Stroma-free hemoglobin intermolecularly cross-linked, i.e., polymerized, so as to transform stroma-free hemoglobin into a physiologically competent oxygen carrier which is retained in vivo for adequate periods of time, and thus can be used in fluids for transporting oxygen is described.

1. Stroma-Free Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin solutions have long been proposed as cell-free oxygen carriers to be used as red cell substitutes in infusional fluids. The interest in these compounds stems from their potential clinical applications. They can be sterilized, easily stored, and used in transfusions without blood-group typing.
Intravenously injected (infused) crude hemolysates and extensive hemolytic processes produced in vivo by immunological reactions involving intravascular lysis of red blood cells, are known to produce a clinical syndrome characterized by disseminate intravascular coagulation. This syndrome is often fatal and is produced by the residual red blood cell walls (stroma) and their fragments, so infused into circulating blood. Stroma-free hemolysates do not show this toxicity (See Rabiner et al, J. Exp. Med., 126:1127 (1967)). As a result, it has been desired to use stroma-free hemoglobin as an oxygen carrier in cell-free transfusional fluids.
However, the use of stroma-free hemoglobin has the following two disadvantages: In vivo, the retention time of the stroma-free human hemoglobin is very short, i.e., it has a half-life on the order of 1-4 hr (see Rabiner et al, supra; and De Venuto et al, Transfusion, 17:555 (1977)). "Half-life" is defined as the time necessary to eliminate 50% of the infused hemoglobin from circulating blood. Further, outside of the red blood cells, hemoglobin has a high affinity for oxygen which, in vivo, would prevent the release, i.e., the transport, of oxygen from hemoglobin to the tissues. These disadvantages are directly the result of the molecular structure of hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is a tetrameric molecule having a molecular weight of 64,500 Daltons. The tetrameric molecule is formed of two pairs of .alpha. and .beta. subunits. The subunits are held together as a result of ionic, hydrophobic and Van der Waals forces, and not as a result of covalent bonds. When hemoglobin is oxygenated, i.e., combined with oxygen, it readily forms .alpha.-.beta. dimers having a molecular weight of 32,250 Daltons. These dimers are not retained in vivo by the kidneys and are eliminated through the urine. In the rat, untreated hemoglobins are rapidly eliminated in the urine and have a half retention time of only 40-50 min. Urine elimination is the result of the dissociation of tetrameric hemoglobins into dimers.
The tetrameric structure of hemoglobin also provides a binding site for 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. Inside red blood cells, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate combines with hemoglobin in order to decrease its oxygen affinity to a level compatible with oxygen transport. The binding of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and hemoglobin is purely electrostatic and no stable covalent bonds are formed. Thus, when red blood cells are ruptured and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate is not retained inside the cells by the cell wall, it is released from hemoglobin. As a result, hemoglobin acquires a higher oxygen affinity. This prevents the transport of oxygen from hemoglobin to the tissues. The level of this higher affinity is sufficient such that the oxygen affinity can be considered "non-physiological".
Because of the many appealing qualities of hemoglobin, i.e., its ability to reversibly bind oxygen, the low viscosity of a hemoglobin solution and its easy preparation and storage for long periods of time, various attempts have been made in order to overcome the above described disadvantageous characteristics of stroma-free hemoglobin. These various attempts are discussed in more detail below.
2. Chemical Treatments for Preventing the Formation of Dimers
The formation of .alpha.-.beta. dimers, which are not retained in vivo, can be prevented by coupling the tetrameric molecules of hemoglobin with large molecular weight matrices, ranging from 20,000 to 275,000 Daltons. For example, matrices such as dextran (see Tam et al, Can. J. Biochem., 56:981 (1978); and Bonneaux et al, Experientia, 37:884 (1981)) and hydroxyethyl starch (see Baldwin et al, Tetrahedron, 3:1723 (1981); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,412,989, 4,900,816, 4,650,786 and 4,710,488) have been employed. This coupling prevents the elimination of hemoglobin in vivo from the kidneys by way of the urine. Other types of polymeric coupling employing collagen, collagen degradation products, and gelatin as a supporting matrix have also been employed (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,133; U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,782; and Bowes et al, Biochem. Biophys. Acta., 168:341 (1968)). However, the oxygen affinity of the resulting coupled hemoglobin is even higher than that of stroma-free hemoglobin, and thus hemoglobin coupled in this manner cannot be advantageously employed as an oxygen transport medium.
Other known treatments for preventing the formation of .alpha.-.beta. dimers are based on reactions which polymerize the tetrameric molecules of hemoglobin to form so-called "polyhemoglobins". Polyhemoglobins can be obtained using bifunctional reagents, such as glutaraldehyde (see Hopwood et al, Histochem. J., 2:137 (1970)) or diimidate esters (see Mock et al, Fed. Proc., 34:1458 (1975); and U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,344). These bifunctional reagents form covalent bonds between the amino groups present on the surface of different hemoglobin molecules producing intermolecular cross-links. There are 40 or more of such amino groups belonging to lysyl residues on the surface of mammalian hemoglobins (44 in human hemoglobin). Thus, a large number of possible combinations of hemoglobin molecules occur. As a result, the polyhemoglobin reaction products are a heterogeneous mixture of various molecular species which differ in size and shape. The molecular weights thereof range from 64,500 to 600,000 Daltons. Longer retention times in vivo are obtained using polyhemoglobins.
Besides the various treatments discussed above which result in formation of heterogeneous mixtures of polyhemoglobin, reagents have been developed which are capable of producing an internal cross-link of the hemoglobin subunits with little or no formation of polyhemoglobins. More specifically, the formation of cross-links between the .beta. subunits of hemoglobin using 2-N-2-formylpyridoxal-5'-phosphate and borohydride and bis-pyridoxal polyphosphates have been carried out (see Benesch et al, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 62:1123 (1975); and Benesch et al, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 156:9 (1988)). The oxygen affinity of the. thus treated hemoglobin is decreased to levels similar to that of normal blood. However, the reagents employed therein are very difficult and costly to synthesize, and thus these methods are disadvantageous.
Other reagents have been employed in order to effect internal cross-linking of the hemoglobin subunits. These reagents are commonly known as "diaspirins". Diaspirins are diesters of 3,5-dibromosalicyl containing succinyl, fumaryl or other dicarboxylic acid residues. These reagents produce covalent cross-links between two .beta. or two .alpha. subunits of an individual hemoglobin molecule. While better results are obtained using liganded (oxy- or carboxy-) hemoglobin, such a treatment does not sufficiently affect the oxygen affinity characteristics of stroma-free hemoglobin, and thus can not be advantageously employed (see Walder et al, J. Mol. Biol., 141:195 (1980); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,061,736, 4,001,200, 4,001,401, and 4,053,590).
It should be stressed that according to pertinent literature, i.e., Walder, Biochem., 18:4265-4270 (1779); Walder et al, J. Mol. Biol., 141:195 (1980); and Zaugg, J. Biol. Chem., 255:2816-2821 (1980), activated dicarboxylic acid of increasing length, above that of the 4-carbon chain of succinic and fumaric acid, show a progressively lower reactivity with both liganded and unliganded hemoglobin so that activated sebacic acid (10-carbons long) produces no reactions with human hemoglobin.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,473,496 and 4,857,636, linear .alpha.-.omega. or heterocyclic polyaldehydes containing negatively charged groups are described as suitable for both decreasing the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin and for producing inter- and intramolecular cross-linking of hemoglobin. These reagents include carbohydrate-containing molecules, such as raffinose, and mono- and polyphosphorylated nucleotides partially oxidized with periodate, so as to obtain aldehydic groups. The coupling reaction is based on the formation of Shiff bases of the aldehydic groups with the amino groups of the hemoglobin molecule. The Shiff bases are then transformed into covalent bonds by reduction with sodium or potassium borohydride, or another strong reducing agent.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,130, cross-linking of hemoglobin with bifunctional reagents is disclosed. The reagents disclosed therein are based on an electron withdrawing group which modulates the reactivity of two peripheral active groups. However, the electron withdrawing group remains within the cross-linking bridge after the reaction. In the reagent of the present application, when an electron withdrawing group is employed, it is present in the leaving group only (e.g., 3,5-dibromosalicyl), and therefore it does not remain in the cross-linking bridge after the chemical reaction of the activated carboxyls with the amino groups of the protein.
3. Chemical Treatments for Decreasing the Oxygen Affinity of Stroma-Free Hemoglobin
The most widely used chemical modification of stroma-free hemoglobin so as to decrease the oxygen affinity thereof employs the use of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and sodium or potassium borohydride (see Bensch et al, Biochem., 11:3576 (1972)). The resulting product is commonly referred to as "PLP-hemoglobin" and has satisfactory oxygen affinity, i.e., oxygen affinity very near that of the red cells present in normal blood.
