Unique methods for treating interleukin-mediated edemas in living subjects are provided comprising administering an effective amount of a composition selected from the group consisting of phallotoxins, phallotoxin analogues, antamanide, or an antamanide analogue to the subject. The methods offer prophylactic and therapeutic modes of treatment for both localized and systemic interleukin-mediated edemas. The compositions of choice may be applied topically or given parenterally; and may be employed with other diverse agents for treatment of both inflammatory and non-inflammatory edemas.

Edema is the term generally used to describe the accumulation of excess fluid in the intercellular (interstitial) tissue spaces or body cavities. Edema may occur as a localized phenomenon such as the swelling of a leg when the venous outflow is obstructed; or it may be systemic as in congestive heart failure or renal failure. When edema is severe and generalized, there is diffuse swelling of all tissues and organs in the body and particularly pronounced areas are given their own individual names. For example, collection of edema in the peritoneal cavity is known as "ascites"; accumulations of fluid in the pleural cavity are termed "hydrothorax"; and edema of the pericardial sac is termed "pericardial effusion" or "hydropericardium". Non-inflammatory edema fluid such as accumulates in heart failure and renal disease is protein poor and referred to as a "transudate". In contrast, inflammatory edema related to increased endothelial permeability is protein rich and is caused by the escape of plasma proteins (principally albumin) and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (hereinafter "PMNs") to form an exudate.
Edema, whether inflammatory or non-inflammatory in nature, is thus an abnormality in the fluid balance within the microcirculation which includes the small arterioles, capillaries, and post-capillary venules of the circulatory system. Normal fluid balance and exchange is critically dependent on the presence of an intact and metabolically active endothelium within the vasculature. Normal endothelium is a thin, squamous epitbelium adapted to permit free, rapid exchange of water and small molecules between plasma and interstitium; but one which limits the passage of plasma proteins with increases in protein size.
The endothelial lining of all arterioles and venules, and most capillaries in the body, is of the continuous type, having an unbroken cytoplasmic layer with closely apposed intercellular junctions. Physiological studies [Renkin, E., Circ. Res. 41:735-743 (1977); Renkin, E., ACTA Physiol. Scand. (Suppl.) 463:81 (1979); Bottaro et al., Microvasc. Res. 32:389-398 (1986)] have demonstrated normal endothelial permeability for water and small molecules by the existence of water-filled small pores approximately 6 nanometers (hereinafter "nm") in radius or by slits about 8 nm wide. There is also believed to be a system of larger sized pores about 25 nm in radius which accounts for the small quantities of protein and other large solutes that normally cross the endothelial wall barrier.
A variety of different disturbances can induce a condition of edema. These include: an elevated venous hydrostatic pressure which may be caused by thrombosis of a vein or any other venous obstruction; hypoproteinemia with reduced plasma oncotic pressure resulting from either inadequate synthesis or increased loss of albumin; increased osmotic pressure of the interstitial fluid due to abnormal accumulation of sodium in the body because renal excretion of sodium cannot keep pace with the intake; failure of the lymphatics to remove fluid and protein adequately from the interstitial space; an increased capillary permeabiity to fluids and proteins as occurs in the inflammatory response to tissue injury; an increased mucopolysaccharide content within the interstitial spaces; and an iatrogennic induced or mediated increase or accumulation of fluid and protein resulting from the administration of a pharmacologically active lymphokine during the course of treatment by a physician or surgeon. This last-identified disturbance merits a more detailed examination in view of recent developments in immunotherapy.
Lymphokines comprise a broad class of biologically active substances which are secreted by various types of lymphocytes in-vivo and in-vitro, especially by different populations of T-cell lymphocytes. Perhaps the most controversial presently is the family of interleukins, which presently comprises: Interleukin-1 ("IL-1") involved in the activation of resting T-cells; Interleukin-2 ("IL-2") which mediates the proliferation of T-cells and induces cytotoxic activity in T-cells; Interleukin-3 ("IL-3") which causes the proliferation of mast cells and granulocytes; Interleukin-4 ("IL-4") which mediates the proliferation, activation, and differentiation of B-cells, T-cells, and natural killer cells; and Interleukin-6 ("IL-6") which induces the growth and differentiation of B-cells and T-cells [Spits et al., J. Immunol. 139:1142 (1987); Kawakami et al., J. Exp. Med. 168:2183 (1988); Spits et al., J. Immunol. 141:29 (1988); and Tartakovsky et al., J. Immunol. 141:3863 (1983)].
Of particular interest is Interleukin-2 ("IL-2") and its analogues whose isolation, chemical formulation and structure, and synthesis by conventional wet chemistries and by recombinant DNA techniques have been intensively pursued [see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,490,289; 4,138,927; 4,569,790; 4,578,335; 4,761,375; 4,518,584; 4,604,377; 4,564,593; and the references cited therein]. The use of Interleukin-2 as a therapeutic composition has followed two very different approaches. The first line of development is exemplified by the IL-2 immunotherapy technique for treating cancers originated by Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg [Rosenberg, S. A., Immuno. Today 9:58-62 (1988) and the references cited therein]. That approach involves the removal of lymphoid cells from a tumor-bearing host; an in-vitro expansion of the host's cells by culture in Interleukin-2 containing culture media to produce lymphokine-activated killer ("LAK") cells; and a re-introduction of the LAK cell culture into the living host accompanied by successive administrations of IL-2 directly to the tumor-bearing host. This approach has been termed "adoptive immunotherapy." A variation of this development is the use of IL- 2 directly as an anti-cancer agent. This is exemplified by Patent Nos. WO-8600334 published 860116; JP-60185721 published 850921; U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,830; EP-145390 published 850619; and WO8500606 published 850214.
The second general approach has been to chemically link the Interleukin-2 molecule to another ligand having known biological properties to form a hybrid. The IL-2 portion of the hybrid serves a specific binding protein able to selectively bind to IL-2 receptor sites on the surface of living cells; the IL-2 portion of the hybrid thus served as the means of delivering and selectively introducing the other component of the hybrid into a chosen cell population having IL-2 receptor sites on their cell surface. This second approach is exemplified by: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,675,382 and 4,745,180; GB-2189393 published 871028; EP-269455 published 88060; EP-256714 published 880224; and EP236987 published 870916.
A major problem and deficiency for the in-vivo use of interleukins generally and of IL-2 in particular has been the now well recognized phenomenon of uncontrolled edema as a concomitant side-effect of interleukin administration. The observation of massive edema locally and systemically has been termed "vacular leakage syndrome" and is now seen as a regular and unavoidable consequence of using interleukins therapeutically in either uncoupled or complexed/hybridized form. Representative publications describing the uncontrolled edemas caused or mediated by the administration of an interleukin include: Carlsen, E. and H. Prydz, Thrombosis and Harmostasis 58:257 (1987); Giddings, J. C. and L. Shall, Thrombosis and Haemostasis 58:31 (1987); Kotasek et al., Clin. Res. 35:660A (1987); Ellison et al., Anat. Rec. 218:41A (1987); and the references cited therein]. In so far as is presently known, there is no effective composition or method to meaningfully control, reduce, or substantially eliminate the resulting vascular leakages and the massive edemas caused and/or mediated by the in-vivo administration of an interleukin for any therapeutic purpose. Furthermore, there is presently no effective agent or admixture of substances useful as a prophylactic against an interleukin-mediated edema.
Remote from and completely unrelated to these investigations of interleukins were other research efforts directed towards the isolation and identification of the component substances of the poisonous green fungus Amanita phalloides, known as the "green death cap" or "deadly agaric" mushroom [Lynen and Wieland, Justus Liebigs. Ann. Chem. 533:93-117 (1938); Wieland and Schnabel, Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 657: (1962)]. At least ten peptide-like substances of complex structure have been identified; most of these substances have proven to be extremely toxic liver toxins [Liebig's Ann. Chem., volume 617, page 152, 1958; Pharmacol. Reviews, volume 7, page 87, 1959; Liebig's Ann. Chem., volume 704, page 226, 1967]. Upon isolation and empirical analysis of the naturally occurring individual components of Amanita phalloides, however, investigators found at least two different naturally occurring classes of chemical compositions: phallotoxins and antamanide.
The class of phallotoxins as a whole is best exemplified by the substance known as phalloidin, one of seven naturally occurring member toxins forming the class. Phalloidin is very rapid in action. High dose levels given intramuscularly cause death of mice or rats within one or two hours. The LD.sub.50 dose in albino mice is only 3.3 micrograms per gram of body weight given intramuscularly. Phalloidin acts by binding actin, a cytoskeletal protein [Russo et al. Am. J. Pathol. 109:133 (1982)]. Reviews of the chemical structure and toxicology of all toxins derivable from Amanita phalloides including phalloidin have been reported in the literature [Wieland and Wieland, Pharmacol. Rev. 11:87-107 (1959); Wieland, T., Fortschr. Chem. Org. Naturst. 25:214-250 (1967); Faulstich H. and T. Wieland, Eur. J. Biochem. 22:79 (1971); Wieland and Faulstich, Crit. Rev. Biochem. 5:185-260 (1978)].
Sporadically, some investigators have employed phalloidin within in-vitro experiments for its effects upon living cells. For example, the interaction of phalloidin with actin was one of the earliest reported demonstrations [Lengsfeld, A. M., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 71:2803-2807 (1974)]. Subsequently, it was shown that phalloidin treatment induces changes in the intercellular junctions of rat hepatocytes [Montsano et al., J. Cell. Biol. 67:310-319 (1975)]. More recently, phalloidin was employed to increase the resistance of Necturus gallbladder epithelium to the passage of an electrical current [Bentzel et al., Amer. J. Physiol. 239:C75-C89 (1980)]. The use of phalloidin in such investigative studies has therefore been primarily as a research tool by which to further characterize and elucidate the mechanism of cytoskeleton action within living cells.
The other major class was identified and founded based on the one naturally occurring substance, antamanide, which was not only completely non-toxic of itself; but also was found capable of actually annulling the toxic effects of fatal doses of phalloidin and/or of protecting the liver completely when administered in therapeutic doses [Wieland et al., Angew. Chem. 80:208 (1968)]. Subsequent investigations of this cyclic decapeptide, antamanide, then proceeded in two different directions: one research effort involved methods of synthesizing, purifying, and preparing analogues of antamanide. These investigations are examplified by: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,705,887 and 3,793,304; Anderson et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 88:1338-1339 (1966); Anderson et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 89:5012-5017 (1967); Wieland, T., Angew. Chem. (Internat. Edit.) 7:204-208 (1968); Ovchinnikov et al., Proc. Eur. Pept. Synp. 11:403-415 (1973); Wieland et al., Liebig's Ann. Chem., number 3, pages 371-380, 1977; Burgermeister et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 44:305-310 (1974); Tonelli, A. E., Biochemistry 12:689-692 (1973); Patel, D. J., Biochemistry 12:677-688 (1973); Ivanov et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 42:654-663 (1971); and Bir et al., J. Peptide Protein Res. 13:287-295 (1979)].
In comparison, the other investigations focused upon the physiological and pharmacological attributes of naturally occurring antamanide and its synthetic analogues. These investigations are exemplified by the following: Faulstich et al., Hoppe Scylers. Z. Physiol. Chem. 359:1162-1163 (1974); Ovchennikov et al., Experientia 28:399-401 (1972); Wieland et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81:5232-5236 (1984); Carle, I. L., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82:7155-7159 (1985); Munter, K. D. and H. Faulstich, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 860:91-98 (1986); Nielsen, O., Acta Pharmacol. Toxicol. 59:249-251 (1986); and Raymond et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol. 138:21-27 (1987).
In all of these published investigations and reports, the cyclic decapeptides comprising antamanide and its analogues were recognized solely as chemical agents capable at very low dosage of counteracting the effects of an absolutely fatal dose of phalloidin or of completely protecting the liver against such a fatal dose of phalloidin. Only recently was there any investigation into areas concerning cell proliferation and wound healing [Choi et al., FASEB J. 3:A290, Abstract No. 368 (1989)]. This Abstract was the first publication to suggest that antamanide might serve as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of vascular disease.
Accordingly, the use of antamanide and the synthetic analogues remains primarily and predominantly as an anti-toxin against the effects of phalloidin; and phallotoxins as a class are known primarily for their toxic effects and, therefore, used primarily as a research tool. There is, thus, no known relationship for these substances with respect to controlling interleukin-mediated edemas in-vivo.

