A therapeutic massaging apparatus having a pair of resilient balls adjustably positioned in a flexible container, wherein a strap assembly is connected to opposing ends of the container so as to maintain the container in a pre-selected position upon the user. The present invention also integrates other therapeutic principals by utilizing a pocket formed in the container for allowing the user to enjoy the benefits of traditional acupressure therapy while simultaneously enjoying the well known therapeutic effects of magnetism, gemstones, crystals and/or herbs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a massaging apparatus for relieving ailments and pain emanating from various areas on the human body of a user. More specifically, the present invention provides a therapeutic massaging apparatus having a pair of resilient balls selectively positioned in a flexible container which can be worn on the body of the user. Moreover, the present invention is adaptable for containing one or more of the following therapeutic objects; magnet, gemstone, and herb.
2. Description of the Related Art
A 5,000 year old Chinese tradition, known as acupressure therapy, teaches the placement of pressure on set points of the body to treat tension-related ailments, muscular discomfort, and illness prevention. The pressure is thought to release blocked energy along the body's energy channels. Over the years, many lines of massaging devices have been developed which implement this concept. One line of massaging devices which have been known to provide a satisfying massaging effect are those which apply the pressure of resilient balls upon various parts of a human body. Examples of prior art devices of that type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,440 granted to Baker in 1957 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,616 granted to Panahpour in 1989.
Prior art massaging devices similar to the type shown above have had the unfortunate drawback of not being adaptable to be worn on the body of the user. This disadvantage has presented a significant limitation in the effective application of these devices when the user is frequently moving, particularly when the user is either in a restful or unaware state of mind, such as sleeping, or when the assistance of another person is necessary to administer the massage but is either unavailable or undesired. Accordingly, there is a need for a massaging device which would allow the user to enjoy the beneficial effects of an acupressure therapy massage despite physical movement in his or her position or circumstance, including while the user is sleeping.
It is also well known that the application of a magnetic flux to a human body is effective for promoting health and well being, reducing stiffness or pain in various muscles, and for improving blood circulation, although the theoretical analysis of those effects are still in question. One common theory is that magnetism critically influences iron, a key element which can be traced to substantially all parts of the human body and which critically effects blood circulation. Examples of prior art devices of that type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,587 granted to Ishikawa in 1978 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,672 granted to Yazaki in 1979. Furthermore, it is well known that the application of either or the combination of gemstone, crystal and herb to a human body is effective for promoting the emotional well being. Diane Stein, Healing with Gemstones and Crystals (1996); Patricia Kaminski & Richard Katz, Flower Essence Repeutory (1994).
Until now, however, there have been no known devices which integrate the above mentioned therapeutic principals into a singular massaging apparatus. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus which would allow a user to enjoy the benefits of a physical massage implementing acupressure concepts while simultaneously enjoying the well known therapeutic effects of magnetism, gemstone, crystal and/or herb. Although seemingly simple in design and low in cost no prior device can accomplish the clearly effective results of the instant invention.


The invention provides methods for treatment of tissue factor (TF) mediated or associated diseases or processes, such as cancer, by administering at least an active fragment of an Ixolaris polypeptide to a subject. The invention further includes identification of a subject in need of such treatment, and monitoring a subject for amelioration of at least one sign or symptom of the disease. The invention also features kits.

Malignant gliomas are very aggressive cancers, displaying high rates of mortality (within months) and resistance to therapeutic interventions. Levels of tissue factor (TF) expression have been shown to correlate with the histological grade of malignancy and vascularity in a number of cancer types, including glioblastoma. Further, TF is overexpressed around the typical necrotic foci found in glioblastoma [20]. These regions are highly hypoxic and seem to play a key role in glioblastoma aggressiveness, presenting an increased production of VEGF, IL-8 and metalloproteases [21,22].
Ixolaris, a tick salivary 140 amino acid protein containing 10 cysteines and 2 Kunitz-like domains, binds to FXa or FX as a scaffold for inhibition of the TF/FVIIa complex, in which the FVIIa catalytic site is inactivated. In contrast to TFPI, however, Ixolaris does not bind to the active site cleft of FXa. Instead, complex formation is mediated by the FXa heparin-binding exosite [26]. In addition, Ixolaris interacts with zymogen FX through a precursor state of the heparin-binding exosite [27]. Because Ixolaris displays potent and long-lasting antithrombotic activity this molecule might interfere with glioblastoma progression.
Inhibition or targeting of TF may therefore provide an anti-tumor strategy that could affect the survival of TF overexpres sing tumor cells by inhibiting TF mediated cellular signaling or other activities. Further, this approach may prevent tumor growth indirectly via an antiangiogenic mechanism by inhibiting the growth or function of TF expressing intra-tumoral endothelial cells.
The present invention is directed to novel therapies for TF mediated or associated diseases or processes, and in particular cancer and vascular diseases.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Use of ixolaris, a tissue factor inhibitor, for inhibiting angiogenesis

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services


A clamp ring includes an elongated band formed into the shape of an open generally circular ring with opposing first and second ends. A cam lever is pivotally connected to a first end of the band and a link has one end pivotally connected to the cam lever. The opposite end of the link is connected to the second end of the band such that pivotal movement of the cam lever will selectively draw the ends of the band towards one another to secure the ring in position on a container. A removable handle is provided to engage and pivot the cam lever 20 and includes a polygonal pin for engagement with a corresponding socket on the cam lever.

Various types of clamping rings with lever type locks are well known in the field for sealing lids on intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and the like. However, prior art clamp rings suffer several problems.
Prior art clamp rings utilize a cam type lever in the same plane as the ring, to lock the ring in position. However, cam type levers are difficult to grasp and unlock once clamped to the IBC. Prior art lever lock type clamp rings do not have handles which are conveniently accessed for locking and unlocking the clamp ring.
Prior art clamp rings are also difficult to adjust to the appropriate size for a variety of containers. In most cases, it is necessary to clamp the ring closed on the IBC, to determine whether the ring is of the appropriate size. If not, the ring must be unclamped and adjusted, and then reclamped to the IBC by trial and error. This is a time consuming process, and can lead to use of an inappropriately sized clamp ring for the particular container.


Disclosed is an electrical connector assembly adapted to isolate shock forces during mating. Such an electrical connector assembly may include a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, and a first guide module. The second electrical connector may be adapted to mate with the first electrical connector. The first guide module may be located adjacent to the first electrical connector and may include an opening for receiving a first guide post. There may be no direct mechanical attachment between the first electrical connector and the first guide module. Such an arrangement, may isolate the first electrical connector from any forces created by the mating of the guide post with the opening of the guide module.

A monoblock electrical connector may be used to establish a conductive connection between a daughter card and a back-panel board. An example monoblock connector may include an array of right angle connector modules. The connector modules may be adapted to mate with complementary connector modules of a second electrical connector. The connector modules that form the monoblock connector may be mechanically attached to one or more guide modules. The guide modules may be adapted to mate with guide posts extending from the second electrical connector.
When such a monoblock connector is mated with a complementary connector, the mating forces created by the mating of the guide posts with the guide modules, may be applied directly to mounting ends of the connector modules of the monoblock electrical connector. This may occur because the guide modules are mechanically attached directly to the connector modules of the monoblock electrical connector. As a result, the mounting ends of the connector modules may be damaged during mating.

Electrical connector having guidance for mating


Systems for electronic media distribution includes a differential versioning server configured to receive a first media file including a first set of data with a first set of attributes and a second media file including a second set of data with a second set of attributes, generate a first differential data file as a function of differences between the first media file and the second media file, and generate a first differential metadata file including an encoding data set configured to enable a media decoder to regenerate the second media file by applying the first differential data file to the first media file. Systems for electronic media distribution may also include a receiver communicatively coupled to a differential versioning decoder configured to receive the first media file and the first differential data file and generate the second media file by applying the first differential data file to the first media file.

Digital media distribution has been impacted by the increase in image and sound formats. This increase has impacted the size and number of digital media packages used to distribute media to end users in the multitude of desired formats. It is expected that image and sound formats will continue to diversify as new formats are created. Accommodating delivery for new projection and display technologies that deliver increased resolution, brightness, color gamut, and contrast in addition to new, multiple sound formats alongside the existing multiple delivery specifications necessary to serve digital cinema and subsequent digital distribution present significant logistical fulfillment challenges.
To accommodate the diversity of playback devices available to consumers, media creators and distributors generally create, store, and maintain individual and distinct media file versions of a particular production or content file. For example, for any given television show or movie production, individual media version files may need to be maintained for standard definition, high definition, ultra-high definition, 16:9 pixel ratio, 4:3 pixel ratio, varying language formats, varying content formats and censorship formats, varying color formats, varying sound formats, and any other media file attributes as known in the art, as well as any possible permutation of these different attribute types. Accordingly, the number of media version files that must be maintained becomes increasingly voluminous as image, sound, and content diversity increases.