Other known chemical modifications of hemoglobin have been carried out using phosphoric acid derivatives of carbohydrates (e.g., glucose-6-phosphate) (see McDonald et al, J. Biol. Chem., 254:702 (1979)); carbamylation (see Manning, Meth. Enz., 76:159 (1981)) and carboxymethylation (see DiDonato et al, J. Biol. Chem., 258:11890 (1983)). In each of these treatments, the amino-terminal end of the .beta. subunit of hemoglobin is permanently substituted with the above described reagents.
In addition, none of these chemical treatments discussed in this section stabilize the tetrameric structure of hemoglobin so as to prevent the formation of .alpha.-.beta. dimers. Thus, the resulting hemoglobins do not have prolonged retention times in vivo.
4. Combined Chemical Treatments for Preventing the Formation of .alpha.-.beta. Dimers and Decreasing the Oxygen Affinity of Stroma-Free Hemoglobin
As discussed above, the production of physiologically competent stroma-free hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers necessitates two separate treatments. That is, one treatment is necessary for preventing the formation of .alpha.-.beta. dimers in vivo and a second treatment is required for decreasing its oxygen affinity. The most widely employed combination of treatments is that of reacting glutaraldehyde with PLP-hemoglobin to form pyridoxylated polyhemoglobins (see Seghal et al, J. Surg. Res., 30:14 (1981)). Intramolecular cross-linking of PLP-hemoglobin has also been obtained using diaspirins (see Tye et al, Prog. Clin. Biol. Res., 22:41 (1983)).
It should be noted that only stroma-free hemolysates or washed red blood cells are utilized in the above-cited articles. That is, purification procedures for isolating the hemoglobin component of the stroma-free hemolysates are not described therein. Thus, what is defined as stroma-free hemoglobins therein is in actuality stroma-free hemolysates.
More specifically, about 95% of the hemolysate components is hemoglobin. The remainder consists of proteins and polypeptides whose pharmacological and immunological toxicity is not known. When used for infusion in animals, several grams of hemolysate-containing hemoglobin are injected. Thus, undesirably, hundreds of milligrams of substances of unknown biological activity are also infused into animals when employing a hemolysate.
It should also be noted that in the above-cited references, purification procedures for isolating the desired hemoglobin products from the reaction mixture are not described therein. It is impossible to avoid the presence of overreacted and underacted hemoglobins in the reaction mixtures. These products do not have the desired functional and molecular characteristics.
For the above reasons, it is advantageous to perform chemical treatments on purified hemoglobins, and then to purify the product of the reaction.
Recently, reagents which present a clear advantage over previously employed long chain divalent reagents for producing intramolecular cross-linked hemoglobin have been described (U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,672). These cross-linking reagents give rise to cross-linked hemoglobin which has a lower oxygen affinity, and can be obtained in a much higher yield. While the cross-link is still intramolecular, the hemoglobin thereof has been found to be stable, not only against dissociation, but also against physical agents like heat, pH and aging. Thus, the formation of ferric hemoglobin is greatly retarded with the cross-linked hemoglobin. This allows the use of high temperature heat treatments for eliminating pathogens, the use of lyophilization procedures and to effect storage in liquid form in the cold and at room temperature.
Prevention of dimer dissociation in intramolecularly cross-linked tetramers, prevents glomerular filtration and prolongs the intravascular retention time of the protein (Urbaitis et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 117:115 (1991); Bucci et al, Biomat. Art. Cells & Immob. Biotech., 20(2-4):243 (1992); Matheson-Urbaitis et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 126:250 (1995); and Ulatowski et al, Am. J. Phys., 270:H466-H475 (1996)). Because nephrotoxicity of filterable (dissociable) hemoglobin results, in part, from intratubular precipitation and hemin formation (Fitzpatrick et al, Clin. Res. 42:220 (1994); and Paller, Am. J. Physiol., 255:F539 (1988)), these non-filtered tetramers are expected to be less or non-nephrotoxic.
These stable tetramers of hemoglobins are not filtered at the glomerulus, however this does not rule out their entry into the renal interstitium where other adverse reactions might occur or result after cellular uptake (Urbaitis et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 117:115 (1991)). Since these stable hemoglobins have a plasma half time in the rat of about 4 hrs, less than the 6 hrs for albumin, they must have a significant degree of migration into tissues. Post glomerular capillaries are of the fenestrated type with pores having a diameter of 400 to 600 .ANG., and have a high degree of permeability to small solutes and water. Similar to other capillaries, they function as if they have large and small pores (Rippe et al, Physiol. Rev., 74:163 (1994)). Experimental data indicate that they have a high reflection coefficient for albumin. However, albumin does pass into renal lymph ostensibly through the "large pores". The passage of stable tetrameric hemoglobin into posterior lymph was has been reported (Bleeker et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 113:151 (1989)), suggesting that these materials pass over large pores in other capillaries in the body. It has been found that these stable tetramers also appear in renal lymph, even in the complete absence of hemoglobinuria.
The passage of a molecule through the "large pores" is affected by the size of the molecule (Larson et al, Am. J. Physiol., 253:F180 (1987)). Sieving curves generated by relating interstitial concentration to renal venous concentration of inulin, myoglobin, horse radish peroxidase and albumin indicate a retarding effect of molecular size (Aukland et al, Am. J. Physiol., 266:F175 (1994)). The large pore reflection coefficient of albumin with MW 64,000 Da was found to be 0.24 (maximum reflection is 1.0) while that for .gamma.-globulins with MW 156,000-0160,000 Da was 0.44 (Larson et al, Am. J. Physiol., 253:F180 (1987)).
Cross-linked hemoglobin with a similar molecular weight and diameter to albumin would also be expected to pass across "large pores" and enter into the renal interstitium. Based on available data, an increased reflection coefficient would be expected to result as the size of the hemoglobin molecule is increased by polymerization. For example, it would be expected that a polymer of 4 tetrameric Hb units would have a molecular size near 250,000 Da, and would therefore be further retarded in passage across the renal capillaries. Thus, the production of polymerized hemoglobins with a larger molecular diameter (radius) appears to be a rational goal.
Two oxygen carriers, i.e., intramolecularly cross-linked tetramers based on human and bovine hemoglobins, have been extensively characterized and used in physiological trials (Urbaitis et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 117:115 (1991); Bucci et al, Biomat. Art. Cells & Immob. Biotech., 20(2-4):243 (1992); Matheson-Urbaitis et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 126:250 (1995); and Ulatowski et al, supra). They are stabilized by a covalent cross-link between the .beta.82 lysines of the opposite subunits in the .beta.-cleft of hemoglobin. The linker is either a fumaryl residue (4 carbon long) in bovine hemoglobin or a sebacoyl residue (10 carbon long) in human hemoglobin. The intramolecular cross-link prevents the dissociation of the molecule into dimers and brings the oxygen affinity to a physiologically compatible level. As the molecules do not dissociate into dimers, they are not eliminated in the urine and their intravascular retention time is prolonged to about 4 hrs in the rat and 6 hrs in the cat (Urbaitis et al, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 117:115 (1991); and Ulatowski et al, supra).
These stable tetramers are relatively small and cannot be used at concentrations higher than 6-7%, because of their colloid oncotic pressure (COP) activity per gram. Thus, these infusional fluids have half the oxygen capacity of blood. Therefore, it is very important to develop polymeric hemoglobins which would produce longer retention times, would not migrate into the interstitial fluid and would carry more oxygen per unit of oncotic pressure. The low COP/O.sub.2 capacity ratio would allow the production of infusional fluids with very high oxygen capacity, even higher than in normal blood, yet maintaining COP in the usual physiological range.
Polymerized hemoglobins are commonly obtained by treatment with either glutaraldehyde (Sehgal et al, Transfusion, 23:158 (1983)), or raffinose (More et al, Biomat. Art. Cell & Immob. Biotech., 20:293 (1992)). With both procedures, the chemical reaction is random and difficult to control. The obtained polymers are highly heterogeneous, with molecular size distributed over a wide range. The starting material is usually natural, dissociable hemoglobin. This adds to the heterogeneity, because polymerization involves both the tetrameric and dimeric forms of hemoglobin. Both kinds of polymers have been used in initial clinical trials without any major side effects (Current Issues in Blood Substitutes Research and Development, San Diego, Calif., March (1995)).
Glutaraldehyde is a bifunctional reagent which produces polymers by forming Schiff bases with the amino groups of lysyl residues in adjacent molecules. The Schiff base is not a stable covalent bond. In its reduced form it is more stable. However, it is not clear whether reducing processes can be used which will reduce 100% of the Schiff bonds. If only a few % of the Schiff bases are not reduced, during metabolic processes in vivo, highly toxic glutaraldehyde can be released.
Polymerization with periodate oxidation and raffinose must be performed in an atmosphere of carbon monoxide and the degraded raffinose linker may still produce a metabolic "indigestion" in vivo.


