An electrical dust collector includes a discharge plate of one polarity and a dust collect plate of an opposite polarity arranged one in front of the other with respect to an air flow. The discharge plate includes a base portion formed with partial cut-outs that are bent outwardly to form discharge electrodes. The dust collect plate includes a base portion formed with partial cut-outs that are bent outwardly to form dust collect electrodes. The discharge electrodes project in opposite directions relative to the dust collect electrodes and are arranged to face respective dust collect electrodes.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical dust collector, and more particularly to an electrical dust collector for electrically collecting and removing particle impurities, such as dust particles, in air.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known domestic or office air conditioners have been generally used for conditioning room air optimally and provided with an air filter for purifying the room air by filtering off particle impurities, such as dust particles. However, the known air filter has a problem in that it can not filter off micro impurities, such as cigarette smoke.
In order to overcome such a problem of the known air filter, there has been proposed several types of electrical dust collectors. FIG. 1 shows a construction of a general type of known electrical dust collector. As shown in this drawing, the electrical dust collector generally includes a main body 1 provided with an inlet 1a and an outlet 1b at opposite ends thereof, respectively. In the main body 1 between the inlet 1a and the outlet 1b, a plurality of dust collect electrodes 3 and a plurality of discharge electrodes 4 are longitudinally alternately arranged such that they face and parallel to each other. These electrodes 3 and 4 are applied with high voltages of opposite polarities supplied by a high voltage generator 2. The known electric dust collector further includes a blower 5 disposed at a position near the outlet 1b for causing the air to be introduced into the body 1 through the inlet 1a and exhausted therefrom through the outlet 1b after purification.
In operation of this type of known electric dust collector, the electrodes 3 and 4 are applied with negative (-) voltage and positive (+) voltage, both supplied by the high voltage generator 2, respectively. Hence, an ionization field is formed between the electrodes 3 and 4. In this condition, when the room air reaches the ionization field as result of blower operation, the dust particles in the room air are ionized by the discharge electrodes 4, which are applied with the positive (+) voltage as aforementioned, and positively charged. This positively charged dust particles are then collected by the dust collect electrodes 3 which are applied with the negative (-) voltage. The dust particles in the room air are, therefore, removed from the room air and the purified air is exhausted from the main body 1 through the outlet 1b.
However, it has been noted that the dust collect efficiently of the known electric dust collector is remarkably affected by construction and arrangement of the dust collect electrodes 3 and the discharge electrodes 4.
With reference to FIG. 2, which is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dust collect part of the know electric dust collector, this dust collect part includes a charged plate 6 provided with a plurality of openings 6a. This dust collect part further includes a plurality of discharge electrode plates 7 each of which is integrally formed with a plurality of wedge-shaped electrodes 7a horizontally extending from a longitudinal side of the plate 7. Here, all of the discharge electrode plates 7 are arranged with respect to the charged plate 6 such that their wedge-shaped electrodes 7aface predetermined positions of individual openings 6aof the charged plate 6. In addition, a plurality of dust collect plates 8 are arranged between the discharge electrode plates 7 such that the plates 7 and 8 are alternately disposed. The discharge plates 7 and the dust collect plates 8 are applied with positive (+) voltage and negative (-) voltage from a high voltage generator (not shown), respectively. In the same manner as described in the electrical dust collector of FIG. 1, the dust particles in the room air passing through the collector are ionized with cations by the wedge-shaped electrodes 7a of the discharge plates 7 applied with the positive (+) voltage, and positively charged. These positively charged dust particles are then collected by the dust collect plates 8 applied with the negative (-) voltage. Thus, the dust particles are removed from the room air and the purification of the room air is achieved.
However, it is very difficult to position the discharge electrode plates 7 with respect to the charged plate 6 such that the wedge-shaped electrodes 7a of the plates 7 accurately face the predetermined positions of the individual openings 6a of the charged plates 6. This reduces productivity and increases manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the dust particles are collected and coated by the additionally mounted dust collect plates 8 and this causes another problem of the dust collector to be resided in that the dust collect efficiency is inevitably deteriorated.


An individual data unit for enhancing the security of a user data record is provided that includes a processor and a memory configured to store data. The individual data unit is associated with a network and the memory is in communication with the processor. The memory has instructions stored thereon which, when read and executed by the processor cause the individual data unit to perform basic operations only. The basic operations include communicating securely with computing devices, computer systems, and a central user data server. Moreover, the basic operations include receiving a user data record, storing the user data record, retrieving the user data record, and transmitting the user data record. The individual data unit can be located in a geographic location associated with the user which can be different than the geographic locations of the computer systems and the central user data server.

This invention relates generally to enhancing the security of user data stored in computer systems, and more particularly, to an individual data unit and systems including individual data units such that the security of user data stored in such systems is enhanced.
Different types of entities collect information regarding their customers as part of conducting business or interacting with the public. Such entities may include retailers, governmental agencies, medical providers, identity management system (IDMS) owners and operators, and secure email service providers. Each different entity typically stores its collected user data on a central user data server configured to communicate over networks like the Internet. For example, retailers have been known to store credit card information and order histories for customers. Governmental agencies have been known to store the social security numbers and birth dates of citizens. Medical providers routinely store sensitive health records of individuals. IDMS operators typically store passwords, biometric data, security questions and answers, and other personal information of people who authenticate themselves using the IDMS. Additionally, email systems, including those that are designed to be extra secure against cyber-attack, typically store sensitive emails associated with users in a central user data server.
Some entities have been known to store information regarding many millions of different users. Such large amounts of user data coupled with Internet access to the central user data servers has been known to create a target highly valued by cyber-criminals due to the amount of data that may be stolen in a single successful cyber-attack.
The high value of centralized targets has been known to attract well financed players, including state actors and organized criminal enterprises. The high value of the data, all stored in one place, means that cyber-criminals can afford to mount a well-resourced attack to steal the data, including, in some cases, brute force decryption attacks should the data be stored in an encrypted form.
Cyber-criminals have been known to use stolen customer data for their economic gain. For example, cyber-criminals have been known to use a victim's data to fraudulently open new credit card accounts and to charge purchases to the new accounts. Although the victims likely do not know about the fraudulently opened new accounts or the purchases, many times the victims are liable for purchases made by the cyber-criminals. Even in situations where individual users are not financially liable for such criminal acts, the financial burden of such thefts is spread across all of society and everyone ultimately suffers some financial impact. Cyber-criminals have also been known to take over investment accounts and withdraw the funds from those accounts leaving the victims with little money for retirement or to pay college tuition for children. Additionally, cyber-criminals have been known to use a victims' data to set up new fraudulent social networking sites in which they pretend to be the victim. In addition to financially damaging victims, cyber-attacks have been known to take an emotional toll on victims, cause physical symptoms like inability to concentrate, and create social stress. People whose data is stolen are victims of a successful cyber-attack.
To improve security against cyber-attacks, entities have been known to encrypt the data. The limiting factor for this technique is the fact that the central user data server must have access to the decryption key or keys, which means that any successful cyber-attack on the central user data server may also provide a cyber-criminal with access to the decryption key or keys. Another technique to improve security is to limit direct access to the central user data server via firewalls or other methods. Unfortunately, cyber-criminals have demonstrated the ability to bypass such limitations, either by exploiting security flaws in the firewall devices or by obtaining administrative passwords via sophisticated phishing attacks.
Additional security measures known to have been taken by some entities include encrypting and protecting the decryption key or keys with a password. While this undoubtably makes it more difficult for a cyber-criminal, the same limitation applies: the key to decrypt the decryption key for the user data still has to be accessible to the central user data server, and is thus vulnerable when a cyber-criminal successfully compromises the central user data server.
Another security measure that has been suggested is to distribute the user data across multiple servers. This is typically done in a manner similar to the way RAID storage units "stripe" data across multiple disks. That is, each user's data may be spread across multiple distributed storage locations, all of which need to be accessed and the data combined in order to read that data. Current descriptions of this approach suffer from the same limiting factor as the many schemes for encrypting the user data—the central data server must know where the data has been distributed in order to access it, and this knowledge becomes accessible to a cyber-criminal when the central server is compromised. Forcing a cyber-criminal to serially trace down multiple pieces of information in order to compromise the user data is only an incremental increase in security. It is not orders of magnitude more difficult to access the user data once the central data server has been compromised and the large quantity of valuable data that will be exposed by defeating a handful of additional incremental security measures still makes the target very worthwhile for such cyber-criminals.
Known security measures are typically designed to enhance the difficulty of breaking into central user data servers. Regularly occurring successful cyber-attacks are evidence that known security measures are not effective enough at protecting high value targets containing large volumes of sensitive data stored in a central user data server. That is, the cost to a cyber-criminal is still less than the value of the data obtained in a successful attack. As a result, such known measures do not sufficiently reduce incentives that make it worth-while for cyber-criminals to try to steal large volumes of sensitive data stored in a central user data server.

