A method for playing a game of chance and system for facilitating the play of the game are disclosed, in which an initial ticket containing initial game play information is received, a second ticket containing additional game play information is received, and the combination of the initial game play information and the additional game play information determines if the second ticket is a winning ticket.

Lottery game tickets may be frequently sold in retail establishments such as convenience stores, liquor stores, and the like. These and other establishments selling lottery tickets may be sensitive to the costs of counter space used, and labor required in the sale and redemption of lottery tickets. Some lottery customers do not want to wait for a weekly or daily drawing. These customers may purchase "instant-win" lottery tickets. Such tickets may also involve games, such as poker, battleship, bingo, symbol matching, or other games that increase customer interest and enjoyment in the purchase of such tickets. Instant-win lottery tickets are generally sold to retailers in pre-printed books or bundles. Commonly, whether an instant-win ticket is a winner is predetermined prior to the sale of the ticket. Examples of instant win tickets are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,250,685, 6,206,780, and 6,168,521.
Instant-win games differ from pooled drawing games, where a lottery ticket represents a chance in a drawing to be held at some later time for a pooled prize or prizes. Rather, in an instant-win game, whether the ticket is a winner may be pre-determined before or at the time the ticket is purchased, although whether a particular ticket is actually a winner may be concealed from the buyer and seller. Instant-win games may include "extended play" features such as games printed on the ticket, e.g., bingo or number matching. These features may increase the enjoyment and interest level of purchasers of such tickets, causing them to buy tickets in greater numbers or more frequently. These features may also include a "probability game" feature, where choices made by the player may impact whether the ticket is a winner or loser.
Often with instant-win tickets a customer may determine whether the instant-win ticket is a winning ticket based upon game play information displayed on the ticket. However, if the game play information does not result in a winning ticket then the customer may discard the ticket. Thus, once it is determined that the game play information displayed on a ticket does not result in a winning ticket that game play information is no longer of use to a customer.
Some instant-win tickets have been developed where a player may purchase additional game play information on a single ticket. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,997, to Kamille, discloses a single ticket wherein a customer may be able to purchase additional information on the ticket by scratching off a covering hiding additional information.

Method of playing a game of chance including purchase of additional game play information and system for facilitating the play thereof


A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle and an outer rim surrounding the hub. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. The wheel assembly may also include a disk coupled to the inner rim. The wheel assembly may also include inboard lateral stops carried by an inboard interior surface of the outer rim, and outboard lateral stops carried by an outboard interior surface of the outer rim so that the inboard lateral stops and the outboard lateral stops cooperate to limit relative lateral movement of the disk and the outer rim.

A typical wheel may include a rim and tire surrounding the rim. The tire transfers a load of a vehicle from the axle through the wheel to the ground. Tires, for example, those found on most vehicles are pneumatic tires. In other words, a typical tire is pneumatically inflated, for example, with air or other gas, such as nitrogen. More particularly, air is injected into the space between the rim and the inside of the tire to inflate it.
During operation, being pneumatically inflated, a tire absorbs the forces as the vehicle travels over the road surface. The tire and associated inflation pressure may be selected to absorb the above-noted forces while reducing any deformation. However, in many instances, excessive forces placed on the tire may cause the tire and/or rim to deform, puncture, or blowout. Typical forces also cause tread wear of the tire, while excessive forces may also cause rapid tread wear that may lead to a shortened lifespan of the tire and decreased structural integrity of the wheel.
To address the shortcomings of pneumatic-based wheels, non-pneumatic wheels have been developed. By non-pneumatic, it is meant that air or other gas is not injected to inflate an interior volume of a tire. One approach to a non-pneumatic wheel uses mechanical springs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 911,975 to Gustafson discloses a spring wheel. Secondary spokes are arranged in pairs between pairs of main spokes and the members of each of the secondary spokes therefore pass upon opposite sides of a corresponding pair of intersecting braces. Each of the secondary spokes includes a pair of telescoping members that are pivotally connected at its outer end to ears formed on the hub and extends at its opposite end into a corresponding member.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,518 to Weston discloses a resilient wheel that includes radial arms. Connection between a hub and rim members may be provided by pivot pins in outer ends of these arms that have links journaled thereon. The links are pivotally articulated with bent levers, which are in turn pivoted on bracket arms that extend inwardly from the part-circular plates, which are mounted on an inner periphery of a tire holding rim.
Another approach includes a disc between a wheel hub and outer rim. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,808,886 to Courtney also discloses a disc or sidewall between a wheel hub and a rim. The disc is engaged by studs that project from the wheel hub and extends from an outer flange obliquely to the wheel hub. The disc assists the wheel tire and rim by resisting any tendency to become displayed laterally as a result of stresses occurring while the wheel is turning.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,935 to Henap discloses a hydraulic spoke wheel. Each of the hydraulic spokes include telescoping sections in the form of an outer section and an inner section. The outer section has the stud projecting from one end. The inner section extends from the outer section and is equipped at its extended end with the stem.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,838 to Al-Sabah discloses a wheel that includes spokes positioned in a spaced apart relation to each other. Each of the spokes has a first end connected to a rim and a second end connected to a plate member tip of a hub plate member in an offset position from the respective radial axis thereof. The offset position of each of the spokes is further defined by each of the spokes being connected to a respective one of the plate member tips at a predetermined angle (e.g., less than 90-degrees) from the radial axis thereof and defining an operative offset spoke axis, which intersects the radial axis of the plate member tips at the predetermined angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,480 to Cornellier discloses shock absorbing spokes each having a central cylindrical tube. Each tube has an interior cap having an aperture and an exterior cap having an aperture. Each spoke has an interior piston, a rod with an aperture and a pin. The pin pivotably couples one of the spokes to the hub. Each spoke has an exterior piston, a rod with an aperture and a pin. The pin pivotably couples one of the spokes to the rim assembly. The interior pistons and exterior pistons divide the space within each tube into an interior chamber, an exterior chamber, and a central chamber.
Despite advances in pneumatic tire wheels, and non-pneumatic tire wheels, there is still a need for improvements in wheel technology, particularly, for large construction vehicles, or mining vehicles, for example. The expense of wheel replacement, and the downtime experienced during wheel replacement may add significant expenses to the construction or mining projects.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wheel assembly including lateral stops and related methods


A cutting tool holder configured for mounting a cutting insert to form a cutting tool that extends along a central axis and comprises a mounting portion having a seat surface oriented generally perpendicular to the central axis. The tool holder has at least two securing extensions projecting from the seat surface in a direction generally parallel to the central axis. Each of the extensions are formed, at an end remote from the seat surface with a latch portion extending towards the central axis. The latch portion has an under and top surface, both oriented generally transversely to the central axis such that the under surface is disposed between the seat surface and the top surface. Each of the extensions is formed with a side surface extending between the under and side surfaces to form a securing pocket defined between the seat, side, and under surfaces.

Cutting tools are generally used for removing material from a workpiece, using a cutting edge of the tool. There is a great plurality of cutting tools, each configured for performing a different cutting operation, i.e. Removing material from the workpiece in a specific manner. Examples of such operations are milling, turning, wedging, drilling etc., and each cutting tool and it corresponding cutting edge designed so as to perform their respective operation.
Cutting tools can generally divided into two types: integral cutting tools and combined cutting tools, where the former has an integral cutting edge formed in the tool itself, while the latter comprises a cutting tool holder and a cutting insert formed with a cutting edge, the insert being configured for mounting onto the cutting tool holder.
There are various mechanisms and manners in which a cutting insert can be mounted onto the cutting tool holder, including fastening screws, securing pins, snap fittings and bayonets.
With particular reference to drilling tools, the bayonet arrangement is widely used for mounting a drilling head onto the cutting tool holder. Specifically, the drill head (formed with a cutting edge/s) is formed with a latch portion and the cutting tool holder is formed with a corresponding recess, configured for receiving the latch portion. The arrangement is such that during operation of the drilling tools, revolution of the drilling tool operates against the bayonet, tightening the secure engagement between the cutting tool holder and the drill head.

Cutting tool, cutting tool holder, and a cutting insert therefor


A method of indicating to a user of a terminal which includes a display, of the occurrence of a function which can be implemented on the terminal, comprising displaying a cursor on the display which cursor is moveable by the user and which has a form and position on the display which is related to a program currently being used by the user and which is unrelated to the function, and changing the form of the moveable cursor at the position to one which relates to the function upon occurrence of the function.

