According to a signal transmitting method, a signal receiving method, and a related device and system, a generated single-wavelength optical carrier may be split into N subcarriers with a same wavelength by using a splitting device, corresponding data modulation and corresponding amplitude spread spectrum modulation are performed on the N subcarriers by using N spreading codes and N low-speed data signals obtained by deserializing a received high-speed data signal, to obtain N spread spectrum modulation signals, and the N spread spectrum modulation signals are combined and output. A multicarrier generation apparatus or the like having a relatively complex structure does not need to be used for optical carrier splitting, and spectrum spreading does not need to be performed in a phase modulation manner in which a plurality of delay units or controllable phase units are required.

Because of transmission distortion, a transmission loss, and the like, long-distance transmission is usually unsuitable for a baseband signal on various channels. To enable long-distance transmission of the baseband signal on various channels, corresponding carrier modulation needs to be performed on the baseband signal, so that the baseband signal is transmitted on a signal spectrum of a high frequency, and the baseband signal becomes a signal suitable for long-distance channel transmission.
Specifically, carrier modulation may be currently performed in a digital modulation manner such as Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) or Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16QAM). In addition, with successive commercial use of the QPSK and the 16QAM, and a continuously increasing transmission capacity requirement, signal modulation starts to be performed by using higher-order QAM. However, anti-noise performance of the higher-order QAM is far poorer than that of the QPSK and that of the 16QAM. Therefore, when quantization noise is relatively great because a currently commercial high-speed Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) has a relatively small ENOB (effective number of bits), back-to-back BER (bit error rate) performance of the higher-order QAM is quite poor, and a signal basically cannot be transmitted. Consequently, system reliability of the higher-order QAM is relatively low.
To improve the system reliability of the higher-order QAM, currently, a signal is usually processed and transmitted by using transmitters of the following two structures in the industry:
Transmitter 1: As shown in FIG. 1, the transmitter may include a light source, a multicarrier generation apparatus, a demultiplexer, a polarization multiplexing In-phase Quadrature (IQ) modulator, a coupler, and the like. A working principle of the transmitter is as follows: The light source generates a consecutive optical carrier with a specified wavelength, the multicarrier generation apparatus converts the consecutive optical carrier into optical carriers with a plurality of wavelengths, the demultiplexer demultiplexes the optical carriers to generate a plurality of subcarriers, the polarization multiplexing IQ modulator performs polarization multiplexing IQ modulation on each subcarrier based on a plurality of low-speed baseband IQ signals obtained by performing corresponding conversion on a high-speed data signal, and the coupler combines and outputs all modulation subcarrier signals.
That is, a data signal with a high Baud rate may be changed into a plurality of data signals with a low Baud rate in a manner of multiplexing a plurality of subcarriers, so that only a low-bandwidth device (for example, a low-bandwidth DAC and another low-bandwidth electrical device) needs to process and transmit a corresponding data signal. The low-bandwidth DAC usually obtains a relatively high ENOB in a relatively easy manner, and therefore has relatively small quantization noise. In addition, the another low-bandwidth electrical device usually has relatively small electrical noise. Therefore, this manner can improve system reliability of the higher-order QAM. However, the multicarrier generation apparatus and the demultiplexer that are required in this manner can still be implemented only in a relatively complex and high-cost manner. Therefore, this manner cannot really achieve a commercial purpose because of problems such as complex implementation and high costs.
Transmitter 2: As shown in FIG. 2, the transmitter may include a pulsed light source, a Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) encoder, a phase modulator, a spectral phase encoder, and the like. A working principle of the transmitter is as follows: The DPSK encoder generates a differentially coded signal according to an input signal, and outputs the differentially coded signal to the phase modulator, the phase modulator performs, according to the differentially coded signal, phase modulation on an optical carrier generated by the pulsed light source, and outputs a modulation signal to the spectral phase encoder, and the spectral phase encoder performs phase modulation on the modulation signal to implement spectrum spreading. Specifically, when performing phase modulation, the spectral phase encoder needs to divide the signal into a plurality of spectral components, and perform phase modulation on each spectral component according to different optical phase shifts. Each optical phase shift is usually generated by a plurality of delay units, or generated by a controllable phase unit including lithium niobate or other electro-optic material equivalent to lithium niobate.
That is, the spectral phase encoder may perform phase modulation on the modulation signal, so as to implement spectrum spreading, and improve QAM system reliability. However, in this method, a plurality of delay units or controllable phase units are usually required to generate a corresponding optical phase shift, so as to implement spectrum spreading. Consequently, this method cannot really achieve a commercial purpose because of relatively complex implementation and relatively high costs.
In conclusion, problems such as relatively high costs and a relatively great difficulty in implementation exist in an existing manner of improving QAM system reliability. Therefore, a new manner is urgently required to resolve the foregoing problems.

Signal transmitting method, signal receiving method, and related device and system


Various embodiments of a system and method for assignment and switching of content sources for a streaming content session are described. Embodiments may include the generation and use of content source rankings for improving playback quality of content streams. In embodiments, a merchant system may collect and aggregate multiple quality metrics for different content streams that various content sources provide to various clients. The merchant system may utilize the quality metrics to generate rankings of content sources for clients. The merchant system may provide such rankings to clients to improve the content stream playback experience on the client. For instance, at content acquisition time, a client may request a content stream from a content resource ranked highest on a content source ranking provided by the merchant. If the content stream degrades, the client may source subsequent portions of the content stream from another highly ranked content source of the ranking.

The ubiquity of high-speed Internet access has paved the way for alternatives to traditional broadcast media (e.g., "over-the-air" broadcast, wired cable television, and satellite broadcast). For instance, to augment or replace broadcast media, consumers can rent, purchase, and/or subscribe to electronic content delivered over the Internet. As conventional broadcast media has generally employed mature technologies capable of providing seamless playback of content, consumers have grown to expect a high level of quality from the content viewing experience. From the content consumer's standpoint, the fact that streaming media is a relatively new technology in comparison to conventional broadcast media is no excuse for poor playback performance, such as playback interruption, rebuffering, and/or video quality degradation.
Networks for delivering streaming content to users over the Internet can be large, complex, and capital intensive to deploy and maintain. In some cases, merchants that offer electronic content over the Internet will enlist the services of a third party network provider. For instance, the merchant may have the proper rights or licenses to sell or rent content while opting to offload the actual content delivery to a third party. These third parties often include content delivery network (or content distribution network) ("CDN") providers. In these types of arrangements, the merchant may handle the business logic for selling or renting content to a customer while the CDN provider handles the delivery of streaming content to the customer's playback device.
While the system and method for assignment and switching of content sources for a streaming content session is described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the system and method for assignment and switching of content sources for a streaming content session is not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the system and method for assignment and switching of content sources for a streaming content session to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the system and method for assignment and switching of content sources for a streaming content session as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include," "including," and "includes" mean including, but not limited to.

System and method for assignment and switching of content sources for a streaming content session


This specification discloses a coupling device which is capable of being inserted into an opening of a pipe to form a branch point in the pipe. The device allows for the use of an inexpensive gasketing system and the device is configured such that it will not significantly impede the flow of liquid to the branch point or allow rotation or turning in the opening of the pipe.