A system for controlling the temperature of a railing. The system has a hollow railing having a first open end and a second open end. A conduit is coupled to the first open end of the hollow railing and is used for conveying a liquid to the hollow railing. The liquid travels through the hollow railing and is used to control the temperature of the hollow railing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to railings, and more specifically, to a system for controlling the temperature of a railing in a pool or water spa.
2. Background of the Invention
Presently, many swimming pools and water spas (i.e., whirlpools, jacuzzi, hot tubs, etc.) have rails which are used to help individuals enter and exit the pools and spas. While the railings have many beneficial uses, they suffer from one main problem. In areas where the outside temperature is extremely warm (i.e., desert climates), the railings used in the pools and spas get extremely warm. In many desert areas, the railings may not be used during the summer months since the sunlight heats the railings to a temperature that is so hot, that individuals are unable to grab the railing for fear of getting burned.
Therefore, a need existed to provide a system for controlling the temperature of a railing. The system must be able to raise and lower the temperature of the railing to a temperature which is comfortable enough to allow an individual to grab hold of and use the railing. The system must also be able to be easily installed on existing swimming pools and water spas as well as those pools and spas yet to be built.

System for controlling the temperature of a railing and method therefor


The invention relates to an N-bit digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) system, comprising—a DAC unit comprising an N-bit master DAC and a slave DAC, yielding a master DAC unit output signal and a slave DAC unit output signal, respectively, said N-bit master DAC having an output step size,—an adder unit combining the master DAC unit output signal and the slave DAC unit output signal, and—a means for storing correction values for at least the master DAC, said correction values being used by the slave DAC, whereby the DAC system is arranged for master DAC output corrections with a size in absolute value higher than half of the output step size.

Increasingly higher resolution Digital-to-Analogue Converters (DAC) are being developed and implemented in instrumentation and consumer electronics. The number of bits presents an overall indication of the devices' precision, the theoretically achievable resolution however is never reached due to non-linear behaviour specific for each device/production series, set aside aging and other physical influences. Therefore, the transfer function of a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) is always an approximation of the ideal theoretical curve.
Several parameters are used to describe the quality of a DAC such as resolution, monotonicity, differential & integral linearity. The most severe parameter is the integral linearity. The error function associated with the deviation of the actual values from the ideal transfer curve is called the integral non-linearity. This is nothing else than the difference between the theoretical and measured DAC transfer function over the entire operating range the device can cover. It is common to see that DAC chips with a 20 . . . 24 bit resolution typically have an integral linearity of 16 bit at its best.
In order to improve this, a first step consists in determining the deviation of the ideal behaviour. This can be obtained by measuring all possible DAC output values. However, this would be a time consuming procedure since a 24 bit device has a total of over 16 million input codes! Also, due to the very high resolution of a 24-bit DAC, the voltages need to be measured with extremely high precision (typically using a 8.5 digit multimeter), which implies that a single measurement will take about one second to achieve the required precision.
Patent document DE 4003682 discloses a D/A converting system wherein, during an intermediate matching operation, the output signals are sequentially measured at high velocity. The detected defects are then digitised and stored in a memory. The memory address signal is formed by the coarse positions of each digital signal at the input of D/A converter circuit consisting of a coarse converter and a fine converter. During normal operation, the memory output signal is fed to a third (correction) D/A converter, the weighted output signal of which is added to the output signal of said D/A converter circuit. The corrections have the size of only half a LSB.
The D/A converting system in DE 4003682 needs 3 D/A converters. The proposed solutions make use of a set of low resolution DACs arranged in such a way as to obtain a higher resolution. However, the integral linearity of this configuration cannot be guaranteed, resulting in unwanted distortion. Also restrictions, regarding linearity, are implied with respect to the set of DACs.
A very similar approach can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,392.

Digital-to-analogue converter system with increased performance

Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)


A stator bar installation fixture and method for installing stator bars into specific stator core slots within a stator core of rotating electrical equipment. The stator bar installation fixture includes rotating mechanisms, rotatingly fixed at each end of the rotating electrical equipment, for supporting and controlling an angular positioning of a stator bar insertion mechanism relative to the stator core. The stator bar insertion mechanism supports a stator bar within the stator core, angularly locates a stator bar in alignment with the specific stator core slot, and inserts the stator bar into the specific stator core slot.

The invention relates generally to equipment and methods for installing and removing stator bars to and from stator core slots in rotating electrical equipment for initial installation, maintenance and repair.
Certain rotating electrical equipment, for example a power generator, has stator bars. Stator bars comprise large electrical conductors that are capable of carrying large amounts of electrical power within the electrical equipment. Stator bars are assembled in the stator core slots and joined at the ends to form coils and connected in the proper phase belts by bus rings. Stator bars must be installed during initial assembly of the electrical devices or may need to be removed and replaced due to damage or maintenance to the stator bar or to other internal components of the electrical devices. In order to access the stator bars, the rotor must be removed to expose the space within the inner periphery of the stator core.
If the stator bar is removed for repair or replacement, it is manually carried from its slot in the stator core to a repair area and carried back to the core when the repair or replacement is completed. When initially installed or replaced, the heavy and unwieldy stator bar must be transported from a staging area for insertion into a slot within the stator core. Once the bar is inside the core, it is manually lifted and lowered to a correct slot and then inserted and wedged. Manually moving the unwieldy and heavy bars requires manpower and time and involves a safety hazard. The methods employed today require between 4 and 8 worker crew to lift and carry the bars, makeshift equipment for movement and positioning, and physically intensive manual positioning and supporting the stator bars within the stator core. Manual lifting of heavy stator bars into specific slots around the full inner radius of the stator core is an awkward operation, exposing the workers to possible injury. Current practice employs manual labor with a makeshift assortment of equipment to position and support the bars within the slots until the bar can be retained in place.
Further, errors when manual positioning of the heavy stator bars can result in dropping or unintended contact between the stator bars and the core resulting in damage to the stator bar or the core
Additionally, the stator core is a cramped space. Existing support equipment to assist in positioning and insertion of the stator bars must be set up to service slots in specific quadrants of the stator core and then taken down and reassembled to service the different quadrants of the stator core.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an apparatus for and to improve the method of transporting and manipulating a stator bar to position it to a correct slot so that the stator bar can be inserted and wedged into position. There is also a need for a device that can be assembled once and which will provide for inserting stator bars around the full 360 degree inner surface of the stator core.

Indexing apparatus and method for installation of stator bars


According to the present invention, there is provided a temperature-sensitive aluminum phosphate solution, characterized in that, composition of the aluminum phosphate is within such ranges that 3Al2O3/P2O5 (molar ratio) is from 1.2 to 1.5, M2O/P2O5 (molar ratio) (M is an alkali metal) is from 0.02 to 0.15 and concentration of Al2O3 is from 2 to 8% by mass and the sensing temperature is within a temperature range of from 20 to 100° C. The solution is particularly useful as an antioxidant for carbon materials.

In recent years, aluminum phosphate has been used as a binder for refractories an adhesive in various uses, a coating agent, a raw material for paints, a curing agent for alkaline substances such as water glass and silica sol (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 011200/78), a raw material for special coating for steel plates (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-069657), an antioxidant for carbon materials, etc. and the demand therefor has been increasing year by year.
In recent years, public attention has been focused on the function of an aluminum phosphate solution as an antioxidant for carbon materials. As compared with other materials, carbon material has characteristics such as low thermal expansion coefficient, superior electric conductivity and high resistance to high temperature, thermal impact and chemicals, whereby it has been widely utilized in the fields of metallurgy, electricity, chemistry, nuclear reactor, etc. Improvements in properties and development of uses have been intensively conducted for carbon powder and carbon fiber as well as for carbon nano-tube, fullerene, etc. but there are still many problems to be solved. One of them is the degradation of carbon material caused by oxidation. As antioxidants for carbon material, aluminum compounds such as aluminum phosphate and salts of organic acids with aluminum have been proposed.
For example, a compound of aluminum monophosphate and colloidal silica is used to prevent the oxidation of graphite electrodes for arc-type electric furnaces (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-169845). Silicic materials, aluminum phosphate and a mixture thereof are used as antioxidants for graphite materials (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-192284). And an organic acid salt with aluminum is used as an antioxidant for carbon materials (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 207484/86).
The mechanism by which aluminum phosphate serves as an antioxidant for carbon material has been presumed to be that, when a carbon material is impregnated or coated with an aluminum phosphate solution followed by drying and heating, a dehydrating condensation of aluminum phosphate proceeds on the surface or in the inner area of the carbon material to form a heat-resisting antioxidant coat which prevents a direct contact of oxygen in the air with the carbon material at high temperature. When an aluminum phosphate solution is quickly dried and heated, a non-uniform antioxidant coat may be formed due to the transfer of the component onto the surface or the surficial layer. Therefore, a non-efficient drying and heating for long time has been required.

