A system for and method of use with a downhole tool that includes a tubular with a fluid flow path therethrough for flowing a fluid and a housing coupleable to a downhole portion of the tubular. A fluid-driven motor assembly is included and has a drive shaft rotatable to output rotational drive forces. An electric generator is coupled to the drive shaft to convert the rotational drive forces into electrical power. There is also an electric motor electrically coupled to the electric generator to convert electrical output of the electric generator into a rotational drive force to control the downhole tool. A controller is electrically coupled to the electric motor and the electric generator to conduct electrical power output from the electric motor to the electric generator and dissipate excess energy produced by the electric motor to the fluid-driven motor assembly as hydraulic energy.

Boreholes, which are also referred to as "wellbores" and "drill holes," are created for a variety of purposes, including exploratory drilling for locating underground deposits of different natural resources, mining operations for extracting such deposits, and construction projects for installing underground utilities. A misconception is that all boreholes are vertically aligned with the drilling rig; however, many applications require the drilling of boreholes with vertically deviated and horizontal geometries. A technique employed for drilling horizontal, vertically deviated, and other complex boreholes is directional drilling. Directional drilling is a process of drilling a borehole where at least a portion of the course of the borehole in the earth is in a direction other than strictly vertical—i.e., the axes make an angle with a vertical plane (known as "vertical deviation") and are directed in an azimuth plane.
Directional drilling techniques operate from a drilling device that pushes or steers a series of connected drill pipes with a drill bit at the far end thereof to achieve the desired borehole path. In the exploration and recovery of subsurface hydrocarbon deposits, such as petroleum and natural gas, the directional borehole is typically drilled with a rotatable drill bit that is attached to one end of a bottomhole assembly or "BHA." A steerable BHA can include, for example, a positive displacement motor (PDM) or "mud motor," drill collars, reamers, shocks, and underreaming tools to enlarge the wellbore. A stabilizer may be attached to the BHA to control the bending of the BHA to direct the bit in the desired direction (inclination and azimuth). The BHA, in turn, is attached to the bottom of a tubing assembly, often comprising jointed pipe or relatively flexible "spoolable" tubing, also known as "coiled tubing." This directional drilling system—i.e., the operatively interconnected tubing, drill bit, and BHA—can be referred to as a "drill string." When jointed pipe is utilized in the drill string, the drill bit can be rotated by rotating the jointed pipe from the surface, through the operation of the mud motor contained in the BHA, or both. In contrast, drill strings which employ coiled tubing generally rotate the drill bit via the mud motor in the BHA.
Advances in drilling techniques and technology have produced various types of downhole tools that provide an assortment of enhanced drilling features, such as hole enlargement, steering feedback, torque reduction, BHA monitoring, borehole evaluation, and drag resistance improvement. A few examples of some such downhole tools can include rotary steerable tools, stabilizers, sensor assemblies, agitator tools, reamers, measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tools, etc. On the larger end of the spectrum, some electric motors are used for rotating the drill bit and some for operating downhole pumps to provide forward and reverse circulation of the drilling fluid.
With the installation of downhole tools comes a need for dependable and efficient power sources to drive and regulate electrical components. A variety of mud-driven electrical power generators have been devised for supplying electricity to downhole tools. In some situations, the electrical components of the downhole tools may also produce unwanted electrical energy, such as when an electric motor decelerates, that may need to be dissipated to prevent any damage to electrical components downhole by exceeding the power thresholds of the components. As an example, the excess energy may be dissipated as heat in a network of resistors. However, the resistor network also suffers from having a power threshold and may fail if overloaded by a power surge from the downhole tool.

Systems and methods for recycling excess energy


There are provided a novel microorganism Enterobacter sp. B20 strain which produces (E)-4-(2-isocyanovinyl)phenyl α-rhamnopyranoside having a favorable effect of inhibiting melanogenesis and α-L-rhamnopyranoside produced thereby. This novel microorganism is a gram-negative bacillus isolated from soil and shows motility owing to polar flagellum. The α-L-rhamnopyranoside, which is produced by culturing the microorganism under aerobic conditions at a culture temperature of 10 to 37° C. and at a medium pH of about 5 to 9 usually for about 1 to 7 days, is useful as a highly safe and stable whitening agent.

Pigmentation of skin includes various types such as spots and freckles, as well as pigmentation due to skin diseases such as chloasma. As a possible action mechanism of pigmentation, diffusion and deposition of pigment melanin produced in melanocytes, which are cells present in epidermic cells, due to exposure to sunlight, abnormalities in hormones, and the like can be given in general. Controlling production of enzyme tyrosinase which is the first step of melanogenesis in the melanocytes or directly inhibiting enzyme tyrosinase is important for retardation of melanin pigment production. Kojic acid and arbutin conventionally used are typical agents having this effect. Melanin is produced by enzymatic or nonenzymatic oxidation of dopa or dopa quinone which is produced by the action of enzyme tyrosinase. Inhibiting this reaction is also effective for controlling melanogenesis. Ascorbic acid, hydroquinone, and the like can be given as typical agents for this purpose.
However, these conventional agents do not necessarily exhibit a sufficient effect. Development of a whitening agent exhibiting an excellent melanogenesis inhibitory action and being highly safe as a raw material for a cosmetic composition or an agent for external skin application has been desired.

Microorganism, its product and utilization thereof


A method for dynamically managing wireless channels to minimize channel interference between heterogeneous wireless devices, and transmitting data by effectively using channels, is provided. Interference between heterogeneous wireless networks is avoided in a channel hopping mode, whereby a data transmission success rate of the wireless sensor network is enhanced, thus enhancing reliability of data transmission.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for channel management and data transmission to effectively cope with channel interference in a wireless sensor network system using time division-based channel hopping media access control (MAC).
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, a wireless sensor network system, which is reliable and meets low-latency demand, has been required in industrial sites. In order to meet the low-latency demand, a wireless sensor network system should have the following characteristics. First, in order to enhance reliability, multiple channels should be used to solve channel interference and collision. Second, in order to resolve a phenomenon in which data transmission is delayed between terminating nodes, a time division channel acquiring method, rather than a contention-based channel obtaining method, should be used.
In addition, in order to guarantee reliability in a multi-channel and time division channel acquiring method, the wireless sensor network system should be able to cope with channel interference that may occur in a heterogeneous wireless device included in a wireless sensor network.
However, a degree of interference of a wireless interference signal may be dynamically changed according to data traffic and a physical communication environment, making it difficult to effectively cope with channel interference between heterogeneous wireless devices.

Method for channel management and data transmission in wireless sensor network

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A fast pattern recognition system includes a combination of digital and analog processing circuitry which allows the system to achieve super computing processing speeds within an open personal computer architecture. The system receives a bit map which is representative of the unknown pattern, such as a picture of an unknown person. The bit map could have multiple people in it--no other system has "faces in the crowd" ability. The bit map associated with the unknown pattern is then pre-processed and compared against a plurality of known patterns in a database using a dispersive delay line, to determine how well the unknown pattern correlates with the known patterns.

Pattern recognition is fundamental to every endeavor in which humans are involved. Decisions are constantly being made based upon the appearance of a pattern, and its comparison to a known references. Typical areas where pattern recognition has been employed include: speech recognition, automated inspection systems and character recognition.
With the advent of the digital computer and the associated advances in microelectronics, storing, accessing and processing large amounts of data became much easier, and hence the use of automated pattern recognition systems has grown. However, the power of these systems has not been fully realized due to the problems with their architecture and associated processing techniques. In particular, a problem which has plagued these systems is their limited operational speed, i.e., these systems are limited in the number of comparisons they can perform per second.
Consider, for example, a digital based pattern recognition system such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,204, entitled Apparatus for Generating a Feature Matrix Based on Normalized Out-Class and In-Class Variation Matrices. In this system a feature vector is formed from a digitized unknown pattern, and the feature vector is processed digitally in a neural network to identify the unknown pattern. A problem with this approach is the time that it takes to identify the unknown pattern, primarily due to the processing demands associated with performing a Fourier transformation in a digital system. Special purpose integrated circuits can be used to perform the Fourier transform digitally, but these are expensive and still relatively slow. In addition, neural network pattern recognition systems can not perform "faces in the crowd" identification.
Pattern recognition systems have also employed optical correlators to compare the known and unknown patterns. However, the problems with optical correlators include their complexity, their inflexibility to system changes (i.e., optical components can not easily be changed since the lenses would have to be reground) and their reduced accuracy in comparison to digital systems (assuming of course that the quantization error in the digital system is quite small). In addition, although the actual correlation is very fast once the known and unknown images are presented to the correlator, the speed of the system is constrained by how quickly images of the known and unknown pattern can be exhibited as real images (e.g., on an photographic plate or LCD). The following references disclose pattern recognition systems which utilize optical correlators and are representative of systems plagued by the problems discussed above: 1) "Hybrid Pattern Recognition by Features Extracted from Object Patterns and Fraunhofer Diffraction Pattern" by Takumi Minemoto and Junzo Narano, published in Applied Optics, Vol. 24, No. 18, pg. 2914-2920, Sep. 15, 1995; 2) "Optical Image Processing by an Atomic Vapor", by Ivan Biaggo et al., Nature, Vol. 371, pg. 318-320, Sep. 22, 1994; and 3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,716 entitled "Optical Pattern Recognition Apparatus", by Yasuyuki Mitsuoka et al.
Therefore, there is a need in the field of pattern recognition for a fast pattern recognizer to overcome the problems set forth above.