The devices of the branch type have in common the fact that they are designed to be inserted into an opening in a main pipeline to provide a point at which the pipeline can be branched without having to shut down the pipeline and open it to insert a tee or the like.
The variety of devices to which this invention apertains is the "heel and toe" rocking insertion device, in which projections on the device, which, along with the device itself, are collectively longer than the widest diameter opening in the main pipeline. They are first rocked backward such that a first lug can enter the opening, and then the device is moved forward so that the second lug can be set down into the opening, whereupon the device is then centered in the opening and the inserted lugs can grasp the interior wall of the main pipeline and be used to lock the device into place when a threaded locking means is utilized.
Such "heel and toe" devices are common in the art but those currently available suffer from many problems which hinder their use.
Such devices can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 377,506, issued Feb. 7, 1888 to Whiter, in which there is disclosed a coupling for boiler tanks, and the like. This coupling is designed to be inserted into a hole in the boiler plate. The design of the device is such that it is shouldered at the point that it meets the interior edge of the hole in the pipe in order to prevent the device from rotating or turning in the hole. The locking means is shown therein as "D" and it should be noted that there is no provision for allowing the coupling to be a branch point, i.e. there are no threads on the external surface of the device. Further, it should be noted that the device extends significantly into the interior of the boiler tank, which would not be of great benefit if the device were to be used as a branch point in a main pipeline as it would tend to significantly interfere with the flow of the liquid being passed through the main pipeline.
In a further disclosure, Westphal, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,049,283, issued Dec. 31, 1912, there is shown a pipe joint that is similar to the Whiter device, in that it is designed to be used in a boiler tank. It is noted that the lugs are so designed that they can have, in one embodiment, inclined surfaces in order to engage the interior edges of the hole in the tank plating. This device also projects into the interior of the tank and makes no provision for the passage of liquid if used in a main pipeline.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,355,450, issued Oct. 12, 1920, there is shown a device similar to the Whiter and Westphal devices, which is a device for use in a tank or the like. It is designed with a rather large, deep notch in one side of the coupling. This notch allows the coupling to be slipped into the opening in the tank plating, and then allows the coupling to be moved sideways in order to move the rest of the device into the opening. With the device in place, there is placed thereon, a packing ring, and then a collar. The collar is designed with enough length to fit down over the notch and cover it so that the fitting remains leakproof. The collar is then compressed down over the packing ring by the used of a threaded nut. It should be noted that the bottom of the device is designed with an elongated lug 3 which will help retain the device in the opening. However, the elongated lug 3 provides a barrier to the free flow of liquid if it were to be used in a main pipeline. Further, the device does not seem to have any means of controlling the rotation or turning of the device in the opening.
A device similar to the Carlson device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 288,116, issued Feb. 3, 1987.
A unique design in irrigation gate valves is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,033,514, issued May 8, 1962, in which there is shown a device having an enlarged apron portion which extends tangentially from a semicircular portion and projects to one side of the body a distance substantially equal to the radius of the axial opening in the body portion. This value is designed such that it will not turn or rotate in the opening. However, the device projects significantly into the pipeline such that it would significantly slow the passage of liquid through a pipeline. Further, this device must use a thickened, contoured gasket in order to be effectively leakproof.
Finally, there is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,061, issued Sep. 21, 1976 to Jackson, et al., a method for joining pipes, in which the device used to do that is shown as having a pair of lugs on its bottom, an indented neck portion for use in inserting the device in an opening in a main pipeline, a thickened, contoured gasket, a collar, a locking means, which is a locking nut which threads around the center pipe of the device and locks the whole together by depending on the lugs that have been inserted into the interior of the main pipeline.
This device is similar to the device of the instant invention. However, the device of the instant invention differs significantly by way of the following.
The device of the instant invention has two pair of lugs which are set out to the side of the device such that the middle of the device is open to allow minimal interference with the flow of liquid in the main pipeline, while the device of the '061 patent is constructed with essentially a full circle at the bottom which does cause interference with the flow to the branch point. Also, the lugs of the instant invention are designed as part of the saddle-shaped member of the device so that they do not project significantly down into the opening of the main pipeline, while the lugs of the '061 patent project significantly into the pipe opening and tend to impede the flow of liquid therein.
The device of the instant invention allows the use of an inexpensive flat washer while the device of the '061 patent requires a thickened, contoured gasket in order for the device to be effective. In other words, the device of the instant invention because of its saddle-shaped configuration, essentially mates with the inside edges of the opening of the main pipeline and and essentially fills the opening, thus, one does not need to use a thickened, contoured gasket in order for the device of the instant invention to work properly. Further, the device of the '061 patent requires an alignment tool for adapting the device to the main pipeline, and for centering the device in the opening in the main pipeline, while the device of the instant invention does not require such an alignment device. The device of the instant invention is configured such that the saddle-shaped member automatically aligns the device in the opening.
Finally, all of the features of the instant device can be had much more economically manfactured than the device of the '061 patent.

Coupling device for branch points on a pipe


A printing apparatus includes a printing head for printing on a bank book, a platen disposed opposite the printing head, and a cam mechanism for moving the platen. A sensor detects the thickness of the bank book which is between the printing head and the platen, and a sensor moving mechanism moves the sensor toward or away from the platen. A controller controls the operation of the cam mechanism and the sensor moving mechanism as the sensor is moved to a measuring position approaching the printing head. The platen is moved toward the printing head according to a detected value, and then the sensor is retracted from the measuring position. As a result, after moving the platen, the sensor does not contact the surface of the bank book, and therefore does not produce jamming or oblique feeding of the bank book during a line feed or printing operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing on recording media of varying thickness. More particularly, this invention relates to a printing apparatus in which a predetermined gap between a printing head and a platen can be easily set in accordance with the thickness of a recording medium to be used.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printing apparatus is required to optimally set a distance which is called a print gap, between an end part of a printing head and a surface of a printing medium, in order to obtain high quality printing on the recording medium. It is therefore desirable to preset the print gap in accordance with the thickness of the recording medium, such as a bank book, single layer paper, multi-carbon paper, or the like.
FIG. 14 is a front elevation view of a prior art printing apparatus. In FIG. 14, the printing apparatus includes a printing head 12, a platen 14, and a pressure sensor 16. The printing head 12 is positioned adjacent the platen 14, with an ink ribbon 18 and a head mask 20 having a print window 22 positioned therebetween. The printing head 12, ink ribbon 18 and head mask 20 are transferred along the platen 14 by a carriage (not shown in FIG. 14) to print out data on a recording medium 10.
The platen 14 includes cams 24a and 24b, cam followers 26a and 26b, a shaft 28, and springs 30a and 30b. The cam followers 26a and 26b are individually fixed to each side portion of the platen 14. The cams 24a and 24b respectively engage the cam followers 26a and 26b, and the cams 24a and 24b are connected to each other by the shaft 28. The springs 30a and 30b energize the platen 14 so the cam followers 26a and 26b are always in contact with the cams 24a and 24b, respectively. The shaft 28 is connected to a pulse motor 32. The pulse motor 32 and the pressure sensor 16 are coupled to a controller 34.
In FIG. 14, the printing medium 10 is fed to the printing area formed between the printing head 12 and the platen 14 by feed rollers (not shown in FIG. 14). Before the recording medium 10 reaches the platen 14, the platen 14 has been previously located at a lowered position. Therefore, the recording medium 10 is smoothly fed on the platen 14. After the recording medium 10 has reached the position of the platen 14, the pulse motor 32 is driven to rotate the cams 24a and 24b under control of the controller 34. As a result, the platen 14 is pushed upwardly by the cam followers 26a and 26b, and the recording medium 10 is positioned at the front surface of the head mask 20.
When the output signal of the pressure sensor 16 reaches a predetermined pressure value, the pulse motor 32 is driven in the reverse direction by a predetermined number of steps, so that the platen 14 is lowered. A proper gap is thereby set between the front surface of the head mask 20 and the surface of the recording medium 10, because the distance from the front surface of the head mask 20 to the end part of the printing head 18 is always kept at a predetermined value.
FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of another prior art printing apparatus. In FIG. 15, a printing head 40 is positioned against a platen 42 with an ink ribbon 44, a head mask 46 having a print window (not shown in FIG. 14), and a recording medium 48 therebetween. The platen 42 is supported by levers 50a and 50b and is upwardly energized by a spring 52 to push the recording medium 48 against the head mask 46. The movement of the platen 42 is regulated by a stopper 54. The print gap between the surface of the recording medium 48 and the end part of the printing head 40 is set because a gap from the front surface of the head mask 46 to the end part of the printing head 40, is set.
In FIG. 15, when a recording medium 48 has been fed to a printing area between the printing head 40 and the platen 42 by a feed roller (not shown in FIG. 15), the platen 42 is pushed downwardly by the force of the recording medium 48 which is fed by the feed roller, against the elastic force of the spring 52. The recording medium 48 is set to a printing position between the printing head 48 and the platen 42.
In the prior art apparatus of FIG. 14, because the pressure sensor 16 protrudes from the front surface of the head mask 20, the pressure sensor 16 tends to hook or snag the recording medium 10 during the printing operation, so that the recording medium 10 is shifted to an improper position. Also, because the pressure sensor 16 contacts the recording medium 10 during line feed operation, the recording medium 1 0 tends to be fed in an oblique direction, making it impossible to print out at the proper position on the recording medium 10. Moreover, since a surface of the pressure sensor 16 slides on the recording medium 1 0 during the printing and line feed operation, the surface of the pressure sensor 16 becomes worn, and the gap between the surface of the recording medium 1 0 and the head mask 20 is changed. Therefore, it is also impossible to maintain the desired gap for a long period of time.
On the other hand, in the prior art apparatus of FIG. 15, due to friction between the recording medium 48 and the head mask 46, the recording medium 48 can become jammed. In addition, where a pulse motor is used as a driving source for spacing of the printing head 40, synchronous operation of the pulse motor is disturbed by the friction, and asynchronous operation is generated. The asynchronous operation results in a problem that a printing position of a character to be printed out on a recording medium 48 is shifted to an improper position.

