected, as index-use images, from among the video data. One technique for achieving this is described in Japanese Patent No. 3312105, for example. According to this technique, a search is performed in video image data using an object dictionary in which an image of an object to be searched for has been registered, so that an image that resembles the registered image will be selected as an index-use frame image. The registration of the image of the object to be searched for in the object dictionary is performed beforehand by learning.
According to this technique, an index image corresponding to the specific registered object can be selected from among one unit of data obtained by one recording operation (this unit of data will be hereinafter referred to as "one content"), and prior registration of the object image is required. This technique has a problem in that images corresponding to unregistered objects may not be selected as indices. Suppose, for example, that a plurality of people appear in different time periods in the same content. In this case, a frame that includes a face of a person corresponding to a specific registered object can be selected as an index, while frames that include only other people may not be displayed as indices. Such a technique has a problem in that a face (e.g., a face of a child of the user's) which the user desires to be displayed as an index image may not be displayed as an index image.
In an application (hereinafter referred to as a "face index") such as a video camera that displays images of faces included in a video image when displaying indices of the video image, it may not be reasonable to display all faces that are included in the content (i.e., the video image) as the indices. For example, when a scene (e.g., a choral competition, a field day, etc.) in which many faces appear has been photographed, images of too many faces will be displayed as indices. An original purpose of displaying the indices is to enable quick grasp of an outline of the content. When too many faces are displayed as indices as in the above example, this purpose is not accomplished.

Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, image processing method, and computer program


A rewritable thermal recording medium comprises a recording material containing a color former and a developer. Recording-erasing of information is performed on the basis of a change in the state of the recording material. The developer is formed of a compound capable of forming a liquid crystal phase and/or represented by general formula (I) given below ##STR1## wherein Ar denotes a noncondensed polycyclic structure consisting of a plurality of ring structures connected to each other via any of a single bond, a vinylene bond and an ethynylene bond or a condensation polycyclic structure, X denotes an ether bond, a thioether bond, an ester bond or an amide bond, Y is an acidic group, R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, m is an integer of 1 to 3, and n is 0 or 1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rewritable thermal recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the advance of office automation, the amount of various information has significantly increased, and the chances of information output have also been increased with increase in the information amount. In general, the information outputs are classified into a hard copy output from a printer to paper sheets and a display output. Unfortunately, in the hard copy output, a large quantity of paper is consumed as a recording medium with increase in the information output amount. Therefore, the hard copy output is expected to be a problem in the future in respect of protection of natural resources. On the other hand, the display output requires a large scale circuit board in a display unit. This brings about problems of portability and cost. For these reasons, a rewritable recording medium, which is free from the above-noted problems inherent in the conventional technique, is anticipated as a third recording medium.
Some recording materials for such a rewritable recording medium, which contains a color former such as a leuco dye and various acids acting as a developer, are certainly known to the art. In the conventional recording material of this type, a color development and decoloring are brought about by the interaction between the color former and the developer. For example, Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 4-50290 discloses recording materials which contain a leuco dye, an acid as a developer, and a long-chain amine as a decoloring agent, and in which heat energy is supplied to the recording material so as to repeatedly perform the chemical color development and decoloring. Additional recording materials, which contain a leuco dye and a long-chain phosphonic acid as a developer and in which the heat energy is controlled so as to change the crystal structure and, thus, to achieve reversible changes between the color developed state and the decolored state, are disclosed in, for example,"Pre-prints for 42nd Polymer Forum (1993, page 273)". Further,"Japan Hardcopy '93, pp 413-416" teaches an additional type of recording material, which contains a leuco dye and a long-chain 4-hydroxyanilide compound that is highly crystallizable and in which reversible changes between the color developed state and the decolored state are achieved, by supplying heat energy, on the basis of reversible changes between the crystalline state and amorphous state.
However, these recording materials require a very large activation energy for repeatedly performing the color development-decoloring functions, making it difficult to improve the recording-erasing speed in general. Where, for example, the color development and decoloring of the composition containing a color former and a developer are reversibly repeated on the basis of the transition between the crystalline state and the amorphous state, it is difficult to improve the recording-erasing speed, because the transition from the amorphous state, which is in a metastable nonequilibrium state, to the crystalline state, which is in a stable equilibrium state, takes a long time in general. On the other hand, where the composition is prepared simply in view of improvement in the speed of the transition from the amorphous state to the crystalline state, it is difficult to allow the composition to form an amorphous state of a long life. In other words, if it is intended to improve the recording-erasing speed in the conventional recording material containing a color former and a developer, the color developed state or the decolored state, whichever corresponds to the metastable nonequilibrium state, is rendered unstable. As a result, a change from the nonequilibrium state to the equilibrium state proceeds gradually even if a heat energy is not supplied form the outside to the recording medium, giving rise to reduction in the thermal stability of recording.
As described above, vigorous studies are being made on a rewritable thermal recording medium using a recording material containing a color former and a developer. In the conventional thermal recording medium, however, an improvement in the recording-erasing speed is contradictory to an improvement in the thermal stability of recording. Since it is difficult to satisfy these requirements simultaneously, a satisfactory rewritable thermal recording medium has not yet been put to a practical use.