Systems and methods for differential media distribution


An operation control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: an exhaust emission purifier; a fuel supplying valve for supplying fuel to an exhaust passage; ignition means for igniting the fuel supplied; a warm up determining section for determining whether or not the purifier need be warmed; an exhaust heating determining section for determining whether or not the engine is in an operational state in which the fuel should be ignited and burned; an exhaust heating predicting section for predicting the transition from the operational state in which the fuel should not be ignited and burned to an operational state in which the fuel should be ignited and burned; and a heat generation temperature setting section for setting the temperature of a heating portion of the ignition means based on the result by the heating determining section and the predicting section.

In recent years, for complying with strict exhaust gas regulations applied to an internal combustion engine, it is necessary to activate an exhaust emission purifier at the time of starting up, or to maintain the exhaust emission purifier in an active state during the operation of the internal combustion engine. To this end, Patent Literature 1 has proposed an internal combustion engine in which an exhaust heating device is incorporated in an exhaust passage upstream of the exhaust emission purifier. The exhaust heating device promotes activation of the exhaust emission purifier, or maintains the active state thereof by supplying a heated gas made to generate in the exhaust gas to the exhaust emission purifier placed downstream thereof. For this purpose, the exhaust heating device is generally provided with an igniting unit such as a glow plug for generating heated gas by heating and igniting fuel, and a fuel supplying valve for injecting the fuel toward the igniting unit.

Operation control apparatus and method for internal combustion engine


An ophthalmic lens incorporating an optically functional wafer having improved adhesion to a polymerized polyurea-urethane bulk lens resin.

Recently, polyurea-urethane resins have been employed as a base material for the formation of ophthalmic lenses as an alternative to polycarbonate materials due to the combination of improved optical quality, high impact resistance and higher thermal resistance. One example of such a material used for ophthalmic lenses has been marketed under the trade name Trivex® by PPG industries of Pittsburgh, Pa., as well as several alternative brand names by lens manufacturers, including NXT (Essilor), Phoenix (Hoya) and Trilogy (Younger Optics). Ophthalmic lenses are formed of this material through a casting and thermal curing process. Example methods for obtaining such lenses are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,505 and U.S. patent application No. 2003/0096935A1 which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
A polyurea-urethane resin lens with a functional insert such as a photochromic or polarization layer can be produced with a method described in the Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 7,858,001 which is incorporated herein by reference. When producing a cast ophthalmic lens using a functional insert, adhesion between the insert and resin can be problematic. Lens failure may occur due to separation of the functional insert and resin during lens processing such as surfacing and edging or during subsequent usage by a consumer. Hence, what is needed in the art is a robust cast ophthalmic lens incorporating a functional insert in which the adhesion between the functional insert or wafer and the lens resin is improved and methods of making the same.


A new approach is proposed to support a virtual network switch, which is a software implementation of a network switch utilizing hardware to accelerate implementation of timers of the virtual network switch under OpenFlow protocol. The approach utilizes a plurality of hardware-implemented timer blocks/rings, wherein each of the rings covers a specified time period and has a plurality of timer buckets each corresponding to an interval of expiration time of timers. When a new flow table entry is programmed at an OpenFlow agent of the virtual network switch, its associated timer entries are created and inserted into the corresponding timer bucket based on the expiration time of the timers. During operation, hardware of the virtual network switch traverses the timer rings for the timer bucket which time has expired, identifies timer entries in the expired timer bucket, interrupts CPU or provides a notification to the agent with necessary contextual information.

OpenFlow protocol is a communications protocol that gives a remote controller access to the packet forwarding plane of a network switch or router over the network. It enables the remote controller to determine the routing path of network packets through the network switch by adding, modifying and removing packet matching rules and actions from the packet forwarding (or flow) tables of the network switch as described below. The OpenFlow protocol separates the high level routing decision plane (control path) from the packet forwarding plane (data path) of the network switch, wherein the data path still resides on the network switch while the control path is moved to the separate remote controller, typically a standard server. The switch and the controller communicate with each other via the OpenFlow protocol, which defines types of messages, such as packet-received, send-packet-out, modify-forwarding-table, and get-stats, being exchanged between the network switch and the controller. The OpenFlow protocol thus allows for more sophisticated traffic management of the network switch than what is feasible using access control lists (ACLs) and routing protocols. In addition, OpenFlow protocol allows network switches from different suppliers—often each with its own proprietary interfaces and scripting languages—to be managed remotely using a single, open protocol.
Under the OpenFlow protocol, the data path of the network switch presents a clean flow table, wherein each flow table entry contains a set of fields that include but are not limited to, matching fields with a packet received, priority, counters, instructions for action on the packet (such as send-out-port, modify-field, or drop) based on the matching result, timeouts and cookie for the action (as shown below).
MatchPriorityCountersInstructionsTimeoutsCookiefieldsWhen the network switch receives a packet it has never seen before, for which there are no matching flow table entries, it sends the packet to the controller, which then makes a decision on how to handle this packet. The controller may either drop the packet or add a flow table entry directing the network switch on how to forward similar packets in the future.
Under the OpenFlow protocol, flow table entries are removed from the flow tables either at the request of the controller or using a flow timeout mechanism, which is run by the network switch independently of the controller and is based on the state and configuration of flow entries as shown above. In some embodiments, each flow entry has two associated timers that control the timeout and removal of the entries from the flow table:                Idle timeout timer: if non-zero and idle (e.g., there are no packets) for a specified period of time (measured in number of seconds), the corresponding flow entry is removed from the flow table.        Hard timeout timer: if non-zero, the network switch must record the flow entry's creating/arrival time in the flow table, and use it for eviction from the flow table after a maximum time period.
Since there are typically several hundred thousand or millions of flow table entries programmed in the flow tables of a network switch, each having multiple individual timers, the potential timers used under the OpenFlow protocol is huge and would put extremely heavy load on the CPU/memory resources of the system (e.g., the controller) to implement and process so many timers via software. As a result, guaranteeing accuracy and predictability of these timers would be extremely difficult. Since large numbers of flow table entries time out at or around the same time, data path traffic for the corresponding flow tables could get impacted due to jitter/latency in handling the timers, leading to undesired networking and/or administration misbehavior. Therefore, there is a need for an improved system and method to enable accelerated implementation of the timers in the network switch under the OpenFlow protocol.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Systems and methods for hardware accelerated timer implementation for openflow protocol


A substantially rectangular metal blank (18) is formed about a mandrel (14) to provide a slightly open shell (28) having a pair of axially extending lips (20c, 20t) separated by a distance sufficient to permit a prewound spool (10) and its film leader or other product to be inserted axially into the shell prior to closing the shell about the spool or other product.

A considerable variety of apparatus have been developed over the years for packaging prewound spools of web material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,232 discloses such an apparatus for use with photographic film in which strips of film are wound on spools, after which the wound spools are inserted axially into previously formed cylindrical magazine shells to which one end cap has already been applied, the shells having axially extending lips through which the leader of the film strip extends in the familiar manner. The cap for the open end of the shell is later applied. U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,845 discloses a multistation packaging apparatus in which a bendable chipboard blank is pressed into an elongated arcuate shape having an axially extending slot through which a wound core of product can be inserted, after which end caps are applied. U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,258 shows an apparatus for winding photographic film in which a previously formed magazine is provided which has axially extending lips. The spool is automatically oriented within the magazine to permit a guide tongue to insert film through the lips and into engagement with the core of the spool, after which the film is wound onto the spool within the magazine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,711 discloses another apparatus in which the film is inserted into an already complete magazine and wound onto the spool within the magazine. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,115,913 and 4,614,019 show somewhat different types of methods and apparatus for winding film and loading prewound spools into magazines, in which the magazine shells are preformed with a rather wide axially extending slot, to facilitate axial insertion of a prewound spool of film, after which the shells are closed and end caps are applied.
While automatic packaging apparatus and methods of the types just discussed have achieved a measure of acceptance and success over the years, a need has continued to exist for apparatus and methods, without sacrificing quality of the finished package or damaging the product during the packaging process. Particularly for winding and packaging photographic films and other sensitized materials which must be handled in near total darkness, a need has existed for such more productive equipment which would require a minimum of operator intervention during use.