Fast pattern recognizer utilizing dispersive delay line


An automatic transmission control system for an automobile, comprising a vehicle weight estimation unit which estimates a vehicle weight of the automobile a torque estimation unit which estimates an output torque, an acceleration input unit which accepts an acceleration signal; a load estimation unit (110) which estimates a running load from the estimated vehicle weight, the estimated output torque and the accepted acceleration; a memory which stores a plurality of shift schedules therein; and a gear position determination unit (109) which includes the memory, and which selects one of the shift schedules in accordance with the vehicle weight and the estimated running load, so as to determine a gear position of an automatic transmission of the automobile in conformity with the selected shift schedule. An exact shift operation conformed to the vehicle weight and the running load can be performed, and an enhanced fuel consumption can be attained.

The present invention relates to transmission control systems for automobiles.
A prior-art transmission control system for an automobile is so constructed that a vehicle speed and a throttle valve opening are sensed as electric signals, and that a predetermined shift gear corresponding to the current values of the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening is selected on the basis of a shift pattern which is preset, with the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening as variables. Herein, a plurality of such shift patterns are set beforehand, and one of them is selected by the manipulation of the driver of the automobile.
In another transmission control system, the shift patterns are automatically selected and changed-over in accordance with the driving operation of the driver.
The control of a transmission in the prior art is such that a predetermined gear position corresponding to the current values of a vehicle speed and a throttle valve opening is selected on the basis of a shift pattern which is preset, with the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening as variables.
In addition, the official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 45976/1988 discloses a technique wherein a torque is evaluated from the pressure of an intake pipe, and a transmission gear ratio [(r.p.m. of an internal combustion engine)/(vehicle speed)] is determined from the torque.
These methods have made performing an exact shift operation for the fluctuations of drive conditions difficult, especially for the change of a running load. For example, it is considered that the fuel consumption of the automobile will be enhanced without spoiling the drivability thereof, by upshifting earlier on a flat road or a gentle downward slope rather than on an upward slope. Such a shift operation, however, has heretofore been impossible because of the gear shift based on only the throttle valve opening and the vehicle speed.
Besides, as the vehicle is lightened, it becomes important to perform the shift control so as to correspond to the change of acceleration characteristics dependent upon the weight of the vehicle in the case of a starting acceleration. It is therefore considered possible to enhance the fuel consumption and to perform the exact shift operation corresponding to the drive conditions, in such a way that the running load and the vehicle weight are estimated, and that the shift pattern is changed in accordance with the vehicle weight and the running load in an accelerating mode, while it also is changed in accordance with the running load in a decelerating mode.
Since the shift pattern is determined on the basis of the several typical drive conditions as stated above, the prior-art techniques have been sometimes incapable of the shift operation which reflects the drive conditions exactly. As a result, they have often worsened the fuel consumption.

Automatic automobile transmission with variable shift pattern controlled in response to estimated running load


A file management program, a file management apparatus, and a file management method are provided which are capable of migrating files between different file systems while an application program is being run.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a file management program stored on a computer readable medium, a file management apparatus, and a file management method that manages a file and its namespace during system operation time.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a file management apparatus, a unit of data viewed from an application program is represented as a file. The file is stored in a container called a file system constituted by a plurality of storage device together with hierarchical namespace information so as to be managed. However, at which location in which storage device the file data is to be stored is determined by a file system program in units of the container, making it difficult to control load across the different file systems. For example, assuming that there are a file system A and file system B and the load on the file system B is constantly very low and that on the file system A is constantly very high, it is necessary to select some files in the file system A and migrate them from the file system A to file system B.
As a conventional art related to the present invention, Patent Document 1 (Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 7-219830) is known. A replication facility in the Patent Document 1 replicates a file sub-tree in one computer system to another.
However, in the conventional file management apparatus, data migration cannot be performed in an application transparent manner, so that an operator must perform the following operations by hand, and work must be suspended until the operations have been completed.
1. Terminate application programs that access files on file system A.
2. Manually move necessary files from file system A to file system B.
3. After completion of the file movement, provide a link from file system A to file system B and set such that an access made from an application program to migrated files on file system A is switched to a destination file on file system B.
4. At time point when a sequence of all the above operations has been completed, restart the application program and resume work.
As described above, it has been very difficult to dynamically balance the load among different file systems in the conventional file management system. Therefore, in order to eliminate unbalance of the load between the different file systems in the conventional file management system, the application program must be suspended for a long time period. This is also a problem in a file server called "NAS" (Network Attached Storage) and result in a problem called "NAS Island" that disallow users to manage and utilize all NAS devices that customers hold as a whole.
Further, the same problem occurs when one file system is to be migrated to a new one. Thus, the above problem, including a problem in which data migration cannot be performed without affecting application or data cannot be partially migrated, makes it difficult to deploy a new file system or to alter the configuration of an existing file system.
The essential reason why it is difficult to migrate a part of data on one file system to a different file system partially while an application program is being run, is that adapting to a modification of namespace made during the data migration is difficult. Unless the application is terminated, a modification made by it on a migration source may cause the some portion of files to be overlooked inadvertently.
Further, in case of a file server like NAS, shared among a plurality of servers, it is difficult to predict the order in which namespace update operations issued nearly simultaneously from different servers, arrive at the NAS and, therefore, it is difficult to identify the order in which the namespace update operations are processed. This further makes it difficult to adapt to a change of namespace present during the migration processing.
In order to solve the above problem, there can be employed a method that provide a gateway device between the NAS devices and servers (NAS clients) that access the NAS devices, and allow the gateway device to intercept requests issued from the NAS clients and to route them to the lower layer NAS devices. In this method, however, it is necessary to provide an extra gateway device, resulting in an increase in cost and a "file handle problem" where the number of conversion tables increases consistently, as the gateway device is not informed when the NAS clients discard the old file handles, then they will never be discarded.

File management program, file management apparatus and file management method

Abstract: File information of source files on a source file system is acquired and recorded as a file information event, and information of file operations made for the source files are acquired and recorded as a file operation event. Based on the file information event and file operation event, a namespace replication database is generated in which the namespace of the source files has been replicated logically.


A method and apparatus for aggregating packets in a wireless communication system. The data to be transmitted is selected and packetized and formed into frames for transmission. Rather than send each frame individually, frames are grouped and transmitted with grouping indicia informing the recipients how to acknowledge successful receipt of the transmitted data. ACKs are sent at a predetermined time, or all together, divided by subcarrier in the case of an OFDMA network.

