An explicit rate algorithm is disclosed for use in an end-to-end closed loop flow control algorithm for an ATM network which carries at least constant bit rate (CBR) traffic, variable bit rate (VBR) traffic and adjustable bit rate (ABR) traffic. The algorithm determines how much additional bandwidth is available for ABR traffic on an output link from a node and produces an explicit rate variable that can be forwarded to a source for the ABR traffic. Both the maximum and minimum bandwidths already reserved for all connections on the output link are determined. A single reserved bandwidth value is chosen within the range defined by the maximum and minimum reserved bandwidth values. The current utilization of the ABR input buffer for the node is also determined. The explicit rate variable is generated as a function of the link capacity, the reserved bandwidth value and the current utilization of the ABR input buffer. The explicit rate variable is written into a resource management cell which is routed through the network to the ABR traffic source. The explicit rate variable is intended to change the input rate of the ABR source to utilize more of the ABR input buffer.

In early data communications networks, data flow control and error detection/recovery were typically performed at each intermediate node or system on the path between the source and destination systems. The hop-by-hop operations were believed to be needed to deal with data lost or corrupted as result of using the then-available high error rate data transmission technology and media.
Data transmission technology and media have improved over time, allowing data communications networks to evolve into systems in which flow control and error detection/recovery can become primarily the responsibility of nodes at the end points of a network data path. An effort is being made to minimize packet processing operations (and the time required to perform such operations) at intermediate nodes to reduce the time required to move the data from source to destination; that is, to increase system throughput.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode or ATM technology is an increasingly pervasive example of technology in which flow control and error detection/recovery are typically performed only at end nodes on a data path. In ATM systems, all data is transported in relatively short fixed length cells. Standard ATM cells have a five byte header, which carries cell control and routing information, and a forty-eight byte payload, which normally carries actual user data. The advantage of using fixed length cells is that such cells can be switched at extremely high speeds by special purpose hardware switches within the ATM network.
While the ATM cell structure may be standard, the data transported in such cells may represent divergent types of information, which have divergent, sometimes inconsistent characteristics and transport requirements. Transported data may represent computer data or audio information or image information. Examples of audio information include human speech or music. Examples of image information include "live" video or photographs or graphic or medical images.
Where the data being transported represents audio or video information, a loss of a certain amount of the data during transmission generally can be tolerated before the quality of the reconstructed audio or video information is noticeably degraded. However, certain kinds of such data, such as live video signals or speech, cannot be excessively delayed or subject to cell-to-cell end-to-end variations in transit time (that is, be subject to jitter) without causing a significant loss of quality of the reconstructed audio or video information. In contrast, a certain level of transmission delay or jitter is tolerable for computer data while loss or corruption of such data is generally intolerable.
Data which must be delivered with low tolerances on delay or jitter is characterized as real-time (RT) data. Data which is delay-tolerant is characterized as non-real-time (NRT) data. In most, but not necessarily all, cases, RT data is loss-tolerant while NRT data is loss-intolerant.
Any data communications network, including an ATM network, has a limited capacity (bandwidth) available for the transport of user data. The goal of a network designer or administrator is to consistently use as much of that bandwidth as possible while continuing to satisfy loss and/or delay requirements for the different kinds of data that are transported. Generically, loss and delay requirements are referred to as Quality of Service or QOS requirements.
In an ATM network, a connection is normally set up each time a source node wishes to send data to a destination node in the network. The connection setup includes the selection of a route or path through the network and the establishment of service parameters and QOS guarantees for the duration of the connection. Multiple connections between different source-destination pairs can concurrently use the same physical link in the network. To accommodate the different service requirements of different kinds of traffic in an ATM network, different classes of ATM traffic have been defined. The defined classes of interest here are CBR (Constant Bit Rate), VBR (Variable Bit Rate) and ABR (Available Bit Rate).
CBR traffic is traffic that needs to be transmitted at a specified, substantially constant bit rate. Examples of CBR traffic include real-time audio or video traffic or an ATM network connection emulating a standard T1 (1.544-Mbit/s) line. CBR traffic is delay and jitter intolerant. During set up of a CBR, a Peak Cell Rate (PCR) must be negotiated to define the maximum rate at which data can be transported without creating a significant risk of cell loss. Data is typically then transmitted at the negotiated PCR rate. If an attempt in made to transmit traffic at a rate exceeding the PCR, the excess traffic may be discarded by the network.
VBR traffic includes two subclasses of traffic--VBR real-time (VBR-RT) and VBR non-real-time (VBR-NRT). VBR-RT traffic is traffic which may be generated at varying rates (that is, be bursty) while still requiring tight limits on acceptable limits of cell jitter. Examples of VBR-RT traffic include video signals generated by a variable-rate codec or aggregated voice traffic with silence removal. VBR-NRT traffic is traffic which may be bursty but which is more delay tolerant than VBR-RT traffic. An example of VBR-NRT traffic includes traffic resulting from transaction processing, such as credit verification or other point-of-sale operations.
For each VBR connection to be set up, a Peak Cell Rate, a Sustained Cell Rate (SCR) and a jitter tolerance value must be negotiated. The negotiated SCR represents the average throughput to be permitted over the connection. While traffic may be accepted from a VBR source at rates exceeding the negotiated SCR for short periods of time (as long as the excess rates don't exceed the negotiated PCR), the rate at which traffic will subsequently be accepted from the same source must be reduced below the SCR sufficiently to maintain the negotiated SCR over a longer period of time. To assure that the SCR parameter can be observed over a relatively long period of time, still another parameter, a burst tolerance, must be established when the connection is being set-up. Burst tolerance defines how long a VBR connection will be allowed to accept traffic at rates greater than SCR before the traffic rate is reduced below SCR to maintain an overall throughput not exceeding SCR.
During these periods of reduced traffic activity and perhaps at other times during network operation, a significant amount of network bandwidth may be unused or idle. The ABR traffic class has been defined in an effort to exploit the availability of idle network bandwidth. ABR traffic is intended to make optimum use of what might otherwise be unused network bandwidth while utilizing traffic management techniques to monitor actual or incipient network congestion which might, if not taken into account, lead to unacceptable cell loss during transmission attempts.
The setup of an ABR connection requires negotiation of the same kind of PCR parameter that exists for a VBR connection. The PCR parameter serves the same purpose for both kinds of connections; namely, to limit the maximum rate at which traffic will be accepted for transmission over the connection. No effort is made to negotiate jitter or burst tolerances for ABR traffic. Instead, the ABR source and the network negotiate a Minimum Cell Rate (MCR) parameter representing the minimum amount of connection bandwidth that will always be available to the ABR traffic source. Generally, the MCR parameter represents the minimum transmission rate which must be available if the ABR traffic source or application is stay alive; i.e., continue to execute.
For CBR and VBR connections in an ATM network, no effort is made to dynamically control congestion (network traffic loads) from within the network. If, however, the goal is to utilize idle network bandwidth, it makes sense to attempt to dynamically control congestion through the use of a closed-loop congestion management techniques. Such techniques monitor network traffic and provide feedback to a traffic source to permit that source to adjust the rate at which traffic is made available to the network to levels which assure that existing QOS requirements continue to be observed.
A simple type of end-to-end control loop uses Explicit Forward Congestion Indicator (EFCI) messages generated by intermediate switches on a data path. An intermediate switch capable of supporting EFCI operation can set an EFCI indicator in the header of an in-transit regular data cell to indicate that the network is congested at the intermediate switch. When the cell reaches the connection destination, the destination node stores the congestion information until it receives a special Resource Management (RM) cell from the source node. The destination node writes the congestion information into the RM cell and returns that cell to the source node.
Some intermediate switches don't explicitly support EFCI operation but can write congestion information into Congestion Indicator (CI) and No.sub.-- increase Indicator (NI) bits in a regular data cell header. The CI/NI information is forwarded to the destination node and stored there until a RM cell can be returned to the source node.
For either EFCI or CI/NI operation, the source node responds to a congestion notification in an RM cell by reducing its transmission rate. In either an EFCI or a CI/NI control loop, the intermediate switches play a very limited role, providing only a binary indication (congested or not congested) rather than a quantitative indication of the degree of congestion or the level of available bandwidth. Therefore, there is no assurance that the response of the source node will be appropriate for the actual congestion conditions in the network.
A more sophisticated feedback mechanism, identified as Explicit Rate Marking (ERM), allows the intermediate switches to play a larger role in the control of network congestion. Generally speaking, a switch implementing ERM feedback can provide quantitative information about the amount of bandwidth available at a given time at the switch. When such information is made available to the source station through the use of RM cells, the source station can respond by adjusting the transmission rate to a level which results in improved utilization of the idle bandwidth.
Different algorithms or methods can be used to generate ER values. One proposal, R. Jain, "A Sample Switch Algorithm," ATM.sub.-- Forum/95-0178R1, February 1995, is for each intermediate switch on a path to monitor the load on each outgoing link to determine the overload factor and the number of active ABR connections on that link. The overload factor for a link is a function of the input rate N/T and the target cell rate U.sup.* C where N is the number of cells received during a time period T, U.sup.* is the target link utilization factor and C is the capacity or bandwidth of the link. The target link utilization factor U.sup.* is always less than 100%, and is preferably is on the order of 80%-90%, reflecting the reality that 100% of a link's theoretical capacity is not going available for use in a real network.
The overload factor is defined as the ratio of the input rate over the target cell rate; that is, N/(TU.sup.* C). Under this approach, an Er.sub.i value for ABR connection i is: ##EQU1## where n is the number of active ABR connections and CCR is the current cell rate, the rate at which cells are currently being transmitted over the connection.
One disadvantage of the above algorithm is that it ignores ABR buffer capacity, which might be available at any given time.
Another proposal is set forth in A. Barnhart, "Explicit Rate Performance Evaluation," ATM.sub.-- Forum/94-0983, October 1994. According that proposal, each intermediate switch on a data path makes measurements which permit it to determine the actual input rate and the target output rate for an ABR connection. A connection-explicit ER value is established as a function of the ratio of the actual input rate to the target output rate. Connections which have an actual input rate less than the target output rate are allowed to increase their transmission rate. Conversely, connections which have an actual input rate exceeding their target output rate are required to reduce their transmission rate.
The proposal does not define how current available bandwidth is determined or how the target output rate for an ABR connection is derived. Both of these are described in the technical description of the present invention.

