An electrical connector includes an insulative housing defining a rear wall and a mating cavity running through a front end of the insulative housing from the rear wall, the rear wall defines an inner surface facing the mating cavity. A plurality of conductive terminals are fixed in the insulative housing and include a plurality of grounding terminals, each conductive terminal defines a body portion and a first contacting arm extending into the mating cavity. And a grounding plate is disposed in the rear wall and defines a plurality of contacting portions running through the inner surface and extending into the mating cavity and a plurality of connecting portions connecting to the respective body portions of the grounding terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a grounding plate with better anti-EMI performance, and related to the copending application Ser. No. 14/477,890 filed on Sep. 5, 2014.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwan Utility Pat. No. M367498 issued on Nov. 21, 2009, discloses an electrical connector including an insulative housing, a plurality of ESATA terminals, a plurality of USB terminals and a grounding plate. The insulative housing defines a mating cavity extending forwardly and a tongue portion extending into the mating cavity along a first direction, the tongue portion defines a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The ESATA terminal defines a contacting portion located on the first surface of the tongue portion and the USB terminal defines a contacting portion located on the second surface of the tongue portion, the grounding plated is disposed between the first and second surfaces and spaced by the tongue portion so as to not contact with the ESATA terminals or the USB terminals which effectively prevents electromagnetic interference of the terminals. However, with the development of demand for high-frequency transmission, the signal interference between the terminals is becoming increasingly serious.
Therefore, an improved electrical connector is highly desired to meet overcome the requirement.

Electrical connector having better anti-EMI performance


An inkjet printer includes a print head having a plurality of nozzles; a plurality of ink cartridges storing inks of different colors, respectively, to be supplied to the print head; and a pressure applying section for applying pressure in an ejecting direction to the inks in the nozzles of the print head by supplying compressed air to the ink cartridges, and the pressure applying section has a pump for supplying compressed air to the ink cartridges through an air channel provided between the ink cartridges and said pump; and a charge tank provided in the air channel, for temporarily keeping the compressed air, and, after increasing the pressure in the ink cartridges, charge tank and air channel by the supply of compressed air from the pump, the compressed air is released to the print head and the pressure is applied to the inks in the nozzles of the print head.

The present invention relates to an inkjet printer and a method of controlling the inkjet printer.
For example, an inkjet printer having the structure shown in FIG. 1 is conventionally known as an inkjet printer that performs positive pressure purging by causing compressed air generated by an air pump to act on the ink in an ink cartridge. Specifically, a head holder 101 is arranged so that it is movable in a reciprocating manner in a direction orthogonal to a direction of feeding recording paper A, and a print head 101A comprising a number of nozzles arranged in a plurality of lines is installed in the head holder 101. A plurality of ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B, and 102Y storing inks to be supplied to the print head 101A are provided, and also a plurality of pressure applying valves 103M, 103C, 103B, and 103Y are provided between the print head 101A and the respective ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B, and 102Y. A charge tank 105 for temporarily keeping the compressed air is provided between an air pump 104 and the ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B, and 102Y An atmospheric air release valve 107 is provided in an air channel 106 between the charge tank 105 and the respective ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B and 102Y, and switching means 108 for switching the ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B and 102Y to supply the compressed air is provided between the charge tank 105 and the ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B and 102Y. In an inkjet printer thus constructed, positive pressure purging is performed sequentially for a plurality of ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B, and 102Y by switching the ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B and 102Y to be supplied with compressed air by the switching means 108 and opening the pressure applying valves 103M, 103C, 103B and 103Y corresponding to the ink cartridges 102M, 102C, 102B and 102Y. After purging, the air pump 104 is stopped, and the atmospheric air release valve 107 is opened to release the compressed air remaining in the charge tank 105 to the atmosphere.
Moreover, there was proposed an inkjet recording apparatus in which a print head and a sub-tank unit are mounted on a carriage, and an ink cartridge connected to the print head through an ink supply tube, an air pump for supplying compressed air to the ink cartridge, a pressure regulator, a switching valve, etc. are provided in a printer main body (main body frame). In such an inkjet recording apparatus, when the amount of ink remaining in the sub-tank is small, the switching valve is switched to connect the air pump and an ink bag of the ink cartridge together, and therefore the compressed air in the air pump is supplied to the ink bag through the pressure regulator and the switching valve, and the ink in the ink bag is fed to the ink head and the sub-tank (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-138506 (1998)).
However, in the ink jet printer shown in FIG. 1 and the inkjet recording apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-138506 (1998)) mentioned above; the atmospheric air release valve and the pressure regulator are positioned between the air pump and the ink cartridge, and an air pressure adjustment of the compressed air to be supplied from the air pump to the ink cartridge is performed by the atmospheric air release valve and the pressure regulator. Therefore, a space for installing the large atmospheric air release valve and pressure regulator is required, and consequently not only the size of he inkjet printer becomes bigger, but also the production cost increases. Further, since the amount of compressed air that can be supplied to each ink cartridge is defined by the capacity of the pressure regulator placed on the upstream side of the ink cartridge, there is a possibility that a pressure force to be applied to the print head may vary depending on the amount of ink remaining in the ink cartridge.
Therefore, in order to simply adjust the pressure of the compressed air at low cost, in a known apparatus, an air supply tube for supplying the air from the air pump to an air chamber of each ink cartridge has an orifice, and the pressure is adjusted by discharging the compressed air generated in the air pump by the orifice when performing purging (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-58348).