Data transmission is becoming increasingly common, and data is being transferred for more reasons and in more ways than ever before. In the context of the present invention, data are bits of information required to perform a task of some kind in an electronic device. Data transmission refers to the transfer of this information from one device (or component of a device) to another.
Traditionally, computers have stored data, whether input manually by human operators or automatically collected in some fashion, to be able to produce reports, make calculations, or simply to store information for later reference. Data may also be processed to produce more sophisticated presentations—audio, video, or "multi-media"—or to operate mechanical devices through a proper interface.
The reason for wanting to transmit data should be apparent. Data collected in one place, or in many places, may be sent to another location for safekeeping or to perform a task there. Or the data may simply be used for personal communication, as occurs with email. The human voice (and other sounds) can, in fact, be converted into transmittable data as well. Note that while data information and voice information are often treated separately because they impose somewhat different demands on a transmission channel, for purposes of describing the present invention, "data transmission" will be used to describe the sending of any type of information content unless a distinction is explicitly stated or apparent from the context.
The current popularity of data transmission has been promoted by a variety of interconnected phenomena. One factor naturally is the widespread availability of computing devices to the general public. These devices may take the form of personal computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants, and so forth. Correspondingly, the amount of information available for transmission has increased. This includes not only the personal correspondence (such as email) mentioned above, but a wealth of text, graphics, and other types of files that can be requested by a user and returned in a very short period of time. The World Wide Web, in particular, makes a vast quantity of such information available. Finally, as might be expected, this growing use of an increasing amount of information content is supported by a number of communications, networks and systems. These many data transmission channels, along with their respective schemes and protocols, are always evolving in an attempt to provide faster and more reliable means of data communication.
The first communication channels for data transmission were, of course, wires and cables of a conducting material such as copper. Data transmission may occur through a dedicated line, or series of lines, extending from one computing device to another. Connection may also be made via a network such as the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) or, more recently, the Internet, where a circuit for communication may be set up as needed. Ad hoc communication circuits may be established using mechanical switches to connect existing lines. They may also be created logically using routers with software switches determining where certain information should be sent from a number of semi-permanently existing choices. The same principles may be used on a smaller scale, such as between offices of a particular office building, using a local area network (LAN).
Naturally, the data must be converted into a suitable form for transmission—encoded in some fashion recognizable to the intended recipient. There are many methods for doing so. In some systems, the data is organized into discreet units called packets, and each packet is individually transmitted. Each data packet must be separately addressed so that it can be routed to its destination by the most efficient route. Each packet must also contain identifying information so that the packets can be reassembled in the proper order at their destination. This extra information, required for transmission but then discarded, is sometimes referred to as "overhead". Other types of overhead may include error-checking information, used in an error-checking algorithm at the receiver to determine if the packet has been correctly received. System design may include an acceptable error rate, this rate in part defining the quality of service (QoS) of the system. An increase in the acceptable error rate would normally be made to increase transmission speed. Different applications have different QoS requirements. Unsuccessfully transmitted packets may be retransmitted if the transmitting stations become aware of the transmission failure. Depending on the system's design, the receiver may send an acknowledgment message (ACK) to notify the transmitter that the data has been properly received, or send a negative acknowledgment message (NAK) if not. In some systems, both ACK and NAK messages may be used. Delay in the transmission of information is also an important factor in determining QoS. As described below, the present invention is directed at improving both of these QoS parameters.
A communication channel increasing in popularity is the wireless link, which is able to transmit data over an air interface using electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency range. As with other links, these wireless channels are becoming more efficient and therefore more desirable. In addition, of course, a wireless link enables mobility. Sending and receiving stations are not confined to a fixed site or to a site with a wire-based network access. A cellular telephone network is one example of a system that transmits data over a wireless air interface. Note, however, that in such a network the path taken by transmitted data from source to destination is only in part an air interface. Wireless access in cellular networks is only used for subscribers to gain access to the network infrastructure.
Another example of a system using an air interface is a wireless local area network (WLAN). FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating selected components of an exemplary WLAN 10. The WLAN 10 of FIG. 1 includes four stations, enumerated 1 through 4, and an access point 5. Each of the stations is operable to communicate with the access point over one or more radio-frequency links. The transmission channel from the access point 5 to one or more of the stations is typically referred to as the downlink, and transmissions in the other direction the uplink.
Note that in the configuration of FIG. 1, as with the cellular network referred to above, access point 5 is fixed and connected to a larger network, perhaps one that includes other access points. Such an application may be useful, for example, in a university where access points at various physical locations permit students and faculty to establish a network connection using wireless communication.
The set of stations shown in FIG. 1, which may vary in number, is sometimes referred to as a basic service set (BSS) and, including the access point 5, as an infrastructure BSS (If-BSS). A number of If-BSSs may be connected together to form an extended service set (ESS) (not shown). The network may even have the capability of "handing over" communications with a station from one access point to another, so that users may physically relocate during a communication session with little or no interruption. In addition to other If-BSSs, stations in WLAN 10 may also have access to larger central computers and more widespread networks, such as the Internet.
The WLAN of FIG. 1 is only exemplary, of course, and other network configurations are possible. Some networks may be set up on an ad hoc basis and establish communication between a number of nodes without a fixed (or pre-designated) access point. The stations may in some networks be operable to communicate directly with each other as network, and in such cases the access point may be is unnecessary. Such a network may be referred to as an independent BSS (IBSS). Yet another type of network is a mesh network, where various of the communication stations present may in a sense act as routers, allowing two or more stations to communicate (at lower power) through intermediaries rather than directly with each other. The present invention may be applied in any of these networks and the illustrations above are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.
While the wireless air interface provides the advantage of mobility, it presents challenges in terms of increasing capacity without sacrificing QoS. By their nature, radio links may have a greater risk of signal distortion and lost data than a conductive wire or fiber-optic cable.
Nevertheless, as wireless communication grows in popularity, greater demands are being placed on the air interface. New techniques for more efficiently and reliably transmitting data are constantly in demand. The present invention provides such an improvement.

Method and apparatus for packet aggregation in a wireless communication network


A method and apparatus for capturing a sample of flowable material from a closed system inside a receptacle without exposing the sample to the ambient environment. The apparatus includes a housing having an opening at one end for receiving a receptacle and stopper. An end cap is removably mounted to the housing for opening and closing the opening. An inlet is provided in the housing for feeding a cleaning or sterilizing agent or the flowable material to be sampled into an interior of the housing. A clasp is provided to manipulate the receptacle to separate the receptacle and the stopper while the stopper and receptacle are inside of the housing. Once the receptacle and the stopper are separated, the flowable material is fed into the receptacle through the inlet. The clasp is then manipulated to reattach the receptacle and the stopper in order to capture the flowable material. The apparatus is particularly useful in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries as well as the fine chemical, food and beverage industries where accurate, uncontaminated samples of materials from a closed system are desired without contaminating the sample of material or the closed system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for capturing a sample of flowable material from a closed system inside a receptacle without exposing the sample to the ambient environment. The present invention would find broad application in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries as well as the fine chemical, food and beverage industries where obtaining accurate, uncontaminated samples of process flows from closed systems while maintaining the integrity of those systems and/or the sample is important
2. Description of the Background Art
Development of new or more efficient commercialization of existent products requires faster and more effective methods to measure process variables. This is particularly true in processes which require cell culture and fermentation processes conducted in bio-reactors where the accuracy of measurements and research and development are critical for achieving economic production of high purity and highly refined end products.
Some factors which must be controlled include temperature and pressure. These factors are easily measured by utilization standard sensors. However, many other factors can be measured only by removing samples for external laboratory analysis. The frequency of sample extraction for testing and measurement, the number of tests on each sample, and the time constraints on the process vary widely as do the methods and equipment used to obtain the samples.
In most cases, measurement processes for variables do not lend themselves to in-situ measurement by remote sensors directly in the process. Instead, samples must be physically extracted from the processes and examined and manipulated outside the vessel or conduit. Before this examination and manipulation process can be effectively carried out either in a manual or an automated fashion, a safe, effective means of sample extraction must be made available. This sampling process must provide a product that is an accurate sub-sample of the process composition.
Furthermore, since prior art designs do not lend themselves to use in existing systems, substantial modification to the system is required. The apparatus needs to minimize or eliminate the dangers associated with the sampling process in an efficient and cost effective manner, while providing quality, reproducible results in order to be of value for commercial application.
One danger which must be avoided is danger to the operator or environment. When working with samples and especially hazardous samples, it is necessary to remove or feed/inoculate a sample without endangering the integrity of the process, subsequent samples, the operator, or the outside environment. Many prior art devices are unsatisfactory in this area.
Some prior art systems are not automated. Therefore, there is potential danger posed by human procedural errors and operator and environmental exposure. Accordingly, a need exists for an automatable apparatus with a capacity for independent verification of equipment operation built in.
In some cases, the materials being sampled are often expensive. Therefore, excessive removal of a sample should be avoided.
When taking samples, it is often important to maintain an aseptic environment. It is important that contamination from previous sampling or from the environment not contaminate the current sample or the process being sampled. Loss of a sample run or contamination of the process can have extremely expensive ramifications. Therefore, it is important to obtain a sample without the sampling procedure causing contamination.
Many prior art devices permit accumulation or pooling of samples or cleansing medium. When the device is first used it may not create a problem; however, upon subsequent runs, the samples will be contaminated or at least diluted.
The Disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,197, 5,525,301, and 5,786,209 relate to automated sample extractors or feeder/inoculates for bio-reactors and similar equipment. The Disclosures of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
The above-mentioned patents relate to removing a sample from a vessel or conduit without contamination of the sample, process, or surrounding environment. The present invention is usable with devices of this type or with similar devices. Namely, once the sample is removed from the vessel or conduit, it becomes necessary to feed the sample into a receptacle for later processes or testing.
In the past, sampling from a vessel or conduit was performed by hand by an operator. This manual sampling ran the risk of exposure to dangerous substances by the operator as well as contaminating the sample.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and apparatus for dynamically reconfiguring a server system. When a new server configuration is applied, a previous server configuration is saved. When receiving a service request, a first server is selected by using a first scheduling algorithm according to the new configuration. If the selected server is incorrect, a second server is selected by using a second scheduling algorithm according to the saved previous server configuration. User data associated with the received service request is moved from the second server, if correct, to the first server. In this way, stored data will be gradually and dynamically reorganized from the previous configuration to the new configuration in a relatively simple way.