ATM network congestion control system using explicit rate cell marking

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for verifying data in a storage system is disclosed. A host computer transmits area management data to a storage controller. The area management data specifies a range of a storage area in a storage device to be used by an application program having a mechanism for verifying data suitability. Upon receipt of an input/output request transmitted from the host computer, the storage controller performs verification, which is usually performed by the application program, of the data that is to be processed according to the data input/output request and to be input/output to/from the storage area, which is specified in accordance with the received area management data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for verifying data in a storage system, a host computer and a storage controller in a storage system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A storage system in which a host computer and a storage controller such as a disk array device are interconnected via a SAN (Storage Area Network) or other networks for intensive storage operation or other similar purposes have been attracting considerable attention. Storage systems configured as above are now being operated at IDCs (Internet Data Centers) and many other places. Recently, focus has been made on systems that use a storage controller called a NAS (Network Attached Storage) which is provided with a file system and uses a LAN (Local Area Network) as the network.
It is often required that the data for database software or other application programs running on a host computer in a storage system configured and operated as described above is in accordance with certain specifications (such a property is hereinafter referred to as "suitability"). Under these circumstances, some application programs are provided with an algorithm for verifying the suitability of the data to be processed.
Even if an application program is provided with the above-mentioned algorithm, however, the data suitability may be lost depending on the SAN or other communication path for connecting a host computer to a storage controller or due to an internal process performed by the storage controller. Further, the storage controller is frequently shared by a plurality of host computers. In such a situation, the data suitability may be impaired if, for instance, an application program running on one host computer inadvertently accesses the data of an application program running on another host computer.
If, for instance, the suitability of the data to be written into a storage controller is lost in a situation in which an application program is not involved, the storage controller will not be able to recognize such a loss of data suitability and will automatically store the unsuitable data. In this instance, the application program will not recognize the loss of data suitability until it reads the data later. If there is a long time lag between the instant at which the data is written and the instant at which the data is read, data recovery may be difficult to achieve.
Even in situations where data is backed up by the storage controller, data recovery win not be achievable if the backed-up data has already lost suitability. Further, if the data suitability is lost in a situation in which an application program is not involved as mentioned above, the cause of the problem is often difficult to specify so that subsequent failure recovery and other similar operations may be rendered difficult to accomplish.
The above problem can be solved if the storage controller is configured to verify the data. In storage systems, data stored in the storage controller by an application program is generally provided with additional information such as information added by an operating system (hereinafter referred to as the "OS") running on a host computer and information about volumes having been logically organized by a host computer. Further, for example, due to the OS, volume management program, etc., the data stored in the storage controller by an application program is not arranged in a manner in which the data on a host computer is arranged for reference by the application program. However, the storage controller would not be able to get hold of the above-mentioned information and arrangement. That is, as far as the traditional storage system scheme is used, the data verification process performed by an application program cannot be performed by the storage controller. If it were to allow the storage controller to accomplish such data verification, it would be necessary to establish a scheme that would enable the storage controller to acquire relevant information from an application program, OS, and volume management program.
As a scheme to facilitate the checking procedure for enhancement of data reliability, i.e., RAS (Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability), which is conducted when an application program reads data from or writes data onto a magnetic disk, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 8-263223 discloses a mechanism in which the CPU generates RAS data when an I/O operation is performed by an application program and attaches the RAS data to data to be written onto a magnetic disk, in order to enable a magnetic disk input/output channel and magnetic disk controller to conduct a data check.
In the scheme disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, however, the RAS data is independently generated by the CPU and appended to the data to be written. Further, the RAS data does not relate to the data suitability required by an application program. The disclosed scheme is not configured to recognize such information or configuration nor to verify the suitability demanded by individual application programs running on a host computer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for verifying data in a storage system


Disclosed are protein ligands comprising an immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (VH) domain and an immunoglobulin light chain variable (VL) domain, wherein the proteins bind a complex comprising an MHC and a peptide, do not substantially bind the MHC in the absence of the bound peptide, and do not substantially bind the peptide in the absence of the MHC, and the peptide is a peptide fragment of gp100, MUC1, TAX, or hTERT. Also disclosed are methods of using and identifying such ligands.

In recent years, major advances in tumor immunology have led to an increased understanding of the immune responses against tumors. For example, with respect to melanoma, human melanoma and other tumor cells express antigens that are recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) derived from cancer patients (Boon and van der Bruggen (1996) J Exp Med 183:725-9; Rosenberg (2001) Nature 411:380-4; Renkvist and Parmiani (2001) Cancer Immunol Immunother 50:3-15). The cascade of molecular recognition events associated with these tumor-associated immune responses involve the expression of specific peptides in complex with MHC class I molecules on the cancer cells. For example, human melanomas express tumor-associated peptides that are presented to the immune system in a complex with class I HLA-A2 molecules (Anichini et al. (1993) J. Exp. Med. 177:989-98; Coulie et al. (1994) J. Exp. Med. 180:35-42). Several categories of cancer-associated antigens have been reported as targets for CTLs in vitro and in vivo such as cancer-testis antigens that are expressed in different tumors and in normal testis, melanocyte differentiation antigens, point mutations of normal genes, antigens that are overexpressed in malignant tissues, and viral antigens (Renkvist and Parmiani (2001) Cancer Immunol Immunother 50:3-15). Although there is strong experimental evidence demonstrating the presence of these antigens on a variety of tumors, they are apparently unable to elicit a strong enough anti-tumor immune response (Rivoltini et al. (1998) Crit Rev Immunol 18:55-63).
Therefore many modern cancer immunotherapy approaches are now designed to induce and enhance T cell reactivity against these tumor antigens. Intensive research on cancer peptides has culminated in many clinical trials involving therapeutic vaccination of cancer patients with antigenic peptides or proteins (Rosenberg (2001) Nature 411:380-4; Offringa and Melief (2000) Curr Opin Immunol 12:576-82). Moreover, several studies demonstrated that the inability of the patient's immune system to elicit an effective immune response against the tumor is often due to poor antigen presentation (Restifo et al. (1993) J. Exp. Med. 177:265-72; Seliger and Ferrone (2000) Immunol. Today 21:455-64). Nevertheless, these studies have encouraged the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies that employ vaccination protocols with tumor cells, tumor extracts, RNA-loaded dendritic cells, or tumor cell-dendritic cell hybrid vaccination (Esche (1999) Curr Opin Mol Ther 1:72-81; Kugler et al. (2000) Nat. Med. 6:332-36). Tumor-specific MHC-peptide complexes present on the surface of tumor cells may also offer a unique and specific target for an antibody-based therapeutic approach. To develop such a strategy, targeting moieties such as recombinant antibodies that will specifically recognize peptide-MHC complexes must be isolated.
The recent advent of MHC-peptide tetramers has provided a new tool for studying antigen-specific T cell populations in health and disease, even when they are very rare, by monitoring tetramer-T cell binding via flow cytometry (Altman et al. (1996) Science 274:94-96; Lee et al. (1999) Nat. Med. 5:677-85; Ogg et al. (1998) Science 279:2103-06). However, to date there are very few tools available to detect, visualize, count, and study antigen (MHC-peptide) presentation. Indeed, several studies demonstrated that the inability of the patient's immune system to elicit an effective immune response against the tumor is often due to poor antigen presentation (Restifo et al. (1993) J. Exp. Med. 177:265-72; Seliger and Ferrone (2000) Immunol. Today 21:455-64). Antibodies with T cell receptor-like specificity could enable measuring the antigen presentation capabilities of such tumor or antigen presenting cells, for example by direct visualization of the specific MHC-peptide complex on the cell surface. Some attempts to use recombinant soluble T cell receptors for this purpose have largely failed because of their inherent low affinity for their target as well as their instability as recombinant-engineered molecules (Wulfing and Pluckthun (1994) J Mol Biol 242:655-69). Therefore, in addition to being used as targeting agents, TCR-like antibodies would serve as a valuable tool to obtain precise information about the presence, expression pattern, and distribution of the target tumor antigen, i.e., the MHC-peptide complex, on the tumor cell surface, on tumor metastases, in lymphoid organs, and on professional antigen-presenting cells.
Antibodies that specifically recognize class I MHC-peptide complexes have been used in murine systems to study antigen presentation, to localize and quantify antigen-presenting cells displaying a T cell epitope, or as a targeting tool in a mouse model (Andersen et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 93:1820-24; Porgador (1997) Immunity 6:715-26; Day (1997) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:8064-9; Zhong (1997) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1997 94, 13856-61; Zhong (1997) J Exp Med. 186, 673-82; Dadaglio (1997) Immunity 6, 727-38; Murphy et al. (1989) Nature 338:765-8; Aharoni (1991) Nature. 351:147-50; Krogsgaard et al. (2000) J Exp Med. 191, 1395-412; Reiter and Pastan (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94:4631-36).

Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.


A solid-state image pickup device which includes a circuit board provided with a hole and with a circuit layer formed thereon, a solid-state image pickup element housed in the hole and having an upper surface constituting a light-receiving face and electrodes formed on a peripheral portion of the upper surface, and a glass plate disposed over the light-receiving face and provided with a connecting conductive layer which is extended from the underside of the glass plate, via the sidewall of the glass plate, to the upper surface of the glass plate. The electrode is electrically connected with the connecting conductive layer formed on the underside of glass plate, and the connecting conductive layer is electrically connected with the circuit layer formed on the upper surface of the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device and to an electronic instrument such as a mobile telephone which is equipped with the solid-state image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, digital cameras and video cameras utilizing a solid-state image pickup device including a solid-state image pickup element such as a CCD or C-MOS device have been increasingly popularized and, at the same time, the techniques to further miniaturize the solid-state image pickup device by making use of a chip-size package (CSP) system have been developed (see for example, JP-A 2005-167243 and JP-A 2005-229609). The solid-state image pickup element of such a small size is suitable in building it into electronic equipment such as a mobile telephone where miniaturization, weight-saving and the reduction of thickness are desired.
As shown in FIG. 1, such a small size solid-state image pickup device 10 is constructed such that a solid-state image pickup element 13 is mounted on a circuit board 12 arranged on the bottom of an outer case 11 and, over this solid-state image pickup element 13, an infrared-cut filter 14 and a lens-barrel 16 equipped with lenses 15 are disposed.
Electrode pads (not shown) provided at a peripheral region of the light-receiving face of the solid-state image pickup element 13 are electrically connected, through wires 17, with bumps 18 for external connection at the underside of the outer case 11.
The thickness of this small size solid-state image pickup device 10 constructed as shown in FIG. 1 is about 7 to 12 mm.
When it is desired to build this small size solid-state image pickup device 10 constructed as described above into a mobile telephone, it is necessarily mounted on a printed circuit board 22 attached inside the outer frame 21 of mobile telephone as shown in FIG. 2, resulting in an increase of thickness as a whole of mobile telephone.
Thus, it is now desired to promote the miniaturization, weight-saving and the reduction in thickness of the solid-state image pickup device in order to build it into small electronic equipment such as a mobile telephone, etc.

Solid-state image pickup device and electronic instruments


An assembly for lamp construction, including a solid tungsten W component (10) and at least one film (9) having two contact faces, comprising a metallic molybdenum base body and a coating, which is applied at least in part to said base body and which includes ruthenium or rhenium alone or as an alloy in the region of the first contact face, which produces the contact with the W component, whereas the second contact face is not coated and is intended to be in contact with glass.

An assembly for lamp construction and an associated lamp and a method for connecting the assembly has already been disclosed in DE-A 196 18 967. Here, the glass component is referred to as a securing component. This component, which is often also referred to as a supporting roll, is fixed by means of a molybdenum stopper, evidently a wire. The stopper is clearly simply pushed onto the electrode rod, but cannot be fixed, since molybdenum cannot be welded to solid tungsten.
A similar technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,535. Here, the supporting roll is fixed owing to its conical shape, and owing to the fact that the neck of the discharge vessel bears closely against the supporting roll.

Assembly for lamp construction and associated lamp and method for connecting the assembly

Patent - TreuhandGesellschaft fur Elektrische Glühlampen mbH


A space and an elastic member have a first part where a distance between an outer peripheral surface of a metal bush and an inner peripheral surface of a resin member is a first distance, a second part where the distance between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface is a second distance different from the first distance, and a third part where the distance between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface is a third distance different from the first distance in a cross section along a radial direction of a resin gear. The first part is provided between the second part and the third part in an axial direction of the resin gear.

Resin gears are lightweight, excellent in quietness, and widely used as, for example, vehicular or industrial gears. A resin gear including a metal bush, a resin member provided around the metal bush and having a tooth profile formed in an outer peripheral portion, and an elastic member provided between the metal bush and the resin member is known as a resin gear (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). In a case where an impact is applied to such a resin gear as a result of meshing with another gear, the impact is absorbed and damped by elastic deformation of the elastic member, that is, the damper effect (damping function) of the elastic member is obtained.


This invention relates to the improvement of gastrointestinal health, immunity and performance by direct dietary intervention with a composition comprising a glucan and/or a fucan, and relates in particular to the transfer of associated health benefits to offspring via glucan and/or a fucan supplementation of the maternal diet. Accordingly the present invention provides a composition comprising at least one glucan, at least one fucan, or at least one glucan and at least one fucan for use in improving or maintaining the gastrointestinal health or function of a progeny of a maternal animal by administration to the maternal animal, and a method for improving or maintaining the gastrointestinal health or function of a progeny of a maternal animal, the method comprising administering a composition comprising at least one glucan, at least one fucan, or at least one glucan and at least one fucan to the maternal animal.

Paediatric clinicians and veterinarians are well-informed on the importance of achieving optimal nutrition during pregnancy to achieve successful physical, cognitive and neural development. Several trials have demonstrated the effects associated with deficiencies or toxicities of nutrients and other compounds on foetal development and its subsequent phenological characterisation. This has highlighted the importance of prenatal and perinatal dietary interventions to achieve optimal development during the critical stages and a healthy growth rate post partum.
To compound these issues, the publication of the Swann report (1969) encouraged a more stringent control of antibiotic usage in animal feeds due to the risks associated with antibiotic resistance, specifically the imposing threat on public health. This led to the EU prohibition of growth promoting antibiotics in animal feeds in January 2006. The prohibition of these growth promoters created a void in the market for intensive farming producers and also presented an opportunity for sourcing of a natural, safe alternative. The inclusion of laminarin and/or alpha-fucan in lactation diets of pigs, poultry, horses, sheep, rabbits, fish, humans and other monogastric subjects will have a major effect on the critical immunological and microbiological status at and immediately following parturition and will therefore have a major effect on consequent welfare, development and growth rates.
Algal beta-glucans, called laminarin, consist of beta (1→3)-D glucosyl subunits with occasional (1→6) linked branches. Laminarin from Laminaria digitata occurs as two homologous series of molecules, a minor G series containing 22-28 glucosyl residues and a more abundant M series consisting of 20-30 glucosyl residues linked to a mannitol residue. Laminarin from many species of Laminaria (including Laminaria hyperborea) is relatively insoluble and consists of predominantly beta (1→3) chains while laminarin from Laminaria digitata is soluble and consists of small but significant levels of beta (1→6) linked branches. (Read et al, 1996).
Yeast beta glucans are found in long linear chains of up to 1300-1500 glucose residues linked by beta (1→3) bonds with a minor incidence of beta (1→6) chains. Laminarin has much smaller chain lengths (average=24 residues) with occasional beta (1→6) branches, depending on the species. Laminaria digitata has the beta (1→6) branching which make the glucans derived from them water soluble. Other Laminaria species, like Laminaria hyperborea, do not have this branching which makes the linear chains aggregate and makes the glucans derived from it, insoluble.
Natural polysaccharides built essentially of sulfated alpha-L-fucose residues are known as fucoidan (or alpha-fucans). These are present in brown algae, some echinoderms and are the second most predominant polysaccharide in brown seaweed, like Ascophyllum nodosum and species of Laminaria. alpha-Fucans have been extensively studied due to their diverse biological activities, since they are potent anticoagulant, antitumor, and antiviral agents.
The present invention encompasses the use of alpha-fucans, in particular the fucans present in sea plants, such as the sea cucumber body wall; in particular the alpha-fucan present in the cell walls of marine algae, and the egg jelly coat of sea urchin eggs. Ideally the present invention utilises fucoidan, the alpha-fucan present in macroalgae.

