A waveform generating device applicable to musical tone generating circuitry employed in electronic musical instruments is disclosed. The device digitally stores sampled waveform data. The data is read out and the musical tone having a different pitch is generated according to a pitch-sampling rate asynchronous system. The device includes a storing device which stores sampled waveform data, pitch designation device which outputs a signal indicating the pitch of a musical tone to be generated, readout device which successively reads out the waveform data at a speed which is determined based on the signal, an interpolation device which creates intermediate data, corresponding to a value which exists between two continuous sample data which are read out by device of the readout device, by means of interpolation calculation, and outputs the intermediate data at a fixed sampling cycle, a beginning readout designation device which designates beginning of readout in the readout device, and a readout speed control device, which sets readout speed of the readout device to a faster speed than the speed determined based on the pitch signal for a predetermined period following the designation of the beginning of readout by the beginning readout designation device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to waveform generating devices, and more particularly, to waveform generating devices applicable to musical tone generating circuitry employed in electronic musical instruments, and the like.
2. Prior Art
Electronic musical instruments are conventionally known wherein the tone generating circuitry incorporates digital waveform memory, on which basis timbre control is effected with these devices, digital waveform data which has been previously recorded in waveform memory is output serially therefrom at a sampling rate which corresponds to the desired pitch of the musical tone to be produced. Accordingly, pitch control is achieved through varying the sampling rate at which digital waveform data is output from waveform memory. In this way, a digital signal is created which has timbre characteristics corresponding to the waveform data output from waveform memory and a pitch corresponding to the rate at which digital waveform data is output from waveform memory.
Examples of this type of waveform generating device include that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho-60-63593, and that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho-62-242995. In the first of the above referenced Japanese patent applications, a device is disclosed wherein waveform data which has been compressed by DPCM (differential pulse code modulation) encoding and serially recorded in waveform memory can be subsequently read from the waveform memory and decompressed via a corresponding decoding process so as to regenerate the originally stored waveform data, in this way effectively increasing the storage capacity of a given amount of waveform memory. Similarly, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho-62-242995 discloses a device wherein waveform data is compressed using differential modulation, then stored in waveform memory. Thus, in both of the above-described conventional devices, compressed waveform data which has been stored in waveform memory is later read out therefrom and decompressed when regeneration of the corresponding timbre is desired.
With the devices of both of the above cited Japanese patent applications, in response to operation of keys on a keyboard, or signals from various other types of input parameter generating means, the rate at which waveform data is read out from waveform memory is appropriately adjusted in each tone generating element in operation, on which basis the pitch of the individual tone produced in each tone generating element is controlled. Systems of this type wherein pitch is directly controlled by varying the sampling rate at which waveform data is read out from waveform memory are generically referred to as synchronous waveform generating devices. In the case of synchronous waveform generating devices such as those of the above cited Japanese patent applications, because the generation of two or more musical tones having differing pitches involves sampling waveform data at differing sampling rates, considerable complexity is introduced into the design of subsequent signal processing devices such as D/A converters, effectors etc., and the interface therewith. This increase in complexity is especially marked in the case of polyphonic systems.
As a means to circumvent the above-described difficulties, the use of asynchronous waveform generating devices has been implemented. With asynchronous waveform generating devices, in addition to the waveform data values stored in waveform memory, intermediate waveform data values become available through application of interpolation techniques to groups of consecutive waveform data values stored in waveform memory. Thus, although waveform data values are stored in waveform memory at consecutive integral memory addresses, in effect, output of interpolated waveform data values corresponding to hypothetical nonintegral memory address becomes possible. As a result, readout of waveform data from waveform memory can be carried out at a predetermined sampling rate independent of the pitch of the musical tone to be produced, thereby making it possible to carry out subsequent processing at the constant sampling rate.
With both synchronous and asynchronous waveform generating devices, the waveform data values stored in waveform memory is originally generated by sampling the original musical tones at a fixed sampling rate R.sub.c (this fixed sampling rate R.sub.c is the mathematical invervse of a fundamental sampling interval hereafter referred to as fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c). This is illustrated in FIG. 1(a) for a fundamental waveform A of an original musical tone, wherein the horizontal axis represents time, and the interval between each adjacent pair of solid vertical lines corresponds to fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c.
In contrast to synchronous generating waveform devices, however, with an asynchronous waveform generating device, interpolated waveform data values corresponding to waveform data values from the hypothetical sampling of the original musical tone at a sampling rate R.sub.m (different from fundamental sampling rate R.sub.c, this sampling rate R.sub.m is the mathematical invervse of a sampling interval hereafter referred to as regeneration sampling interval T.sub.m) are output at the fundamental sampling rate R.sub.c. When a regeneration sampling interval T.sub.m has a duration greater than that of fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c, as indicated, for example, by the broken vertical lines seen in FIG. 1(a), output of consecutive waveform data values at the fundamental sampling rate R.sub.c will result in a pitch higher than that of the original musical tone, as is shown in FIG. 1(b), the regeneration waveform B of the regeneration musical tone having a pitch equal to the frequency of fundamental waveform A multiplied by sampling ratio .alpha.(=T.sub.m /T.sub.c).
It is commonly the case, however, that the sampling ratio .alpha. is not an integral value, in other words, regeneration sampling interval T.sub.m is frequently not an integral multiple of fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c. As a result, in order to implement the use of the above-described type of asynchronous waveform generating device, it becomes necessary to include a means to interpolate the sampled data corresponding to points which are integral multiples of fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c, to thereby obtain waveform data corresponding to points which are integral multiples of regeneration sampling interval T.sub.m. With the asynchronous waveform generating devices described thus far, an interpolating circuit is employed, wherein multiple interpolation calculations are performed using the data stored in waveform memory. More specifically, for each sampling data value to be calculated which corresponds to an integral multiple of regeneration sampling interval T.sub.m on the time axis, an interpolation operation is carried out wherein sampling data values corresponding to multiples of fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c in proximity to the point for which the interpolation operation is to be carried out are supplied to the interpolating circuit, whereupon calculations are carried out so as to arrive at the interpolated waveform data value.
As a concrete example of the above described interpolation operations, consider the sample waveform A shown in FIG. 1(a). To determine the sampling data value corresponding to the single point W.sub.x1 on the time axis shown in the figure, 6th order interpolation is carried out using the sampling data values correlating with points W.sub.-3, W.sub.-2, W.sub.-1, W.sub.0, W.sub.1, W.sub.2 and W.sub.3 on the time axis, where W.sub.-3, W.sub.-2, W.sub.-1 and W.sub.0 are the four multiples of fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c immediately prior to W.sub.x1 with respect to time, and where W.sub.1, W.sub.2 and W.sub.3 are the three multiples of fundamental sampling interval T.sub.c immediately after W.sub.x1 with respect to time. Thus, the sampling data values corresponding to these points on the time axis are read out from waveform memory and supplied to the interpolating circuit. In the interpolating circuit, for each of the seven points, a corresponding interpolation coefficient is calculated based on the phase difference x between W.sub.x1 and W.sub.0, from which the waveform data value corresponding to point W.sub.x1 is obtained. This process is then repeated to determine the sampling data value corresponding to the single point W.sub.x2 on the time axis, this time carrying out the interpolation operation using the sampling data values correlating with points W.sub.-2, W.sub.-1, W.sub.0, W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4 on the time axis, where W.sub.-2, W.sub.-1, W.sub.0 and W.sub.1 are the four multiples of fundamental sampling interval Tc immediately prior to W.sub.x2. The and where W.sub.2, W.sub.3 and W.sub.4 are the three multiples of fundamental sampling interval Tc immediately after W.sub.x2. The interpolation process as thus described is repeated over and over, thereby determining waveform data values corresponding to W.sub.x1, W.sub.x3, W.sub.x4, W.sub.x5, W.sub.x6, . . . which are consecutive multiples of regeneration sampling interval Tm. When the calculated waveform data values thus obtained are then consecutively output at fundamental sampling rate R.sub.c, waveform B shown in FIG. 1(b) is produced, having a frequency which is higher than that of fundamental waveform 1 shown in FIG. 1(a) by a factor equal to ratio T.sub.m /T.sub.c, that is, by a factor equal to sampling ratio .alpha..
With the waveform processing thus described, although actual waveform data values are sequentially stored in waveform memory at consecutive integral memory addresses, interpolation calculations are carried out in response to hypothetical fractional addresses. By sequentially summing the value of sampling ratio .alpha., these memory addresses can be successively obtained. With the consecutive fractional values thus obtained, the integral portions thereof can be used as memory addresses at which actual waveform data values used for interpolation calculations are stored, whereas from the fractional portions thereof, the above-described interpolation coefficients can be obtained for each sampling data value which is employed in interpolation calculations. An asynchronous waveform generating device implementing this method has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho-59-17838.
For this conventional asynchronous waveform generating device, however, in proportion to the order of interpolation carried out, the number of sampling data values which must be read out from waveform memory for the first interpolation calculation increases. As a result, a significant delay can result between the time a tone generation command is given and the time the tone is actually generated. Particularly, when pitch data .alpha. is a relatively small value, the phase data values obtained by sequentially summing pitch data .alpha. increase at a very slow rate, which results in poor response characteristics.