One of the common functions of a graphical user interface (GUI) used in a computer (PC) is to display a cursor, which is typically in the form of an arrow icon, although other icons can be displayed as the cursor. The position of the cursor on the display is controlled by the user, by using keys on keyboard, in conjunction with a user program being run on the PC. The form and position of the cursor on the display is provided by the GUI, under commands supplied from the user program.
Thus for example, a cursor can be in the form of an arrow when positioned on the alphanumeric entry portion of the display, but can be controlled to change to a different form when it is positioned by the user to be over a command icon located in a ribbon at an edge of the alphanumeric entry portion of the display.
It is important to recognize that the user positions the cursor at a location where the user's attention is focused. Intensity of the focusing of the user's attention is often so strong at the cursor position that the user can miss the change in an icon or the introduction of a new icon on the display caused by another function which is not under immediate control by the user, such as a program operating in background.
For example, it is common that computer terminals are used to receive fax messages, announcements of the receipt of electronic mail (E-mail) or announcements of incoming telephone calls. These functions are typically performed in background to the program being run, and cause display of an icon corresponding to the function, e.g. an icon illustrating a piece of paper in the case of receipt of a fax, an envelope in the case of a E-mail message waiting to be read, and a flashing telephone set in the case of an incoming telephone call. These icons are typically placed by the operating system in a fixed location in foreground, along an edge or adjacent a corner of the PC display, in a ribbon, etc. Due to the intensity of concentration by the PC user at the location of the cursor, these fixed icons are often overlooked, destroying the timeliness of access to the associated function.


In a hydraulic apparatus, a first rotating member and a second rotating member are provided so as to be relatively rotatable with a same central axis, a cam is provided on the first rotating member, pistons are arranged on the second rotating member so as to be opposed to the cam, the pistons are pressed against the cam to contact by compression coil springs, oil chambers of which volumes are expanded and contracted according to movements of the pistons are provided on the second rotating member, first and second fluid paths through which oil flows into and out from the oil chambers are provided, and a path switching device for switching an inflow direction and an outflow direction of the oil in the first and second fluid paths according to difference in pressure between the first and second fluid paths is provided.

As the hydraulic apparatus, there is a radial piston pump for sucking operation fluid and discharging the same to supply to a required portion, for example, and this is disclosed in a following patent document 1. In the radial piston pump disclosed in the patent document 1, a valve shaft having a suction port, a discharge port, a suction slot and a discharge slot is provided in a housing, a rotor is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the valve shaft, a cam ring is rotatably provided on an outer side of the rotor, a cylinder is radially provided on the rotor, and a piston is slidably mounted on the cylinder, thereby forming a pump chamber for selectively communicating with the suction slot and the discharge slot. Therefore, the operation fluid is sucked from the suction port through the suction slot into the pump chamber, and discharged through the discharge slot to the discharge port.
There is a case in which such radial piston pump is incorporated in the automatic transmission of the vehicle, the rotor of the radial piston pump is coupled to one of an input shaft and an output shaft, the cam ring of the radial piston pump is coupled to the other of the input shaft and the output shaft, to be used as an oil pump for discharging the oil according to difference in rotational speed between the input shaft and the output shaft, that is to say, a differential oil pump. In this case, at the time of positive driving such as when accelerating the vehicle, that is to say, when the rotational speed of the input shaft is higher than that of the output shaft and the input shaft relatively positively rotates, the radial piston pump can operate to discharge the operation fluid. However, at the time of being driven in which an engine brake acts on the vehicle, that is to say, when the rotational speed of the input shaft is lower than that of the output shaft and the input shaft relatively negatively rotates, a suction stroke and a discharge stroke of the operation fluid by the piston are inverted and the radial piston pump cannot discharge the operation fluid.
Therefore, in a following patent document 2, for example, a check valve is used to be able to appropriately discharge the operation oil at positive rotation and negative rotation of the input shaft. That is to say, in the oil pump of the patent document 2, a suction opening of the oil pump is connected to a liquid retaining unit through a first check valve and a discharge opening of the oil pump is connected to a discharge liquid requiring unit through a second check valve, and the discharge opening of the oil pump is connected to the liquid retaining unit through a third check valve and the suction opening of the oil pump is connected to the discharge liquid requiring unit through a fourth check valve, and it is arranged such that when the oil pump positively rotates, only the first and second check valves are opened, and when the oil pump negatively rotates, only the third and fourth check valves are opened. Therefore, the oil pump can discharge a predetermined flow amount regardless of a rotational direction of the motor.
In the conventional oil pump disclosed in the above-described patent document 2, a plurality of check valves are provided on the suction opening and the discharge opening of the oil pump, so that the oil can be discharged regardless of the rotational direction of the motor by opening the one group of check valves when the oil pump positively rotates and opening the other group of check valves when the oil pump negatively rotates. However, the check valve is for releasing a pressure of the oil when this is higher than a predetermined pressure, so that pressure loss of the oil is large and cavitation and operational inadequacy of the piston (cam nose jumping phenomenon) easily occur when sucking the oil, and further, there is a problem that mechanical efficiency deteriorates.
In addition, although the differential oil pump is for sucking to discharge the oil as the operation fluid according to the rotational speeds of two rotating bodies, it is desirable that this is used as the motor for obtaining power by rotating one rotating body by supplying the oil while restraining the other rotating body. However, in the above-described conventional oil pump, a plurality of check valves are provided on the suction opening and the discharge opening of the oil pump, so that it is difficult to allow the same to serve as the motor.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 02-108866
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 09-303256


Methods, compositions and kits for determining the developmental potential of one or more embryos or pluripotent cells and/or the presence of chromosomal abnormalities in one or more embryos or pluripotent cells are provided. These methods, compositions and kits find use in identifying embryos and oocytes in vitro that are most useful in treating infertility in humans.