A method of manufacturing a fuel cell. An insulating member has a plurality of communication holes disposed on a side of a gas diffusion layer, which is formed by stacking a layer made of a carbon fiber and a water-repellent layer, where the water-repellent layer is provided. The gas diffusion layer and the insulating member are sandwiched by a pair of electrodes, and a pair of contact pressure plates are disposed on respective rear surfaces of the pair of electrodes so as to sandwich the pair of electrodes so that the gas diffusion layer is pressurized by the pair of contact pressure plates. When a voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes while maintaining the pressurized state, the protrusion portion of the carbon fiber is burned and removed by Joule heat.

For example, in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a cell is formed as a minimum unit by sandwiching a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which, as illustrated in FIG. 8, is composed of a fuel electrode 70 and an air electrode 74 sandwiching an electrolyte membrane 72 formed of a polymer electrolyte membrane, with two separators 80, and a plurality of cells are normally stacked to form a fuel cell stack (an FC stack), which can provide a high voltage.
As the mechanism for generating electricity by a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, generally, fuel gas, such as hydrogen-containing gas, is supplied to the fuel electrode (i.e., anode-side electrode), and oxidant gas, such as gas mainly containing oxygen (O2) or air, is supplied to the air electrode (i.e., a cathode-side electrode). The hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the fuel electrode 70 through a fuel gas flow channel, and is decomposed into electrons and hydrogen ions (H+) by an action of a catalyst of the electrode. The electrons move from the fuel electrode 70 to the air electrode 74 through an external circuit and produce electric current. Meanwhile, the hydrogen ions (H+) pass through the electrolyte membrane 72 to reach the air electrode 74, where the hydrogen ions bond to oxygen and the electrons which have passed through the external circuit, to thereby produce reaction water (H2O). The heat generated simultaneously with the bonding reaction of hydrogen (H2) to oxygen (O2) and the electrons is collected by cooling water. Further, water generated on the cathode side where the air electrode 74 is present (which will be hereinafter referred to as "generated water") is drained from the cathode side.
The fuel electrode and the air electrode of a fuel cell described above are formed of catalyst layers which include a stack of gas diffusion layers for diffusing hydrogen-containing gas and oxidant gas, respectively. Here, if the drainage of the generated water generated by the above-described reaction is interrupted on the cathode side, there is a possibility of occurrence of a clogging phenomenon (which is also referred to by "a flooding phenomenon"). In order to address this problem, the gas diffusion layer is generally formed of a layer made of carbon fibers and a water repellent layer, and prevents the flooding phenomenon by facilitating drainage of the generated water.
However, if at least a portion of the carbon fibers in the gas diffusion layer protrudes, this protruding portion of the carbon fibers may damage the membrane-electrode assembly when the gas diffusion layers are stacked to form the membrane-electrode assembly.
Patent Literature 1 suggests a gas diffusion layer material for a fuel cell, which has a smooth surface and which is thin, obtained by passing a fabric or non-woven fabric including flame-resistant threads for carbon fiber as main components through a thermo-compression roller to smooth the surface and reduce the thickness thereof, and thereafter subjecting the resultant fabric or non-woven fabric to final thermal processing at temperatures of 800 to 3000° C. Further, Patent Literature 2 suggests pre-heating the surface of a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, which is formed of a fabric composed of warp and weft made of carbon fiber, to thereby smooth the uneven surface of the carbon fiber, prior to disposing the gas diffusion layer on a polymer electrolyte membrane.
Meanwhile, Patent Literature 3 suggests a method for placing a gas diffusion layer base including fibers on a roller to curve the gas diffusion layer base and cause fiber protrusions protruding from the gas diffusion layer base to rise, and removing the fiber protrusions. Patent Literature 4 suggests a method of manufacturing a water-repellent gas diffusion layer having a two-layer structure, by using two types of water-repellent pastes having a conductive material and a water-repellent agent.    Patent Literature 1: JP 2004-111341 A    Patent Literature 2: Pamphlet of WO2003/081700    Patent Literature 3: JP 2008-198526 A    Patent Literature 4: JP 2009-181891 A

Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for gas diffusion layer of fuel cell, and fuel cell


A method, system, and program provides for hands free contact database information entry at a communication device. A recording system at a communication device detects a user initiation to record. Responsive to detecting the user initiation to record, the recording system records the ongoing conversation supported between the communication device and a second remote communication device. The recording system converts the recording of the conversation into text. Next, the recording system extracts contact information from the text. Then, the recording system stores the extracted contact information in an entry of the contact database, such that contact information is added to the contact database of the communication device without manual entry of the contact information by the user.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved telephony devices and in particular to providing hands free contact database information entry at a communication device by recording an ongoing conversation and extracting contact database information from the converted text of the ongoing conversation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many communication devices now include address books provided through a database organized for holding contact information. Contact databases often include the same type of information that a person would include in a paper address book, such as names, business associations, telephone numbers, physical addresses, email addresses, and other contact information.
Many communication devices include multiple buttons or a touch sensitive touch screen, through which a user may select a series of buttons to enter a name or phone number for storage within the contact database. While button selection or touch-screen selection of letters and numbers provides one way for a user to enter information into a contact database, this method is often difficult when the user is trying to enter information and simultaneously hold a conversation through the same communication device. Further, button selection or touch-screen selection of contact information is more difficult when a user is also driving.
In one example, if a user is driving while also carrying on a conversation through a portable communication device and the other participant in the conversation provides the user with a telephone number during the conversation, the user could try to remember the number, could write the number down on paper, or could attempt to select buttons to enter the number into the contact database of the portable communication device. All of these options, however, are limited: In the first, the user may quickly forget the number or address; in the second and third, the user must take at least one hand off the wheel to record the information, either written or through selection of buttons, while driving.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, there is a need for a method, system, and program for hands-free entry of contact information for storage in a contact database of a communication device.

Hands free contact database information entry at a communication device

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to an ink-jet ink composition, which comprises (A) a polybutadiene; (B) a radical polymerizable compound having a (meth)acryloyl group; (C) a radical polymerization initiator; and (D) a colorant. The ink composition is highly sensitive to activated radiant rays and can accordingly be cured in a high sensitivity when irradiated with the same, can maintain its flexibility even after the cure thereof and can accordingly be used suitably in the ink-jet recording method and a method for the preparation of a lithographic printing plate, to thus form printed matters and a lithographic printing plate having high printing durability.