Temperature-sensitive aluminum phosphate solution, a process for producing the same and the use thereof


An arrangement (10) of electrical connectors (12,112) and a circuit board (50) upon which they are mounted includes a strip (30) of ground contacts (34) disposed between selected ones of the connectors (12,112) and adjacent side surfaces (20) thereof. Each strip (30) of ground contacts includes a plurality of connecting sections electrically connected to ground circuits in the circuit board (50). The ground contacts (34) are adapted for becoming engaged by a ground shield (76) exposed on an outer surface of a complementary mating connector (60) mated with the selected board connector and be biased thereagainst to establish an assured ground connection therewith at a plurality of locations therealong.

Most of today's electronic equipment use arrays of connectors on a circuit board such as a motherboard or back plane to mate with a plurality of complementary connectors on corresponding daughter cards. It is desirable in forming the arrays of connectors to use a minimum amount of real estate on the board so that the electronic equipment may be as compact as possible.
In some instances the same mother board or back plane may be used in various apparatus that use a daughter card having different capabilities, such as, for example, upgrading existing equipment. The upgraded daughter card connectors may require additional grounding capabilities than is available in the mother board connector. It is desirable, therefore, to provide or to retrofit selected connectors on the motherboard with additional grounding capability. In some motherboard and daughter card arrangements, only certain connectors of the daughter card include ground shielding that needs to be electrically connected to ground circuits on the motherboard. It is desirable, therefore, to provide only selected motherboard connectors with the ground capability thus allowing the daughter cards having the ground shield connectors to be electrically connected to the ground circuits of the board.


A semiconductor laser device includes an active layer, a pair of guiding layers sandwiching the active layer, and a pair of cladding layers sandwiching the active layer and the pair of guiding layers. The pair of guiding layers are InGaAsP lattice-matched to GaAs. The pair of cladding layers are AlGaAs. The Al composition ratios of the pair of AlGaAs cladding layers are 0.4 or less. The Al composition ratios are set such that the refractive indices of the pair of AlGaAs cladding layers do not exceed those of the pair of InGaAsP guiding layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor laser devices, and more particularly to semiconductor laser devices used as pumping light sources, including solid lasers such as Nd- or Yb-doped YAG lasers, Yb-doped fiber lasers, and Er-doped fiber amplifiers.
2. Background Art
Semiconductor laser devices have been widely used as light sources for optical communications. For example, a conventional 940 nm semiconductor laser device has a structure made up of: an n-type GaAs substrate; an n-electrode disposed on one principal surface of the n-type GaAs substrate; and an n-type Al0.7Ga0.3As cladding layer, an Al0.35Ga0.65As guiding layer, a GaAsP barrier layer, an InGaAs active layer, another GaAsP barrier layer, another Al0.35Ga0.65As guiding layer, a p-type Al0.7Ga0.3As cladding layer, a p-type GaAs contact layer, and a p-electrode, sequentially disposed on the other principal surface of the n-type GaAs substrate. (See, e.g., A. Knigge et al., "100 W output power from passively cooled laser bar with 30% filling factor," Conference Digest of 2004 IEEE 19th International Semiconductor Laser Conference, Kunibiki Messe, Matsue-shi, Simane Pref., Japan, ThA1, pp. 35-36, September 2004.)
However, this semiconductor laser device has reliability problems, since it includes Al (aluminum) near the active layer.
Further, in recent years there has been an increasing need for semiconductor lasers having a high electrical-to-optical power conversion efficiency, in order to reduce power consumption. However, we are already approaching the point where the slope efficiency of a semiconductor laser device can no longer be improved by increasing the internal quantum efficiency or reducing losses. Therefore, some other method must be found to further enhance the electrical-to-optical power conversion efficiency.


A leaning support structure that is lightweight, expandable by a single hand and has a sturdy base without the need for insertion into the ground. The leaning support structure includes first and second elongated support members offset from each other, each support member having upper and lower ends and a predetermined connecting point. A handle may be placed on the upper end of the first elongated support member to cover the offset portion between the first and the second elongated support members, improving the feel and the aesthetic appearance. At the predetermined connecting points, a connector connects the elongated support members. A groove and a female securing portion are located in the upper half of the first elongated support member. A rod, which fits into the groove to limit the relative angle between the elongated support members, and a male securing portion are located in the upper half of the second elongated support member. In use, one places the lower end of the second elongated support member on a surface and extends the leaning support structure by applying pressure to the upper end of the first elongated support member, thereby forming a V-shaped opening above the predetermined connecting points. The leaning support structure is leaned against an article which is to be supported, and the article to be supported leans against and through the V-shaped opening. A high friction surface may be placed in the V-shaped opening to prevent slippage of the device to be supported.

Many devices and useful instruments which people use are not free standing. That is, they will not stay in the upright position absent a supporting device such as a wall, car, tree or some other structure up against which to lean them. Further, often it is very important for a device to maintain its upright condition. Examples of such devices include an umbrella, a rifle, a shovel, a rake and golf clubs in a golfing environment such as a golf course. Work persons such as road crews, construction workers and sanitation site employees frequently utilize shovels and picks in muddy conditions and need to exchange use between the two. If there is no supporting structure up against which to lean the pick while the worker is using the shovel, or if the worker is resting, the device will have to be laid in the mud. This significantly sullies the handle, thereby requiring cleaning. Further, upon returning from a break, it is much more difficult to locate the object with which one is working if it is flush against the ground.
These difficulties are also present with rakes in the yard or snow shovels on a sidewalk. Both devices become dirty, wet and hard to find unless placed in an upright position upon its non-use.
A golfer utilizes a plurality of clubs in a game of golf, all of which are stored in a golf bag which is usually situated on an electric golf cart. Often a golfer will remove several clubs from his golf bag for use with the next shot or few shots, and then walk a distance from the cart to the spot where his ball is lying. This situation frequently occurs near a green when a golfer removes a pitching wedge, sand wedge and a putter from his golf bag and brings them with him to the green. It also occurs on many golf courses that enforce a cart-path-only or a ninety-degree rule with respect to the use of electric golf carts. Such rules require that the golfer leave the golf cart on the cart path and walk, clubs in hand, to his ball. This requires the golfer to carry more than one club, so that upon reaching his ball, he can decide which club to use for the shot. The problem often encountered is having to place the golf club(s) not chosen for the shot on the ground in order to hit the shot. The ground is often wet from rain, watering or morning dew. This causes a wet and slippery grip for subsequent shots. Further, as with the shovel above, the clubs are often forgotten when parallel and adjacent to the ground. This problem can also occur while practicing at a driving range or a putting green. Also, laying the clubs not selected for the shot on the ground next to where the ball is lying requires the golfer to bend down to pick up the clubs. Such bending is often a problem for golfers with back or other physical disabilities.
Attempts have been made to solve the foregoing problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,990 to Engel discloses a golf club rest. However, this device has a number of drawbacks that the instant invention overcomes. Engel's golf club rest utilizes an "elongated shaft member" and a "ground penetrating segment." Since the shaft member is a single shaft and is only supported by a ground penetrating segment, it is inherently unstable. Consequently, when more than one club is placed on the device and the wind is blowing it will likely fall over. Also, if the ground is soft it will fall over easily. If it falls over, it could dig up grass, which harms the course. If the ground is too hard, the ground penetrating segment will not be able to penetrate the ground and the rest will not stand at all. Finally, many areas of a golf course, such as greens and tee areas, will not allow ground penetrating or indentation to take place at all because it will mar the surface. Lastly, since the device is penetrating into the ground, dirt, mud, grass, sand and the like will adhere to the device, creating a cleaning requirement. Thus, there is currently a long felt need for a support structure that does not require penetration into the ground and is more stable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,732 to Peterson discloses a Rifle/Pistol Rest. The Peterson rest does not require insertion into the ground and is stable when an object is leaned against it; however, it uses a slip/swivel/clamp to connect the pair of elongated rods together thereby increasing significantly the weight, transportability and cost of manufacture of the device. Further, the device is bulky and cannot be quickly set up for use and then compressed for carrying. The Peterson device, if used in a setting such as carrying golf clubs to a green with a requirement for a quick setup to support a golf club which is not being used, then quick closure for carrying such clubs will not work. It would be difficult and time consuming to carry the heavy device with several clubs (it would be easier to just carry the golf bag itself) and then set up the slip/swivel/clamp in position for leaning against the unused clubs.
One possible solution to these problems is to provide a supporting device which utilizes a pair of light weight elongated supports connected via a light weight, low cost connecting means. Another possible solution is to provide a maximum separation angle stopper located therein. Yet another possible solution is to have offset elongated supports with a handle which allow easy one-handed setup and closure. Another possible solution is to provide a structure which is not inserted into the ground.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a supporting device which utilizes a pair of light weight elongated supports connected via a light weight, low cost connecting means.
There is a further need in the art for a supporting device which provides a maximum separation angle stopper in a leaning support structure which allows for a maximum separation angle between elongated support members.
There is also a need in the art for a supporting device which has offset elongated support members with a handle which allow easy one-handed setup and closure.
There is an additional need in the art to provide a structure which is not inserted into the ground.