Prophylactic and therapeutic methods for treating interleukin-mediated edemas


A fuel cell system is provided with a water tank, a reformer obtaining reformed gas by reforming a fuel using water from the water tank, and a condenser reclaiming water from the exhaust gas from the condenser and return the water to the water tank. A method for controlling operating pressure is applied to such a fuel cell system. Here, in response to the exhaust temperature of the condenser, the equillibrium operating pressure of the fuel cell system at which the water inflow and outflow in the fuel cell system are balanced is calculated, and the maximum efficiency operating pressure at which the operating efficiency of the fuel cell system is maximum is calculated. Control is performed of the operating pressure of the fuel cell system so that it is the higher pressure of the equillibrium operating pressure and the maximum efficiency operating pressure.

The present invention relates to a fuel cell system and a method for controlling operating pressure of a fuel cell system, and more particularly to a fuel cell system in which water can be preferably reclaimed and accumulated from exhaust gas emitted from a fuel cell and a method for controlling the operating pressure thereof.
According to an investigation by the inventor of the present invention, a configuration mounted in a fuel cell vehicle 101 shown in FIG. 9 is one configuration of fuel cell system.
In the fuel cell system SS of the fuel cell vehicle 101, methanol 17, which is used as a fuel, is steam reformed by a reformer 13 using water 21, thereby generating a reformed gas 23 that includes hydrogen, this being fed to the anode side of the fuel cell 29.
Air 27 from a compressor 25 is sent to the cathode side of the fuel cell 29.
In the fuel cell 29, the hydrogen contained in the reformed gas 23 and the oxygen contained in the air 27 are used to generate electric power.
The hydrogen contained in the reformed gas 23 and the oxygen contained in the air 27 are not completely consumed within the fuel cell 29, a part that is not consumed being sent to a combustor 37, via a condenser 35, as exhaust reformed gas 31 and exhaust air 33.
In the combustor 37, the exhaust reformed gas 31 and the exhaust air 33 are combusted, together with the air 39 from the compressor 25 and the methanol from a methanol tank 15, the heat of the combustion reaction thereof being re-used as a source of heat for vaporizing methanol 17 and water 21 in the reformer 13.
In a system controller 57, based on the pressures of the air and reformed gas detected by pressure sensors 59 and 61 provided upstream from the fuel cell 29, the opening of the pressure adjustment valves 63 and 65 provided downstream of the condenser 35 is adjusted, thereby controlling the operating pressure of the fuel cell SS, this being the operating pressure of the fuel cell 29. When the operating load on the fuel cell system SS is large, control is performed so that this operating pressure is increased so as to achieve the maximum electric power from the fuel cell system SS. When the operating load is small, however, control is performed so that the operating pressure is reduced, so as to increase the efficiency of the fuel cell system.
At the condenser 35, cooling water W is used to cool exhaust reformed gas 31 and exhaust air 33 exhausted from the fuel cell 29, the steam included in the exhaust reformed gas 31 and exhaust air 33 being condensed and reclaimed, the reclaimed water 43 being then returned to a water tank.
In FIG. 9, the bold solid line EL indicates the electric power line, and the EXT indicates the exhaust gas from the combustor 37.
In some cases, air A from the compressor 25 is sent to the reformer 13.
In the above-noted fuel cell system SS, however, the system controller 57, based on the pressures of the air and the reformed gas detected by the pressure sensors 59 and 61. provided upstream of the fuel cell 29, adjusts the openings of the pressure adjustment valves 63 and 65 provided downstream of the condenser 35 so as to control the operating pressure of the fuel cell 29.
For this reason, the reclamation of water by the condenser 35 is dependent upon the operating condition of the system controller 57.
Thus, depending upon the operating condition of the system controller 57, it can be envisioned that there occurs a reduction in the amount of water reclaimed into the water tank 19 from the condenser 35.
Given the above, in order to prevent water in the water tank 19 from running dry, one method that can be envisioned is that of increasing the capacity thereof. However, this is not desirable from the standpoint of layout for installing the fuel cell system SS in a vehicle.
With the fuel cell system SS, because it is necessary to replenish the water tank 19 with water before it runs dry of water, which can happen while the vehicle is being operated, for example, this being undesirable.
Accordingly, the present invention was made in consideration of the above-noted investigation, and has as an object to provide a fuel cell system and a method for controlling operating pressure thereof which substantially do not require replenishment of water used in the fuel cell system and which contributes to the improvement of the practicality thereof.
A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises: a water tank; a reformer obtaining reformed gas by reforming fuel using water from the water tank; a fuel cell generating electric power using reformed gas from the reformer and gas that includes oxygen; a condenser reclaiming water from exhaust gas from the fuel cell, the exhaust gas reclaimed by the condenser being returned to the water tank; an exhaust gas temperature detector detecting temperature of exhaust gas from the condenser; and an operating pressure controller controlling the operating pressure of the fuel cell system. Here, the operating pressure controller, in response to the temperature of the exhaust gas from the condenser detected by the exhaust gas temperature detector, calculates equilibrium operating pressure of the fuel cell system at which inflow and outflow of the water within the fuel cell system is balanced, in response to operating load on the fuel cell system, calculates maximum efficiency operating pressure at which operating efficiency of the fuel cell system is maximum, and performs control of the operating pressure of the fuel cell system so as to achieve higher pressure of the equilibrium operating pressure and the maximum efficiency operating pressure.
In other words, a fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises: a water tank; a reformer obtaining reformed gas by reforming fuel using water from the water tank; a fuel cell generating electric power using reformed gas from the reformer and gas that includes oxygen; a condenser reclaiming water from exhaust gas from the fuel cell, the exhaust gas reclaimed by the condenser being returned to the water tank; an exhaust gas temperature detecting means for detecting temperature of exhaust gas from the condenser; and an operating pressure control means for controlling the operating pressure of the fuel cell system. Here, the operating pressure control means, in response to the temperature of the exhaust gas from the condenser detected by the exhaust gas temperature detecting means, calculates equilibrium operating pressure of the fuel cell system at which inflow and outflow of the water within the fuel cell system is balanced, in response to operating load on the fuel cell system, calculates maximum efficiency operating pressure at which operating efficiency of the fuel cell system is maximum, and performs control of the operating pressure of the fuel cell system so as to achieve higher pressure of the equilibrium operating pressure and the maximum efficiency operating pressure.
On the other hand, a method for controlling operating pressure of a fuel cell system according to the present invention is applied to a fuel cell system having a water tank, a reformer obtaining reformed gas by reforming a fuel using water from the water tank, a fuel cell generating electric power using reformed gas from the reformer and a gas that contains oxygen, and a condenser reclaming water from exhaust gas from the fuel cell and returning the water to the water tank. Here, the method detects temperature of exhaust gas from the condenser; calculates, in response to the temperature of the exhaust gas from the condenser, equillibrium operating pressure of the fuel cell at which inflow and outflow of the water within the fuel cell system is balanced; calculates operating load on the fuel cell system; calculates maximum efficiency operating pressure at which operating efficiency of the fuel cell system is maximum; and control the operating pressure of the fuel cell system so as to achieve higher pressure of the equillibrium operating pressure and the maximum efficiency operating pressure.