Printing apparatus having head GAP adjusting device.


A saw switch box includes a supporting base resting on a switch platform, a switch shelter pivotally connected to the supporting base to define a sheltering cavity between the switch shelter and the supporting base for receiving a switch member, and a locking device for locking the switch shelter on the supporting base at the idle position. In which, at an operation position, the switch shelter is pivotally folded to a position that a contacting side of the switch shelter is adapted for contacting with the switch member to protectively shelter the switch member within the sheltering cavity in position while the saw machine is operating, and at the idle position, an operation side of the switch shelter is pressed to force the contacting side thereof for pivotally pressing the switch member downward to switch off the saw machine.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a saw machine, and more particularly to a safety switch box for the saw machine, which can incorporate with a control switch of the saw machine for locking up the control switch at an off position, so as to prevent the saw machine from being switched on accidentally.
2. Description of Related Arts
A saw machine generally comprises a power control, having a control switch, to electrically control the operation of the saw machine in an on and off manner. Accordingly, the saw machine usually employs a liquid coolant pumping to the saw blade and the work piece during cutting operation to reduce the accumulated heat and flush away sawdust. In other words, the user's hands may get wet during the cutting operation.
In order to prevent an electric shock when the user's hands are wet, a conventional push button cannot be used as the control switch of the power control. It is because the user must apply a pressing force on the push button to switch on the saw machine. Therefore, the user may get electric shock when the user's finger contacts with the push button. In addition, it is dangerous that the user may accidentally switch on or off the saw machine by pressing on the push button.
Accordingly, the saw machine usually employ with an elongated switch member as the control switch wherein the switch member is pivotally mounted on a control head of the power control in such a manner that the saw machine is switched on when the switch member is pivotally push upward and the saw machine is switched off when the switch member is pivotally push downward.
The advantage of such switch member is that the switching operation of the switch member is quick and simple. In order to prevent the electric shock, especially when the user's hands are wet during the cutting operation of the saw machine, the user is able to use an object, such as a tile, to force the switch member pivotally moved downward so as to stop the operation of the saw machine. It is a great convenience for the user to switch on and off the saw machine without touching the switch member. However, once the tile hits on the switch member, the switch member may be broken. Even though the switch member is replaceable, the user cannot switch off the saw machine simultaneously. It is extremely dangerous the user must unplug the main switch of the saw machine to stop the operation thereof when the switch member is broken and the user's hands are wet. In addition, the user may accidentally switch on or off the saw machine because of the easy switching operation of the switch member. In other words, a safety device is a must to prevent the unintentionally switching operation of the saw machine.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An outboard motor includes an upright engine in which a plurality of cylinders are arranged vertically, an engine cover covering the engine, and an intake system for the engine. The intake system includes an intake manifold disposed on a side of the engine and provided with a surge tank and an intake pipe, in which the surge tank is arranged on the side of the engine inside the engine cover, the intake pipe is arranged on the inner surface side of the engine cover therein in a manner that the surge tank and the intake pipe are arranged parallel to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intake system of an outboard motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An intake system of an outboard motor is generally disposed in a space defined between an engine and an engine cover which covers the engine.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Laid-open (KOKAI) Publication No. 2002-195118 discloses an outboard motor including intake pipes of different lengths in order to improve torque characteristics in the entire engine revolution range, from a low engine revolution range to a high engine revolution range. A switching operation to the intake pipes is performed according to operation condition of the engine.
That is, it is designed that, in a low-intermediate engine revolution range, the longer intake pipe is selected, and in the high revolution range, the shorter intake pipe is selected.
However, since the space between the engine and the engine cover is narrow, it is difficult to arrange therein the intake pipes of different lengths. Especially, since the intake pipe for the low-intermediate revolution range needs to be long, the arrangement thereof can be specifically restricted by the shape or size of the engine. Therefore, it is difficult to design the entire engine compactly.
In addition, although, in an arrangement in which an engine cover having an expanded size is utilized, the space for placing the intake pipes may be ensured, in a case of a large-displacement engine, there is a limit in the size of the engine cover according to the prescribed standard when mounting an outboard motor to a boat.
Furthermore, in the case of the large-displacement engine, the engine requires itself a long length from the front side to the rear side of the engine, and therefore, even if the intake pipe for the low-intermediate revolution range having an appropriate length is utilized, there is a possibility that a switching valve for switching from/to the intake pipe for the high revolution range is to be arranged to a side portion of the engine. In such case, the shape of the intake pipe for the low-intermediate revolution range is especially affected by the shape or size of the engine.


An assembly device for a wiring harness comprises a fork (11) having legs (12,13) and a closure (17). One of the legs (12) is rigid, and the other leg (13) and the closure (17) are relatively flexible to permit wires to enter the fork with ease and to permit the completed harness to be extracted with ease. A second embodiment has two rigid legs (12a,12b).