Individual data unit and methods and systems for enhancing the security of user data


When precoding information corresponding to data items of respective layers to be transmitted is received from an upper layer, an encoding apparatus of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system selects a precoding matrix among a plurality of precoding matrices stored in a storage using the precoding information and precodes the data items of the respective layers by simple operations consisting of at least one operation combination of addition, subtraction, selection, and inversion operations in accordance with a kind of the selected precoding matrix and a precoding operation pattern.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encoding apparatus and an encoding method of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an encoding apparatus and an encoding method that may be applied to multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication systems with different numbers of antennas.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology, transmitting and receiving efficiency of data is improved by using multiple transmitting antennas and multiple receiving antennas.
The MIMO technology may be divided into a spatial multiplexing technique and a spatial diversity (SD) technique in accordance with a data transmission method. In the spatial multiplexing technique, different data items are simultaneously transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver using the multiple transmitting antennas so that data may be transmitted at a higher speed without increasing bandwidth of a system. On the other hand, in the SD technique, the same data is transmitted by the transmitter using the multiple transmitting antennas to obtain transmission diversity.
In addition, the MIMO technology may be divided into an open loop method and a closed loop method in accordance with whether channel information is fed back from the receiver to the transmitter or not. In the open loop method, data is transmitted by the transmitter without the channel information being fed back from the receiver. On the other hand, in the closed loop method, the data is transmitted by the transmitter with the channel information being fed back from the receiver. In the open loop method, amounts of calculations are smaller than those in the closed loop method, however a diversity gain, a data rate, and a decoding complexity are contrary to each other.
A MIMO communication system is applied to various long term evolution (LTE) and wireless local area network (WLAN) standards. In the MIMO communication system, an encoder of the transmitter selects an optimal precoding matrix using the channel information fed back from the receiver, and combines the precoding matrix with data items of respective layers in order to transmit the data items to the multiple transmitting antennas. When the number of channel environments and antennas varies, an encoder suitable for the number of channel environments and antennas is required. Therefore, in a state where the numbers of channel environments and antennas are different from each other in various standards, new encoders must be designed.

Encoding apparatus and encoding method of multiple input multiple output communication system

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A recorder system provides simultaneous data information and track following servo information from a buried servo layer disposed under a data recording layer in a magnetic medium, using the same transducer for simultaneously reading the servo and data information while writing data. The signals representing data are shaped to provide a wide gap around zero frequency (DC) for inclusion of servo information in the gap, and as a result, segregated data and servo information is read by the recorder through use of filtering techniques.

It has long been recognized that higher areal density recording can be achieved with a high degree of reproduction if servo signals, i.e., track location indicating signals, could be superposed with data signals in a magnetic storage system. Although recognized, a technique for accomplishing this goal has never been commercially exploited because of the degradation of the "buried servo" or track-position indicating signals, the interference with the data signal by the buried servo, and the expense of providing a multiple layer magnetic storage system, one layer for the position indicating signals and another for the data signals.
Buried servos have been long recognized as an effective means for faithful track positioning control. The prior art systems shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,140, 4,314,289 and 4,318,141 employ a single-gap transducer for recording a data signal while at the same time sensing prerecorded servo control signals. To effect this simultaneous writing and reading operation, it was necessary to minimize the effect of the counter electromotive force (abbreviated counter emf) induced by the recording data signal on the signal-to-noise ratio of the servo control signals. For this purpose, the recording circuit of the system included an AC bias and a high-pass filter to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the servo control signals. A notch filter was further required to suppress frequencies of the data signal to reduce the counter emf.
However, the signal-to-noise ratio of the servo control signals was found to be still not satisfactory and the use of an AC bias and filters added to complexity with an attendant cost increase.
Notwithstanding these problems, the art has attempted to obtain higher areal density recording with a high degree of faithful reproduction. An early teaching of superposed data and servo signals is found in the F.J. Sordello U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,392 which teaches using a dual-layer magnetic coating on a disk substrate. Servo signals are first recorded by being placed in a lower layer of the substrate for indicating track positions. Data signals are recorded in a higher layer subsequent to the recording of the servo signals. Both the servo and data signals are then sensed. For each data recording operation, an erase gap precedes a read/write gap so that the data signals can be successfully recorded in the upper layer. During readback, the data signals are read back by a single gap, and two sets of servo signals are simultaneously read back. The servo signals are linearly recorded sine waves written in concentric circular tracks and they exhibit a low frequency. Adjacent servo tracks are written at different frequencies. Each data track is defined as being superposed over one-half of an odd numbered servo track and one-half of an even-numbered servo track. The data signals and servo signals exist in the magnetic medium independently of the other. In this dual-layered record medium, recording the data signals at a high frequency, at least three or four times the frequency of the servo signals in the lower layer, enables the data signals to be separated from the servo signals. Sordello achieves this independence requirement by providing a record disk having a lower level with a higher coercivity than the upper level which stores the data signals. This arrangement allows the lower level servo signals to remain undisturbed by subsequent writing and rewriting of data signals in the upper layer. The single gap permits perfect alignment for simultaneously reading the control or servo signals with data signals.
M.R. Cannon in U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,005 discloses using a clock-bias signal at the upper end of a data signal frequency spectrum. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,798 shows a low-frequency control signal recorded at a lower end portion of the data signal pass band.
A later reference showing "buried servo" is Beecroft et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,769. Beecroft et al. teach the use of two separate gaps in a transducer, one for servo signals and the other for data signals. U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,140 to Keidl shows read and write circuits connected to a magnetic medium. A control signal circuit having band or low-pass frequency characteristics is connected to a transducer for receiving sensed control signals simultaneously while the write means is supplying information-bearing signals for recording. The recording and sensing operations occur simultaneously via a single-gap transducer. The recorder also has an information-bearing signal readback circuit.
M.K. Haynes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,141 discloses a magnetic recorder having a single gap magnetic transducer adapted to exchange signals within an adjacent magnetic record medium which has a hard recorded control signal, i.e., the signal exhibits a retentivity characteristic exemplified by signals recorded using a head having an effective gap length greater than a gap length to be used with subsequent data signal recordings. The control signal is preferably a narrow band, low frequency sinusoidal-type signal. The single-gap transducer is connected to a recording means having high-pass frequency characteristics for supplying information-bearing signals to the transducer for recording on an adjacent magnetic surface. Also connected to the transducer is a control signal circuit having low-pass frequency characteristics for receiving sensed control signals simultaneously while the write means is supplying information-bearing signals for recording. The operation is enhanced by an AC bias means connected to a transducer for supplying an AC bias signal simultaneously with said recording and sensing operations. The recorder also has an information-bearing readback circuit.
The above prior art in general essentially left a spectral "notch" around zero frequency range (DC) for "buried servo." The "notch" was insufficient. It was found in some cases that the servo signals attenuated gradually by the writing of data into the disk until reaching some asymptotic power around 6 dB lower than the original signal power. The servo signals often interfered with the data signals at readback. In the write process, some of the buried servo information was erased.

System and method for employing buried servos within a magnetic recording medium

International Business Machines Corporation


In a method of programming a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory device, a program loop is executed at least one time, wherein the program loop includes a programming step for programming selected memory cells among the memory cells and a verifying step for verifying whether the selected memory cells are program-passed or not. In the programming the selected memory cells, a level of a voltage being applied to a common source line connected to the strings in common may be changed. Thus, in a program operation, power consumption which is needed to charge-discharge the common source line can be decreased while increasing boosting efficiency.

The present inventive concept herein relates to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to methods of programming a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device.
Semiconductor memory devices may be classified as either volatile memory devices or nonvolatile memory devices. Volatile memory devices are generally characterized by the loss of stored data when a power supply is interrupted. Examples of volatile memory devices include dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices and static random access memory (SRAM) devices. Nonvolatile memory devices are generally characterized by the retention of stored data even when a power supply is interrupted. Examples of nonvolatile memory devices include programmable read only memory (PROM) devices, erasable PROM (EPROM) devices, electrically EPROM (EEPROM) devices, flash memory devices, ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) devices, magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices, phase change random access memory (PRAM) devices, and resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices.
Among nonvolatile memory devices, flash memory exhibits advantages of high programming speed, low power consumption and high capacity data storage. Thus, data storage devices including flash memory has been widely utilized.
A floating gate type flash memory stores bit information by implanting charges into a floating gate formed of polysilicon. Separately, each memory cell of flash memory can store data as a single level cell (SLC) in which 1 bit (states 1, 0) is recorded in one memory cell, and a multi level cell (MLC) in which at least 2 bits (e.g., states 11, 01, 00, 10) are recorded in one memory cell.
In a program operation of a flash memory, to increase boosting efficiency, a technology of increasing a voltage level of a common source line to a specific level may be applied. However, to achieve this, since a voltage level of the common source line has to be charged and discharged to the same level at every program loop, power consumption may increase.