Asynchronous waveform generating device for use in an electronic musical instrument


A recording apparatus includes a carriage configured to carry a recording head and to move in a main scanning direction, and a guide plate rail configured to guide the carriage when it moves. The carriage is provided with a sliding member movable relative to the carriage in a height direction of the carriage. The carriage and the sliding member have a switch member provided therebetween. The switch member moves in the main scanning direction relative to the carriage and the sliding member to cause the carriage and the sliding member to be relatively displaced in the height direction of the carriage.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recording apparatuses that perform recording by causing a recording unit, such as a recording head, to discharge liquid droplets on a recording material. In particular, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus that can perform recording on recording materials of various kinds and thicknesses by adjusting a gap between the recording unit, such as a recording head, and the recording material.
Description of the Related Art
In the related art, serial-type recording apparatuses that perform recording by scanning a recording head in a direction (i.e., main scanning direction) extending crosswise to the conveying direction of a recording material (i.e., sub-scanning direction) is known. Such a recording apparatus records an image by using the recording head mounted on a carriage that moves in the main scanning direction. After a recording operation performed for one row, a paper feed operation is performed for feeding the recording material by a predetermined distance in the sub-scanning direction. By repeating these operations, recording is performed on the entire recording material. Of recording apparatuses of such a type, a recording apparatus configured to perform recording on thick recording materials, such as envelopes and cardboards, is known. When recording on a thick recording material, it is necessary to avoid rubbing of the recording head against the recording material since the gap between the recording head and the recording material is narrow. In contrast, with an increase in image quality over the recent years, when recording on specialty paper, such as glossy paper, it is necessary to further narrow the gap between the recording head and the recording material.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 7-276736 and 2004-42346 of the related art discuss technologies for fulfilling both of these demands.
In the technology of the related art discussed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-276736, a rotatable sliding member is attached to the top of a carriage unit and is configured to slide on a chassis of an apparatus main body. The sliding member has multiple slide faces with different distances from the center of rotation of the sliding member. These slide faces of the sliding member are slidable on the chassis. By rotating the sliding member to switch the slide faces slidable on the chassis, the carriage is rotated about a guide shaft, thereby adjusting the gap between the recording material and the recording head. When recording on a thick recording material, such as an envelope, the gap can be widened, whereas when recording on specialty paper, such as glossy paper, the gap between the recording head and the recording material can be narrowed.
In the technology of the related art discussed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-42346, cams are provided at opposite ends of the guide shaft, and the chassis has surfaces that are in contact with the cams. With this configuration, the guide shaft can be positioned in the sub-scanning direction relative to the chassis. By rotating the cams with a driving source, the height of the guide shaft can be adjusted while the position thereof in the sub-scanning direction is fixed.
In the technology of the related art discussed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-276736, the sliding member attached to the top of the carriage unit is rotated to cause the carriage to rotate about the guide shaft, thereby adjusting the gap between the recording head and the recording material. Therefore, when in an adjusted position, the carriage is tilted with respect to the recording material, causing the gap to vary depending on different nozzle positions. This may degrade the quality of a recorded image.
The sliding member used for adjusting the gap needs to be provided separately from the carriage. Therefore, when recording on specialty paper, such as glossy paper, which particularly requires a high quality image to be recorded thereon, this sliding member is used for sliding the top of the carriage unit on the chassis. This means that this configuration unfavorably includes a component tolerance equivalent to a single component.
In the technology of the related art discussed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-42346, the guide shaft needs to be a cylindrical shaft. In addition, the cams provided at the opposite ends of the guide shaft, a spring for biasing the guide shaft downward, and the driving source for rotating the cams are required. Therefore, a sufficient torque for lifting the guide shaft, the cams, the spring, and the carriage upward is necessary. To create such torque, it is necessary to use highly functional components for a motor and a reduction gear train. This results in an increase in the cost of the recording apparatus.


Acid-catalyzed positive resist compositions which are imageable with 193 nm radiation are obtained using a polymer having acrylate/methacrylate monomeric units comprising a naphthol ester group. The resist may optionally contain polymer having acrylate/methacrylate monomeric units with fluorine-containing functional groups. The resists containing the polymer having acrylate/methacrylate monomeric units comprising a naphthol ester group have an improved process window, including improved etch resistance and reduced swelling compared to conventional fluorine-containing 193 nm resist.

In the microelectronics industry as well as in other industries involving construction of microscopic structures (e.g. micromachines, magnetoresistive heads, etc.), there is a continued desire to reduce the size of structural features. In the microelectronics industry, the desire is to reduce the size of microelectronic devices and/or to provide greater amount of circuitry for a given chip size.
The ability to produce smaller devices is limited by the ability of lithographic techniques to reliably resolve smaller features and spacings. The nature of optics is such that the ability to obtain finer resolution is limited in part by the wavelength of light (or other radiation) used to create the lithographic pattern. Thus, there has been a continual trend toward use of shorter light wavelengths for lithographic processes. Recently, the lithography using 193 nm imaging radiation has become more widespread for producing small features.
A resist composition must possess desirable optical properties to enable image resolution at a desired radiation wavelength as well as suitable chemical and mechanical properties to enable transfer to the image from the patterned resist to an underlying substrate layer(s). Thus, a patternwise exposed positive resist must be capable of appropriate dissolution response (i.e., selective dissolution of exposed areas) to yield the desired resist structure. Given the extensive experience in the lithographic arts with the use of aqueous alkaline developers, it is important to achieve appropriate dissolution behavior in such commonly used developer solutions. The patterned resist structure (after development) must be sufficiently resistant to enable transfer of the pattern to the underlying layer(s). Typically, pattern transfer is performed by some form of wet chemical etching or ion etching.
Currently, acrylic resists containing fluoroacrylate (methacrylate) monomers have been popular for use in 193 nm lithography. While these resists have met with some success, there is a continued desire for resists having improved performance. Specifically, it is desired to have resists with improved dissolution characteristics and etch resistance compared to the existing fluoroacrylate (methacrylate)-based resists.

Positive resist containing naphthol functionality

International Business Machines Corporation


Applicant's present invention is a composite scintillator for neutron detection comprising a matrix material fabricated from an inorganic sol-gel precursor solution homogeneously doped with a liquid scintillating material and a neutron absorbing material. The neutron absorbing material yields at least one of an electron, a proton, a triton, an alpha particle or a fission fragment when the neutron absorbing material absorbs a neutron. The composite scintillator further comprises a liquid scintillating material in a self-assembled micelle formation homogeneously doped in the matrix material through the formation of surfactant-silica composites. The scintillating material is provided to scintillate when traversed by at least one of an electron, a proton, a triton, an alpha particle or a fission fragment. The scintillating material is configured such that the matrix material surrounds the micelle formation of the scintillating material. The composite scintillator is fabricated and applied as a thin film on substrate surfaces, a coating on optical fibers or as a glass material.