Apparatus for forming a slightly open shell for loading of product


An audio mixing system comprises a plurality of input ports and output ports, and a plurality of input channels and output channels for controlling characteristic of input sound signals. Two or more input ports included in the plurality of input ports or two or more output ports included in the plurality of output ports are registered as a plurality of patch ports. By an instruction to collectively patch a port group, the input ports or the output ports registered as the plurality of patch ports are patched to input channels or output channels respectively by an input or an output patch.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio mixing system which enables collective patching of a port group having a plurality of ports to channels.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are known audio mixing systems which collect sounds played by musical instruments and vocal sounds collected by microphones, mix the sounds, and send the mixed sounds to a power amplifier and various kinds of recording apparatuses or send the mixed sounds to an effector and players who are playing the musical performance. Such a conventional audio mixing system has I/O units provided with input ports to which sound signals collected by microphones and sound signals supplied from digital recording apparatuses are input, and output ports which output digital sound signals, a sound signal processing unit for mixing digital sound signals and adding effects, and a console on which an operator operates various kinds of panel operating elements to realize a state where the musical performance is expressed most appropriately.
In this case, a multiplicity of input ports which are physical input terminals of an I/O unit are patched to logical input channels of the sound signal processing unit, respectively. On the input channels, the level and frequency response of input sound signals are controlled. The input channels are selectively connected to mixing buses. On the respective mixing buses, sound signals input from the input channels are mixed, so that the mixed signals are output from output channels corresponding to the mixing buses, respectively. Each output channel is patched to any one of output ports of the I/O unit by an output patch. The output ports are physical output terminals of the I/O unit. Each output port can be connected to any of the output channels as a source from which signals are to be output to the output port.
FIG. 21 indicates an example patch setting screen 100 for patching ports to channels in a conventional audio mixing system (Instruction Manual for DIGITAL PRODUCTION CONSOLE DM2000 Version 2, 77-79, [online] Yamaha Corporation, Internet <http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/pa/japan/mixers/DM2000V2J1.pdf>, searched on Jun. 10, 2011).
The patch setting screen 100 indicated in FIG. 21 is a screen for patching input ports to input channels, respectively. On the upper row, channel numbers 100b of channels "1" to "8" are displayed, while channels numbers 100b of channels "9" to "16" are displayed on the lower row. Below the respective channel numbers 100b, names of corresponding ports 100a patched to the respective channels are displayed. On the patch setting screen 100, for instance, if a user selects channel 8, a frame of the port 100a situated below the channel 8 is displayed in a heavy line to indicate that this channel has been selected. By user's operation to display a port list 101 which is a list of input ports and user's selection of an input port "AD8", the input port "AD8" is patched to channel 8. Similarly, user's desired input ports are patched to input channels, respectively. Information about the settings of input patch can be stored in an input patch library.
FIG. 22 indicates another example of a patch setting screen 200 for patching input ports to input channels, respectively, in a conventional audio mixing system, (Instruction Manual for PM5D/PM5D-RH V2 DSP5D, 74-76, [online], Yamaha Corporation, Internet, http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/pa/japan/mixers/pm5dv2_ja_om_g0.pdf> searched on Jun. 10, 2011).
On the patch setting screen 200 shown in FIG. 22, a matrix patch field 201 at which input ports of AD IN are patched to input channels is displayed. In the matrix patch field 201, port numbers 201a of input ports are displayed in a row as 1, 2, 3, . . . , while channel numbers 201b of input channels are displayed in a column as Channel 1, Channel 2, Channel 3, . . . . An input port patched to an input channel is indicated by a patch mark 201c displayed on a cell at which a corresponding row and a corresponding column intersect. In the shown example, the input port of port number "1" of AD IN is patched to the input channel "Channel 1". In a case where a user desires to change the input patching, the user causes the matrix patch field 201 to display input ports which are to be patched to input channels, and further causes the matrix patch field 201 to display input channels to which the ports are to be patched. By user's click on a cell at which a user's desired input port and a user's desired input channel intersect, the input port is patched to the input channel, so that the patch mark 201c is displayed at the cell.
FIG. 23 indicates the other example of a patch setting screen 300 for patching input ports to input channels, respectively, in a conventional audio mixing system (Instruction Manual for DIGITAL MIXING CONSOLE Version 3, 105-109, [online], Yamaha Corporation Internet, http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/pa/japan/mixers/m7clv3_ja_om_h0.pdf> searched on Jun. 10, 2011).
On the patch setting screen 300 shown in FIG. 23, a patch button 300a and a selected channel field 300b are displayed. By a click on the patch button 300a, a port switch tab 300c and a list of ports 300d of a switched tab are displayed. On the selected channel field 300b, the name of a selected input channel is displayed. In the shown case, a channel name "Channel 1 (Vocal)" has been selected to be indicated on the selected channel field 300b. In the shown case, in addition, a tab "AD 1-16" of the port switch tab 300c has been selected, so that a list of 16 input ports "AD 1" to "AD 16" is displayed as the ports 300d. On the field of the ports 300d, as indicated in the figure, "AD 1" whose display color has been changed has been selected, so that the input port "AD 1" is to be patched to the input channel having the channel name "channel 1 (Vocal)". In a case where a user desires to patch a different input port to the input channel whose channel name is "channel 1 (Vocal)", the user is to click on the port switch tab 300c which includes the desired input port, and then selects the desired port.
Although the above-described three types of patching have been explained about the cases where input ports are patched to input channels, the patching by which output ports are patched to output channels can be performed similarly. Furthermore, although each port can be patched to a plurality of channels, each channel can only be assigned one port.


A BiCMOS circuit for amplifying the difference voltage between two input voltage signals. The BiCMOS circuit of the present invention includes two bipolar junction transistor which receive the two input voltage signals and each drive a cascode-connected PMOS device. The drains of the cascode-connected PMOS devices are coupled to the input and output of a current mirror, wherein the output of the current mirror is the output of the BiCMOS circuit.

Recently, integrated digital logic circuits have been developed which combine bipolar and CMOS technologies. These circuits are referred to as BiCMOS circuits. The combination of bipolar and CMOS technologies is advantageous in that the beneficial features of each technology may be utilized in combination to provide an optimal circuit. For example, bipolar circuits have fast switching capabilities and typically drive larger capacitive loads. On the other hand, CMOS circuits have the advantage of low power consumption, rail-to-rail output capability, high density and a very high input impedance. Thus, the combination of these features allows the superior aspects of each to be exploited and combined to yield the optimal circuit performance.
One specific area of application of BiCMOS technology is providing compatibility between emitter-coupled logic (ECL) circuits and CMOS circuits. ECL circuits provide the fastest and most popular bipolar logic circuits available, but consume more power than CMOS or BiCMOS circuits. Other benefits of ECL circuitry include the implementation of circuitry having relatively small signal amplitude and temperature sensitivity, which are features that are not easily implemented with standard CMOS techniques.
BiCMOS is especially applicable interfacing CMOS circuitry to ECL circuitry since such an interface is not easily accomplished at high speeds using MOS techniques and high-speed operation usually requires the use of bipolar devices. Even though some prior art CMOS circuits exist which provide a direct interface to ECL circuits exist, these circuits have special requirements which must be met to accommodate the bipolar speeds. Simpler CMOS designs also have high noise margin and low power consumption.
In general, differential amplifiers in the prior art are used to interface between ECL circuits and CMOS logic. A differential amplifier receives a difference signal and converts it to a single-ended signal which other circuits utilize. Ideally, the output from the differential amplifier is entirely independent of the individual input signal levels. BiCMOS amplifier circuits have been created in the prior art. However, these amplifier circuits typically do not accommodate differential signals and do not amplify small signals to large signals very quickly. Moreover, these prior art BiCMOS amplifiers do not operate at low voltage levels.
Another drawback of conventional BiCMOS logic circuitry is its requirement of a high supply voltage during normal operation mode. Therefore, many prior art BiCMOS circuits do not operate as desired once the power supply drops from its normal operating range. This characteristic is a concern since the semiconductor industry is currently trying to lower the standard operating supply voltage from five to three volts in order to decrease the electric field to which the devices are subjected. Thus, what is needed is an integrated circuit combining CMOS and bipolar technologies to implement an interface between differential signal outputting devices and CMOS logic. Furthermore, such a circuit must be capable of operating at a reduced supply potential.
As will be seen, the present invention provides a BiCMOS digital amplifier. In addition, the BiCMOS digital amplifier of the present invention is a high-speed low-power amplifier which operates at a low voltage.


A 3D kite includes two upright rods mutually connected with each other with a cloth strip or a rope, a horizontal rod fixed with lower ends of the two upright rod, a sail attached on an outer side of each upright rod and kept secured by means of an insert block connected to an outer corner of the sail and inserted in two ends of the horizontal rod, and a plurality of wings fixed horizontally between the two upright rods.