Infertility is a common health problem that affects 10-15% of couples of reproductive-age. In the United States alone in the year 2006, approximately 140,000 cycles of in vitro fertilization (IVF) were performed (cdc.gov/art). This resulted in the culture of more than a million embryos annually with variable, and often ill-defined, potential for implantation and development to term. The live birth rate, per cycle, following IVF was just 29%, while on average 30% of live births resulted in multiple gestations (cdc.gov/art). Multiple gestations have well-documented adverse outcomes for both the mother and fetuses, such as miscarriage, pre-term birth, and low birth rate. Potential causes for failure of IVF are diverse; however, since the introduction of IVF in 1978, one of the major challenges has been to identify the embryos that are most suitable for transfer and most likely to result in term pregnancy.
The understanding in the art of basic embryo development is limited as studies on human embryo biology remain challenging and often exempt from research funding. Consequently, most of the current knowledge of embryo development derives from studies of model organisms. However, while embryos from different species go through similar developmental stages, the timing varies by species. These differences, and many others make it inappropriate to directly extrapolate from one species to another. (Taft, R. E. (2008) Theriogenology 69(1): 10-16). The general pathways of human development, as well as the fundamental underlying molecular determinants, are unique to human embryo development. For example, in mice, embryonic transcription is activated approximately 12 hours post-fertilization, concurrent with the first cleavage division, whereas in humans embryonic gene activation (EGA) occurs on day 3, around the 8-cell stage (Bell, C. E., et al. (2008) Mol. Hum. Reprod. 14:691-701; Braude, P., et al. (1988) Nature 332:459-461; Hamatani, T. et al. (2004) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 101:10326-10331; Dobson, T. et al. (2004) Human Molecular Genetics 13(14): 1461-1470). In addition, the genes that are modulated in early human development are unique (Dobson, T. et al. (2004) Human Molecular Genetics 13(14): 1461-1470). Moreover, in other species such as the mouse, more than 85% of embryos cultured in vitro reach the blastocyst stage, one of the first major landmarks in mammalian development, whereas cultured human embryos have an average blastocyst formation rate of approximately 30-50%, with a high incidence of mosaicism and aberrant phenotypes, such as fragmentation and developmental arrest (Rienzi, L. et al. (2005) Reprod. Biomed. Online 10:669-681; Alikani, M., et al. (2005) Mol. Hum. Reprod. 11:335-344; Keltz, M. D., et al. (2006) Fertil. Steril. 86:321-324; French, D. B., et al. (2009) Fertil. Steril.). In spite of such differences, the majority of studies of preimplantation embryo development derive from model organisms and are difficult to relate to human embryo development (Zernicka-Goetz, M. (2002) Development 129:815-829; Wang, Q., et al. (2004) Dev Cell. 6:133-144; Bell, C. E., et al. (2008) Mol. Hum. Reprod. 14:691-701; Zernicka-Goetz, M. (2006) Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 16:406-412; Mtango, N. R., et al. (2008) Int. Rev. Cell. Mol. Biol. 268:223-290).
Traditionally in IVF clinics, human embryo viability has been assessed by simple morphologic observations such as the presence of uniformly-sized, mononucleate blastomeres and the degree of cellular fragmentation (Rijinders P M, Jansen C A M. (1998) Hum Reprod 13:2869-73; Milki A A, et al. (2002) Fertil Steril 77:1191-5). More recently, additional methods such as extended culture of embryos (to the blastocyst stage at day 5) and analysis of chromosomal status via preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) have also been used to assess embryo quality (Milki A, et al. (2000) Fertil Steril 73:126-9; Fragouli E, (2009) Fertil Steril June 21 [EPub ahead of print]; El-Toukhy T, et al. (2009) Hum Reprod 6:20; Vanneste E, et al. (2009) Nat Med 15:577-83). However, potential risks of these methods also exist in that they prolong the culture period and disrupt embryo integrity (Manipalviratn S, et al. (2009) Fertil Steril 91:305-15; Mastenbroek S, et al. (2007) N Engl J Med. 357:9-17).
Recently it has been shown that time-lapse imaging can be a useful tool to observe early embryo development. Some methods have used time-lapse imaging to monitor human embryo development following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (Nagy et al. (1994) Human Reproduction. 9(9): 1743-1748; Payne et al. (1997) Human Reproduction. 12:532-541). Polar body extrusion and pro-nuclear formation were analyzed and correlated with good morphology on day 3. However, no parameters were correlated with blastocyst formation or pregnancy outcomes. Other methods have looked at the onset of first cleavage as an indicator to predict the viability of human embryos (Fenwick, et al. (2002) Human Reproduction, 17:407-412; Lundin, et al. (2001) Human Reproduction 16:2652-2657). However, these methods do not recognize the importance of the duration of cytokinesis or time intervals between early divisions.
Other methods have used time-lapse imaging to measure the timing and extent of cell divisions during early embryo development (WO/2007/144001). However, these methods disclose only a basic and general method for time-lapse imaging of bovine embryos, which are substantially different from human embryos in terms of developmental potential, morphological behavior, molecular and epigenetic programs, and timing and parameters surrounding transfer. For example, bovine embryos take substantially longer to implant compared to human embryos (30 days and 9 days, respectively). (Taft, (2008) Theriogenology 69(1): 10-16. Moreover, no specific imaging parameters or time intervals are disclosed that might be predictive of human embryo viability.
More recently, time-lapse imaging has been used to observe human embryo development during the first 24 hours following fertilization (Lemmen et al. (2008) Reproductive BioMedicine Online 17(3):385-391). The synchrony of nuclei after the first division was found to correlate with pregnancy outcomes. However, this work concluded that early first cleavage was not an important predictive parameter, which contradicts previous studies (Fenwick, et al. (2002) Human Reproduction 17:407-412; Lundin, et al. (2001) Human Reproduction 16:2652-2657).
Finally, no studies have validated the imaging parameters through correlation with the molecular programs or chromosomal composition of the embryos. Methods of human embryo evaluation are thus lacking in several respects and can be improved by the present methods, which involve novel applications of time-lapse microscopy, image analysis, and correlation of the imaging parameters with molecular profiles and chromosomal composition. The present invention addresses these issues.

Imaging and evaluating embryos, oocytes, and stem cells

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


Provided is a recording medium comprising a base material, and an ink-receiving layer thereon containing a pigment having an aggregated-particle diameter of from 0.5 to 50 .mu.m and a binder, wherein said ink-receiving layer has a value of BET specific surface area/pore volume within the range of from 50 to 500 m.sup.2 /ml.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording medium suited for recording carried out using a water-based ink, and an image forming method and a printed material which make use of the recording medium. More particularly, it relates to a recording medium that may hardly cause beading, and an image forming method and a printed material which make use of such a recording medium.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, ink-jet recording, which is a system used to record images, characters or letters and so forth by causing minute ink droplets to fly utilizing various types of drive mechanisms and adhere to a recording medium such as paper, has rapidly spread in various uses including information equipment as apparatus for recording various types of images, because of the features such that the recording can be performed at high speed and low noise, multi-color recording can be achieved with ease, recording patterns can be of great flexibility and neither development nor fixing is required. The ink-jet recording is also being widely put in practical use in the field of full-color image recording, because images formed by multi-color ink-jet recording can be recorded as images comparable to multi-color prints obtained by lithography or prints formed by color photography, and at a lower cost than those obtained by conventional multi-color printing or color photography, when a small number of printed materials are prepared. Recording apparatus and recording processes have been improved with progress in recording performances, e.g., with achievement of higher recording speed, higher minuteness and full-color recording. With regard to recording mediums, too, it has become required for them to have high-level properties.
To meet such requirements, forms of recording mediums have been hitherto proposed in great variety. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-5830 discloses an ink-jet recording paper provided on the surface of its support with an ink-absorptive coat layer. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-51583 discloses an example in which noncrystal silica is used as a pigment in a coating layer; and also Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-146786, an example in which a water-soluble polymer coat layer is used.
In recent years, a recording medium having a coat layer formed using an alumina hydrate of Boehmite structure, as disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,166 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,730 and Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2-276670, No. 3-275378, No. 3-281384 and No. 5-32037.
As also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,804 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,730 and Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 58-110287, No. 1-97678, No. 2-276671 and No. 4-37576, it is also proposed to form an ink receiving layer of multi-layer construction by the use of a silica or alumina material.
All the proposals, however, are concerned with improvements of ink absorptivity, resolution, image density, color performance, color reproducibility, ink adsorptivity, transparency and so forth. Even such proposals bring about no improvement or settlement good enough to be satisfactory in respect of beading.
Especially when a large quantity of ink is imparted at one time to substantially the same portion of a recording medium as in the case of high-speed full-color recording, it is difficult to prevent the beading well enough to be satisfactory.
According to a finding of the present inventors, the prior art recording mediums have proved to cause beading when subjected to printing which imparts 30 ng of ink at 32.times.32 dots per 1 mm.sup.2.
Herein, the beading refers to a phenomenon that occurs because of an insufficient ink absorptivity of recording mediums and is, after printing, visually recognized as color uneveness shaped like beads.
With regard to the ink absorptivity, its improvement has been made in the above prior art from the viewpoint of pore volume and pore radius, but there is no disclosure as to the beading. Also, the problem of beading can not be well settled if only both the pore volume and the pore radius are taken into account.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,730 and Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2-276670, No. 2-276671 and No. 3-275378 disclose a recording medium having a narrow pore size distribution of 1.0 to 3.0 nm as average pore diameter. Such pore size distribution is attributable to good adsorption of dyes, but can not provide sufficient solvent absorptivity to tend to cause beading.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 3-281384 also discloses an alumina hydrate that has the shape of columns with an aspect ratio of 3 or less and forms hair-bundlelike assemblages oriented in a given direction, and a method of forming an ink-receiving layer having good ink absorptivity and color performance by the use of such an alumina hydrate. However, since particles of the alumina hydrate are oriented and densely packed, the gaps between particles of the alumina hydrate in the ink-receiving layer tend to be narrow. Hence, there is the tendency that the pore diameter is one-sided toward the narrow side and the pore size distribution is narrow.


A turbine section of a gas turbine engine is annular about a longitudinal axis. The turbine section includes a first turbine with a first inlet and a first outlet; a second turbine with a second inlet and a second outlet; and an inter-turbine duct extending from the first outlet to the second inlet and configured to direct an air flow from the first turbine to the second turbine. The inter-turbine duct has a first station with a first meridional area, a second station with a second meridional area, and a third station with a third meridional area. The first station is upstream of the second station and the second station is upstream of the third station, and the second meridional area is less than or equal to the first meridional area.