A multitude of different fixed and mobile telecommunication/datacommunication services have been developed, in addition to traditional voice calling and short text messaging. For example, Internet browsing has rapidly become very popular, and in recent years the wireless domain has converged with the Internet. Mobile terminals are now available having functionality for connecting to the Internet over a wireless access network to obtain information and services from sites and servers located anywhere throughout the world.
Moreover, new technologies for mobile communication are introduced, providing greater network capacity and higher transmission bit rates. In particular, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) networks are currently emerging for enabling wireless data services that require a wide range of different data rates. The data communicated in many new services may include voice, text, images, audio files and video files in various different formats and combinations.
By way of example, mobile instant messaging, commonly known as "chatting", and presence services are rapidly becoming popular. Instant messaging is known from the world of fixed PCs (Personal Computers), including message status reporting and various group and contact list features. Presence services involve information on the location of mobile terminals and enable users to receive messages according to their profile and availability. A user profile can be personal and may be defined by preferences, interests and hobbies, as well as more temporary factors, such as user availability and current moods. Messages and content services can also be delivered depending on the present location, availability and terminal capabilities. It can be readily understood that such services require the storage of considerable amounts of retrievable user-specific data, which in many cases need to be frequently updated due to their dynamic nature.
The demands for telecommunication services are thus increasing rapidly, and service providers are established all over the world, equipped with hardware and software resources to meet these demands. In particular, means for processing service requests and data, as well as means for storing huge amounts of data are needed. Consequently, a service provider must be able to efficiently control the processing and storing means which typically comprise a system of different service components such as servers. The expression "server" will be used hereafter to represent any hardware and/or software for storing and/or processing data. A server may be configured to provide one or more specific services.
For an Internet service provider or the like controlling a plurality of servers, processing and storing load must be distributed over the servers. This is necessary in order to efficiently utilise available computing and storing resources, and to handle hotspots and avoid bottlenecks. As mentioned above, large amounts of data must be stored and should also be easy to find and retrieve.
As seen from the examples of services given above, different types of stored data may be of a very dynamic nature, needing frequent updating. Moreover, server systems must be reconfigured from time to time as the processing and storing load change, e.g., due to changing demands of service requests, added or removed subscribers and the introduction, modification or deletion of services. The workload on servers may increase rapidly so that individual servers are easily overloaded, at least for a short time, in particular popular web servers. To overcome overloading problems in servers; basically two solutions are available.
Firstly, an existing server may be upgraded to increase its computing and/or storing capabilities. However, the server will soon become overloaded again if the amount of service requests and/or needs for data storage continue to increase. Further upgrading is then required, which can be complex and costly to perform.
Secondly, it is possible to add further servers to meet a higher load. The concept of virtual servers has been proposed to provide load sharing between plural servers. A virtual server is a scalable server built on a cluster of real servers, which is transparent to end users such that the users see only a single virtual server. The front-end of the real servers is a node, sometimes referred to as a "load balancer", configured to schedule service requests to the different real servers. Incoming service requests may involve processing tasks and storing tasks to be performed by the servers. Scalability can thus be achieved by transparently adding or removing servers in the cluster.
However, it is a problem to efficiently distribute processing and storing tasks between a plurality of servers, yet enabling easy retrieval of stored data. "Processing tasks" may involve analysing service requests, processing of data and running certain applications for delivering requested services. "Storing tasks" may involve storing new client-specific, session-specific or configuring data, updating already stored data, and retrieving stored data. For example, a service request may require the retrieval of certain data which is used as input for executing a specific processing task or service application. Client data and session data is hereafter collectively referred to as "user data".
In current solutions involving the distribution of processing and storing tasks, a server is often allocated to a client upon a login request. The allocation scheme used for selecting a server is normally based on the current load on a predetermined set of servers, such that the server having the lowest current load, with respect to memory resources and/or CPU (Central Processing Unit) capability, etc, is selected for a client or session. Server allocation is typically performed by using a central load manager node or the like. Stored user data must then be retrievable, i.e. it must be possible to find the server in which the searched data was stored.
The most simple current solution for selecting a server is to use a "Round Robin" allocation scheme. Further load sharing solutions are known which are more complex, such as "Weighted Round Robin", "Least Connection", "Weighted Least Connection", "Locality Based Least Connection", "Destination Hashing" and "Source Hashing".
However, the solutions mentioned above are relatively complex to use, resulting in problems related to supervision, operation and maintenance, since it is difficult to predict where data will be distributed and stored. Furthermore, it may be difficult to find and retrieve data being stored in one or more servers if no reference or pointer to the data is stored as well. A client performing a login may have a proper reference to the data, but no other client or device can find and retrieve the data without the reference, unless so-called "brute force searches" are used among a set of servers.
"Round Robin" scheduling is only suitable for distributing processing load, since processing tasks are not affected by in which server they are performed. On the other hand, retrieving stored data in one of more servers carrot be done by using Round Robin but requires the use of specific pointers or references as described above. Furthermore, a common basic problem with some of the other scheduling methods mentioned above is that they use is (Internet Protocol) addressing for scheduling. Since a plurality of clients can reside behind a single IP address (proxy, NAT, etc.), these can neither be used for data distribution nor load sharing.
Storing tasks are therefore preferably scheduled by means of a hashing algorithm using some client or session identity as input. The hashing algorithm then provides a number identifying a selected server. If the same hashing algorithm is used again when retrieving data on a later occasion for the same client or session, the same server will be selected, provided that the servers have not been reconfigured since the searched data was stored. Thereby, the need for using specific pointers or references is eliminated.
However, if the number of servers and/or the identities of individual servers are changed in a reconfiguration operation, the hashing algorithm will most probably not provide the correct server identity anymore, if user data for a specific client or session was stored before the reconfiguration was made. A current solution for avoiding this problem is to shut down the server system from service requests for modifying the hashing algorithm and moving stored user data between servers, such that server selection becomes correct. This is a quite cumbersome and time consuming operation, which is undesirable since service requests cannot be attended meanwhile, resulting in lost revenue for the service provide. Moreover, the reconfiguration operation is relatively complex involving a considerable risk for errors.

Method and apparatus for dynamically reconfiguring a server system


A fuel cell capable of improving heat exchange efficiency with respect to tubular fuel cells is provided. A fuel cell includes a hollow electrolyte membrane, hollow electrodes arranged on an inside and an outside of the electrolyte membrane, respectively, and an internal charge collector arranged inside of the electrolyte membrane and the electrodes, wherein the internal charge collector is hollow and made of a nonporous member.

In a conventional polymer electrolyte fuel cell (hereinafter, "PEFC"), electric energy produced by an electrochemical reaction in a membrane electrode assembly (hereinafter, "MEA") that includes a plane electrolyte membrane and electrodes (a cathode and an anode) arranged on both sides of the electrolyte membrane, respectively is extracted to outside via separators provided on both sides of the MEA, respectively. Attention has now been paid to the PEFC as a power source of a battery car or a portable power source because of its operability in a low temperature region, high energy exchange efficiency, short startup time, and small size and light weight as a system.
Meanwhile, a unit cell of the PEFC includes constituent elements such as an electrolyte membrane, a cathode and an anode each including at least a catalyst layer, and separators, and has a theoretical electromotive force of 1.23 V. However, such a theoretical electromotive force is insufficiently low to use as a power source of a battery car or the like. Due to this, a stack PEFC (hereinafter, also simply "fuel cell") configured to arrange endplates or the like on both ends of a multilayer member, in which unit cells are stacked in series, respectively is normally used. Besides, to further improve power generation performance of the fuel cell, it is preferable to downsize each unit cell and to increase a power generation reaction area (output density) per unit area.
To increase the output density per unit area and to improve the power generation performance of a conventional plane fuel cell (hereinafter, also "plane FC"), it is necessary to make the constituent elements thinner. However, if a thickness of the constituent elements is set to be equal to or smaller than a predetermined thickness, functions, strengths, and the like of the respective constituent elements may possibly decrease. For these reasons, it is structurally difficult to increase the output density per unit area in the fuel cell in the plane form.
From these viewpoints, study about a tubular type PEFC (hereinafter, also "tubular PEFC") has been recently underway. A unit cell of the tubular PEFC (hereinafter, also "tubular cell") includes a hollow-shaped MEA (hereinafter, simply "hollow MEA") including a hollow electrolyte layer and hollow electrodes arranged inside and outside of the electrolyte layer, respectively. An electrochemical reaction is provoked by supplying reaction gases (hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas) to the inside and the outside of the hollow MEA, respectively. The electric energy generated by this electrochemical reaction is extracted to the outside via charge collectors arranged on the inside and the outside of the hollow MEA. Namely, the tubular PEFC facilitates extracting the power generation energy by supplying one reaction gas (hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas) to the inside of the hollow MEA included in each unit cell and the other reaction gas (oxygen-containing gas or the hydrogen-containing gas) to the outside thereof. Further, the tubular PEFC can use the same reaction gas to be supplied to the outside surfaces of the two adjacent unit cells, so that it is possible to dispense with the separators that also exhibit gas shielding performance in the conventional plane PEFC. Therefore, the tubular PEFC can realize effective downsizing of the unit cells.
Several techniques related to the tubular fuel cells (hereinafter, also simply "tubular FC") such as the tubular PEFC have been disclosed so far. For example, Japanese National Publication of Translated Version ("Kohyo") No. 2004-505417 discloses a technique for removing heat generated in a tubular fuel cell (microcell) by extending a length of each of or one of an internal charge collector and an external charge collector (hereinafter, simply "charge collectors") and contacting a coolant with ends of the charge collectors. The Japanese Kohyo No. 2004-505417 also discloses a technique for forming a modular electrochemical cell assembly by collecting a plurality of microcells and arranging a circularly tubular heat exchange tube between the microcell group. With this technique, it is possible to remove a large amount of heat generated in the microcell group.
However, the former technique disclosed in the Japanese Kohyo No. 2004-505417 is the technique for removing the heat via the charge collectors each configured to include linear members. Because of a long distance between the coolant and a heat generator, heat exchange (cooling) efficiency disadvantageously tends to deteriorate. Moreover, with the latter technique, one circularly tubular heat exchange tube is provided for a plurality of microcells. With the latter technique, heat exchange (cooling) efficiency disadvantageously tends to deteriorate.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fuel cell capable of improving heat exchange efficiency with respect to a tubular fuel cell.