Fuel cell system and method for controlling operating pressure thereof


A tube handling machine for loading and unloading tube workpieces, such as hoses, from mandrels is disclosed. The machine includes a mandrel support which mounts a plurality of mandrels. First and second pluralities of driven rollers have outer surfaces for engaging the tube workpieces for urging them along the mandrels. A pivotal magazine holds a supply of tubular workpieces and directs them to the rollers. In a preferred embodiment, a mandrel support includes a gripper for engaging a predetermined mandrel support and moving it toward a position where the mandrels are between the first and second pluralities of driven rollers.

The present invention is directed to a tube handling apparatus which loads and unloads tubes, such as hoses, on mandrels. In constructing hoses used, for example, in the automobile industry, single layer or multilayered tubes or hoses are often formed in a cylindrical shape. After formation, if bends are required in the final hose structure, the hose is placed on a mandrel having a shape corresponding to the desired final shape of the hose structure. It is then common practice to transfer a plurality of the hoses positioned on the mandrels to an oven, where the hoses are heated and cured. After removal from the oven, it is then necessary to remove the completed hoses from the mandrels. New uncured hoses are then positioned on the mandrels for the subsequent cycle.
The prior art has used lubricants on the mandrels to aid the manual positioning of uncured hoses onto the mandrels. However, as the shape of the finalized hose product becomes more complex often having several acute angle bends, even with the help of lubricants, it becomes a difficult, if not impossible manual operation to load the hoses onto the mandrels. It is even more difficult to remove the cured tubes or hoses from the mandrels after curing.
The prior art has suggested the use of, for example, a cylinder to push the uncured hoses upon a mandrel. This prior art apparatus often does not perform satisfactorily when the mandrel bends become more complex.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved tube handling apparatus which positions and removes hoses on mandrels having complex configurations.


A musical bar for a musical instrument includes a striking surface and a back surface which is a back side of the musical bar from the striking surface. When the striking surface is struck, the musical bar is vibrated to produce a musical tone with a unique pitch as a pitch of a fundamental tone. A recess is formed in the musical bar so as to be recessed from the back surface toward the striking surface. A position of a node of vibration of the fundamental tone for the musical bar is substantially aligned with an imaginary center of gravity of the recess in a longitudinal direction of the musical bar.

Technical Field
The following disclosure relates to a musical bar for a musical instrument which is vibrated, when a striking surface of the musical bar is struck, to produce a musical tone with its unique pitch.
Description of the Related Art
There are known conventional musical bars for musical instruments such as marimbas. When a front striking surface of the musical bar is struck, the musical bar is vibrated to produce a musical tone with its unique pitch. The musical bar is in most cases supported by the musical instrument so as to efficiently produce a pitch of a fundamental tone.
For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-163782) and Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-163784) disclose musical bars constructed such that the musical bar has a support hole extending substantially in a widthwise direction of the musical bar, and the support hole is formed at a position of a node of vibration of the musical bar at which there is no motion during the vibration. The musical bar is supported by the musical instrument via a connecting string inserted in the support hole. Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent No. 2570511) discloses a musical bar having a through hole near a node of vibration of the musical bar. The through hole is formed through the musical bar in its thickness direction. The diameter of the through hole is larger than that of a pin which is provided in a base so as to extend through the through hole. The pin restricts horizontal movement of the musical bar. The musical bar is vibrated on a string near the through hole.


An integrated skid system integrates the functions of multiple skids into a single skid to reduce the skid footprint and the complexity of the overall system. A multi-motor controller monitors the devices on the integrated skid to maintain proper temperature, pressure and current draw in the devices. Base on this information, the multi-motor controller can make decisions on faults and fault accommodation and communicate with a main controller regarding the operating states of the skid devices via a single serial or Ethernet-type connection.

Industrial power plant systems often use gas turbine accessories having several isolated skids linked to a central system controller, each skid carrying various engine components directed to a particular function (e.g., gas turbine bearing lubrication, main electrical generator lubrication, liquid fuel pumping and metering, water injection, hydraulic pumping and control valves, etc.). Each skid may contain a plurality of devices, such as motors, pumps, values, filters, pressure and temperature sensors, thermal controls and other devices that communicate with a central system controller. However, the system controller may be located at a central location away from the skids, requiring a multitude of connections via wires to link the devices to the system controller. These connections between the multiple skids and the system controller are often complicated and costly. The multiple skids also increase the skid footprint in the power plant system, increasing the space and cost needed to implement the system.
Moreover, the lubrication systems in such an arrangement usually contain three motors and pumps (e.g., two AC motors and one DC motor) to ensure operational availability and safety in case of an emergency shut down. These additional features further increase the complexity of the overall power plant system, causing high installation and commissioning costs.
There is a desire for a power plant system that is simpler and more cost-effective to implement.

Integrated skid with multiple-motor controller


An organic light-emitting device with enhanced operational stability comprising an anode; a hole-transporting layer disposed over the anode; a light-emitting layer disposed over the hole-transporting layer for producing light in response to hole-electron recombination, wherein the light-emitting layer includes at least one organic host material and one organic luminescent dopant material; a stability-enhancing layer disposed in contact with the light-emitting layer, wherein the stability-enhancing layer includes at least one organic host material and one inorganic dopant material; an electron-transporting layer disposed over the stability-enhancing layer; and a cathode disposed over the electron-transporting layer.

Organic electroluminescent (EL) devices (also known as organic light-emitting devices, organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs) are electronic devices that emit light in response to an applied potential. The structure of an OLED comprises, in sequence, an anode, an organic EL medium, and a cathode. The organic EL medium disposed between the anode and the cathode is commonly comprised of an organic hole-transporting layer (HTL) and an organic electron-transporting layer (ETL). Holes and electrons recombine and emit light in the ETL near the interface of HTL/ETL. Tang et al. demonstrated highly efficient OLEDs using such a layer structure in "Organic Electroluminescent Diodes", Applied Physics Letters, 51, 913 (1987) and in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,292. Since then, numerous OLEDs with alternative layer structures have been disclosed. For example, there are three-layer OLEDs that contain an organic light-emitting layer (LEL) between the HTL and the ETL, such as that disclosed by Adachi et al., "Electroluminescence in Organic Films with Three-Layer Structure", Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 27, L269 (1988), and by Tang et al., "Electroluminescence of Doped Organic Thin Films", Journal of Applied Physics, 65, 3610 (1989). The LEL commonly consists of a host material doped with a guest material. Further, there are other multilayer OLEDs that contain more functional layers in the devices. At the same time, many different types of EL materials are also synthesized and used in OLEDs. These new structures and new materials have further resulted in improved device performance.
Operational stability, and operational lifetime, of OLEDs is very important for display applications. The operational lifetime is defined as the time to reach half the initial luminance at a given current density. In order to improve operational stability, many different types of methods have been applied to fabricate OLEDs. For example, using a copper phthalocynine (CuPc) interfacial layer in between an anode and an HTL can improve the operational stability, as reported by Van Slyke et al. in "Organic Electroluminescent Devices with Improved Stability", Applied Physics Letters, 69, 2160 (1996); an OLED containing a doped LEL can have improved operational stability, as reported by Hamada et al. in "Influence of the Emission Site on the Running Durability of Organic Electroluminescent Devices", Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 34, L824 (1995) and by Shi et al. in "Doped Organic Electroluminescent Devices with Improved Stability", Applied Physics Letters, 70, 1665 (1997); an OLED containing a mixed LEL comprising both a hole-transporting material and an electron-transporting material can also have substantial improvement in the operational stability, as reported by Choong et al. in "Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with a Bipolar Transport Layer", Applied Physics Letters, 75, 172 (1999) and by Aziz et al. in "Organic Light Emitting Devices with Enhanced Operational Stability at Elevated Temperatures", Applied Physics Letters, 81, 370 (2002).
Currently, OLEDs with red or green emission have better operational stability than that of OLEDs with blue emission (or blue OLEDs). Therefore, improving the operational stability of blue OLEDs will have more impact on device applications. There are several ways to improve the blue emission stability. For example, Shi et al. in "Anthracene Derivatives for Stable Blue-Emitting Organic Electroluminescence Devices", Applied Physics Letters, 80, 3201 (2002) and Hosokawa et al. in U.S. patent application 2003/0077480 A1, achieved improved operational stability of blue emission by selecting the appropriate materials. Other new methods for the improvement of the blue emission stability are certainly necessary.
As is known, low work-function metals can be used to dope into an electron-injecting layer (EIL) or ETL which is adjacent to a cathode to improve electron-injection and transport in an OLED. For example, Kido et al. reported in "Bright Organic Electroluminescent Devices Having a Metal-Doped Electron-Injecting Layer", Applied Physics Letters, 73, 2866 (1998) and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,384 that an OLED can be fabricated containing a low work-function metal-doped electron-injecting layer adjacent to a cathode. These OLEDs containing a lithium (Li)-doped electron-injecting layer exhibit high luminous efficiency and low drive voltage. However, Li and other metals are reported as being diffusive in organic layer resulting in luminescence quenching in OLEDs, for example, as reported by Haskal et al. in "Lithium-Aluminum Contacts for Organic Light-Emitting Devices", Applied Physics Letters, 71, 1151 (1997). An OLED containing a Li-doped tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq) layer would also face the problems of luminescence quenching and lifetime shortening, as discussed by Nakamura et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,509,109 B1.