There have been known the electrophotographic system, the heat transfer recording system through sublimation and melting, and the ink-jet recording system, as the image-recording techniques in which images are recorded or formed on a recording medium such as a sheet of paper on the basis of image data signals. The electrophotographic system requires the use of processes for charging a light-sensitive drum and for exposing the same with light rays to thus form electrostatic latent images and accordingly, this technique suffers from problems in that the system to be used becomes quite complicated in its structure and this in turn leads to an increase in the production cost. On the other hand, the heat transfer recording system requires the use of a cheap device, but the system uses an ink ribbon and accordingly, problems arise such that the running cost is quite expensive and this technique results in the generation of a large quantity of waste materials.
On the other hand, the ink-jet recording system requires the use of a cheap device and can directly form images on a recording medium by discharging ink onto only the desired image-forming regions of the recording medium. Accordingly, this technique would permit the effective use of the ink and result in a cheap running cost. Moreover, this recording technique never generates so much noise and therefore, this system is quite excellent as the image-recording system.
Among the ink-jet recording systems, the radiant ray-curing ink-jet recording system in which the ink is cured through the irradiation thereof with activated radiant rays such as ultraviolet rays has recently attracted special interest because the system relatively slightly gives out bad smells and the ink has a quick drying ability and the ink permits the recording of images even on a recording medium free of any ink-absorbing ability. In particular, the UV-curing ink-jet recording system which makes use of a solvent free-ink composition without using any solvent has recently attracted special interest, from the viewpoint of the protection of the working environment and the control of discharging VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) as well as the viewpoint of the ability of forming images within a short period of time without passing through any additional step such as a drying step. In the ink-jet recording system, however, the ink should be discharged through a quite fine nozzle (having a diameter ranging from, for instance, 1 to 100 μm) and accordingly, it would be quite important that the ink composition used has a viscosity value falling within a predetermined range (for instance, a viscosity ranging from 5 to 50 cP at a discharge temperature of 25° C.). For this reason, the ink-jet recording system requires the use of an ink composition which never requires the use of any solvent (a solvent-free type ink composition) and which has an appropriate viscosity value at the same time.
In addition, the radiant ray-curing ink-jet recording system should be cured at a high sensitivity and would permit the formation of high quality images. In other words, it would be necessary in the radiant ray-curing ink-jet recording system that images should be irradiated with radiant rays within a very short time period (for instance, 0.01 to 0.5 seconds) after the impact of such an ink composition on a recording medium to thus cure the ink composition before the recording medium is never blurred with the ink, but this requires the use of an ink composition having a quite high sensitivity (very fast curing rate). Moreover, the ink composition is discharged from the ink-jet recording device in the form of droplets and therefore, the ink suffers from such problems that it is quite susceptible to the polymerization-inhibitory effect of oxygen and that the sensitivity thereof is in turn impaired. A high curing ability encountered when irradiated with activated radiant rays can be imparted to an ink composition through the improvement of the sensitivity thereof and the improvement of the sensitivity would likewise permit the achievement of other various advantages such as an increase of the life time thereof through the reduction of electric power consumption and the reduction of any load applied to the radiant ray-generator, and the control of the volatilization of any uncured low molecular weight substances and any reduction of, for instance, the strength of the resulting images. In addition, when applying the ink composition to the formation of image areas for a lithographic printing plate, the improvement of the image strength through the enhancement of the sensitivity of the ink composition would impart high printing durability to the resulting lithographic printing plate.
Accordingly, there has been desired for the development of a solvent-free type radiant ray-curable ink-jet ink composition, which has an appropriate sensitivity to radiant rays and likewise has a predetermined viscosity value.
There has been proposed a composition comprising a polymerizable compound selected from the group consisting of specific acrylate compounds (see, for instance, Patent Document 1 specified below) for the purpose of, for instance, providing a highly safe ink composition having the following various advantages: images can be formed even on supports (such as those made of polyester, polycarbonate, polypropylene or the like), whose direct recording by the ink-jet recording method is in general quite difficult, without being accompanied by any blurring of the support, at a high sensitivity, the ink composition is strongly adhered to a recording medium, and the composition is highly safe since it never causes any stimulation and any sensitization of the skin. However, the multi-functional acrylates used for the improvement of the sensitivity provide, as a result of curing, polymers each having a highly crosslinked three-dimensional structure and accordingly, the images obtained after the cure of the ink composition have insufficient flexibility and reduced impact resistance, this in turn leads to the formation of images quite susceptible to the formation of cracks and peeling off of images and accordingly, the resulting images shows insufficient durability.
Moreover, in the conventional techniques for the preparation of a lithographic printing plate, there has been adopted a method which makes use of a so-called PS plate comprising a hydrophilic substrate provided thereon with a lipophilic light-sensitive resin-containing layer and which comprises the steps of imagewise exposing the resin layer constituting the light-sensitive layer to improve or reduce the solubility of the exposed area thereof in an alkaline developer and to thus form desired images and then removing the non-image area through the dissolution thereof in the developer. However, there has recently been widely used a digital technique in which image information is electronically processed, stored and outputted using a computer, and accordingly, there has correspondingly been desired for the development of a novel image-outputting system. In particular, various attempts have been made to develop a method which can prepare a printing plate without passing it through any treatment with a developer and to develop a method for directly preparing a lithographic printing plate while using an ink-jet ink composition (see, for instance, Patent Document 2 specified below). Such a method comprises the steps of imagewise discharging an ink composition onto the surface of, for instance, a hydrophilic substrate according to, for instance, the ink-jet recording technique and then curing the ink composition through the irradiation thereof with activated radiant rays to thus give a printing plate provided thereon with a desired pattern of images (preferably hydrophobic images). To form practically acceptable image areas of a lithographic printing plate, the ink composition to be used should satisfy the following requirements: the droplets of the ink composition discharged onto the surface of a substrate can immediately be cured without being accompanied by any blurring; it can ensure the formation of cured images excellent in the strength and the adhesion to the substrate; and when fitting the resulting lithographic printing plate to a printing press, the image area can appropriately follow-up with the deflection of the substrate and never causes any defect such as a crack. Thus, there has presently been desired for the development of such an ink composition suitably used in these applications.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication 2003-192943;
Patent Document 2: Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication Sho 54-117203.