Inkjet printer and control method thereof


A work chamber is filled with a hydraulic liquid and is disposed between the legs of the spring body of a hydraulic radial bearing. The work chamber is connected to a compensating chamber via a transfer channel. The desired absorption of disturbing noises in the region of 130 Hz is obtained with a special dimensioning of the cross-sectional area of the work chamber, the dynamic swell stiffness of the spring body and the length (L) and the total cross-sectional area (A2) of the transfer channel. The ratio of the effective cross-sectional area (A1) of the work chamber to the cross-sectional area (A2) of the channel lies preferably between 0.1 and 10 while the ratio of the length (L) of the transfer channel to the total cross-sectional area (A2) of the transfer channel is in the range of 0.1 to 4.0.

In addition to the insulation of vibrations, which is also provided by conventional rubber elements, the hydro bushings include a damping characteristic for damping the vibrations occurring in the vehicle between the engine and the chassis. As described with respect to FIG. 7, the damping characteristics are achieved with a system integrated into the hydro bushing. This system comprises a support spring, which acts as a piston, and a channel. Here, the mass in the channel and the volume stiffness form a vibration-capable system.
Such systems are matched to approximately 10 Hz and are therefore able to compensate for the inherent vibrations of the engine. Conventional standard hydro bushings are completely unsuited for damping in the lower hearing range.
The invention is directed to a hydro bushing which can filter out acoustic disturbing noises, especially in the region of approximately 130 Hz.
United Kingdom patent application 2,192,968 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 888,595, filed Jul. 23, 1986) is directed to comparatively large vibration amplitudes in the region of the inherent frequency of the damping system as well as to high frequency vibrations of comparatively small amplitude. For attenuating low frequencies of large amplitude, there are two volume-changeable chambers which are connected to each other via a transfer channel as in a standard hydro bushing. Additionally, a further gas chamber for taking up high frequency vibrations of low amplitude is provided and this gas chamber is closed off with an elastic membrane, that is, here, in the acoustic range, only small amplitudes can be filtered out. A further disadvantage is that additional measures are required for damping the expanded range. The manufacture with respect to these measures is associated with additional complexity.


A method for exiting a voice skill, an apparatus, a device, and a storage medium are provided by embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein a user voice instruction is received; a target exit intention corresponding to the user voice instruction is identified according to the user voice instruction and a grammar rule of a preset exit intention; and a corresponding operation is executed on a current voice skill of a device according to the target exit intention. The embodiments of the present disclosure refine and expand the user's exit intention. After the target exit intention to which the user voice instruction belongs is identified, the corresponding operation is executed according to the target exit intention so as to meet the users' different exit requirements for the voice skills, enhance the fluency and convenience of user interaction with the device and improve the user's exit experience when using the voice skills.