A gas turbine engine may be used to power various types of vehicles and systems. A gas turbine engine may include, for example, five major sections: a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust nozzle section. The fan section induces air from the surrounding environment into the engine and accelerates a fraction of this air toward the compressor section. The remaining fraction of air induced into the fan section is accelerated through a bypass plenum and exhausted. The compressor section raises the pressure of the air it receives from the fan section and directs the compressed air into the combustor section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. The high-energy combustion products then flow into and through the turbine section, thereby causing rotationally mounted turbine blades to rotate and generate energy. The air exiting the turbine section is exhausted from the engine through the exhaust section.
In some engines, the turbine section is implemented with one or more annular turbines, such as a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine. The high pressure turbine may be positioned upstream of the low pressure turbine and configured to drive a high pressure compressor, while the low pressure turbine is configured to drive a low pressure compressor and a fan. The high pressure and low pressure turbines have optimal operating speeds, and thus, optimal radial diameters that are different from one another. Because of this difference in radial size, an inter-turbine duct is arranged to fluidly couple the outlet of the high pressure turbine to inlet of the low pressure turbine and to transition between the changes in radius. It is advantageous from a weight and efficiency perspective to have a relatively short inter-turbine duct. However, decreasing the length of the inter-turbine duct increases the radial angle at which the air must flow between the turbines. Increasing the angle of the duct over a relatively short distance may result in boundary layer separation of the flow within the duct, which may adversely affect the performance of the low pressure turbine. Accordingly, the inter-turbine ducts are designed with a compromise between the overall size and issues with boundary layer separation. As a result, some conventional gas turbine engines may be designed with elongated inter-turbine ducts or inter-turbine ducts that do not achieve the optimal size ratio between the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide gas turbine engines with improved inter-turbine ducts. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Inter-turbine ducts with variable area ratios


A polycyclic aromatic is contacted with an alkyl-substituted single ring aromatic, such as toluene, o-, m- or p-xylene or mesitylene, over a catalyst comprising a zeolite, such as zeolite beta, USY or ZSM-5 to alkylate the polycyclic aromatic. The polycyclic aromatic can be a fused polynuclear aromatic, e.g. phenanthrene, or an assembly of two or more cyclic systems, e.g. biphenyl. The polycyclic aromatic can also include carbocyclic systems such as fluorene and naphthalene or heterocyclic systems such as benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene. The polycyclic aromatic can be derived from a cycle oil, coker gas oil, extract of lubricant solvent refining or crude distillate fraction. The transalkylating agent can be derived from a reformate, pyrolysis gasoline or coker naphtha.

Methyl and other lower alkyl-substituted polycyclic aromatic compounds are considered useful precursors for making lubricant additives and polymers for high temperature conditions. Methyl-substituted polycyclic aromatics have been prepared on a laboratory scale from expensive reagents such as butyl-lithium and dimethyl-sulfate. However, because these reagents can be considered hazardous and the costs of using them are high, this is not an acceptable large-scale synthesis route.
Large scale refinery production of alkyl-substituted aromatics by alkylating heavy aromatics-rich refinery streams has been considered as a means for upgrading low value refinery by-products such as fluid catalytically cracked (FCC) cycle oils, thermofor catalytically cracked (TCC) cycle oils, coker gas oils and aromatic extracts from lubricant manufacturing facilities which are typical relatively heavy aromatics-rich by-product streams.
Conversion of polycyclic aromatics with a lower alcohol, such as methanol over a catalyst containing a zeolite, such as ZSM-5, has been described. See, for example, D. Fraenkel et al "Shape-Selective Alkylation of Naphthalene and Methylnaphthalene with Methanol over H-ZSM-5 Zeolite Catalysts", 101 J. Catal. p. 273 (1986). However, this method tends to result in a high catalyst aging rate because it exposes the catalyst to water vapor at high temperatures which reduces the useful life of the catalyst. Different approaches along this line have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,992,606; 4,795,847; 2,527,335; 5,001,295; 4,954,663; 4,962,256; 4,181,597; and 5,053,573. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,847, a process for the preparation of 2,6-dialkyl-naphthalenes is described in which naphthalene, or 2-alkyl-naphthalene is selectively alkylated with an alkylating agent such as methanol, dimethylether or methyl bromide.
Methyl-substituted polynuclear aromatics and thiophenes have been synthesized in multi-step procedures involving adorption/desorption, extraction, reaction and purification, as described in M. Radke, "Organic Geochemistry of Aromatic Hydrocarbons", Advances in Petroleum Geochemistry, Vol. 2, p. 141 (1987) and J. Ashby et al "Recent Advances in the Chemistry of Dibenzothiophenes" Advances in Heterocyclic Chemistry, Vol. 16, p. 181 (1974). However, these processes would not provide a practical large scale solution to the problem of converting cycle oils to more valuable refinery products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,573 discloses a process for converting benzene to heavier aromatics by alkylating the benzenes of a reformate with alkyl polynuclear aromatics over an alkylation/transalkylation catalyst. This process successfully converts high benzene fractions to more acceptable alkylated benzenes useful as high octane gasoline. However, this process does not describe upgrading the polycyclic aromatics to alkylated polycyclic aromatics.

Process for making alkylated polycyclic aromatics


A process for preparing aromatic bisphosphates includes: a first step of reacting an aromatic monohydroxy compound having a steric hindrance group at the ortho position, with a phosphorus oxyhalide in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst (a) to yield a reaction mixture containing diarylphosphorohalidate, and a second step of reacting the reaction mixture of the first step with an aromatic dihydroxy compound in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst (b) to obtain an aromatic bisphosphate, wherein the aromatic monohydroxy compound and the phosphorus oxyhalide are reacted in a molar ratio of 2.0:1.0-1.1 in the first step, and the reaction mixture of the first step is subjected to a distillation treatment before the reaction of the second step, thereby obtaining the aromatic bisphosphate of high purity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing aromatic bisphosphates. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for preparing highly pure aromatic bisphosphates having an extremely low content of oligomeric phosphates and triphosphate components, capable of being solidified easily, and being useful as a fire retardant or a plasticizer for a synthetic resin.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Aromatic bisphosphates have characteristics such as low volatility, high temperature stability and no poisonous halogens, so that they are used as a fire retardant or plasticizer for imparting fire retardancy, temperature stability and good moldability to thermoplastic resin or thermosetting resin. Also, aromatic bisphosphates have a resistance to the temperature (about 300.degree. C.) for molding highly functional plastics that have been recently developed.
There are known two methods for preparing aromatic bisphosphates. One method (1) involves reacting an aromatic monohydroxy compound with a phosphorus oxyhalide and then reacting the resultant with an aromatic dihydroxy compound. The other method (2) involves reacting an aromatic dihydroxy compound with a phosphorus oxyhalide and then reacting the resultant with an aromatic monohydroxy compound.
In the method (1), when an aromatic monohydroxy compound having no steric hindrance group at its ortho position is reacted with phosphorus oxychloride, monoarylphosphorodihalidate and triarylphosphate are produced as by-products in addition to the object diarylphosphorohalidate, and also unreacted phosphorus oxyhalide is left as a residue. If the reaction mixture obtained as above without purification is reacted with an aromatic dihydroxy compound, it is not possible to obtain an aromatic bisphosphate of high purity. On the other hand, if the reaction mixture is subjected to a purification process such as distillation, the yield will be extremely lowered, which is economically disadvantageous.
Alternatively, if an aromatic monohydroxy compound having a steric hindrance group at its ortho position is reacted with phosphorus oxyhalide in the method (1), it is not possible to prepare an aromatic bisphosphate of high purity although the aforementioned by-products are produced at a lower ratio.
In the method (2), if a theoretical amount of phosphorus oxyhalide is reacted with an aromatic dihydroxy compound, it is inevitable that an oligomeric phosphate is produced as a by-product. Therefore, the compound obtained by reacting the reaction mixture containing the by-product with an aromatic monohydroxy compound contains a large amount of the oligomeric phosphate, so that the obtained compound will have a resin-like shape. An excess amount of phosphorus oxyhalide used in the reaction reduces only the ratio of the oligomeric phosphate produced as a by-product and does not produce an aromatic bisphosphate of high purity. In addition, the unreacted phosphorus oxyhalide in the reaction mixture must be removed before the reaction with an aromatic monohydroxy compound. Accordingly, the method (2) is not an economical and efficient manufacturing process.
The oligomeric phosphate produced as a by-product is not preferable because it lowers the purity of the object aromatic bisphosphate and, therefore, prolongs the time required for solidification of the aromatic bisphosphate in a melted state after the reaction or makes it difficult to solidify the aromatic bisphosphate. Also, the triaryl phosphate produced as a by-product is not preferable because it is poor in heat resistivity and causes plate-out at the time of molding the resin, contaminating the surface of the obtained molded article or degrading the appearance.
In order to obtain an aromatic bisphosphate of high purity, it is necessary to lower the content of these by-products. However, there were no processes that could reduce the content of these by-products simultaneously.
The above-described method (2), i.e. the process of preparing an aromatic bisphosphate having a steric hindrance group at its ortho position, is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,327. In an Example of the above U.S. patent, an aromatic bisphosphate having a purity of 85.0 to 93.9% as measured by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is obtained by reacting a little excess amount of 2,6-xylenol with phosphorus oxychloride to prepare bis(2,6-xylenyl) phosphorochloridate and reacting the obtained reaction mixture with hydroquinone without subjecting the reaction mixture to separation by distillation. However, the above U.S. patent does not mention the molar ratio nor the composition ratio of the by-products in the reaction of the aromatic monohydroxy compound with phosphorus oxychloride.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. HEI 8(1996)-143584 discloses a process of preparing a diarylphosphorohalidate compound of high purity by reacting 2,6-xylenol with phosphorus oxyhalide in the presence of a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound catalyst. However, the above Japanese article does not mention a purification process by distillation.