Nonvolatile memory device and method of programming the same


A method for defect diagnosis of semiconductor chip. The method comprises the steps of (a) identifying M design structures and N physical characteristics of the circuit design, wherein M and N are positive integers, wherein each design structure of the M design structures is testable as to pass or fail, and wherein each physical characteristic of the N physical characteristics is present in at least one design structure of the M design structures; (b) for each design structure of the M design structures of the circuit design, determining a fail rate and determining whether the fail rate is high or low; and (c) if every design structure of the M design structures in which a physical characteristic of the N physical characteristics is present has a high fail rate, then flagging the physical characteristic as being likely to contain at least a defect.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to defect diagnosis, and more particularly, to defect diagnosis to determine defect level(s) and location(s) in defective semiconductor integrated circuits.
2. Related Art
Fabrication of integrated circuits (chips) of the same design may result in defects in some or all of the chips. If the defect locations in the defective chips are known, the structures at the defect locations can be delayered to determine which fabrication process(es) caused the defects.
Therefore, a method for determining defect locations in the defective chips is needed.

Defect diagnosis for semiconductor integrated circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


The disclosure discloses a network access device and a method for enabling data forwarding between different physical mediums. The method comprises: a network access device establishing a first Point-to-Point Protocol virtual channel (PPP channel) based on a first physical medium and a second PPP channel based on a second physical medium; the network access device performing channel negotiations with the first PPP channel and with the second PPP channel respectively, and the network access device setting a relationship between the first PPP channel and the second PPP channel to be a binding relationship, when the channel negotiations of the two virtual channels succeed, to enable data forwarding between the first physical medium and the second physical medium. The disclosure can enable data forwarding quickly and efficiently. The networking mode is simple and the operation cost is low.

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) is a data link layer protocol for providing encapsulation and transmission of network layer packets on a point-to-point link, wherein the PPP is of a hierarchical structure (physical layer, link layer, network layer); on the underlying layer (the physical layer), it can use a synchronous medium (for example, an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)/H or a synchronous Direct Dial Number (DDN) special line), as well as an asynchronous medium (for example, a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)/a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) network based on Modem dial).
Since there are many types of physical mediums in the PPP protocol, it is necessary to configure corresponding interfaces for different physical mediums if data forwarding is to be enabled between different physical mediums, it will consequently result in many types of interfaces of central-office devices, complex networking environment and increase of operation cost.

Method and network access device for enabling data forwarding between different physical mediums


The invention provides compounds of formulae (I), (II), (III), and (IV): and salts thereof, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds. The compounds are useful for treating cancers and Alzheimer's disease.

The human retinoid X receptors (hRXRs) consist of three identified isoforms (α, β, γ) that function as transcription promoters often in partnership with other members of a larger nuclear receptor (NR) family of transcription regulators including the thyroid receptor (TR), the vitamin D receptor (VDR), the liver X receptor (LXR), the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), and the retinoic acid receptor (RAR). While 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been shown to bind to hRXRs and promote RXR element (RXRE) regulated transcription (i.e. function as RXR agonists), it is still unclear if RXR has a bona fide endogenous molecular ligand. RXR has been described as the central NR regulator, because it often plays a critical role, either as a permissive or non-permissive partner, in heterodimer complexes that must be formed with the other NRs to regulate their respective response elements.
Recent studies have identified several RXR-selective-binding molecular ligands (rexinoids) that can modulate not only RXRE regulated transcription but also the heterodimer regulated transcription of other NRs. For instance, RXR is a subordinate partner in the RXR-RAR heterodimer, otherwise referred to as a non-permissive heterodimer, since transcription is not promoted in the RAR unliganded (apo-RAR) heterodimer with RXR. Additionally, the RXR-TR heterodimer is non-permissive. In contrast to these non-permissive heterodimers, permissive heterodimers such as RXR-PPAR allow transcription to be promoted in the presence of either RXR or PPAR agonists. The RXR-LXR heterodimer is also permissive. Hence, there is enormous potential for RXR agonists to activate or repress various biological pathways and effect therapeutic results for various conditions that would benefit from activation or repression of a specific pathway.
Six rexinoids described in the literature include Bexarotene (60), CD3254 (61), LGD100268 (62), a pyridyl-bexarotene analog (1), an unsaturated bexarotene analog (2), and the mono-fluorinated bexarotene analog (3).
Bexarotene has been documented to have an EC50 of 33, 24 and 25 nm for the RXR α,β,γ subtypes, respectively, and a Kd of 14, 21, and 29 nm for the RXR α,β,γ subtypes, respectively, in a CV-1 cell line (Boehm, M. F., et al., "Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationships of Novel Retinoid X Receptor-Selective Retinoids" J. Med. Chem. 1994, 37, 2930-2941). CD3254 appears to have an EC50 on the order of 10 nm for the hRXRβ isoform (Santin, E. P., et al., "Modulating Retinoid X Receptor with a Series of (E)-3-[4-Hydroxy-3-(3-alkoxy-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)phenyl]acrylic Acids and Their 4-Alkoxy Isomers" J. Med. Chem. 2009, 52, 3150-3158). LGD100268 and 1 have been documented to have EC50s of 4, 3, and 4 nm and 6, 9, and 5 nm for the RXR α,β,γ subtypes, respectively, and Kds of 3, 3, and 3 nm and 22, 61, and 39 nm for the RXR α,β,γ subtypes, respectively, in a CV-1 cell line (Boehm, M. F., et al., "Design and Synthesis of Potent Retinoid X Receptor Selective Ligands That Induce Apoptosis in Leukemia Cells" J. Med. Chem. 1995, 38, 3146-3155). While the unsaturated-bexarotene analog (2) has been reported, its ability to serve as an RXR agonist has not been published. Finally, the mono-fluorinated bexarotene analog (3) has an EC50 of 43 nm and a Kd of 12 nm in hRXR in Caco-2 cells (Wagner, C. E., et al., "Modeling, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Potential Retinoid X Receptor (RXR) Selective Agonists: Novel Analogues of 4-[1-(3,5,5,8,8-Pentamethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)ethynyl]benzoic Acid (Bexarotene)" J. Med. Chem. 2009, 52, 5950-5966).
Currently there is a need for additional chemical agents that are useful for treating or preventing cancer or treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease. There is also a need for anti-cancer or anti-Alzheimer's agents that have enhanced activity or that have improved pharmacologic properties such as increased solubility or better bioavailability.

Arizona Board of Regents, A Body Corporate of the State of Arizona Acting for and on behalf of Arizona State University


A flash memory controller configures, in a polling interval storage part, a polling interval, which is a time interval for outputting an acquisition signal for acquiring from a flash memory, information showing whether or not the execution of programming or erasing has ended after the execution of the programming or erasing has started with respect to the flash memory. The flash memory controller sends either a program command or an erase command to the flash memory, and thereafter, outputs the acquisition signal in accordance with the configured polling interval until information denoting that the execution of either the programming or the erasing has ended is received.

The present invention generally relates to flash memory control.
When a flash memory controller issues a command, such as a data write (Program) command or an erase (Erase) command, to a flash memory, the flash memory executes an operation corresponding to a program command, an erase command, or another such command, and transitions to a Busy state during this time. Flash memory capacity has increased in recent years, and as such, the processing time corresponding to a command has become longer, and the time (Busy time) during which the flash memory is in the Busy state has grown to an extended period of time. In the case of a program and an erase in particular, the Busy state has transitioned to an order of milliseconds (ms).
When the flash memory is no longer in the Busy state, the flash memory controller issues a command, such as a different program command or a erase command, and executes the operation in the flash memory. The flash memory controller must therefore detect the fact that the flash memory is not in the Busy state.
As methods for detecting the Busy state of the flash memory, for example, there is (1) a method whereby the flash memory controller detects the fact that the flash memory is no longer in the Busy state on the basis of an FRDY signal outputted from an external pin (FRDY pin) of the flash memory; and (2) a method whereby the flash memory controller detects whether or not the flash memory is in the Busy state by executing status read (issuing a status command to the flash memory) and referencing a busy bit in status data sent (read) from the flash memory at intervals.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-22778, there is disclosed a technique for confirming that either a flash memory program or erase has ended in order to detect the Busy state.

Flash memory controller, flash memory system, and flash memory control method


A bottom bracket assembly for supporting the crank axle of a bicycle includes a bottom bracket and two bases are securely connected to two open ends of the bottom bracket. Each base has a bearing received in a recess defined in an end thereof. Two collars each have a neck which is inserted and engaged with a central hole of the bearing corresponding thereto and each neck has a tapered inner periphery. An axle extends through the two bearings and the two collars. Two positioning rings are positioned between the axle and the tapered inner periphery of the collar. Each positioning ring has a tapered outer periphery which is matched with the tapered inner periphery of the collar corresponding thereto.

A conventional bicycle bottom bracket assembly 80 is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, and generally includes a bottom bracket 81 with two bearing units 83 connected to two ends thereof and an axle 82 extends through the bottom bracket 81 and is cooperated with the two bearing units 83. Each of the two bearing units 83 includes a bowl 832, a plurality of beads 831 received in the bowl 832 and a locking member 84 which connected to the bowl 832 and guides the movement path of the beads 831. The bowl 832 is engaged with each of two open ends of the bottom bracket 81 and the locking member 84 is threadedly mounted to the axle 82 and connected to the bowl 832 corresponding thereto. Two locking disks are then threadedly mounted to each one of two ends of the axle 82 to position the locking members 84. The accuracy of manufacturing of the parts and the assembling of the bottom bracket assembly decide the rotation of the axle 92 so that, in stead of the manufacturing processes of the parts, the quality of the assembling is crucial for the bottom bracket assembly. The requirements of assembling steps often consume a lot of time when assembling the conventional bottom bracket assembly.
The present invention intends to provide a bicycle bottom bracket assembly which is easily to be assembled and the precision of the assembling can be ensured by special design of the present invention.