Neutrons are uncharged particles that can travel through matter without ionizing the matter. Because neutrons travel through matter in such a manner, neutrons are difficult to detect directly. Some other evidence of a neutron event must be detected in order to determine its existence. An indirect method detects the results of a neutron event and not the neutron event itself.
Neutron radiation is an unequivocal signature of the presence of transuranic elements associated with nuclear power-generated plutonium and enriched uranium and plutonium derived from the disassembly of nuclear weapons. Both passive and active neutron detection methods have been used in such applications, with the latter involving detection of the secondary fission neutrons induced by a brief pulse of neutrons. The prerequisite for neutron scintillators is the presence of neutron absorbing elements, which is not required for the fabrication of other radiation scintillators such as beta and alpha radiations. Favored isotopes for neutron absorption include 10B, 6Li, 3He, and 235U, all of which have high absorption cross sections for thermal neutrons. In previous work by Wallace et. al. (Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 2002), a surface barrier detector based on sol-gel technology was reported. Then, Im et al. reported in Applied Physics Letters, March 2004, an approach to neutron scintillator fabrication that employs a room temperature sol-gel processing.
Industries and geological survey agencies who use or need to detect neutrons are interested in the development of new neutron detectors with advantages in efficiency and versatility over the methods in current use. An improved neutron detector technology could even play a role in national security in screening for insecure fissile weapons materials. Currently, solid-state neutron scintillators such as 6Li-doped silica glasses and solid mixtures of 6LiF and ZnS:Ag are prepared by high-temperature methods. Because of the high temperature employed, these materials are very difficult to integrate as films into electronic devices for neutron detection or to cast as large screens. Furthermore, the high temperature methods eliminate the possibility of using organic scintillators because such organic compounds are seldom stable at elevated temperatures. High tritium counting efficiencies based on different types of liquid scintillating cocktails have been reported; however, these liquid scintillators must be handled carefully and are difficult to secure for field applications due to their tendency to leak. Thus, the development of efficient solid-state scintillating materials, which will significantly enhance general capabilities for in situ monitoring and imaging of radioactive contaminants in the environment, is demanded.
Neutron detection for monitoring the dose of thermal neutrons given to patients receiving boron neutron-capture therapy has used lithium-6 and a cerium activator in a glass fiber (M. Bliss et. al., IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 1995). Hiller et. al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,328, issued on Oct. 26, 1999, improve this technique by allowing a cerium-activated glass fiber to be coated with fissionable elements. A wet chemistry method of placing radioactive fissile elements into glass—which in the vitrified state does not pose a hazard—as described in the '328 patent using sol-gel based technology, is a significant benefit. M. Ghioni et. al. (1996) describe an avalanche photodiode implementation for detecting neutron induced ionization and optical pulse detection.
The '328 device introduced sol-gel techniques unique in the art of neutron detection. Sol-gel chemistry was first discovered in the late 1800s. This area of chemistry has received renewed interest when the process was found to be useful in producing monolithic inorganic gels at low temperatures that could be converted to glasses without a high temperature melting process. Brinker et. al., in 1990, provide a comprehensive explanation of sol-gel chemistry. Sheng Dai et. al., in 1996, provide further detail disclosing uranyl-doped sol-gel glasses.
Emission detectors such as microchannel plates, channeltrons, and avalanche photodiodes are commonly used for detecting ultraviolet (UV) light and fissioned charged particles such as electrons or protons. Microchannel plates are commercially available and well known in the art. Typically, a microchannel plate is formed from lead glass having a uniform porous structure of millions of tiny holes or microchannels. Each microchannel functions as a channel electron multiplier, relatively independent of adjacent channels. A thin metal electrode is vacuum deposited on both the input and output surfaces to electrically connect channels in parallel. Microchannel plates can be assembled in stacked series to enhance gain and performance.
The microchannel plates serve to amplify emissions from fissionable material resulting from the bombardment of neutrons. The amplified signal is then detected and recorded. The signal frequency is proportional to the charged particle emissions, which are proportional to the amount of neutrons bombarding the fissionable material.
Channeltrons operate on the same basic principal of amplifying proportional signals emitted from fissionable materials. A channeltron is a horn-shaped continuous dynode structure that is coated on the inside with an electron emissive material. An ion striking the channeltron creates secondary electrons that have an avalanche effect to create more secondary electrons and finally a current pulse.
Typically, due to the exotic materials and sensitivity of the equipment, the neutron detectors currently available are expensive and difficult to maintain. For example, helium-3 is an extremely rare stable isotope which must be separated at considerable expense from the radioactive gas tritium. Furthermore, the use of a gas absorber results in a slower response time than a solid absorber as disclosed herein. The '328 device thus incorporated fissionable material into a sol-gel composition in combination with an emission detector.

Composite solid-state scintillators for neutron detection

University of Tennessee Research Foundation


During the handoff of a mobile unit (225) between a serving or source base-site (200) and a selected target base-site, (205 or 210) the target base-site (205 or 210) is directed to tune to and monitor the mobile unit's in progress call on a serving base-site channel frequency in order to verify target cell selection immediately before the handoff. Thereafter, the mobile unit (225) is directed to tune to a selected target base-site channel by the target base-site. Next, the target base-site (205 or 210) re-tunes itself to the selected target channel frequency and continues to transmit. Upon the arrival of the mobile unit onto the selected target channel, the serving base-site channel is released.

In cellular radiotelephone communication systems, call handoffs are often required in order to maintain communication with mobiles as they move within the system. Handoff is the process whereby an in progress call is transferred from one RF coverage area (cell) to another in coordination with a mobile's movements. It is also the process whereby a call is transferred to another channel within a cell because of interference within the cell. The process of handing off an in progress call is one of the most delicately balanced functions relating to cellular radiotelephone systems and service because of the high level of coordination required among various system processing elements. Thus, failure to hand a call off at the proper time may result in problems like, reduced call quality, interference with neighboring coverage areas and even the undesired termination of the call.
In order to effectuate successful handoffs, current analog cellular systems continuously monitor the quality of every call which is operational on the system. The system must recognize when the quality of a call falls below a predetermined threshold in a particular cell and must also determine what other neighboring cell can satisfactorily handle the call. Once a more suitable candidate is identified, the system sends instructions to the mobile directing it to tune to another channel. The mobile confirms that it is leaving its current channel, tunes to the new channel, synchronizes to the new channel and begins transmitting.
As will be appreciated, in analog cellular systems, handoff processing is dependant on the state transitions of various supervisory signals generated by the mobile unit. Unfortunately, interfering mobile units can falsify these signals, thereby causing poor call quality during handoffs, or in some cases causing a calls termination.
In digital cellular radiotelephone systems, the procedure is modified somewhat in that the mobile measures channels in other cells as well as its current serving channel and reports these measurements, consisting of signal strength back to the system. Since, the mobile cannot determine whether its measurements are as a result of interference, the system must in addition, scan for the mobile in the cell selected by the mobile. Unfortunately, the system scan occurs after the quality of the in progress call has fallen below a predetermined threshold. Thus, while mobile assisted handoff tends to reduce the number of candidate target cells, no real improvement in call quality during the handoff is achieved.
It would be extremely advantageous therefore to provide a handoff procedure which is less susceptible to interference and provides some degree of fault tolerance.

Communication transfer in a cellular radiotelephone system


Provided is a method, system, and program for providing an object discovery agent (ODA) client. There is one object discovery agent (ODA) client and at least one ODA, wherein each ODA is associated with one application and includes: (i) application programming interfaces (APIs) to communicate with the associated application to discover definition information on objects maintained by the application and (ii) code to communicate with the ODA client. The ODA client communicates with one of the at least one ODA to cause the ODA to gather definition information on at least one object used by one application. The gathered object definition information is provided to an integration server to integrate the object in an environment including heterogeneous objects from different applications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to discovering object definition information in an integrated application environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an integrated application environment, an integration server enables data to be integrated among heterogeneous applications and the data objects used by the heterogeneous applications. The integration server maintains a mapping for each application specific business object maintained in the integrated application environment that defines how the data in an application specific business object maps to a generic business object. In this way, data may be integrated among heterogeneous applications by transforming data from a source application specific business object to a generic business object and then from the generic business object to a target application specific business object. In this way data generated and maintained by a source application may be integrated with a target application.
Before the mapping can be generated, the user or developer of the integrated application environment needs to determine the definition and format of the business objects and then provide that definition to the integration server to generate the mappings.

Discovering object definition information in an integrated application environment


A method of operating and monitoring a group of filter membrane modules connected in parallel and with the modules being periodically backwashed, in which:. raw water to be treated is injected at a regulated pressure and the permeate outlet pressure is regulated to less than the inlet pressure; PA1 the group is provided with a water meter (60) on the raw water inlet duct and with three pressure sensors, one on the raw water inlet, one on the permeate outlet, and one on the backwash circuit, the meter and the sensors (100) delivering signals to a controller; PA1 each module is backwashed in succession with permeate from the other modules, with each module being individualized at that moment, thereby making it possible with aid of the water meter and of the pressure sensors to determine the permeability (150) in backwashing specific to the module as individualized in this way, and also to determine the production permeability of the remainder of the modules; and PA1 the values determined in this way are compared with reference values in order to modify the periodicity of backwashes and to proceed with module cleaning, and also to detect any anomaly in operation.