Process for preparing aromatic bisphosphates


A motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair includes a framework, a handle assembly, a motor driving assembly and a wheelchair connecting assembly. The framework includes a chassis. The handle assembly is adjustably mounted on the chassis. The motor driving assembly is mounted on the chassis and includes a wheel assembly with a single wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis, a combined clutch and brake assembly connected to the wheel assembly, a motor assembly connected to the combined clutch and brake assembly to drive the single wheel assembly through the combined clutch and brake assembly and a one-hand operated battery assembly coupled electrically to the motor assembly to drive the control unit and the motor assembly. The wheelchair connecting assembly interconnects the framework to a wheelchair. Consequently, the motorized apparatus will tow the wheelchair along a path, road and so on.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motorized apparatus for mobility of a wheelchair, and more particularly to a motorized apparatus for towing wheelchairs suitable for disabled, elderly or handicapped people.
2. Description of Related Art
Wheelchairs are used to aid handicapped, elderly or diseased people in motion, such as traveling along the streets or in the park. The conventional wheelchairs can be categorized into two types: regular wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs.
The regular wheelchairs are manually operated and are laborious. However, the regular wheelchairs are cheap, collapsible and light compared with the electric wheelchairs, whereby the former can be conveniently transported, stored or carried out when the wheelchairs are not in use.
The electric wheelchairs are powered by motors and are convenient to operate, particularly as the user can be independent and not need a caregiver. However, the electric wheelchairs are expensive, bulky and heavy and so occupy large room space for storage and large cargo container space for transportation.
Therefore, the disabled people need a separated compact motorized apparatus to aid the regular wheelchairs to move on the roads. The motorized apparatus can be apart from the wheelchairs when not in use for convenient storage and transportation.
To overcome the shortcomings of the operations of the conventional wheelchairs, the present invention provides a motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair


The test strip stabilizes skin prior to incision by a lancet tip. The innovative test strip includes a pair of skin contacting tabs that apply pressure linearly to the skin to stretch the skin taut. Beneficially an incision by a lancet tip to an accurate depth can be formed on the taut skin. Moreover, pressure from the tabs is applied linearly to the skin which results in a higher ratio of pressure to surface that can be reached as compared to applying pressure laminarily to skin. Some manufacturing techniques of the skin contacting tabs include cutting or stamping through all of the layers and test area of the test strip to form these tabs. These techniques increase the manufacturing efficiency and cost savings associated with test strips and integrated lancet testing devices. Contamination from other sampling events is eliminated since the test strips are disposed of after each use.

It is beneficial to stabilize the skin near an incision site prior to forming an incision so that a lancet tip can form an incision to an accurate depth. However, the condition of skin has a significant effect on how it is punctured by a lancet tip and the associated pricking depth of the lancet tip. For example, elasticity of skin is variable for each patient and from site to site on a patient's body. Moreover, before a lancet tip can form an incision in skin to a certain depth, the skin must be pulled taut enough to smooth out the skin and exceed the puncture threshold before the lancet can penetrate the skin. If the skin of a patient is not pulled taut prior to forming the incision, then the lancet tip must stretch the skin to make it taut prior to forming an incision. Therefore the lancet may not form an incision to an accurate depth.
Typically the minimal parts for an integrated body fluid sampling device include a test strip and a lancet. As can be appreciated there is a cost associated with manufacturing the components of integrated body fluid sampling devices such as test strips, lancets, and housings. Therefore forming an additional mechanism to stabilize skin typically increases the manufacturing cost of body fluid sampling devices. Thus, there is a need to reduce the manufacturing costs associated with a body fluid sampling device.
Thus, there is a need for improvement in this field.


A pseudo-differential active RC integrator is described. The pseudo-differential active RC integrator includes a common-mode feedback sub-circuit to control the common-mode output signal of the integrator. The common-mode feedback subcircuit may be coupled to one or more virtual ground nodes of the pseudo-differential active RC integrator, and may include one or more transconductors.

1. Field of Invention
The technology described relates to integrators and methods of operation of the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Integrators are commonly used in various types of circuits. Timing circuits, charge measurement circuits, and signal processing circuits all may implement one or more integrators. A specific example of a circuit which may implement an integrator is a Sigma Delta Modulator circuit. The Sigma Delta Modulator may include a filter, which can be formed using one or more integrators in an appropriate configuration.
Integrators can take a variety of forms depending on the environment in which they are used and the desired operating characteristics. When selecting or designing an integrator for a particular application, a circuit designer may consider factors such as power consumption, linearity, size, ease of processing, and compatibility with surrounding circuitry. Thus, while a given integrator design may be beneficial in some settings, it may have significant drawbacks in other settings.
One example of a known integrator design is the fully-differential integrator. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example of an inverting fully-differential active RC integrator 100, shown in schematic and a more detailed representation, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1A, the fully-differential integrator 100 is configured to receive a differential input signal having positive and negative components Vin+ and Vin−, and output a differential output signal having positive and negative components Vout+ and Vout−. The fully-differential integrator 100 includes an amplifier circuit 102 which has two input terminals, one configured to receive each of the components of the differential input signal Vin. The two components of the differential input signal Vin may be provided to the amplifier 102 via respective resistors, R1 and R2. The amplifier provides the differential output signal Vout from two output terminals. Feedback paths are included in the circuit design, and include respective capacitances, illustrated as capacitors, C1 and C2. The fully-differential integrator 100 is referred to as an active RC integrator because of the presence of the resistors coupled with the capacitors, and the use of amplifier 102.
FIG. 1B shows the fully-differential active RC integrator of FIG. 1A in greater detail, and in particular expands on the detail of the amplifier 102 from FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 1B, the amplifier 102 can be viewed as having two substantially identical branches coupled together at a tail current source I3. A first branch of the amplifier 102 includes current source I1 coupled to NMOS transistor 104a. The current source I1 is coupled between a supply voltage level Vdd1 and the drain of NMOS transistor 104a. The drain of NMOS transistor 104a is also coupled to capacitor C2, and is the point of the circuit from which the output Vout− is taken.
Similarly, a second branch of the amplifier includes current source I2 coupled to NMOS transistor 104b. The current source I2 is coupled between a supply voltage level Vdd2, which may be the same as Vdd1, and a drain of NMOS transistor 104b. The drain of NMOS transistor 104b is also coupled to capacitor C1, and is the point of the circuit from which the output Vout+ is taken.
As shown, the first and second branches of the amplifier join at a tail current source I3, which could be a transistor. In particular, the source terminals of NMOS transistors 104a and 104b are coupled to tail current source I3. The tail current source I3 is also coupled to ground. The combination of current sources I1-I3 and the two NMOS transistors 104a and 104b constitute an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA), outlined by box 102.
Another example of a known integrator design is illustrated in FIG. 2. The pseudo-differential active RC integrator 200 is similar to the fully-differential active RC integrator 100 of FIG. 1B, except that the tail current source I3 in FIG. 1B is removed. The source terminals of NMOS transistors 204a and 204b are therefore coupled directly to ground. Since the input common-mode may not coincide with the gate to source voltage, Vgs, of transistors 204a and 204b, the pseudo-differential active RC integrator also includes current sources I4 and I5 to provide level shifting. Current sources I4 and I5 can be implemented as transistors. The current sources I4 and I5 are coupled between respective virtual ground nodes, 211a and 211b (corresponding to the gate terminals of transistors 204a and 204b) and ground.