A non-burning type flavor inhaler includes a control unit that controls power supplied from a power source to an atomizer. The control unit controls, in one puff action in a standard mode, controls the power source to supply standard power amount to the atomizer in a duration before a first duration elapses. The control unit, in one puff action in the reduced mode, controls the power source to supply first power amount greater than the standard power amount to the atomizer in a duration before a second duration elapses, and controls the power source to supply second power amount smaller than the first power amount to the atomizer in a duration after the second duration elapses and before a third duration elapses.

A non-burning type flavor inhaler for inhaling flavor without burning has been known. The non-burning type flavor inhaler has a shape extending from a non-inhalation end toward an inhalation end along a predetermined direction. The non-burning type flavor inhaler comprises an aerosol source for generating an aerosol, a heat source for heating the aerosol source without burning, and a power source for supplying power to the heat source (for example, Patent Literature 1).
As a puff action of inhaling an aerosol is different for each user, it has been studied to make the amount of inhaled aerosol (TPM: Total Particulate Matter) in one puff action constant. For example, a technique to keep a temperature of a heat source constant by controlling power supplied to a heat source (voltage applied to a heat source) in one puff action has been proposed (for example, Patent Literatures 2 and 3). Such a technique suppresses a variation in the amount of inhaled aerosol between puff actions.


A finger grip extension for a syringe is configured to increase the leverage the hand of an operator on the plunger of a syringe during injection of medical fluid into, or withdrawal of medical fluid from a body site. The finger grip extension for a syringe is used with a syringe having a barrel portion having an open proximal end and a distal end for mounting a medical fluid conduit thereon. The open proximal end of the syringe barrel terminates in a rim or flange. The syringe also includes a plunger having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion into the open proximal end of a syringe. The extension grip includes an upwardly extending portion located inside or outside of a syringe barrel. The upwardly extending portion includes a finger support at the uppermost portion thereof.

This invention relates generally to the field of syringes and, more particularly to an assist device for high-capacity hypodermic syringes. The assist device may be integral with the syringe or attached to a syringe. The device is used with or included in the design of syringes that are used to introduce fluids into bodily tissue. Such syringes may be used in introducing saline solutions, medications or other fluids into bodily tissue.


A self-cleaning wet dry vacuum cleaning device for collecting and disposing of waste material and specifically animal waste, the device including a waste collection system for collecting and breaking up the waste, the waste collection system including a self-cleaning intake nozzle, a vacuum in communication with the waste collection system for providing suction to the intake nozzle, a waste storage system in communication with the vacuum for storing waste vacuumed into the intake nozzle, a fluid dispensing system having a fluid reservoir including a piston system, the piston system for consistently dispensing fluid from the fluid reservoir to the intake nozzle and a leash system, all of which are all integrated with or removably engageable with the device's body.

In the prior art there have been a variety of handheld wet dry vacuum cleaners but few of these have been specifically designed for use with noxious waste material. Still fewer have been made readily available for pet owners who wish to clean up after their pets. Since few such cleaners have been made available, little development has been made in the area of a self-cleaning vacuum which ensures that the operator is not exposed to and does not have to handle any waste materials.
In the development of portable wet dry vacuums, various attempts have been made to develop a system integrated with the wet dry vacuum for the application of water, cleaning solution or other fluid to the area to be cleaned. While various previous attempts have been made, none of these references teach a system which can stabilize or reduce fluctuation in the supply of the fluid to ensure consistent application of the cleaning solution, especially when the level of water or cleaning solution is low or when there is excessive movement of the container holding such water or cleaning solution.
In the prior art there have been a number of solutions to try to help pet owners clean up waste material. Examples include devices such as modified scoops or gloves for waste material along with a form of disposal bag (or a scoop with an integrated disposal bag). However, none of these devices provide a convenient method for a pet owner to clean up the pet's waste without being exposed to the waste or possibly coming into contact with the waste. Further, these devices expose the pet owner to the smell of the waste which can be, at times, overwhelming. A further disadvantage of such devices is that they are not especially helpful at removing all of the pet waste. This can pose problems if the pet waste is located on public property or someone's private property or if in an area where children play.

Self-cleaning wet dry vacuum cleaning device


A device for spectroscopy using charged analytes has an electron generator, which sends electrons through membrane into a charging chamber. The thermal strain of the membrane may be lowered significantly if a material is selected for the membrane which contains at least one component from the group of oxides, nitrides, and carbides with at least one of the elements B, Al, C, Si, and Ti or polysilicon.

A device of this type for ion mobility spectroscopy is known from DE 196 27 621 A1. The gas chamber is composed of a drift chamber and a partial chamber of a reaction chamber therein. A thermal electron emitter for generating free electrons is located in a further evacuated partial chamber of the reaction chamber. The free electrons are accelerated with the aid of an electron flux modulator and an acceleration voltage applied between the electron emitter and the electron flux modulator in the direction of an electron-permeable gas-tight membrane between the two partial chambers of the reaction chamber. The membrane is manufactured from mica and is coated on the side facing toward the gas-filled partial chamber of the reaction chamber with a metal layer.
The accelerated electrons enter the partial chamber of the reaction chamber, which is filled with drift gas and analyte gas, through the membrane. The charged gas particles arise in this partial chamber due to the incident electrons. The area of the gas chamber directly neighboring the membrane, in which the incident electrons are absorbed, is therefore to be identified in the following as the charging chamber.
The charging of the gas particles also results in formation of charged analytes. Under the effect of a drift voltage applied between the metallic coating of the membrane and the drift chamber, the charged analytes move from the gas-filled partial chamber of the reaction chamber to a capture electrode situated in the drift chamber and are detected there. Since the different charged analytes have different mobilities and thus different drift velocities, the different analytes require different amounts of time in order to reach the capture electrodes from the charging region placed in front of the membrane.
Ion mobility spectrometers are suitable in particular for detecting organic materials. For example, it is possible to detect organic compounds, such as chemical warfare agents, illegal drugs, or explosive materials in extremely small quantities with the aid of an ion mobility spectrometer.
An advantage of the known ion mobility spectrometer is that it manages without a radioactive source for charging the analytes. Therefore, no special protective measures have to be taken.
However, a disadvantage of the known ion mobility spectrometer is the high thermal strain of the membrane by the electron beam, because of which a support grating is situated on the entry side of the membrane, which mechanically stabilizes the membrane.
The known ion mobility spectrometer is thus not suitable for maintenance-free long-term use. Vice versa, however, there is a need for devices requiring as little maintenance as possible, in order to provide them to fire departments or units of the disaster protection office, for example.
Furthermore, an electron capture detector for gas chromatography, in which electrons generated with the aid of ultraviolet light are emitted through a membrane into a charging chamber, where electron-attracting molecules are charged and detected by collection electrodes, is known from DE 196 27 620 C1.
Moreover, a light source for ultraviolet light is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,222 B1. The known light source uses excimers to generate the ultraviolet light, which are formed in a gas chamber through the effect of an electron beam on noble gas. The electron beam is generated by an electron generator which has an evacuated chamber having a thermal electron emitter. The electrons released by the electron emitter are accelerated in the direction of a metallic anode, which has a central hole which is covered by a carrier. The carrier holds a thin film. The film is preferably produced on the basis of silicon nitride, but may also be produced from a material of the group of carbides, nitrides, hydride, and oxides of metals, which are selected from the group of the elements B, Al, Si. Furthermore, polysilicon is suggested as a material for the membrane. The electron generator is separated from the gas chamber by the membrane.