Of gastrointestinal health, immunity and performance by dietary intervention


A fixed head walk reel mower has a frame supported for rolling over the ground. A reel cutting unit comprising a rotatable reel and a cooperating bedknife has a fixed orientation on the frame. The frame pivotally carries a ground engaging pivotal rear traction drum that can be selectively disposed in two different mowing positions when cutting grass at lower or higher height of cut ranges, respectively. This allows a single mower to cut grass at lower heights of cut on golf course greens as well as at higher heights of cut on tee boxes while minimizing degradation in cutting or power performance.

Walk reel mowers are known for mowing grass at extremely low heights of cut on the greens of golf courses and at low, but somewhat higher heights of cut, on the tee boxes of golf courses. Traditionally, in order to maintain quality of cut and effective power usage when cutting, two different reel mowers have typically been employed for these two different but related uses, one reel mower being optimized for cutting grass on the greens and another reel mower that is optimized for cutting grass on the tee boxes. The need to purchase, maintain, and have on hand both types of reel mowers is obviously more costly to the operator of the golf course. It would be an advance in the art if a single reel mower could handle both cutting tasks without having its cutting or power performance be degraded in either task.
As reel mowers are used, either walk reel mowers or reel mowers comprising one or more reel cutting units that might be propelled by a common traction frame, the diameter of the cutting reel decreases over time as the reel wears. This decrease in diameter is undesirable in terms of the ability of a grass shield that partially surrounds the cutting reel to properly direct the grass clippings being generated by the operation of the reel. In the past, a typical reel mower grass shield has included a vertically adjustable lip that could be moved downwardly as the reel diameter became smaller in an attempt to maintain a constant spacing. However, such a lip then presents a surface on which grass clippings often impact and collect, thus degrading the grass clipping directing performance of the grass shield when the lip is deployed to compensate for the wear of the cutting reel. It would be a further advance in the art to provide a better solution to the problem of compensating for a reduction in the diameter of the cutting reel due to wear without any diminishment in the ability of the grass shield to direct and discharge grass clippings therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,443 discloses a walk reel mower having an automatic slow in turn system that automatically slows the ground speed of the mower during turns of the mower as when the user is swinging the mower around approximately 180° to make a cutting pass in a direction opposite to the direction of the preceding cutting pass. However, such a system works by detecting the change in orientation between the reel cutting unit and the frame of the mower that is caused when the user pushes down on the handle assembly to initiate such a turn. This system would not work on a fixed head reel mower in which the reel cutting unit does change its orientation relative to the frame. Moreover, some embodiments of this system utilize a switch or sensor of some type to detect the change in cutting unit orientation and complicated electronic controllers to reduce the ground speed in accordance with such detection. A simpler slow in turn system applicable to fixed head greensmowers and/or having simple mechanical components rather than electrical components is needed in the reel mower art.
Finally, many reel mowers have kickstands that can be selectively deployed by the user to elevate the rear end of the frame of the reel mower in order to allow the installation of transport wheels on the axles of the split drum halves of the typical traction drum. However, the deployment of such kickstands requires the user to put the kickstand into engagement with the ground and then pull up and back on the handle assembly to muscle the reel mower back up and at least partially over the kickstand. This is difficult for many users, particularly smaller users, to do. Thus, a more easily deployable kickstand in which the user would have more leverage in deploying the kickstand is desirable.

Fixed head walk reel mower with a pivotally adjustable traction drum having different mowing positions


Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitoring encrypted packet communications are disclosed. According to one method executed at an encryption aware visibility (EAV) device, the method includes receiving copies of encrypted network traffic flow records belonging to at least one communication session involving a monitored application and obtaining, from a secure session management (SSM) server, session decryption information (SDI) via a secure backchannel interface connection, wherein the session decryption information includes cryptographic keys generated by the SSM server to establish the at least one communication session. The method further includes using the cryptographic keys to decrypt the copies of encrypted network traffic flow records to produce decrypted network traffic flow records.

At present, encrypted secure sockets layer (SSL) traffic constitutes a significant amount of the total network traffic communicated over packet networks. Notably, monitoring and processing SSL traffic are computationally expensive tasks that place a large burden on a network's resources. Many network visibility tools actively handle SSL traffic (e.g., SSL records communicated via packets) by acting as a man-in-the-middle (MITM) entity, thereby decrypting and re-encrypting received SSL traffic while extracting a clear-text copy for use by associated network monitoring tools. In a typical SSL proxy architecture, a client device is configured to negotiate an encrypted connection for a secure session (e.g., SSL session) between itself and an SSL proxy. Likewise, the SSL proxy and a destination server subsequently negotiate a second encrypted connection in order to conduct a secure session between the two servers. More specifically, active SSL inspection methods commonly used today involve terminating the SSL connection at a MITM point, decrypting the encrypted traffic data, creating a copy of clear text data to be sent to the out-of-band analysis tool(s), and then re-encrypting the connection prior to sending the encrypted network traffic to its intended destination server. Since the SSL proxy must decrypt and re-encrypt all network traffic (e.g., record traffic and/or packet traffic) before the traffic can be forwarded to the intended recipient, this technique (sometimes referred to as active SSL inspection or full SSL inspection) can introduce severe performance bottlenecks on the processing of live network traffic.
Accordingly, a need exists for methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitoring encrypted network traffic flows.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitoring encrypted network traffic flows

KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES SINGAPORE (SALES) PTE. LTD.


A process is disclosed for preparing an adduct of the formula R.sup.1 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.3-a-m (C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n F).sub.m R.sup.2.sub.a wherein R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of --(CF.sub.2).sub.p H and --C.sub.p F.sub.2p+1 where p is 0 or an integer from 1 to 6; R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of --H, --CHF.sub.2, --CHFCF.sub.3, --CHFOCF.sub.3, --CHFO(CF.sub.2).sub.2 CF.sub.3, and --CHClF; each X is independently selected from the group consisting of Br, Cl and F; a is 0 or 1; m is 1 or 2, provided that when a is 1 and R.sup.2 is other than hydrogen, then m is 1; and n is 0, 1 or 2. The process involves reacting a fluorinated ether of the formula R.sup.1 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.3-a R.sup.2.sub.a with an olefin of the formula C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n in the liquid phase in the presence of antimony pentafluoride catalyst. Also disclosed is a process for preparing unsaturated ethers of the formula R.sup.1 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.3-a-m (C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n F).sub.m-q (C.sub.2 H.sub.n-1 X.sub.3-n F).sub.q R.sup.2.sub.a wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, X, a, m, and n are as indicated above, and q is an integer from 1 to m. The process involves contacting the fluorinated ether of the formula R.sup.1 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.3-a-m (C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n F).sub.m R.sup.2.sub.a, provided that C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n F is selected from the group consisting of --CClFCClF.sub.2, --CCl.sub.2 CCl.sub.2 F, --CHClCCl.sub.2 F, --CHClCHClF and --CCl.sub.2 CHClF, with a dehalogenation catalyst. Certain unique saturated ethers of the formula R.sup.1 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.3-a-m (C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n F).sub.m R.sup.2.sub.a and certain unique unsaturated ethers of the formula R.sup.1 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCF.sub.3-a-m (C.sub.2 H.sub.n X.sub.4-n F).sub.m-q (C.sub.2 H.sub.n-1 X.sub.3-n F).sub.q R.sup.2.sub.a are also disclosed.

Fluoroethers of the general formula R--O--CF--R.sup.1 R.sup.2 have been disclosed to react in the liquid phase upon contact with a Lewis acid (e.g., SbF.sub.5) to yield hydrofluorocarbons R-F (U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,056). In the .alpha.-fluoroethers of the formula R--O--CF--R.sup.1 R.sup.2, the R group may generally take any form and may comprise heteroatoms (e.g., O, S or N) provided that it comprises at least one carbon atom. The R group may be saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched chain, cyclic or acyclic, aliphatic or aromatic. R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are hydrogen, fluorine or optionally substituted alkyl groups. In an example, CH.sub.2 FOCH.sub.2 F is reacted with SbF.sub.5 at 0.degree. C. and CH.sub.2 F.sub.2 is obtained. It has also been shown that fluoroethers which contain the moieties, --CF.sub.2 OCH.sub.3 or --CF.sub.2 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5, react with SbF.sub.5 to give compounds which do not contain ethers but instead contain a fluoroacyl (--COF) group (U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,282). In an example, CHF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 OCH.sub.3 is reacted with SbF.sub.5 at room temperature and CHF.sub.2 COF and CH.sub.3 F are isolated.
Fluorinated ethers are useful as refrigerants, heat transfer media, polymerization media, particulate removal fluids, carrier fluids, buffing abrasive agents, displacement drying agents and power cycle working fluids. Olefinic fluoroethers are useful as monomers for fluoropolymers. There is an interest in developing more efficient processes for the manufacture of fluorinated ethers.

