The present invention discloses non-hydrolyzable, block, (AB).sub.n A type, copolymers comprising alternating units of polysiloxane and amino-polyalkyleneoxide and provides a method for the preparation of these copolymers. Also provided is the use of these copolymers as softeners, in particular durable, hydrophilic textile softeners, which improve tactile properties of the textiles substrates treated with the commercial soil release finishes, without substantially detracting from their properties. The copolymers of the present invention have alternating units of polysiloxane [X(C.sub.a H.sub.2a O).sub.b R.sup.2 [(SiO(R.sup.1).sub.2 ].sub.c Si(R.sup.1).sub.2 R.sup.2 (C.sub.a H.sub.2a O).sub.b X] and polyalkyleneoxides [YO(C.sub.a H.sub.2a O).sub.d Y] wherein R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl, preferably methyl, R.sup.2 is a divalent organic moiety, X and Y are divalent organic groups selected from a secondary or tertiary amine and a ring opened epoxide, such that when X is a ring opened epoxide, Y is an amine and vice versa, a=2 to 4, preferably 2 to 3, b=0 to 100, d=0 to 100, b+d=1 to 100, preferably 10 to 50, and c=1 to 500, preferably 10 to 100.

Non-hydrolyzable siloxane-polyalkyleneoxide block copolymers of the (AB).sub.n A type, i.e., with alternating siloxane and organic, mostly polyether, blocks, are known in the prior art. Methods of preparation of such copolymers is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,466. U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,225 discloses (AB).sub.n A type silicone polyquats derived from an epoxy endblocked polysiloxane and low molecular weight diamines with tertiary amino endgroups. The resulting copolymers therein are polyquaternary and do not contain polyalkyleneoxide units in the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,272 provides a process for improving properties of fibrous materials, in which these materials are treated with a composition of epoxy modified polyorganosiloxanes and polyamines with two or more primary and/or secondary amino groups, which react in situ to form a crosslinked, non-linear network. The network formation is essential to achieve desired shrinkage control and/or durability to dry-cleaning.
It is also known that fluorochemicals, such as SCOTCHGARD.RTM. FC-248 (3M), are effective soil release treatments for textile substrates. However, fabrics treated with SCOTCHGARD.RTM. FC-248, especially in combination with durable press finishes, become very harsh and unpleasant to wear. Although improvement in "hand" is desirable, according to the SCOTCHGARD.RTM. FC-248 Product Bulletin, polysiloxanes are believed to severely affect performance properties of the fluorochemical.

Silicone aminopolyalkyleneoxide block copolymers


Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for free text searching of electronic medical records. Certain embodiments provide a system including an interface configured to accept search criteria and display search results and a search engine accepting a free text search query from the interface. The free text search query is based on search criteria entered via the interface. The search engine communicates with a search crawler, which searches electronic medical record data based on the free text search query and provides search results. In certain embodiments, the system may de-identify patient/physician data from the search results. Certain embodiments provide a system for retrieving EMR search results. The system includes an interface configured to accept search criteria and display search results, a database interface adapter for interfacing with an electronic medical record database to transmit and receive data and a formatter for formatting search results.

The present invention generally relates to search and analysis of electronic medical record data. More particularly, the present invention relates to free text searching of electronic medical record data.
Hospitals typically utilize computer systems to manage the various departments within a hospital and data about each patient is collected by a variety of computer systems. For example, a patient may be admitted to the hospital for a Transthoracic Echo (TTE). Information about the patient (e.g., demographics and insurance) could be obtained by the hospital information system (HIS) and stored on a patient record. This information could then be passed to the cardiology department system (commonly known as the cardio vascular information system, or CVIS), for example. Typically the CVIS is a product of one company, while the HIS is the product of another company. As a result, the database between the two may be different. Further, information systems may capture/retain and send different levels of granularity in the data. Once the patient information has been received by the CVIS, the patient may be scheduled for a TTE in the echo lab. Next, the TTE is performed by the sonographer. Images and measurements are taken and sent to the CVIS server. The reading physician (e.g., an echocardiographer) sits down at a review station and pulls the patient's TTE study. The echocardiographer then begins to review the images and measurements and creates a complete medical report on the study. When the echocardiographer completes the medical report, the report is sent to the CVIS server where it is stored and associated with the patient through patient identification data. This completed medical report is an example of the kind of report that could be sent to a data repository for public data mining. Medication instructions, such as documentation and/or prescription, as well as laboratory results and/or vital signs, may also be generated electronically and saved in a data repository.
Today, medical device manufacturers and drug companies face an ever-growing challenge in collecting clinical data on the real-life utilization of their products. As patient medical reports are becoming computerized, the ability to obtain real-life utilization data becomes easier. Further, the data is easier to combine and analyze (e.g., mine) for greater amounts of useful information.
As medical technology becomes more sophisticated, clinical analysis may also become more sophisticated. Increasing amounts of data are generated and archived electronically. With the advent of clinical information systems, a patient's history may be available at a touch of a button. While accessibility of information is advantageous, time is a scarce commodity in a clinical setting. To realize a full benefit of medical technological growth, it would be highly desirable for clinical information to be organized and standardized.
Even if clinical or image-related information is organized, current systems often organize data in a format determined by developers that is unusable by one or more medical practitioners in the field. Additionally, information may be stored in a format that does not lend itself to data retrieval and usage in other contexts. Thus, a need exists to structure data and instructions in a way that is easier to comprehend and utilize.
Data warehousing methods have been used to aggregate, clean, stage, report and analyze patient information derived from medical claims billing and electronic medical records (EMR). Patient data may be extracted from multiple EMR databases located at patient care provider (PCP) sites in geographically dispersed locations, then transported and stored in a centrally located data warehouse. The central data warehouse may be a source of information for population-based profile reports of physician productivity, preventative care, disease-management statistics and research on clinical outcomes. Patient data is sensitive and confidential, and therefore, specific identifying information must be removed prior to transporting it from a PCP site to a central data warehouse. This removal of identifying information must be performed per the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. Any data that is contained in a public database must not reveal the identity of the individual patients whose medical information is contained in the database. Because of this requirement, any information contained on a medical report or record that could aid in tracing back to a particular individual must be removed from the report or record prior to adding the data to a data warehouse for public data mining.
Patient data may be useful to medical advancement, as well as diagnosis and treatment of patients, in a variety of ways. In order to accurately assess the impact of a particular drug or treatment on a patient, for example, it is helpful to analyze all medical reports relating to the particular patient. Removing data that can be used to trace back to an individual patient can make it impossible to group and analyze all medical reports relating to a particular patient. In addition, one of the aims of population analysis is to assemble an at-risk cohort population comprised of individuals who may be candidates for clinical intervention. De-identified data is not very useful to the patient care providers who need to know the identity of their own patients in order to treat them. Users of the system may need the ability to re-identify patients for further follow-up. Portal users may need to re-identify the patients in a process that doesn't involve the portal system, i.e. the process of re-identification occurs on the local user's system.
Increasing numbers of medical information systems require free text search capability for searching finding information about a specific medical diagnosis, patient demographics, decease statistics, etc. Current search engines such as Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc., provide free text search capability with web sites and do not provide such search capability within an enterprise. Additionally, these search engines are not customized for searching electronic medical records.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods for free text searching capability with electronic medical records. There is a need for systems and methods for electronic medical record searching in compliance with HIPAA.

Systems and methods for free text searching of electronic medical record data


A program creation assisting system includes a camera that captures an image of a chip array in which a special chip indicating a task for programming is in a chip array, a task management table managed in a state where the task and an image of the plurality of chips used for the task are associated with each other, an image processing unit that recognizes an image relating to the chip from the image of the chip array acquired by the camera, and a program creation processing unit 103 that, when the image processing unit recognizes a special chip such as a start chip, selects a command corresponding to the image of the plurality of chips, which is recognized by the image processing unit, based on a task management table associated with a task of the special chip, and generates a program configured by a plurality of selected commands.

With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT), the importance of training talented people for programming has been emphasized. In Japan, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has proposed the importance of programming education for children as one of the measures for training talented people for programming, and the programming education has become essential in elementary schools since 2020. Various systems, educational tools, toys, and the like for the programming education for children have already been proposed.
The applicant has proposed, in Patent Document 1, a new method for causing children to learn programming easier and cheaper. Patent Document 1 discloses a program creation assisting system and a method for the same for generating a program configured by a plurality of commands in a manner that a plurality of chips each having a unique pattern are arranged on a sheet, an image of an array of the chips is captured by a camera, the obtained image of the pattern is recognized, and a command associated with the pattern is specified.

Program creation assisting system, method for same, and program


An electronic SPDT switch (1) has, a series FET (9) in a first circuit arm (4) between a common port (2) and a first port (3), a shunt FET (10) in a second circuit arm (6) between the common port (2) and a second port (5), the shunt FET (10) being isolated 90 degrees or 1/4 wavelength from the common port (2), a source applying pull-up voltage to sources of respective FETs (9, 10) and to the common port (2), to provide a connection of the common port (2) with said second port (5), a source applying a first control voltage of opposite logic state to said gates, and the FETs (9, 10) being depletion mode FETs that conduct at a zero sum of said bias voltage and said control voltage, and that conduct when DC power is interrupted, to provide a connection of the common port (2) with the first port (3).