Device for spectroscopy using charged analytes


An image forming apparatus includes a rotary type developing device having multiple developers provided so as to be rotatable; an image forming unit including the rotary type developing device disposed therein; an image reading unit disposed above the image forming unit; and supporting members for supporting the image reading unit movably. The center of gravity of the rotary type developing device is located toward one side with respect to the center position of the image forming unit, and the center of gravity of the image reading unit moves to the other side as the image reading unit supported by the supporting members is moved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus having a rotary type developing device which includes multiple developers, and in which a developer is rotated to a development position of a photosensitive body to develop a latent image formed on the photosensitive body so as to form a toner image on the photosensitive body is well known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-295961).
Further, a structure of an image forming apparatus having an image reading unit (scanner) in which the entire image reading unit moves and retreats in order to exchange a cartridge is also well known (see, for example, JP-A Nos. 2000-224360 and 2001-034141).
FIG. 8 schematically shows an image forming apparatus 1000 having a rotary type developing device 802 in which an image reading unit 900 (scanner) is disposed at an interval to the top face of an image forming unit 800 as described in JP-A No. 11-295961. In this image forming apparatus 1000, the image reading unit 900 rotates for exchange of a cartridge (not shown) and maintenance so that it retreats from above the front side of the image forming unit 800. Meanwhile, the front side refers to the side at which a user makes operations, and the opposite side to the front side is called the rear side.
The rotary type developing device 802 is very heavy because it includes multiple developers (not shown) each having a development roll (not shown) containing a magnet roll and a toner cartridge (not shown) accommodating toner. Further, the image reading unit 900 is also very heavy because it has a manuscript base (not shown) made of thick platen glass or the like.
The center of gravity of the rotary type developing device 802 is located toward the rear side (to the left side in the drawing) of the center line X of the image forming unit 800, as indicated by a dot line Y. The center of gravity of the image reading unit 900 is also located toward the rear side of the center line X of the image forming unit 800. That is, because the centers of gravity of the rotary type developing device 802 and the image reading unit 900 are inclined toward the rear side, the overall weight balance of the image forming apparatus 1000 is poor.
Further, because the center of gravity of the image reading unit 900 moves from a dot line Z1 to a dot line Z2 as the image reading unit 900 rotates, it moves further to the rear side. That is, the rotation of the image reading unit 900 worsens the weight balance further. As a consequence, the image forming apparatus 1000 becomes unstable.
Additionally, because a force is applied in a direction of pushing the image reading unit 900 to the rear side when the image reading unit 900 is rotated (see the arrow Z in the drawing), the image forming apparatus becomes further unstable.

Image forming apparatus having stable weight balance


A system for forming an image of an object. The system includes a first scanning x-ray source for generating x-rays that diverge from a source point along a first scan path, the point being variable and determined by an input signal provided by a controller. A plurality of x-ray detectors are positioned with respect to the first scan path and are readout by the controller. A conveyor moves the object relative to the first scanning x-ray source and the plurality of x-ray detectors. The object is divided into a plurality of voxels, and the x-ray detectors are positioned such that x-rays pass through each voxel and arrive at one of the detectors when the source point is located at a plurality of points along the first scan path. The controller preferably generates a three-dimensional representation of the object from the x-ray measurements.

The simplest form of x-ray imaging equipment utilizes projection imaging in which an object to be imaged is placed between an x-ray source and a two-dimensional x-ray recorder. Portions of the object that absorb or scatter x-rays are seen as a shadow on the image formed by the recorder. Unfortunately, these devices do not provide any information on the three-dimensional structure of the object. If the object contains a region of dense, x-ray absorbing material, the resultant "shadow" makes it difficult to see any other features that are between the x-ray source and the recorder for which the x-rays pass through the absorbing material.
This shortcoming of projection imaging is overcome by CT (computed tomography) scanners. CT scanners combine information from a variety of projection viewpoints to overcome the shadowing and generate a 3D (three-dimensional) description of the object. A typical CT system measures the x-ray flux reaching a detector from a source that moves around the object. The object being scanned is modeled by a plurality of voxels having unknown x-ray absorbency. At each point, the measured flux represents the weighted sum of the x-ray absorbencies of each voxel along the path from the x-ray source to the detector. Different paths provide weighted sums involving different sets of voxels. If sufficient points are measured, a data processing system can solve the resulting system of equations for the x-ray absorbency of each voxel. The resulting data can then be analyzed or displayed as a three-dimensional model of the object that can be viewed from different viewpoints.
CT scanners are widely used for imaging the human body as part of diagnostic procedures. In principle and in limited practice, such scanners would be useful in imaging inanimate objects such as passenger baggage that is to be placed on an aircraft. Unfortunately, the cost of this equipment and its relatively low throughput has inhibited the use of CT scanners for such high volume applications. A baggage scanning system must process tens of bags per minute. Because they utilize fan-beam imaging and only obtain information from a single 'slice' or two-dimensional voxel set for each revolution of the imaging system, conventional CT scanners require tens of seconds to scan a patient's chest; hence, such systems fall short of the required throughput. In addition, many bags are much larger than the human chest; hence, the scan times using conventional CT scanners would be even longer. As a result of the high capital cost and low throughput, the cost per 3D scan using conventional CT scanners is prohibitive. In addition, the large footprint and low throughput of conventional CT scanners require the dedication of large amounts of floor space, which further increases the cost of utilizing such systems.
Broadly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved scanning x-ray inspection system for the generation of three-dimensional information.
This and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

3D x-ray system adapted for high speed scanning of large articles


A system and method for creating a fieldbus configuration on a computer system. The user assembles a graphical program or wiring diagram on the screen which comprises a selected plurality of function block icons which are linked with one or more wires connecting the function block icons. As the user assembles the fieldbus configuration wiring diagram, the system automatically creates and displays a schedule which visually presents the schedule being created. The schedule comprises one or more schedule bars for graphically or visually indicating the order of execution of the function blocks. The user can change the order of execution indicated by the schedule by graphically manipulating the schedule bars in the schedule. The user can also place one or more loop structures in the editor window which encapsulate a group of function block icons. The loop structure is used to specify a rate for the function block icons comprised within the loop structure.

A fieldbus is a specific type of local area network (LAN) that is used to monitor or control one or more pieces of production equipment. The term "Fieldbus" generally refers to an all-digital, two-way communication system that connects control systems to instrumentation. A fieldbus network comprises a plurality of digital devices and control/monitoring equipment that are integrated to provide I/O and control for automated processes. A fieldbus network is typically used in industrial and/or process control applications, such as a factory or manufacturing plant. The physical devices in a fieldbus system are connected by the fieldbus. One example of a fieldbus network is the Fieldbus Foundation fieldbus network.
Foundation Fieldbus, which is the serial communications network created by the Fieldbus foundation, specifically targets the need for robust distributed control in process control environments. Devices connected by a Foundation Fieldbus exchange data between themselves, and thus control a fieldbus process. Devices are given the opportunity to communicate data by a token passing scheme controlled by a device referred to as the "Link Active Scheduler" or LAS (a device used to schedule communication traffic).
The components of a Foundation Fieldbus Network are as follows:
1) Link PA1 2) Devices PA1 3) Blocks and Parameters PA1 4) Linkages PA1 5) Loops PA1 6) Schedule
Fieldbus networks may contain one of four types of devices, these being temporary devices, field devices, interface devices, and monitor devices. Temporary devices are devices attached to one of four network addresses reserved for temporary or visitor use. Temporary devices are typically used for configuration and troubleshooting. Field devices are devices that typically comprise function block application processes or, in other words, devices that perform the I/O and control that automates the plant or factory. All field devices are given a permanent address by the system manager when they are attached to the network. Interface devices perform data display and other interface functions for field devices. Like field devices, interface devices are assigned a permanent address, but interface devices do not necessarily contain function block application processes. Finally, monitor devices are devices that are able to listen to network traffic but are not permitted to transmit onto the network. Monitor devices receive no address when attached to the network, and the other network devices are unaware of the monitor's presence.
As mentioned above, a field device generally comprises one or more function block application processes, referred to as function blocks. A function block comprises an algorithm and one or more parameters associated with the algorithm. Function blocks model field device functions, such as analog input (AI) functions and PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) control loop functions, among others. The function block model provides a common structure for defining function block inputs, outputs, algorithms and control parameters. This structure simplifies the identification and standardization of characteristics that are common to function blocks.
The function block model includes associated standardized definitions used to support function blocks. These definitions include the Object Dictionary (OD) and the Device Description Language (DDL). These definitions support application processes in the definitions and description of their network visible objects, such as function blocks and their parameters.
Each physical device performs a portion of the total system operation by implementing one or more application processes. Application processes perform one or more time-critical functions, such as providing sensor readings or implementing one or more control algorithms. As noted above, these field device functions are modeled by function blocks. The operation of the various function blocks is coordinated through configuration of their external communications, execution schedules, and operating parameters.
Physical devices in a fieldbus system are interconnected by a fieldbus network. Fieldbus networks may be comprised of one or more link segments interconnected by bridges. Communication between physical devices is provided by physical layer and data link layer protocols. Intervening bridges forward messages transparently between links.
A fieldbus network utilizes a four layered communication stack or four layer protocol, including a physical layer, a data link layer, and application layer that is divided into an access sublayer and a messaging sublayer. Transfer of information between field devices is provided by the physical layer and data link layer protocols. The physical layer specifies how signals are sent, the fieldbus data link layer (FDL) specifies how the network access is shared and scheduled among devices, and the application layer defines the message formats available to applications for the exchange of commands. Communications between application processes in the field devices occurs through the application layer protocols. The application layer is divided into two sublayers, an upper sublayer, defined by the Fieldbus Messaging Specification (FMS), that provides services to application processes, and a lower sublayer, known as the Fieldbus Access Sublayer (FAS), that maps FMS services onto the underlying capabilities of the data link layer.
In fieldbus networks, information is transmitted along the fieldbus in discrete segments commonly referred to as packets. Packets are passed between the field devices connected to the network. Each packet may contain FDL information, FAS information, and FMS information corresponding to the various architectural layers used in the fieldbus implementation.
System management is used in fieldbus networks to coordinate the operation of the various devices in a distributed fieldbus system. System management functions include node address assignment for devices, application clock synchronization, distributed application scheduling across the segment, and support for locating application tags. System management provides the facilities to bring new devices on the segment to an operational state and to control the overall system operation. System management uses FMS to remotely access management information within a device and to directly access the data link layer to carry out its other functions. A single system management entity exists in each device for each data link segment connected to the device. The entity comprises user applications and a system management kernel. The kernel provides a network coordinated and synchronized set of functions.
A fieldbus configuration utility is generally used to create a fieldbus application. The fieldbus configuration utility is used to create a schedule for the fieldbus devices to control operation of the fieldbus devices. However, current fieldbus configuration utilities do not provide a simplified manner for creating a fieldbus configuration.
Applicants are aware of a fieldbus configuration utility available from SMAR. The SMAR fieldbus configuration utility provides a mechanism for connecting function blocks and editing parameters. However, the SMAR fieldbus configuration utility does not display input and output parameters on the function block diagram, and thus is not intuitive and user friendly. The SMAR fieldbus configuration utility also does not provide for scheduling. The SMAR fieldbus configuration utility does not include device descriptions, and thus does cannot determine arbitrary data types. The SMAR fieldbus configuration utility further does not provide a method for configuring trends and alerts and does not classify parameters in any way.
Therefore, an improved fieldbus configuration utility is desired which provides an improved user interface and simplified development for fieldbus applications.