Pseudo-differential active RC integrator


A communication management resource receives first input indicating a first time-division communication configuration associated with first wireless stations operated by a first wireless network service provider. The communication management resource receives second input indicating a second time-division communication configuration associated with second wireless stations such as operated by a second wireless network service provider. Based on spectral analysis of implementing the first time-division communication configuration and the second time-division communication configuration, the communication management resource controls implementation of time-division communication configurations by the first wireless stations and the second wireless stations.

Conventional wireless networks typically include one or more wireless base stations to provide mobile communication devices access to a remote network such as the Internet.
One type of wireless base station is a so-called CBSD (Citizen Broadband Radio Service Device). Such a device uses a wireless channel allocated from a CBRS (Citizens Band Radio Service) band to support communications with one or more mobile communication devices.
In general, the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band is shared among three tiers of users (incumbent users, priority access license users, and general authorized users) in which the higher tiers are protected from interference from the lower tiers. For example, incumbents are entities such as U.S. military and grandfather fixed satellite service users. Priority access license (PAL) users are entities such as operators who purchase spectrum licenses. General authorized access (GAA) users are allocated channels in the CBRS band without a license when bandwidth is available.
Typically, a so-called SAS (Spectrum Access Service) in a CBRS network allocates one or more wireless channels to a CBSD (such as a wireless base station) to support communications with respective user equipment such as one or more mobile communication devices. Each wireless station can be configured to communicate with the SAS to receive notification of the one or more wireless channels allocated for its use. Controlled allocation of wireless channels by the spectrum access system helps to prevent interference and increase spectrum use amongst the wireless stations sharing the spectrum.
In general, interference in the CBRS spectrum is managed among users such that: i) PAL users are protected from each other and GAA users, ii) and GAA users are not protected but a coexistence manager (CxM) manages interference among them. Interference protection and management is done to avoid co-channel interference (CCI). Co-channel interference refers to interference caused by a wireless station of one user to a user equipment of another user (or vice versa), while both using the same carrier frequency. Adjacent-channel interference (ACI) is caused by a wireless station of one user to a user equipment of another user (or vice versa), when using carrier frequencies that are adjacent to each other. These two types of interference are present in frequency division duplex (FDD) bands.
Co-channel and adjacent channel interference also occur in time division duplex (TDD) bands when networks are time synchronized and using the same uplink-downlink TDD configuration, i.e. their uplink and downlink sub-frames or slots occur synchronously. For example, all wireless stations can be configured to implement a TDD configuration supporting 20% uplink sub-frames and 80% downlink sub-frames. In certain instances, wireless network service providers may elect to implement different TDD configurations or their networks may not be synchronized. For example, a first wireless network service provider may operate first wireless stations using a first time-division duplex configuration of 30% uplink and 70% downlink. A second wireless network service provider may operate second wireless stations using a second time-division duplex configuration of 60% uplink and 40% downlink. In such scenarios, the wireless station of one network (using downlink sub-frames) may interfere with the wireless station of another network (using uplink sub-frames). Alternatively, the user equipment of one network (using uplink sub-frames) may interfere with the user equipment of another network (using downlink sub-frames). This is known as cross-link interference (CLI) which occurs in both co-channel and adjacent channel frequencies. CLI may significantly impact coexistence among operators sharing a TDD band.

Time-division communication analysis and bandwidth allocation in a wireless network


Medium individual information formed an information recording medium is obtained, and a management key used for recording or regeneration on the information recording medium corresponding to the medium individual information is generated, and the predetermined information is encoded to create encode data by using the management key when recording predetermined information, the encode data recorded on the information recording medium is decoded to create decode data by using the transferred management key when regenerating the predetermined information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording medium, a manufacturing method of its recording medium, an information process unit and a copyright management system. More particularly, the invention is applied to a field of copyright protection technology for reading and writing digital AV information by using information individual to a magnetic disk medium and non-rewritable, and further the invention is capable of recording and reproducing copyrighted digital AV information while securely protecting the copyright.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an information recording medium for a computer is required to copy digital information correctly, where it is recorded and regenerated as the same digital information no matter how many times it is repeatedly copied or even if it is copied on another recording medium.
While digital AV information can be obtained from the information record media such as the Internet, a digital broadcast and a DVD, it can be copied once accumulated as the digital information and then the copyright thereof can no longer be protected. Although there are copy protection technologies and so on, copying becomes possible, in the case of copy control information for instance, just by deleting or rewriting this information. This is ascribable to the fact that a magnetic disk unit mainly used as an external storage of the computer is capable of reading and rewriting all the data according to an instruction from the computer. The magnetic disk unit freely allows all recorded data to be read and written in order to securely store programs and data of the computer.
(Problems in the Prior Art)
(Problem 1)
In recent years, however, the act of copying itself leads to infringement of the copyright in the case of the copyrighted digital information such as the digital AV information (Audio-Visual information).
Currently, the information recording medium such as the DVD embedded with a scramble code that cannot be regenerated without descrambling copyright protection is not perfect because a hacker or the like creates a program and so on for releasing the protection.
Thus, there is a first problem that the copyright protection is not perfect as to the information recording medium itself such as a magnetic disk medium.
(Problem 2)
Consequently, a digital record system incorporating the copyright protection is now required apart from the record system used on the computers so far. In particular, a digital broadcast and so on must receive special attention because, as the same radio wave is received by all the receivers, individually different encryption is difficult and then the digital AV information may be copied and illegally used if once decrypted.
Here, it will be described more concretely.
As for the copyrighted digital AV information, a function of freely allowing reading and writing of all the data recorded on the information recording medium is very dangerous, where it is possible to analyze the digital AV information and an unprotect key by rewriting the program of the computer. Once the digital AV information is thereby decrypted, there is a fear that the digital AV information leaks all over the world through the Internet and so on. It has been impossible to completely prevent it since control by programming is possible in the range of an interface with the computer.
For that reason, in order to handle the copyrighted digital AV information, it is necessary to add a function different from the conventional magnetic disk unit capable of reading and rewriting all the data recorded on the information recording medium based on an instruction from the computer.
In addition, there are the cases where the copyright protection is implemented by using an encryption process, yet it is possible to unprotect the copyright relatively easily by a technique performing directly analyzing with a logic analyzer or the like an interface route between the computer and a recording apparatus or a signal line with the Internet connecting the computer to an external server or by a technique providing a pseudo signal looking as if authenticated. In particular, the unprotect key or encryption key is smaller in capacity than the encrypted digital AV information, and so it is easy to directly read or rewrite the content of the information. In the case where it is cracked, the digital AV information is decrypted and is no longer secure however advanced the performed encryption is.
Thus, there is a second problem that it is not possible to record and regenerate the copyrighted digital AV information while securely protecting the copyright.

Information recording medium, manufacturing method of its recording medium, information process unit and copyright management system

Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.


A bow having a string trained around a string track of a cam wherein the configuration of the string track is variable with respect to the axis of the cam. In one configuration, the string track yields a mechanical advantage when the bowstring is pulled from an at rest position to a drawn position. When the bowstring is released from the drawn position, the string track assumes another configuration. The different configurations that the string track assumes results in the draw force, that is the force required to pull the string from the at rest position to the drawn position, being less than the shooting force, which is the force imparted to an arrow by the string when the string is released from the drawn position.