This invention relates to a 3D kite, particularly to one having a new structure of three dimensions.
Kites have been developed from simple ones to 3D so as to satisfy curiosity of players, as old simple ones are unlikely to gratify consumers' mind of chasing after new things.
A known conventional 3D kite includes a body 10, two upright rods 20 and plural wings 30 combined together.
The body 10 has plural support rods 101 bound with strings to form the body 10, two combining holes 102 for a lower end of two upright rods 20 to fit therein firmly. Each support rod 101 has a connector 100 and a position ring 103 for another support rod 101 to insert and connect with each other. Further, a string 201 is used to tie each upright rod 20 to the body 10 for helping secure each upright rod 20 to the body 10. The string 201 has a position ring 202 at its end to fit with a front end and a rear end of the body 10. Further, an auxiliary wing 203 is attached to each upright rod 20 for receiving wind. One or more hooks 204 are fixed spaced apart on each upright rod 20 so as to fix two horizontal rods 301 of each wing 30 with the hooks 204. And each wing 30 has two horizontal rods 301, and a cloth 302 attached with the two horizontal rods 301 for receiving wind. The horizontal rods 301 are vertical to the upright rods 20, respectively having a thick section 303 to tightly engage the hook 204. Further, a string 304 is tied on each horizontal rod 301, having an upper end tied with an upper end of each upright rod 20 and the lower end tied with the support rod 201 of the body 10, by means of a ring 305 attached with the lower end for the support rod 101 to pass through. Then this conventional 3D kite is done in its assemblage.
However, this conventional 3D kite is quite complicated, taking much time to construct.


A food container suitable for home entertainment and dining purposes having a chamber for containing a temperature altering device or insert and apparatus to secure the device within the chamber during use, the container arranged for convenient and rapid exchange of pre-cooled or pre-heated inserts by providing magnetically coupled base units to retain the inserts.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention resides in the field of food containers and more particularly relates to those having ancillary devices intended to provide heating or cooling of the container contents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Disclosures of food containers having temperature altering inserts to cool or warm the contents of the containers are known in the prior art. Many of these relate to cooling arrangements for beverage containers to extend the time the beverage therein will reach ambient temperature when carried away from a home or other preparatory environment.
The inserts are held within the containers by, for example, friction plugs or threaded cap assemblies. The container tops are also sealed to prevent spillage when the container is moved about for later use, for example, in a lunch box, back pack, or while running or exercising. Examples of U.S. patents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,877, Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,087, Vinarsky; U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,418, Holley, Jr.; and US publication US2012/0298675, Archie, Jr.
In contrast to the prior art, the invention disclosed herein is directed to use in a home or restaurant, dining, or entertainment environment where it is desired to maintain a beverage or other food in a continually chilled or warmed state by providing a convenient and rapid means for exchanging the insert as the container and contents evolve toward ambient temperature.
The prior art devices known to applicant do not facilitate this goal as friction plugs, threaded cap assemblies, and the like require relatively vigorous action for removal. The open top containers for which the invention is primarily designed also present the possibility of spillage during the exchange process. This invention solves the above problems as described below.

Food serving container having an attachable temperature altering insert


A release sheet comprising a base material and a release agent layer formed on at least one surface of the base material, wherein: the release agent layer is formed by using a release agent composition; the release agent composition contains a first polydimethylsiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule and a second polydimethylsiloxane having at least two hydrosilyl groups in one molecule; the release agent composition contains 10.00 to 16.00 mmol of the alkenyl groups and 40.00 to 145.00 mmol of the hydrosilyl groups in a total of 30 g of the first polydimethylsiloxane and the second polydimethylsiloxane; and a molar ratio (b/a) of the hydrosilyl groups (b) to the alkenyl groups (a) is 2.0 to 15.0. According to the release sheet, it is possible to suppress the peeling force from increasing even when the release agent layer of the release sheet is exposed to the air for a long time.

For a pressure sensitive adhesive sheet, a release sheet is generally used which comprises a base material and a release agent layer formed on one surface of the base material (e.g., Patent Literature 1). Many of release sheets for a pressure sensitive adhesive sheet are usually used such that, after a pressure sensitive adhesive is coated and dried on a substrate which is being carried in a roll-to-roll manner, the release agent layer surface of the release sheet is attached to the surface of the obtained pressure sensitive adhesive layer. When a pressure sensitive adhesive sheet is produced in a roll-to-roll manner, the carrying speed from the roll may be constant, so that the release sheet is unlikely to be exposed to the air for a long time. As for the release sheet, in a pre-process of attaching the pressure sensitive adhesive layer of the pressure sensitive adhesive sheet and the release agent layer of the release sheet together, back-split processing (cut or half-cut) or the like may be performed for the release sheet.
When the processing as the above is performed, the release agent layer of the release sheet may be exposed to the air for a long time. If the release agent layer of the release sheet is exposed to the air for a long time in this way, there is a problem in that the peeling force of the release agent layer from the pressure sensitive adhesive layer becomes larger than that before the exposure to the air. In particular, as the peeling force increases such as in a sheet having tight releasability, the increase in the peeling force due to exposure to the air tends to be remarkable.
The increased peeling force of the release sheet as the above may cause release failure to occur when the release sheet is peeled off from the pressure sensitive adhesive sheet after the pressure sensitive adhesive layer of the pressure sensitive adhesive sheet and the release agent layer of the release sheet are attached together.


A method of contraception that provides for sequentially administering to a female of child bearing age: (a) a first composition containing a progestin in an amount equivalent to about 0.3 to about 1.5 mg norethindrone acetate and an estrogen in an amount equivalent to about 5 to about 20 mcg of ethinyl estradiol for about 22 to about 26 days; (b) a second composition containing an estrogen in an amount equivalent to about 5 to about 20 mcg of ethinyl estradiol for about 2 to about 3 days and an optional third composition that is a placebo provided that (i) if estrogen administration is continuous then the first composition is administered for 25 to 26 days, the second composition is administered for 2 to 3 days and no third composition is administered and (ii) if estrogen administration is not continuous then the first composition is administered for 22 to 24 days, the second composition is administered for 2 to 3 days and the third composition is administered for 1 to 4 days. The total cycle length is 28 days, with the first composition administered on day 1 of the menstrual cycle, defined as the first day of menstrual bleeding, or on the first Sunday after the first day of the menstrual cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an estrogenic/progestogenic contraceptive regimen with continuous and/or extended dosing of the estrogenic component. The inventive regimen provides for low daily estrogenic hormone exposure without compromising contraceptive efficacy or cycle control. A contraceptive kit that may be used to practice the method of the invention is also disclosed.
2. Related Background Art
Contraceptive compositions containing both estrogenic and progestogenic compounds are known to be effective in controlling ovulation and conception. The progestogenic component of the composition is primarily responsible for the contraceptive efficacy of the composition, while the estrogenic component is included primarily to reduce undesired side effects, such as breakthrough bleeding or spotting. It is thought that small amounts of estrogen help stabilize the endometrium and allow cyclic withdrawal bleeding, similar to the natural menstrual cycle.
The earliest of these estrogenic/progestogenic contraceptive compositions was administered monophasically (fixed dose) and contained a relatively high level of estrogenic component. U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,843 relates to the administration of an estrogen-only component from day 2 to day 7 of the menstrual cycle, followed by administration of a combination of estrogen and progestin from day 7 to day 28 of the menstrual cycle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,023 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,341 describe the administration of an estrogen-only component for 5 to 14 days at the beginning of the cycle, followed by 23 to 14 days of an estrogen/gestagen combination. U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,490 discloses combination preparations with 23 or 24 daily units of an estrogen and gestagen, and 4 to 10 daily units of estrogen only. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,749 discloses an estrogen-only component administered for 5, 6, or 7 days. U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,394 discloses administration of tablets that contain both estrogen and progestin for 24 days followed by 4 days of placebo.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,098 is directed to a multiphasic contraceptive regimen and describes a triphasic method of contraception using a progestin/estrogen combination in which the amount of estrogen is increased stepwise over the three phases wherein the first phase is 4-7 days, the second phase is 5-8 days and the third phase is 7-12 days. Preferably, administration of the contraceptive compositions for the three phases combined will be 21 days followed by a 7 day placebo period. For all three phases, the progestin is 0.5 to 1.5 mg of norethindrone acetate, while about 10 to 30 mcg of ethinyl estradiol is used in the first phase, about 20 to 40 mcg of ethinyl estradiol is used in the second phase and 30 to 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol is employed in the third phase.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,480 also discloses a multiphasic regimen wherein the progestin component is levonorgestrel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,543 discloses various regimens wherein a combination of progestin and estrogen are administered in a monophasic or multiphasic regimen (varied dose, e.g., biphasic or triphasic). In one embodiment, a combination of a progestin composition and an estrogen composition is administered such that the daily dosage of the second phase progestin is greater than the daily dosage of progestin in the first phase and the daily dosage of the second phase estrogen is greater than or equal to the daily dosage of estrogen in the first phase. U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,475 describes multiphasic regimens with 23-25 consecutive days of hormone administration, followed by a 3-5 day hormone-free interval.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,032 discloses an extended oral contraceptive regimen wherein estrogen and progestin are administered in a combined dosage form, preferably monophasically, for 60 to 110 consecutive days, followed by an administration free period of 3 to 10 days. The amount of estrogen and progestin administered daily are equivalent to about 5-35 mcg of ethinyl estradiol and about 0.025 to 10 mg of norethindrone acetate, respectively. In one particular embodiment, the combined dosage form is administered for 84 days followed by 7 pill free days. Following this particular regimen is said to result in four treatments and menstrual cycles during the year. However, extended oral contraceptive regimens tend to suffer from poor initial cycle control. Another disadvantage is that once breakthrough bleeding is under control, the user becomes functionally amenorrheic. This does not reassure the user that she is not pregnant.
One constant goal in the oral contraceptive art has been to reduce the hormone levels of such compositions without reducing contraceptive efficacy and increasing undesired side effects. Since the risk is acute thrombosis (as opposed to atherosclerosis), minimizing daily exposure of estrogen is a therapeutic goal. However, as estrogen doses decreased, the incidences of unwanted breakthrough bleeding or spotting have generally increased. Therefore, there remains a need for an oral contraceptive regimen that maintains contraceptive efficacy and provides adequate cycle control with a low daily dose of the estrogenic component.