Fieldbus network configuration utility with improved scheduling and looping


A prefabricated building module includes a rectangular floor structure, three walls and a trussed roof structure enclosing a ceiling space with two end walls pivoted about the short sides of the floor structure, the third wall pivoted at its lower end to a long side of the floor structure and the roof structure pivoted at the upper end of said side wall such that said walls and roof structure fold onto the floor structure to form a flat pack with the same footprint as the floor structure. The roof structure comprises a ceiling and upright roof trusses pivoted to the ceiling which fold down within the plan of the roof and the walls have provision for doors and windows.

There are many prior art documents disclosing different methods for achieving prefabricated accommodation. RU2240400 describes a shipping container-like structure which concertinas into a flat package for transportation. When erected It constitutes an extremely rudimentary box shaped structure.
WO 96/13402 shows a more sophisticated folding structure pivoted to a central unit provided with wheels for transportation. When on location supporting bearers extend from the central unit and additional modules unfold from either side of the central unit to sit on the bearers. The side modules have gabled roofs and end walls fold out from the sides of the central unit to form closed structures. This construction is costly and only suitable for transportation by towing behind a prime mover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,996 teaches a folding portable building construction with a rigid central section and a winching system for the erection of roof members of complementary side modules. Wall members and flooring unfold after the roof members are winched into place. The winching system can be removed after erection which makes the system independent of erecting cranes but adds to the cost.
SU1803507 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,891 teach further variations on the theme of a rigid central unit with unfolding side modules. However this rigid central unit construction is bulky and difficult to transport. Accordingly there is a need for a prefabricated building which can be transported as a flat package like that of RU2240400 but which provides more habitable accommodation when erected on location.

Deployable Structures International Pty Ltd


Method 10 discloses a process for creating a pair of athletic shoes having cleats thereon. The process is comprised of taking a first pair of athletic shoes 14 and removing a portion of the sole having cleats therein, the selectively removed portion hereinafter referred to as the cleat plate 22. Then taking a second pair of shoes 18 designated by the user for which shoes they desire to have cleats thereon and creating a cavity 30 within the soles of the second pair of shoes, the cavity conforming substantially to the dimensions of the cleat plate 22, and fixedly attaching the cleat plate to the respective sole by means of fasteners 24, 26 such as screws and/or adhesive 28 that bonds to rubber and plastic surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shoes and, more specifically, to a process for creating a pair of athletic shoes. The process is comprised of taking a first pair of athletic shoes and removing a portion of the sole having cleats therein, the selectively removed portion hereinafter referred to as the cleat plate. Then taking a second pair of shoes designated by the user has a pair of shoes they desire to have cleats thereon and forming an integral part therewith and creating a cavity within the soles of the second pair of shoes, the cavity conforming substantially to the dimensions of the cleat plate, and fixedly attaching the cleat plate to the respective sole by means of fasteners, such as screws and/or adhesive that bonds to rubber and plastic surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other mountable devices designed for footwear. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 202,191 issued to Proctor on Apr. 9, 1878.
Another patent was issued to Hadley, et al. on Nov. 2, 1880 as U.S. Pat. No. 234,030. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 788,160 was issued to Leadbeater on Apr. 25, 1905 and still yet another was issued on May 27, 1919 to Smith as U.S. Pat. No. 1,304,616.
Another patent was issued to Heilhecker on Dec. 12, 1939 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,183,277. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,283 was issued to McCord on Jun. 2, 1953. Another was issued to Einstein, Jr. on Nov. 10, 1970 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,628 and still yet another was issued on Jan. 27, 1976 to Fletcher as U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,359.
Another patent was issued to Bauer on Mar. 22, 1983 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,042. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,537 was issued to Goldberg on Feb. 28, 1995. Another was issued to James on Jun. 19, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,251 and still yet another was issued on Feb. 12, 2002 to Cotton as U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,4554. Another patent was issued to Morrison et al. as U.K. patent No. GB216,903 and another was published on Jul. 28, 1989 to Tong as European Patent Application No. EP 0 352 807

Process for creating a pair of athletic shoes


An ink jet head in which a head chip on which a nozzle for jetting ink and an ink supply port that is communicated with the nozzle are formed and a manifold on which an ink channel connecting port and a groove communicating with the ink channel connecting port are formed, are provided, and an ink channel in which a spacer occupying a part of a space in the groove is arranged in the groove is formed by connecting a face on which the ink supply port of the head chip is formed, to a face on which the groove of the manifold is formed. An ink path is formed so as to be capable of being communicated from the ink channel connecting port to the groove through the ink channel.

The present invention relates to an inkjet head, and in particular, to a structure of a manifold for connecting an ink supply route to a head chip on which a nozzle for jetting ink is formed.
On an inkjet head installed on an inkjet printer, there is provided a head chip on which an ink-jetting nozzle is formed. This head chip includes one on which singular or plural nozzle rows each having plural nozzles which are open in the same direction to form a line in one direction, are formed. A head is fixed on a carriage of a printer main body to be installed thereon. On the head chip, there is provided an actuator element such as a piezoelectric element that gives the jetting force to a nozzle.
As is used in the inkjet head described in Patent Document 1, a manifold representing a component for connecting an ink supply route to a head chip is used. As a manifold, resin molded components are preferably used.
On the outer surface of the head chip, there is formed an ink supply port that is communicated with a nozzle to be open. On the manifold, there are formed a channel connection port and a groove that is communicated with the channel connection port. When the groove on the manifold is applied to the ink supply port, and an ink supply pipe is connected to the channel connection port on the manifold, the manifold connects the ink supply route to the head chip.
(Patent Document 1) TOKKAI No. 2004-090494
The channel on the manifold needs to be designed in accordance with ink characteristics such as ink discharge and ink viscosity in the course of recording operations. Heretofore, the manifold has been made in full measure for each channel characteristic required for the manifold. For example, even in the case of new requirements to enlarge or to downsize a cross-sectional area of a channel, there has been designed and manufactured a manifold whose cross-sectional area of a channel is enlarged or downsized, to be used. Therefore, there have been occasions wherein a manifold is redesigned each time ink is changed, for example, and a manifold is redesigned for changing ink discharge even in the same ink.
Meanwhile, there is sometimes an occasion wherein jetting characteristics of a nozzle are affected by heat that is generated by driving of a head chip and is filled therein. If heat is maldistributed in the head chip, jetting characteristic of a nozzle varies depending on a position of the nozzle, and its performance is affected. Heat maldistributed in the head chip is diffused through ink filled in the manifold, and is made uniform.
However, the smaller the cross-sectional area of a channel of the manifold is made, the more serious the problem of unevenness of heat generated in the head chip is, and jetting characteristics between nozzles in the head are fluctuated by distribution of ink temperature.


Compositions are disclosed for protecting keratin-containing substances in the body, e.g. skin, nails and especially hair, from damage and for helping to restore the damaged keratinous material to a healthy state. In one embodiment the compositions will comprise a liquid fatty acid vehicle containing at least a long chain alkane for bonding hydrophobically to keratin.