An integrated circuit includes first and second inputs configured to receive an input signal. A plurality of comparator stages is coupled in parallel to the first and second inputs. Each comparator stage is configured to perform a comparison on the input signal and provide an output signal based on the comparison. A control circuit is configured to cause the comparator stages to switch to an auto-zeroing mode in a staggered manner, thereby compensating offset voltages of the comparator stages while providing a continuous-time digital output signal.

If an operational amplifier is operated without negative feedback, then a comparator is obtained. Because of the generally high gain of operational amplifiers, an operational amplifier that is configured as a comparator is suitable for comparing two voltages with high precision. A comparator maps an analog input signal into a digital (binary) output signal. Comparators are used, for example, in the evaluation of sensor signals.
Sensors that use comparators are employed in a wide range of technological applications including automotive, industrial and consumer applications. These applications need sensors that operate reliably according to specified performance characteristics. For this reason, sensors are calibrated to offset deviations in sensor performance, such as those due to comparator offset voltages, to help ensure that measurements are performed accurately.

Integrated circuit with auto-zeroing comparator stages that provide a continuous-time signal


A backup thermal insulation plate includes a colloidal inorganic oxide-impregnated, pressed and dried high-temperature-resistant inorganic-fiber blanket or board, the plate having a use temperature up to at least about 1000° C. and maintaining mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, the plate having a density greater than or equal to about 500 kg/m3, and a compression resistance of at least about 50 kgf/cm2.

In the processing of molten metals, such as steel or aluminum, the metal handling apparatus such as ladles, torpedo cars, trough runners, tundishes and molds must be resistant to the molten metal, resistant to the mechanical stresses of the application, and also avoid premature heat loss from the system, so that the molten metal can be delivered to forming apparatus at the appropriate temperature.
The molten metal handling apparatus therefore comprises a material in direct contact with the molten metal, such as a hot-face, dense and hard refractory material showing excellent non-wetting characteristics to the molten metal. This material is then backed up with a layer of highly insulating refractory material, which provides the cold-face insulation for the apparatus. The higher the insulating properties and strength of the backup insulation, the thinner the backup insulation layer can be made to provide the desired performance characteristics. Thinner backup insulation permits a larger metals capacity for the molten metal handling apparatus, particularly such as a ladle or torpedo car.


Embodiments of silicon-based thermal energy transfer apparatus for gain medium crystal of a laser system are provided. For a disk-shaped crystal, the apparatus includes a silicon-based manifold and a silicon-based cover element. For a rectangular cuboid-shaped gain medium crystal, the apparatus includes a first silicon-based manifold, a second silicon-based manifold, and first and second conduit elements coupled between the first and second manifolds. For a right circular cylinder-shaped gain medium crystal, the apparatus includes a first silicon-based manifold, a second silicon-based manifold, and first and second conduit elements coupled between the first and second manifolds.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of transfer of thermal energy and, more particularly, to removal of thermal energy from a gain medium of a laser system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a laser system is constructed with three main parts including an energy source, a laser medium, and two or more mirrors that form an optical resonator. The energy source of a laser system is also known as the pump source, and is the part that provides energy to the laser system.
The laser medium of a laser system is also known as the gain medium, and is the major determining factor of various properties of the laser system including the wavelength of operation. The gain medium is excited by the pump source to produce a population inversion. The gain medium is also where spontaneous emission of photons and stimulated emission of photons take place that lead to the phenomenon of optical gain, or amplification. Gain media are generally made of liquids, gases, solids, or semiconductors. The solids used as gain media typically include crystals and glasses, and may be doped with an impurity such as chromium, neodymium, erbium, or titanium ions. As the gain medium is excited to emit photons, a large amount of thermal energy is generated by the gain medium. Such thermal energy needs to be removed from the gain medium, by a cooling package for example, in order to prolong the lifetime of the gain medium as well as keep the laser system within normal operating parameters.
The optical resonator consists of two or more mirrors placed around the gain medium to provide feedback of the light. Light from spontaneous emission of the gain medium is reflected by the mirrors back into the gain medium, where the light may be amplified by stimulated emission. The light may be reflected from the mirrors and thus pass through the gain medium hundreds of times before exiting the gain medium. The design and alignment of the mirrors with respect to the gain medium is crucial to determining the exact operating wavelength and other properties of the laser system.
In applications where the laser system needs to be compact, one or more laser diodes may be used as the energy source given the small form factor of laser diodes. The gain media in such a laser system correspondingly tends to have small form factor as well. However, conventional metal-based cooling package made of copper, aluminum or a type of metal alloy tend to suffer from corrosion and clogging of coolant channel, if liquid is used as a heat transfer medium. Additionally, at very high temperature the metal may deform if the temperature approaches the melting temperature of the metal.

Silicon-based cooling package for laser gain medium


The present disclosure may take the form of a method for enhancing performance of interactive content. The method includes analyzing by a processing element a user actuated object of the interactive content, predicting action of the user actuated object in a proceeding frame of the interactive content, using the predicted action, determining by the processing element if the user actuated object can be cached for the proceeding frame, if the user actuated object can be cached, saving the user actuated object as a bitmap object and display the bitmap object in the proceeding frame and if the user actuated object cannot be cached, rendering a vector graphic of the user actuated object in the proceeding frame.

Some video games are accessible through a networked environment to allow multiple users to play at the same time and interact with one another. Often networked games for multiple users or massive multi player online (MMO) are implemented on a server with a plurality of client devices that receive data from the server. In these configurations certain tasks, such as drawing objects, may be done on the client-side rather than the server side. The completion of these tasks can be hindered by the limitations of the client device and may reduce the frame rate and performance of the video game as it is experienced by the user.
It is with these shortcomings in mind that the present invention has been developed.

Selective caching of interactive objects


In some embodiments, an ear-mounted sound reproduction system is provided. The system includes an ear-mountable housing that sits within the pinna of the ear and occludes the ear canal. In some embodiments, the ear-mountable housing includes a plurality of external-facing microphones. Because the external-facing microphones may be situated within the pinna of the ear but outside of the ear canal, the microphones will experience some, but not all, of the three-dimensional acoustic effects of the pinna. In some embodiments, sound is reproduced by an internal-facing driver element of the housing using a plurality of filters applied to the signals received by the plurality of external-facing microphones to preserve three-dimensional localization cues that would be present at the eardrum in the absence of the housing, such that the housing is essentially transparent to the user. In some embodiments, techniques are provided for deriving the plurality of filters.

Headphones are a pair of loudspeakers worn on or around a user's ears. Circumaural headphones use a band on the top of the user's head to hold the speakers in place over or in the user's ears. Another type of headphone is known as an earbud or earpiece, and includes units that are worn within the pinna of the user's ear, close to the user's ear canal.
Both headphones and ear buds are becoming more common with increased use of personal electronic devices. For example, people use headphones to connect to their phones to play music, listen to podcasts, etc. As another example, people who experience hearing loss also use ear-mounted devices to amplify environmental sounds. However, headphone devices are currently not designed for all-day wear since their presence blocks outside noise from entering the ear. Thus, the user is required to remove the devices to hear conversations, safely cross streets, etc. Further, ear-mounted devices for those who experience hearing loss often fail to accurately reproduce environmental cues, thus making it difficult for wearers to localize reproduced sounds.