The invention relates to a method of operating and monitoring a group of filter membrane modules, and also to a group of modules implementing the method, with a particular application to filtering water.
It has long been the practice to obtain potable water from natural waters (lakes, rivers) that are polluted to a greater or lesser extent, and to do so by means of installations that are fixed, given the techniques used. The recent appearance of filter membranes disposed in bundles within filter modules has made it possible to implement mobile installations suitable for taking action in the event of a fixed installation failing or in an emergency, e.g. when providing humanitarian aid.
Known mobile installations operate with pumps, including at least a booster pump and a pump for backwashing the membranes, which pumps consume a great deal of electricity. In some cases, installations are required to operate in areas without electricity so it is necessary to provide generator units and the fuel required to run them.
In addition, it is difficult to monitor the operation of filter modules, and if anomalies are observed to appear, it is very difficult or even impossible to find out the exact cause: excessive clogging, or membrane rupture in a module, and if so in which module, backwashing failure in a module, etc. . . .
Such installations usually operate on demand, i.e. they periodically stop production. When they are designed for temporary operation, they must also be capable of remaining unharmed during long periods of no operation. In both cases it is necessary to provide for the circuits to be chlorinated in order to avoid bacteria proliferating since that could damage the membranes or could be dangerous when the installation is put back into operation. Chlorination is performed by periodically injecting chlorinated water into the circuits by pumping.
In an emergency situation, the water to be treated may be unusually polluted and it is often necessary not only to perform periodic backwashing, but also to perform cleaning using appropriate cleaning substances. It is therefore necessary for the installation to be fitted with a cleaning circuit, and that requires a pump.
A water treatment assembly must therefore satisfy the following needs:
it must be compact, i.e. its volume must be small compared with its production capacity so as to facilitate transport thereof; PA1 it must consume only a small amount of electricity, so it must have as few pumps as possible; PA1 advantageously it should have a chlorination circuit and a cleaning circuit; and PA1 it should make it possible to diagnose possible operating anomalies and the state of the filter membranes, and to proceed with appropriate corrective action. PA1 raw water to be treated is injected into the group of modules at a regulated pressure and the outlet pressure of the permeate (filtered water) is regulated to a value that is lower than that of the inlet pressure, but nevertheless sufficient to enable the filter membrane modules to be backwashed; PA1 the group of modules is provided with a water meter on the raw water inlet duct and with three pressure sensors, a first on the raw water inlet, a second on the permeate outlet, and a third on the backwashing circuit, the meter and the sensors delivering signals to a controller; PA1 the modules are backwashed successively one after another, using the permeate from the other modules, thereby individualizing each module while it is being backwashed, thus making it possible with the water meter and the pressure sensors to determine the permeability in backwashing specific to the module thus individualized, and also to determine the production permeability of the remaining modules; and PA1 the permeability values obtained in this way are compared with ideal values, with threshold values, and/or with values from earlier cycles so that, depending on the diagnosis obtained, the periodicity of backwashing is modified, the group of modules is cleaned, or an operating anomaly is detected, thereby enabling it to be corrected. PA1 (Lp).sub.i in backwashing for each of the modules in succession; and PA1 (Lp).sub.n-i in production for the set of modules minus the module that is being backwashed. PA1 excessive clogging which means that the set of modules must be cleaned, with the difference between permeability in filtering and permeability in backwashing also making it possible to select between available cleaning substances; PA1 rupture of the filter membranes in a module, which means that the module must be taken out of operation and replaced; and PA1 abnormal operation of a valve.

Method of operating and monitoring a group of filter membrane modules, and a group of modules implementing the method


An apparatus for extracting image data of an object in an input image data. The apparatus includes a display device having a display screen for displaying a plurality of predetermined images; a display controller for controlling the display device to display one of the predetermined images; an imaging device for taking an image of an object placed before the display screen in order to generate an input image data; a controller for controlling the imaging device to take an image of the object and the display screen when the display device displays one of the predetermined images in cooperation with the display controller; and an extractor for extracting image data of the object by comparing the input image data generated by imaging device with data of the one of the plurality of the predetermined images.

In recent years, from the security viewpoint, it is becoming important to use a surveillance camera to perform surveillance in order to discover a suspicious person and/or a suspicious substance, for example. In order to reduce the load on a watchman who watches the video photographed by a surveillance camera, various systems have been disclosed in which a computer may be used to image-process the video by the camera to discover a suspicious person and/or a suspicious substance.
For example, a technology has been disclosed which extracts an object by comparing a photographed image and a pre-photographed past background image as discussed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-32325, and another technology has been disclosed which irradiates pattern light, compares an image with an object and an image without it and extracts the object on the basis of the difference in pattern as discussed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-269915.
However, both of the conventional technologies have a problem that an object may not be extracted with high accuracy. FIG. 17 is a diagram for describing an example that the color of the object to be extracted and the background color are similar. FIG. 17 is a plan view illustrating objects 83 to 85 and a background 82. The object 83 includes parts 83a and 83b, the object 84 includes parts 84a and 84b, and the object 85 includes parts 85a and 85b. The objects 83, 84 and 85 have different colors. More specifically, according to Patent Document 1, as illustrated in FIG. 17, when the color of the entire object is much similar to the background color, the object may not be extracted. For example, in FIG. 17, it is difficult to extract the object 84 in the lower part of the diagram.
According to Patent Document 2, due to the effect of the shade of the pattern light, the object may not be extracted clearly. Furthermore, according to Patent Document 2, because the shaded object may not be extracted, the extraction of plural objects is not supported.

Apparatus and method for extracting object image


Embodiments of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and computer program products for redacting sensitive data within a database. An example method can include receiving a data query referencing unredacted data of a database, responsive to the data query, executing, by a processing device, a redaction operation to identify sensitive data within the unredacted data of the database, and returning a redacted data set in which the sensitive data is replaced or removed to the data query.

Databases are widely used for data storage and access in computing applications. Databases may include one or more tables that include or reference data that can be joined, read, modified, or deleted using queries. Databases can store small or extremely large sets of data within one or more tables. This data can be accessed by various users in an organization or even be used to service public users, such as via a website or an application program interface (API).
Personally identifiable information (PII) includes any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including any information that is linked or linkable to that individual. Protected health information (PHI) includes individually identifiable information relating to the past, present, or future health status of an individual.


Methods and apparatus are provided for blindly detecting a common search space and a UE specific search space. A location of a candidate EPDCCH occupied by a common search space is determined. A blind detection is performed for the candidate EPDCCH occupied by the common search space. A location of a candidate enhanced EPDCCH occupied by a UE specific search space is determined. A blind detection is performed for the candidate EPDCCH occupied by the UE specific search space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for blindly detecting a common search space and a User Equipment (UE) specific search space.
2. Background of the Invention
In a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, the length of each radio frame is 10 ms, which is divided equally into 10 subframes. One downlink Transmission Time Interval (TTI) is defined on one subframe. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a frame structure in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system. Each downlink subframe includes two time slots. For a normal Cyclic Prefix (CP) length, each time slot includes 7 Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. For an extended CP length, each time slot includes 6 OFDM symbols.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a frame structure in an LTE system. The first n OFDM symbols, where n is equal to 1, 2 or 3, are used for transmitting downlink control information, including a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) and other control information. Remaining OFDM symbols are used for transmitting a Physical Downlink Shared CHannel (PDSCH). A granularity of resource allocation is a Physical Resource Block (PRB). One PRB includes 12 consecutive sub-carriers in frequency and corresponds to one time slot in time. Two PRBs in two time slots of the same sub-carrier in one subframe is referred to as a PRB pair. In each PRB pair, each Resource Element (RE) is a minimum unit of time and frequency resources, i.e., the RE includes one sub-carrier in frequency and includes one OFDM symbol in time. REs may be respectively used for different functionalities. For example, parts of the REs may be used respectively for transmitting a Cell specific Reference Signal (CRS), a user specific DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS), a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS), the PDCCH, the PDSCH, etc.
In the LTE system, for PDCCH transmission, a common search space and a UE specific search space are defined. The PDCCH is tracked through blind decoding of all sets of the common search space and the UE specific search space of a candidate PDCCH, and checking through Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) scrambled by a corresponding Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) (e.g., Cell-RNTI (C-RNTI)), to find the PDCCH scheduled by a base station. The number of candidate PDCCHs of the common search space and the UE specific search space is shown in Table 1. The common search space includes a search space with 4 Control Channel Elements (CCE) and a search space with 8 CCEs. The UE specific search space includes search spaces respectively with one CCE, 2 CCEs, 4 CCEs, and 8 CCEs. For each transmission mode, a UE needs to track two kinds of PDCCHs, which have different sizes of Downlink Control Information (DCI). Thus, for the common search space, the UE tracks 2*(4+2)=12 candidate PDCCHs. For the UE specific search space, the UE tracks 2*(6+2+2)=32 candidate PDCCHs.
TABLE 1Search Space Sk(L)The number ofSizecandidatekindAggregative level L[the number of CCEs]PDCCHs M(L)UE166specific21264828162Common41648162
CCEs occupied by a PDCCH search space Sk(L) areL·{(Yk+m)mod └NCCE,k/L┘}+i,i=0,1, . . . L−1
where L is an aggregation level, i.e., the number of the CCEs occupied by the search space;
k is an index of a subframe; and
NCCE, k is the total number of the CCEs in subframe k.
For the common space, Yk is equal to 0. Specifically, locations of the CCEs occupied by all UE common search spaces are same. For the UE specific search space, Yk is equal to (A·Yk-1)mod D, where Y−1=nRNTI≠0, A=39827, D=65537, nRNTI is a value of a user radio network temporary identity.
The UE specific search space is related to the value of the user RNTI and the index of the subframe. Specifically, after the value of the user RNTI is determined, a location of the CCEs occupied by the UE specific search space is determined.
In an LTE Advanced (LTE-A) system, overload of backward control signals and CRSs is reduced. At the same time, interference introduced by the backward control signals and the CRSs is decreased. Thus, UE frequency utilization is improved. Since the overload of the CRS is reduced, system power saving performance is further improved. PDCCH transmission and PDSCH transmission in the system are usually based on DMRS demodulation, which is referred to as New Carrier Type (NCT).
The PDCCH based on the DMRS demodulation is referred to as an Enhanced Physical Downlink Control CHannel (EPDCCH). A resource occupied by the EPDCCH is configured by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signal. In an LTE release 11 system, the EPDCCH is only used for the UE specific search space, while the common search space uses the PDCCH. The EPDCCH is located in an EPDCCH set. The EPDCCH set is divided into a centralized EPDCCH set and a distributed EPDCCH set. The centralized EPDCCH set and the distributed EPDCCH set may occupy 2, 4 or 8 PRBs. Each UE configures 2 EPDCCH sets at most. Each EPDCCH is composed of 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 Enhanced Control Channel Elements (ECCEs), while an ECCE is composed of 4 or 8 Enhanced Resource Element Groups (EREGs), and each PRB includes 16 EREGs.
The NCT may be divided into two kinds, based on whether it works as a stand-alone cell. For a non-stand-alone condition, the cell works only as a Secondary cell (Scell). For the secondary cell, the common search space is not needed to be configured based on current 3GPP specification. The common search space is configured in a Primary cell. The resource occupied by the UE specific search space composed of the EPDCCH may be configured by a high layer signal. Parameters required to be configured include whether the EPDCCH set used by the EPDCCH of the UE specific search space is centralized or distributed, the number of PRB pairs occupied by the EPDCCH set, and locations of the PRB pairs. Thus, the NCT may work normally as the Scell, where the NCT adopts the EPDCCH as the UE specific search space. For the stand-alone NCT, all LTE channels need to define an alternative technology in the NCT. Thus, an NCT cell may work normally.