A known switch is fabricated with PIN diodes that switch between conducting states and nonconducting states. Each PIN diode can switch to a nonconducting state due to a back bias voltage or, in the absence of back bias, a massive, thick construction, which increases the switching times for the PIN diode, and which limits the electrical isolation. Each PIN diode has a characteristically slow switching speed and requires significant DC power.


A laser device and method capable of one or more dimensional absolute distance measurements and/or surface scanning and/or coordinate measurements of a moving external retroreflector or other moving target surfaces without using an incremental interferometer.

The present disclosure relates to a coordinate measuring device. One set of coordinate measurement devices belongs to a class of instruments that measure the coordinates of a point by sending a laser beam to the point. The laser beam may impinge directly on the point or may impinge on a retroreflector target that is in contact with the point. In either case, the instrument determines the coordinates of the point by measuring the distance and the two angles to the target. The distance is measured with a distance-measuring device such as an absolute distance meter or an interferometer. The angles are measured with an angle-measuring device such as an angular encoder. A gimbaled beam-steering mechanism within the instrument directs the laser beam to the point of interest. Exemplary systems for determining coordinates of a point are described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,651 to Brown et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,339 Lau et al.
The laser tracker is a particular type of coordinate-measuring device that tracks the retroreflector target with one or more laser beams it emits. A device that is closely related to the laser tracker is the laser scanner. The laser scanner steps one or more laser beams to points on a diffuse surface. The laser tracker and laser scanner are both coordinate-measuring devices. It is common practice today to use the term laser tracker to also refer to laser scanner devices having distance- and angle-measuring capability. This broad definition of laser tracker, which includes laser scanners, is used throughout this application.
One type of laser tracker contains only an interferometer without an absolute distance meter. If an object blocks the path of the laser beam from one of these trackers, the interferometer loses its distance reference. The operator must then track the retroreflector to a known location before continuing the measurement. A way around this limitation is to put an absolute distance meter (ADM) in the tracker. The ADM can measure distance in a point-and-shoot manner. Some laser trackers contain only an ADM without an interferometer. An exemplary laser tracker of this type is described in Payne, et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,670. Other laser trackers typically contain both an ADM and an interferometer. An exemplary laser tracker of this type is described in Meier, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,360.
One of the main applications for laser trackers is to scan the surface features of objects to determine their geometrical characteristics. For example, an operator can determine the angle between two surfaces by scanning each of the surfaces and then fitting a geometrical plane to each. As another example, an operator can determine the center and radius of a sphere by scanning the sphere surface. Up until this time, an interferometer, rather than an ADM, has been required for the laser tracker to scan. The reason for this is that absolute distance measurements have only been possible on stationary targets. Consequently, to get full functionality with both scanning and point-and-shoot capability, laser trackers have required both an interferometer and an ADM. What is needed is an ADM that has the ability to accurately and quickly scan a moving target. This permits tracker cost to be reduced because the interferometer is no longer needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Absolute distance meter that measures a moving retroreflector


An image forming apparatus has a photoconductive member on which a latent image is to be formed, a developing roller for developing the latent image on the photoconductive member by a first bias. A magnetic roller forms a magnetic brush thereon with a two-component developer and forms a thin toner layer on the developing roller by a second bias. The developing roller is aluminum with a surface treated for high resistance. The thickness (T) of the toner layer and the duty ratio (D1) of the first alternating-current bias satisfy relationships of the following equations for calculating the duty ratio (D1) using an application period of a voltage in a direction to transfer the toner from the developing roller towards the photoconductive member as a positive period:7 μm≦T≦13 μm, and35%≦D1≦70%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a two-component developer containing a magnetic carrier and a nonmagnetic toner.
2. Description of the Related Art
A two-component developing method using a toner and a carrier and a one-component developing method using no carrier are known as developing methods in image forming apparatuses. The two-component developing method has advantages of having a good chargeability of the toner by the carrier and a longer operating life, whereas it has disadvantages of making a developing device large and complicated and varying image quality depending on the durability of the carrier. Further, the one-component developing method has advantages of making the developing device compact and having a good dot reproducibility, whereas it has disadvantages of generally making a developing roller and a supply roller less durable and making a consumable cost more expensive due to the exchange of developing devices on a regular basis. Further, the supply of the toner having such a charging property as to be developed on the developing roller is not suitable for high-speed processing apparatuses, which has presented a problem to the speed-up of the image formation.
There has been known a so-called touch-down developing method taking advantages of characteristics of the above both developing methods. The touch-down developing method uses a two-component developer containing a toner and a carrier, forms a toner layer on a developing roller with a magnetic brush having the sufficiently charged toner, and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductive member in a non-contact manner with the toner held on the developing roller.
The touch-down developing method is a developing method capable of high-speed image formation and is applicable to a developing device of a one-drum color superimposing type in which a plurality of color images are successively formed on a photoconductive member; of a tandem type in which a plurality of electrophotographic processing members are arranged side by side and color images are formed and superimposed on a transfer material (sheet) in synchronism with the conveyance of the transfer material; of a tandem type in which a plurality of electrophotographic processing members are arranged side by side along an intermediate transfer member (transfer belt) and color images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer member; and of other types.
In the case of tandem image forming apparatuses, a plurality of electrophotographic processing members is arranged side by side. Thus, if developing rollers and magnetic rollers are transversely arranged with respect to photoconductive members, the electrophotographic processing members themselves have a large width, which hinders the miniaturization. Therefore, miniaturized image forming apparatuses have been proposed in which the developing rollers and the magnetic rollers as the electrophotographic processing members are arranged above or below the photoconductive members to make the developing devices vertically long.
As a prior art on such a technology, U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,098 (lines 10 to 43, second column) discloses a developing device in which a developer is caused to head for a donor roller (developing roller) using a magnetic roller to transfer a toner onto the donor roller, thereby forming a thin toner layer. However, according to this method, a toner charge control is complicated and it is necessary to apply a high surface potential and a large developing electric field to a photoconductive member. Further, it is difficult to refresh the toner on the donor roller, which was not used for development, and a toner adhering state and a potential difference of the toner on the donor roller vary if a toner consumed region and a toner non-consumed region are present on the donor roller. Such variations are likely to cause a phenomenon in which a part of a previously developed image appears as a ghost image during the next development, i.e. a so-called history phenomenon.
In order to solve this problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 2003-21961 and 2003-21966 disclose developing devices each comprising a magnetic roller in which a magnetic member for holding the magnetic brush formed of a two-component developer containing a carrier and a toner is fixed; a developing roller for forming a thin toner layer by the abrasive contact with the magnetic brush held by the magnetic roller; and a power supply for forming an alternating-current bias between the developing roller and a photoconductive member. In each of these developing devices, a latent image on the photoconductive member is developed with the toner caused to fly from the thin toner layer formed on the developing roller by the alternating-current bias, thereby preventing an occurrence of ghost at the time of development while avoiding an occurrence of an image fog. However, according to this method, a highly accurate control is required to balance the alternating-current bias formed between the developing roller and the photoconductive member and direct-current biases applied to the developing roller and the magnetic roller.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-280357 discloses a developing device comprising a magnetic roller and a developing roller similar to the above and adapted to apply an alternating-current bias superimposed with a direct-current bias to the developing roller. Here, by setting a duty ratio of the alternating-current bias to 10 to 50%, the toner attraction (collection) from the developing roller to the magnetic roller is increased to solve the contamination of the developing roller with the toner. However, in the developing device of this type as well, a highly accurate control is required to balance the alternating-current bias applied to the developing roller and direct-current biases applied to the developing roller and the magnetic roller. Therefore, there has been a demand for technology requiring less control accuracy.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-134050 discloses a developing device using a one-component developer, comprising a developing roller held in contact with a photoconductive member and a supply roller held in contact with the developing roller, and constructed such that a toner is supplied to the developing roller by the supply roller and develops a latent image on the photoconductive member while being frictionally charged by a restricting blade on the developing roller to form a thin layer. In this device, an alternating-current voltage is applied to the developing roller, thereby preventing a problem that it is difficult to develop low-density images and thin line images and a problem that density nonuniformity occurs due to an increase in a toner charge amount and making it easier to scrape off (collect) the toner not having been used for development. However, an image fog occurs if the alternating-current voltage applied to the developing roller for forming a developing electric field is increased, whereas the effect of scraping off the toner not having been used for development is reduced if the alternating-current voltage is decreased. It is disclosed to apply an alternating-current voltage also to the supply roller and let the two alternating-current voltages have the same frequency, but different phases in order to solve this problem. However, the developing device is of the type using the one-component developer and constructed such that the photoconductive member and the supply roller are in contact with the developing roller and, if the developing devices of such a type in which the photoconductive member and the developing roller are in contact are used in a tandem image forming apparatus, a torque variation of a transfer belt might be caused to promote a color drift as a weak point of the tandem image forming apparatus.
In view of the above, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-242281 discloses a developing device including a magnetic roller in which a magnetic pole member holding a magnetic brush is fixed, a developing roller to be rubbed by the magnetic brush held in the magnetic roller for the formation of a thin toner layer, a power supply for applying an alternating-current bias to the developing roller and another power supply for applying an alternating-current bias, which is a rectangular wave having the same frequency as, an opposite phase to and an inverted duty ratio of the above alternating-current bias, to the magnetic roller. This device makes it easier to form the thin toner layer on the developing roller and to collect the toner from the developing roller by increasing a potential difference between the alternating-current bias of the developing roller and that of the magnetic roller. This developing device balances the respective biases formed between the developing roller and a photoconductive member and between the developing roller and the magnetic roller so that image developability can be maintained without changing the potential difference between the photoconductive member and the developing roller at all even if it should be used in a tandem image forming apparatus.
However, in order to cope with faster printing, miniaturization and even higher image quality in image forming apparatuses of recent years, it is asked for to rotate the photoconductive member at a higher speed, to make the diameter of the photoconductive member smaller and to make toner particles smaller. If time required to pass a developing area is shortened due to the smaller diameter and faster rotation of the photoconductive member and the smaller diameter of the developing roller, it is necessary to increase a developing electric field or reduce toner adherence to the developing roller in order to improve the developability on the photoconductive member. Further, if time required to pass a toner layer forming area is shortened due to the smaller diameter and faster rotation of the developing roller and the smaller diameter of the magnetic roller, it is necessary to reduce the toner adherence to the developing roller while intensifying the electric field for collecting the toner from the developing roller. If the toner particles are made smaller, it is necessary to generate a strong electric field between the photoconductive member and the developing roller to increase a force for causing the toner to fly from the developing roller to the photoconductive member while suppressing an increase of the toner adherence to the developing roller surface and also to intensify the electric filed between the developing roller and the magnetic roller for collecting the toner from the developing roller to the magnetic roller.
However, since the biases applied to the developing roller and the magnetic roller become a composite bias between the developing roller and the magnetic roller, the bias applicable to suppress a discharge while maintaining the developability and collectability is restricted in its phase, cycle and waveform, which has hindered the miniaturization and the higher speed. Specifically, the toner on the developing roller comes into contact with the magnetic brush many times according to the rotation of the developing roller even after being supplied to the developing roller by the magnetic brush, and is exposed to the electric field applied between the magnetic brush and the developing roller each time. Thus, if the electric field acting in a direction to supply the toner toward the developing roller is increased for the higher speed or the like, the toner is likely to firmly adhere to the developing roller. This, for example, hinders the toner supply from the developing roller to the photoconductive member and makes it difficult to collect the toner from the developing roller to the magnetic roller. As a result, a range in which the bias formed between the developing roller and the photoconductive member and the one formed between the developing roller and the magnetic roller are balanced becomes even narrower.
As described above, a discharge from the developing roller occurs if the electric field is intensified. A discharge also occurs due to a change in the density of the magnetic brush as more prints are made. In order to prevent this discharge phenomenon, a high resistance layer needs to be formed on the surface of the developing roller. As a method for forming a high resistance layer, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-35992 discloses a method for forming an anodized aluminum film on the surface of a developing roller. The anodized aluminum film is formed through anodization in a sulfuric acid aqueous solution and a sealing process with nickel acetate.
The anodized aluminum film has a high dielectric constant and tends to excite electric charges in it in response to an externally applied electric field or an electric field generated by the toner and to easily electrically hold toner particles, wherefore it has high toner adherence and is subject to an image density variation upon a fluctuation of a development gap. Further, a so-called powdering phenomenon peculiar to the sealing process appears on the surface sealed with nickel acetate. Powdering components include acetic acid, aluminum and nickel. There is a possibility of increasing the toner adherence to the developing roller by ions of acetic acid and the like. Particularly, in the case of nonuniform powdering, image nonuniformity occurs in accordance with the powdering nonuniformity. This is likely to influence the image quality particularly in a hybrid development method since the toner adherence to the developing roller influences the developability on the photoconductive member and the releasability (collectability) of the toner from the developing roller to the magnetic brush roller.
With the technologies of the patent literatures described above, it has been difficult to improve the developability on the photoconductive member while coping with the formation of the thin toner layer on the developing roller and the collection of the toner from the developing roller by balancing the bias formed between the developing roller and the photoconductive member and the one formed between the developing roller and the magnetic roller while maintaining good toner adherence to the developing roller in the development process asking for the faster rotation and the smaller diameter of the photoconductive member and the smaller toner particles.