Partial HRTF compensation or prediction for in-ear microphone arrays


A drive system (10), in particular for process automation, includes: a trajectory planning unit (3), which is adapted to provide a trajectory signal (xd) on the basis of a setpoint signal (xs), and an actuator unit (2) having an actuator member (1), in particular a valve member, which actuator unit (2) is adapted to control and/or regulate a position of the actuator member (1) on the basis of the trajectory signal (xd). The trajectory planning unit (3) is adapted to provide the trajectory signal (xd) with a first signal section (s1) and a second signal section (s2), the first signal section (s1) having a straight signal form and the second signal section (s2) having a signal form asymptotic to the setpoint signal (xs).

The invention pertains to a drive system, in particular for process automation. The drive system comprises a trajectory planning unit which is adapted to provide a trajectory signal based on a setpoint signal. The drive system further comprises an actuator unit which includes an actuator member, in particular a valve member. The actuator unit is adapted to control (e.g. open-loop control) and/or regulate (e.g. closed-loop control) a position of the actuator member on the basis of the trajectory signal.
The drive system is preferably a fluidic drive system. The actuator unit is preferably a fluidic actuator unit. Alternatively or additionally, the drive system may be an electric drive system and/or the actuator unit may be an electric actuator unit.
The actuator unit comprises in particular a control (e.g. open-loop control) and/or a regulator (e.g. closed-loop control) unit which is adapted to perform a control (e.g. open-loop control) and/or a regulation (e.g. closed-loop control) of the position of the actuator member on the basis of a setpoint setting. Expediently, the trajectory signal serves as the setpoint setting for the control and/or regulator unit. The trajectory planning unit is in particular connected upstream of the control and/or regulator unit. Expediently, the trajectory planning unit is connected between a control device providing the setpoint signal and the actuator unit, in particular the control and/or regulator unit.
WO2016/198109A1 describes a fluidic drive system with a path planning unit that provides at least one movement value for a control means and a regulating means on the basis of a setpoint value.

Drive system, trajectory planning unit and method


The present invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that comprises an electrode body comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive electrode has an upper operating voltage limit of 4.5 V or higher relative to lithium metal. The electrode body comprises a lithium titanate-containing layer. The lithium titanate-containing layer is isolated from the negative electrode.

Secondary batteries such as lithium secondary batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries and the like are used as power supplies installed in electrically driven vehicles or as batteries installed in electric devices such as PCs, mobile devices, etc. In particular, lithium-ion secondary batteries that are lightweight, yet have high energy densities as well as other non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries are suitable as high-power power supplies installed in vehicles such as electric automobiles, hybrid automobiles and the like. From such a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, greater properties such as a higher energy density and so on are demanded. For example, Document 1 provides a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using a positive electrode active material that exhibits an operating voltage above 4.3 V relative to lithium metal.

Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery


The present invention provides an electrophotographing apparatus for forming a color image of an improved image quality. For the provision of such an apparatus, a plurality of color developing means are arranged in the traveling direction of the electrophotographing member. The length of the traveling direction of the photosensitive member becomes longer, and the dark attenuation characteristics are created. The resultant problems which tend to lower the image quality are solved.. In consideration of the dark attenuation characteristics of an electrophotographing photosensitive member, the present invention performs fine color adjustments according to each color of an developing image. In this adjustment, the gradation is corrected, or the color is corrected, per color in accordance with the dark attenuation characteristic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographing apparatus for a copying machine, a laser printer, and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an electrophotographing apparatus wherein a plurality of developing devices are arranged around a photosensitive member, and the image forming conditions are being controlled for each color in accordance with the dark attenuation characteristic of the photosensitive member.
2. Related Background Art
A photosensitive member which is generally used for an electrophotographing apparatus for a copying machine and others generates the so-called "dark attenuation", that is, if the photosensitive member is left intact after once charged by an electrostatic charger, its charged potential is lowered (the amount of the charged potential is reduced). This dark attenuation (potential reduction) is known to be increased as the time elapses. If, for example, a photosensitive member rotates, the dark attenuation will increase in accordance with the distance that the photosensitive member has traveled after the electrostatic charging.
Meanwhile, there is known an electrophotographing apparatus which is provided with a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photosensitive member. A full color copying machine having four developing devices for four color toners, each in cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, can be cited in this respect, for example. The above-mentioned four developing devices are arranged around the photosensitive member in different positions along its rotational direction thereby to apply the toners in each color to the corresponding latent images sequentially. Therefore, the distances to each of the developing devices from the position (the position of an electrostatic charger) where the electrostatic charge is given to the photosensitive member are different, respectively, when the distances are measured along the peripheral direction of the photosensitive member. The distance from the charging position to the developing device having yellow toner is shortest; to the device having cyan toner, the next; then to the device having magenta toner, the next; and to the device having black toner, the longest. Because of the difference in distance, the time required for beginning the development by each of the developing devices after the photosensitive member is charged is different depending on the respective developing devices. Thus, the resultant amount of the dark attenuation of the photosensitive member at the time of the development differs inevitably. In other words, depending on the position of each developing device, the dark attenuation amount of the photosensitive member differs a the time of the development.
When the amount of the dark attenuation differs as in this case, the density of the toner image after the development differs even if the amount of the electrostatic charge provided by the charger is the same; hence making it difficult to obtain high-quality images.
In order to avoid this drawback, the applicant hereof has proposed as given below. In other words, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-120175, a provision of a controlling means is proposed so as to control and vary the output of an electrostatic charger in accordance with the developing device selected from the plural developing devices (the difference in the dark attenuation due to the difference in its position). Also, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-117572, a provision of a image density adjusting mean is proposed so as to modify and adjust the developing bias voltage or the image exposure amount per developing device in accordance with the amount of the dark attenuation of the photosensitive member. With this image density adjusting means, it is possible to obtain the same level of image density at all times under a given condition of density adjustment set by an operator.
However, according to the conventional examples set forth above, there are some cases where the gradient tonality of the intermediate tone of an original image becomes different even when the image density is regular. Particularly, in a color image recording apparatus or the like for which a severe reproduction of the intermediate tone is demanded, there is a possibility that this difference in the tonality leads to a defective image.
Further, the dark attenuation characteristic of a photosensitive member varies as the time elapses. Consequently, even if the density adjustment including the intermediate tonality is properly made at the outset of using an image recording apparatus, the intermediate tones will become imbalanced as the apparatus is in use for a long period of time.

Electrophotographing apparatus for forming color image


A method of inspecting a workpiece during a production run in which workpieces are supplied to workstations by an autoloader. In accordance with the method, the supply of the workpieces by the autoloader is performed in accordance with a supply control routine. When it is desired to inspect a workpiece in a workstation, the supply control routine is interrupted after its then current cycle and the autoloader is used to move the workpiece to a quality control station. The supply of the workpieces in accordance with the supply control routine is then resumed. While the autoloader is operating in accordance with the supply control routine, the workpiece is inspected. If the workpiece is acceptable, the supply control routine is again interrupted after its then current cycle and the autoloader is used to move the workpiece to an output area. The supply of the workpieces in accordance with the supply control routine is then resumed again.

The present invention relates to the inspection of a workpiece and more specifically to a method for inspecting a workpiece for quality control purposes during a production run in which workpieces are supplied to workstations by an autoloader.
In many manufacturing processes, only finished parts are inspected at the completion of a production run. In some manufacturing processes, however, periodic inspections of workpieces are performed after the completion of certain operations during a production run. One particular type of manufacturing process that commonly utilizes such periodic inspections is a machining line, wherein a sequence of machining operations are performed on a workpiece by different types of workstations. Usually, a plurality of workstations for performing a particular machining operation are provided. An example of a machining line that often utilizes periodic inspections is the machining line for a crankshaft, wherein a raw crankshaft from a casting operation is subjected to a series of turning, grinding, tapping, drilling and polishing operations.
Conventionally, a machining line often includes one or more sub-lines, wherein a single workpiece conveyance apparatus is used to supply workpieces to workstations that perform different machining operations. In order to inspect a workpiece from a particular workstation in such a mixed operation sub-line, the workpiece conveyance apparatus has to be stopped and the workpiece has to be removed from the workstation by hand. In addition to presenting ergonomic concerns, this stoppage of the entire workpiece conveyance apparatus is inefficient.
More recently, a machining line has been developed, wherein the machining line includes a plurality of zones or segments dedicated to a particular machining operation. In each such segment, a workpiece conveyance apparatus moves workpieces to and from a plurality of workstations that perform the same operation. With this type of setup, in order to inspect a workpiece, the workpiece conveyance apparatus still has to be stopped and the workpiece still has to be removed from the workstation by hand. Accordingly, the aforementioned problems with the machining lines having mixed operation type of sub-lines are still present in the segment or zone type of machining lines.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a more efficient method of inspecting a workpiece for quality control purposes during a production run. The present invention is directed to such a method.