Method and apparatus for blindly detecting a common search space and a UE specific search space


Digital video tape recorder which includes a color framing sequence as part of a recorded control signal during standard recording, and which maintains synchronous color framing and/or continuous groups of pictures in two different editing modes in which a newly-suppled video signal is recorded on a magnetic tape already having stored thereon a previously recorded video signal. In a normal recording mode, a color framing signal indicating the occurrence of a newly supplied picture is detected in a supplied video signal. A video control signal that includes the detected color framing signal is generated and is recorded in a control track of the magnetic tape and the video signal is recorded in synchronization with the detected color framing signal in successive oblique tracks on the magnetic tape. In the first one of the editing modes, the traveling speed of the record medium is established so that the phase of the detected color framing signal and the phase of the generated reproduced color framing signal coincide thus maintaining synchronous color framing between the previously recorded and newly recorded video signals. In a second one of the editing modes, the group of pictures signal is inverted when the detected color framing signal and the reproduced color framing signal are out of phase by a pre-set amount this maintaining continuous groups of pictures between the previously recorded and newly recorded video signals.

The present invention relates to a video tape recorder and, more particularly, to apparatus and method for recording and reproducing a video signal to and from a record medium having means for maintaining synchronous color framing and/or synchronous groups of pictures during an editing operation.
As is known, a composite video signal (e.g., an NTSC signal or a PAL signal) in MPEG-based decoding systems is digitized to produce a digital video signal and the digital video signal is compressed to form groups of pictures (GOP) comprised of both intraframe and interframe video signals. The compressed video signal then is recorded on helical tracks on a magnetic tape and a control (CTL) signal, which is provided to control the tape traveling speed during a playback operation, is recorded on a control track of the magnetic tape.
During a playback operation, the compressed video signal is reproduced from the magnetic tape, the reproduced data (i.e., signal) is expanded to produce non-compressed digital video data, the non-compressed data is converted to an analog composite video signal, and the composite video signal is supplied to a video monitor which displays the video picture. Unfortunately, the quality of the reproduced and subsequently decoded video signal is deteriorated as compared to the originally supplied signal that was digitized, encoded and recorded on the magnetic tape. One cause for such deterioration is the product of Y/C separation wherein a portion of the chroma (C) signal remains as part of the luminance (Y) signal after separation. Color framing (CF) sequence information, which is part of the chrominance portion of the video signal, remains in the luminance signal after Y/C separation and, thus, the original composite video signal cannot be properly reconstructed from the recorded digital data. Hence, there is frequency deterioration as well as other types of deterioration in the reproduced composite video signal.
Furthermore, when recorded digital data is edited, it is necessary to perform a so-called "disconnecting" and "reconnecting" of each GOP in order to properly edit the recorded digital data. The continuity (to be discussed) of the color framing (CF) sequence of the recorded as well as the newly-recorded (i.e., edited) signals should be maintained in order to provide a properly edited signal.
Still further, another problem encountered with prior art devices, such as discussed above, is their general inability to generate and provide a correct CF signal to externally coupled video processing devices. Such devices generally require that compressed video data be supplied thereto in synchronization with the CF signal, and since it is difficult to generate a correct CF signal from the reproduced video data, such synchronization is not easily carried out.

Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing a video signal to and from a record medium


A method is shown by which threaded pipe sections are connected to form a tubular joint having proper sealing positioning at proper make-up torque. A make-up stencil plate is manufactured for each specific size of pipe to be coupled at the specific taper and make-up loss of a given connection with very tight tolerance. The plate is placed on the pin pipe end of the connection. A dial indicator is placed on the outer surface of the pipe pin end with the indicator flush with the end of the stencil plate. Once the indicator is set to zero, the stencil plate is removed. Then a bucking unit or power tong is applied to the coupling. When the face of the coupling hits the tip of the indicator and the indicator is within the given tolerance, the operator stops the make-up process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pipe joints in a pipe string and more specifically, to a plate-indicator position make-up method to accurately determine the position make-up of connections on pipe, such as the couplings used on oil field tubular goods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of drill pipe, tubing and casing (tubular goods) for oil and gas drilling, completion, production and stimulation activities are available at the present time. In the case of sections of such tubular goods used in the oil field (for example long sections of well casing or tubing), such sections of pipe usually have a tapered, exteriorly-threaded male end called a pin member. Such pin members are threaded into couplings, collars or integral female pipe sections, having threaded ends referred to as the box member. These box members have an interiorly-threaded tapered thread surfaces corresponding to their respective pin members for mating with the pin members to form threaded connections.
One type of connection for these joints is the American Petroleum Institute ("API") threaded and coupled connection that achieves its assembly without torque shoulders. These tapered connections provide increasing bearing stresses to provide the seal between the pin member and box member with increasing engagement produced by rotational torque. It is well known in the petroleum industry that the performance of an API connection is highly dependent on the make-up assembly (engagement) condition of the joint, and therefore it is important to determine if the joint is made-up properly. A number of factors can affect the integrity of the assembly process, including friction-related factors such as thread dope, plating type and thickness, surface finishes, eccentricity, ovality, impurities (dirt or rust) and external factors such as stab alignment and wind loading that occur at the well site.
A number of methods have been used in the prior art in order to monitor and control make-up of oilfield tubular connections. One type of method is the "torque-only" method based upon the read-out of a load cell attached to the joint or power make-up tongs and calibrated for torque. This method has limitations because it does not provide enough information to distinguish quality control problems such as out-of-tolerance threads, cross-threading, or galling in every situation.
A second method, "torque-turn", requires sophisticated electronics including a computer and sensors to monitor both the torque and turns which add to operational costs and delay the running time of the pipe sections. The "torque-turn" method is extremely sensitive to a reference torque which is a relatively low value, typically 10 percent of the minimum torque. This torque is sometimes determined by API torque recommendations. After this reference torque is reached, a predetermined number of turns are counted in the make-up of the tubular connection. If a false reference torque occurs to activate the turn counter because of one of the above described quality control problems or assembly conditions, an improper Joint make-up will result.
A third method is where the torque imposed on premium thread connections between tubular joints is monitored and plotted as a function of time rather than the number of turns. In this manner, the torque can be detected at the time metal-to-metal sealing contact is achieved during make-up of the connection. Further, torque response of the connection may be monitored after shouldering occurs.
Despite the above advances, there has been a long-felt need in the oil and gas industry for a simplified method of determining in the field the integrity of such joint make-up visually, thereby avoiding the need for complex instrumentation such as used in the "torque-turn" or "torque-time" methods or the need for elaborate calibration methods for the instrumentation involved. Proposed methods have included the use of barrettes, measuring from the open end of the pipe and the use of a permanent mark on the outer diameter of the pipe. Each of these techniques has some disadvantage. The barrette method is highly accurate but only works on hooked threads. Measuring from the open end may not be possible with some bucking units and is troublesome and may easily result in mistakes. The use of permanent mark on the OD can delay production in applying the mark and location control may not be very accurate.
As a result, even while using these above methods for making up joints, problems still continue to arise and the industry still suffers problems when forming such joints. These problems include influent and effluent pipe leakage because of lack of good sealing in improperly made-up joints. The following references are typical of other attempts in the prior art to solve the above described problems, but should be understood as being only representative of the prior art in the field. Each of these references primarily deals with a method for properly torqueing a threaded pipe connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,579 teaches a method for visually determining on the rig floor if a joint is properly made up with the right amount of torque. A registry mark is placed on the exterior of the first pipe section for proper axial engagement of the pin member with the coupling or box member. The position is determined by finite element analysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,885 shows a method for achieving proper sealing positioning and proper make up torque of threaded pipe sections. If the face of the box member is properly positioned relative to a triangle mark on the pipe section, make up is terminated. If the face has not reached edge of the triangle mark, torque is increased until either the face progresses into the body of the triangle mark or until maximum torque occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,120 shows a method for determining proper make-up torque for pipe joints. A reference mark is set on the male element and on the female element. A grease is applied to the joint and the joint is made up using sufficient torque to cause one element to rotate with the respect to the other element. The joint is torqued until one element reaches a predetermined angle beyond the point where the reference marks are facing each other. This operation is repeated with a determination being made of the range of torques to be applied to the joint with a particular grease being utilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,888 shows an apparatus for positing two threaded pipes within a target range of relative axial positions. The device supposedly offers advantages over using visual "bench marks" placed on the pin and box members. The device includes a sensor and calibrating device for positioning the sensor a calibrated distance from the end of one of the pipes. A signal generator generates a signal once the sensor head indicates that the relative axial position of the pipes are within the target range desired.
A need continues to exist, therefore, for an improved method for determining the position make-up of connections on pipe, such as couplings used on oil field tubular goods and similar connections.