A method for purging a catalyst containing oxidants operates the engine at different air-fuel ratios during different intervals. The intervals are adaptively adjusted based on a model that predicts an amount of fuel needed to perform the purging. The intervals are also responsive to an exhaust gas sensor located downstream of the catalyst.

The invention relates to a system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine coupled to an emission control device.
Engine and vehicle fuel efficiency can be improved by lean burn internal combustion engines. To reduce emissions, these lean burn engines are coupled to emission control devices known as three-way catalytic converters optimized to reduce CO, HC, and NOx. When operating at air-fuel ratio mixtures lean of stoichiometry, another three way catalyst known as a NOx trap or catalyst is typically coupled downstream of the three-way catalytic converter, where the NOx trap is optimized to further reduce NOx. The NOx trap typically stores NOx when the engine operates lean and releases NOx to be reduced when the engine operates rich or stoichiometry.
One method for controlling air-fuel ratio to release, or purge, stored NOx operates the engine rich until an air-fuel sensor downstream of the NOx trap indicates a rich air-fuel ratio. In other words, while the air-fuel ratio entering the NOx trap is rich, the output air-fuel ratio exiting the NOx trap will be near stoichiometry until a majority of the stored NOx is released. When the air-fuel ratio downstream becomes rich, there is little stored NOx and thus hydrocarbons are not used to reduce NOx and exit. Stated another way, the NOx trap is purged of stored NOx. Then, the engine air-fuel ratio can again become lean and the NOx trap can again store NOx. Such a system is described in EP 733786.
The inventors herein have recognized a disadvantage of the above approach. In particular, when the air-fuel sensor is placed downstream of the NOx trap, there is always extra fuel used. In other words, since there is a delay from when fuel is injected until it reaches the air-fuel sensor, there will always be a certain amount of rich exhaust in the exhaust system when a purge is ended. All of the fuel in this bit of rich exhaust is excess and degrades fuel economy.
As an attempt to solve the above disadvantages, another approach is to place the air-fuel sensor somewhere in the NOx trap. In other words, the air-fuel sensor may be placed at a location two-thirds from the front of the NOx trap. In this way, there is still some catalyst material after the air-fuel sensor to use the excess fuel in the rich exhaust.
The inventors herein have recognized a further disadvantage with the above approach. In particular, to obtain optimum performance, the sensor location is dependent on exhaust mass flow. Stated another way, at high exhaust mass flows, the sensor should be located closer to the front of the catalyst since a greater amount of fuel will be stored in the exhaust. Similarly, at low exhaust mass flows, the sensor should be located closer to the rear of the catalyst. Since only a single location is practical, performance is degraded.
An object of the invention claimed herein is to provide a method for controlling an engine during emission control device purging.
The above object is achieved, and disadvantages of prior approaches overcome, by claim 1.
By using a less rich value to complete purging of the emission control device, only a small amount of fuel is stored in the exhaust system when a purge completion signal is obtained. Thus, minimal emissions are produced during purging. Also, total purge time is minimized since most purge fuel is supplied at the richer air-fuel ratio.
An advantage of the above aspect of the present invention is that over purging is minimized.
Another advantage of the above aspect of the present invention is that fuel economy is optimized while excess rich emissions are also minimized.
In another aspect of the present invention, the disadvantages of prior approaches are overcome by a method for controlling an internal combustion engine coupled to an emission control device with an exhaust sensor coupled downstream of the emission control device, the method comprising: operating the engine at a lean air-fuel ratio during a first interval, operating the engine at a first rich air-fuel ratio during a second interval following said first interval, and operating the engine at a second rich air-fuel ratio during a third interval following said second interval, wherein a duration of said second interval is based on a parameter indicative of a fuel quantity used during previously performed second and third intervals.
By adaptively adjusting the first rich interval, it is possible to account for catalyst aging, while minimizing the rich operating time.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated by the reader of this specification.