A wiring harness comprises a large number of wires of different length and thickness arranged to connect a plurality of relatively remote electrical devices. Such a harness is used for example in an automobile. Typically the harness will have a central trunk region, through which many of the wires pass, and a large number of branches having relatively few wires. Automobile wiring harnesses can be very complex, with a core region of e.g. 30-50 individual wires, and 20-30 branches of different lengths and thicknesses.
The manufacture of wiring harnesses is relatively labour intensive. The wires are placed one by one on an assembly template, and when complete the individual wires are bound with tape to form the harness. Since the harness includes many wires, it is desirable to temporarily retain each wire in a clip as it is added to the template; in this way the wires are retained in the desired pattern, and individual wires cannot escape from the template. Such clips should permit the attachment of individual wires and removal of the completed harness with maximum speed and minimum effort. Preferably the clip should be no larger than the diameter of the completed harness so as to facilitate tight binding of the wires.
JP-4-61817 discloses a rigid fork with two legs each having an end cap with a resilient arm. These arms are directed towards each other to substantially close the opening of the fork. Wires are snapped one at a time past the arms into the fork for temporary retention. This device has the disadvantage that the caps can be pulled off the fork legs as the completed harness is pulled out of the fork. Furthermore the arms tend to restrict the fork opening when they are bent as the harness is released, and thus the fork must be oversize if ease of use is to be maintained. As noted above, an oversize fork does not facilitate tight binding of the wires, and has the disadvantage of taking up excessive space which prevents several forks being placed close together. A single arm embodiment is also disclosed in this prior document, but the same disadvantages arise.
JP-5-17853 discloses a fork having a fixed leg, and a pivoted leg biased towards the fixed leg by a spring. In the normal state the opening of the fork is not completely closed, leading to the possibility that individual wires will escape. The pivoted leg allows the completed harness to be removed with ease, but the clip is excessively complicated, rather expensive and somewhat slow to release.
JP-9-11252 discloses a fork in which both legs are pivoted on a stand, and biased by a spring to a completely closed condition This fork is completely closed in the normal condition and will thus retain individual wires securely. However the construction is somewhat complex and expensive, and the fork has a wide lateral extent which may restrict operability in the case where several clips must be placed close together.
The present invention aims to provide an improved device for temporarily restraining wires of a harness and which overcomes the problems of the prior art.


A disk drive test apparatus has a plurality of bays each for receiving a respective disk drive to be tested. A plurality of card slots are provided each for receiving a test card via which a disk drive can be tested. Each of the test cards is either an environment test card or an interface test card. The card slots and the test cards are arranged such that each card slot (6) can selectively receive an environment test card or an interface test card. Other arrangements for disk drive test apparatus or disk drive mounting apparatus are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to housings and devices for disk drives.
2. Discussion of Related Art
During manufacture of disk drive units, it is necessary to test the disk drive units to ensure that they meet the required specification. For example, the magnetic recording surfaces of the disks are tested for defects and the electronics of the disk drive are also tested. As part of the testing operation, the temperature of the disk drive unit is varied across a wide range to ensure that the performance of the disk drive over that temperature range is satisfactory.
For this purpose, the disk drive units are mounted in apparatus that meets certain requirements. For example, the apparatus has to be capable of controllably varying the temperature of the disk drives. The disk drives are preferably mounted in such a way as to damp vibrations, both to damp vibrations coming into the disk drive from the apparatus and to damp vibrations arising from operation of the disk drive passing out to the rest of the apparatus.
In, our WO-A-01/41148, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, there is disclosed a disk drive unit carrier. The carrier has a rear section and a front section. A disk drive is mounted in the front section for testing. The rear section contains a fan and valve arrangement for blowing air across the disk drive. The carrier is mounted with many other such carriers in a large frame-like apparatus. Through selective operation of the fan and the valve, the temperature of the disk drive can be controllably varied over a wide range. For this purpose, a heat exchanger is provided to cool the air and a heater is provided to heat the air as desired.
Typically during the test procedure, in a first step a simple power and control connection to the disk drive is made via the apparatus and so-called environment testing is carried out in which the drives carry out a so-called self-test. This first step can be used for example to test the surface of the disk for defects and to ensure that operation over a wide temperature range is satisfactory. Historically, the disk drive has then been moved to a completely separate apparatus in which so-called interface testing is carried out. In interface testing, a full control connection is made to the disk drive, in order for example to check fully that high speed data transfer through the drive's interface can be carried out with satisfactory performance. Thus, historically, there have been two separate testing apparatus, one to carry out the more straightforward environment testing and the other to carry out the more demanding interface testing. As will be understood, having to transfer the disk drives between two apparatus during testing is inconvenient and time-consuming.
The temperature of the disk drive has historically been monitored only indirectly by measuring the temperature of the air flowing across the disk drive and calculating the temperature of the disk drive using look-up tables or the like. However, this requires a high speed and high volume air flow across the disk drive in order to achieve any accuracy. This in turn means that physically large, high power fans are required, which is inconsistent with a need to minimise the size of the apparatus and makes it more difficult to minimise the effect of vibrations arising in the apparatus.
Many of the issues discussed above, e.g. damping of vibrations of the disk drive and control of its temperature, are also relevant to end user storage applications in which one or many disk drives are mounted in storage apparatus for use by end users.


A rotary reciprocating pumping apparatus is provided with a positive two position adjustment feature which allows the piston stroke to be increased to a maximum and repeatably, automatically, returned to a second calibrated dispensing position. Such rotary reciprocating pump is further provided with an adjustable liquid displacement velocity profile to maintain sufficient velocity of liquid flow at the end of the pump discharge cycle to enable injection of small volumes of liquid through a pump exhaust port, thereby eliminating the inaccurate and time consuming operation of touching off a small volume of liquid as a drop characterizing known rotary reciprocating pumping systems. A stabilizing ring of the cylindrical pump case is flush mounted within a counterbore of a pump mounting plate with one side of the ring directly abutting the bottom of the counterbore and a diametrically opposite side and abutting one or more standoffs to set the axis of the pump case and the pumping chamber at a slight angle in a transverse plane to the axis of the counterbore within the pump mounting plate, thereby modifying the pump piston liquid velocity profile to ensure significant fluid velocity at termination of the pump piston discharge stroke.