Halogenated ethers containing fluorine and processes for their manufacture


Apparatus and method of recycling finished textile products into reusable fibers. The arrangement includes a confined chamber of diminishing width through which the textile product is moved. The chamber comprises a stationary side with rows of circumferentially arranged teeth separated by circumferentially arranged channels and a rotating side with radially arranged teeth separated by radially extending channels. The product is delivered to the channel where the teeth and the rotating action urge the product into and through the channel while progressively grinding and rendering it into fiber form.

The instant invention is directed to apparatus and method of recycling finished and unfinished textile waste and scraps such as woven, knitted, tufted and compacted fabrics and converting them into fibers for use in the formation of new fabric.
These textile waste and scrap products may comprise overruns, products which fail to meet desired standards or simply waste during manufacture. Due to the cost of raw textile materials, it is desirable to reuse or recycle as much as possible discarded textile products.
Generally, recycled fibers are destined for use with lower end goods such as carpet backing, upholstery support fabrics which fabrics require uniformity in quality.
The current apparatus available to render textile fabric into fibers requires the use of multiple aligned rolls such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,876. These devices are expensive, due to the cost of the rolls. They are also slow because of the multiple rolls or moving parts. Another drawback of the current devices is an inability to reconstitute short fibers, particularly from carpet pile yarns.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an inexpensive yet durable device for rendering textile fabric into fibers of varying length but especially short fibers.
Another object of the invention is a device for rendering textile product into recycled fibers without the use of pin or toothed rolls.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for rendering textile fabric into recycled fibers which operate with a minimum of moving parts.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for rendering textile fabric formed of short fibers into fibers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a machine for converting textile fabric and other textile products through a shearing and compressive action into reusable fibers.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a fiber forming machine which is operative to generally uniformly blend the fiber forming materials during reduction to fiber form.
Another object of the invention is a fiber opening machine which acts to shred and blend textile articles during their reduction to fiber form.


In an embodiment, a processing system includes a non-volatile memory, a hardware block, a protection circuit associated with the hardware block, and a password verification circuit. The non-volatile memory stores at least one reference password. The password verification circuit is configured to receive a password verification command, obtain a reference password, and test whether the passwords correspond. In case the passwords correspond, the password verification circuit generate an overwrite signal. The protection circuit is configured to receive a control command and selectively forward the control command to the associated hardware block as a function of the overwrite signal.

FIG. 1 shows a typical electronic system, such as the electronic system of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of processing systems lox, such as embedded systems or integrated circuits, e.g., a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Digital Signal Processor (DSP) or a micro-controller (e.g., dedicated to the automotive market).
For example, in FIG. 1 are shown three processing systems 101, 102 and 103 connected through a suitable communication system 20. For example, the communication system may include a vehicle control bus, such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, and possibly a multimedia bus, such as a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus, connected to vehicle control bus via a gateway. Typically, the processing systems 10 are located at different positions of the vehicle and may include, e.g., an Engine Control Unit (ECU), a Transmission Control Unit (TCU), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), a body control modules (BCM), and/or a navigation and/or multimedia audio system.
Future generations of processing systems, in particular micro-controllers dedicated to automotive applications, will exhibit a significant increase in complexity, mainly due to the increasing number of functionalities (such as new protocols, new features, etc.) and to the tight constraints concerning the operation conditions of the system (such as lower power consumption, increased calculation power and speed, etc.).
In parallel, the security framework of each processing system 10 becomes also more and more complex, which determines an increase of the time and complexity of the testing phase, needed to guarantee the functionality and robustness of the security framework.
Generally, the security framework is based on the concept of resource protection, i.e., given a set of resources, the framework is designed so that the access to one or more resources may be selectively blocked or granted under based on specific conditions. For example, one of these conditions may be based on a password, i.e., access to the resource is blocked until the correct password is provided.

Processing system, related integrated circuit and method


A method for threading a running paper web from a preceding section to a following section of a paper-making or paper-finishing machine, includes the steps of: providing a threading tail of the running paper web by cutting it from the running paper web at least one of its edges; providing at least one sensing element for gaining data from at least one property of the threading tail and/or threading process; transferring the gained data into a data collecting system and/or into an analysis system; and using the data for influencing the at least one property of the threading tail and/or the threading process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for threading a running paper web from a preceding section to a following section of a paper-making or paper-finishing machine. The present invention also relates to a system for threading a running paper web from a preceding section to a following section of a paper-making or paper-finishing machine, which system is fitted in connection with a preceding roll from which the running paper web is passed preferably to a pair of rolls with at least one driven roll.
2. Description of the Related Art
The threading process of a running paper web is well-known in the art and it is currently visually monitored and manually influenced. The threading process is transduced step by step, i.e. from section to section of the paper-making or paper-finishing machine. Between two sections, the threading process is started by providing a threading tail, which is usually cut from one edge zone of the running paper web. Then the threading tail is fed to and through the following section via threading elements, i.e. guiding elements (plates with air jets and/or ropes) or narrow belts. Important for a good runnability is a stable threading tail with certain elected properties, such as width or moisture, before threading and a proper draw of the threading tail to avoid breaks.
As a result of this well-known threading process, the efficiency of each threading process mainly depends on the capability and experience of the executing personnel in the paper mill. Moreover, non perfectly performed threadings can cause significant losses in machine operating speeds and runnabilities. For example, a paper-making machine producing 400 tons per day (tpd), with two breaks per day each lasting on average 20 minutes, causes over one million dollars in efficiency losses per year.
Both a method and a system for monitoring the process of separation of a running paper web in a paper-making machine is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,722 B1 (WO 98/27275 A1, DE 197 82 179 T1). The running paper web is separated from a roll and passed into a free draw, which is preferably the first draw in the paper-making machine. The factors being automatically monitored in the monitoring system are the draw difference of the web, the actual separation point, the web tension after the separation point, variations in loading pressure and moisture. The disclosed method and system are performed and optimized for a paper web running over the center roll of the press, preferably followed by a free draw of the running paper web, in particular the first free draw of the running paper web. However, the referenced patent is more or less completely silent with respect of the threading process for a running paper web.

Method and system for threading a running paper web


A method of wrapping a floral grouping, preferably an orchid, with a wrapper which may be a sheet of material, a sleeve or a preformed pot cover. The wrapper is preferably constructed from a laminated material made up of at least a waxy layer and a support layer which are superposed upon each other and connected or laminated to each other. A second waxy layer may be connected or laminated to the other surface of the support surface. The waxy layer is made from a waxy material which may be a waxed paper or waxed tissue. The wrapped floral grouping may also contain a shredded material for cushioning the blooms of the floral grouping.

The present invention relates to methods of wrapping floral groupings and potted plants with a wrapper, in particular, but not limited to, wherein the wrapper comprises a waxy material.
In the floral industry, when wrapping orchids for packing or shipment it is customary to use a waxed paper or waxed tissue paper. The wrapping must be delicate so that it does not bruise or otherwise damage the delicate orchids. However, waxed tissue paper tends to compress in the package. When compressed in such a way, the waxed tissue paper loses its cushioning effect and thus does not function effectively to protect the orchids.
A wrapping material which is relatively stiff while retaining the soft, cushioning effect of waxed tissue would be desirable for use in wrapping and packaging floral groupings and orchids in particular.

Plant package wrapped with a waxy material


This disclosure provides a package substrate, a flip-chip package circuit and their fabrication method. The package substrate includes: a first wiring layer having a first metal wire and a first dielectric material layer filling the remaining part of the first wiring layer except for the first metal wire; a conductive pillar layer formed on the first wiring layer and including a metal pillar connected to the first metal wire, a molding compound layer with a protrusion part surrounding the metal pillar, and a second dielectric material layer formed on the molding compound layer; a second wiring layer formed on the conductive pillar layer and including a second metal wire connected to the metal pillar; and a protection layer formed on the second wiring layer.

A next-generation electronic product is asked to have multiple functions and high-speed performance other than compactness. The integrated-circuit manufacturers have moved to smaller design rules to make chips with much more electronic devices. On the other hand, the techniques for packaging the chips or semiconductor substrates have also been developed for the same purpose.
Conventionally, a flip-chip chip size package (FCCSP) substrate 10 used to construct the so-called "molded interconnection substrate (MIS)" can be illustrated in FIG. 1. A photo-sensitive primer material can be used in the formation of the dielectric material layer 17 on the molding compound layer 16, so it is required to have a high resolution of photolithography in microfabrication. Especially for the package manufacturing process of fine pitch, the primer material is expensive and restricted to some specific chemical compositions. Moreover, the metal pillar which connects the upper-layer conductive wires 14 and the lower-layer conductive wires 12 of the package substrate 10 includes two segments 18 and 19. These two segments 18 and 19 of metal pillar should be aligned vertically. However, they are respectively formed in different photolithography processes of the molding compound layer 16 and the dielectric material layer 17 in the existing FCCSP fabrication, so there may be location deviations between the two segments 18 and 19 caused by the possible photo-mask misalignments among the photolithography processes. Also, the affinity between the primer material and either the metal pillar or the molding compound may not strong enough. These may make yield rate and reliability of the product worse. Therefore, it is in need to develop a new means for fabricating package substrates.