Organic electroluminescent devices having a stability-enhancing layer


Provided is a method of producing a high-molecular weight modified polycarbonate resin. The method includes a melt condensation polymerization process in which transesterification and quick condensation polymerization are sequentially performed, a spray crystallization process, and a solid state polymerization process. When this method is used, solid state polymerization can be performed without additional drying, milling and fractionation processes so that the operation time and costs are highly reduced. In addition, crystallinity and size of crystallized modified polycarbonate particles can be efficiently controlled to produce a high-molecular weight modified polycarbonate having uniform physical properties in the solid state polymerization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a modified polycarbonate resin. The method includes condensation polymerization and spray-crystallization to decrease a mole fraction of arylcarbonate existing in a non-reacted diarylcarbonate, and in a terminated group of a reaction side product having a degree of polymerization of less than 3 produced through melt condensation, so that an increase of the molecular weight of the modified polycarbonate resin produced through solid polymerization can be maximized. In this method, spray crystallization method is used, and a separate milling and drying processes are not required. The spray crystallization and the solid polymerization sequentially or concurrently in one reactor occur without additional drying, milling and fractionation processed so that the time required to prepare a modified polycarbonate is substantially reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polycarbonate resins have excellent heat resistance, impact resistance, mechanical strength, and transparency. Due to these advantages, polycarbonate resins are used in various applications, such as compact discs, transparent sheets, packaging materials, and ultraviolet (UV)-blocking films, and thus, the demand for polycarbonate resins is increasing.
However, polycarbonates have low solvent resistance, and low impact resistance at low temperature. For example, when polycarbonates are exposed to commonly used solvents, crazing or cracking occurs. Thus, many efforts have been made to overcome these problems, and various modified polycarbonates have been developed. The modified polycarbonates mean the polycarbonate having not only carbonate groups but also other functional groups, for example, ester groups, ether groups, sulfide groups, sulfoxide groups, and siloxane groups, etc., in their chemical structures. In particular, polycarbonates modified with siloxanes exhibit superior low-temperature impact resistance, and processibility.
Conventional manufacturing processes for producing modified polycarbonates may be categorized into interfacial polymerization process in which phosgene is used, and melt polymerization process and solid polymerization process in which phosgene is not used.
First of all, in the case of polycarbonate modified with ester group, we can find the followings.
An interfacial polymerization process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,706 includes reacting an aromatic dihydroxy compound, such as a bisphenol-A, with phosgene, and a dicarboxylic acid. However, the process is accompanied by a risk caused by the use of harmful chemical materials, phosgene, and a chloride-based organic solvent, which is an environmental pollutant, and thus, equipment cost and manufacturing cost are high.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,429 discloses the method, by which a modified polycarbonate can be produced through melt polymerization, after transesterification reaction between an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a carbonic acid diester and esterification reaction of an aromatic dihydroxy compound with a dicarboxylic acid compound, which are performed at the same time using an alkali earth metal catalyst and a quaternary ammonium catalyst. This melt polymerization process is relatively stable because a poisonous material is not used. However, in order to produce high-molecular weight modified polycarbonate for extrusion, the highly viscous reactants must be handled at a high temperature and in a high vacuum, and these conditions lead to a low quality of modified polycarbonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,702 discloses a solid polymerization method for a modified polycarbonate. More particularly, a polycarbonate oligomer, a carboxylic acid compound, and a diarylcarbonate compound are subjected to esterification and transesterification using an antimony-based catalyst, and the resultant product is cooled and milled. The milled product is subjected to the solid polymerization. In this method separate milling and drying processes should be required.
Further, in the case of polycarbonate modified with siloxane, we can find the followings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,083 discloses an interfacial polmerization process including reacting an aromatic hydroxy compound, a dihydroxy compound and hydroxyaryl-terminated dioganopolysiloxane with a phosgene, by using a catalyst. In this case, a high-molecular weight polycarbonate modified with siloxane resin can be easily produced continuously. However, the process is risky due to the use of a poisonous gas and an environmentally harmful chloride-based organic solvent, and thus, equipment cost and manufacturing cost are high.
A melt polymerization process includes polymerizing a melted starting material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,013. The melt condensation polymerization is less risky because poisonous materials are not used. However, in order to produce a modified high-molecular weight polycarbonate for extrusion, highly viscous reactants must be handled at a high temperature and in a high vacuum, and these conditions lead to a low quality of modified polycarbonate.
A solid polymerization process is a process in which a low-molecular weight modified polycarbonate prepolymer is crystallized and the crystallized prepolymer is polymerized more at a temperature lower than a melting point of the crystallized prepolymer. In this case, a poisonous material is not used, and the quality of an obtained modified polycarbonate can be guaranteed because the polymerization occurs in a solid state. In general, however, the crystallization and the solid polymerization are performed without removing reaction side products having a degree of polymerization of less than 3 and non-reacted diarylcarbonate which co-exists with a relatively low-molecular weight prepolymer (weight average molecular weight of 2000 to 20000 g/mol.) As a result, the stoichiometric balance between hydroxyl group and arylcarbonate group is broken, and the production time for a high-molecular weight modified polycarbonate increases. In this method, the amorphous prepolymer is crystallized by dissolving it in a solvent and then precipitating it. Therefore, the size and the crystallinity of the crystallized prepolymer are irregular, and separate drying, milling and fractionation processes are needed.
Accordingly, more research needs to be carried out to develop a modified polycarbonate manufacturing method that is stable, guarantees quality, and requires a short time to produce a high-molecular weight modified polycarbonate.

Method of producing modified polycarbonate using spray-crystallizing method


The present invention relates to a technique for detecting that all components that make up a completed portion of a form are synchronized. A method is provided for detecting that for a print job, all of the components that make up a completed portion of each form are printed in synchronicity or in the case of an error in synchronicity, an error condition is asserted. The print job comprises at least one form, and each form may contain more than one image, each image may contains one or more image planes and the images on each form of a document may vary. Each image contains a composite image group (CIG) mark comprising the set of image plane coordination (IPC) marks associated with each individual image plane. An IPC mark is printed by each print engine such that it is possible via inspection of these marks to determine if the complete set of image planes that make up a specific image are present. The present invention allows one to confirm, using the CIG marks, that all forms in a print job are synchronized.