Precision liquid metering and dispensing apparatus in the field utilize various devices to meter liquids precisely in a dispensing process. Mechanisms used to meter liquids in microliter or milliliter quantities include time per pressure liquid displacement systems, positive liquid displacement pumps, peristaltic tubing pumps, and others. The positive displacement pump is known to be the most accurate and robust device for use in small volume dispensing applications.
There are various positive displacement devices which can be used to move and deposit liquids in a dispensing process. They include diaphragm pumps, piston pumps, gear pumps, syringe pumps and various other mechanisms. The ceramic rotary reciprocating piston pump is the mechanism which is the basis of this invention.
A ceramic rotary reciprocating piston pump offers several advantages over other positive displacement liquid dispensers. One of the advantages results from using the rotary motion of the piston with an integral valving feature to perform the valve function. This method of valving a pump is advantageous in that it eliminates peripheral valving mechanisms that can slow the cycling time of the pump or otherwise be a detriment to the pump's performance. Additionally, the use of a thermally and mechanically stable ceramic material in the construction of the piston and cylinder permits an extremely close running fit to be created thus eliminating the need for secondary seals. The resulting system offers excellent repeatability and long-term reliability as a result of its simplicity of design and limited use of moving parts.
Traditional displacement adjustment of a ceramic rotary reciprocating piston pump utilizes an angularly offset drive. This method allows the magnitude of the piston stroke to be changed by adjusting the relative angular relationship of the piston to the driving motor and its output spindle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,872 to H. E. Pinkerton issued Feb. 9, 1965 and entitled "POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PISTON PUMP" is exemplary of a rotary reciprocating piston pump utilizing an angularly offset drive. The pump of this patent employs a ducted piston which reciprocates and rotates synchronously in a bi-ported cylinder. The piston duct is arranged to connect the ports alternately with the pumping chamber. One port communicates with the pumping chamber on the down stroke of the piston, while the other port is arranged to be exposed to the chamber on the piston upstroke. A piston-cylinder assembly is coupled to the output of a drive motor through an interposed collar or yoke. The piston includes at its outer end a laterally projecting arm having a ball bearing which is adapted to ride in a socket in the collar to thereby provide a universal joint between these parts. A cylinder conveniently receives the piston and is mounted on a bracket rotatable about a vertical axis. The cylinder is provided with at least one pair of ports both of which communicate with the cylinder pumping chamber. When the axis of the collar and that of the piston and cylinder are substantially coaxial, the piston does not reciprocate in the cylinder during the rotation of the collar. As such, no pumping action occurs. When the cylinder is angled about its pivot, the piston will reciprocate at an amount proportional to the angular displacement. The direction of rotation, that is either clockwise or counterclockwise determines the direction of fluid feed. The magnitude of the angular displacement of the piston and cylinder determines the amplitude of piston stroke and consequently flow rate. In a variation, the yoke rather than the cylinder is pivotal. In the past, the adjustment of the angular relationship of the piston to the driving motor and output spindle, collar or yoke is accomplished with a threaded mechanism such as a micrometer. It should be noted that in priming and purging of air from a liquid metering apparatus of this type maximizing the piston's stroke is advantageous. In addition, a long piston stroke provides increased liquid turbulence within the pumping chamber, a proven benefit for clean in place systems. In order to achieve a long piston stroke, the angular relationship of the piston to the drive spindle must be increased to its maximum limit. After successfully priming or cleaning the pumping apparatus, a time consuming adjustment and calibration procedure is required to restore the pump's output to a desired volumetric displacement.
Traditional rotary reciprocating pump designs accelerate the liquids they are displacing in a manner fixed by the mechanical relationship of the pump to the drive motor and spindle. The displacement of liquid by the piston is a cosine function with the velocity of the liquid at the beginning and end of the intake and discharge strokes being zero. As a result of this velocity profile, the pumping apparatus is unable to eject small volumes of liquid from the dispensing tip.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a rotary reciprocating pumping apparatus with a positive two position adjustment feature which will allow the piston's stroke to be preferably automatically increased to a maximum and repeatably, preferably automatically returned to a second, calibrated dispensing position, thereby eliminating time consuming adjustments required with traditional rotary reciprocating pump designs.
An additional object of the invention is to provide such rotary reciprocating pumping apparatus with an adjustable liquid displacement velocity profile to achieve an increase in the velocity of the liquid at the end of the pump's discharge cycle to enable ejection of small amounts of liquid from a dispensing tip, thereby eliminating the inaccurate and time consuming operation of "touching off" a small volume drop of liquid characterizing known pumping systems.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a rotary reciprocating pump having enhanced fluid performance with increased ease of use during pump priming and cleaning.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention .

Two position rotary reciprocating pump with liquid displacement flow adjustment


A percussive massage device theft prevention system includes a percussive massage device, a command center configured to generate a unique activation code configured to be received by the percussive massage device, and an authentication device configured to be paired with the percussive massage device and provide the activation code to the percussive massage device. The percussive massage device is configured to be paired with the authentication device, receive the authentication code from the authentication device, and activate the percussive massage device for a specified time period.

As percussive massage devices become more prolific, gym and/or club locations are in need of percussive massage devices in connection with fitness, wellness, muscle recovery, and muscle activation. The gym and/or club locations, however, are also rightly concerned about preventing the theft of the percussive massage devices by gym or club members. In addition, it is desirable for more than one user to use percussive massage devices at, for example, the end of a scheduled gym session. Accordingly, there is a need to provide synchronization of the percussive massage devices so that the users may operate the devices for the same purposes and using the same routines.
The background description disclosed anywhere in this patent application includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

Networked theft prevention and mutli-user synchronization system and method for percussive massage device