Fueling control during emission control device purging


A cutting mechanism and method for a tooling head is provided, the tooling head including a housing; a cord line feeding passageway extending through the housing to an applicator end, and an applicator assembly at the applicator end for application of the cord line to an annular surface. The cutting mechanism provides a reciprocally moving plunger body housed within the tooling head; a reciprocating cutting member moving between a first position cutting the cord line and a second position in a non-cutting relationship with the cord line; a cutting member being coupled to the plunger body to translate reciprocal movement of the plunger body to reciprocal movement of the cutting member between the first and second positions. A stream of air may be directed into the cord line passageway proximate the cutting member to assist in threading a severed free end of the cord through the passageway to the applicator assembly.

Historically, the pneumatic tire has been fabricated as a laminate structure of generally toroidal shape having beads, a tread, belt reinforcement, and a carcass. The tire is made of rubber, fabric, and steel. The manufacturing technologies employed for the most part involved assembling the many tire components from flat strips or sheets of material. Each component is placed on a building drum and cut to length such that the ends of the component meet or overlap creating a splice.
In the first stage of assembly the prior art carcass will normally include one or more plies, and a pair of sidewalls, a pair of apexes, an innerliner (for a tubeless tire), a pair of chafers and perhaps a pair of gum shoulder strips. Annular bead cores can be added during this first stage of tire building and the plies can be turned around the bead cores to form the ply turnups. Additional components may be used or even replace some of those mentioned above.
This intermediate article of manufacture would be cylindrically formed at this point in the first stage of assembly. The cylindrical carcass is then expanded into a toroidal shape after completion of the first stage of tire building. Reinforcing belts and the tread are added to this intermediate article during a second stage of tire manufacture, which can occur using the same building drum or work station.
This form of manufacturing a tire from flat components that are then formed toroidially limits the ability of the tire to be produced in a most uniform fashion. As a result, an improved method and apparatus has been proposed, the method involving applying an elastomeric layer on a toroidal surface and placing and stitching one or more cords in continuous lengths onto the elastomeric layer in predetermined cord paths. The method further includes dispensing the one or more cords from spools and guiding the cord in a predetermined path as the cord is being dispensed. Preferably, each cord, pre-coated with rubber or not so coated, is held against the elastomeric layer after the cord is placed and stitched and then indexing the cord path to a next circumferential location forming a loop end by reversing the direction of the cord and releasing the held cord after the loop end is formed and the cord path direction is reversed. Preferably, the indexing of the toroidal surface establishes the cord pitch uniformly in discrete angular spacing at specific diameters.
The above method is performed using an apparatus for forming an annular toroidially shaped cord reinforced ply which has a toroidal mandrel, a cord dispenser, a device to guide the dispensed cords along predetermined paths, a device to place an elastomeric layer on the toroidal mandrel, a device to stitch the cords onto the elastomeric layer, and a device to hold the cords while loop ends are formed. The device to stitch the cords onto the elastomeric layer includes a bi-directional tooling head mounted to a tooling arm. A pair of roller members is mounted side by side at a remote end of the tooling head and defining a cord exiting opening therebetween. The arm moves the head across the curvature of a tire carcass built on a drum or core while the cord is fed through the exit opening between the rollers. The rollers stitch the cord against the annular surface as the cord is laid back and forth across the surface, the first roller engaging the cord along a first directional path and the second roller engaging the cord in a reversed opposite second directional path.
The toroidal mandrel is preferably rotatable about its axis and a means for rotating is provided which permits the mandrel to index circumferentially as the cord is placed in a predetermined cord path. The guide device preferably includes a multi axis robotic computer controlled system and a ply mechanism to permit the cord path to follow the contour of the mandrel including the concave and convex profiles.
The aforementioned proposed apparatus and method generally work well. However, challenges remain the in apparatus in providing an efficient, reliable, and cost effective cutting mechanism for severing cord as necessary during the application of the cord to the toroidal mandrel. An efficient and reliable mechanism can help ensure that the cord may be quickly and reliably severed at the end of a cord ply application or during the application of the cord ply as necessitated by the cord pattern. A suitable cutting mechanism should require a minimal cycle time; operate predictably and reliably, and operate without disrupting or interfering with the operation of other cord application apparatus.

Cord cutting mechanism and method for a tire cord applicator head


Apparatus for heating, disinfecting and sterilizing materials through exposure to microwave radiation; includes a treatment chamber which houses a container filled with material to be treated. An injector is in fluid communication with the container for introducing a liquid to the material and includes a dome which is tightly placed on top of the container, and a nozzle which is secured interiorly of the dome and projects through an opening of the container for injecting liquid into the treatment chamber. An exhaust conduit further projects into the dome for discharge of exhaust fluid from within the container directly to an area outside of the treatment chamber.

The present invention refers to an apparatus for heating, disinfecting and sterilizing materials by exposing the material to microwave radiation in a treatment chamber in which a container receiving the material is placed.
A microwave apparatus of this type is typically used for heating, disinfecting and sterilizing various materials such as refuse from hospitals, kitchen garbage etc., and is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,674. The microwave apparatus includes a container which is placed in a treatment chamber and is closed by a lid formed with a central opening for receiving an injector that introduces liquid, for example water, optionally mixed with additives, to the material in the container. The injector is further equipped with a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor. Steam generated in the container escapes into the treatment chamber and is then discharged to the outside. The entry of exhaust into the treatment chamber is disadvantageous because the microwave apparatus is unable to react instantly to a presence of vapor and/or smoke accumulating in the treatment chamber before being discharged.

Microwave apparatus for heating, disinfecting and sterilizing materials


Methods and kits are provided for determining whether a subject is at risk of developing a neurological disease such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. The methods and kits are based on the detection of one or more nucleic acid variants in the MBL gene of the subject.