In a digital printing system a document may be made up of multiple forms, each form may be made up of multiple images, and each image may be made up of multiple image planes. Although these terms are commonly used in the printing industry, the meaning of these terms is not precise and tends to vary. As used herein, a form refers to the contents of a physical portion of a printed media such as a page. A form may have one or two sides. A form origin is a position at the top of the form, while a cue mark is a physical mark or a logical position for pin-feed cueing, identifying the form origin. A document can be defined as a series of forms that are logically associated, such as a book or a multi-page billing statement. A print job can be defined as a series of documents. In some cases, a document may consist of multiple forms where the forms are printed 2-up across a web of paper. The information printed on one side of a form is an image, while an image plane is a "layer" of an image printed by a single print engine. For example, in a processed color job, each of the CYMK colors is printed by a single print engine in a separate image plane. A print engine is a marking device such as a printhead that prints one image plane, or a portion of one image plane. In an Advanced Function Printing/Intelligent Printing Data Stream (AFP/IPDS) environment, each of the Object Content Architecture (OCA) colors is in a separate image plane. An Image Plane Coordination (IPC) Mark refers to a mark associated with the image plane. A Composite Image Group (CIG) Mark is a set of IPC marks consisting of one IPC mark for each image plane in a form.
In some systems, the form width may be larger than the print engine print area and multiple print engines may be stitched together side by side to construct a complete form. A very simple document can be described as consisting of multiple sequential forms, each with a single image plane, printed on only one side of the form. Since such a document is generally printed using a single print engine, synchronization is not an issue in that case. However, many documents are more complicated and require multiple print engines to create each form. Common examples of this are two sided (duplexed forms), forms printed in multiple colors, or forms made up of multiple stitched print engines. It is possible for the print engines to get out of synchronization with each other, or for the data sent to any of the print engines to get out of synchronization, such that images or portions of images are no longer properly synchronized to the proper form. The consequence of incorrect synchronization is generally very significant and measures used to detect the condition are necessary.
Various methods exist for detecting and addressing synchronization. For example, some printing systems print bar codes or other marks containing data on each side of a form, and after the form has been printed, read the codes or marks to insure they are properly synchronized. Existing methods for detecting synchronization require the printing of specialized marks, a reader or a scanner to read the marks, and software to interpret the marks and validate the results. While this system may be suitable for monochrome applications, it becomes very cumbersome for applications where a large number of print engines may be used. i.e. 2-up duplex, four color print job.
It is seen then that there exists a need for an improved means for detecting synchronization, particularly for printing of multi-color applications.

Synchronization of components for printing


An electromechanical transducer for an implantable hearing aid, such as a partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) or total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid system. The invention comprises at least one piezoelectric element proportioned for mechanically coupling to a middle ear only through an auditory element in the middle ear, such as the tympanic membrane, malleus, incus, stapes, or in the inner ear, such as the oval window, round window, vestibule, or semicircular canals. The invention need not be secured to a temporal bone. Inertial masses and a carrier are optionally provided to assist in sensing or producing mechanical vibrations. The carrier is optionally hermetically sealed. Superpositioned individual frequency responses optimize an overall frequency bandwidth.

In some types of partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) or total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid systems, sounds produce mechanical vibrations which are transduced by an electromechanical input transducer into electrical signals. These electrical signals are in turn amplified and applied to an electromechanical output transducer. The electromechanical output transducer vibrates an ossicular bone in response to the applied amplified electrical signals to improve hearing.
Such electromechanical input and output transducers should be proportioned to provide convenient implantation in the middle ear. Low power consumption transducers are also desired for use with a limited longevity implanted battery as a power source, such as for T-MEI hearing aid systems.


In a film extraction apparatus, a flexible stripper blade tongue is held in a relaxed condition with the tongue extending downwardly of the blade by a natural curvature in the tongue near the tongue's juncture with the remainder of the blade. Inducing stress in the blade to create a slight degree of curvature of the tongue forces the tongue into a longitudinally straight and stiffened condition allowing the tongue to be driven through the cartridge mouth. Relaxation of the stress on the blade returns the tongue into its normal, downwardly-extending condition with the end of the tongue resting on the outer layer of the film irrespective of the roll diameter. Presence of the stripper blade upper surface across the gap between the cartridge mouth and a following film channel serves to guide the film into the film channel during the film extraction procedure.

Most photographic film cameras, particularly motor operated types, rewind the filmstrip entirely into the film cartridge at the conclusion of picture taking. With the growth of distributed photofinishing operations, e.g. one-hour minilab photofinishing processors, and particularly with the emergence of kiosk style photofinishing equipment, increasing attention has been directed to techniques for extracting exposed film from the film cartridge without destroying the cartridge in the process.
An early technique is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,870 to Kaufman, which discloses the use of a pair of flexible metal blades inserted through the plush light block at the mouth of the cartridge, a longer upper blade and a shorter lower blade, the lower blade having a curved anterior end portion that forms a mouth between the upper and lower blades. Combined with synchronized rotation of the film core, reciprocal movement of the blades urges the film tongue between the upper and lower blades where it is captured and pulled out of the cartridge mouth by removal of the two blades. The efficacy of this arrangement depends heavily on the reliability of forcing the film tongue into engagement between the two blades and it has not been entirely successful.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,321 to Nishibata et al. represents a commercially available film extraction mechanism made by Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd., of Japan. With this tabletop apparatus, an operator positions the cartridge in a nest in such a way that a stubby, relatively stiff metal blade with a curved anterior end is forced into mouth of the cartridge for use in stripping the film tongue from the remainder of the roll in the cartridge. Upon actuation, a flexible metal blade with high friction strips on its flanks is inserted into the cartridge, using the stubby metal blade as a guide, and grips the film while subsequently being withdrawn from the cartridge. The curved anterior end of the stubby metal blade is intended to guide the film out of the cartridge. However, this guide blade is always at a fixed position in the cartridge and does not always reach to the outer layer of the film roll, the diameter of which is a function of the length of the film strip as determined by the number of exposures on the roll. As a consequence, the film tongue does not always engage the anterior end of the stubby metal blade thereby increasing the chance of failure in the extraction process. Only the tongue is extracted with this apparatus, being deposited in a collection chamber after it passes beyond the stubby metal blade. As such, the apparatus, by itself, is not usable when the entire film roll must be extracted. Moreover, since the cartridge is manually loaded into the nest and requires some manual intervention to ensure proper insertion of the stubby stripper blade into the cartridge mouth, it is not suitable for use by untrained consumers as would be the case for an in-store kiosk application.
Patent Application Publication U.S. 2003/0133710 A1 assigned to Eastman Kodak Company, assignee of the present invention, discloses a film extraction apparatus that utilizes a flexible, elongated film stripper finger 164 inserted into the film cartridge. The finger has a downwardly curved anterior end and the finger is inserted sufficiently far as to insure engagement of the stripper finger with the outer layer of the film roll regardless of the diameter of the roll. An extractor finger 171 with high friction flank surfaces is then inserted into the cartridge to engage and extract the film tongue as the extractor finger is withdrawn from the cartridge. The stripper finger serves to strip and separate the film tongue from the remainder of the film roll and to guide the tongue out of the mouth of the cartridge. While effective as a stripper and guide, insertion of the flat flexible stripper finger with its downwardly curved anterior end is not as reliable as one would like causing undesired jamming events during the insertion process.

Film extraction apparatus and method utilizing a bi-stable film stripper mechanism


In multi-stack chip size packaging a plurality chips, a first chip is electrically interconnected on a top surface of a substrate using a bump. Next, an epoxy is coated on the first chip and is stacked a second chip thereon, wherein the second chip is electrically interconnected to the substrate through an inner lead bonding. A potting solution is coated on the substrate and the second chip and installed thereon a heat spreader and then cured. An encapsulation resin is coated on a bottom surface of the substrate and electrically interconnected a third chip to the bottom surface of the substrate through a bump and an inner lead bump.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectional view of a conventional multi-stack chip size package (CSP).
Referring to FIG. 1, a first chip (or die) 20 is adhered on a substrate 10, e.g., a printed circuit board, with an epoxy and a second chip (or die) 30 is stacked thereon with the epoxy. Bonding pads on the first and the second chip 20 and 30 are electrically connected with terminals on the printed circuit board 10 by conductive wires 50. A resin, e.g., an epoxy molding compound (EMC) 40 is used to mold the first and the second chip 20 and 30, and the electrical connection between the whole package and an another printed circuit board can be achieved by ball grid array using solder balls 60.
The drawback of the conventional multi-stack chip size packaged device is that a thickness thereof is to be enlarged, e.g., about 1.4 mm, because of the molding material of the multi-stack CSP, i.e., the resin, to thereby require a long conductive wire 50, i.e., a long signal transmission path. Therefore, the characteristics of the multi-stack chip size packaged device are deteriorated and the applicability thereof is also reduced. In addition, heat dissipation thereof is not effective.


A structural arrangement for a wireless communication terminal includes a case in which are disposed a sound transducer and a patch planar antenna connected to a printed circuit. The transducer has an electrically neutral portion comprising a vibrating membrane and an electrically conductive portion. The antenna incorporates a cavity delimited by a ground plane and a conductive patch disposed on a dielectric support. The electrically neutral portion of the sound transducer is situated in the cavity of the antenna. The electrically conductive portion of the sound transducer constitutes a portion of the ground plane of the antenna.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structural arrangement for wireless communication terminals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The current trend is to produce compact wireless communication terminals with functional and user friendly ergonomic features. A wireless communication terminal comprises a case in which are accommodated equipment units, in particular a radio transceiver unit comprising an antenna and a man-machine interface unit generally including a keypad, a screen and a sound transducer.
The search for improved convenience and ergonomics has led to housing the antenna inside the case, for example, through the development of patch planar antennas. The same trend is encouraging the provision of increasingly comprehensive man-machine interfaces of increasingly large size.
FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically the components of a wireless communication terminal, which generally comprises an insulative or partly metal rigid material case 10 containing components connected to a printed circuit 100. The terminal has a screen 20, a keypad 25, a battery 27, a wireless communication antenna 40, and a sound reproduction transducer 30 adapted to convert electrical signals that are fed to it into sound waves.
The sound transducer 30 can have several functions, such as those of an earpiece, a loudspeaker and a ringer. The earpiece is essentially intended to be placed against the ear of a user when using the device in a call, the ringer alerts the user to an incoming call or some other event, and the loudspeaker reproduces sound at a high volume, for example for hands-free use. To reproduce sound waves, the sound transducer 30 uses two separate volumes defining a front acoustic cavity 31 and a rear acoustic cavity 32 whose shapes and dimensions are chosen to achieve sound reproduction of sufficient quality for the application for which the transducer is intended.
In theory, the earpiece function requires a smaller component size than is required for a loudspeaker and ringer, which must emit a greater sound volume. The volume occupied by the sound transducer 30 can therefore not be reduced beyond a limit imposed by the loudspeaker function.
As previously mentioned, the current trend is to enlarge the man-machine interface, and in particular the screen, for example by using liquid crystal screens. Because the size of the keypad cannot be reduced, again for reasons of convenience in use, the present invention proposes to exploit the space occupied by the sound transducer to enlarge the space available to receive a screen, without commensurately decreasing the size of the keypad or increasing the size of the mobile terminal.
To this end, the invention proposes to retain only a simple earpiece on the front face of the terminal and to transfer the loudspeaker and the ringer function to the rear of the terminal, using the volume of the antenna as the front acoustic cavity.