Leaning support structure expandable by a single hand to support elongated objects, such as golf clubs, in an upright position


An air cargo pallet in which a square or rectangular thin light metal plate is trimmed along its edges by profiles which are riveted to the edges of the plate and have miter cut sections adjoining at the corners. Shear is resisted at the junctions of the miter cut sections by insert parts which are flat, elongated and fish shaped and which have a pointed end and a recess at the opposite end, each defined between flanks forming a vertex at 90.degree. and braced between internal and external corners of the walls of a hollow space within profiles.

Air cargo pallets are supposed to be particularly light, but capable of carrying heavy loads. The light-metal plate can not insure this heavy-load carrying capability by itself. Depending on the load, such pallets can be bent out of shape. Therefore, the light-metal hollow profiles primarily have an enhancing effect on the load-carrying capability.
The light-metal hollow profiles also have another function due to their flat outer edges. Aircraft and partially also land transportation equipment and storage facilities are mostly equipped with holding systems such as holding claws or the like, and the air cargo pallets with their flat outer edges can be slid under these holding claws. In this way, the pallets are prevented from tilting during inclined positions or accelerations, etc.
Finally, the upwardly open T-shaped longitudinal slots serve for securing to the air cargo pallet the cargo which is loosely piled on the pallet, by means of stretching nets. Mushroom or plunger shaped heads, similar to the ones used for window curtains, are introduced into the longitudinal slots at the enlarged portions and arrested.
On their bottom side along their inner margins the light-metal hollow profiles have a step-like shoulder into which the light-metal plate is inserted so that at the bottom it is flush with the light-metal hollow profile, pressing with its edges against the shoulder at which it is riveted to the light-metal hollow profile. In this way the highest degree of strength and safety is achieved against the strain acting at the level of the light-metal plate and which has a tendency to change the miter angle.


A printer 10 stores print image data in memory 56 as the print image data is used by a print engine 12 to print an image in accordance with the print image data. In one embodiment, separate data buses (17, 46) and separate processors (40, 50) are used to transfer the print image data to the print engine and the memory so that the transfer operations can occur independently and in parallel. In another aspect, the print image data is compressed before it is stored in the memory. In yet another aspect, an overrun condition is detected when the transfer of data to the memory falls behind the transfer of data to the print engine. During the overrun condition, transfer of data to the memory is suspended until after the page has been printed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printers, and more particularly, to printers having a memory for storing a print image.
2. Description of Related Art
One type of printer known as a "laser" printer employs an electrophotographic print engine in which the image to be printed onto paper or other media is first formed on a charged, light-sensitive drum by a laser which scans the drum. Laser printers typically require a complex internal microcomputer system which receives printing instructions from a host computer in a high level programming language such as PostScript.TM.. These programming language instructions are processed by the printer microcomputer to produce data defining a two-dimensional image pixel by pixel. Because of the complexity of the processing task, the generation of the two-dimensional image data can be very time consuming, requiring as much as several minutes per page for images which include sophisticated graphics and complex fonts. As a consequence, much time is often wasted should the reprinting of one or more pages of a document be necessitated by a printer malfunction such as a paper jam.
Furthermore, when more than one copy of a document is required, the long processing time of the printer computer often makes it impractical to use the printer to print multiple copies. Instead, once the printer has printed one copy of the document, it is often faster to use a separate photocopying machine to produce the additional copies.
One approach for eliminating the need for a separate photocopier has been to program the printer to print multiple copies of each page of the document before processing and printing the next page of the document. Because the actual time required to print a page is relatively short (on the order of a few seconds or less), multiple copies of a page can be printed relatively quickly once the print image data of the page has been generated by the printer computer. However, the pages once printed must then be sorted and collated either manually or by a mechanical sorter to produce the multiple copies of the document. These mechanical sorters tend to be expensive and complex. In addition, because the sorter typically sorts the pages by directing individual pages into different bins, the number of copies which can be produced at one time is often limited by the number of bins. Similarly, the size of document is usually limited by the size of each bin.
To eliminate the need for mechanical sorters, it has been proposed to store into memory the print image data produced by the printer microcomputer. The stored print image data for each page is then read from the memory in a cyclical fashion so that the pages are printed in the correct order to produce multiple copies without the need for additional sorting. However, because of the high resolution of some images, the microcomputer typically requires a large amount of internal random-access-memory (RAM) for the computational tasks alone. Moreover, some sophisticated laser printers may employ a hard disk as well for handling complicated, high definition images. Consequently, memory space in printer computer systems is often at a premium.
To store the print image data for a single page typically requires a significant amount of memory space. A monochrome image at 300 dots per inch on a 81/2.times.11 inch page, can require one megabyte of memory. This memory requirement quickly escalates for color or high definition images and is multiplied by each page of the document to be printed. To meet these requirements, it has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,018, for example, to store print image data on a read/write magneto-optical disk. Although optical disks can store large amounts of information (typically on the order of a gigabyte or more), such memory storage devices tend to be relatively expensive and slow.

Image storage and retrieval for a printer


The covering for used with a conductor having a thermoplastic composition. The thermoplastic composition has a poly(arylene ether), a polyolefin and a polymeric compatibilizer. The thermoplastic composition may further have a flame retardant.