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is a plasma collectin (protein with both collagen-like and C-type lectin domains) synthesised by hepatocytes and secreted into the blood stream. MBL is thought to have an important role in the innate immune system via the MBL pathway of complement activation. MBL is a multimeric molecule that can bind to a wide variety of bacteria and other microbes, neutralising them and/or opsonizing them by activating complement using the lectin pathway of complement activation. MBL binds to repeating mannose and N-acetylglucosamine sugar motifs characteristically displayed in high density on bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa but not on mammalian cells (Minchinton et al., 2002). It has been suggested that MBL plays an important role in the first hours/days of any primary immune response to a sugar-decorated pathogen. This provides the host with a first-line of defence before the adaptive immune system becomes operative. In addition, in humans MBL may be particularly important between 6 and 18 months of age when the adaptive system is still immature.
The human collectin genes are all located in a cluster on chromosome 10 (q21-24) (Hansen and Holmskov, 1998). There are two human MBL genes, MBL-1 a pseudogene and MBL-2 which encodes a protein product. MBL-2 comprises four exons with exon 1 (FIGURE) encoding a signal peptide, a cysteine-rich region and part of the glycine-rich collagenous region. Exon 2 encodes the remainder of the collagenous region and exon 3 encodes an a-helical coiled-coil structure that is known as the 'neck' region. The fourth exon encodes the carbohydrate-recognition domain that adopts a globular configuration.
MBL deficiency has been reported in many different populations and is largely explained by three structural and three promoter mutations. The structural mutations occur at high frequency (generally 15% or greater cumulative allele frequency in most population studies) and are single base changes in codons 52, 54 and 57 of exon 1 (nucleotides +154, +161 and +170 respectively). The changes are: Arg-52 to Cys (R52C, MBL D variant), Gly-54 to Asp (G54D, MBL B variant) and Gly-57 to Glu (G57E, MBL C variant). The A variant is wild-type MBL and O refers to all the variants combined (Madsen et al., 1994; 1995). The B and C variants have disrupted Gly-Xaa1-Xaa2 repeats of the collagenous region resulting in an altered capacity to form the collagen triple helix. The D variant introduces an additional cysteine residue and so may disrupt oligomer formation by generation of additional disulphide bands. The B variant mutation occurs in 22-28% of Eurasian populations, whereas the C variant mutation is characteristic of sub-Saharan African populations in whom it reaches frequencies of 50-60%. The D mutation reaches frequencies of 14% in European populations but can be much lower elsewhere.
In addition to the above structural gene mutations, several polymorphisms have been described in the promoter region and the 5′ UTR of the MBL gene (Madsen et al., 1995). These are the H/L, Y/X and P/Q loci at positions −550, −221 and +4 respectively of the MBL gene. The three loci are closely linked and four promoter haplotypes (LXP, LYP, LYQ and HYP) are commonly found.
Due to linkage disequilibrium, only seven haplotypes: HYPA, LYPA, LYQA, LXPA, LYPB, LYQC, and HYPD are commonly found (Minchinton et al, 2002). Two other very rare haplotypes have been described: HXPA in three African-American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (Sullivan et al., 1996) and LYPD recently found in an Euro-Brazilian individual (Boldt and Petzl-Erler, 2002).
The concentration of MBL2 in serum is highly variable between healthy individuals. This variation is highly genetically determined by the presence of promoter, 5′ UTR and exon 1 polymorphisms. Previous studies have indicated that the three structural variants B, C, and D and some of the promoter haplotypes have a dominant effect on the MBL concentrations in serum. Genotypes made up of combinations of seven haplotypes are mainly responsible for a 1000-fold concentration variation found in healthy human beings. All three exon 1 variants are associated with significantly decreased MBL levels compared with homozygotes of the wild-type gene. For example, the relatively common A/B heterozygotes generally have around a tenth of the MBL concentration found in A/A individuals, while B/B homozygotes or compound variant heterozygotes (B/C, etc.) typically possess MBL levels around the limit of detection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. These variant structural alterations cause a disruption in initiating the collagen formation as. such, preventing proper trimer formation resulting in a non-functional MBL2 peptide. These structural abnormal peptide chains are shown to render MBL more susceptible to matrix metalloproteinase proteolysis resulting in diminished MBL2 measurable in serum. The dimorphic H/L and Y/X loci allow modulation at the transcriptional level, with associated production H>L and Y>X (Kilpatrick, 2002a). It has been well established that high MBL2 producing haplotypes are HYP, followed by LYQ and LYP, whereas the LXP haplotype is associated with the lowest level of serum MBL2. The LX promoter is shown to have an influence on the MBL2 level similar to that found in individuals with the B structural gene variant (Steffensen et al., 2000).
Several studies have shown that deficiency of soluble MBL2 in the bloodstream increases the overall susceptibility of an individual to infection and may constitute a significant risk factor when immunity is co-compromised. Several independent reports have shown that low MBL2 concentrations are involved in recurrent infections, especially in children and immunocompromised individuals such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Furthermore, MBL2 can affect the course of autoimmune diseases, cystic fibrosis, and is possibly implicated in recurrent miscarriage. The role of MBL2 in immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has attracted much attention and has resulted in somewhat conflicting findings. The role of MBL2 in relation to viral hepatitis is also under debate. In general, chronic infection with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus was generally associated with lowered MBL (Kilpatrick, 2002a).
In contrast, there is evidence that for some intracellular parasites such as Leishmania, MBL deficiency may be protective and this might explain the high frequency of MBL mutations in sub-Saharan Africa and South America.
Increasingly, there is evidence that the association between MBL levels and disease is complex. A number of publications have now appeared which suggest that MBL is also able to modulate disease severity in both infectious and autoimmune disease (Turner, 2003). The mechanism whereby MBL exerts such effects is unclear but one possibility is through a dose-dependent modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Lanzrein et al. (1998) observed a lowered level of MBL2 in the CSF of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients compared to control subjects. Since the serum levels of MBL2 were not changed in the same patients, this reduction of MBL2 in CSF appears to be linked to a higher degree of MBL consumption connected with complement activation in AD patients. Sofar, no genetic association studies with MBL have been reported in AD or other neurological diseases.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related, progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by irreversible cognitive and physical deterioration. The incidence of AD increases with age, affecting 1 out of 10 persons older than age 65 and nearly 1 out of 2 persons older than age 85. Overall, the natural history of the disease can be characterised as an irreversibly progressive brain disorder that ultimately results in devastating memory loss, profound behavioural and personality changes, and severely damaged cognitive abilities. These impairments are related to the underlying death of brain cells and the breakdown of communication between them. In view of the large expenses for health care systems that must provide institutional and ancillary care for the AD patients, the impact of AD on society and on national economies is enormous.
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated several known or potential risk factors in AD, including advanced chronological age, female gender, low education level and positive family history of dementia (Alloul et al., 1998; Katzmann and Fox, 1999; Radebaugh et al., 1999; Launer et al., 1999). Of the different genetic markers identified, the most important risk factor to date is Apolipoprotein E (Apo E). The ε4 allele is recognised as a susceptibility gene for early-and late-onset familial AD as well as for sporadic AD (Corder et al., 1993; Tsai et al., 1994; Roses, 1996; Higgins et al., 1997). More recently, other polymorphisms in the promoter region of the Apo E gene have been found to be associated with AD (Mui et al., 1996; Artiga et al., 1998; Lambert et al., 1998a; b). In autosomal dominant early-onset AD, mutations in 3 additional genes have been identified, the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PSEN1), and presenilin 2 (PSEN2) genes (Campion et al., 1999; Finckh et al., 2000). The presenilin-1 (PSEN1) genotype and a CYP46 polymorphism have also been associated with a higher risk of late-onset sporadic AD (Wragg et al., 1996; Papassotiropoulos et al., 2003). The relative contribution of APP, PSEN and CYP46 mutations is, however, the subject of considerable controversy and the involvement of other genetic factors is suggested.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Predominantly, it is a disease of the white matter tissue. In people affected by MS, patches of damage called plaques or lesions appear in seemingly random areas of the CNS white matter. At the site of a lesion, a nerve insulating material, called myelin is lost (i.e. demyelination). People with MS can experience partial or complete loss of any function that is controlled by, or passes through, the brain or spinal cord.
The most obvious risk factor for MS is gender (female sex). In all studies, MS affects women more than men. Other risk factors include ethnicity (MS is most common in Caucasian people of northern European origin and extremely rare among Asians, Africans and Native Americans) and family history. People who have relatives with MS are more likely to develop the disease than people with no family history of MS. It seems clear from various population studies that there is a genetic susceptibility involved in contracting the disease.
Several other neurological disease have been associated with certain genetic risk factors. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), for example, is an illness that presents with progressive dementia or psychosis. Parkinsonian signs, which may be absent or mild at the onset, eventually become common and rigidity is usually severe. Lewy bodies are found profusely in the brainstem, basal forebrain, hypothalamic nuclei and neocortex. Dementia with Lewy bodies is characterized by the relative absence of tangles and hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a type of Lewy Body disease occurring in the middle or late life, with very gradual progression and a prolonged course. It can be considered as an example of neuronal system disease, involving mainly the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Elevated frequencies of the common CYP2D6 mutant allele, CYP2D6B, have been found among PD patients compared to controls, with an approximate doubling of risk for subjects homozygous or heterozygous for this allele (Armstrong et al., 1992; Stefanovic et al., 2000). Several other genetic markers have been variably associated with PD such as glucocerebrosidase ( Lwin et al., 2004), monoamine oxidase A (Hotamisligil et al., 1994; Nanko et al., 1996), monoamine oxidase B (Kurth et al., 1993; Costa et al., 1997), dopamine receptors and transporters (Nanko et al., 1994; Le Couteur et al., 1997; Plante-Bordeneuve et al., 1997), and catechol-O-methyl transferase (Hoda et al., 1996). Despite these different associations of genetic risk factors with certain neurological diseases, there is a continuous search toward more accurate genetic markers that provide a reliable prediction of the risk to develop a neurological disease.

Method for determining the risk of developing a neurological disease


A fuel cell plate having a first plate having an inlet aperture and a second plate disposed against the first forming a conduit. The conduit has a continuous seam formed between the first plate and the second plate to facilitate a transport of water to the outlet aperture. The plates can include various indentations and protuberances that form portions of the conduit. The fuel cell plate is well suited for use in a vehicle fuel cell stack for reducing water retention in a fuel cell without increasing the number of required components and fabrication cost of the fuel cell plate.