A temperature activated pressure relief mechanism for a flashlight or other battery containing device includes a watertight sealed flashlight housing which has an opening which extends from an outer surface to and inner surface of the housing. A metallic eyelet having an eyelet opening and having a cylindrical body sized to fit is placed tightly into the housing opening. A fusible plug of a suitable alloy material placed into said eyelet opening so that when said alloy material reaches the alloy melting point, said material will melt and flow at least partially out of the eyelet opening allowing gas pressure from within the sealed flashlight housing to vent to outside the sealed housing through the eyelet opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a temperature activated pressure relief mechanism for flashlights and other sealed battery operated devices and for batteries. More specifically, it relates to a temperature activated pressure relief mechanism which prevents explosion of a battery or sealed flashlight containing a battery which is exposed to a high temperature environment such as a fire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that many types of batteries emit flammable or explosive gas. Because of this, many flashlight designs include gas vents, membranes or one-way valves to allow the discharge of such gas from a sealed flashlight container. It is even a specific requirement of an Underwriters Laboratory standard, namely, UL STD 913 on apparatus for use in hazardous environments which requires (18.1.3) "Compartments containing batteries which emit flammable gas shall be ventilated to prevent accumulations of ignitable concentrations." Battery or equipment manufacturers realize that in normal operation dangerous ignitable concentrations of gas (e.g. hydrogen or methane) may build up and thus vents are known to prevent such build up.
Montelcone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,414, for example, provides a membrane to seal a vent port in the battery housing that permits flammable gas generated by the batteries within the housing to continuously escape. Wood, U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,526, provides a gas discharge vent assembly into a battery operated device which includes an aperture and a porous diffusion member.
Parker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,507, provides a flashlight with a complex mechanical pressure relief valve and Maglica, U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,326, and Maglica, U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,440, each provide flashlights which include a one way valve or seal to allow venting of overpressure of the interior of the flashlight.
Thus, it is well known to continuously vent pressure from a sealed battery container which is designed to operate with batteries which continuously produce flammable or explosive gas.
However, there are also other types of batteries, such as for example, lithium-iron disulfide batteries, which do not produce or emit any significant quantities of flammable or explosive gas under normal operating conditions which might pose a safety risk which would require continuous venting. Even though sealed devices which utilize such non-gas producing batteries do not require venting under normal operating conditions, venting would be required if the battery temperature becomes high enough to cause internal pressure to develop. The present invention is concerned with this latter type of battery and sealed containers therefor and is not concerned with sealed containers for gas producing batteries.
A potential problem which has not been adequately addressed in the past is that even the safer non-gas producing batteries may under extreme conditions, such as a fire or very high temperatures, develop high pressures and explode. To avoid this potential problem, most (but not all) sealed modern batteries are designed to open a vent in the battery itself at a certain temperature to relieve the internal pressure.
The existing flashlight vents, valves and permeable membranes are overly complex, potentially unreliable and overly expensive to employ and are not necessarily designed to function in this type of extreme high temperature situation.