Electrical wire has been used in a wide variety of applications. In many applications the conductor is surrounded by an electrically insulating thermoplastic covering. While many of the requirements for the insulating thermoplastic covering vary with how and where the electrical wire will be used, most applications, particularly high voltage applications such as automotive underhood applications, require that the insulating thermoplastic covering be free of spark leaks. Spark leaks are caused by imperfections, such as pinholes, in the insulating covering surrounding the wire. In the production of electrical wire for automotive applications the electrical wire is tested for spark leaks and when a spark leak is found the wire is cut and the section containing the spark leak is discarded. The presence of spark leaks during manufacture interrupts the continuity of the wire and decreases productivity. Because the wire is cut to remove the section containing the spark leak multiple lengths of wire result. These lengths are typically combined to form an overall total length that is packaged and sold.
Electrical wire is typically sold on spools or in containers containing a total amount of wire length determined in part by the cross-sectional area of the conductor. The electrical wire is removed from the spool or container for use in various articles such as automotive wiring harnesses. For example, an electrical wire having a conductor cross-sectional area of 0.14 square millimeters to 1.00 square millimeters, the total length of wire on the spool can be 13,500 to 15,500 meters and the number of individual wires on the spools can be 1 to 6 wherein the minimum length of each wire is 150 meters. Spools or containers containing a larger number of individual wires or shorter lengths of wire often result in lower productivity and higher yield losses in the manufacture of the articles from the electrical wire.
Automotive electrical wire located under the hood in the engine compartment has traditionally been insulated with a single layer of high temperature insulation that is disposed over an uncoated copper-wire conductor. Thermoplastic polyesters, cross linked polyethylene and halogenated resins such as fluoropolymers and polyvinyl chloride have long filled the needs in this challenging environment for heat resistance, chemical resistance, flame retardance and flexibility in the high temperature insulation.
Thermoplastic polyester insulation layers have outstanding resistance to gas and oil, are mechanically tough and resistant to copper catalyzed degradation but can fail prematurely due to hydrolysis. The insulation layer(s) in thermoplastic polyester insulated electrical wires have also been found to crack when exposed to hot salty water and have failed when subjected to humidity temperature cycling.
There is an increasing desire to reduce or eliminate the use of halogenated resins in insulating layers due to their negative impact on the environment. In fact, many countries are beginning to mandate a decrease in the use of halogenated materials. However, as much of the wire coating extrusion equipment was created based upon the specifications of halogenated resins such as polyvinyl chloride, any replacement materials must be capable of being handled in a manner similar to polyvinyl chloride.
Cross linked polyethylene has largely been successful in providing high temperature insulation but this success may be difficult to sustain as the requirements for automotive electrical wire evolve. The amount of wiring in automobiles has increased as more electronics are being used in modern vehicles. The dramatic increase in wiring has motivated automobile manufacturers to reduce overall wire diameter by specifying reduced insulation layer thicknesses and specifying smaller conductor sizes. For example, ISO 6722 specifies, for a conductor having a cross sectional area of 2.5 square millimeters, that the thin wall insulation thickness be 0.35 millimeters and the ultra thin wall insulation thickness be 0.25 millimeters.
The reductions in insulation wall thicknesses pose difficulties when using crosslinked polyethylene. For crosslinked polyethylene the thinner insulation layer thicknesses result in shorter thermal life, when aged at oven temperatures between 150° C. and 180° C. This limits their thermal rating. For example, an electrical wire having a copper conductor with an adjacent crosslinked polyethylene insulation layer having a 0.75 millimeter wall thickness is flexible and the insulation layer does not crack when bent around a mandrel after being exposed to 150° C. for 3,000 hours. But in a similar electrical wire having a crosslinked polyethylene insulation layer having a 0.25 millimeter wall thickness the insulation layer becomes brittle after being exposed to 150° C. for 3,000 hours. The deleterious effects created by these extremely thin wall requirements have been attributed to copper catalyzed degradation, which is widely recognized as a problem in the industry.
Accordingly, there exists a need for covering materials suitable for use in conjunction with conductors, particularly in an electrical wire suitable for use in an automotive environment and is free of halogenated resins.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A remote management system wherein a central control apparatus is connected with machines installed in a shop by communication means, so that set values of the operating conditions of each machine set in a microcomputer within the machine can be changed from the central control apparatus and, resetting of the microcomputer and restarting of the machine can be directed from the central control apparatus, thereby eliminating the need for dispatching personnel to the shop and reducing the management cost, while in case of a trouble in the machine, information indicating the occurrence of the trouble and information specifying the location of the trouble are transmitted to the central control apparatus thereby to shorten the time required for restarting the machine by the personnel and improve the management efficiency, and further featuring a controller which periodically collects information related to the operation of the machine from the microcomputer and stores the information in a memory thereof while erasing the collected data already stored in the memory of the microcomputer, thereby allowing a small memory capacity for the microcomputer and suppressing the machine cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for remotely managing a machine by means of a central control apparatus such as a personal computer or the like by connecting the machine controlled by a control device, e.g., a micro-computer with the central control apparatus via communication means.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a laundrette, for example, wherein a plurality of clothes-washers and a plurality of dryers installed are used by the payment with coins or prepaid cards, when a management system that carries out centralized monitoring of the laundry machine to check the presence of failures, presence of troubles, and the sales amount and other information thereby to control the machine is introduced, the efficiency of management is improved because of the reduction of the number of personnel who go around the shops to inspect the laundry machine or to check the sales amount, etc. and also owing to the elimination of the necessity for visiting the shops.
In a remote management system disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No.5-1820, for example, operations of a plurality of laundry machines such as clothes-washers and dryers set in the laundrettes are controlled by a microcomputer that takes in signals from rotational speed sensors, thermistors, micro switches, and the like respectively installed in several parts of each machine such as motors, drums, coin boxes and the like. Each laundry machine is provided with a plurality of switch sets each comprising a plurality of DIP switches, so that a combination of ON/OFF states of the DIP switches in each switch set determines the fine adjustment of the motor rotational speed, charges, etc.
The microcomputer controls the operations of the laundry machine according to the signals received from the sensors, stores the data such as the operation state, remaining time of operation, sales amount and the like, and transmits the data to a data controller (hereinafter called as the DTC) arranged per shop according to a request from a central control apparatus. Each DTC is connected to the central control apparatus using a personal computer disposed in a management company via a public telephone line.
In such a remote management system of the prior art as above, when the central control apparatus transmits a request signal for monitoring the operation state, remaining time of operation, sales amount, etc. to the DTC, the DTC feeds a transmission request to the microcomputer of the subject machine. The microcomputer returns the requested data to the DTC and the DTC transmits the received data to the central control apparatus via the public telephone line. On the other hand, in the event of a trouble such as a failure, an abnormality of the machine, stealing of the sales or the like, the microcomputer of the laundry machine in trouble stops the operation of the machine and outputs a transmission request for the central control apparatus to the DTC. When the DTC makes a response, the microcomputer transmits data notifying the occurrence of the trouble to the DTC. The DTC calls the central control apparatus in order to transmit the received trouble data and, when the central control apparatus responds, transmits the data indicating the occurrence of the trouble. Upon receipt of the data, the central control apparatus gives a screen display, an alarm, etc., to inform the personnel of the trouble being occurred.
However, in the remote management system of the prior art, to change the set values according to revising of the rate of charges, or the using conditions of the laundry machine requires the dispatch of the personnel, who in turn manipulates the DIP switches to change the combination of the ON/OFF states as well as the set values. This results in high management costs. Also because the personnel must operate a number of DIP switches for each laundry machine, the management is eventually carried out low in efficiency.
Likewise, in the remote management system of the prior art, because only the information indicating the occurrence of the trouble in the machine is transmitted to the central control apparatus, the restoration of the troubled portion by the personnel takes much time before the troubled portion is located, leading to the deterioration in the efficiency of management.
Further in the remote management system of the prior art, it is obliged to send the personnel to the shop to reset the control device such as the microcomputer and restore the machine to the normal operable state every time the machine is brought in trouble regardless of the type of the trouble, therefore increasing costs for management.
Also in the remote management system of the prior art, because the microcomputer installed in the machine must store the data related to the operation of the machine until a transmission request from the central control apparatus is received, a memory of a large capacity is necessitated, making the machine and also the overall system cost high.


An apparatus for use in positioning and obtaining of x-ray and other images of teeth and related structures, providing the practitioner with increased ease and accuracy of aiming, greatly simplified instrument configuration with significantly reduced number and complexity of the instruments employed, while providing patients with improved comfort and control during the imaging process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of dentistry and, more particularly, to improvements in apparatus for creating x-ray images of teeth in the patient's mouth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Customer users (dentists and dental assistants) of dental radiographic imaging devices have three primary requirements of any system they use. These requirements are for accuracy of image (both in position and angle), speed of image capture, and ease of placing and securing the image capture device in the patient's mouth. I am aware of at least seven ways that existing systems do not optimally answer those requirements—problems which are all resolved with the device of my invention.
First, the bite plates on the well-known Rinn XCP devices to hold the film/sensor positioners in place are difficult to insert into small mouths, as they are quite long and are at right angles to the film/sensor. It requires patients to open widely, retraction of the tongue when imaging mandibular teeth, and a certain gymnastic rotational movement to get the positioner in place.
Second, they are impossible to use when a rubber dam clamp is on the tooth to be imaged, and although holders such as the EndoRay™ (designed for rubber dam applications) can be placed under the dam and around the clamp and files, it is a very difficult thing to do.
Third, bite-plate positioners usually cause foreshortening artifacts when imaging maxillary teeth, due to the tipping of the positioner and x-ray beam when the film edge encounters a less-than-high palate. For both anterior and posterior maxillary x-rays, a cotton roll must be placed between the tooth to be imaged and the bite plate, to drop the film angle closer to the horizontal.
Fourth, while most of the known positioners have rings to allow correct aiming of the x-ray beam onto the film/sensor, only the recently introduced Gendex™ device has an aiming device to center the tooth in question on the image surface. Without this type of aiming device, it is difficult to correctly place the positioner when capturing angled views.
Fifth, most of the positioners require three different bite plate holders (anterior, posterior, and bitewing), two different rods, and three different aiming rings to match the holders—eight parts in total. It is very inconvenient to have to inventory and disinfect all of these parts, as well as to assemble three parts each time a tray set-up is made.
Sixth, while digital x-ray sensors most elegantly solve the speed issue, nearly all of them are wired to remote computers/processors, creating difficulties from the resulting tethering effect. While dentists who use wired sensors are used to this inconvenience, there is no dentist who, all things being equal, would not choose a wireless sensor instead. Today's high-tech dental operatories already have a mass of cords and tubing to step on; removing the wire from sensors is not only more convenient, but also reduces the chances of damaging an expensive sensor by eliminating the chance of stepping on the cord and rocketing the sensor to the floor.
Seventh, the only known wireless sensor has three disadvantages; high cost, thick sensors, and poor consistency of wireless signal.