There are several types of archery bows and crossbows, that have been used over the years. Vertical bows and crossbows will be herein collectively referred to as "bows". Traditional vertical bows include long bows and recurves. These are typically made of only wood and have no mechanical parts. Compound bows, on the other hand, have eccentric wheels or camps that rotate as the bowstring is pulled to a shooting position. These bows typically have one or more cams or wheels that are attached to flexible limbs or the frame of the bow by an axle or pivot pin. A cam, when embodied within a bow, provides mechanical advantage for the shooter. When the bowstring is drawn, the flexible limbs will be stressed and store potential energy that will later be used to launch an arrow. The advantage of a compound bow over traditional bows is that when at full draw, less force is required to hold the bow than is required to draw it. This is called "let off" and typically varies from 50% to 85% of the peak draw force. Traditional bows require a steady increase in force to draw the bow to a full draw position. The advantage of "let off" is that the archer can remain at full draw for a long period of time and yet be able to control the bow.
The velocity of a bow is important because the faster the flight of the arrow, the flatter its trajectory and the less important is the estimation of range. Furthermore, arrows that possess high velocities will penetrate the target better. For hunters, this means the arrow is more likely to pass completely or substantially completely through the animal.
There are several ways for increasing the shooting velocity of a bow and arrow combination. The limitations are that most archers cannot draw more than 65-70 pounds, and youth and women typically cannot draw more than 45-50 pounds. Draw weight is the easiest method of increasing arrow speed, but is the most difficult on the shooter. Another approach is to increase the power stroke length of the bow. Power stroke is the distance of the draw from the at rest or braced position and the full draw position. This is approximately the draw length of the individual bow minus the brace height which is a perpendicular distance from the at rest position of the string to the riser. This is also easily changed. However, archers have size limitations that make it difficult to shoot a bow having a relatively large draw length. Also, the shorter the brace height, the more difficult it is to shoot the bow. Typical power strokes are limited to about 20 inches. Another way to increase bow velocity is to make the bow more efficient. This can be expensive and usually does not yield substantial benefits.
Yet another approach is to utilize lighter arrows. This is also an easy way of increasing arrow speed. The potential energy stored in the bow is transferred to kinetic energy of the arrow. The lighter the arrow, the faster it will travel when shot from the same bow. However, there are safety minimums on arrow weight that are based upon the shooting force of the bow. There is a lower limit to the arrow weight based upon the shooting force. If the bow is shooting arrows that are too light, much of the potential energy of the bow is absorbed by the bow as vibrations and stress, as opposed to being transferred to the arrow.

Archery bow having a shooting force greater than drawing force


The data of each pixel of a CCD, acquired from double pre-emissions performed in accordance with a shutter operation, is estimated to determine appropriate luminous energy for actual photography. Specifically, in each frame between the shutter operation and emission for actual photography, a CCD is driven so that only the data of the pixels corresponding to an estimation area is transferred, and the data of the other pixels is destroyed. The estimation area is included in the image pickup area of the CCD and used to determine the appropriate luminous energy. As a result, the time required to transfer pixel data unnecessary for estimation is omitted, thereby reducing the total processing time ranging from the pre-emissions to the emission for actual photography, and realizing prompt actual photography with appropriate luminous energy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, such as a digital camera, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus equipped with a strobe light, and a control method for controlling the luminous energy of the strobe light.
2. Description of the Related Art
Imaging apparatuses, such as digital cameras, are equipped with a strobe light. Strobe lights are designed to emit light in synchronism with the shutter to adjust the degree of exposure during photography, and are also called flashes.
There is a known method for controlling the luminous energy of a strobe light during photography. In this method, strobe light converges on a subject, the light reflected from the subject is received by a sensor, and when the integrated value of the reflected light reaches a preset value, the emission operation of the strobe light is stopped.
Further, to reduce the number of required components, size, etc., strobe lights widely employ a through-the-lens (TTL) pre-emission method. In this method, pre-emission using predetermined luminous energy is performed on a subject, thereby detecting the brightness of the subject using an image pickup element. Based on the detected brightness, the luminous energy for photography is determined.
The pre-emission method includes a method for determining the luminous energy for photography by one-time pre-emission operation, and a method for determining the same by repeating the pre-emission operation several times. Furthermore, the applicant, for example, has proposed a method for determining appropriate luminous energy from double pre-emission operations in which the luminous energy is varied (see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-319255).

Imaging apparatus and emission control method for use in imaging apparatus


A software debugger adapted for connection to a hardware simulator simulating a hardware system includes a simulation information acquiring unit for acquiring cycle level execution information from the hardware simulator, and a debug processing unit for executing debugging by setting a processing width for time of one step execution instruction during debugging of a program executed on the hardware system based on the cycle level execution information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a debugger used in software development and, more particularly, to a software debugger considering pipeline processing used in a hardware/software cooperation simulation environment, a system-level debugger, a debugging method, and a debugging program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A software debugger is known as a tool used for discovering behaviors or problems during software execution, and debugging in verification of functions including those of a hardware system and software operated on the hardware system at a system designing stage before hardware manufacturing. The software debugger debugs by using a source code before a program written in a high-level language such as a C language or Pascal is compiled. Using the software debugger, it is possible to operate including the setting of a stopping position (break point) on a line designated on the source code, checking of the content of register values or various variables used on the source code, and the like. Conventionally, the software debugger has had debugging only at a command level, which is designed for execution of a program of a high-level language by single software. This is because investigation of functional programs or behaviors of a program during execution has required only information obtained by a command unit of a high-level language. Accordingly, various settings on the debugger were all done by command units of high-level languages, and the debugger itself was not allowed to execute settings using units other than command units of high-level languages. For example, information displayed during the debugging was by a command unit of a high-level language, and a program counter, a step width and the like displayed during the execution of the command were all by command units of the high-level language. Also, for a break point to be given, a method of setting it during the command execution of a high-level language has been employed.
However, for the execution of debugging in a system level environment combining hardware and software, the conventional command unit of the high-level language is not sufficient. For example, when software debugging is carried out in the case of considering interruptions from outside a CPU, accurate debugging is impossible unless an execution command is at an assembly level. To improve performance by shortening software execution time, debugging including even cycle units must be carried out. It has become apparent that debugging using a command unit at assembly level or a cycle unit is now required. In other words, it is necessary to conduct debugging considering not only an operation in the CPU but also the effects of an external hardware system, which has a concept of time. A command level displayed by the debugger must also be displayed at the assembly level closer to the hardware. However, in the displaying method at the program counter, the setting method of a step width or a break point, or the like, of the conventional debugger, a problem of the impossibility of conducting sufficient debugging has been inherent for lack of time concept.


A matrix adapted is for the specific tooth type, and is positioned on the tooth to covers the tooth, so that an injected curable material is encased by the matrix over the tooth. When the curable material has cured, the matrix is removed, resulting in a veneer on the tooth.

Cosmetic dentistry generally relates to the process of enhancing the aesthetics of the dental crown, that portion of the tooth beyond the gum line which is covered with enamel. One example of such a process comprises putting a veneer on the tooth or putting a mold, made from a dental impression, on the tooth, filling the mold with a dental composite or acrylic, to create the veneer, while the mold is separate from the teeth, and then transferring the veneer from the mold to the tooth. The veneer is placed on the tooth and is then cured or otherwise hardened. The veneer is now integral with the tooth, and now may be shaped or polished, for example, by techniques including resurfacing the tooth. These aforementioned techniques are fairly expensive and time consuming, as they require considerable preparation, and usually cannot be performed in a single dental office visit.


A removable incandescent light bulb socket having: (a) a housing having at least first and second ends and an axis, having at least one opening at the first end, and the housing made at least in part of a heat-resistant material resistant to a temperature of about 90° C.; (b) threads within the opening for accepting and electrically connecting to a screw thread contact of an Edison base incandescent light bulb; (c) a central contact within the opening for electrically connecting to an electrical foot contact of the Edison base incandescent light bulb; and (d) first and second electrical contacts extending from the second end of the housing substantially parallel to the housing axis for mechanical and electrical connection to the electrical lighting base; and wherein the first and second electrical contacts have central axes and are positioned so that their central axes are approximately parallel; and further wherein the first and second electrical contacts each have a narrower proximal portion and a wider distal portion, the wider distal portion being configured to be accepted by the wider portion of the openings of the electrical lighting base and retained in the narrower portion of the openings of the electrical lighting base.

As known in the art, fluorescent light bulbs generally are more energy-efficient than conventional incandescent light bulbs. At the same time, however, incandescent light bulbs may have advantages over fluorescent light bulbs. For example, incandescent light bulbs tend to be less expensive than fluorescent bulbs and do not require a ballast, as fluorescent bulbs do. Accordingly, on some occasions fluorescent bulbs may be preferable to incandescent bulbs, on other occasions incandescent bulbs are preferable, and on other occasions, either will suffice. In this time of energy conservation, it is common for energy-efficient products to be certified as energy efficient by various organizations, e.g., ENERGY STAR ("a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency").
It is known to have fluorescent bulbs with built-in ballasts for use in incandescent light bulb sockets; however lighting products (i.e., lighting fixtures and/or lighting portables) with standard incandescent light bulb sockets may face hurdles in becoming certified as energy-efficient because one can readily use incandescent bulbs in the medium bases (Edison bases) of such lighting products.