An ink jet print head with an integrated ink handling unit includes a heater and a filter for the ink. The ink handling unit has an inlet port for liquid ink and a circulation system connected to the inlet port and adapted to pass the liquid ink through the heater and to the filter. The circulation system includes a single, non-branched duct that passes continuously from the inlet port to the filter, and the duct of the circulation system passes in meander fashion through a heated block of the heater.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet print head with an integrated ink handling unit that comprises a heater and a filter for the ink. The present invention further relates to an ink jet printing method using such a print head.
2. Description of Background Art
Print heads with such an integrated ink handling unit have heretofore been known only for hot-melt printers, which use an ink that is solid at room temperature and needs to be heated in order to be liquefied and capable of being processed in a drop forming unit of the print head. The hot melt ink is supplied, for example, in the form of pills that are melted in the heater of the ink handling unit.
EP 1 760 124 A1 and WO 2007/025893 A1 disclose inks that can take the form of a gel at ambient temperature. In order to supply this ink to the print head and to jet it out, the ink must be de-gelled, e.g. by heating the entire printer or at least the entire ink handling system.


Compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the activity of nuclear receptors are provided. In particular, heterocyclic compounds are provided for modulating the activity of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), liver X receptor (LXR) and/or orphan nuclear receptors. In certain embodiments, the compounds are thiazolidinone derivatives.

Nuclear Receptors
Nuclear receptors are a superfamily of regulatory proteins that are structurally and functionally related and are receptors for, e.g., steroids, retinoids, vitamin D and thyroid hormones (see, e.g., Evans (1988) Science 240:889–895). These proteins bind to cis-acting elements in the promoters of their target genes and modulate gene expression in response to ligands for the receptors.
Nuclear receptors can be classified based on their DNA binding properties (see, e.g., Evans, supra and Glass (1994) Endocr. Rev. 15:391–407). For example, one class of nuclear receptors includes the glucocorticoid, estrogen, androgen, progestin and mineralocorticoid receptors which bind as homodimers to hormone response elements (HREs) organized as inverted repeats (see, e.g., Glass, supra). A second class of receptors, including those activated by retinoic acid, thyroid hormone, vitamin D3, fatty acids/peroxisome proliferators (i.e., peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)) and ecdysone, bind to HREs as heterodimers with a common partner, the retinoid X receptors (i.e., RXRs, also known as the 9-cis retinoic acid receptors; see, e.g., Levin et al. (1992) Nature 355:359–361 and Heyman et al. (1992) Cell 68:397–406).
RXRs are unique among the nuclear receptors in that they bind DNA as a homodimer and are required as a heterodimeric partner for a number of additional nuclear receptors to bind DNA (see, e.g., Mangelsdorf et al. (1995) Cell 83:841–850). The latter receptors, termed the class II nuclear receptor subfamily, include many which are established or implicated as important regulators of gene expression. There are three RXR genes (see, e.g., Mangelsdorf et al. (1992) Genes Dev. 6:329–344), coding for RXRα, -β, and -γ, all of which are able to heterodimerize with any of the class II receptors, although there appear to be preferences for distinct RXR subtypes by partner receptors in vivo (see, e.g., Chiba et al. (1997) Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:3013–3020). In the adult liver, RXRα is the most abundant of the three RXRs (see, e.g., Mangelsdorf et al. (1992) Genes Dev. 6:329–344), suggesting that it might have a prominent role in hepatic functions that involve regulation by class II nuclear receptors. See also, Wan et al. (2000) Mol. Cell. Biol. 20:4436–4444.
Orphan Nuclear Receptors
Included in the nuclear receptor superfamily of regulatory proteins are nuclear receptors for whom the ligand is known and those which lack known ligands. Nuclear receptors falling in the latter category are referred to as orphan nuclear receptors. The search for activators for orphan receptors has led to the discovery of previously unknown signaling pathways (see, e.g., Levin et al., (1992), supra and Heyman et al., (1992), supra). For example, it has been reported that bile acids, which are involved in physiological processes such as cholesterol catabolism, are ligands for FXR (infra).
Since it is known that products of intermediary metabolism act as transcriptional regulators in bacteria and yeast, such molecules may serve similar functions in higher organisms (see, e.g., Tomkins (1975) Science 189:760–763 and O'Malley (1989) Endocrinology 125:1119–1120). For example, one biosynthetic pathway in higher eukaryotes is the mevalonate pathway, which leads to the synthesis of cholesterol, bile acids, porphyrin, dolichol, ubiquinone, carotenoids, retinoids, vitamin D, steroid hormones and farnesylated proteins.
FXR
FXR (originally isolated as RIP14 (retinoid X receptor-interacting protein-14), see, e.g., Seol et al. (1995) Mol. Endocrinol. 9:72–85) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily and is primarily expressed in the liver, kidney and intestine (see, e.g., Seol et al., supra and Forman et al. (1995) Cell 81:687–693). It functions as a heterodimer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) and binds to response elements in the promoters of target genes to regulate gene transcription. The FXR-RXR heterodimer binds with highest affinity to an inverted repeat-1 (IR-1) response element, in which consensus receptor-binding hexamers are separated by one nucleotide. FXR is part of an interrelated process, in that FXR is activated by bile acids (the end product of cholesterol metabolism) (see, e.g., Makishima et al. (1999) Science 284:1362–1365, Parks et al. (1999) Science 284:1365–1368, Wang et al. (1999) Mol. Cell. 3:543–553), which serve to inhibit cholesterol catabolism. See also, Urizar et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275:39313–39317.
LXRα and LXRβ
LXRα is found predominantly in the liver, with lower levels found in kidney, intestine, spleen and adrenal tissue (see, e.g., Willy, et al. (1995) Gene Dev. 9(9):1033–1045). LXRβ, also known as UR (ubiquitous receptor), is ubiquitous in mammals and was found in nearly all tissues examined. LXRs are activated by certain naturally occurring, oxidized derivatives of cholesterol (see, e.g., Lehmann, et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272(6):3137–3140). LXRα is activated by oxycholesterol and promotes cholesterol metabolism (Peet et al. (1998) Cell 93:693–704). Thus, LXRs appear to play a role in, e.g., cholesterol metabolism (see, e.g., Janowski, et al. (1996) Nature 383:728–731).
Nuclear Receptors and Disease
Nuclear receptor activity has been implicated in a variety of diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, hypercholesterolemia (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/57915), osteoporosis and vitamin deficiency (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,5103), hyperlipoproteinemia (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 01/60818), hypertriglyceridemia, lipodystrophy, peripheral occlusive disease, ischemic stroke, hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 01/82917), atherosclerosis and gallstones (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/37077), disorders of the skin and mucous membranes (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,184,215 and 6,187,814, and International Patent Application Publication No. WO 98/32444), acne (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/49992), and cancer, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/17334). Activity of nuclear receptors, including FXR, LXRs and/or orphan nuclear receptors, has been implicated in physiological processes including, but not limited to, bile acid biosynthesis, cholesterol metabolism or catabolism, and modulation of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase gene (CYP7A1) transcription (see, e.g., Chiang et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275:10918–10924), HDL metabolism (see, e.g., Urizar et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275:39313–39317), hyperlipidemia, cholestasis, and increased cholesterol efflux and increased expression of ATP binding cassette transporter protein (ABC1) (see, e.g., International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/78972).
Thus, there is a need for compounds, compositions and methods of modulating the activity of nuclear receptors, including FXR, LXRs and/or orphan nuclear receptors. Such compounds are useful in the treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of diseases or disorders in which nuclear receptor activity is implicated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Heterocyclic modulators of nuclear receptors


A rust-preventive water-oil separating cleaner composition contacts a part to be cleaned to which an oil attaches. The composition separates the oil from the part, while providing the part with a rust-preventive property, thus forming an oil layer containing the oil. The composition contains an ethylene oxide additive (X) of monoalkyl amine represented by the general formula (1), and at least one compound (Y) selected from the group consisting of: an N-monoalkyl-N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-iminoethylene carboxylate having a hydrocarbon group with a number of carbon atoms from 8 to 22; an acylated amino acid salt having a hydrocarbon group with a number of carbon atoms from 8 to 22; an alkyloyl sarcosinate having a hydrocarbon group with a number of carbon atoms from 8 to 22, and a tall oil fatty acid salt