In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, intelligent voice technology has been widely used in various smart devices such as smart speakers and smart set-top boxes, and voice interaction of smart devices has also become one of the important factors attracting consumers. In the field of intelligent voice technology, voice skill specifically refer to a function or a service provided by voice, such as "check the weather" is a voice skill and "listen to music" is also a skill. Therefore, the voice skill is an abstraction of voice functions, and many disperse voice functions are abstracted into different types of voice skills.
In the prior art, when a user needs to exit a voice skill, it is necessary to clearly say which voice skill to be exited, so that the smart device can identify and execute the operation of exiting the voice skill. In the actual application process, there may be complicated situations in which the user does not clearly say which voice skill to be exited, or the user does not know the name of the voice skill, resulting in that the smart device cannot accurately identify the user's exit intention and cannot meet the user's requirement of exiting voice skills, further, leading to the poor fluency of the voice interaction and impacting the user's exit experience when using the voice skills.

Method for exiting a voice skill, apparatus, device and storage medium

BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.


A manual rescue tool is disclosed. In one embodiment, the rescue tool has a hydraulic pump assembly having a hydraulic manifold block and an extension tube assembly extendable by the hydraulic pump assembly. The extension tube assembly may be mounted to and supported by the manifold block. The rescue tool may further include a first end tool operably connected to a first end of the extension tube assembly and an end plate assembly rotatably mounted to the manifold block.

Extendable rescue struts or tools are commonly used to secure and stabilize an overturned vehicle that has been in an accident by creating supporting points. Some rescue tools are extendable by an external power source, such as a motorized hydraulic pump. Other rescue tools are extendable through the operation of a manual mechanical jack, such as a screw jack or a ratcheting type farm jack. However, many rescue tools having mechanical jacks require a significant period of time to assembly and/or extend to their full lengths. As rescue operations can be extremely time sensitive, improvements are desired.


This invention systematically creates models that simulate operations from a component of a single function to a machine that combines many components and also to a system that combines a plurality of machines, which can be expressed by all physical systems such as an electric system and mechanical system, solid-state system and fluid system, and the like. The invention creates an overall function simulation model using a plurality of function simulation models which are independently provided for predetermined functions and are coupled via potential and flow variables. When respective function simulation models include linear characteristic elements A, B, C, E, F, and G and at least one function simulation model includes nonlinear characteristic elements X and Y, the nonlinear characteristic elements are separated from the linear characteristic elements by handling the nonlinear characteristics as functions in the function simulation model, the plurality of function simulation models are integrated as linear characteristic elements (integration process), and the nonlinear characteristic elements are linked to the functions in the integrated function simulation model (succession process).