Package substrate and flip-chip package circuit including the same


A glass capillary tube 1 is connected and fixed in a straight line to an optical component 5 having a substantially rectangular cross-section perpendicular to an optical axis 4a. Moreover, a top-surface side end portion 9 and a rear-surface side end portion 8 of an exterior surface 7 of the glass capillary tube 1 are positioned at the same level as the top surface and the rear surface of the exterior surface of the optical component 5 in the height-wise direction, respectively, while the central axis of an insertion hole 3, which is provided in the glass capillary tube 1 and into which an optical fiber 2 is inserted and fixed, is matched with the optical axis 4a of the optical component 5.

As is commonly known, a glass capillary tube for holding an optical fiber (hereinafter, glass capillary tube), in which an insertion hole is formed into which the optical fiber is inserted and held, is used for holding the optical fiber in alignment with the optical axis of an optical component such as an optical waveguide-typed device. The glass capillary tube is fixed to an end surface of the optical component in a straight line in such a way that the central axis of the insertion hole and the optical axis of the optical component are precisely positioned. In this case, both the optical component and the glass capillary tube are usually provided on the same flat surface of a substrate (or casing or holder).
As specific examples, patent document 1 below discloses a glass capillary tube of which the exterior surface is substantially rectangular in shape (composed of four flat portions) and of which a central insertion hole, into which a single-core optical fiber is inserted and held, is formed, and an optical component connected to the glass capillary tube in a straight line. According to the patent document 1, the positioning of the optical axis of the optical fiber inserted into and held by the insertion hole and the optical axis of the optical component are determined by utilizing the flat portions on the exterior surface of the glass capillary tube.
Patent document 2 below discloses a glass capillary tube of which the exterior surface is composed of a single flat portion and a single partial cylindrical portion and in which an insertion hole for inserting and holding an optical fiber corresponding to the central axis of the partial cylindrical portion is fommed, and a rectangular optical waveguide device connected to the glass capillary tube in a straight line. According to the patent document 2, in the state where an auxiliary member is fixed to the upper surface of the connecting end of the optical waveguide device, the optical waveguide device and the glass capillary tube are connected and fixed.
Patent document 3 below discloses an optical waveguide device, of which the cross-section is approximately circular in shape, and a ferrule, of which the cross-section is approximately circular in shape for holding an optical fiber, provided such that the respective end surface of the two are connected and held in an inner opening of a single sleeve, and an insertion hole in the ferrule into which the optical fiber is inserted and held is formed in a position deviated (de-centered) from the center of the ferrule.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Publication No. 2001-318270
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Publication No. 2003-287651
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Publication No. H2-236508

Capillary tube for holding optical fiber and connecting structure for optical component


Hydrogen chloride is stripped from spent basic ion exchange resin by treatment with a solution of a tertiary amine in an amide solvent. The eluent solution is treated with anhydrous ammonia to precipitate ammonium chloride. The solution of tertiary amine in amide solvent is separated from the precipitate and may be used to regenerate spent resin.

Poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) is synthesized by the reaction of isophthaloyl chloride and m-phenylene diamine in dimethylacetamide (DMAc). Hydrogen chloride, a byproduct of the reaction, is corrosive and has an adverse effect on the polymer. The hydrogen chloride can be removed by contacting the solution with an ion-exchange resin in base form resulting in an HCl-free solution generally suitable for spinning. The present invention deals with regeneration of the spent or exhausted ion exchange resin.


A liquid developing device includes an ink cartridge, a developing container connected to the ink cartridge in which ink is circulated between the developing container and the ink cartridge, a photosensitive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing roller facing the photosensitive body, being rotatable to supply the ink to the electrostatic latent image, and a depositing member being installed to maintain a depositing gap between the depositing member and the developing roller and to attach the ink to the developing roller by a potential difference, wherein the developing container includes a first developing container having an outlet opened in a lengthwise direction and an inlet connected to the ink cartridge at a position lower than the outlet, and a second developing container in which ink overflowing from the first developing container via the outlet is stored and which has a drawing hole connected to the ink cartridge, and the ink supplied from the ink cartridge to the first developing container via the inlet overflows and is supplied to the depositing gap via the outlet, some of the ink is attached to the developing roller, and the remaining ink is stored in the second developing container and is drawn into the ink cartridge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a developing device, and more particularly, to a liquid developing device using a liquid developing agent having a high concentration.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid developing agent is a developing agent in which powdery toner particles are dispersed into a liquid carrier (solvent). Hereinafter, the liquid developing agent is referred to as ink. A liquid developing device is a device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive body by supplying the ink to the electrostatic latent image.
FIG. 1 shows an example of the structure of a conventional liquid developing device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,058. Referring to FIG. 1, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive body 10, and an ink supply unit develops the electrostatic latent image by supplying ink to the photosensitive body 10. The developed electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body 10 is transferred to a transfer body 30, and the transfer body 30 prints the image on a sheet of paper 72.
The ink supply unit prepares the ink having a toner concentration less than 3% solid and supplies the ink between the photosensitive body 10 and a developing roller 38. To this end, the ink supply unit includes concentrated cartridges 82 and 84 in which concentrated ink having a toner concentration of about 25% solid is stored, a solvent cartridge 86 in which a pure solvent is stored, mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61 which mix the concentrated ink with the pure solvent to prepare ink having a uniform concentration of about 2-3% solid, a supplying portion 20 which supplies the ink stored in the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61 to the developing roller 38 by pumping the ink into pumps 90, 92, 94, and 96, and a drawing portion which draws the ink remaining after the electrostatic latent image is developed. The drawing portion includes a collecting container 50 which collects the ink dropping after being supplied to the developing roller 38 and the photosensitive body 10 and returns the ink to the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61 for different colors, a squeeze roller 26 which presses the photosensitive body 10 on which the image is developed and squeezes a solvent contained in the developed image, and a separator 66 which draws the squeezed ink from the collecting container 50, separates toner from the ink, and returns the solvent to a solvent tank 65.
In order to perform a development operation using the conventional liquid developing device having the above structure, first, four colors of ink, such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), each having the concentration of 2-3% solid, are prepared in the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61, respectively. In a case of a system for performing a development operation using a single color, such as black-and white, only one color ink is prepared. Here, in order to realize a color image, a system for preparing the four colors of ink has been disclosed. In order to prepare each of the four colors of ink, the ink supply unit supplies the concentration ink and the pure solvent from the concentrated cartridges 82 and 84 and the solvent cartridge 86, respectively, to each of the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61, so as to manufacture the four colors of ink, each having a corresponding concentration. To this end, a concentration sensor (not shown) is provided to each of the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61 and measures the concentration of the mixed ink. If the ink is prepared in this manner, the development operation starts performing. First, a charger 14 charges the photosensitive body 10 to a predetermined potential. Then, a laser scanning unit (LSU) 16 radiates light onto the charged photosensitive body 10 to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a desired image by a potential difference between a portion of the photosensitive body 10 onto which light is irradiated and a portion of the photosensitive body 10 onto which light is not irradiated. Subsequently, by operating the pumps 90, 92, 94, and 96, the supplying portion 20 supplies the ink stored in the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61 between the developing roller 38 and the photosensitive body 10 to form the electrostatic latent image. The developed image is transferred to a transfer roller 30, and if the image has only one color, the image in this state is directly printed on the sheet of paper 72. However, if a color image needs to be realized by superimposing a plurality of colors of ink, the above-described charge, exposure, and development operations are repeatedly performed on each of the four colors, such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) so that the developed image for each color is superimposed on the transfer roller 30. Last, the color image formed by superimposing the developed image for each color is printed on the sheet of paper 72 that passes between the transfer roller 30 and a pressing roller 71.
However, as described above, the structure of the liquid image developing system which performs the steps of preparing, supplying, and drawing ink, is considerably complicated. In other words, the concentrated ink and solvent are stored and prepared in each of the cartridges 82, 84, and 86, returned to the mixing tanks 55, 57, 59, and 61 and mixed with ink having the low concentration less than 3% solid for development, the electrostatic latent image is developed with the ink, and the solvent contained in the developed image should be squeezed and drawn to have a high-concentration state suitable for printing, causing a large load on the size and/or cost of a device.


Contaminants are removed from RPET flakes by a process which includes the steps of comminuting the RPET flakes to produce RPET particles and driving the contaminants out from the RPET particles.