It is an object of the invention to record and reproduce information successfully even when light having small energy is used for hologram. A drive means to move a collimator lens according to movement of a recording medium is provided, and an angle of light for recording which enters from the collimator lens to a polarizing beam splitter is changed. In result, a position of light which enters the recording medium is shifted, and therefore, information can be recorded in a normal position of the recording medium, and information can be reproduced from the normal position on the recording medium according to movement of the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording apparatus which records information in a recording medium in which information is recorded by utilizing holography, and an optical information reproducing apparatus which reproduces information in a recording medium in which information is recorded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, holographic recording which records information in a recording medium by utilizing holography has been generally performed by overlapping inside the recording medium information light carrying image information and reference light for recording which construct light for recording, and writing a resultant interference pattern in the recording medium. When the recorded information is reproduced, the recording medium is illuminated with reference light for reproduction to cause diffraction attributable to the interference pattern which reproduces the image information (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-311938).
Recently, volume holography, and more particularly, digital volume holography has been developed and is attracting attention in practical fields for super high density optical recording. The volume holography is a method of writing an interference pattern on the three dimensional basis by actively utilizing a recording medium even in its thickness direction, which is characterized in that diffraction efficiency is improved by increasing a thickness and in that an increased recording capacity can be achieved by utilizing multiplex recording. The digital volume holography is a computer oriented holographic recording method, in which image information to be recorded is limited to binary digital patterns while the recording medium and the recording method similar to of the volume holography are used. In this digital volume holography, for example, analog image information such as a picture is once digitized and developed into two dimensional digital pattern information, which is recorded as image information. When the information is reproduced, this digital pattern information is recorded and decoded to return to the original image information, which is to be displayed. Therefore, even when an SN ratio (signal-to-noise ratio) is somewhat poor when reproducing information, it is possible to recreate the original information very truly by performing differential detection and error correction on encoded binary data.
As a method of the holographic recording, a dominant method is a method to use an optical pickup apparatus comprising an optical system for performing information recording in the recording medium and information reproduction from the recording medium by adopting a disc-shaped recording medium similar to a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) and the like.
In general, in an optical disc apparatus, focus servo and tracking servo are performed by driving an objective lens in the optical pickup apparatus while rotating the disc-shaped recording medium.
In the optical disc apparatus, laser light is used as light for recording. When Q switch laser light is used as this laser light, information can be recorded in the recording medium in a short period of time even when the recording medium is rotating, since this Q switch laser light is laser light having large energy. Meanwhile, when semiconductor laser light is used as laser light, it is necessary to record information in the recording medium for a longer stretch of time than when the Q switch laser light is used, since this semiconductor laser light is laser light having small energy.
Therefore, when information is recorded in the recording medium by using the semiconductor laser light, it is necessary to change positions of illumination with the semiconductor laser light according to rotation of the recording medium.
As an example in which positions of illumination with the semiconductor laser light are changed as above, there is a case wherein an reflecting mirror arranged in an optical system to make laser light enter a recording medium is moved according to rotation of the recording medium (refer to International Publication No. 99/44195).
In the case that the reflecting mirror is moved according to rotation of the recording medium, which is described in the foregoing International Publication No. 99/44195, however, a drive means has to be connected to the reflecting mirror placed in the vicinity of the recording medium. Therefore, there is a risk that a weight of the optical system is increased, the reflecting mirror cannot be moved successfully, and therefore precision of information to be recorded in the recording medium becomes worse.
Such a phenomenon that the reflecting mirror cannot be moved according to rotation of the recording medium successfully might arise when information is reproduced from the recording medium.

Optical information recording apparatus and optical information reproducing apparatus using holography


A secure automatic meter reading (“AMR”) method and apparatus which utilizes a microprocessor and a bi-directional broadband connection to access the Internet and can form a wireless distribution network is provided. In addition to AMR, this connection and the network can provide high speed data transmission for other devices and services. As a result of the methods and apparatuses of the present inventions, legacy utility infrastructure and communications equipment can be integrated into a data transmission and collection network and remotely monitored without the costs associated with deploying service personnel or more costly equipment and services.

Monitoring the residential, commercial, and industrial complexes of buildings throughout the United States are a variety of user equipment. Examples of such user equipment include meter reading devices that measure consumption of various utility commodities such as natural gas, electricity and water via an electrical or electro-mechanical transducer. The meter reading devices are typically analog devices that record either a first reading, or a second reading of the measured commodity over a period of time, or, alternatively, a cycling total (that is, a running total that recycles after a certain number is reached).
Generally, service personnel for the utility provided physically appear at or near the meter reading device to record consumption of the commodity each month. The recorded consumption from the meter reading device is then fed into a database used for billing purposes which in turn generates an invoice for the consumer based on user's consumption of the measured commodity.
In urban areas, the number of meter reading devices that need to be recorded is tremendous. Although the overhead associated with sending service personal to a desired location can be amortized by consolidation of meter reading devices at a particular location, for example, in a high-density residential development such as an apartment complex, the cost can still be significant. In rural areas, however, the cost is higher as meter reading cannot generally be amortized over a number of meter reading devices read at a single location.
Various techniques are employed by utility companies to reduce the cost of sending service personal to a physical site. For example, a simple method is the use of stochastic techniques for extrapolating a measured quantity for a current reading from one or more past values or a moving or seasonal average. This technique is designed to reduce the frequency of meter reading. A disadvantage, however, is the fact that the extrapolated reading can be greatly under or over the actual consumption, such as the case where a consumer is simply not present and no services are used, or when an unusual weather pattern occurs and consumption is significantly increased.
Another technique is the use of radio-based meter reading devices. For example, each meter reading device includes a radio, the radio capable of broadcasting a meter reading to a nearby receiver. In the Middle East for example, such a system is often employed because service personnel are frequently denied access to a property when the property owner (a man) is not home. The radio based meter reading devices allow service personnel to drive near the radio meter reading device with a receiver device to read the meter. With such technology service personnel do not need to enter the property. An advantage of such a system is that, in rural areas, the time it takes service personnel to read the meters can be reduced.
For example, one system might require service personnel to physically drive by or near a collection of meter reading devices in order to communicate with the devices. The data collected in the "drive-by" would be later uploaded to a centralized data collection system.
Another solution can include periodic stations that collect wireless data from the devices. The periodic stations, in turn could include a landline modem that communicates with the centralized data collection system by way of circuit switched calls. Such a solution offers an alternative to deploying service personnel, however, setting up phone lines to service the periodic stations can also be expensive. Moreover, circuit switched calls can also be expensive.
The problems mentioned above are exacerbated by deregulation of the utilities industry in the United States. It is now possible for several different suppliers of electricity to service a single metropolitan area. This, in turn, results in a non-contiguous patchwork of service areas that service personnel may have to monitor. No longer can it be assumed that all users in a particular geographic area receive electrical power from a single service provider. Indeed, on a single residential block many households may have different service providers. Moreover, the alleged ease with which a consumer may switch service providers further complicates the circumstance. Accordingly, the ability to amortize the costs of collecting usage measurements is reduced.

Methods and systems for meter reading and high speed data transfer


Embodiments of the subject technology provide a multi-tenant asset tracking system that disambiguates or filters RFID tags.

Traditionally, an organization would use RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags, RFID tag readers and a data server to keep track of their assets and their physical locations while in their realm of control (e.g., buildings, yards, etc.). Asset information would be stored in a database either inside the organization's network, or, more recently, on a database in a virtual private network ("the cloud"), such database nevertheless being an information silo. However, "returnable" assets such as crates, kegs and other containers regularly leave the organization's realm of control, and as part of a delivery chain, enter realms of third parties, before hopefully being returned to the organization. Such third parties may be receiving returnable assets from yet other parties as well, or have their own asset tracking needs, in addition to collaborating with the first organization.