On removing oils and the like such as machine oil, rolling oil, and rust-preventive oil attached to machines, mechanical parts, and the like, or on removing oils and the like generated during fiber-processing stage and attached to facilities, there are used in recent years a water-base cleaner consisting mainly of nonionic and anionic surfactant, and a strong-alkali cleaner combining the water-base cleaner with a strong alkali. In case of conventional cleaners which enhance the increased cleaning power and foamability, however, the water-oil separability in the cleaned waste liquid becomes insufficient to apply heavy load to the wastewater treatment, because oils form stable emulsion in the cleaned waste liquid after cleaning or because oils stably become solubilized in the cleaned waste liquid after cleaning. Current serious concern about the environmental problems raises the requirement of reducing the quantity of waste liquid generated from the water-oil separation treatment and of recycling the cleaner. Thus a cleaner having excellent water-oil separability in the cleaned waste liquid is desired.
As the above cleaners, there is disclosed a cleaner composition containing (A) a polyoxyalkylene additive of alkyl amine or alkyl amide, having hydrocarbon group with the number of carbon atoms from 8 to 22, and (B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an alkyldimethylamine oxide having hydrocarbon group with the number of carbon atoms from 8 to 22, an alkyl-di (aminomethyl)glycine having hydrocarbon with the number of carbon atoms from 6 to 22, a straight chain sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, and betaine lauryldimethyl aminoacetate. Furthermore, there is a disclosed cleaner prepared by mixing the (A) component with the (B) component at a specific mixing rate intending to improve the cleanability, the foamability, and the water-oil separability after cleaning, (for example, see Patent document 1.)
In addition, there is a disclosure of water-oil separating cleaner containing an N-alkyl-N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-iminoethylene carbonate, (for example, see Patent document 2.)    [Patent document] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-119496    [Patent document] Japanese Patent No. 3430147
Regarding the cleaning composition disclosed in Patent. document 1, however, a cleaner composition which uses a polyoxyethylene additive of alkylamine or alkylamide having a polyoxyethylene chain with oxyethylene units from 2 to 50, particularly preferably oxyethylene units from 10 to 50, as the (A) component becomes emulsion by itself to show water-soluble property. Thus, when that type of composition is used to the machines, the mechanical parts, and the like to which oils such as grease, engine oil, machine oil, and rust-preventive oil, (in particular grease-base oil, naphthene-base mineral oil, paraffin-base mineral oil, poly-α-olefin, polyol ester, and polydimethyl siloxane), are attached, the satisfactory cleanability and the water-oil separability in the cleaned waste liquid cannot be attained at the same time, and further a problem of rust-generation on the parts to be cleaned arises during or after cleaning.
As for the use of cleaner disclosed in Patent document 2, the water-oil separability after cleaning is significantly influenced by the temperature of the cleaning liquid. Since, at low temperatures, separation of oil layer from aqueous one takes a long time, the reduction in load to the wastewater treatment is not sufficient. In addition, cleanability and rust-preventive performance are not sufficient.

Rust-preventive water-oil separating cleaner composition and a cleaning method using the same


A recording apparatus includes a recording head. The recording head is provided with a recording device string made up of a plurality of recording elements. The recording device string is arranged at a specified angle in relation to the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the recording head moves. A plurality of recording elements is divided into a plurality of blocks and sequentially driven in units of blocks at a specified interval. When recording is performed from a position other than an end of the recording device string, the drive sequence of the blocks is changed. The block including the recording element corresponding to a recording start position is first driven and recording data is read with the effective use of a signal line in a data bus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recording apparatuses, and more particularly, to an recording apparatus which performs recording with an ink-jet recording head being moved.
2. Description of the Related Art
As information processing units, such as copiers, word processors, and computers, and communication units, such as facsimile machines, have become widely spread, a recording apparatus for digital image recording using an ink-jet recording head has been rapidly used as an image forming (recording) apparatus for these units. In such a recording apparatus, a recording head assembly (multi-head) is generally used in which a plurality of recording elements is integrated and arranged, and ink is discharged from ink discharging outlets provided for each recording head.
Electric signals are applied sequentially to recording elements of a recording head having the above-described configuration to heat ink, and ink droplets are discharged for recording. Since in the usual case, a carriage on which the recording heads are mounted moves during recording, in one cycle of the recording operation the position on the recording medium of the last recorded dot shifts from that of the first recorded dot. To correct this shift, some apparatuses have a carriage on which a recording head is mounted at an angle with such shift being taken into consideration.
FIGS. 10A and 10B show a recording operation in a case in which a recording head having 48 recording elements arranged in a row is used, the recording elements being divided into 16 blocks each having three recording elements, and 16 heat pulses are applied in a time-division manner to each block for recording. FIG. 10A illustrates recorded-dot positions in a case in which the recording head is mounted to the carriage with no slant angle. The direction in which ink discharging outlets are arranged is in parallel to the direction in which the recording medium is fed. FIG. 10B illustrates recorded-dot positions in a case in which the recording head is mounted at an angle to the carriage. The direction in which ink discharging outlets are arranged is slanted against the direction in which the recording medium is fed.
In a case shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, recording is performed at a recording density of 360 dots per inch (dpi) in the carriage-move direction. A heat pulse is applied to the recording elements 1, 17, and 33 at the first timing, to the recording elements 2, 18, and 34 at the next timing, to the recording elements 3, 19, and 35 at the further next timing, and so on to the recording elements 16, 32, and 48 at the last timing.
When recording is performed with the recording head being mounted without a slant as shown in FIG. 10A, recorded-dot positions shift as heat pulses are applied to recording elements. When recording is performed with the recording head being mounted at an angle as shown in FIG. 10B, recorded-dot positions do not shift and recording is performed at the ideal positions.
FIG. 11 is a timing chart indicating timing for driving a recording head. As shown in FIG. 11, with a combination of four driving signals (BEi1*, BEi2*, BEi3*, and BEi4*), a heat pulse signal (BkENB) is applied to 16 recording elements sequentially.
Recording data is stored in a data buffer. With the use of a 16-bit bus, recording data is read from the data buffer in units of 16 bits. Recording data is transferred to a 48-bit shift register provided for the recording head by reading 16-bit data three times.
When recording is performed with the recording head being mounted at an angle in the conventional apparatus, it takes much time to read recording data from the data buffer which stores the data.
Since the recording head is mounted at an angle in a case shown in FIG. 10B, a dot group 1101 having 16 dots, a dot group 1102 having 16 dots, and a dot group 1103 having 16 dots, 48 dots in total, are recorded in one recording cycle. When these dots are viewed in terms of forming an image on a recording medium, these dot groups belong to the n-th line, the n-1-th line and the n-2-th line, respectively, if each line of dot positions is counted in the carriage-move direction. In other words, these dot groups are shifted by one line each in the carriage-move direction.
Recording data is usually stored in the data buffer according to the two-dimensional pixel arrangement of an image to be formed. In a case shown in FIG. 10B, for example, recording data corresponding to pixels on the n-th line is stored as a group in the data buffer at an area having successive addresses, recording data corresponding to pixels on the n-1-th line is stored as a group in the data buffer at an area having successive addresses, and recording data corresponding to pixels on the n-2-th line is stored as a group in the data buffer at an area having successive addresses. Therefore, the 16 resulting blocks are driven at different recording timings. When the recording head is mounted at an angle as in a case shown in FIG. 10B, recording data has to be read from the data buffer at different addresses at intervals of 16 bits.
When data read from the data buffer is transferred to the recording head via the 16-bit bus, 16 bits in the n-th line data need to be read for recording at the recording elements 1 to 16, 16 bits in the n-1-th line data need to be read for recording at the recording elements 17 to 32, and 16 bits in the n-2-th line data need to be read for recording at the recording elements 33 to 48, in one cycle of recording. At least three accesses to the data buffer are required.
If recording starts at the recording element 9 (that is, the position shifted by eight recording elements) due to a relationship with feed control for a recording medium, for example, data needs to be read in units of eight bits as in a case shown in FIG. 12B.
In cases shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 12A, and 12B, 16 heat pulses applied to a recording head form one group. Since data for each line is stored in the data buffer at an area having successive addresses, in a case shown in FIG. 12A in which recording is performed sequentially from the recording element 1, data is read from the data buffer in units of 16 bits via the 16-bit bus, is transferred to the recording head as is, and the corresponding recording elements are driven. In a case shown in FIG. 12B in which the recording start position shifts by, for example, eight recording elements, however, data has to be accessed in units of eight bits in order to read eight bits in the n-th line from the data buffer for the recording elements 9 to 16, other eight bits in the n-th line from the data buffer for the recording elements 17 to 24, eight bits in the n-1-th line from the data buffer for the recording elements 25 to 32, and eight bits in the n-2-th line from the data buffer for the recording elements 33 to 40.
Therefore the number of times the data buffer is required to be accessed increases to six in one cycle of recording, the occupation rate of the bus in a time unit increases, and system performance decreases.