Temperature activated pressure relief mechanism for flashlights and batteries


A market research database includes first and second information sets. The first information set contains first market research information, and the second information set contains second market research information. The market research database also includes a set of dynamic rules. At least one rule of the set of dynamic rules is arranged to respond to first data being entered into the first information set by entering second, different data into the second information set.

The present invention relates to a market research database incorporating a set of dynamic rules which respond to the input of information into the database in order to populate still other information into the database.
Information data models are used by database designers to model various environments. For example, information data models are used to model business environments in order to assure, inter alia, operational efficiency. The computer systems involved in modeling such an environment typically require complex computer-level manipulations, because the environment that is being modeled consists of many complex and interrelated objects. Such information systems exploit database management technology in order to promote efficient design, to enhance file maintenance and modification, to eliminate data file redundancy, and to provide substantial documentation regarding data file structure.
The implementation of an information management system utilizing database management technology typically involves the concept of at least dual data representations, i.e., logical representation and physical representation. A logical representation relates to the form in which data records are presented to, and interact with, the system user. A physical representation relates to the form in which individual data records are stored, and how the records are manipulated by the computer system. The physical representation of the data in the past has been regarded as of little or no concern to the end user because the task of manipulating data storage areas is a function of the system, and is established by system designers.
Disregard of the relationship between the physical representation of data and the end user has lead to databases which are difficult for the end user to use and manipulate. For example, market research databases are used to track the flow of products through one or more business enterprises and ultimately to an end user, such as a consumer. Such a database may be useful in determining the effective use of shelf space within a retailer, the effective use of advertising and other promotional campaigns, the effectiveness of distribution systems, the buying habits of consumers, retailers, wholesalers, and the like, and other information which can make manufacturers and distributors of products more efficient and profitable.
Databases which are used for market research and analysis contain information typically stored in flat files headed by uniform product codes (UPCs). Storing market research data in flat files headed by uniform product codes, however, has several problems. For example, uniform product codes are typically recycled so that a uniform product code that describes a particular product in one year may describe a different product in a later year. While the users of these uniform product codes are generally asked to wait a full year before a uniform product code is recycled, uniform product codes are frequently recycled within a year. Therefore, uniform product codes may overlap different products in terms of product related information that is stored in a market research database.
That is, when a product is discontinued, its associated uniform product code is discontinued for some period of time. After this period of time, the discontinued uniform product code may be recycled by associating it with a newly introduced product. However, it may be necessary to store information about both the discontinued product and the newly introduced product in a market research database because both products may still be in distribution (e.g., the discontinued product may still be on store shelves). Moreover, even after the discontinued product and the newly introduced product are no longer in distribution at the same time, distributors and others may want product related information about both. However, storing information about a discontinued product and a newly introduced product, where both are associated with the same uniform product code, presents difficult problems to the database user and/or designer.
Moreover, product related information storage needs frequently change. For example, changing needs often require the deletion or addition of fields. While the deletion of fields in flat data files of a market research database is not particularly difficult to implement, the deletion of fields in such flat data files can lead to an inefficient use of memory. Addition of fields in such a market research database, however, is very difficult to implement without changing the software that implements the database.
Also, it is often desirable to track and report the evolution of a product, a brand name, a business enterprise, and/or the like. Therefore, while many database systems store data in historical perspective, tracking the evolution of a product, a brand name, a business enterprise, and/or the like is difficult because of the way in which the data is stored. For example, it is known to use an additional code in connection with a uniform product code in order to identify the generation of a product. However, while this additional code may indicate that some aspect of a product has changed, it does little to designate the particular aspect of the product that has changed. To determine the changed aspect, the data stored in connection with the additional code must be closely examined and compared to the data associated with other generations of the same uniform product code in order to determine the changed aspect.
Furthermore, it frequently occurs that information to be entered into a database impacts more than one record in the database. Such information about a particular product is entered into various fields in order to describe the characteristics, attributes, and other aspects of that product. However, some or all of that same information may be useful with respect to other records of the database. For example, when a particular breakfast cereal is entered into current databases, the characteristics, attributes, and other aspects of the breakfast cereal which serve to define the breakfast cereal are entered into a plurality of fields and include the brand name of the cereal, the business enterprise which packaged, wholesaled, distributed, and/or the like the cereal, the particular package containing the cereal, the size of the package, the particular grain or grains which were used in making this cereal, and the like. If the database also contains a competitive categories section, the breakfast cereal must also be entered in a competitive category, such as cold breakfast cereal or hot breakfast cereal. Currently, when information about a product is entered into the database, it must be manually entered into all categories of the database in which the product fits. This manual approach is expensive and labor intensive.
The present invention is directed to a market research database which solves one or more of the problems discussed above.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a market research database comprises first information relating to a first aspect of market research data, second information relating to a second aspect of market research data, and a set of dynamic rules. At least one rule of the set of dynamic rules is arranged to respond to entry of first data into the first information by entering second data into the second information.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a market research database comprises a first information set containing first market research information, a second information set containing second market research information, and a third information set containing a set of rules. At least one rule in the third information set is arranged to respond to first data being entered into the first information set by entering second data to the second information set. The first data entered into the first information set is different from the second data entered into the second information set.