This invention relates to prophylaxis for keratinous materials, and more particularly to novel cosmetic formulations for hair, skin and other keratinous body materials.
Recent research as reported in the literature has shown that hair and skin suffer substantial damage from many sources. Keratinous assemblies can be damaged by environmental influences such as ultraviolet radiation, exposure to chlorine, and/or pH extremes. Hair can additionally suffer substantial damage from mechanical insult from extension, torsion, bending, and compression forces sufficient to cause permanent deformation as well as chemical damage from hair relaxants, bleaches and colorants, and even shampoo ingredients. This damage can range from depletion of endogenous and exogenous lipids and lipid complexes to structural damage such as the physical damage previously mentioned.
Since the present invention is particularly directed to compositions for treating hair to prevent damage thereto and/or to help restore healthy hair which has been damaged, the invention will be discussed in detail hereinafter by reference thereto.
Formulations for treating hair are of course well known in the art. For example, the shelves in pharmacies and other stores selling personal care items are replete with shampoos, conditioners and the like which are said to provide certain beneficial results. While by no means intended to represent a complete survey of the hair treatment products currently available, the following may be taken as illustrative: HUILE d'ALES (Laboratoires Phytosolba of Paris, France), a base of essential plant oils said to be used for dry, damaged hair; PHYTOSQUAME (Laboratoires Phytosolba) stated to contain an ingredient, Chaulmoogra oil, for its anti-exfoliation property; "COLORVIVE TECHNICARE" of L'Oreal which is said to repair frayed ends; "RAVE" of Cheesebrough-Ponds, said to be an all-in-one shampoo for cleaning and conditioning damaged, permed or colored hair; Freeman Botanical Hair Therapy Shampoo for dry, brittle or damaged hair (Freeman Cosmetic Corporation); "Infusion 23" of Duart Laboratories which is said to protect hair cuticles against split ends; so-called "hot oil" formulations such as "Alberto VO5" hot oil shampoo of Alberto-Culver which references U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,150 to be discussed hereinafter; and "Faberge Organics" of Faberge Company which is said to penetrate the hair shaft to build stronger hair within.
While a discussion of the ingredients listed on the containers of the above-mentioned products would render this description unnecessarily prolix, mention of the "Faberge Organics" product is of interest for its detailed formulation: water; cetearyl alcohol; cetyl alcohol; cetereth-20; panthenol; hydrolyzed animal protein; isostearyl ethylimidonium ethosulfate; dimethyl lauramide oleate; honey; wheat germ oil; stearalkonium chloride, hydroxyethylcellulose, dimethicone, citric acid, fragrance, methylparaben, DMDM hydantoin, Red 4, and Yellow 10.
The patent literature is also replete with many hundreds of references to hair preparations. A LEXPAT (trademark of Mead Data Central) patent data base search for "damaged hair" revealed 105 hits. While not intended to be illustrative of the state of the art, the following is a sampling of the aforementioned 105 "hits".
U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,150 of Dasher et al (and recited on the label of the Alberto VO5 product mentioned above) teaches a pretreatment preceding shampooing with anionic type hair shampoos, which pretreatment utilizes readily water-soluble quaternary ammonium compounds in combination with oils and other supplemental ingredients.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,345 issued to Ralph Kelly and assigned to Cincinnati Milicron Inc. relates to compositions for retarding chemical damage to hair having as protective agents organic compounds containing at least two or more polar groups, e.g. carboxyl groups, which are separated by at least 15 atoms the majority of which are carbon atoms and preferably containing a cyclic moiety of at least 5 atoms, e.g. the dimer of linoleic acid.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,774,075 and 4,828,819, each to Lang et al and assigned to L'Oreal) disclose compositions for the treatment of keratin materials containing a specified class of bis-(quaternary ammonium) derivatives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,545 issued to Wisotzki et al discloses a composition for the regeneration of hair split ends in an aqueous or aqueous/alcoholic solution or emulsion containing panthenol, at least one mono- or di-saccharide, and, optionally, polyvinylpyrrolidone and/or a triol.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,059 of Grollier et al and assigned to L'Oreal relates to a composition for the treatment of keratin substances containing at least one amphoteric polymer having (A) units derived from a monomer containing at least one basic nitrogen atom; and (B) units derived from an acid monomer containing one or more carboxyl or sulphonyl groups, or alternatively, A and B can denote groups derived from zwitterionic carboxybetaine monomer; A and B can also denote a cationic polymer chain containing secondary or tertiary amine groups having a carboxyl or sulphonyl group joined via a hydrocarbon radical, or, alternatively, A and B form part of a chain of a polymer with alpha, betadicarboxyethylene units, in which one of the carboxyl groups has been reacted with a polyamine containing one or more primary or secondary amine groups, and at least one cationic polymer of the polyamine or poly-(quaternary ammonium) type, containing amine or ammonium groups in the polymer chain or joined to the latter.
From the foregoing survey selected at random it will thus be abundantly clear that the hair treatment art is an exceedingly crowded art with a wide assortment of ingredients asserted to be effective.
Notwithstanding the current state of the art, there still remains a great need for improved procedures for protecting keratin-containing substances, particularly hair, against damage and to help restore the damaged keratinous substances to a healthy condition.
Stated simply, it is to this task to which the present invention is directed.


A novel approach of repeated adaptation is provided that can be applied to either one or both of channel estimation and/or equalization. From an incoming data packet that includes data and a training sequence, a modified data packet is generated that includes the data, the training sequence, and at least one additional copy of the training sequence. From the format of this modified data packet, the same training sequence can be used over and over again a desired number of times to perform channel estimation and subsequent calculation of equalizer tap coefficients. Alternatively, the same training sequence can be used over and over again a desired number of times to converge the equalizer coefficient taps directly without doing any preliminary channel estimation. Generally, either of these approaches can be characterized as a cyclic adaptation operation that provides improved performance without incurring any reduction in throughput of the communication channel.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to communication systems; and, more particularly, it relates to signal processing within digital communication systems geared to compensate for channel induced deleterious effects.
2. Related Art
Signal processing within communication systems having a communication channel, in an effort to improve the quality of signals passing through the communication channel, have been under development for many years. In the past several years, emphasis has moved largely to the domain of digital communication systems that modulate bit streams into an analog signal for transmission over a communication channel. This channel can be a variety of channel types. Channel estimation, oftentimes performed to assist in calculating coefficients for equalizer taps to perform channel equalization, is a technique that is employed to try to minimize the deleterious effects that the communication channel may have on the transmitted data. For example, given a highly accurate estimate of the characteristics of the actual communication channel (achieved from channel estimation), then highly accurate channel equalization may be performed. This requires calculating a number of coefficients (the coefficients corresponding to the taps of the equalizer) to overcome the effects that the communication channel has on the received data. This attempts to try to generate a block that may be described as having a response that is the inverse of the channel response of the communication channel. Therefore, the data that are modulated and transmitted across the communication channel may be accurately recovered at the other end of the communication channel. The calculations required in performing channel estimation can prove to be quite computationally intensive using prior art approaches.
While there have been some approaches to try to address this problem in the prior art, they have been typically very computationally intensive. In some instance, a very large matrix is employed to try to describe the communication channel, and then this large matrix must then be inverted to try to equalize any channel effects that may undesirably affect a signal transmitted through it. This very intensive computation is typically employed within communication systems whose communication channels are static, or landline, where very little if no changes to the communication channel may occur. However, even within these systems, when changes do in fact occur, the communication system must typically characterize, or estimate the channel, and then try to equalize for any deleterious effects the communication channel may have on data that is transmitted through it. When the parameters of the communication channel change over time, the channel estimation and channel equalization must again be performed. When using prior art approaches, these processes are very computationally intensive, and the processing requirements of the system are typically very large. In the instance when the characteristics of the communication channel are changing over time, this can prove simply to be too burdensome for the system to accommodate. Most prior art approaches are simply unable to compensate for these rapidly changing effects within the communication channel.
Channel equalizers are essential building blocks of many communications systems. This is especially true in broadband applications where the inter-symbol-interference (ISI) is a critical problem that can significantly reduce the data throughput rate. In many such systems, the data are transmitted in packets. Each data packet usually will consist of a known training sequence followed by a portion of unknown data. The training sequence is usually employed to train the equalizer (by calculating the coefficients for the channel equalizer tap coefficients) to an optimal setting that is based on the communication channel's characteristics in its present state. Another approach employs the method described briefly above. In this situation, channel estimation is first employed to perform channel estimation on the communication channel between the transmitter and the receiver. This is typically performed by using the training sequence that is part of the transmitted data packet. After the channel estimation is performed, then the channel estimate is employed this estimate to compute the optimal equalizer tap coefficients to be able to compensate for any channel effects on transmitted data.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional systems will become apparent to one of skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Channel estimation and/or equalization using repeated adaptation


The invention relates to a device for positioning an element with respect to at least two reference points (4a, 4c), in which said device acts upon a working point on the element to be positioned and comprises a positioning arm attached to a fixed hinging point with respect to said reference points (4a, 4c), comprising two mutually hinged parts (6a, 6b) allowing a movement of said element to each reference point (4a, 4c). The invention related further to a device for positioning at least one offset plate on a positioning table of a pre-press equipment, comprising means to move the offset plate in a plane parallel to the positioning table to at least one reference point (4a) on the positioning table, in which said means acts upon a working point situated in the supporting plane of the offset plate on the positioning table.