A coordinator object that contains access patterns indicating the sequences of accesses of the cooperating processes to the object is allocated to the common object. The coordinator object controls the accesses to the object requested by the processes with the assistance of the access patterns. The change from one access type to another access type ensues dependent on a switch condition that can be set. The switch condition is met when all accesses of a group of processes with respect to an access type or when a predetermined plurality of specific accesses have been implemented. The goal of the method is to coordinate the parallel processing of processes in a multi-processor system both given common address space as well as given distributed address space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for coordinating the execution of cooperating processes that access a common object in a parallel processing environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Explicit parallel programming is characterized in that the programmer must specify how a plurality of cooperating processes coordinate their execution. Dependent on the computer architecture used, this coordination occurs by:
Synchronization in the case of processes with a common address space. Synchronization prevents common data from being accessed at the wrong time.
Communication between processes with distributed address space. Communication makes data between such processes available (at the right time).
In order to utilize the advantages of these two computer architectures, either communication (for distributed architectures) or synchronization (for architectures with a common address space) is offered as programming means in parallel programming models and parallel programming languages.
The support of what is referred to as the distributed shared memory is known from Bill Nitzberg, Virginia Lo: Distributed Shared Memory: A Survey of issues and Algorithms IEEE COMPUTER, vol. 24, no. Aug. 8, 1991 and is based on the fiction that an inaccessible memory can be accessed (automatic data migration then occurs). There is a great number of programming models for distributed memories in addition to this general operating system approach that refine this idea. For example, Emerald as disclosed in Distribution and Abstract Types in Emerald, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering SE 13, Jan. 1, 1987 distinguishes between reading and writing. In reading or writing accesses, objects are migrated according to obvious semantics onto the machine that needs them. None of these approaches is conceived for shared memories. An overview of these and similar models or, respectively, languages can be found in H. Bal, J. Steiner, A. Tanenbaum: Programming Languages for Distributed Computing Systems ACM Computing Surveys, September 1989
An object underlying the invention is comprised in providing a method that enables a uniform programming model for both synchronization and communication architectures. This and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by a method for coordinating the execution of processes cooperating with one another that access a common object, wherein: each common object is declared as coordinator object and access patterns that determined sequences of accesses of the cooperating processes onto the coordinator object are allocated to it; a sequence of types of access (access types) is recited in the access pattern; given execution of the processes, the coordinator object determines whether an access to the common object is present and, in this case, determines on the basis of the access pattern whether the access can be implemented or must be postponed until the access of another process has ended.
With the assistance of what are referred to as coordinator objects, the method can replace explicit coordination commands with a static declaration of allowable sequences of accesses, as a result whereof the dynamic executive behavior of the cooperating processes can be influenced. This approach of parallel programming leads to more comfort and portability than in conventional parallel programming without deteriorating the efficiency. Coordinator objects, thus, are passive objects on which the active processes operate.
Identical accesses are referred to with the term access type below. For example, writing accesses belong to one access type, reading accesses to another access type.
The underlying idea of the coordinator objects is thereby as follows: Parallel programmers indicate access patterns for commonly used objects (data). An access pattern describes what sequences of accesses of the cooperating processes to a common object are possible. This shall be explained with reference to writing and reading accesses to a common object. In this case, a distinction can be made between writing and reading accesses and objects that are ready to be read after which writing accesses can be specified. Conversely, objects that are again ready to be written after which reading accesses can also be specified. The patterns can generally be defined by counters that either log the accesses of all processes in common or the accesses of each individual process.
Corresponding to the indicating access patterns, a program behavior arises that implicitly leads to synchronization or communication (triggered by specific access sequences). For example, writing operations are delayed in the read status (i.e. the corresponding processes are put to sleep, ie., temporarily halted). When switching into the write status, the sleeping processes are awakened; they then behave exactly as though they had not yet even attempted their access. The behavior is oppositely identical in the write status. This execution usually occurs iteratively, i.e. the writing and the reading status alternate repeatedly with one another.
The critical idea of the coordinator objects is thus that a run time behavior that is characterized by automatic synchronization or communications is achieved by a priori indicated properties of objects. Accesses to coordinator objects modify the normal program behavior insofar as memory accesses can be delayedxe2x80x94or, expressed differently: Corresponding to the specified access patterns, processes are blocked given accesses to coordinator objects and are re-awakened at a suitable point in time.
Developments of the invention are provided when the access pattern specifies whether a plurality of accesses per access type are handled with priority before an access of another access type. Preferably, the accesses of an access type are implemented in strict succession in order to avoid conflicts. The coordinator object can be informed that no instances of conflict occur given successive processing of the accesses of one access type, so that the accesses need not be strictly implemented. The number of accesses per access type are, in one embodiment, counted with a counter and an access of another process or of another access type is allowed when the allowable number of accesses per access type is reached. One access type covers writing accesses and the other access type covers reading accesses. In a preferred embodiment, the coordinator object can switch into the write status or into the read status, and the initial status is a write status. The switching of the coordinator object from one status into the other status is initiated by a switch condition that can be set by a keyword. The switch condition can be set such that a plurality of accesses of one access type must be met. Alternately, the switch condition can be set such that a total number of accesses by different processes must be met. Yet another alternative, the switch condition can be set such that the accesses of a group of processes must be met. The switch condition is determined by the process.
The coordinator object is realized as a central control program that is specified dependent on respective application. The control program administers accesses that cannot be processed yet in a waiting set. A waiting set is generated in the control program for each access type. The next access to be processed can be selected from a waiting set. Preferably, one waiting queue is prioritized, so that the accesses of this waiting queue are processed first.
In general, a local memory that cannot be addressed by other processes is allocated to each process. Given distributed memory, the control program sees to it for processes for which access is allowed that data consistent with the coordinator data are stored in their local memory.

Process for coordinating the course of cooperating processes which access a common object


A knee bolster structure includes a vehicle-side member, a knee-receiving member, an impact-absorbing section for absorbing an input energy from knees of a driver or front-seat passenger when the knees hit the knee-receiving section, and a knee-receiving member movement section for moving the knee-receiving member to a knee-receiving position for the driver or front-seat passenger, said knee-receiving member being attached to the vehicle-side member via the impact-absorbing section and the knee-receiving member movement section, the impact-absorbing section being structurally separated from the knee-receiving member movement section.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to knee bolster structures to be attached to vehicles such as automobiles.
(2) Related Art Statement
Investigations have been made to install knee bolster structures (which may be also called "knee protectors") in interiors of vehicles such as automobiles so as to protect knees of drivers and passengers at front seats upon applications of loads, and their development has been carried out (See JP-A 6-32195 and JP-A 8-282413, for example).
It is the present situation that such knee bolster structures have been developed, designed and attached independently for respective kinds of automobiles, which have required much developing time and costs.
The knee bolster structure needs to be certainly operated or its operation certainty needs to be enhanced to as high a level as possible.
From this point of view, a knee-receiving member of the knee bolster structure projects and protect knees upon application of a load at the time of collision or the like. However, the applicants noticed that impact force which acts upon an operating shaft when the knee-receiving member projects is not small, so that there may be room for improvement to certainly ensure the operation.
Furthermore, it was also noticed that when the knees are protected with the projecting knee-receiving member at the time of application of the load in collision or the like, the knee-receiving member may be pushed back with input force from the knees. The applicants noticed that the effect of accurately protecting the input from the knees upon the knee-receiving member might be reduced.
The knee bolster structure needs to have a knee-receiving member for receiving input from knees of a driver or front-seat or passenger and an impact-absorbing section for absorbing input energy from the knees when they hit the knee-receiving member. Further, consideration has been made to use a knee-receiving member movement section which moves the knee-receiving member to a knee-receiving position for the driver or front-seat passenger so that the knee bolster structure may cope with any person depending upon its physique. However, even if the knee-receiving member movement section is provided, a given impact-absorbing performance cannot be exhibited if the function of moving the knee-receiving member is collapsed with the input load before the impact-absorbing function. Therefore, the function of moving the knee-receiving member needs to be tougher than the impact-absorbing function.


An optical transmitting device includes: a laser diode to which a first or second driving current is provided; a controller to provide the laser diode with the first driving current to transmit an optical signal and with a plurality of second driving currents, to emit light, different from each other in magnitude during a stop of providing the first driving current; a measuring unit to measure an intensity of the light emitted by the laser diode; a calculator to calculate a threshold current of the laser diode, based on the intensities corresponding to the plurality of second driving currents measured by the measuring unit and magnitudes of the plurality of second driving currents; and a determination unit to determine a precursor of a sudden-death of the laser diode, based on an amount of variation in the threshold current calculated by the calculator during a specific period.

High-speed Internet access services, such as fiber to the home (FTTH) service, have been in widespread use recently. The FTTH services include passive optical network (PON) in which a single optical fiber is shared by multiple users.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 9-18412 discloses a technique that determines a degraded state of a laser diode by comparing a degradation determination voltage with a voltage corresponding to a pre-bias current value occurring immediately before the laser diode (LD) shifts to a laser oscillation state thereof. Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-197984 discloses a technique that determines an LD degradation based on driving current data following temperature characteristics that keep an optical signal output at a specific level, and corrects driving current control data in order to control an optical signal output in an initial operation state to a specific level.

Optical transmitting device and optical transmission system


A bra incorporating bra straps that are made from beads threaded onto an elongated tubular member in a decorative pattern. The straps include end connectors that allow them to be detachably secured to the bra. The straps may also include an adjustment member to allow the length of the straps to be lengthened or shortened.

1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to clothing. More particularly, the invention relates to a tops and bras. Specifically, the invention relates to decorative beaded bra straps and to a bra which incorporates the same.
2. Background Information
It has recently become fashionable for younger women to wear dresses and shirts that allow their bra straps to be seen. As a result, the lingerie industry has started producing bras that are made in bright attractive colors. While these straps are slightly more attractive than the traditional white, black or flesh colored bras, they do not necessarily enhance the dress or shirt that they are worn under. There is, therefore, still room in the industry for bras that have decorative straps and for decorative straps that can be used to replace conventional bra straps.