Extended estrogen dosing contraceptive regimen


A PLC includes a first and second module. The first module having terminal positions and/or connectors behind a door located on its front side as well as having a display, and with the second module having a display unit. For servicing the first module, status messages for terminal position and/or connector of the first module are transmitted via a communication link to the second module and are displayed by a display of the second module.

Programmable Logic Controllers consisting of a number of modules are used in particular in the field of automation technology. During cabling, commissioning or servicing of Programmable Logic Controllers it is normal and sensible for the modules themselves to support service activities. As a rule each module generally has a label symbolizing what type of module it is, how many channels are present/available are how these are to be connected. Mostly the channels or interfaces are directly assigned a visual status display (LED). This makes it possible to use the status display for checking even when the PLC is being cabled. The symbolic module labeling is often also affixed to the inside of a door to be opened to the side, so that a direct assignment of the label to the terminals and the status displays is possible. In some cases, with digital input modules for example, the status displays can be used even if the PLC has not yet been switched on. Direct checking of the assignment of the cabling to the digital input avoids cabling errors right from the outset.

Support for service activities at a programmable logic controller (PLC)


A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for passing a VisualBasic array argument to an SQL stored procedure executed by a computer. The VisualBasic array is first created in the memory of the computer and comprises an object. The array is then passed to a C or C++ function in the memory of the computer. The function to which the array is passed is declared as an alias for another function within VisualBasic. Execution of the function by the computer returns a handle for the passed array. Finally, the handle is passed to the SQL stored procedure in the memory of the computer, and is accessed by the stored procedure during execution by the computer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to memory management and programming techniques performed by computers, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for passing of arrays to stored procedures.
2. Description of Related Art
Stored procedures are collections of pre-defined procedural code that typically employ SQL to access databases. There are a number of benefits in using stored procedures, including function encapsulation, performance enhancement, client-server processing, and security. Stored procedures are not unlike procedures found in other high level languages, in that they can be passed input and output parameters. Generally, stored procedures may take any number of parameters, which are defined internally within the procedure.
Generally, a programmer explicitly invokes stored procedures in an interactive environment, but such procedures can also be executed or invoked by other programs. However, there may be a problem in passing parameters between an invoking program and a stored procedure because of the differences in the format of the data recognized by each.
For example, a common structure for representing data is an array. An array is a set of pairs, corresponding to an index and a value. Arrays are typically implemented as a consecutive set of memory locations, which facilities the calculation of an index and corresponding value pair. Often, it is desirable to pass arrays to stored procedures.
A problem arises, however, in passing VisualBasic arrays to SQL stored procedures. VisualBasic stores arrays as objects, and these objects do not conform to parameter passing standards for SQL stored procedures. Stored procedures generally expect to be provided with a handle for the array.
Handles refer to objects that are managed by the Microsoft Windows environment. Handles comprise a 32-bit integer value that identifies an object in a WIN32 environment (or alternatively, a 16-bit integer value in a WIN16 environment). The use of handles insulates the application from various aspects of object management. However, not only are there many different types of objects, but they differ dramatically in how they are used and the types of requirements and restrictions that one must follow when using them.
Passing an array from a VisualBasic program to an SQL stored procedure is problematic, because the SQL stored procedure does not recognize the VisualBasic array structure. Thus, passing VisualBasic arrays to SQL stored procedures can lead to compiler errors, or erroneous results resulting from invalid conversions or alignment problems. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a way to pass an array from VisualBasic to an SQL stored procedure.

International Business Machines Corporation


A backpack for back-mounting a compressed-air cylinder, fastened to the backpack by a cylinder fastening belt, when a user wears harnesses and a waist belt. The backpack inlcudes a backboard (100) having support hooks (105) to support the compressed-air cylinder (50); a harness support (130) for the harnesses (30) coupled to the backboard (100) so as to rotate upwards and downwards around the center; a waist protector (120) coupled to the backboard (100) in the back of the harness support (130) so as to cover and protect the back of the user's waist; and a rotary unit for rotatably supporting both the harness support (130) and the waist protector (120) on the backboard (100). The waist protector and the harness support move separately from the backboard by the rotary unit, thus allowing the user to work without stressed by the waist belt or the harnesses.

Generally, backpacks used for back-mounting compressed-air cylinders include a flat backboard, with shoulder harnesses, a waist belt and a cylinder fastening belt integrated with the backboard into a single structure. To back-mount a compressed-air cylinder using such a backpack, the compressed-air cylinder is fastened to the backboard using the cylinder fastening belt, and thereafter, a user back-mounts the compressed-air cylinder by wearing both the shoulder harnesses on his/her shoulders and the waist belt around his/her waist.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional backpack comprises a backboard 10 to which a compressed-air cylinder 50 is fastened in a vertical position, with shoulder harnesses 30 and a waist belt 20 having a buckle 24 all being coupled to the backboard 10.
Harness locking holes 11 are formed on an upper portion of the backboard 10. The upper end of each harness 30 passes through each harness locking hole 11 and is sewn along a line S, thus being coupled to the locking hole 11. A cylinder fastening belt 40 is coupled to a middle portion of the backboard 10 to fasten the compressed-air cylinder 50 to the backboard 10. A back belt 21 having clips 22 at both ends thereof is coupled to a lower portion of the backboard 10, and is worn around the back of the waist of a user, with the waist belt 20 coupled to the clips 22.
In the backpack, the back belt 21 is inserted into back belt passing holes 11a formed on both sides of the backboard 10, of which the intermediate portion is placed on the backboard 10 as shown by the dotted line in the drawing. The lower end of each harness 30 is sewn along another sewn line S to be attached to each of the outside parts of the back belt 21 having the clips 22.
Because the lower ends of the harnesses 30 are sewn to the outside parts of the back belt 21 along the horizontal sewn lines S, respectively, the lower ends of the harnesses 30 are placed parallel to the lengthwise axis of the back belt 21.
The lower ends of the harnesses 30 are sewn to the back belt 21 along the sewn lines S as described above. Thus, the harnesses 30 are integrated with the back belt 21 and, furthermore, the backboard 10 is integrated with both the harnesses 30 and the back belt 21 into a single structure.
A pair of support hooks 12 is provided on the center of a lower portion of the backboard 10 and supports the neck part of the air cylinder 50 having a regulator 56. An L-shaped metal support frame 15, which is produced separately from the backboard 10, is mounted to the lower end of the backboard 10 through a bolting process. Due to the support frame 15, a user may support the backboard 10 on a support surface while wearing the harnesses 30.
Flashing lamps 13 to indicate a user,s, location are provided on the backboard 10 at opposite sides of the pair of support hooks 12. A battery casing 14 to hold therein batteries to supply electricity to the flashing lamps 13 is provided on the lower portion of a back surface of the backboard 10 at a position near the flashing lamps 13.
In the drawing, the reference numeral 55 denotes an air hose that is connected to the regulator 56 of the compressed-air cylinder 50.
To back-mount the compressed-air cylinder 50 using the above-mentioned backpack, the compressed-air cylinder 50 is placed on the backboard 10 in an upside-down position, with the neck of the cylinder 50 supported by the support hooks 12. The cylinder 50 is, thereafter, fastened to the backboard 10 by the cylinder fastening belt 40.
After setting the backboard 10 on the support frame 15, the user back-mounts the compressed-air cylinder 50 by wearing the harnesses 30 and the waist belt 20.
However, when the user with the conventional backpack on his/her back bends his/her upper body to the left or right, the back belt 21, the waist belt 20, the harnesses 30 and the backboard 10 which are integrated into a single structure move along with the bending motion of the user's body. Thus, the compressed-air cylinder 50 leans in the same direction and at the same angle as the upper body of the user.
Due to the leaning of the compressed-air cylinder 50, the center of gravity of the cylinder 50 is shifted to cause the user to easily fall in the direction that the air cylinder 50 is leaning.
Particularly, when the user of the backpack is a fireman and falls due to the change in the center of gravity of the compressed-air cylinder 50 on the scene of a fire, the user may meet with misfortune.
Furthermore, in the conventional backpack, the harnesses 30 are coupled to the back belt 21 to form an integrated structure. Thus, when the user with the backpack raises his/her arm, the back belt 21 tensions the harnesses 30. Consequently, the harnesses 30 press the shoulders of the user. Thus, the user with the backpack is inconvenienced while using his/her arms due to the restriction caused by both the back belt 21 and the harnesses 30.
In addition, because the battery casing 14 is provided on the back surface of the backboard 10, the user must remove the backpack when needing to exchange the batteries for new ones. Thus, it is inconvenient to ex change the batteries for new ones and excessive time must be consumed while changing the batteries.
Furthermore, the support frame 15 to support the backboard 10 is shaped as an angled structure that may easily catch on protruding objects, such as steel reinforcing bars, while the user with the backpack on his/her back moves around a place. Also, the support frame 15 is made of iron, resulting in an increase in the weight of the backpack.
When the support frame 15 of the backpack catches on a protruding object while the fireman is putting out a fire, the fireman must release the support frame 15 from the protruding object, delaying the extinguishing work. Furthermore, due to the support frame 15 which may easily catch on protruding objects, the fireman may have difficulty quickly escaping from danger at the scene of a fire.
Furthermore, because the support frame 15 is produced separately from the backboard 10, the support frame 15 must be attached to the backboard 10 through an additional process that increases the time required to produce the backpack.
The consumption of excessive time during backpack production process results in a reduced quantity of backpacks being produced.