Method of inspecting a workpiece during a production run in which workpieces are supplied to workstations by an autoloader


A device (10) adapted to position a ring (R) in the bore (B) of a cylinder (C) so that the ring (R) is perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder (C) includes a first segment (11) and a second segment (12). The first segment (11) has a tongue (20) which is slidably received in a groove (34) in the second segment (12). A threaded shaft (37) of a hand screw (35) is received through the groove (34) and into a threaded aperture (21) in the tongue (20) to attach the first segment (11) to the second segment (12). Arcuate surfaces (18) and (27) of the first and second segments (11, 12), respectively, define a portion of the circumference of a circle approximately the diameter of the bore (B) when the segments (11, 12) are attached to each other. The ring (R) is positioned in the bore (B) and the device (10) is inserted in the bore (B) until the lip (19, 28) of the first and second segments (11, 12) rest on the top edge of the cylinder (C). The bottom (41) of the surfaces (18, 27) thus push against the ring (R), and because the surfaces (18, 27) are the same height, the ring (R) is positioned perpendicularly to the axis of the cylinder (C) so that the gap (G) between the ends of the ring (R) can be accurately measured.

Generally, there are three piston rings used in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine: the top ring, the second ring, and the oil ring. The three piston rings are positioned around a piston which reciprocates within the cylinder. The top ring, the second ring, and the oil ring are respectively spaced in vertically descending order around the walls of the piston The combination of all three piston rings serves to isolate the combustion chamber from the crankcase.
The top ring serves two purposes: preventing gases (from the combustion chamber) from passing therearound, and transferring heat from the piston to the engine block through the walls of the cylinder. The oil ring prevents oil (from the crankcase) from passing therearound. The second ring compliments both the top ring and the oil ring. The second ring prevents gases (which bypassed the top ring) from passing therearound, and prevents oil (which bypassed the oil ring) from passing therearound. Consequently, the top ring, the second ring, and the oil ring are seals for preventing the passage of gases and/or oil. Without the isolation of the combustion chamber and the crankcase provided by the piston rings, the presence of gases in the crankcase and oil in the combustion chamber would decrease the horsepower of the internal combustion engine.
To serve as seals, the top ring and second ring springingly engage the walls of the cylinder. For example, in the "free state" before installation, the top ring and second ring are biased to expand. That is, the top ring and second ring have expanded diameters forming a gap between their respective ends. When the top ring and second ring are installed around the piston, the ends of each ring are squeezed together. Thereafter, the piston and the surrounding rings are inserted into the cylinder. Because each ring is biased to expand toward its "free state," the top ring and the bottom ring expand against the walls of the cylinder. As such, the top ring and the bottom ring springingly engage the walls of the cylinder, and serve to effectuate the above-discussed seal between the combustion chamber and the crankcase.
For normal use, it is generally unnecessary to "fit" the gaps between the ends of the top ring and the second ring to precise tolerances. However, for high performance/racing applications, fitting the gaps can be used to provide a competitive advantage. For example, the top rings and the second rings used in racing applications are often sold with oversized dimensions, and, therefore, provide small gaps between their ends. Consequently, before installation, the ends of the top rings and second rings can be filed and refiled to provide gaps of different sizes. Such different sized gaps provide for different separations between the ends when the piston rings are installed.
The filing and refiling allows the performance of the various gap sizes (and corresponding separations) to be tested, and such experimentation can enhance the performance of an internal combustion engine. For example, because internal combustion engines used in racing operate at high temperatures, it is necessary to provide a gap allowing for expansion of the piston rings according to the high temperatures. Thus, a properly sized gap would allow the ends to be initially separated when the piston rings are inserted into the cylinder, which separation could thereafter close when the piston rings expand due to exposure to high temperatures.
However, if the gaps are sized too small, the ends will close before the piston rings are finished expanding, and the piston rings will warp, thereby causing "scuffing" of the walls of the cylinder. Moreover, if the ends are misaligned, the ends will touch unevenly, which will not only cause unwanted separation therebetween before the piston rings are finished expanding, but which might also force the piston rings to expand awkwardly, thereby also causing "scuffing" of the walls of the cylinder. Consequently, the gaps must be precisely sized, and the ends must be properly aligned with respect to one another.
Thus, the user must first measure the gap between the ends of the ring and then, assuming that the gap is too small, must then grind the ends of the ring in an attempt to obtain the desired gap. A typical desired gap is 0.003 inch per inch of diameter of the cylinder, and as a result of working with such a precise number, oftentimes the measuring/grinding steps are repeated many times until the precise desired gap is obtained.
One of the problems with this procedure is the manner in which accurate measurements can be obtained so that the user knows how much grinding might be required and also knows when he has completed the project with the gap being at the desired size. One method of measuring the gap would be to insert the ring in a bore and attempt to measure the size of the gap. However, the user could never be certain whether the ring was perfectly perpendicular to the axis of the bore, because if it would not be perpendicular, it would be canted and inaccurate measurements would be obtained.
In an attempt to solve this problem, a device known as a squaring tool has been developed. This device consists of a ring of a known diameter (simulating the diameter of a piston) having a shoulder extending outwardly therefrom. The piston ring to be sized is placed around the ring and on the shoulder, and the gap may be measured. However, such a device is only good for one size of a cylinder bore, and since the diameter of the bores of typical cylinders range from 3.75 inches to 4.65 inches, numerous sizing rings encompassing a wide variety of piston diameters would have to be inventoried by the user.
As a result, the need exists for a device which can assist the user in accurately measuring, or otherwise checking, the size of the gap of a piston ring for a wide range of cylinder bore diameters.


A side evacuating balloon inflater includes a lower shell, an upper shell, a collar insert, and a check valve. The lower shell is sealed to the upper shell with a gasket. A collar insert is slid into an inner diameter of a bore that is disposed on the top of the upper shell. A plurality of nubs are spaced around the collar insert. A balloon is stretched over the nubs and is retained thereby. A tapered boss surrounds the check valve which is disposed in the shell structure. The tapered boss facilitates the sealing of different size vacuum tubes to the shell structure. A household vacuum cleaner or a shop vacuum is used to pull a vacuum on the shell structure. The vacuum causes the balloon to stretch to the inside wall of the shell structure. The vacuum tube is removed and the check valve retains the vacuum inside the shell structure. Novelty items may be inserted into the mouth of the balloon; the balloon is then be sealed with a clip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to balloon inflaters and more specifically to a side evacuating balloon inflater which is less complicated and more cost effective than prior art balloon inflaters.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Balloon inflaters facilitate the insertion of novelty items inside a large balloon. The balloon is then sealed with the novelty items contained therein. The drawback to most prior art balloon inflaters is the inclusion of an expensive vacuum unit used to create a vacuum inside the balloon chamber of the balloon inflater. The vacuum unit is specially manufacturer for the balloon inflater and will not work without it. If the vacuum unit fails, the consumer must buy the vacuum unit from the manufacturer at a very high cost. The special vacuum unit also increases the total cost of the balloon inflater.
A second drawback to most prior art balloon inflaters is the inflexibility of one collar size. If it is better to use a four inch collar instead of a five inch collar, then the consumer will have to buy a smaller size balloon inflater.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a side evacuating balloon inflater which allows an inexpensive vacuum device to draw a vacuum on a balloon chamber, can be manufactured for a lower cost, and allows different collar diameters to be used for different balloon sizes.


When an ISA bus master on an external ISA bus tries to access a device on a PCI bus, a desk station-PCI/ISA (DS-PSI/ISA) bridge device converts a bus cycle on the ISA bus to a PCI bus cycle and commences a transaction for accessing a PCI device. At this time, if the target address-specified by the transaction cannot respond to the transaction and a target retry is generated by the target, the DS-PCI/ISA bridge device activates an I/O channel ready signal (IOCHRDY) on the external ISA bus. The ISA bus master is in a wait state. The DS-PCI/ISA bridge automatically retries the transaction after a predetermined time has elapsed.