Post-consumer processing of recycled PET to manufacture a variety of useful consumer products such as flower pots and fence posts is well-known. Typically, the recycling process utilizes used PET containers, such as discarded carbonated beverage containers, which are collected, sorted, washed, and separated from contaminants to yield a relatively clean source of RPET. Additionally, the manufacture of imperfect and damaged molded PET products, particularly the blow molded bottles for use in containing consumer goods, results in a considerable amount of PET waste which the manufacturers of such products would like to reuse. The RPET produced by conventional recycling processes is generally in ground or flake form, which is thereafter melt processed or further pelletized by the end user.
RPET is always subjected to a grinding operation in order to make the material easier to handle and process. Conventional grinding equipment reduces the RPET to about 3/8 inch particles or flakes. The grinding is conducted in a manner to insure that a consistent flake size will be produced, by employing a grate or screen through which the ground material must pass upon exiting the grinder. Although conventional RPET flakes melt processing and pelletizing equipment is designed to handle 3/8 inch flakes, some RPET materials having sizes as large as 1/2 inch and as small as 1/4 inch are also commercially produced. The bulk density of 3/8 inch flake RPET generally ranges from about 22 to about 35 pounds per cubic foot.
Similarly, RPET and PET pellets are generally formed to a standard, uniform size about 0.12 inch in diameter. The bulk density of such pellets generally ranges from about 50 to about 58 pounds per cubic foot. Typically, PET and RPET melt processing equipment is designed to accept pellets having the above mentioned dimensions and physical characteristics.
The critical aspect for achieving consistently high quality end products utilizing RPET is comprehensive decontamination of the RPET flakes or pellets. Significant decontamination occurs during the washing and sorting of PET scrap. The incoming PET bottles and containers are comminuted to form PET fragments and to remove loose labels, dirt, and other adhered foreign particles. Thereafter, the mixture is air classified and the remaining fragments are washed in a hot detergent solution to remove additional label fragments and adhesives from the PET fragments. The washed PET fragments are then rinsed and placed in a series of flotation baths where heavier and lighter weight foreign particles are removed. The remaining PET fragments are then dried and sold as RPET flakes. Thus, label and basecup glues, polyolefins, PVC, paper, glass, and metals, all of which adversely affect the quality and performance of the finished product, are removed from the RPET.
Of recent concern are the toxic contaminants which may be introduced into a typical RPET processing stream. Examples of such contaminants include pesticides, solvents, herbicides, and chlorinated hydrocarbons which could contaminate the RPET through incidental, inadvertent contact during processing or transporting same, or by the recycling of PET bottles and containers which were used by consumers to hold toxic substances for some extended period of time.
D. W. Hayward, "Employing RPET in Your Process," SPE RETEC, Nov. 4, 1994 reports that "clean" RPET flakes can still contain residual contaminants in concentrations as high as 4%, and there is a likelihood that such contaminants would include toxic contaminants. These sources of contamination are appropriately of great concern to those who desire to incorporate RPET into new containers for food-contact use.
With regard to the possibility that toxic contaminants could be contained in RPET designed for food-contact use, the U.S. FDA has set protocols for the levels of such contaminants in these applications, and has established surrogate and concentration limits to establish the effectiveness of washing and subsequent decontamination processes. Because the U.S. FDA protocols require that the RPET be introduced to the selected contaminant for as long as two weeks, it is clear that contaminants will diffuse into the polymer matrix of a bottle or container sidewall that is subsequently recycled. Accordingly, an effective decontamination method will to some extent require that the contaminant be driven back out of the RPET flakes produced from the bottle or container sidewalls, in order to meet the required contaminant concentration limit.
It would be desirable to develop a process for decontaminating RPET to produce "clean" RPET, wherein the clean RPET would exhibit a residual contaminant level which would make it acceptable for manufacturing new food-grade PET bottles and containers.

Decontamination of RPET through particle size reduction


A lapping row tool comprising a plurality of bending nodes having a space between adjacent ones of said nodes and each of which has an end surface to manipulate a row of magnetic heads during lapping. A bridge extends along the end surfaces of the bending nodes and across the space between the adjacent bending nodes. The bridge provides a surface for holding the row of magnetic heads that prevents the flexing of the row into the space between the bending nodes during lapping while allowing the bending nodes to manipulate the row during lapping.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lapping systems for hard drive magnetic heads, and more particularly to row tools used in lapping systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic heads (also called sliders) for hard drives read data from the media (platter/disk) by sensing changes in magnetic field strength emanating from magnetic grains in the media. A writer is also included in the head that generates a magnetic field orienting the grains based on whether a one or zero is stored. The data is stored magnetically by alternating magnetic fields created by the writer as the gap (space between the poles) of the electromagnetic element glides (or slides) over the surface of the disk. The data is stored on the disk in a circular pattern with data tracks spaced as close as ten millionths of an inch apart, with as many as one hundred thousand tracks per inch. The data is stored by the writer in a track as individual "bits" at as many as five hundred thousand bits per inch, or as close together as two millionths of an inch. The data can then be read back by the reader-part of the head which contains a "magneto-resistive" material between two shields, with the magneto-resistive material changing resistance based on the magnetic orientation of a magnetic field.
Magnetic heads go through a number of processes before being lapped (or polished) to obtain the proper magnetic performance. The magnetic heads are typically deposited in rows on a wafer using fabrication and deposition techniques similar to those developed in the semiconductor industry. The wafer is then sliced into individual rows or a block of several rows of magnetic heads that are then bonded onto a row tool for the lapping operation. The row tool is then mounted in a lapping system/machine that laps the row of magnetic heads. Depending on the size of the heads and the length of the rows, there may be from 30 to 80 heads that are lapped simultaneously.
This lapping procedure removes material from the lower surface of the row and is one of the final procedures in manufacturing the magnetic heads/sliders. Using conventional lapping processes and row tools there was little to no control over the lapping of individual heads or groups of heads. As a result, all heads in the row had to meet the end performance target at the same time. Often times, however, the individual heads exhibit different performance characteristics at the end of lapping, and some of the heads characteristics are outside the acceptable range. These unacceptable heads are typically discarded which leads to waste that can increase the overall cost of the acceptable heads.
More recently, row tools have been developed that have control points that are designed to influence the row on the row tool to allow the lapping process to define the primary shape of the row of sliders. This also allows some control over the primary surface finish, device dimensions (distance from reading and writing elements to machined surface), and the shape and condition of the exposed surfaces. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,607,340 and 5,620,356 to Lackey et al.
FIG. 1 shows a more recent row tool 10 having a row of sliders 12 bonded on its lapping surface 14 that provides limited control over the lapping of the magnetic heads. Tool 10 includes seven "nodes" 16, or control points, and a lapping surface 14 to which a row of magnetic heads 12 can be mounted. The nodes 16 allow the lapping machine to alter the lapping surface 14 and thereby control the shape of row 12 mounted on lapping surface 14. The lapping machine manipulates the nodes by applying bending force (positive or negative force) at each node 16, which essentially bends the lapping surface 14. This bending provides the control of the shape of the lapping surface 14 row during the lapping which in turn controls the shape of row 12.
One of the primary disadvantages of row tool 10 is that each of the rows can have between approximately and 80 magnetic heads so that each of the seven control nodes 16 bends the lapping surface 14 under several magnetic heads. Force interpolation is required at nodes 16 to "estimate" a best fit line between the heads on the row for which a discrete bending node is not available. This results in a less than optimum dimensional control for the population of heads on a row.
A relatively recent advancement in row tool technology has been the development of row tools with bending nodes along the entire row of heads. This increases the number of control nodes from the previously conventional seven, to forty-eight (48) or more. For a row with forty-eight heads, each head can have its own bending node; referred to as Single Slider Level Lapping Technology (SLLT). FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a SLLT row tool 20 having forty-eight nodes 22, each of which has a top surface, with the node top surfaces together serving as lapping surface 24. A row 26 of heads is arranged on lapping surface 24, preferably with one of the heads in row 26 over a respective one of nodes 22. Applying the required bending force (positive or negative force) at each head location in row 26 results in much better control over dimensional features of the full population of devices on row 26.
The row tool 20, however, has a lapping surface that is interrupted along its length by the spaces between the bending nodes 22. FIG. 3 shows row 26 mounted to nodes 22 with a respective head 28 arranged over a respective one of nodes 22. During lapping, the pressure of the lapping surface can cause row 26 to flex into the space between nodes 22. After the pressure is removed, row 26 flexes back such that the resulting lapped row 26 can have bumps 30 or other imperfections on its lapped surface.
Another disadvantage is that the bonding surface of the row tool can be ductile. As a result, the bonding surface can be altered such that the slider dimensions and geometry are undesirably changed. This can easily happen during the lapping process without detection so that many defective sliders will be fabricated. These defective sliders may not be usable, which leads to waste and increases costs.