Recording apparatus capable of data-read control


A method of clustering using a novel template to define a region of influence. Using neighboring approximation methods, computation times can be significantly reduced. The template and method are applicable and improve pattern recognition techniques.

This invention relates generally to pattern recognition and multivariate analysis, and in particular to a method and a template used for data clustering which simulates the human visual system.
Clustering analysis is a technique used to explore the relationships between data and assess the interaction among data by organizing the data into groups or clusters. Data within a cluster are more similar to each other than are data belonging to other clusters. Jain, A. K., Chapter 2, Cluster Analysis from Handbook of Pattern Recognition and Image Processing, Academic Press, Inc., pp. 33-57, (1986). Clustering analysis can be used when no prior knowledge regarding the presence or number of such patterns is available. Cluster analysis has applications in machine vision, pattern recognition, unsupervised and supervised machine learning/classification, medical and biological image and data analysis, crop identification from satellite photos, identification of hazardous chemicals in complex environments.
Pattern recognition uses an existing set of training data which have identified groupings or classes and assigns a grouping to newly measured test data. Specific examples of pattern recognition applications include: recognition of a large set of chemicals using a small set of chemical sensor signals; distinguishing vegetation, water, buildings, mineral deposits, etc. in multispectral satellite images; distinguishing different tissue types in medical magnetic resonance imaging data; target recognition in radar images; threat detection and false alarm avoidance in automated intrusion detection in video surveillance images.
Clustering has been broadly classified into the hierarchical and the partitional approaches. The hierarchical structure also has two models, one of which begins with n clusters, one per pattern, and grows a sequence of clusterings until all n patterns are in a single cluster; this approach is referred to as agglomerative. The other hierarchical model, the divisive approach, begins with one cluster containing all n patterns and successively divides clusters until n clusters are achieved. Partitional clustering techniques organize patterns into small numbers of clusters by labeling each pattern in some way, and make use of criterion functions, density estimators, graphs structure and nearest neighbors. Fuzzy partitional clustering deals with the overlapping case in which each pattern is allowed to belong to several classes with a measure of "belongingness" or a weighting factor for each class.
Some present clustering analysis techniques require prior knowledge or assumptions concerning, for example, the mean and location of the cluster pattern, and the cluster result, especially the number of clusters present in the data set. The available clustering systems may also require pattern-dependent adjustments. An example of a hierarchical clustering analysis technique which requires additional input is U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,747 entitled "Iterative Disjoint Cluster and Discriminant Function Processing of Formation Log Responses and Other Data" to Koller and U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,675 entitled "Integrating Multiple Mappable Variables for Oil and Gas Exploration" to Koller et al. These Koller patents require additional information about subsurface structures and use disjoint clustering which requires specifying the number of clusters into which the data set are to be classified, and then uses discriminant function analysis wherein data of one cluster may be assigned to another cluster. U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,277 entitled "Pattern Classification Means using Feature Vector Regions Preconstructed from Reference Data" to Bokser is a partitional clustering technique which requires a priori knowledge about the classification and then generates feature vectors of word processing font data and then compares with references for appropriate classifying into ringed clusters. U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,092 entitled "Image Processor for Enhancing Contrast between Subregions of a Region of Interest" to Greensite generates a distribution density function of a signal which is assigned to a region of interest, then after convolution of the distribution density function, the variance is compared and assigns a particular value to a pixel of the image corresponding to the region of interest.
Clustering has been recognized as an important component of the human visual system since the Gestalt principles were first discussed in Wertheimer, M., "Laws of organization in perceptual form," translated into English in A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology (W. Ellis, ed.), pp. 71-88 (1938). Despite many studies in subsequent decades, a quantitative understanding of perceptual grouping/clustering has not been achieved for the human visual system. Achieving human-like performance has been a long standing goal of clustering research but the results of existing clustering analysis techniques often disagree with human visual judgments, even for remarkably simple data patterns. Jain, A. K. and Dubes, R. C., Algorithms for Clustering Data, Prentice Hall (1988); Duda, R. O. and Hart, P. E., Pattern Classification and Scene Analysis, John Wiley (1973); Hand, D. J., Discrimination and Classification, John Wiley (1981); and Jain, supra in Cluster Analysis all describe many of these approaches. Prior art pattern recognition techniques also do not provide a well-defined warning when a class assignment of a point is uncertain. This is unlike human perception which readily notices points which cannot be unambiguously assigned to one class of the training data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,133 entitled "Adaptive Clusterer" to Feintuch et al. attempts to approximate human vision of gestalts by taking any two points and generating a parameter proportional to the distance between the points, and then taking all points within that parameter as being within the cluster. Although Feintuch's system does not require a priori knowledge about the clusters or the number of clusters, it does not in fact adequately approximate human vision. See also Jain, A. K., "Cluster Analysis" in Handbook of Pattern Recognition and Image Processing, Academic Press, 1986; and Zahn, C. T., "Graph-Theoretical Methods for Detecting and Describing Gestalt Clusters," C-20 IEEE TRANS. COMPUTERS 68 (1971).
Another drawback of some existing techniques is the computational time required to compute clusters or class assignments. Computational time becomes important for applications such as image analysis, where large numbers of data points, typically >10.sup.5, are examined.
Some clustering techniques use a region of influence or template to determine clusterings between each pair of data points. A template area of fixed shape is examined around each pair of points in the data, and the pair is grouped together if no other data points occur within the template area. If other data points do occur in the template area, they are referred to as inhibitor points below. Successful regions of influence must cover an appropriately large and appropriately located area to avoid extra grouping errors while simultaneously being small enough to avoid the onset of missed grouping errors. A number of template shapes have been examined and are shown in FIG. 21, but none produce clusters in agreement with human perception. See Toussaint, G. T., The Relative Neighborhood Graph of a Finite Planar Set, 12 PATTERN RECOGNITION 261 (1980); Urquhart, R., Graph Theoretical Clustering Based on Limited Neighborhood Sets, 15 PATT. RECOGNITION 173 (1982); Krivanek, M. The Use of Graphs of Elliptic Influence in Visual Hierarchical Clustering, 452 LECTURE NOTES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 392 (1990). Moreover, the methods of cluster analysis using these templates require computations that scale as N.sup.3, where N is the number of data points.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a clustering template that achieves human-like judgment of class membership for n-dimensional test points. The feature of the invention, the psychophysical-derived inhibitory template, when applied to the data set enables the human-like clustering performance.
These and other objects as well as the features and advantages of the invention are realized by a new approach to clustering and pattern recognition techniques which matches the performance of human perception and judgment. The method is based on an inhibitory template which is applied to each pair of dots in a data set. Direct clustering of the pair is allowed if another data point is absent within the area of the template, but clustering of the two data points is inhibited if there is another data point within the area of the template. The clustering performance of the invention is thus entirely determined by the template shape which was determined by psychophysical experiments. The empirical clustering technique incorporates human judgment data of clusters with unlabeled data points and so directly mimics human performance. The resulting invention uses no prior knowledge of the data, e.g., number of clusters present, and no data-dependent parameter adjustments. The novel concept of a psychophysically-defined inhibitory template and the absence of adjustable parameters are features which set this approach apart from the prior art. In fact, the invention herein successfully clusters complex data sets from the literature that have collectively thwarted all prior techniques.
A pattern recognition technique is also developed using this same template. The test data points are individually clustered to the training data using the empirical template method. Pattern recognition is applied to a wide variety of sensing problems where signals from sensors are to be interpreted. The measurements from each different sensor are combined as coordinates of a single vector, and the vectors are the data points of interest. A test point is assigned to the class or classes of the training data points with which it clusters. Test points which group with points from a single class are unambiguously assigned that class value. This technique readily identifies test points with uncertain class identity as those that cluster with training points from more than one class, i.e., no single class seems appropriate.

Visual cluster analysis and pattern recognition template and methods


A toner mark which is to be sensed by a toner concentration sensor in an electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a rectangular dot pattern where a plurality of toner dot patterns are spaced in a staggered configuration. Each of the toner dot patterns is formed in line which is angled with respect to a width direction of the toner mark. Further, any line along a width direction of the toner mark crosses at least one toner dot pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a toner concentration control mark and in particular to a toner mark which is used to adjust toner or density in an electrophotographic printing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electrophotographic printing machines such as laser printers, there may be cases where a toner concentration mark is printed on an end of a paper. In such a case, a toner concentration detector is provided to detect the toner density of the mark which is used to adjust the amount of toner supply in a developing unit in order to keep the print quality constant. Therefore, it is necessary for the toner concentration mark to precisely reflect the density of a printed image.
Such a toner concentration mark has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 62-50818. The toner concentration mark consists of a concentration control mark and an auxiliary mark which is placed before the concentration control mark. The concentration control mark is used to detect the toner concentration.
The auxiliary mark causes the well-known edge effect to be reduced. However, the detection output of the concentration control mark is not always stable because of deteriorated photosensitive drum, worn transfer unit, or other problems. Therefore, there may be developed cases where the toner concentration control is not properly performed.

Toner mark for toner concentration control