Dynamic rule based market research database


An adjustable support apparatus used to support a person in a specific position over an extended period of time, and method of using the same. The apparatus has a base, an adjustable plate clamp assembly with upper and lower plates, a pivot within the apertures of the plates and adjustably retained between the plates, and a support member attached to the pivot and adapted to support a load. The adjustable plate clamp assembly has upper and lower plates. The upper plate has a central upper aperture, a first end pivotally attached to the base, and a second end. The lower plate has a central lower aperture, a first end, and a second end pivotally attached to the second end of the upper plate. The first end of the lower plate bears against the base, the plates together form an acute angle, and the apertures are aligned with one another.

Surgeons, dentists and industrial workers often perform tasks that require sitting or standing in a fixed position for an extended period of time, such as when leaning over a patient for several hours during a surgical procedure. Surgical, dental, and operating room equipment and its arrangement may vary greatly depending on the particular surgical procedure and needs and preferences of a particular surgeon or dentist. For example, a surgeon or dentist may need to change his or her physical position throughout a surgical or dental procedure while avoiding contaminating his or her hands during such transition in order to prevent injury, such as back or neck strain, that may result from the surgeon or dentist sitting or standing in one position for an extended period of time. Thus, flexibility in adjusting the position operating room furniture and equipment is desirable. A hands-free, adjustable, ergonomic, support apparatus may help prevent such injury by supporting the surgeon or dentist's body and simultaneously avoid contaminating a sterile environment, such as an operating room.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable support apparatus for a person and a method of using the adjustable support apparatus that is adjustable in a hands-free manner for use in a sterile environment by a person who sits or stands in one position for an extended period of time.