Fuel cell power systems convert a fuel and an oxidant to electricity. One type of fuel cell power system employs a proton exchange membrane (hereinafter "PEM") to catalytically facilitate reaction of the fuel (such as hydrogen) and the oxidant (such as air or oxygen) to generate electricity. Water is a byproduct of the electrochemical reaction. The PEM is a solid polymer electrolyte that facilitates transfer of protons from an anode electrode to a cathode electrode in each individual fuel cell of a stack of fuel cells normally deployed in a fuel cell power system.
In the typical fuel cell stack, the individual fuel cells have fuel cell plates with channels, through which various reactants and cooling fluids flow. Fuel cell plates may be unipolar, for example. A bipolar plate may be formed by combining a plurality of unipolar plates. Movement of water from the channels to an outlet header and through a tunnel region formed by the fuel cell plates is caused by the flow of the reactants through the fuel cell assembly. Boundary layer shear forces and the reactant pressure aid in transporting the water through the channels and the tunnel region until the water exits the fuel cell through the outlet header.
A membrane-electrolyte-assembly (MEA) is disposed between successive plates to facilitate the electrochemical reaction. The MEA includes the anode electrode, the cathode electrode, and an electrolyte membrane disposed therebetween. Porous diffusion media (DM) are positioned on both sides of the MEA, facilitating delivery of reactants, typically hydrogen and oxygen from air, for an electrochemical fuel cell reaction.
Water must not be allowed to accumulate within the tunnel regions of the fuel cell because of a resulting poor performance of the fuel cell. Water accumulation causes reactant flow maldistribution in individual fuel cell plates and within the fuel cell stack. Additionally, water remaining in a fuel cell after operation may solidify in sub-freezing temperatures, creating difficulties when the fuel cell needs to be restarted. Prior solutions for effectively removing water from a fuel cell have led to increased manufacturing costs and the use of additional components.
Numerous techniques have been employed to remove water from the tunnel regions of the fuel cell. These techniques include pressurized purging, gravity flow, and evaporation. A pressurized gas purge at shutdown may be used to effectively remove water from the tunnel regions of fuel cells. Conversely, this purge increases required shutdown time of the stack and wastes fuel. Positioning of the stack appropriately may allow gravitational forces to remove water from the tunnel regions. Gravitational removal of water may be limited to tunnels having at least a certain diameter. Capillary forces of the conduit and corner wetting by the well known Concus-Finn condition militate against gravitational removal of water. Water removal by evaporation is an insufficient technique as well. Evaporation may require costly heaters and may lead to an undesirable drying of the electrolyte membrane. A dry fuel cell stack militates against proton conduction and prompt starting.
The use of water transport structures and surface coatings are two methods that also allow the tunnel region of a fuel cell plate to transport water into a header region of the fuel cell stack.
Water transport structures, typically in the form of hydrophilic or hydrophobic foam, may be incorporated within the bipolar plate. Water transport structures may be disposed between an active region of the fuel cell and the outlet header. Water transport structures improve removal of liquid water from a fuel cell through a capillary action. While beneficial to the operation and a restart time of the fuel cell, adding water transport structures to the fuel cell stack increases the number of components required to form the bipolar plate. Fabrication and assembly costs of the fuel cell stack subsequently increase when components are added.
Surface coatings may also be used to facilitate a removal of water from the fuel cell. Hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface coatings may be used to increase or decrease the surface contact angle of the bipolar plate, aiding the ability of reactant boundary layer shear forces and pressure to remove water from within the fuel cell. Hydrophobic surface coatings may also be used to militate against a film of water from forming. Coating precursors may be applied to the bipolar plate by spraying, dipping, or brushing, and formed into a hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface coating by secondary operations. Alternately, the coatings may be directly applied. While being less complex and expensive than water transport structures, surface coatings increase the fabrication costs of the bipolar plate.
There is a continuing need for a cost effective fuel cell plate that facilitates a transport of water through the tunnel region of a fuel cell that is inexpensive, minimizes the number of required components, and simplifies plate manufacture.

Bipolar plate with features for mitigation of exit water retention


For distributing the flux density of an input light flow (11), this input light flow is split-up in at least two light flows (12, 13) comprising different cross-sectional parts of the input light flow (11), and an output light flow (15) is output to which two partial flows each comprising a flux density fraction of at least one of the light flows (12, 13) are superimposed in one direction by means of a partial reflection at a partially reflecting optical surface (9). Additionally, at least one further output light flow (17) is output to which two further partial flows each comprising further flux density fractions of the same light flows (12, 13) as in case of the first output light flow (15) are superimposed in a further direction by means of the same partial reflection at the partially reflecting optical surface (9).

A method and an apparatus for distributing the flux density of an input light flow are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,711. Here, an input light flow having a Gaussian distribution of its flux density over its cross-section is split-up into three light flows by means of two fully reflecting optical surfaces and along two splitting planes running in parallel to the optical axis of the input light flow and in parallel to each other splitting planes, each of the fully reflecting optical surfaces deflecting the light flow by a 90° whereas the central light flow passes between these two fully-reflection optical surfaces without deflection. The two deflected light flows are then coaxially superimposed with the not deflected light flow by means of two beam dividers. At the partially reflecting optical surface of each beam divider, the transmitted fraction of the flux density of the non-deflected light flow is superimposed with the reflected fraction of the flux density of the deflected light flow. The output light flow thus comprises partial flows of all three light flows. Prior to their combination with the not deflected light flow each of the deflected light flows is reflected four times, so that the deflected light flows are finally only shifted sideways, but are not inverted with regard to the not deflected light flow. By means of coaxially superimposing the light flows, the flux density of the input light flow is re-distributed in a sense of homogenizing the flux density distribution of the output light flow. The light flow loss caused by execution of this known method is comparatively high, as at each beam divider employed for the integration of two light flows some partial flows of both mentioned above light flows are lost. Actually, these are the flux density fractions of the not deflected light flow reflected by the partially reflecting optical surface, and the transmitted flux density fractions of the deflected light flows.
From German Patent DE 197 24 060 C2 both a method and an apparatus for distributing the flux density of an input light flow are known, by which it is intended to homogenize a Gaussian distribution of the flux density of a laser beam. To this end, the input light flow of the laser beam is split by a beam divider into two partial flows each of which comprises a flux density fraction from the total cross-sectional area of the input light flow. The partial flow reflected by the partially reflecting optical surface of the beam divider is converted by means of reflective and also refractive optical elements, as appropriate: at first, it is split-up into two light flows, next, each light flow is inverted by reflection, and then the inverted light flows are assembled again side-by-side. The reflected partial flow converted in this way and the not reflected partial flow are superimposed at the rear side of the same beam divider which divided the input light flow into the partial flows. As the converted partial flow exhibits a minimum in the area of the beam center, whereas the transmitted partial flow exhibits the Gaussian distribution of the flux density with a maximum in the area of the beam center, the superposition results in an output light flow homogenized regarding its flux density distribution. However, the loss of light flow is rather large also in this case because the beam divider, superimposing the converted partial flow with the transmitted partial flow, lets a flux density fraction of the converted partial flow pass through, which comes out of use.
A beam dividing apparatus which splits-up an input light flow into a number of light flows and which aligns these light flows in parallel to each other by means of partially reflecting and fully reflecting optical surfaces on transparent, plane-parallel plates arranged in parallel to each other to produce an output light flow having a broadened cross-section is known from German Patent DE 36 45 001 C2.
A beam splitter assembly comprising a transparent plane-parallel plate provided with partially reflecting and fully reflecting optical surfaces in different partial areas is also known from the German Patent Application DE 199 58 555 A1.
A beam divider whose partially reflecting surface comprises an array of a plurality of fully reflecting and fully transparent micro areas arranged side-by-side is known from Gottfried Schröder, Technische Optik, 8. Edition, Vogel Buchverlag, p. 43.
It is known from Y. Kawamura et al.: "A simple optical device for generating square flat-top intensity irradiation from a Gaussian laser beam", Optics Communications, Vol. 48, No. 1, p. 44 ff. to use a prism system for splitting-up an input light flow having a Gaussian distribution of the flux density over its cross-section into four light flows and for simultaneously aligning it in such a way that the cross-sections of the light flows are overlapping. There, where the cross-sections of the light flows are overlapping, the flux density distribution over the integral cross-section is comparatively homogeneous. The light flows, which are combined into the output light flow, are, however, not aligned coaxially here but in diverse directions. Thus, the combined output light flow is strongly divergent, and it exhibits no homogenization of its flux density except of the area in which the cross-sections of the light flows actually overlap.
Thus, there is a need for a method and an apparatus for distributing the flux density of an input light flow, in which losses of the light flow are considerable reduced, and in which a desired distribution of the flux density is nevertheless achieved not only in the area of a single plane, and in which the divergence of the output light flow is not increased to a relevant extent.

Method and apparatus for distributing the flux density of a light flow


A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘DASYTTEN’ characterized by ray floret color (fully opened): upper side: near base, green-yellow, RHS 1B transitioning to yellow-orange, RHS 17C; capitulum (composite flower head): 8 cm in diameter, with a large number of ray florets (about 110 to 140); foliage: mature leaves are up to 7 cm in length, mostly compound, with 3 to 5 elliptic leaflets; and plant vigor and growth habit: vigorous, grows upright and is cylindrical in shape.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia sp. of the Compositae (Asteraceae) family, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'DASYTTEN'.
The new Dahlia cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Rune Harboe Nielsen, in Fyn, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Dahlia variety with an upright, strong and healthy growth habit, suitable for large scale container production; fully double flowers creating globular-shaped flower head (composite flower heads with many ray florets).
The new Dahlia cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program by the inventor in 2004 in Fyn, Odense, Denmark. The female or seed parent is the Dahlia Cav. designated '01.1076F Toluca' (unpatented). The male or pollen parent is the Dahlia hortensis Guillaumin designated '03.1181N' (unpatented). The new Dahlia 'DASYTTEN' was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in July of 2004 in a controlled environment in Fyn, Denmark.
Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia cultivar by vegetative cuttings was first performed in February of 2005 in Fyn, Denmark, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.