Component for a wireless communication terminal constituting an antenna, loudspeaker and ringer

TCL Communications Technology Holdings Limited


Columns and/or rows of a report can be declaratively defined as either dynamic or static. The declarative definition can be represented by any marking. If a column or row is declaratively designated as dynamic, it can be expanded into a plurality of columns or rows. If a column or row is designated as static, it remains as a single column or row to represent only the specified column or row data. Subgroups of columns and rows can also be declaratively defined as dynamic or static. A static column or row may contain no sub-columns/rows, or it may contain a plurality of static columns/rows, a plurality of dynamic columns/rows, or any combination of both. Similarly, a dynamic column or row may also contain the above combinations.

In any enterprise, data regarding aspects thereof is accumulated over time. This data can be used to report the status of the enterprise. For example, with regard to a sales enterprise, sales data can be accumulated pertaining to each sale of an item, including the salesman, the customer, the region of the salesman, the region of the customer, the amount of the sale, the quantity of the item sold, the date of the sale, the date of the delivery of the sold item, and so on. Based on such sales data, then, it may be that a report is generated that details sales by year, by month, by customer by year, by item by quarter, by salesman by delivery date, by region by week, etc.
The data that populates a report will typically be accumulated in a database. A database, as the term is used here, is a storehouse for digitally recorded data. To filter the data in a database into properly organized columns and rows for a report, a report designer may specify, in a report design, the particular data that is desired from a database. For example, a report designer might specify that he wants a "salesman name" in the first column of a report.
The report designer may then write a program that recognizes the field indicated for the first column of a report design (salesman name), queries a database for all salesman names, and places them one after the other in the first column of a report. Instead of writing his own program to carry out this task, the report designer may use commercial software that provides this function. Such software may allow a report designer to simply specify, in a report design, a type of data he wants in the first report column. The commercial software will then automatically analyze the report design, query a database, and place the desired data in the first column of a report. This operation is also available in commercial products for any number of columns and/or rows of a report.
An exemplary report design is illustrated in FIG. 2. The exemplary report design provides a salesman column 201, a 1990 sales column 202, and a total sales column 205. This report design may be submitted to supporting software that can pull the corresponding data from a database to populate the actual report. An example of what such an actual report may look like is provided in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a populated salesman column 301, a populated 1990 sales data column 302, and a populated total sales column 305.
Exemplary report processing software for populating a report design with appropriate data is depicted in FIG. 5. The report processing software 510 may comprise a plurality of data extensions for properly interpreting the data stored in any of a plurality of data sources 520 and 521, which could be, e.g., databases. The report processing software may also comprise a number of rendering extensions 512 to properly output reports in an appropriate file format, e.g., Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) 530, Extensible Markup Language (XML) 531, or some other file format 532. A report design 500, also referred to herein as a report definition, is used by the report processing software to gather the data from data sources 520, 521 and compile the data into a properly structured report, outputting the report in any file format 530, 531, 532.
Different reports are designed for differing types and amounts of data. While some reports are quite simple, others present multiple types of data, and may show complex relationships between the data. For an example of a common data relationship, with reference to FIG. 1, a single field in a first column, e.g., Acme 101a, may be associated with a number fields in a second column, e.g., 102a, 102b, and 102c. To achieve this, report processing software must be able properly locate data in the various fields of a report. Bob's Discount 101b cannot appear in a cell immediately underneath Acme 101a; instead Bob's Discount 101b must be properly situated to visually correspond to the Bob's Discount data, e.g., 102d, 102e, 102f. Thus, report processing software must be populate reports in ways that are more intelligent than simply lumping data in columns and rows. This example is a small taste of the potential complexity in report design, the full scope of which will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. It should be emphasized here that while the look of an actual report may appear simple, techniques for supporting report design with commercial software is not necessarily simple, because of the variety of desired designs and the need to accurately populate reports that are designed in varying ways.
While report designers can always create customized computer programs to properly populate a particular report, many report designers do not have the expertise or the desire to write such custom programs. Furthermore, it may not be an effective use of a report designer's time to write such computer programs. Therefore, report designers are frequently called on to either make do with the available report designs provided by a commercial software product, or spend valuable time creating computer programs for a custom report design. Flexibility in report design is therefore a desirable attribute for commercial report design software. Simplicity is also a desirable attribute, as with all software, because users can more readily access features that are easily understandable.
Due to the above described situation, commercial software companies are called upon to provide report design software that accommodates as many varieties of report designs as can practically be accommodated. This can be a difficult task. If done well, the task involves providing an easily understandable technique for specifying a report design that is both flexible and highly accurate in allowing designers to convey the content and layout of data for a report. Traditionally, this task has been resolved by providing two broad options for report design: the table and the matrix.
The following brief discussion in connection with FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 will point out some of the advantages and limitations of the traditional table report design and matrix report design. First, FIG. 1 shows some typical features of a report that can be generated using a table design. As suggested by FIG. 1, a table design allows report designers to use only fixed columns. These are referred to as static columns 104. In other words, a report designer using the table design can specify a column for customer 101, year 102, sales 103 and so on, as desired, to contain the all desired data for a report.
In contrast, the rows of a table can be dynamic. For example, refer to dynamic rows 105. These rows 105 can be expanded as necessary to adequately present greater or lesser amounts of report data. For example, with reference to dynamic rows 105: as time goes on, the years reported 102a and 102b may be expanded to also report the years 2003 and 2004. Additional rows can be added to provide all corresponding data for these rows in the report. This allows report designers to re-use a single report design from year to year, or to present data of varying scope using the same report design.
A table report design may also include header and footer rows. In FIG. 1, the top row specifying column names, e.g., customer 101, year 102, and sales 103, is a header row. The bottom row, specifying a grand total 101c of sales, is a footer row. Each of the header and footer rows contain cells with data of different types than the non-header/footer rows, and typically summarizes the data in those rows.
A table report design can further contain nested groups, each with a header and footer row. FIG. 1 illustrates this feature by giving nested header and footer rows for both customers 101a and 101b. The row with only Acme 101a and the row with only Bob's Discount 101b are both header rows. The two rows containing subtotals 102c and 102f are footer rows. Again, each of these nested header and footer rows 101a, 101b, 102c, 102f contain information that is different from the non-header/footer rows.
Finally, a table report design can specify detail rows within an innermost group. This aspect of a table design is not represented in the actual table of FIG. 1. An example of such a detail row is, e.g., if additional data is desired about 2001 sales 103a for Acme, a detail row could be specified in a report design that inserts additional information in a row beneath the row indicating 2001 sales 103a for Acme.
In summary, report designers using a table design in accordance with the present state of the art can specify fixed, or static, columns, along with either static or dynamic rows. Any number of header and footer rows are also available. The software that processes the report design will then place all specified data in the appropriate columns and rows. For dynamic rows as many rows as necessary may be generated to accommodate data.
The other design option available to report designers in conjunction with commercially available report-generation software is the matrix. An exemplary matrix that exposes the features of such a design is provided in FIG. 4. As can be surmised from the actual report of FIG. 4, the report design for a matrix allows dynamic columns 450. The columns containing yearly sales data for 2001 (401) and 2001 (402) that can be supplemented as necessary for additional years. For example, if data is available for 2003 and 2004, such data can be automatically added to the report, without the need to specify additional columns for these years in the report design. Each column group in a matrix can contain a header 430 and a footer 430. Note, however, that the dynamic columns of a matrix, while providing an advantage over the table design, do not give as much flexibility as could be desired in report design. For example, using current commercial report design software, dynamic columns 450 cannot contain nested dynamic columns. While a custom program could be written to accomplish this on a case-by case basis, generating such a custom program presents a formidable hurdle for a report designer.
A matrix report design also permits both static and dynamic rows, e.g., 470 and 460, respectively. In FIG. 4, a header 440 is provided for column names, e.g., 2001 (401), 2002 (402) and total (403). The row groups corresponding to the retail and wholesale sections are not provided with row headers and footers, although they could be. A footer row 470 is provided for grand total 422 data. Elements 404 and 423 are instances of a dynamic row group 460. In this regard, one or more rows in a matrix can be specified as a dynamic row in a report design. When combined with data, such a dynamic row can be expanded to accommodate available data. In the example of FIG. 4, the available data apparently contained retail 404 and wholesale 413 data. However, note that dynamic rows 460 contain only static nested rows 461. The present state of the art is incapable of accommodating dynamic nested rows in a matrix report design. Moreover, the state of the art does not allow any number of further combinations of static and dynamic rows that may be desired in report designs.
In summary, a matrix allows for presentation of report data with a number of fixed rows or simple dynamic rows that can be further delineated by row headers and footers. Static or dynamic columns can be used to display data, as necessary. The dynamic columns/rows may also be further delineated by header and footer columns to provide additional related information in a report.
The table and matrix report design therefore each provide some useful features, but are limited in the ways they allow report designers to specify the features of a report. A more flexible format for report designs that is at the same time simple to understand will help to improve reports by permitting a broader range of designs that can be easily implemented via standardized commercial software that does not require customized additions to properly present the data of a report.
In light of the current state of the industry in support for report designs, there is a heretofore unrecognized need to provide additional flexibility and simplicity in supporting the various report designs that may be desired for the presentation of data.