For the purpose of shortening the time required for product development, it is becoming increasingly important to perform estimation and confirmation of performance and functions, which are conventionally done by tests using samples, during the initial period of development.
A physical system such as a machine can be considered as an organism of functions comprised of many components. Individual components collaborate and function while converting and exchanging energy with each other in accordance with partial roles of their shares, and dynamically blend in concord to accomplish the purpose and mission of a machine as a whole in accordance with the required performance. For example, various kinds of performance such as travel performance of an automobile appear as integrated characteristics of individual units such as an engine, transmission device, and the like. Since these characteristics involves a plurality of different engineering fields, conventionally, different theoretical systems are combined and modeled by a unique method that meets the purpose of each particular simulation. However, it is not efficient to provide simulations against many problems and to maintain and manage them.
To solve this problem, a modeling technique which is common to different fields and can easily integrate them is required.
The present inventors have proposed a technique for expressing each component by identifying the energy flow using concepts called potential and float variables using a system equation in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-91334 and the like, thereby expressing a unit built by a plurality of components as a matrix.
Also, the present inventors has proposed examples of simulation by applying the above contents to automobile components in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 11-282897 and 11-282898.
Furthermore, the following papers have been disclosed:
(1) Hiroaki Yosimura & Takehiko Kawase, "Multibody dynamics and symbolic scheme", The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 72nd general conference lecture meeting lecture papers, pp. 417-418, Mar. 29 to 31, 1995;
(2) Shizuo Kakuta & Shigeyoshi Hiramatsu, "Modeling of virtual prototype, (part I)", The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 72nd general conference lecture meeting lecture papers, pp. 421-422, Mar. 29 to 31, 1995;
(3) Shizuo Kakuta & Shigeyoshi Hiramatsu, "Modeling of virtual prototype, (part II)", The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 72nd general conference lecture meeting lecture papers, pp. 381-382, Mar. 29 to 31, 1995;
(4) Takehisa Koda & Kouichi Inoue, "Fundamentals of bond graph", The Journal of the Japan Society of Investment and Management Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 25-31, 1997;
(5) Shigeki Hiramatsu, Yasuhiro Harada, Hiroyuki Aarakawa, Ken Komori, & Shizuo Kakuta, "Modeling of power train by applying the virtual prototype concept", The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan lecture meeting preprints 1974, pp. 177-180, Oct. 21 to 23, 1997;(6) Shizuo Kakuta, Masao Nagamatsu, Kouichi Maruyama, & Sigeki Hiramatsu, "Hierarchical functional model for automobile development", The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan lecture meeting preprints 974, pp. 177-180, Oct. 21 to 23, 1997;(7) Masao Nagamatsu, Sizuo Kakuta, & Akio Nagamatsu, "A new approach on modeling for product development", The Journal of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (Series C) Vol. 64, No. 622, pp. 131-138, June 1998;(8) Akio Nagamatsu, Sizuo Kakuta, & Masao Nagamatsu, "A new approach on modeling for product development", The Journal of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (Series C) Vol. 64, No. 627, pp. 108-115, November 1998;(9) Sizuo Kakuta, Masao Nagamatsu, & Akio Nagamatsu, "A new approach on modeling for product development", The Journal of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (Series C) Vol. 65, No. 632, pp. 99-106, April 1999;(10) Yosiki Hiramatsu, Sizuo Kakuta, Masao Nagamatsu, & Akio Nagamatsu, "Modeling for functional expression of rotary apparatus", The Journal of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (Series C) Vol. 65, No. 638, pp. 44-51, October 1999; and(11) Akio Nagamatsu, Sizuo Kakuta, & Shigeki Hiramatsu, "Approach of modeling for aiding product development of automobile development", The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan 2000 spring meeting preprints, 2000.
However, individual contents, schemes, or their application examples have been referred, a technique for handling all physical systems from a component of a single function to a system such as an automobile together, resources and tools for implementing such technique have not been available yet.
As one of approaches of modeling used to develop such machine products and conditions required therefor, so-called expansion and integration of models are known.
One of the principal objectives of such approaches is to model from component models to a large-scale product model as in actual products and components, and to allow recombination and disassembly of component models on a model. For this purpose, models must be able to achieve structurization by means of expansion that combines models while allowing coexistence of independence and continuity of models in a given layer, and also hierarchization that forms a high-order model by integrating component models of a given level and converting them into an equivalent function.
In order to implement such modeling, it is important to systematize the expansion & integration scheme and hierarchization scheme used in product development using expansion, integration, hierarchization, inclusion relation, and the like using functional and mechanism models, so as to clarify a mutual relationship.
For functional and mechanism models whose mutual relationship is clarified by systematization, equivalent model conversion by combining models is required on a governing equation that simulates them. Also, equivalent model conversion must model-convert storage characteristics expressed by derivative state variables included in a model into an equivalent storage characteristic. Especially, in order to convert an integrated model into a low-order model, a group of storage characteristics left upon series or parallel connection after erasing rigidity, moment of inertia, and the like which are not required in an entity must be converted into an equivalent characteristic. With this integration, all input/output state variables that couple functional models are constrained, and all constraint conditions in a system are erased.
In these expansion and integration processes, it is especially important to handle nonlinear elements in terms of the arithmetic volume and precision. Since nonlinear elements are built in a functional model as some variable elements, i.e., become one of variables of the governing equation, nonlinear elements are involved in the process more intricately toward upper layers as a result of integration, thus increasing the arithmetic volume, while if nonlinear elements are simplified to reduce the arithmetic volume, the prevision suffers.