Long-side length a1 to a5 of rectangular waveguide tubes in a long-side direction (magnetic field direction) become greater, the shorter a line length is (the closer a rectangular waveguide tube is to the center). ai and Li are set such that line lengths L1 to L5 of each rectangular waveguide tube is Li=mλgi (i=1 to 5, and m is a positive integer number), with guide wavelengths of each rectangular waveguide tube, determined by the length a1 to a5, as λg1 to λg5. Hence, the line length Li of each rectangular waveguide tube can be arbitrarily set, while maintaining a phase relationship between high frequency signals transmitted by each rectangular waveguide tube. When a difference in line lengths between rectangular waveguide tubes is set to be shorter, the degree of freedom in arrangement of the rectangular waveguide tubes can be improved while suppressing the degradation of propagation characteristics caused by temperature change.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high frequency device including a plurality of rectangular waveguide tubes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a high frequency device has been known which transmits high frequency signals using rectangular waveguide tubes. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2004-221718, a high frequency device that performs transmission of high frequency signals is disclosed in which two metal plates are joined and a plurality of rectangular waveguide tubes are formed on the joint surface. In this type of high frequency device, when a phase relationship is required to be maintained between the high frequency signals to be transmitted, the rectangular waveguide tubes are arranged such that line lengths of the rectangular waveguide tubes are equal or the line lengths differ only by an integral multiple of a guide wavelength.
However, in either case, because the line lengths are designed in a fixed manner, the rectangular waveguide tubes cannot be freely designed. Moreover, transmission loss is unnecessarily increased particularly when lines are arranged such that the line lengths are equal, because the line lengths are set to the longest line length.
On the other hand, when the lines are arranged such that the line lengths differ only by an integral multiple of the guide wavelength, variations in loss increase between channels, and degradation of propagation characteristics increases because the line lengths differ due to temperature change.
In other words, when the line lengths of two rectangular waveguide tubes differ, the rectangular waveguide tube with the longer line length is more affected by temperature change. As a result, the phase relationship between high frequency signals differs at an input terminal and an output terminal of the rectangular waveguide tube, thereby degrading the propagation characteristics.

Plural rectangular waveguides having longer cross-sectional lengths based on shorter waveguide line lengths


A system and method for controlling an amount of force supplied by a motor to move an object from an at-rest position is presented. The system comprises a motor controller configured to provide a motor control signal to control the amount of force supplied by the motor, and a position sensor configured to detect an actual position of the object being moved by the motor and to send an actual position signal to the motor controller. The motor control signal supplied by the motor controller controls the motor such that the motor supplies a cubic increase in force on the object to move the object from its at-rest position. The motor controller comprises a profile generator, configured to provide an acceleration profile, a velocity profile and a position profile, and to output a drive signal in response to the position profile, wherein the position profile represents a desired position of the object as a function of time. The position profile is a cubic profile as a function of time. The motor controller further comprises a summer to generate an error signal based on the difference between the desired position and the actual position. The motor controller also includes a compensator to generate the motor control signal in response to the error signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to motor controllers, and more specifically to a motor controller for controlling the amount of force applied by a motor to move an object from an at-rest position.
2. Related All
Magnetic tape drives are commonplace in today's computer industry. These tape drives are used to store digital information onto magnetic tapes and to subsequently read the stored information. Two examples of a magnetic tape drive are the IBM 3480 tape drive available from International Business Machines in Armonk, N.Y. and the StorageTek 4480 tape drive available from Storage Technology Corporation in Louisville, Colo.
Magnetic tapes are typically available in two common formats: the cassette and the cartridge. The cassette tape is a two-reel mechanism that includes a supply reel and a take-up reel. Cassette tape drives thread the magnetic tape along a transport path, past one or more magnetic transducer heads, and then transport the tape such that it travels along the transport path. The tape is taken from the supply reel and wound onto the take-up reel. For tape drives capable of operating in a forward and reverse direction, the take-up reel and the supply reel exchange functions when the direction
For cartridge tapes, the take-up reel is external to the tape cartridge and is typically provided internal to the tape drive. When a cartridge is inserted into a tape drive, it is threaded along the transport path. The threading is accomplished as follows: an extractor arm "grasps" a leader block at the free end of the tape. The extractor arm pulls the tape by the leader block along the transport path past one or more transducer heads, idler arms, capstans, and the like. The tape is then fastened around the take-up reel. Once this is accomplished, the tape can be transported along the transport path and read/write operations can take place. A thread motor is used to drive the extractor arm. Depending on the tape drive utilized, the tape transport path may be an irregular path.
Thus, leader block transport can be discussed in terms of three phases. First is the initial phase of leader block extraction during which the leader block is pulled from an at-rest position such that the tape begins to spool from the supply reel. Second is the threading phase, during which the tape is threaded along the transport path. Finally, there is the transport phase, during which the tape is moved along the transport path across the tape heads.
Conventional tape transport systems are implemented such that the leader block is extracted by applying a pulse of current to the thread motor sufficient to overcome the static forces of friction. This pulse of current results in a constant acceleration profile versus time. The inventor has discovered that this conventional method "jerks" the leader block from the cartridge, thereby causing violent reactions in the tape. Problems encountered include stretched and ripped tape, tape oscillations resulting in normal forces along the tape, and tape overshoot.
What is needed is a tape threading mechanism that does not "jerk" the tape out of the cartridge housing during the extraction phase, but instead provides a smooth extraction. However, an additional challenge is that this smooth extraction must be performed in such a manner as to optimize the time required to thread the tape. Faster threading times reduce latencies associated with access to data stored on tape cartridges.

System and method for magnetic tape leader block extraction


An apparatus and method is described for performing texture-decoding within a video decoder processing a series of macroblocks within a video bit-stream. The inventive texture decoding is particularly well suited for implementation within decoders incorporating multiple processors. The method separates data independent operations from data dependent (sequential) operations wherein multiprocessing may be efficiently utilized for processing data independent macroblocks. The method preferably makes an assumption as to prediction direction within the set of data dependent operations. A prediction determination is then made and the assumption corrected if necessary with a transposition within the data independent operations operating on the macroblocks. The method reduces the computational overhead and provides for efficiently segmenting operations within a multiprocessing decoder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to video decoding, and more particularly to a method of performing decoding operations that are particularly well-suited for use in multiprocessor environments.
2. Description of the Background Art
A number of formats are currently available within which video may be encoded. One such format is the MPEG-4 video coding standard which has been established to support object-oriented coding mechanisms. MPEG-4 is generally considered a highly promising video coding standard for a number of video applications. The promise of MPEG-4 is at least partially the result of the numerous tools which are currently being made available for MPEG-4 coding. In addition to providing an object-oriented coding scheme, a high coding efficiency can be achieved utilizing MPEG-4 with respect to encoded bit-rate and video quality. The efficiency of MPEG-4 is primarily the result of incorporating advanced coding schemes which have been lacking within other video coding standards, such as MPEG-1 and MPEG-2. It should, however, be recognized that the use of these advanced encoding techniques complicates the decoding process within MPEG-4, and formats of a similar architecture, thereby complicating the implementation of decoders which operate on these video bit-streams in real time.
Recently, industry resources have been increasingly directed at designing fast decoders, such as for MPEG-4, which may be utilized to provide real-time decoding within a number of applications. These efforts, however, have been largely directed at decoders which integrate a single fast processing element, or a pair of fast processing elements, and have not addressed solving the problem in response to the use of decoders which integrate an arbitrary number of lower cost processors.
Coefficients utilized within the MPEG4 format are encoded utilizing DC and AC predictions which often reference information from previously encoded macroblocks. It will be appreciated therefore that decoding of these macroblocks requires accessing information about other, temporally displaced, macroblocks. Motion vectors are also predicted from the motion vectors of adjacent macroblocks in similar ways. Due to such predictions, the decoding of a macroblock requires access to the information from previously decoded macroblocks. This requirement implies that the decoding of macroblocks within the incoming bit-stream must be performed sequentially from the first macroblock to the last macroblock which is directed at the video object plane (VOP). Conventional decoders are generally constrained to this sequential macroblock processing paradigm.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a decoder implemented for an MPEG-4 bit-stream in which decoding operations are performed on a block-by-block basis. Header and data information is first decoded through variable length decoding (VLD) from within the encoded MPEG-4 bit-stream, and then a prediction direction is determined (PDD) for use by subsequent operations. The data is then typically subject to inverse scanning (IS), inverse DC prediction (IDCP), inverse AC prediction (IACP), inverse quantization (IQ), inverse discrete-transform (IDCT), and finally, motion compensation in association with the video object plane (VOP). As a result of the dependence on prediction direction, it would be difficult to separate the decoding operations for execution on multiple processors to expedite the decoding process.
It will be appreciated that during decoding, the inverse-scanning (IS) process converts the decoded one-dimensional array into a two-dimensional array for further processing. The syntax of the MPEG-4 bit-stream provides at least three different inverse-scanning methods, specifically: zigzag_scan, alternate_horizontal_scan, and alternate_vertical_scan. The bit-stream itself does not include information as to which inverse-scanning method should be chosen. The selection of a proper scanning method should, however, be based on the value of the decoded DC coefficients of the current and neighboring blocks within the decoder. It should also be noted that the prediction direction decision (PDD) must acquire the DC value from previously decoded blocks F[n]. The prediction direction determined by executing PDD is utilized within the inverse DC prediction (IDCP) operation and the inverse AC prediction (IACP) operation. In these two procedures, the previously decoded data, F[n−1] is required in addition to QFA[n−1] which is also utilized.
The design of conventional decoders is constrained by the high-level of data dependency within the encoded bit-stream, which has resulted in the general adoption of a sequential decoding paradigm. This conventional sequential-decoding paradigm, however, is not readily extendable to multiprocessing decoder designs, in particular those which incorporate an arbitrary number of processing elements, such as three or more processors. Decoders have been previously considered which retain this sequential paradigm while employing a pair of processors according to a conventional operation slicing methodology. These slicing methods significantly hinder realizable performance gains, because of the high execution overheads involved in slicing a substantially sequential operation. In attempting to move beyond two processors, the execution overhead increases drastically which substantially limits the effective gains.
The current decoding methods which include prediction direction determination prior to the AC predictions also impact decoding performance, in particular the speed with which inverse AC predictions may be executed. Video bit-streams are often encoded with DC and AC coefficients which are determined in response to DC and AC predictions to provide a high efficiency encoding method. For example, DC and AC coefficients are utilized within INTRA macroblocks within an MPEG4 video bit-stream. On the decoder side, however, the prediction direction must be determined prior to utilizing these DC and AC coefficients within an inverse prediction operation, as is shown in FIG. 1.
A prediction direction, for either DC or AC, is obtained based on a comparison of the horizontal and vertical DC gradients surrounding the block to be decoded. FIG. 2 illustrates a current block X surrounded to the left by a block A, above-left by block B, and above by block C. The inverse-quantized DC values of the previously decoded blocks, represented by F[0][0], are utilized to ascertain the direction of DC and AC prediction as follows:
if (|FA[0][0]−FB[0][0]|<|FB[0][0]−FC[0][0]|)                predict from block C
else                predict from block A
The adaptive DC prediction method involves selection of either the F[0][0] value of the immediately prior block or that of the block immediately above from within the previous row of blocks, in response to the direction as determined above.
if (prediction is from block C)                QFX[0][0]=PQFX[0][0]+FC[0][0]//dc_scalar
else                QFX[0][0]=PQFX[0][0]+FA[0][0]//dc_scalar
In the above relation, the value dc_scalar is obtained by quantization of the step-size, which is independently repeated for every block within the macroblock using the appropriate horizontally proximal block A and vertically proximal block C.
To predict the co-sited AC coefficient of the current block, shown by X, coefficients are utilized from either the first row, or the first column, from a previously coded block. When analyzed on a block basis, the optimum vertical or horizontal direction for DC coefficient prediction is also utilized to select the direction for AC coefficient prediction. It will be appreciated, for instance, that it becomes possible to predict each block independently of previous adjacent vertical and horizontal blocks within the given macroblock. FIG. 3 depicts neighboring blocks and coefficients utilized within an AC prediction.
Therefore, a need exists for a texture decoding method and AC prediction method that may be efficiently applied to multiprocessing decoder system environments. The present invention satisfies that needs, as well as others, and overcomes the deficiencies of previously developed texture decoding methods.