Adjustable support apparatus and method of using same


Compounds of formula I possess unexpectedly high affinity for Alk 5 and/or Alk 4, and can be useful as antagonists thereof for preventing and/or treating numerous diseases, including fibrotic disorders. In one embodiment, the invention features a compound of formula I:

TGFβ (Transforming Growth Factor β) is a member of a large family of dimeric polypeptide growth factors that includes activins, inhibins, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), growth and differentiation factors (GDFs) and mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS). TGFβ exists in three isoforms (TGFβ1, TGFβ2, and TGFβ3) and is present in most cells, along with its receptors. Each isoform is expressed in both a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated fashion. Each TGFβ isoform is synthesized as a precursor protein that is cleaved intracellularly into a C-terminal region (latency associated peptide (LAP)) and an N-terminal region known as mature or active TGFβ. LAP is typically non-covalently associated with mature TGFβ prior to secretion from the cell. The LAP-TGFβ complex cannot bind to the TGFβ receptors and is not biologically active. TGFβ is generally released (and activated) from the complex by a variety of mechanisms including interaction with thrombospondin-1 or plasmin.
Following activation, TGFβ binds at high affinity to the type II receptor (TGFβRII), a constitutively active serine/threonine kinase. The ligand-bound type II receptor phosphorylates the TGFβ type I receptor (Alk 5) in a glycine/serine rich domain, which allows the type I receptor to recruit and phosphorylate downstream signaling molecules, Smad2 or Smad3. See, e.g., Huse, M. et al., Mol. Cell. 8: 671-682 (2001). Phosphorylated Smad2 or Smad3 can then complex with Smad4, and the entire hetero-Smad complex translocates to the nucleus and regulates transcription of various TGFβ-responsive genes. See, e.g., Massagué, J. Ann. Rev. Biochem. Med. 67: 773 (1998).
Activins are also members of the TGFβ superfamily which are distinct from TGFβ in that they are homo- or heterodimers of activin βa or βb. Activins signal in a similar manner to TGFβ, that is, by binding to a constitutive serine-threonine receptor kinase, activin type II receptor (ActRIIB), and activating a type I serine-threonine receptor, Alk 4, to phosphorylate Smad2 or Smad3. The consequent formation of a hetero-Smad complex with Smad4 also results in the activin-induced regulation of gene transcription.
Indeed, TGFβ and related factors such as activin regulate a large array of cellular processes, e.g., cell cycle arrest in epithelial and hematopoietic cells, control of mesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation, inflammatory cell recruitment, immunosuppression, wound healing, and extracellular matrix production. See, e.g., Massagué, J. Ann. Rev. Cell. Biol. 6: 594-641 (1990); Roberts, A. B. and Sporn M. B. Peptide Growth Factors and Their Receptors, 95: 419-472 Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1990); Roberts, A. B. and Sporn M. B. Growth Factors 8:1-9 (1993); and Alexandrow, M. G., Moses, H. L. Cancer Res. 55: 1452-1457 (1995). Hyperactivity of TGFβ signaling pathway underlies many human disorders (e.g., excess deposition of extracellular matrix, an abnormally high level of inflammatory responses, fibrotic disorders, and progressive cancers). Similarly, activin signaling and overexpression of activin is linked to pathological disorders that involve extracellular matrix accumulation and fibrosis (see, e.g., Matsuse, T. et al., Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 13: 17-24 (1995); Inoue, S. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 205: 441-448 (1994); Matsuse, T. et al, Am. J. Pathol. 148: 707-713 (1996); De Bleser et al., Hepatology 26: 905-912 (1997); Pawlowski, J. E., et al., J. Clin. Invest. 100: 639-648 (1997); Sugiyama, M. et al., Gastroenterology 114: 550-558 (1998); Munz, B. et al., EMBO J. 18: 5205-5215 (1999)) and inflammatory responses (see, e.g., Rosendahl, A et al., Am. J. Repir. Cell Mol. Biol. 25: 60-68 (2001)). Studies have shown that TGFβ and activin can act synergistically to induce extracellular matrix (see, e.g., Sugiyama, M. et al., Gastroenterology 114: 550-558, (1998)). It is therefore desirable to develop modulators (e.g., antagonists) to signaling pathway components of the TGFβ family to prevent/treat disorders related to the malfunctioning of this signaling pathway.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pyrazolopyridines and methods of making and using the same