Simulation model creation method and system, and storage medium


A wireless communication device includes a receiver circuit that receives a wireless signal. Here, the wireless signal includes a signal from a node in a communication network to which the wireless communication device belongs and a radar signal. The receiver circuit detects a received power of the wireless signal. The wireless communication device further includes a radar signal detection circuit, coupled to the receiver circuit, which determines if the wireless signal comprises the radar signal based on the received power of the wireless signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wireless communication device and a radar detection method therefore.
2. Background Art
As Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-135831 shows, generally, a wireless communication system is required to detect a radar signal where the radar works using the same frequency band as that of the communication system. Thus, a wireless communication system sharing the same band with a radar monitors if the radar signal is present all the time, both before and after the start of its operation in order to avoid obstructing an operation of the radar system.
Also, the wireless communication system, if it detects the presence of any radar signal during its radar signal monitoring, promptly shifts its own operation channel to another channel (i.e., to a frequency other than that of the radar signal). It is difficult to detect such radar signals by using expected patterns of radar signals in advance and providing detection circuits for detecting pattern matching between patterns of radio signals and the expected patterns because there are a wide variety of radar signals.
Furthermore, in order to perform radar detection, a wireless communication device has a receiver for radar detection in addition to a receiver for a communication system, providing many disadvantages in the aspects of hardware size and cost.
Also, a conventional wireless communication system, when performing radar detection, stops its own communication in the same band as that of radar signals to be detected, resulting in degradation in an efficiency of the communication.

Wireless communication device and radar detection method therefor


Methods, computer-readable media, and data structures for building an authoritative database of digital audio identifier elements from digital media accessed by clients. The digital media including one or more media items, such as tracks on a CD. The methods, computer-readable media, and data structures further identifying metadata associated with a media item accessed by a client utilizing the authoritative database of digital audio identifier elements.

Due to recent advances in technology, computer users are now able to enjoy many features that provide an improved user experience, such as playing various media and multimedia content on personal, laptop, or handheld computers, as well as cellular phones and other portable media devices. For example, most computers today are able to play compact discs (CDs) and have an internet connection capable of streaming and downloading audio and video so users can enjoy media while working on their computers. Many computers are also equipped with digital versatile disc (DVD) drives enabling users to watch movies.
Such users are naturally desirous of metadata information identifying the media accessible via their computing device. Data providers are therefore interested in providing a metadata experience that accurately and quickly identifies a selected media item accessed by a user. As such, conventional systems attempt to identify media items in any number of ways, using data tangential to the media item, rather than the media item itself. For example, identification codes associated with media items or groups of media items, metadata associated with the accessed media item, or other previously identified media items stored near the media item of interest, may all be employed in an attempt to identify an accessed media item. These methods are fraught with error, however, because identification is not based upon the media item itself, but rather tangential data associated with the media item. Moreover, because many media items are stored in different formats, conventional systems have had difficulty identifying media stored in an unfamiliar format. In addition, metadata associated with media items is error prone. Much of this metadata is user-entered, and may misidentify the media item or include incorrect, misspelled, or out-of-date information. In addition, the conventional practice of utilizing identifiers associated with a media collection, such as a compact disc (CD), to provide matching may also introduce error through misidentification of similar or incorrectly matching identifiers. Moreover, such systems have difficulty identifying solitary media items not downloaded to a user device as part of an album.
Unfortunately, these issues are not addressed by any conventional system. Conventional techniques provide identification only through tangential data, such as metadata matching or identification number matching. Such conventional techniques provide no assistance for individual media items having no metadata, incorrect metadata, or missing identifiers. Such conventional techniques also fail to perform well where media items are stored in a foreign format. Accordingly, a solution that enables identification of a media item identically in each case, irrespective of the format of the media item or the metadata associated with the media item is desired. There is a need, therefore, for a method or system whereby any media item may be identified based upon the actual content of the media item itself, rather than tangential data associated with the media item. A solution that enables identification of any media item, in any format, with no other identification or metadata is desired.

Methods, computer-readable media, and data structures for building an authoritative database of digital audio identifier elements and identifying media items


Isolated polynucleotide molecules and peptides encoded by these molecules are used in the analysis of human norepinephrine (NE) transporter variants, as well as in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, relating to a human NE transporter polymorphism. By analyzing genomic DNA or amplified genomic DNA, or amplified cDNA derived from mRNA, it is possible to type a human NE transporter with regard to the human NE transporter polymorphism, for example, in the context of diagnosing and treating NE transport impairments, and disorders associated with NE transport impairments, such as orthostatic intolerance.

Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a syndrome characterized by adrenergic symptoms brought on by upright posture. Usually, there is a heart rate increase of at least 30 bpm on standing without significant orthostatic hypotension. Jacob et al., Circulation (1997). Females are disproportionately affected and patients usually present in the second to fourth decade of life. Low et al., Neurology (1995). This dysautonomic syndrome is quite common and may have been first described as Da Costa's syndrome more than 100 years ago. Jordan et al., Chin J. Physiol (1997); Novak et al., J Aut N Syst (1996); Streeten, Orthostatic Disorders of the Circulation: Mechanisms, Manifestations and Treatment (1987). It has been re-recognized over the years as soldiers heart, neurocirculatory asthenia, and mitral valve prolapse syndrome. It also bears many similarities to chronic fatigue syndrome. Because of the prominent feature of orthostatic tachycardia, postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a current popular name. Rosen et al., Am J Med (1982).
These features and their improvement with salt and volume replacement are consistent with hypovolemia and a secondary sympathetic activation. However, most patients are not hypovolemic. Excessive venous pooling with upright posture, hypersensitivity of veins to alpha-adrenoreceptor agonists and decreased autonomic latencies in the lower extremities are consistent with partial autonomic denervation as another mechanism which could cause secondary sympathetic activation. However, increased heart rate, plasma norepinephrine and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) even in the supine position coupled with widely oscillating heart rate with upright posture and disparities among heart rate, plasma norepinephrine and MSNA responses to upright tilt are more consistent with fundamentally disordered autonomic regulation. Novak et al., J Aut N Syst (1996); Furlan et al., Circulation (1998); Shannon et al., Circulation (1998); Puddu et al., Am Heart J (1983); Pasternac et al., Am J Med (1982); Coghlan et al., Am J Med (1979).
Thus far, most explanations of the physiological and biochemical abnormalities in OI have focused on alterations in norepinephrine release (i.e., compensatory, excessive, or disordered). Streeten et al., J Lab Clin Med (1988); Furlan et al., Circulation (1998); Novak et al., Stroke (1998). An alternative explanation is an abnormality in synaptic norepinephrine clearance. Approximately 80–90% of norepinephrine released into many synapses can be cleared by neuronal re-uptake via the presynaptic norepinephrine transporter (NET), while the remaining 10–20% spills over into the circulation or extraneuronal tissue, as disclosed by Esler et al., Physiol Rev (1990).
To date, attempts to identify a genetic basis within the NE transporter gene for OI or other NE transport impairment have not been undertaken. It is further noted that drugs inhibiting NET (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines, tricyclic antidepressants) cause features typical of OI (i.e., tachycardia, orthostatic symptoms, and elevated plasma catecholamines). Thus, exploration of impaired NET function, including exploration of a genetic basis for such impaired NET function, would provide important information about the biological and addictive effects of these drugs.
What is needed, then, is further characterization of the structure of the NE transporter gene generally and in OI patients. Since the NE transporter plays a pivotal role in norepinephrine uptake at the synaptic cleft, further characterization of the structure and role of the NE transporter gene would meet a long-felt need in the art for diagnostic and therapeutic methods associated with NE transporter-mediated biological functions.

Genetic mutation underlying orthostatic intolerance and diagnostic and therapeutic methods relating thereto


A super-wear-resistant self-cleaning coating, comprising first elastic finish coat and second self-cleaning finish coat. The first elastic finish coat comprises, by mass, 10-60 parts of a two-functionality-degree polyurethane acrylic resin A, 2-7 parts of an initiator A, 10-60 parts of an acrylate monomer A, and 3-40 parts of an additive A. The second self-cleaning finish coat comprises, by mass, 2-30 parts of an acrylic acid-modified organic silicon resin with inorganic powder affinity, 0.3-3 parts of high-hardness micro-powder particles, 2-20 parts of a two-functionality-degree polyurethane acrylic resin B, 10-40 parts of a multi-functionality-degree polyurethane acrylic resin B, 15-45 parts of an acrylate monomer B, 2-7 parts of an initiator B, and 3-40 parts of an additive B. Further disclosed is a preparation method for the super-wear-resistant self-cleaning coating.