Removable incandescent light bulb base permitting conversion to fluorescent lighting products


The present invention relates to a solid-state X-ray detector comprising a photosensitive sensor associated with a radiation converter, known as a scintillator, transforming the X-rays into a radiation to which the sensor is sensitive, and an entry window through which the X-rays pass upstream of the scintillator. The entry window is mounted on the scintillator, without being fixed to the scintillator, and the entry window and the sensor are fixed by a water vapor-tight seal. The scintillator consists of a support, distinct from the sensor, and a scintillating substance.

Such radiation detectors are known, for example, through French patent FR 2 605 166 in which a sensor formed from amorphous silicon photodiodes is associated with a radiation converter.
The structure and operation of such a radiation detector will be briefly recalled.
The photosensitive sensor is generally made from solid-state photosensitive elements arranged in a matrix. The photosensitive elements are made from semiconductor materials, usually from mono-crystalline silicon for sensors of the CCD or CMOS type, from poly-crystalline or amorphous silicon. A photosensitive element comprises at least one photodiode, one phototransistor or one photo-resistor. These elements are deposited onto a substrate, generally a glass plate.
These elements are not generally directly sensitive to very short wavelength radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays. This is the reason why the photosensitive sensor is associated with a radiation converter which comprises a layer of a scintillating substance. When it is excited by such radiation, this substance has the property of emitting radiation of a longer wavelength, for example visible or near-visible light, to which the sensor is sensitive. The light emitted by the radiation converter illuminates the photosensitive elements of the sensor which perform a photoelectric conversion and deliver electrical signals which are exploitable by appropriate circuits. The radiation converter will be referred to as the scintillator in the description that follows.
Certain scintillating substances of the alkaline halide or rare earth oxysulfide family are frequently employed for their good performances.
Among the alkaline halides, cesium iodide, doped with sodium or thallium according to whether an emission around 400 nanometers or around 550 nanometers, respectively, is desired, is known for its strong X-ray absorption and its excellent fluorescence efficiency. It takes the form of fine needles that are grown on a support. These needles are more or less perpendicular to this support and they partially confine the light emitted toward the sensor. Their fineness determines the resolution of the detector. Lanthanum and gadolinium oxysulfides are also widely employed for the same reasons.
However, some of these scintillating substances have the drawback of poor stability, being subject to a partial decomposition when they are exposed to water vapor, and their decomposition liberates chemical species that migrate either toward or away from the sensor. These species are very corrosive. Cesium iodide and lanthanum oxysulfide suffer notably from this drawback.
In relation to cesium iodide, its decomposition yields cesium hydroxide Cs+ OH− and free iodine 12 which can then combine with iodide ions to yield the complex radical I3−.
In relation to lanthanum oxysulfide, its decomposition yields hydrogen sulfide H2S that is chemically very aggressive.
Water vapor is extremely difficult to eliminate. It is always present in ambient air as well as in the bonding compound used in the detector assembly. The presence of water vapor in the bonding compound is due either to the ambient air or as a by-product of the polymerization if the latter results from the condensation of two chemical species, which is frequently the case.
One of the important aspects during the manufacture of these detectors will be to minimize the amount of water vapor initially present inside the detector, and in contact with the scintillator, and to avoid the diffusion of this water vapor into the sensor during its operation.
Radiation detectors include an entry window through which the X-rays pass upstream of the scintillator. In addition, the scintillating substance is generally deposited onto a metallic support, the support and the scintillating substance thus forming the scintillator. Furthermore, a known solution is to use the support as an entry window.
When the scintillating substance is deposited onto the entry window to form the scintillator which is then placed on the sensor, the entry window must withstand the thermal stresses of the deposition and processing of the scintillator without being damaged and must preferentially have a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of the scintillator and to that of the sensor, or more especially to that of its substrate. The window may also be chosen to have a low modulus of elasticity, which will tend to eliminate differential stresses between on the one hand the window and the scintillator and on the other hand the window and the sensor, or more particularly the sensor substrate. Thus, the risks of the scintillator cracking or of the sensor substrate breaking are avoided.
The condition of the surface of the entry window must additionally allow the growth, especially for cesium iodide, of the finest possible needles in the most uniform manner possible. The fineness of the needles is a factor in the quality of the detector resolution.
The supports are currently made of aluminum which has an excellent transparency to the radiation to be detected and good optical properties. After a conditioning treatment of the aluminum, a satisfactory surface condition for deposition of the scintillator can be obtained. Unfortunately, its thermal expansion coefficient is very different from that of the sensor. In order to avoid significant mechanical stresses at the interface between the two elements during thermal cycling, the use of a supple leak-tight seal, capable of absorbing without damage the deformations caused by this thermal cycling, is called for. This seal is necessarily supple in order to absorb the differences in thermal expansion between the scintillator support and the sensor during thermal cycling, so as to minimize stresses and the risks of fracturing. However, supple materials are generally permeable to water vapor, which results in an insufficient protection of the scintillator against this water vapor, and hence a reduced lifetime for the detector. It is desirable for such radiation detectors to have a lifetime comparable to the cost recovery time for radiological or other equipment onto which they are mounted, which is around 10 years.

Abstract: The application areas of this type of detector are notably radiology (radiography, fluoroscopy and mammography), but equally, non-destructive testing.


A drive device of a window positioning device positions a window of a vehicle to selectively cover a window opening. The drive device is operated by a control device. When the window is fully closed, the drive device is operated (a) in an opening direction and then (b) in a closing direction. The operation of the drive device is carried out depending on a drive parameter. In a), using a first value of the drive parameter, the drive device is brought into a first reduced load position, and in b), using a second value of the drive parameter, the drive device is brought into a second reduced load position in which the window positioning device is in a reduced load state. A control device and a window positioning device are used.

The invention relates to a method for operating a drive device of a window positioning device for positioning a window pane of a vehicle. Moreover, the invention relates to a control device for operating the drive device.
Methods for displacing a window pane are known, with which the window pane is displaced from an end position into an intermediate position in order to facilitate the opening or closing of a vehicle door, especially for frameless windows. Methods are also known with which window panes are pressed down into a mechanical stop for better sealing, especially depending on a high vehicle speed. When displacing the window pane into the end position and when pressing down, high preload forces often occur within a window mechanism.
The German patent application DE 10 2010 056 226 A1 discloses a method for lowering a window pane of a vehicle prior to an occupant of the vehicle disembarking, with which the lowering can be initiated by operating a belt buckle, especially with a frameless vehicle door.
The German patent application DE 10 2010 036 205 A1 discloses a method for pressing down a window pane of a vehicle into an end position on a mechanical stop depending on a driving state of the vehicle in order to ensure good sealing of the interior of the vehicle, especially if there is mechanical play. Pressing down can take place with a defined force and with a slowly increasing force up to a final value of the force, in order to gently approach the stop and to keep audible noise low. The force can be adjusted by pulse width modulated current. The pressing down can especially take place depending on a vehicle speed, a temperature or a time period.
The German patent application DE 10 2006 049 223 A1 discloses a method for the positioning of a window pane of a vehicle in a short stroke position separate from a seal in order to keep the window pane free of the seal and to facilitate opening of a door of the vehicle, wherein mechanical play can be compensated.
The German patent application DE 103 38 767 A1 discloses a method for the positioning of a window pane of a vehicle in a short stroke position when opening a vehicle door and a door window control system, wherein a proximity sensor is provided, especially in the area near a door handle, in order to displace the window pane into the short stroke position shortly before opening the vehicle door, especially shortly before operating the door handle.
The German patent application DE 10 2008 014 520 A1 discloses a method for the lowering of a window pane of a vehicle into a short stroke position when opening a vehicle door, with which lowering can be initiated by a heat sensor preferably disposed in the area near a door handle that detects a hand of a user of the vehicle in a detection region.

Method for actuating a drive means of a window positioning device for positioning a window pane of a vehicle, and control device suitable therefor