In a seat reclining device, reclining mechanisms that are respectively provided on right and left sides of a seat are constructed such that locking and unlocking motion thereof can be performed in synchronism with each other via a connection member. A connection structure of the connection member and a operation shaft is constructed as a transmission preventing mechanism for preventing transmission of the unlocking motion between the reclining mechanisms when a load is laterally disproportionately applied to the seat back in which the reclining mechanisms are in a locking condition such that a relatively different rotational displacement that permits to release the locking condition is generated between the reclining mechanisms that are arranged in rotationally synchronism with each other.

Conventionally known seat reclining devices having reclining mechanisms that is capable of adjusting an inclination angle of a seat back of a vehicle seat are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 2000-43625 and 2002-360368.
In the seat reclining device disclosed in the former document, operating cables are connected to the reclining mechanisms provided on right and left sides of the seat in order to individually lock and unlock these reclining mechanisms. Further, the operation cables are connected to a single releasing lever. Therefore, by operating the single releasing lever, it is possible to perform locking and unlocking operations of the reclining mechanisms in synchronism with each other on the right and left sides. However, the structure in which a plurality of operating cables are used has a problem because relatively high costs are involved. Further, because the individual operating cables have respectively different length, the operation cables may have different amounts of elongation when they are operated. This may result in a problem because a gap in operation timing of the two reclining mechanisms can be produced.
In the seat reclining device disclosed in the latter document, operation shafts for performing locking and unlocking operations of the right and left reclining mechanisms are connected to each other via a connection member so as to transmit rotational motion therebetween. Therefore, upon operation of one of the operation shafts, the rotational motion thereof is transmitted to the other of the operation shafts. As a result, the locking and unlocking operations of the right and left reclining mechanisms can be conducted in synchronism with each other. Transmission of an operational force via the connection member is secured by torsional rigidity of the connection member. According to this structure, as compared with the above-mentioned structure using a plurality of operating cables, relatively low costs and reduced numbers of parts are involved. In addition, it is preferred because a gap in operation timing of the two reclining mechanisms cannot be easily produced.


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Techniques are described herein for cross component carrier (CC) shared channel repetition. The method for wireless communications may include identifying a set of CCs supported by a user equipment (UE) for communications with a base station. A UE may receive a downlink control message from the base station that schedules multiple repetitions of a transport block for the UE, where a first repetition of the multiple repetitions is scheduled on a first CC of the set of CCs and a second repetition of the multiple repetitions is scheduled on a second CC of the set of CCs. The method may also include transmitting or receiving the first repetition via the first CC and the second repetition via the second CC.

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include one or more base stations or one or more network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
Control information for a UE may be used to schedule uplink or downlink transmissions between the UE and a base station. The control information may schedule transmissions via a component carrier (CC) configured for uplink communications or downlink communications. Such control information, however, may be limited in flexibility for scheduling via multiple CCs, which may result in reduced throughput or increased signaling overhead.


A drill holster including a holder portion dimensioned for receiving a drill therein. The holder portion is defined by a front panel and a rear panel secured together along lower and side edges thereof leaving an open upper end to receive a drill therein. The holder portion includes a wide upper portion and a narrow lower portion. The wide upper portion accommodates a handle of the drill. The narrow lower portion has an opening through the secured lower edges of the front and rear panels to accommodate a drill bit of the drill therethrough. A pair of side straps are freely secured to the rear panel of the holder portion to facilitate securement to a ladder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drill holster and more particularly pertains to attaching a drill to a ladder for easy access by a user with a drill holster.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tool holding devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, tool holding devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of containing tools therein are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,416; U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,242; U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,723; U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,581; U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,409; U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,502; U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,553; U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,405; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,278.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a drill holster for attaching a drill to a ladder for easy access by a user.
In this respect, the drill holster according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of attaching a drill to a ladder for easy access by a user.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved drill holster which can be used for attaching a drill to a ladder for easy access by a user. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A trailer slider locking system includes body rails longitudinally slidable relative to a suspension frame side rail. The body rails have holes providing multiple suspension positions. A pin locking system includes a pin moveable between retracted and locked positions. An end of the pin is received in one of the holes in the locked position. The pin has a first centerline and the holes have a second centerline. The end of the pin extends through the hole with the centerlines being offset from one another in the locked position. The pins have tapered ends so that the pin will extend through the body rail hole prior to advancing to the fully locked position.

The present invention relates to a trailer slider locking system, and more particularly, the invention relates to a pin configuration that better ensures pin engagement with the body rails.
Trailer slider locking systems are utilized on tractor trailers to adjust the longitudinal position of a slider carrying the trailer suspension beneath the trailer body. Trailer body rails are supported on top of and slide relative to suspension frame side rails. The trailer body rails include a series of holes providing multiple body positions relative to the trailer suspension. A mechanical linkage supported on a slider, or trailer suspension frame is used to bias spring-loaded pins to a locked position in which the pins are received in holes in the trailer body rails. The pins lock the side and body rails together. The pins are moved to a retracted position using the mechanical linkage to longitudinally adjust the position of the trailer body rail relative to the trailer suspension frame.
Trailer locking systems often have a problem in which the pins do not engage the body rails or fully extend through the holes in the body rails. If the pins are not fully locked, the trailer body may sometimes slide relative to the trailer suspension frame during vehicle operation, possibly resulting in a damaging collision between the trailer body and suspension frame. For example, if hard braking occurs when the pins are not fully locked, prior art pins will jump past body rail holes as the trailer body rails move forward relative to the trailer suspension frame, which is being slowed or stopped due to braking. Therefore, what is needed is a trailer sliding locking system that enables better pin engagement in the locked position.


A method of dithering of an image is described. The method includes analyzing each of a plurality of pixels of the image, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels exhibits integer value N-bit color depth and determining a particular index value of each pixel of the image, a particular numerical value associated with a particular color component of each pixel of the image, and a particular threshold value associated with the particular color component of each pixel of the image. The particular threshold value is common between pixels of the image separated by a predetermined number of pixels. The method further includes modifying, based on the determining, each of the plurality of pixels of the image to exhibit integer value M-bit color depth, wherein integer value M is less than integer value N.

Color depth, or bit depth, refers to the number of bits used to indicate or represent pixel color, where 24-bit and 16-bit color depths are frequently encountered in computer graphic applications. While a greater number of pixel colors may be realized with 24-bits, 16-bit images may be desirable in scenarios where, for example, allocation of memory and processing resources are of concern.

SPREADTRUM COMMUNICATIONS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.