Systems and methods for flexible report designs including table, matrix and hybrid designs


A process for producing a plate-like body with a resin frame having a decorative molding, wherein the decorative molding includes a main part and a film formed on a surface and has a design part exposed on a surface of the resin frame and an embedded part in the resin frame. The film continuously covers the design part and the embedded part. The process includes a step of mounting the decorative molding on a mold for forming the resin frame and further mounting a plate-like body, and a step of injecting a molten resin into a cavity of the mold and forming a resin frame with the decorative molding thereon into a window glass while a film at a portion located at a boundary between the design part and the embedded part is pressed against the mold by an injection pressure of the molten resin and thermally deformed.

Among plate-like bodies for a window of a vehicle, particularly a plate-like body for a window of an automobile, for example, a window glass such as a windshield, a side glass or a rear glass, has a resin frame filling a space between the window glass and an opening for a window of a vehicle integrally provided on a peripheral edge area in many cases. By this resin frame, the window glass is fixed to the opening for a window of a vehicle and the opening for a window of a vehicle is sealed, and in addition, the design of the outer appearance of the window glass is to be improved.
The resin frame is integrally formed on a window glass, for example, by applying a primer (adhesive) to a peripheral edge area of the window glass and attaching the resin frame to a mold, and injecting a molten resin into a cavity space of the mold, whereby a plate-like body with a resin frame having the resin frame integrally formed on a peripheral edge area of a window glass is produced. The present applicant discloses in Patent Document 1 and the like a plate-like body with a frame for a window (trade name: MAW (registered trademark: Module Assembly Window) manufactured by AGC Inc.).
Further, on the surface of a resin frame which is visually recognizable from the outside (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "design surface"), a decorative molding made of a metal or a resin may be provided for the purpose of decorating or reinforcing the resin frame in some cases. The decorative molding has a continuous or frame-like shape produced by press molding or extrusion, and is provided along the surface of the resin frame.
Patent Document 2 discloses a technique to integrally form a resin frame and a decorative molding on a peripheral edge area of a window glass by disposing the decorative molding in a cavity space of a mold for the resin frame and injecting a vinyl chloride molten resin into the cavity space.
Further, the decorative molding in Patent Document 2 is constituted by attaching a film including a resin such as a polyvinyl chloride resin to a shape portion constituting a main part of the decorative molding.
In recent years, users have demanded that the color of the decorative molding is the same color (for example, black) as the color of a vehicle or the resin frame or is a different color. Accordingly, the color of the film is changed to meet the requirements. Further, in a case where the decorative molding is produced by a production process as disclosed in Patent Document 2, the decorative molding has a design part exposed to the outside from the surface of the resin frame and an embedded part embedded in the resin frame.

Process for producing a plate assembly comprising a resin frame and a decorative molding


An open-ended container body is covered, preferably sealingly, by an endpiece/sealing-member. An annular flange of the endpiece/sealing-member is captured by crimping with a container body flange. The endpiece/sealing-member flange is coupled to the remainder of the endpiece/sealing-member by a tear strip which, upon removal, permits the remainder of the endpiece/sealing-member to be fully or partially removed from the open end of the container. The tearstrip is preferably integrally formed with the remainder of the endcap.

Various types of closures exist for containers. One common closure is a metal endpiece having a push-down tab or the like formed in its central panel and sized substantially less than the central panel. This type of endpiece is typically attached to an open end of a metal container body by a seaming operation, e.g., to provide a double seam between the end piece and the container body. Such closures are commonly used for both beverage and food containers. Re-sealing of such containers after opening the push-down tab typically involves use of a plastic over-cap separate from the endpiece.
Another common type of closure is a metal endpiece attached to a container body which may be formed from metal or composite materials (e.g., for various food products, including snack foods such as potato chips). A panel which is substantially the same size as the diameter of the container body is formed in the end piece and may be completely removed from the end piece by engaging an appropriate pull-tab or the like. In many of these designs, the remainder of the end piece provides some resistance or impediment to flow or removal of contents and/or presents sharp edges which may raise safety concerns. Re-sealing of such containers after removal of the panel typically involves use of a plastic over- cap separate from the end piece.
Removable plastic or foil membranes have also been utilized to seal various foodstuffs within a container. A plastic over-cap is typically involved in re-sealing the container after removal of a foil membrane.
Seals have also been provided between an end piece and a container body via some type of sealing member which is disposed between and separate from both the end piece and the container body. One type of sealing member which has been utilized is a sealing member strip which compressively engages a portion of the end piece against the container body. When removal of the end piece is desired, tension in the sealing member is increased to rupture a portion of the end piece engaged by the sealing member. This leaves the fractured portion of the end piece attached to the container body by the sealing member, and allows removal of the remainder of the end piece from the container body.
Another type of sealing member which has been commonly used in the juice industry is a simple plastic seal strip which is disposed between a metal end piece and a composite container body. The plastic sealing strip is pulled out from between the two members when removal of the end piece is desired.

Container with integral endpiece and sealing member


Seeker optics and a related method comprising: an objective for collecting and transmitting light from a target; at least one scattering surface; and a photo detector; wherein: the light transmitted from the objective at small off-boresight target angles propagates to and impinges upon the photo detector without impinging upon the scattering surface; the light transmitted from the objective at large off-boresight target angles propagates to, impinges upon and scatters upon the scattering surface; and the light scattered by the scattering surface propagates to and impinges upon the photo detector; whereby: the target may be detected and tracked at both small and large off-boresight angles, in a wide field of regard.