Decorative straps for a bra and a bra incorporating the same


A circuit for driving a photoluminescence quenching device (PQD) of a flat panel display, each PQD defining a pixel at a crossing of a scan line and a data line, includes an activation transistor and a driver transistor. The activation transistor is turned on according to potential of the scan line and outputs a potential of the data line. The driver transistor is connected between a reference voltage terminal of the circuit and a PQD. When the activation transistor is turned on, the driver transistor applies to the anode of the PQD a potential that is applied to the reference voltage terminal, according to the potential of the data line. In an emissive mode of the PQD, when the driver transistor is turned on, a forward voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode of the PQD so that the PQD emits light. In a re-emissive mode, when the driver transistor is turned off, no voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode of the PQD so that the PQD emits light by photoluminescence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit for driving a photoluminescence quenching device (PQD) and a matrix display apparatus incorporating the circuit, and a plurality of PQDs. More particularly, the invention relates to a circuit for driving a matrix display panel including PQDs as pixels, which are defined by crossings of scan lines and data lines, and a matrix display apparatus incorporating the circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel displays using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) provide high brightness and a wide viewing angle. Using the self-emissive mode, OLEDs do not require any back light and are thus very effective under conditions of low to medium ambient light. However, with high ambient light, such as direct sunlight, a disproportionately large amount of power must be supplied to OLEDs to obtain required brightness. Moreover, high current is required in order to activate the elements having a light emitting structure. For this reason, reflective and re-emissive technologies, applied to liquid crystal displays (LCDs), are very effective for LCDs in a variety of ambient light conditions. However, when using these technologies, back light is required under conditions with low ambient light, which results in an increase in the dimensions of displays and increased power consumption.
The structure of OLEDs that can be operated both in emissive and re-emissive modes is disclosed in U.S. Published Patent Application 2002 0027537A1. A PQD has a structure similar to that of an OLED and can be operated in an emissive mode without back light and a re-emissive mode.
Driver circuits activating OLEDs are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,157,356, 5,952,789, and 6,518,700. All of these driver circuits have a disadvantage in that they can realize only the emissive mode of operation of an OLED. Under conditions with high ambient light, a high current is required to activate the OLED elements in the emissive mode. This high current requirement leads to an increased fabrication cost.

Circuit for driving matrix display panel with photoluminescence quenching devices, and matrix display apparatus incorporating the circuit


An airbag device, provided below a pad of a vehicle seat cushion, comprises an airbag which deploys at a time of a vehicle collision, and an enveloping member which envelops the airbag in a tube shape; the airbag device is characterized in being provided at a position substantially in a center of the seat cushion in the back-and-forth direction of the vehicle, and in that the enveloping member has different peripheral lengths in an intermediate portion thereof and in end portions thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an airbag device, provided below the pad of a seat cushion in a vehicle, which deploys upwards at the time of a vehicle collision to restrain the forward motion of an occupant.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-115441, filed on Apr. 19, 2006, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-115442, filed on Apr. 19, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Among airbag devices having a bag (airbag) which deploys at the time of a vehicle collision are devices in which a bag is provided below the pad of a vehicle seat cushion, and which cause the pad to be distended by upward deployment thereof, to restrain forward motion of the pelvis of an occupant. Among such airbag devices are devices which control the deployed shape of the bag by means of an enveloping member (see for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2004-359207). Such an airbag device causes the enveloping member to envelop the bag with a fixed peripheral length.
However, because the above-described enveloping member envelops the bag with a fixed peripheral length, the deployed shape of the bag can only be constrained to a cylindrical shape.
Furthermore, an airbag device which restrains forward motion of the pelvis of an occupant has a structure in which the airbag is provided within a depressed area formed in the seat pan, and a cover is mounted on the seat pan so as to cover the depressed area (see for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-126051).
However, on occasion an occupant may spill a beverage or other liquid onto the vehicle seat. In such cases, when an airbag device with the above-described structure is installed, the liquid, having penetrated the pad of the seat cushion, may travel along the seat pan and enter the depressed area from the gap between the cover and seat pan by means of capillary action, and may result in inundation up to the airbag.


An imaging device includes: an imaging unit having an imaging element; a first video signal processing unit that generates a first video signal of a first dynamic range from a pixel signal obtained by the imaging unit; and a second video signal processing unit that generates an information signal of a high-pass luminance change component of at least a high luminance portion from the first video signal, reduces a luminance value of a high luminance portion of the first video signal to generate a luminance reduction video signal of a second dynamic range narrower than the first dynamic range, and adds the generated luminance reduction video signal to the information signal of the luminance change component to generate a second video signal.

In HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging, it is possible to express video having a wide dynamic range and express dark parts, colors having high luminance, or the like that cannot be expressed by a SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) video signal having a standard dynamic range that is displayable by general monitors.
Known technologies relevant to HDR and LDR video signal processing include a technology for simultaneously generating HDR video and LDR video (see Patent Literature 1), a technology for converting LDR video into HDR video (see Patent Literature 2), or the like. Note that a LDR is synonymous with a SDR.

Imaging device, video signal processing device, and video signal processing method


Elongation measurement apparatuses and systems comprise at least two Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDTs) with a push rod coupled to each of the at least two LVDTs at one longitudinal end thereof. At least one push rod extends to a base and is coupled thereto at an opposing longitudinal end, and at least one other push rod extends to a location spaced apart from the base and is configured to receive a sample between an opposing longitudinal end of the at least one other push rod and the base. Nuclear reactors comprising such apparatuses and systems and methods of measuring elongation of a material are also disclosed.

For several applications, real-time measurements of specific materials are necessary for safe and proper operations and experimentation. For example, neutron radiation experiments have conventionally used in-pile instrumentation to monitor and measure in-situ major physical parameters. Some of the most typical in-pile measurements include fuel or material sample temperatures, fuel rod or material sample dimensions, fission gas release in fuel rods, neutron flux, and gamma heating. In the case of measuring fuel rod or material sample dimensions, conventional elongation sensors and diameter gauges have been employed, including Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDTs) for measuring elongation and contraction of fuel rods or material samples.
Limitations in conventional instrumentation have arisen as the need for very precise real-time in-pile measurements has increased. For example, conventional LVDTs are typically limited in their ability to function in high temperature environments. Some LVDTs are available that are capable of functioning in environments of less than about 550° C. However, changes in length of materials and fuels being irradiated at temperatures greater than about 550° C. are not typically measurable in real time. To overcome the temperature limitations of conventional LVDTs, samples irradiated at higher temperatures are typically measured prior to and after irradiations. Such methods are very expensive and provide no real-time information of what is occurring during the irradiation. Additionally, errors are often introduced when samples are removed from the reactor.

Apparatus and systems for measuring elongation of objects, methods of measuring, and reactor


The present invention relates to a method for determining absorption of cobalamin or analogues thereof in an individual comprising (ii providing two blood samples from said individual, wherein the first sample comprises said individual's blood prior to ingestion by said individual of non-radioactive cobalamin or an analogue thereof and the second sample comprises said individual's blood after said ingestion, (ii) determining the concentration of cobalamin or analogue thereof in the first sample, (iii) determining the concentration of cobalamin or analogue thereof in the second sample by treating complexes of cobalamin or analogue thereof and one or more carrier proteins with one or more enzymes to release cobalamin or analogue thereof from said one or more carrier proteins, and (iv) determining, on the basis of comparison of said concentrations in said two samples, whether said cobalamin or analogue thereof has been absorbed in the blood stream.