The invention relates to a device for positioning at least one offset plate on a positioning table of a pre-press equipment, comprising means to move the offset plate in a plane parallel to the positioning table to at least one reference point on the positioning table, in which said means act upon a working point situated in the supporting plane of the offset plate on the positioning table, in which said means act upon a working point situated in the supporting plane of the offset plate on the positioning table and wherein said means act upon said working point through an aperture in the positioning table.
For the positioning of at least one offset plate on a positioning table of a pre-press equipment, devices are known in which the offset plates are put on the positioning table by means of a loader in the vicinity of three roller shaped reference points. The offset plate is positioned with respect to these three rollers by means of three fingers which are placed facing the rollers and which push the offset plate against these rollers. Once there is contact between the offset plate and the three rollers, the plate is positioned and the plate is kept in its correct position by means of vacuum channels.
These devices has the disadvantage that different positioning tables with different equipment are necessary to position offset plates with different sizes. The positioning system is in that way dependent on the size of the offset plates.
A further disadvantage is that different means are necessary to perform the different movements to the reference points.
A solution to these disadvantages can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,584, in which a compliant linkage apparatus for providing, in a single stage, three degrees of freedom in a single plane. The apparatus comprises an upper plate, a lower plate under the upper plate, sliding means for allowing the upper and lower plates to slide relative to each other in X, Y, and theta, and orientation means for causing plates to attract each other in a particular orientation to resiliently resist relative lateral and rotational displacements of the plates. The device includes vacuum engagement members which are connected to a vacuum plate for engaging and disengaging the workpiece.
The problem with this apparatus is that it is not applicable on printing plates. The aluminium printing plates have thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm. Because of the fact that in this apparatus the workpiece is engaged and disengaged at its top surface through vacuum engagement members, when using printing plates, these printing plates will bend and it is very difficult to get them flat on the supporting surface. Furthermore, the upper layer of the printing plates consist of a very photosensitive emulsion layer, which will be damaged when sucking the printing plates at their top to the vacuum engagement members.
In DE 22 01 873, a device is described for positioning a printing plate which is susceptible for being held in a movable manner by means of a tightening strip, and provided with marking in relation to the cylindrical printing press plate holder which is arranged to receive the tightening strip of an offset press, in particular of a polychrome offset press. There are provided reference markings which, due to the correct position of the printing plate, will coincide with the markings of the printing plate, depending on which reference markings of the tightening strip can be brought into a defined position, in order to tighten the printing plate in a reproducible way in a relatively identical position in relation to the tightening strip. In the second embodiment of this patent application, an adjusting plate is provided which is slidably mounted against a ground plate through means of three micrometer screws. Between the adjusting plate and the ground plate a three-pointed support is provided. The adjusting plate is permanently remained in contact with the micrometer screws by means of a pre-tensioned spring which on the one hand is mounted to the adjusting plate, and on the other hand is mounted to the ground plate. In this device, the printing plate is moved together with the adjusting plate in relation to the ground plate by means of the micrometer screws.
The disadvantage of this device is first of all that a complex projector system is used to check when the reference markings coincide with the markings of the printing plate. Furthermore, also a complex positioning system for the printing plate is provided, using an extra adjusting plate to take care of the correct position of the printing plate. It is not the printing plate itself which is moved in order to make the reference markings coincide with the markings of the printing plate and consequently to bring the printing in a correct position.
The purpose of the invention is to provide in a device for positioning an offset plate on a positioning table of a pre-press equipment which doesn't show the abovementioned disadvantages.

Positioning device, especially for offset plates


The present invention provides compounds isolated from avocado seeds for use as a natural colorant in edible materials. The compounds of the invention are useful for coloring edible materials red, orange or yellow. The invention also provides compositions and methods for coloring edible materials to a desired color such as red, orange or yellow.

The global natural and synthetic food color market is estimated to reach US $ 2.3 billion by 2019, with North America dominating the market, followed closely by Europe. This figure reflects the ubiquitous application of added food colorants throughout the world. Though the use of added food colorants has continued to grow, consumers have become increasingly concerned by the perceived negative health risks which may be associated with artificial food colors. This change in consumer desire can be seen by the change in the global food colors market, as natural food colors have begun to dominate the market, increasing from 54.9% in 2014 to a predicted 60% by 2020, with particular interest in those compounds responsible for yellow, orange, red, and pink colors. Despite the fact that consumers are beginning to show preference for natural food colors over those not found in nature, it cannot be overstated that being of natural origin, i.e. being produced by a living organism, does not signify that the consumption of such compounds is safe.
In humans, food color is irrefutably linked to their perception of food safety and flavor (Garber et al., 2000, J Mark Theory Pract 8:59-72) and has a direct connection with human's sensory perception of foods. This can be both a help and a hindrance when it comes to marketing new food products. While vibrant novel colors catch the attention of consumers, it tends to only be helpful in the case nondescript flavors (Garber et al., 2000, J Mark Theory Pract 8:59-72).
Artificial colorants are those pigments which have been fully discovered and synthesized in the laboratory, and are not of natural origin. Artificial colorants are generally vibrant have continued to gain popularity due to their increased stability under a variety of heat, light, time, and other storage conditions. Although there is a standard to what colors are allowable in food, the data on the long term effects of these compounds is limited, as is knowledge as to what dose is actually consumed by individuals on a regular basis. Still, the use of artificial colorants in the United States has increased 5 fold from 5 mg/capita/day in 1950 to 68 mg/capita/day in 2012 (Stevens et al., 2014, T Clin Pediatr 53:133-40). Currently, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website lists thirteen certified FD&C colors and lakes permanently listed for use in food.
A natural colorant can be defined as any pigment which is produced by any organism such as a plant, animal, fungi, or microorganism (Lunning et al., 2007, In Food Colorants: Chemical and Functional Properties p 557). In its use in a food, a natural colorant can either be extracted from its natural source, such as in the case of safranal from saffron, or after discovery can be synthesized in a laboratory for use, as is commonly done with β-carotene found in carrots. The general perception of consumers is that natural food colorants are innately safer than their artificial counterparts. It is true that many natural colorants offer a variety of health benefits mainly due to their antioxidant properties. However, the dose of any compound to be consumed must always be taken into consideration.
Polyphenol oxidases (PPO) are enzymes (EC 18.104.22.168) found almost universally in all varieties of organisms including bacteria, insects, crustaceans, mammals, fungi, and plants (Mayer, 2006, Photochemistry: 67:2318-31). They are divided into the two subclasses of tyrosinases and laccases. PPO contributes to the production of the brown pigment melanin in mammals and in plants it is responsible for the browning which occurs when the flesh of a fruit or vegetable is sliced or bruised in the presence of oxygen.
Due to the increasing interest in natural colorants, there is now much focus turning to their production, and specifically PPO colorants. One particular class of pigment compounds is benzotropolones. Benzotropolones are characterized by a seven-membered tropolone ring attached to a six-membered aromatic ring and have been found throughout nature in mushrooms, black teas, Chinese sage, and Mesotaenium berggrenii, an extremophyte living on glaciers (Manet et al., 2004, J Agric Food Chem 52:2455-61; Ginda et al., 1988, Tetrahedron 29:4603-6; Kerschensteiner et al., 2011, Tetrahedron 67:1536-9; Remias et al., 2012, FEMS Microbiol Ecol 79:638-48). Benzotropolones are generally yellow, orange, red, or brown in color, although one instance of a "dark solid with green metallic luster" was observed in the case of aurantricholine. Upon addition of base, aurantricholine changed irreversibly to green-black, while upon addition of acid it produced yellow compounds of undetermined structure (Kandaswami et al., 2007 U.S.20070178216). Benzotropolone-glycosides tend to have low solubility in organic solvents and may only be easily dissolved in water, making structure elucidation complex. Another common property of some is that they may be unstable, even at low temperatures or upon standing in organic solvents. Benzotropolones have been reported to have health beneficial properties due to their antioxidant and anti-obesity nature. For example, theaflavins, and their polymerized form, thearubigins, have been reported to aid in weight loss and metabolic syndrome due their ability to decrease appetite, reduce adipose tissue, increase metabolism and energy levels and protect and enhance lean body mass (Kandaswami et al., 2007, U.S.20070178216; Cornelius et al., 2007, U.S.20090098224). Theaflavins have also been shown to be useful in the treatment of alcoholic liver diseases (Li et al, 2014, U.S.20150094364). As the desire for natural alternatives to artificial colorants continues to grow, more research will be needed on the potential positive and negative health effects of these and other benzotropolones.
The avocado (Persea americana Mill. Lauraceae) is a large drupe and has the highest oil content of all fruits, with the possible exception of the olive fruit. The avocado seed represents up to 16% of the total weight of the fruit, has a complex phytochemical profile and a long history of ethnobotanical use. Historically, colored exudate from avocado seeds was used as indelible ink by the Conquistadors in the 1500s. When crushed in air, avocado seeds develop a stable orange pigment (Dabas et al., 2011. J. Food Sci 76:C1335-41; Dabas, 2012, Ph.D. Thesis, The Pennsylvania State University). This development of color was dependent on the action of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, indicating that the resulting pigment is a polyphenolic compound. Further studies are needed to determine the identity of the compounds responsible for the orange color, and their colorant characteristics in various systems.
Thus, there is a need in the art for novel natural colorants. The present invention fulfills this need.

Compounds, compositions and methods for coloring edible materials