Semi-active laser seekers are widely used in missiles and guided bombs, offering the capability of high precision at a relatively low cost. A laser designator marks the target with a laser spot. The beam is modulated with a coded sequence of pulses, individualized for each target. The light scattered by the target is collected by the optics of the seeker, which produces a defocused spot on a quadrant photodetector (QPD). Location of the spot on two to four quadrants of the detector produces a decoded signal used for guiding the missile to the target. Narrow instantaneous field of view (IFOV) is required for producing reliable target tracking at high resolution. A wide field of regard (FOR), by far exceeding the typical FOV values, is required to find the target prior to precision guidance. Existing seekers use mechanical gimbals, which drives up the cost and weight, introduces potential reliability issues, and slows down the operation.
Strap-down seekers for the terminal guidance of tactical weapons offer improved reliability, reduced weight, and lower cost, compared to traditional gimbaled seekers. On the other hand, the tradeoff between wide FOR and high angular discrimination is more difficult to balance in strap-down seekers than in gimbaled seekers. In a gimbaled seeker, IFOV is dictated by the required angular sensitivity of the guidance signals, limited by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the quadrant photodetector, typically in the 6-degree to 10-degree range, while the wide FOR is provided by rotation of the camera in the gimbals. In a strap-down seeker, on the other hand, the IFOV and FOR are of the same fixed value, typically falling short of the desired FOR of 40 degrees or more. If the narrow 6-8 degree value is used for the FOR, even if locked before launch, the seeker will lose the target in the early stages of flight, thus having no means to acquire and track the target in the terminal phase. The straightforward approach to increasing the field, e.g., using a lens with a reduced focal length, at the same detector size and the same lens F-number, would reduce aperture size and light throughput, resulting in reduced SNR and compromising target tracking. Hypothetically, a larger detector, combined with presently-available optics, would offer a wider field, collecting the same number of photons and generating the same signal level as in the present gimbaled seekers. The larger detector, however, would generate more noise, again causing the SNR problem. The lower SNR results in lack of performance, including poorer target detection and tracking, reduced range, increased susceptibility to interference, and other negative effects.
Several approaches are possible in transitioning missile seekers from gimbaled operation to strap-down designs. Optical scanning methods, such as rotating prisms or programmable diffraction gratings, are two of the possible solutions to this issue. The main drawback of rotating prisms is the mechanical motion, which is slow, and these compromise reliability, increase weight, and share several other significant limitations with mechanical gimbals. Programmable diffraction gratings are unavailable or expensive if large apertures are required, and may cause significant loss of light. A new approach is needed to provide all advantages of a strap-down seeker while improving the field of regard.
Semi-active laser ("SAL") seekers are well known and described in detail in the literature. The operation of a SAL seeker system is based on a narrow, pulse-coded laser beam "painting" the target by a laser designator. The SAL seeker, located on the missile or other weapon, detects the laser illumination scattered by the target. The seeker photodetector, such as quadrant photodetector, produces raw signals that are decoded specific to a particular target, followed by signal processing that produces guidance signals to the missile, guiding it to the target according to a selected guidance method. Most existing SAL seekers typically use a two-axis gimbal system that provides a wider FOR, in addition to a narrow FOV.
The cost and complexity of SAL seekers can be reduced dramatically by transitioning future seekers from gimbal-based operation to strap-down designs. This goal is actively pursued by the U.S. aimed services. The benefits of the strap-down seeker come at a price of reduced FOR, which becomes limited to the FOV value. Because of the potential benefits, new strap-down SAL seekers, without a gimbal system, are being proposed for many missile applications.
U.S. Patent application 2007/0290096 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,164,037 (also published as EP1946034A2, EP1946034A4, U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,528, WO2007/044922A2, WO2007/044922A3) disclose several designs of strap-down seeker optics using refractive lenses with carefully-designed aberrations. A representative drawing of the invention in these documents is shown in FIG. 1. An optional concentrator 435 concentrates the energy received by the optical system. It may expand the effective field of view of the detector, concentrate light at a relatively large input aperture onto a smaller area of the detector, perform stray light rejection, athermalization, and control angular jitter. The effective defocused spot has a smooth intensity profile. Combined with the fixed effective focal length (distance from the lens to the detector), this makes significant increase of FOR (e.g., from 6-8° to ˜40°) problematic due to the reduced SNR, as was discussed above.
U.S. patent application 2007/0187546 (Also published as EP1994358A2, EP1994358A4, U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,191, WO2008/063679A2, WO2008/063679A3, WO2008/063679A9) discloses a strap-down SAL seeker that includes an optical system having an engineered diffuser for transforming a laser spot into a uniform distribution of optical energy with a predetermined shape. The predetermined shape is preferably a square "top hat" or uniform scatter pattern. A representative drawing of the invention of these documents (FIG. 2) shows the uniform square "spot" at different angles to target. The main accomplishment of this invention is improved linearity of the guidance signal as a function of angular error. At wide FOR, the angular resolution still suffers from reduced SNR.
U.S. patent application 2005/0103986 discloses a system for detecting the angle of arrival of a beam of light from illuminated targets. A reflective shadow caster illuminates the front surface of a tapered fiber bundle in a manner that encodes the angle of arrival of light into quadrant intensities (FIG. 3). The fiber optic taper collects the energy from the large collection aperture and illuminates a quadrant detector, increasing the amount of light collected, and thus the signal. The near-linear angular response results in the FOR versus angular resolution tradeoff, limited by SNR similar to the above examples. Additional issues may be a mismatch between the FOR and the acceptance angle of the fibers, and relatively high cost of the fiberoptic taper.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,845 illustrated by FIG. 4 discloses a wide field-of-view optical system for a strap-down missile seeker with a spherical ball lens truncated to provide one or more facets on which detectors may be mounted to measure relative intensities as a blur spot image of a source of light, which may be a reflection from a laser designated target, and which moves across the detectors which may be individual elements in a quadrant detector. The design enables a wide field-of-view seeker with no moving parts. The drawback of this approach is a bulky and large ball lens, making problematic its use on small, 2.75″ OD and smaller missiles. The use of multiple quadrant photo detectors complicates the circuitry and signal processing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,392 illustrated by FIG. 5 discloses a laser detection system that includes a ball lens and a plurality of fiber optic bundles placed adjacent the ball lens so that incoming light rays are focused onto the bundles by the ball lens. In one particular version of the invention, the ball lens is one that can provide an almost infinite number of "principal" axes for off-axis light. Each fiber optic bundle is aimed in a different direction from each other bundle so that each bundle will have a different FOV even though the same ball lens is used to focus the incoming light rays. Because of aberrations, the physical size of the ball lens is much larger than the effective optical aperture coupled to a fiber. As a result, to collect a sufficient amount of light energy, the ball lens has to be large and heavy, similar to U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,845. The use of multiple photo detectors (fibers) also complicates the circuitry and signal processing.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,373,105 illustrated by FIG. 6 discloses laser-seeking munitions with one or more sensors and a plurality of lenses transmitting light to the sensors. Some embodiments comprise one or more baffles coupled to the plurality of lenses, the baffles configured to substantially block a portion of the plurality of lenses from transmitting light to the sensors. Some embodiments comprise a plurality of optical fibers optically coupled to the sensor(s) and the lense(s), where the fibers are configured to substantially block a portion of each of the plurality of lenses from transmitting light to the one or more sensors. The overall size of the seeker has to be large compared to the optical aperture, which precludes the use of such a seeker on a small missile while providing high light throughput. The field of view and field of regard are the same, which precludes providing a narrow IFOV required for reliable target tracking at high resolution combined with a wide FOR required to find the target prior to precision guidance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,890 illustrated by FIG. 7 discloses a missile with nose in the shape of a transparent ogive window which has an index of refraction that assumes different values at different positions on the window whereas the window appears to the sensor as if it were a hemispherical window. While refracting light form the target, the window does not produce a focused spot on the sensor, and requires additional optics for operation. The additional optics, not included in U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,845, defines field of view and field of regard, and so do not provide for a wide FOR combined with a narrow IFOV.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,109 illustrated by FIG. 8 discloses a hybrid, wide angle imaging system. An array of Keplerian telescope objectives focuses multiple apertures of light through the tubes of a louver baffle. An image is formed on the convex surface of a fiber optic imaging taper, which transfers the image to the flat bottom of the taper where it can be viewed through an eyepiece or digitized by a detector array. This design has two major inherent limitations: 1) only a small portion of the overall optical aperture collects light from a target, so that the effective aperture is small, while the overall size and weight of the seeker optics are large compared to the useful effective aperture; and 2) the rays of light impinge on the detector in a wide range of angles of incidence, which would cause significant blue shift and compromise attempts of narrow-band filtering and solar suppression.
No design or concept of a strap-down seeker described in the literature offers a wide FOR combined with high resolution comparable that of the narrow IFOV of existing gimbaled seekers.


An autonomous Web server may be connected to an industrial control system to provide direct access to input and output points through connections between the Web server and the input and output points. Coordination with the programmable logic controller is implemented through a set of lock flags which prevent conflicts either between multiple Web connections or between Web connections and the control produced by the programmable logic controller.

The present invention relates to industrial controller systems used for real-time control of industrial processes, and in particular to an interface module for use with such industrial controller systems providing direct access to input and output points of the control system over the World Wide Web.
Industrial control systems are special purpose computer systems used in controlling industrial processes. Under the direction of a stored control program, a programmable logic controller, being part of the industrial control system, reads inputs from a series of input modules and writes outputs to a series of output modules. The input modules read signals from sensors associated with the industrial process and the output modules provide signals to actuators and the like in the industrial process. The inputs and outputs may be binary, that is on or off or analog, providing a value with a continuous range such as, for the case of inputs, from an analog to digital converter or an encoder.
Industrial control systems differ from conventional computer systems in that they provide highly reliable operation and deterministic real-time control. In part, this requires both that data communicated between the programmable logic controller and the input and output modules be transmitted in a predictable sequence. This may be provided by use of an I/O image table which is populated with complete sets of input or output data before control decisions are made and before outputs are forwarded to the I/O modules.
It is also necessary that data be reliably transmitted between the programmable logic controller and the I/O modules within predictable and short time limits. One way this may be provided by using a network supporting "connected messaging". In connected messaging, communicating devices of the system establish a "connection" prior to the transmission of data. The process of establishing the connection reserves the necessary network bandwidth, buffer space, and other network resources on the end nodes and along the way between them via connecting media and intervening devices such as bridges, or routers. When messages are sent, reliable transmission can thereby be assured.
A number of connected messaging systems are well known in the art including Control Net, a network supported by the Allen-Bradley division of Rockwell, as well as DeviceNet and a number of other well known networks.
An important component of an industrial control system is the human machine interface (HMI) which allows, testing, troubleshooting and monitoring of the industrial process. Typically HMIs read and write to the I/O image table of the programmable logic controller under the operation of the control program.
Often it is desired to monitor an industrial process remotely. The development of the Internet and the Web has raised the possibility of using well known remote communication techniques with Web servers and browsers to implement a remote HMI that could be used on any browser enabled computer. Current proposals for providing Web to an industrial control system envision a Web server module that may plug into a common backplane to communicate with the programmable logic controller. Input and output data is communicated between the I/O module and the programmable logic controller and selectively communicated, under the control of the programmable logic controller, between the programmable logic controller and the Web server module.

Industrial control system with autonomous web server