At a time T131, a wireless communication apparatus 11A determines to transmit a data packet, and then performs interference signal detection for a period TA. At a time T132, which precedes a time T133 at which the period TA has elapsed since the time T131, the wireless communication apparatus 11A detects a data packet d21 (an interference signal). At a time T134, at which a period TB has elapsed since the time T132 at which the interference signal has been detected, the wireless communication apparatus 11A starts transmitting a data packet d11 to a wireless communication apparatus 12A. At a time T136, the wireless communication apparatus 11A completes the transmission of the data packet d11.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an art for suppressing influence of an interference signal on a desired signal transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a wireless communication system such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system and a digital cellular communication system includes a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses (that function as transmitters and receivers). These wireless communication apparatuses share a predetermined frequency band to perform communications with each other. Accordingly, a signal received by each of the wireless communication apparatuses includes a signal transmitted to the wireless communication apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a "desired signal") and a signal that is irrelevant to communication of the wireless communication apparatus. The irrelevant signal is for communication between other wireless communication apparatuses. Note that a signal included in a received signal, other than a desired signal, is hereinafter referred to as an "interference signal". The interference signal includes radio waves leaked from various apparatuses other than the wireless communication apparatuses included in the wireless communication system.
Next, the outline of a wireless communication system is described.
FIG. 28 shows a conventional wireless communication system. In FIG. 28, wireless communication apparatuses 1011 and 1012 perform communications with each other. Also, wireless communication apparatuses 1021 and 1022 perform communications with each other. In FIG. 28, as well as FIGS. 29, 30A and 30B, solid lines represent desired signals, and dotted lines and dashed-dotted lines represent interference signals.
For example, the wireless communication apparatus 1011 transmits a data packet D11 generated by packetizing transmission data to the wireless communication apparatus 1012. When normally receiving the data packet D11, the wireless communication apparatus 1012 transmits an ACK (ACKnowledgement) packet A12 to the wireless communication apparatus 1011.
Also, the wireless communication apparatus 1021 transmits a data packet D21 generated by packetizing transmission data to the wireless communication apparatus 1022. When normally receiving the data packet D21, the wireless communication apparatus 1022 transmits an ACK packet A22 to the wireless communication apparatus 1021.
There is a case where the data packet D21 and the ACK packet A22 transmitted and received between the wireless communication apparatuses 1021 and 1022 can be received by the wireless communication apparatuses 1011 and 1012, as an interference signal.
FIG. 29 shows an example of a transmission sequence of the wireless communication system shown in FIG. 28. In FIG. 29 and other figures showing transmission sequences, each of the wireless communication apparatuses is simply described as a "communication apparatus".
For a period from a time T2 to a time T3, the wireless communication apparatus 1011 transmits the data packet D11 to the wireless communication apparatus 1012. For a period from a time T4 to a time T6, the wireless communication apparatus 1012 transmits the ACK packet A12 to the wireless communication apparatus 1011.
For a period from a time T1 to a time T5, the wireless communication apparatus 1021 transmits the data packet D21 to the wireless communication apparatus 1022. For a period from a time T7 to a time T8, the wireless communication apparatus 1022 transmits the ACK packet A22 to the wireless communication apparatus 1021.
For a period included in the period (from the time T2 to the time T3) for which the wireless communication apparatus 1012 receives the data packet D11, the wireless communication apparatus 1012 receives the data packet D21 as an interference signal. Accordingly, when the wireless communication apparatus 1012 is located adjacent to the wireless communication apparatus 1021 for example, a power of the data packet D21 received by the wireless communication apparatus 1012 is high. This increases the possibility that an error will occur in demodulation processing of the data packet D11. Likewise, when the wireless communication apparatus 1011 receives the ACK packet A12 concurrently with an interference signal, there is a high possibility that an error will occur in demodulation processing of the ACK packet A12.
Note that influence of an interference signal on a desired signal also depends on a channel frequency of the desired signal and a channel frequency of the interference signal.
FIG. 30A is a pattern diagram showing the CCI (Co-Channel Interference). When a channel band for a desired signal is the same as a channel band for an interference signal, the interference signal exerts a great influence on the desired signal. Asa result, there is a high possibility that an error will occur in demodulation processing of the desired signal.
FIG. 30B is a pattern diagram showing the ACI (Adjacent Channel Interference). When a channel band for a desired signal is different from a channel band for an interference signal, the interference signal exerts a less influence on the desired signal, compared with a case where the channel band for the desired signal is the same as the channel band for the interference signal. However, when an electric power leaked to outside the channel band is high, for example when the interference signal is a broadband signal and nonlinear distortion occurs in a transmission power amplifier, an error might occur in demodulation processing of the desired signal due to the influence of the interference signal.
Also, when the wireless communication apparatus 1011 coexists with apparatuses included in another wireless communication system and apparatuses that leak radio waves, such as apparatuses that radiate a 5 GHz band radar, a radio wave radiated by such apparatuses might exert influence on a desired signal, as an interference signal. This also might cause occurrence of error in demodulation processing of the desired signal due to the influence of the interference signal. Note that the wireless communication system using the 2.4 GHz band includes the wireless LAN system, the Bluetooth system, and the cordless telephone system. The wireless communication system using the 5 GHz band includes the wireless LAN system and the wireless access system. Also, the apparatuses that leak radio waves include microwave ovens using the 2.4 GHz band, for example.
In view of the above, as one of conventional arts for suppressing influence of an interference signal on a desired signal, an art handles a case where the interference signal is a radar periodically arriving at a wireless communication apparatus (See Patent Document 1, for example).
According to the above conventional art, the wireless communication apparatus determines a length of a packet to be output therefrom so as to be no more than a length of a transmission interval of interference signals that periodically arrive at the wireless communication apparatus. Then, the wireless communication apparatus transmits the packet while the wireless communication apparatus is not receiving the interference signal. In this way, the wireless communication apparatus performs control such that the packet to be transmitted therefrom (a desired signal) is not superimposed on the radar (an interference signal).    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2001-257682.

Transmitting device, wireless communication system and transmitting method


An automated transceiver is adapted to monitor a frequency of interest. In response to receiving some predetermined protocol, it becomes activated and records the next transmission on the frequency. The transceiver then rebroadcasts the recorded transmission. In this way, a radio operator can be assured that the transceiver is operating when the rebroadcasted transmission is received. If the transmission from the device is an acceptable quality, there is an assurance that the transceiver is operating properly since, to receive the rebroadcasted transmission, both the transmitter portion must operate to transmit the message to the inventive radio check device, and the receiver portion of the transmitter must be operational to receive the rebroadcasted message from the system. The remote operator need not rely on the subjective determination of another. Further, the participation of another person is not required.

The radio-frequency transceiver is ubiquitous and far ranging in the applications to which it is applied. Shortwave radios allow licensed operators to communicate across oceans and continents. Citizen band (CB) radios are generally less regulated but more common. Pilots rely on radio-frequency transceivers to communicate with air traffic controllers who coordinate the access to limited airspace. Marine vessels use the transceivers to request and receive weather information, or in the event of an emergency, request assistance from the coast guard or nearby ships. And, this merely represents a short list of the applications for these devices.
Common to every application of the radio frequency transceiver is the need for radio checks. Most radio-frequency transceivers do not provide any independent confirmation of the establishment of a radio link between two communicating parties. More simply, when operators transmit a request for information, for example, the only confirmation that this request is heard and intelligible is the response from another party. As a result, if the party receives no response from a given transmission, either of two events could have occurred: 1) no one in fact responded to the request, or 2) the transmitter and/or receiver portions of the transceiver are not operating properly. As a result, in order to exclude the second possibility, the operator periodically requests radio checks to ensure that the transceiver is fully operational. According to this process, a given operator will broadcast on the frequency and request that someone respond. Another party upon hearing this request will transmit back that the operator's request was received and give some indication of the strength of the received signal. Thus, the operator is assured that the transceiver is operating properly: 1) the transmitter portion effectively transmitted a signal since it was received by the other party, and 2) the receiver portion operates properly since the other party's transmission was received.


Systems and methods for crowdsourcing seat quality are provided. An example method for crowdsourcing seat quality includes receiving an indication of user interest in an event taking place at a venue, determining information about a seat in the venue from previous users of the seat, and displaying a seat map with the information about a seat of the at least one seat.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to venue seating, and more particularly to systems and methods for providing a quality rating for a seat at a venue.
Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventional or on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by entering credit card or other financial information. Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a payment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why on-line and mobile purchases are growing very quickly.
Tickets for entertainment events may be purchased using online and/or mobile payment systems such as those provided above. Online marketplaces such as, for example, those provided by StubHub, a subsidiary of EBay Inc. of San Jose, Calif., may provide services for buyers and sellers of tickets for such entertainment events, and payment provider systems may enable users to buy and/or sell those tickets to other users.
However, the services provided by such payment service providers and online marketplaces are typically limited to the connecting of buyers and sellers of tickets and the providing for the purchase transactions for those tickets. The present disclosure contemplates several aspects of entertainment events that may be improved using data collected by online marketplaces and/or payment service providers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.