Method of real time MPEG-4 texture decoding for a multiprocessor environment


A mechanism of mediating an encrypted communication channel via a user equipment (UE) relay is described. This includes receiving an indication of a sensitive transaction from an application operating on a UE. The UE relay establishes a downstream encrypted communication channel to the application via a communication port at the UE. The UE relay then receives an end point for the sensitive transaction from the application over the downstream encrypted communication channel. The UE relay can then create an upstream encrypted communication channel to the end point.

Users employ a wide range of devices when communicating across the Internet. Such devices may include complex devices such as smart phones and simple devices. For example, smart phones span from multiple wireless communication interfaces to more advanced processing capabilities while simple devices with Internet communication capability may include a single wireless interface and simplistic processing capabilities. Fifth generation cellular network technology (5G) contemplates providing secure communication mechanisms for an extensive array of such devices. Providing sufficient wireless coverage for such devices creates an initial level of difficulty. Further, providing security to prevent malicious access to networks via the devices with simplistic processing capabilities creates additional challenges.

User equipment relay mediated network channels with blockchain logging


A fixation band for affixing a prosthetic heart valve to tissue, the fixation band comprising: a structure having a proximal end and a distal end in opposition to one another, and a lateral region between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the prosthetic heart valve is attached to one of the proximal end and the distal end of the structure; a plurality of barbs selectively configurable between a first position and a second position, the barbs being contained within a peripheral boundary of the lateral region of the structure in the first position, and the barbs being extended from the peripheral boundary of the lateral region of the structure in the second position; and an actuator for selectively moving the plurality of barbs between the first position and the second position. A fixation band for affixing a prosthetic heart valve to tissue, the fixation band comprising: a proximal annular portion and a distal annular portion selectively positioned relatively to one another, the proximal annular portion and the distal annular portion each having a proximal side and a distal side, the proximal side of the distal annular portion and the distal side of the proximal annular portion being oriented toward one another, and the prosthetic heart valve being attached to one of the distal side of the distal annular portion and the proximal side of the proximal annular portion; a plurality of staples configured between the distal side of the proximal annular portion and the proximal side of the distal annular portion; and a compression device in attachment to the proximal annular portion and the distal annular portion, the compression device being configured to selectively position the proximal annular member and the distal annular member toward one another so as to compress the plurality of staples therebetween and deploy the plurality of staples into tissue so as to affix the prosthetic heart valve to the tissue.

The human heart consists of four chambers: the right atrium for receiving blood from systemic circulation; the right ventricle for receiving blood from the right atrium and pumping it to the lungs; the left atrium for receiving oxygenated blood from the lungs; and the left ventricle for receiving oxygenated blood from the left atrium and pumping it to systemic circulation.
The human heart also consists of four valves: the tricuspid valve located between the right atrium and the right ventricle; the pulmonary valve located at the output of the right ventricle; the mitral valve located between the left atrium and the left ventricle; and the aortic valve located at the output of the left ventricle.
In some circumstances (e.g., a birth defect, disease, etc.) a natural heart valve may need to be replaced by a prosthetic heart valve. In this situation, sometimes referred to as "on pump" surgery, the patient must be placed on a heart-lung machine and the heart stopped while the defective heart valve is removed and the prosthetic heart valve installed through a major incision made in the wall of the heart. The prosthetic heart valve is typically sutured in place at the annulus, or seat, of the natural heart valve using a sewing cuff disposed about the circular periphery of the prosthetic heart valve.
While such surgery is typically successful, it is also highly traumatic to the body and the use of the heart-lung machine may raise issues of subtle mental impairment in the near term following surgery.
In view of the trauma associated with a major heart wall incision and possible subtle mental impairment which may be associated with the use of a heart-lung machine, it has been proposed to effect valve replacement without placing the patient on a heart-lung machine and stopping the heart. See, for example, PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US00/02126, filed Jan. 27, 2000 by Gregory Lambrecht et al. for CARDIAC VALVE PROCEDURE METHODS AND DEVICES, published Aug. 3, 2000 as PCT Patent Publication No. WO 00/44313. This type of surgery is sometimes referred to as "off-pump", or "beating heart", surgery.
It has been recognized that if a heart valve is to be replaced with "off-pump", "beating heart" surgery, the incisions made into the vascular system should be as small as possible. However, this can make it difficult to secure the prosthetic heart valve in place, since the prosthetic heart valve is typically sutured to the annulus, or seat, of the natural heart valve, and since suturing (including knot tying) can be difficult to effect through small incisions. This can be particularly true where the incisions may be made into the vascular system at a location remote from the valve seat, e.g., in the superior vena cava in the case of the tricuspid valve, or in the pulmonary artery in the case of the pulmonary valve, or the pulmonary veins in the case of the mitral valve, or the aorta in the case of the aortic valve.

Fixation band for affixing a prosthetic heart valve to tissue


A position detection system includes: a contactor including a tracing unit that traces and fits with a recess or a protrusion of an object; a slide member; a sliding unit that causes the slide member to slide in two directions; a moving unit that causes the contactor to move in a direction perpendicular to a plane so as to cause the tracing unit of the contactor to trace and fit with the recess or the protrusion of the object; a contactor detecting unit that detects a position of the contactor in the plane; and an object position detecting unit that detects the position of the object based on movement amount of the contactor before and after the slide member slides on the sliding unit to slide, when the tracing unit traces the recess or the protrusion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a position detection system for detecting a position of an object having a recess or a protrusion.
2. Description of Related Art
As disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H05-241626, it has been common practice to determine an accurate position of an object by correcting detection data of the object acquired using a visual sensor or a camera. In Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-251086: an object is detected by a visual sensor provided on a robot; subsequently the visual sensor is moved by the robot; and an identical object is detected by the visual sensor thus moved. Further, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-251086, a determination is made as to whether the result of the detection by the visual sensor relates to an identical object.
However, when the object has a portion such for example as a recess or a protrusion that is difficult to detect by the visual sensor, an erroneous detection tends to occur. This may make it not possible to detect an accurate position of the object, thus lowering the operating efficiency.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a position detection system that is capable of accurately detecting a position of an object, even when the object has a recess or a protrusion.

Position detection system for detecting position of object