Standard system buses, such as ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) and EISA (Extended ISA) buses, are conventionally used in personal computers. Another standard bus, PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus, is commonly employed in desktop-type personal computers to increase the speed of data transfer and organize system architecture, independently of the kind of processors.
In a PCI bus, block transfer is the basis of substantially all data transfer. Transfer of each block is executed by burst transmission. For example, a maximum data transfer speed of 133 megabytes/sec. can be used on a data bus having a width of 32 bits.
Therefore, when a PCI bus is used, data transfer between I/O devices and between a system memory and an I/O device is executed at high speed. As such, system performance is increased.
Recently, PCI busses are used not only in desktop type personal computers, but also in portable personal computers, such as notebook-type computers.
In this type of PCI bus system architecture, a bridge LSI for connecting a PCI bus and an ISA bus is provided, and it bi-directionally converts bus cycles between the PCI bus and the ISA bus.
There are no problems where the bridge LSI operates as a bridge for converting bus cycles from the PCI bus to the ISA bus, but where it operates as a bridge for converting bus cycles from the ISA bus to the PCI bus (i.e. where an ISA I/O device operates as a bus master to access a device on the PCI bus), there is the danger that access by the ISA bus master cannot be correctly executed due to a target retry which is one characteristic of PCI bus system architecture.
Target retry is an inherent PCI device function in PCI bus systems, and is performed in the following manner.
In a PCI bus system, where a target address-specified by a transaction on a PCI bus cannot correspond to the transaction, notification is given of a retry and transaction conclusion to an initiator which commenced the transaction, i.e. a PCI bus master. This type of target retry occurs when a device specified as the target is locked due to exclusive access by another PCI bus master, when exclusively used under OS management. The PCI bus master notified of the retry must release the PCI bus. The operation of a PCI bus master to which a target retry is notified is illustrated in FIG. 1.
A PCI bus master outputs a bus access request signal REQ# to a PCI bus arbiter to request bus access. The PCI bus master waits until having been granted a signal GNT# indicating bus access enable from the PCI bus arbiter. Upon receiving a GNT#, the PCI bus master activates a frame signal FRAME# and commences a transaction.
At this time, where a target specified by the address outputted from the PCI bus master cannot respond to the transaction, a target activates a target ready signal TRDY#, a stop signal STOP# and a device select signal DEVSEL# on the PCI bus as "H", "L" and "L" as shown in FIG. 1, whereby the PCI bus master is notified of a target retry.
The PCI bus master makes the REQ# inactive, invalidates the GNT# and temporarily releases the PCI bus. Thereby, another bus master can use the PCI bus. When a fixed time period has lapsed after notification of the target retry, the PCI bus master retries the same transaction again. If a target retry is not generated in this transaction, the data transfer between the PCI bus master and the target is executed correctly. All of the necessary data transfer has been completed, the PCI bus master makes the REQ# inactive and releases the PCI bus.
However, there is no concept of target retry in the ISA bus system. In the ISA bus system, if the ISA bus cycle must finish midway, the same cycle does not occur again.
Hence, when an ISA bus master has commenced a bus cycle for accessing a device on the PCI bus, and once the above described target retry has been generated, the ISA bus master cannot correctly execute the necessary data write/read.

Method and apparatus for processing a target retry from a PCI target device to an ISA master devise using a PCI/ISA bridge


Methods for the treatment of human cancers, daily dosage forms for cancer patients, and methods of formulating the dosage forms are provided wherein the daily dosage form contains from about 10-6,000 mg of each of β-sitosterol, isovanillin, and linolenic acid. Preferably, the dosage forms are formulated by first creating an aqueous decoction of Arum palaestinum Boiss, followed by fortification of the decoction with additional quantities of β-sitosterol, isovanillin, and linolenic acid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to methods for the treatment of human cancers, daily dosage forms for administration to cancer patients, and methods of formulating such dosage forms. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the administration of daily dosage forms (e.g., aqueous mixtures, capsules, pills, or tablets) containing from about 10-6,000 mg of each of β-sitosterol, isovanillin, and linolenic acid. Such treatment provides a marked decline and/or elimination of cancerous tumors, particularly those of the bladder, breast, liver, and lung, and a corresponding enhancement of the wellness and lifestyles of the treated patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumours and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. This process is referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The disease accounted for 7.4 million deaths (or around 13% of all deaths worldwide) in 2004. The main types of cancer leading to overall cancer mortality each year are:                lung (1.3 million deaths/year)        stomach (803 000 deaths)        colorectal (639 000 deaths)        liver (610 000 deaths)        breast (519 000 deaths).More than 70% of all cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 12 million deaths in 2030.
The most frequent types of cancer worldwide (in order of the number of global deaths) are:                Among men—lung, stomach, liver, colorectal, oesophagus and prostate        Among women—breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical.
Cancer arises from one single cell. The transformation from a normal cell into a tumour cell is a multistage process, typically a progression from a pre-cancerous lesion to malignant tumours. These changes are the result of the interaction between a person's genetic factors and three categories of external agents, including:                physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation        chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, aflatoxin (a food contaminant) and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant)        biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria or parasites.
Some examples of infections associated with certain cancers:                Viruses: hepatitis B and liver cancer, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cervical cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Kaposi sarcoma.        Bacteria: Helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer.        Parasites: schistosomiasis and bladder cancer.
Aging is another fundamental factor for the development of cancer. The incidence of cancer rises dramatically with age, most likely due to a buildup of risks for specific cancers that increase with age. The overall risk accumulation is combined with the tendency for cellular repair mechanisms to be less effective as a person grows older.
Tobacco use, alcohol use, low fruit and vegetable intake, and chronic infections from hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and some types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are leading risk factors for cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Cervical cancer, which is caused by HPV, is a leading cause of cancer death among women in low-income countries. In high-income countries, tobacco use, alcohol use, and being overweight or obese are major risk factors for cancer.
The most common cancer treatment modalities are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. All of these techniques have significant drawbacks in terms of side effects and patient discomfort. For example, chemotherapy may result in significant decreases in white blood cell count (neutropenia), red blood cell count (anemia), and platelet count (thrombocytopenia). This can result in pain, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, hair loss, nausea, and vomiting.
Biological therapy (sometimes called immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier therapy) is a relatively new addition to the family of cancer treatments. Biological therapies use the body's immune system, either directly or indirectly, to fight cancer or to lessen the side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments.
The immune system is a complex network of cells and organs that work together to defend the body against attacks by "foreign" or "non-self" invaders. This network is one of the body's main defenses against infection and disease. The immune system works against diseases, including cancer, in a variety of ways. For example, the immune system may recognize the difference between healthy cells and cancer cells in the body and works to eliminate cancerous cells. However, the immune system does not always recognize cancer cells as "foreign." Also, cancer may develop when the immune system breaks down or does not function adequately. Biological therapies are designed to repair, stimulate, or enhance the immune system's responses.
Some antibodies, cytokines, and other immune system substances can be produced in the laboratory for use in cancer treatment. These substances are often called biological response modifiers (BRMs). They alter the interaction between the body's immune defenses and cancer cells to boost, direct, or restore the body's ability to fight the disease. BRMs include interferons, interleukins, colony-stimulating factors, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, gene therapy, and nonspecific immunomodulating agents.
Researchers continue to discover new BRMs, to learn more about how they function, and to develop ways to use them in cancer therapy. Biological therapies may be used to:                Stop, control, or suppress processes that permit cancer growth.        Make cancer cells more recognizable and, therefore, more susceptible to destruction by the immune system.        Boost the killing power of immune system cells, such as T cells, NK cells, and macrophages.        Alter the growth patterns of cancer cells to promote behavior like that of healthy cells.        Block or reverse the process that changes a normal cell or a precancerous cell into a cancerous cell.        Enhance the body's ability to repair or replace normal cells damaged or destroyed by other forms of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation.        Prevent cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body.
A variety of medicinal plants have also been employed in the treatment of human cancers. For example, plants from the hills and mountains of Israel, Palestine, and the Golan Heights have been used for many years for the treatment of many human diseases, including cancers. Among these are extracts of Arum palaestinum Boiss. See, for example, Said et al. Ethnopharmacological Survey of Medicinal Herbs in Israel, the Golan Heights and the West Bank Region. J. Ethnopharmacology. 83 (2002): 251-265.
The National Institutes of Health estimated that the total cost of cancer care in the United States in 2005 was $209.9 billion. Direct medical costs including inpatient and outpatient care, drugs, and devices accounted for $74 billion of this total, $17.5 billion was attributed to indirect morbidity costs (ie, lost productivity), and indirect mortality costs (i.e, lost productivity due to premature death) accounted for $118.4 billion. Given that cancer is largely a disease of older individuals, cancer expenditures will be of even greater concern in the future as the so-called baby boomer population swells the ranks of the US Medicare program from 42.5 million in 2005 to almost 70 million by 2030. As evidence of this demographic trend (and as evidence of unmet clinical need in oncology relative to other disease contexts), cancer recently surpassed heart disease as the number one killer of Americans younger than 85 years.
Despite the immense amount of worldwide research and efforts to stem the tide of cancer and its side effects, the disease in its many manifestations continues to be a huge problem. Therefore, any new cancer treatment having a curative affect and/or the ability to ameliorate cancer symptoms and improve the lifestyle of patients is highly significant and important.

Methods and dosage forms for the treatment of human cancers