A light mixer includes a light mixing plate, a plurality of light sources, a plurality of upper reflecting layers, a lower reflecting layer, and a semi-permeable layer. The light mixing plate has an upper surface, a lower surface, a peripheral surface, and a plurality of receiving holes. The light sources are respectively located in the receiving holes. The upper reflecting layers are respectively located right above the light sources. The lower reflecting layer is located on the lower surface of the light mixing plate. The semi-permeable layer wraps the peripheral surface of the light mixing plate. A diffuser is located above the light mixers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light mixer and a backlight module having the light mixer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modularized light mixer and a backlight module having the light mixer.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a conventional backlight module disclosed in US Patent No. US 2005/0259195A1 with a diffuser omitted. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. The conventional backlight module includes a diffuser (not shown), a reflector 10, and a plurality of light guide blocks 20.
The light guide blocks 20 are arranged in an array and fixed on the reflector 10, and the light guide blocks 20 are spaced apart from each other by an appropriate distance. Each light guide block 20 includes a light guide body 21, a receiving space 22, and four LEDs 23, 24, 25, and 26. The light guide body 21 is made of an acrylate resin for the lights to penetrate through, and the light guide body 21 is a cylinder-shaped ring, with the receiving space 22 formed therein. The receiving space 22 is an air layer for receiving the LEDs 23, 24, 25, and 26. The LED 23 is for emitting red lights. The LED 24 is for emitting green lights. The LED 25 is for emitting green lights. The LED 26 is for emitting blue lights.
With the above structure, the lights emitted by the LEDs 23, 24, 25, and 26 may be mixed into a white light in the air layer of the receiving space 22 and then emitted outwards. However, since the LEDs 23, 24, 25, and 26 naturally mix the light in the air, the light mixing efficiency is not high, so the overall thickness of the conventional backlight module cannot be effectively reduced. In addition, the amount of LEDs required by the conventional backlight module cannot be effectively reduced, which not only consumes a lot of power, but also raises the fabricating cost.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a light mixer and a backlight module having the light mixer to solve the above problems.

Light mixer and backlight module having the same


A variable displacement compressor capable of controlling a piston stroke by openably controlling a displacement control valve to regulate a pressure in a crank chamber, comprising the displacement control valve disposed in a passageway from a discharge chamber to the crank chamber, and a fixed orifice provided in a passageway from the crank chamber to a suction chamber, the displacement control valve further comprising a pressure sensing member for the pressure in the suction chamber or the crank chamber, a valve element having a valve part opened and closed in response to the operation of the pressure sensing member, a valve chamber for disposing the valve part therein and allowing the pressure in the crank chamber to act therein, a partition wall disposed around the valve element, a pressure chamber partitioned from the valve chamber by the partition wall and allowing the pressure in the suction chamber to act therein, and a solenoid provided to the other end of the valve element, wherein a flow passage of non-contact structure is formed in the partition wall, and the number of sliding parts is reduced to lower a sliding resistance.

As a variable displacement compressor provided in a refrigeration circuit of an air conditioning system for vehicles, etc., a compressor such as one disclosed in JP-A-11-107929 is known. To this variable displacement compressor, in order to control its displacement for discharge, a displacement control valve is provided, in which a control point for a pressure in a suction chamber is decided to be one-to-one relative to an amount of electricity applied to an electromagnetic actuator, and which can maintain the variable displacement compressor forcibly at a minimum displacement condition when it is not excited.
This displacement control valve is structured as depicted in FIG. 4, and it comprises a valve casing 111, a bellows 112 as a pressure sensing member for sensing a pressure in a suction chamber or a crank chamber which is disposed in valve casing 111 and in which a spring 112a is disposed at a vacuum condition therein, a guide 113 receiving the lower end of bellows 112 and supported movably by valve casing 111, a spring 114 urging guide 113 upward, an adjustment screw 115 forming a part of valve casing 111 for adjusting an amount of expansion/contraction of bellows 112, a transmission rod 116 being brought into contact with the upper end of bellows 112 and supported movably by valve casing 111, a valve element 118 being brought into contact with the other end of transmission rod 116 and opening and closing a communication passage 117 between a discharge chamber and the crank chamber of the variable displacement compressor in response to the expansion/contraction of bellows 112, and an electromagnetic coil 121 generating an electromagnetic force for urging valve element 118 in its valve opening direction via a plunger 119 slid in a housing 110 and a transmission rod 120 slid in a fixed iron core 121a.
Further, a surface 118b of valve element 118 opposite to a contact surface 118a being brought into contact with the valve seat is formed so as to receive a pressure in a crank chamber through a pressure guiding passage 122. A pressure receiving area for a pressure in a crank chamber of contact surface 118a side of valve element 118 and a pressure receiving area for a pressure in a crank chamber of surface 118b opposite thereto are set at almost the same area. Further, a side surface 118c of valve element 118 is supported movably by valve casing 111, a gap between the side surface 118c and the inner circumferential surface of valve casing 111 is set very small, and in this portion, valve element 118 is substantially slid in its axial direction.
In the above-described mechanism of the displacement control valve of the variable displacement compressor, although a pressure in a crank chamber is controlled by moving and controlling valve element in its axial direction, thereby controlling the displacement for discharge, totally four sliding parts between transmission rod 116 and valve casing 111, between side surface 118c of valve element 118 and valve casing 111, between transmission rod 120 and fixed iron core 121a and between plunger 119 and housing 110 are present in this mechanism for movement and control in the axial direction of valve element 118. Therefore, when valve element 118 is moved and controlled in its axial direction, because there occur sliding resistances in the respective sliding parts, if these sliding resistances are great, there is a fear to deteriorate the movement of valve element 118. Moreover, because four sliding parts are arranged in the same axial direction, it may be difficult to maintain the respective sliding parts accurately at respective predetermined positional relationships without shifting, and also from this point of view, there is a fear to enlarge the sliding resistance. If the movement of valve element 118 is deteriorated by such a sliding resistance, a smooth control of displacement for discharge of the variable displacement compressor may be damaged.


Occupant displacement corresponding to sensed acceleration in a crash event is determined and used to enable and disable deployment of supplemental restraints based on crash severity. The determined occupant displacement is compared to a first threshold calibrated to discriminate against disturbances due to rough roads and other non-crash events, and a second threshold calibrated to discriminate against non-deployment crash events. Deployment of supplemental restraints based on crash severity is enabled only when the determined displacement is between the first and second thresholds.

Vehicle supplemental restraint systems perform a number of functions including acceleration sensing, signal processing and analysis, and deployment of one or more restraint devices such as frontal or side air bags and seat belt pretensioners in response to a sensed crash event. Typically, the acceleration signal is monitored to detect the onset of a crash event (as indicated by acceleration in excess of a reference value, for example), and then filtered or integrated over the course of the crash event to determine the change in velocity due to the crash. The change in velocity (ΔV) is indicative of the crash severity, and may be compared to a calibrated threshold to determine if the crash event is sufficiently severe to warrant deployment of restraints. Other measures of crash severity may also be used.
While being conceptually simple, the above-described approach can be problematic in practice because it is sometimes difficult to rule out acceleration disturbances due to rough road surfaces, particularly when the deployment decision must be made in a very early stage of the crash event. It can also be difficult to reliably distinguish between deployment crash events and non-deployment crash events, particularly since non-deployment events sometimes result in relatively high ΔV levels in the later stage of the crash event. Many procedures and rules have been devised for overcoming these problems, but they tend to be overly complicated and heuristic in nature rather than physics-based. Accordingly, what is needed is a physics-based, easily implemented method of providing immunity from deployment due to rough road surfaces and other non-crash events and reliably distinguishing between deployment and non-deployment crash events, while providing timely and reliable deployment determination.

Supplemental restraint deployment method with displacement-based deployment immunity


A camera module according to an aspect of the present invention includes a camera module housing configured to have an opening on the upper side thereof and have an image sensor installed therein and a window member made of light transmission material, formed to have a shape corresponding to the opening of the camera module housing, and fixed to the opening.

In general, a camera module automatically controls a focus between an image sensor and a lens by using an auto-focusing unit including a voice coil motor for moving a lens holder installed movably up and down.
Accordingly, the upper part of the lens holder is chiefly opened in order to provide a space where the auto-focusing unit can move. In particular, although the camera module is surrounded by a shield can or a housing unit, a position facing the auto-focusing unit typically remains opened. Accordingly, there is a possibility that a contaminant may be introduced through a space unit formed between the shield can or the housing unit and the auto-focusing unit.


Embodiments of the invention relate to a device for transporting and preparing cellular material in a fluid for subsequent diagnostic purposes, comprising a cylinder having a fluid-tight screw-on cap and a fluid-tight base part that can be screwed off of the cylinder. The cap can be screwed onto the base part in a fluid-tight matter. The device provides for introducing cellular material to be diagnosed into a fluid in the cylinder, closing the cylinder by a cap for transport, removing the cap, introducing a filter device and concentrating the cellular material on a filter surface, after which the fluid level is at that part of the base part below the connection to the cylinder, disposing of the filtrate, removing the base part, pressing the filter surface onto an object carrier for a cell analysis, and closing the base part by the cap for further transport.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a process for transportation and preparation of cell material in a liquid for following diagnostic purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Human Papillomaviruses, abbreviated HPV, represent a group of more than 100 known wart viruses. A multitude of these viruses are classified as cancer causing, as they are participating in the development of not only cervical cancer but also of cancer of the penis, the vulva, the anus and the mouth.
About 15 virus types are classified as high risk viruses for causing cervical cancer. Thirteen of these viruses are responsible for about 30% of the cancer cases. Vaccination against two of the viruses, which are responsible for 70% of the cancer cases, is now possible.
In the case of a HPV-infection, an early and accurate identification of the infection causing the virus is necessary based on extensive screening processes, because this allows for advanced diagnostic testing and for related therapy strategies to be developed.
Recent findings show that a diagnosis of highest safety standard combines a morphological and a bio-molecular cell investigation. Experts assume that for early cancer detection more importance will be attached to the combined diagnostic based on the investigation of the cell morphology and a specific HPV-test.