In nature, many non-proteinaceous compounds, such as vitamins and hormones, occur mostly in a form complexed, i.e. bound, to proteins. Detection and quantification of such bound non-proteinaceous compounds is often difficult due to insufficient accessibility. In many instances, liberation or release of the non-proteinaceous compound from the protein to which it is bound will be necessary to allow detection. Many known methods of liberating non-proteinaceous compounds from complexes with proteins result in undesired modification of the non-proteinaceous compound.
An example of such a non-proteinaceous compound is cobalamin, which, in the blood stream, can be bound to two cobalamin-binding proteins; transcobalamin (TC) and haptocorrin (HC). Cobalamin is an essential vitamin, which in man is necessary for cell proliferation and metabolism. Patients suffering from cobalamin deficiency are at risk of developing nerve damage, with typical symptoms of reduced sensitivity in hands and feet and memory loss. Cobalamin deficiency is a public health problem affecting the elderly in particular. Approximately 5-20% of the elderly population is affected. There is an outspoken medical need for diagnostic methods allowing early identification of persons at risk of developing deficiency, as this damage may become irreversible of not treated in the early stages. A consequence of cobalamin deficiency that has come into focus in recent years is that it results in increased blood concentrations of homocysteine, an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Measurement of cobalamin is only possible after release from the proteins. Prior art methods for the release of cobalamin from a binding protein generally use base extraction. E.g. in a HoloTC RIA assay available from Axis-Shield Biochemicals, cobalamin is released from TC using dithiothreitol and sodium hydroxide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,907 describes release using acetone, reducing agent and cyanide ions. These extraction methods often result in a modification of the cobalamin molecules. Furthermore, they result in a pH level which is unfavourable for further analysis.
Thus, there is a need for simple and improved methods of quantifying protein-bound non-proteinaceous compounds, in particular protein-bound cobalamin and analogues thereof.
For the diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency, it is important to know whether absorption of cobalamin from the food is impaired. The transfer of cobalamin from the food to the blood involves intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor binds to cobalamin in the intestine and the intrinsic factor-cobalamin complex is later absorbed by epithelial cells in the terminal ileum through binding to a receptor, cubilin. In the epithelial cell, cobalamin is separated from intrinsic factor and transferred to the blood, where it binds to transcobalamin and haptocorrin present in plasma.
In many patients, cobalamin deficiency is caused by no or reduced secretion of intrinsic factor into the gastric juice. Ingestion of both intrinsic factor and cobalamin by these patients will cause a significant increase in the absorption of cobalamin. The fact that absorption of cobalamin to the blood can be restored in patients with no intrinsic factor secretion simply by adding cobalamin together with intrinsic factor is used in a routine test, the Schilling test, employed in patient diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency (Ward (2002) Clin. Lab. Med. 22:435-445). The aim is to determine whether the patient has a reduced secretion of intrinsic factor or an intestinal malabsorption of cobalamin. The classical version of the Schilling test consists of two steps. In the first part, free radioactive cobalamin is ingested by the patient after having received an injection of a huge dose of unlabelled (non-radioactive) cobalamin in order to saturate cobalamin-binding proteins. This ensures that any absorbed labelled cobalamin is excreted in the urine. Urine is then collected over the next 24 hours and the amount of radioactive cobalamin present is determined. If very little radioactivity is present in the urine, this indicates a lack of cobalamin absorption which may be caused by an intrinsic factor deficiency, such as a lack of intrinsic factor secretion, or by intestinal malabsorption. To distinguish between these two conditions the second part of the Schilling test is performed. In this part of the test, the patient ingests radioactive cobalamin together with intrinsic factor. Again the urine is collected over the next 24 hours and the radioactivity determined. A significant increase of radioactivity in the urine supports the diagnosis that the patient suffers from a lack of intrinsic factor, since the cobalamin absorption was restored by ingestion of cobalamin together with intrinsic factor. No radioactivity in the urine indicates that the patient has a defect further along the process of cobalamin absorption e.g. a malfunction of the intestine.
The Schilling test has been marketed in several modifications. One is to supply the labelled cobalamin built into food rather than in its free form. This has been done in order to test whether the patients' inability to absorb relates to a decreased capacity in liberating the cobalamin from food, such as it may be seen in patients suffering from pancreatic insufficiency.
Whatever the format of the Schilling test there are several severe problems and limitations attached to this method:                Most important is the use of labelled cobalamin. Though the amount of radioactivity employed is limited (magnitude 0.5×10−6 ci) it is increasingly unacceptable both for the patient and for the clinical personnel handling the radioactive cobalamin and collecting the biological material needed for the test.        The collection of urine over a 24 hour period is problematic. It is time consuming and it is hampered by a relatively large uncertainty due to incomplete collection of the urine from the patient.
Thus, there is a need for alternatives to the Schilling test which do not use radioactivity.
Determination of the cobalamin status of an individual often also requires determination of the levels of the free (apo) and/or bound (holo) form of cobalamin-binding proteins, such as transcobalamin or haptocorrin. Haptocorrin is a glycoprotein. Reliable measurement of the total level of glycoproteins in a sample requires that different species or isoforms of the glycoprotein present react alike in the assay to be used. This represents a problem when measuring heavily glycosylated proteins such as haptocorrin. Haptocorrin is present in plasma and in a number of other body fluids. Haptocorrin molecules from various sources differ in their glycosylation pattern. Furthermore, the glycosylation of plasma haptocorrin may differ amongst patients (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Plasma haptocorrin carries 70% of the circulating cobalamin, however, the role in cobalamin transport and metabolism is still unclear. In addition to its role in cobalamin storage in the bloodstream, the protein was proven of clinical interest in connection with conditions where the protein is observed in an increased concentration, such as chronic myeloid leukaemia, polycythaemia vera, acute leukaemia, leukocytosis, cancer and hepatic disease (6, 7). Thus, haptocorrin may be interesting as a marker protein for these diseases. Recently, it has further been suggested that a low plasma concentration of cobalamin might be caused by heterozygosity for lack of this protein (8), and thereby that measurement of haptocorrin may be of help when interpreting a low level of plasma cobalamin.
Two radioimmunoassays for direct measurement of total haptocorrin have been described (9, 10, 11). However, the influence of the heterogeneous glycosylation of haptocorrin on its measurement in different plasma samples has not been investigated, and it is thus unclear whether these assays measure haptocorrin in various samples on an equimolar base.
The present invention in one aspect relates to a method for quantifying glycoproteins comprising a step of removal of glycosylation before quantification. Enzymatic deglycosylation of glycoproteins can have very different consequences for antibody-based detection of such proteins depending, e.g. on the effect of glycosylation on the accessibility of the polypeptide chain. While deglycosylation of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor increased immunoreactivity 4 to 8 fold (Moonen et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4428-4431), deglycosylation of human thyroid peroxidase resulted in no or only slightly enhanced detection (Giraud et al. (1992) J. Endocrinol. 132:317-323). Thus, the effect of deglycosylation of glycoproteins on their immunoreactivity is highly unpredictable. For proteins that only exhibit limited or no heterogeneity in their carbohydrate chains, this may not be of much practical importance. However, for heterogeneously-glycosylated marker proteins, such as haptocorrin, an glycosylation-independent detection method is of great importance for accurate analysis of samples and diagnosis of disease.

Methods for determining absorption of cobalamin or analogues thereof