An elution test method measures the elution process of a specific component in a process where a preparation containing at least the specific component subject to a change with time in chemical properties after elution and an impurity component not subject to a change with time in chemical properties after elution is eluted into a test liquid. The method obtains a ratio of absorbance k of the impurity component and a ratio of absorbance k′ of the specific component at two isosbestic point wavelengths λ1, λ2 in a spectrum including the specific component and its decomposed matter, and calculates at least one of the absorbances A1(t), A2(t) of said specific component by using k×C2(t)−C1(t)=k×A2(t)−A1(t) and A1(t)/A2(t)=k′ from the absorbance C1(t), C2(t) at said two isosbestic point wavelengths λ1, λ2 measured at the plural time points t in the elution process of said preparation, and converts the result to an elution concentration.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an elution test for evaluating the elution properties of a specific component contained in a pharmaceutical preparation. More specifically, the present invention relates to an elution test method for measuring the volume of solution of a specific component from a preparation such as a tablet or a capsule in an elution test liquid in a state (environment) similar to the inside of a digestive tube in order to obtain the elution concentration of the specific component, and elution test apparatus used for the method.
2. Related Art
In general, a pharmaceutical preparation undergoes a change in the elution properties and efficacy when only the size of a tablet is changed although the shape of medicine is the same. Even in case the size is unchanged, a different coating on the surface of the medicine leads to a change in the elution properties and the efficacy. When placing on the market a pharmaceutical preparation containing a specific component, an elution test is required for evaluating the properties of elution of the specific component into an elution test liquid. In case the specific component is not eluted within a predetermined time, it is judged that the expected efficacy is not obtained. The elution test liquid refers to an elution test liquid being acid (around pH1), weak acid (around pH4), or neutral (around pH7). In particular, in the case of a preparation that requires an in vitro-in vivo correlation, it is recommended to use a neutral test liquid as per the FDA guideline.
In the development of a pharmaceutical preparation, various preparation prescriptions are studies to establish a preparation prescription having optimum elution properties of a specific component so that the specific component will deliver in vivo with an expected efficacy. Such being the background, an elution test in the development of a pharmaceutical preparation involves a large number of samples to be evaluated. The elution test is cumbersome and takes time in analysis. Thus, a speedup of elution test operation is an essential requirement in the development of a pharmaceutical preparation.
In general, an elution test method for a pharmaceutical is defined in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. Although the Japanese Pharmacopoeia defines the operation procedure in its elution test method, it does not include details on a method for calculating the elution concentration of a pharmaceutical from the data obtained.
As methods for determining the volume of pharmaceutical generally include absorbance measurement method (UV method) and the liquid chromatography (HPLC method).
The absorbance measurement method fills a test liquid containing a specific component eluted from a preparation in a certain cell of glass or quartz, measures the absorbance of the test liquid at a predetermined wavelength with a spectrophotometer, and obtains the degree of elution based on the working curve. The liquid chromatography separates a specific component alone via the liquid chromatography technique from a test liquid containing the specific component eluted from a preparation and obtains the degree of elution from the absorbance of the specific component by using a spectrophotometer.
The absorbance measurement method is simple and accurate so that it is often employed in quality management tests for pharmaceuticals. Its merits include a short analysis time and a small running cost required in analysis. In case an impurity component other than the specific component is mixed in the preparation, it is difficult to selectively determine the specific component alone. The impurity component generally refers to a component that hinders determination of the volume of the specific component, such as an antoxidant (such as ascorbic acid) or antiseptic and milderproofing agents contained in the preparation as well as a pharmaceutical additive having absorption in the ultraviolet or visible area.
The liquid chromatography is capable of separating a plurality of components in a preparation and determining their volumes, with demerits including a long analysis time and a larger running cost. For a substance whose specific component tends to change, the specific component changes during analysis in the liquid chromatography method that requires a long analysis time, thus making it difficult to obtain a precise value.
Generally, an elution test of a pharmaceutical evaluates the elution process of a specific component A alone assuming that the specific component is A and does not need to evaluate a decompressed matter A′ that changed from the specific component A. However, in an elution test, concerning the specific component A that suffers from change, as an example, the volumes of the specific component A and the decompressed matter A′ that changed from the specific component A are determined to determine the total component volume A+A′, or the specific component A is converted to a decompressed matter A′ or their derivative A″ for measurement (refer to document Vo. 412, published by Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Associations of Japan, "management of hardly-soluble pharmaceutical and variation pharmaceutical for the quality reevaluation").
To determine the volume of a specific component A and the decomposed matter A′ that changed from the specific component A and obtain the total component volume A+A′, general approaches include a method of separating the specific component A present in an eluate and the decomposed matter A′ respectively by way of the HPLC method and obtaining the sum of their volumes, or a method of separating the specific component A present in an eluate and the decomposed matter A′ respectively by way of the HPLC method to determine only the volume of the specific component A and correcting the volume of change from the specific component A to the decomposed matter A′ by way of the Nelson-Wagner method that is based on the primary decomposition reaction and obtaining the elution ratio.
FIG. 10 shows a measurement example of decomposed matter A′ by way of the Nelson-Wagner method. This method calculates the volume of change from the specific component A to the decomposed matter A′ from the reaction velocity and obtains an elution profile via simulation. Note that in this method the reaction of the specific component A changing into the decomposed matter A′ must be halted immediately after sampling, which makes the operation cumbersome.
In determination of a specific component in an elution test liquid by way of the absorbance measurement method, in case the preparation contains an impurity component having absorption in the ultraviolet or visible area other than the specific component, it is difficult to selectively determine the specific component alone. Further, in case the specific component easily changes in the test liquid, a precise elution volume is not determined. In the determination of the specific component in an elution test liquid by using the liquid chromatography, the reaction of the specific component must be halted through pH adjustment immediately after the sampling, which adds to cumbersome operation.


mechanisms are provided to securely access systems of a distributed computer system by entering passwords. Some systems are accessible by equal, and some systems are accessible by different passwords. The mechanisms store information, which systems (I, II) are accessible by equal, and which are accessible by different passwords and ask to enter a proper password when opening a session by accessing a system of the distributed computer system. The mechanisms cache the password and use the stored information to verify, if another system to be accessed during the current session is accessible by an equal password like a system already accessed during said session. If the result of the verification is true, the mechanisms re-use the adequate cached password. If the result of the verification is false, the mechanism ask to enter a proper password to access the other system and cache the password required to access the other system in a way that during the current session, it can be re-used when accessing other systems accessible by the same password.

The invention relates to a method to securely access systems of a distributed computer system by entering passwords, wherein some of the systems are accessible by equal, and some of the systems are accessible by different passwords.
Modern computer systems, particularly distributed computer systems as well as many applications and services are protected by passwords. Thereby the problem arises that users have too many passwords that expire at different points in time and have different password rules. Furthermore some systems enforce password rules wherein others do not. In general users often choose the same password for multiple systems in order to easily keep them in mind. Moreover users also often write down the passwords, which violates the basic security rules for passwords.
Forgotten passwords lead to a high helpdesk call rate involving high costs. About 30% of all helpdesk requests are password related.
An approach to solve the problem of managing multiple passwords is single sign on (SSO). SSO is a mechanism whereby a single action of user authentication and authorization can permit a user to access all computers, systems and/or multiple application components in a distributed application environment to which the user has access permission, without the need to enter multiple passwords.
Two categories of products supporting SSO are known. One is password synchronization, the other is database-based passwords with master password.
Products supporting password synchronization use one single password to access multiple systems. Password synchronization allows the user to change the password for multiple systems with a single user action. A disadvantage of password synchronization is that if the password gests in the hand of the wrong person all systems can be directly accessed by this person with this password. Due to this, password synchronization is insecure.
Products supporting database-based passwords with master password use a database to store multiple passwords for multiple systems. The user gets access to all systems by entering the master password, wherein the SSO product will lookup the correct password for a given system in the database. This database must therefore store the passwords with a two-way encryption in order to retrieve the passwords later in clear to authenticate the user. A disadvantage of such database-based passwords with master password is that the two-way encryption is insecure if the system passwords are stored in high secure products such as Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) with one-way encryption. Thereby one-way encryption is an algorithm, like e.g. Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), that encodes a sequence of characters, like e.g. a password, in a way that it is not possible to write other algorithms to restore the original sequence of characters, wherein two-way encryption is an algorithm, like e.g. Data Encryption Standard (DES), that encodes a sequence of characters in a way that it is only possible to restore the original sequence of characters by the same algorithm. Again, if the master password gets in the hand of the wrong person then all systems can be accessed with this one password using the SSO product.
Because of the fact that SSO gives the users master password access to all systems, it is recommended to use smart cards, biometric scanners or both instead of a single master password. Some SSO products support such features.
Moreover commercial SSO products for the complete Information Technology (IT) infrastructure are very expensive and can lead to its own problems, such as the drawbacks mentioned above.

Secure access to a plurality of systems of a distributed computer system by entering passwords

International Business Machines Corporation