Device and method for transporting and preparing cellular material


A system and method for reducing congestion in wireless communication systems is provided. An unsolicited message reduction system includes a message detector and an all points bulletin (APB) generator. The message detector applies predefined filtering rules to identify and act upon unsolicited email messages to reduce the total number of transmissions in the wireless communication system. The filtering rules include global and user rules, with the global rules normally having precedence over user rules. The APB generator allows messages to be sent wireless mobile communication devices through direct wireless messages instead of through email messages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
The concept of an email virus is relatively new. The now infamous 'I LOVE YOU' virus is an example of an email virus that caused serious damages to systems using the Microsoft™ Outlook™ email system. In the month of May 2000, about 10 billion dollars worth of damage was attributed to this one email virus alone.
In order to understand how such damages are incurred, consider the way in which this type of virus operates. When activated by opening an infected file attachment, the virus reads an address book and proceeds to send copies of itself as an attachment to email messages addressed to recipients selected from the address book. The infection continues at each recipients' mailbox whenever they open the infected message attachment. Even when a recipient does not activate the virus by opening the attachment, the recipients' mailbox is flooded with copies of the infected email message merely because their email address was in the address book of a correspondent who activated the virus.
Furthermore, because of the coupling of wireless communication systems to email, such viruses may also flood wireless messaging services. Damage to wireless systems occurs when the unsolicited flood of messages exceeds the limited bandwidth capacity of the wireless systems.
Although anti-virus software offers some protection for wireless messaging services from such an attack, there are still needs which cannot be met by such software. The initial attack of a new strain of virus is undetectable to installed virus protection software. The effects of 'I LOVE YOU' are an example of this, as are the somewhat less publicized effects of variations thereof, which would defeat virus protection software by randomly changing the subject line of the infected email message sent to carry the virus. To make matters worse, some virus protection software strips infected attachments but then sends the original message without the attachment, as well as a further message indicating that the attachment was deleted, to each recipient of an infected email message, resulting in twice as many email messages flooding the recipients' mailbox. Therefore in some cases, when anti-virus software is active, virus protection software can sometimes increase congestion in a wireless messaging system.

Wireless communication system congestion reduction system and method


A method of manufacturing refrigerated sweet dough at or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabout without cooling the flour below about 75.degree. F. is disclosed which comprises combining flour, water, ice, and fat to form a dough; mixing said dough to develop the gluten; adding sugar and leavener to said developed dough wherein said sugar is chosen to maintain the temperature of said dough at or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabout; and mixing said dough with said sugar and said leavener to evenly distribute said sugar and said leavener throughout said dough.

Refrigerated doughs are increasingly popular with consumers due to ease of preparation. Since the dough is fully prepared, the consumer is left only with the task of baking the dough in order to attain "fresh from the oven" rolls, biscuits, bread and pastries.
Although refrigerated doughs are a great boon to consumers, processing the doughs pose large problems for manufacturers. Processing of refrigerated doughs is unique. Unlike dough processing in bakeries, refrigerated doughs require significantly more processing in the form of sheeting, lapping, and packaging of the dough. Processing lines for refrigerated doughs can extend over one hundred feet. An example of a typical processing/sheeting line for refrigerated dough is outlined in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,593,676 and 3,177,081 which are herein incorporated by reference.
One of the major problems encountered during manufacture of refrigerated dough is that dough temperature may increase to a point where processing is impossible or dough quality decreases. The temperature of refrigerated dough must remain at or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabout throughout processing to ensure that the leaveners are not spent during processing. The temperature of the dough must remain low to limit the dough from sticking to the rollers during sheeting and to generally ease handling of the dough. Finally, the temperature of the dough must remain low to ensure consistent packing of the dough into cans.
The Pillsbury Company is currently selling refrigerated dough for sweet rolls which contain up to about 7-8% dextrose by weight. An example of a typical refrigerated dough formulation is the following:
______________________________________ Ingredients Percent by weight ______________________________________ Flour 45-55 Shortening 2-6 Water 20-29 Dextrose 2-8 Salt 0.1-2 Leavener 1-4 Flavoring 0-9 ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,401 describes refrigerated dough mixing and preparation and is herein incorporated by reference. Any type of leavener system suitable for refrigerated doughs may be employed in the composition, these include but are not limited to chemical leaveners. Doughs prepared according to the above formulation remain at or below 70.degree. F. or thereabout without the use of cooling equipment.
Due to the consumers' increasing desire for sweeter foods, dough manufacturers have reformulated their sweet refrigerated doughs such as rolls, pastries, and strudels to yield sweeter products. Consumer preference correlates directly with product sweetness. Consumers prefer a sweeter product than products prepared from doughs according to the typical formulation above. This has sparked an interest to reformulate the dough. Although altering the dough to create a sweeter product may seem relatively simple, unforeseen problems arise during reformulation. Specifically, merely changing the ingredients of the dough unexpectedly raised the temperature of the dough leaving the new formulation unsuitable for processing.
Reformulating doughs to sweeten the end product is achieved by two methods. The amount of sugar present in the dough is increased, and/or a sweeter sugar is substituted for the sugar already present in the dough.
Sugars are ranked according to the sweet taste they impart. To rank sugars, a 10% aqueous solution of the sugar is tasted at room temperature. Sucrose is the reference sugar and is arbitrarily given a value of 100. All other sugars are compared to the sweetness of sucrose and ranked accordingly. Fructose and dextrose are sugars commonly used to sweeten foodstuffs. On the sucrose reference scale, fructose has a sweetness value of 117, and dextrose has a value of 65.
Trials with taste testers determined that a dough containing about 16% sucrose had the desired sweetness for sweet rolls. This dough was significantly sweeter than a similar product prepared with 8% dextrose.
Problems arose when production of the 16% sucrose dough was scaled up for commercial manufacture. In order to add more sugar to the dough, the major components of the dough formulation had to be altered. Specifically, the flour and water composition of the dough also had to be altered along with altering the sugar composition. This was necessary to maintain a constant batch size and also to attempt to achieve the desired rheology of the dough. Thus, by changing the sugar composition, the flour to water ratio in the dough was also changed yielding a dough higher in percent solids. The higher percentage of solids inhibited gluten development and dough formation since less water was present to wet the flour. It was therefore impossible to make a dough containing 16% sucrose because altering the dough formulation to increase the amount of sugar above 12% deleteriously affected gluten development and therefore affected dough rheology.
Generally, dough development describes the phenomenon by which a loose mass of flour particles, when admixed with water, becomes a cohesive resilient body of dough. As the dough is mixed, the gluten protein from the flour forms a resilient, extensible matrix. This matrix is necessary for dough formation. It allows the dough to entrap and retain leavening gas bubbles and is the initial support for the expanding dough structure during baking.
Adding a greater percentage of sugar to the dough obviously changed the flour to water ratio yielding a dough higher in percent solids. The higher percentage of solids inhibited dough formation since less water was present to wet the flour and form a dough.
When it became apparent that a dough containing 16% sucrose was impossible to produce, a dough containing 12% sucrose was tested. It was surprisingly found that even increasing the sucrose to 12% was impossible because an increase to 12% sucrose in the dough unexpectedly raised the dough temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabout. This change in temperature made the dough unsuitable for processing. Therefore, it was impossible to manufacture a refrigerated dough containing even 12% sucrose under current manufacturing practices.
The problem of increased temperature created by changing the sugar composition of the dough can be solved by installing cooling equipment. This equipment may either lower the temperature of the ingredients which are added to the dough or may act to cool the dough once it has been formed. Although adding cooling equipment will solve the problem of creating a sweeter dough and maintaining a low processing temperature, it is prohibitively expensive. For example, equipment to cool ingredients used to prepare refrigerated dough in a facility which produces up to 3 million cases per year would cost around $1 million. The cost of operating such equipment would raise the cost of the dough up to 4%.
Next, a dough composition containing 12% dextrose was tested. Although this did produce a dough with a temperature suitable for refrigerated dough production, a dough containing 12% dextrose did not yield a dough sweet enough for consumer's tastes. It was impossible to produce a dough having the optimum level of sweetness without employing additional cooling equipment before the advent of the present invention.

Method of manufacturing refrigerated dough