Flooring materials (including plastic flooring, bamboo and wood flooring, composite flooring, etc.) during use are subject to repeated scratches caused by external forces to cause surface damage, such as reduced aesthetics, reduced moisture and water resistance, reduced dirt resistance, and becoming not easy to clean, resulting in great waste of material resources and human resources. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a coating with super wear resistance and long-lasting self-cleanability. To increase wear resistance, currently available coatings on the market mostly introduce high-hardness inorganic materials (silica powder, ceramic powder, alumina, etc.) to organic coatings to achieve wear resistance and surface scratch resistance by using the high hardness of inorganic materials. The inorganic material and the organic coatings cannot bond together tightly because there is just a simple physical mixing of them. In addition, the common inorganic materials used in the coatings have limited hardness (Mohs hardness of less than 9), resulting in limited wear resistance, scratch resistance and durability of the coating. The coatings on the market are often endowed with dirt resistance by incorporating low surface energy substances (silicone resin, fluorocarbon resin, etc.). The low surface energy substance migrates to the surface of the coating to form a hydrophobic layer with low surface tension, so that contaminants are not easy to wet the coating surface, thereby achieving the purpose of easy cleaning. However, this coating does not have durable dirt resistance, because the content of low surface energy substances gradually decreases after repeated washing until the stain resistance is completely lost.

Super-wear-resistant self-cleaning coating and preparation method therefor


An absorbent core for an absorbent article, the absorbent core comprising at least two layers, each layer having a width w and a length l along a first plane and a thickness t extending perpendicular thereto, wherein the layers are arranged in facing relationship along the first plane, and wherein the layers comprise a polymeric foam having an open cell and interconnected porous structure. The first and second layers comprise an anisotropic cell structure having an axis of anisotropy extending substantially parallel to a longest length of a plurality of substantially neighbouring cells. The axis of anisotropy of the second layer extends substantially perpendicular to said thickness t and parallel to said first plane and the axis of anisotropy of the first layer is substantially perpendicular to the axis of anisotropy of the second layer.

Flexible open-cell polymeric foams are widely used for energy absorption or insulation (thermal, acoustic, mechanical), filtration, absorption of fluids, and the like. In most cases, the foams desired for these purposes have relatively homogeneous structures comprising cells within a given size range joined by open "windows" or "holes" to adjacent cells. Among the various characteristics of such foams that are important for each application are cell size/hole size and distribution, anisotropy, fraction of material in the struts, porosity and properties of the solid phase. In general, work has been devoted to making foams as homogeneous and isotropic as possible with respect to cell size and shape and density.
Polyurethane (PU) foams having a range of densities are known materials. For instance in the Handbook of Polymeric Foams and Foam Technology edited by D. Klempner and K. C. Frisch Hanser, 1991, flexible PU foams with densities from 16 to 150 kg/m3 and used for seating cushioning, carpet underlayment, fabric backing and or insulation and packaging are described. For example, the "integral skin" flexible polyurethane foams have high density skin layers that transition gradually over 1-3 cm into a lower density core region. See for example Ashida, K.; Iwasaki, K. In Handbook of Plastic Foams", Landrock, A. H., ED.; Noyes, 1995; Chapter 2, pp 56, 64-67, incorporated herein by reference. The overall densities of such foams are typically between about 200 and 1,100 kg/m3. These foams do not exhibit distinct regions having different compositional or microstructural properties within a single piece (i.e. they are homogeneous).
Foams may be made from polymer networks which have been entangled to form an interpenetrating network (IPN). IPNs may exhibit some of the properties of both polymer types. See for example Odian, G. G. "Principles of Polymerization", 3rd edition, Wiley-Interscience: New York, 1991, New York, pp 149-150. IPNs do not inherently relate to control over any features at a supramolecular scale (e.g., density or cell size).
Laminates or sandwiches of two or more layers of foams having differing properties are also well known. See for example, Gibson, L. J.; Ashby, M. F. "Cellular Solids" Pergamon Press: Oxford, 1988, Chapter 9. Formation of such composites requires an additional step and may require use of adhesive which may interfere with the functioning or weight of the foam composite and serves as a potential point of failure.
The development of highly absorbent articles for use as disposable diapers, adult incontinence pads and briefs, and sanitary napkins, is the subject of substantial commercial interest. The ability of such products to acquire, distribute, and store fluids such as are found in body exudates (e.g., urine, sweat, feces, and menses) is obviously important to their function. Historically, this has been primarily achieved by using cellulosic fibers and/or superabsorbent particles (generally lightly crosslinked partially neutralized polyacrylic acid that forms a gel when exposed to free water). This approach has, however, encountered a number of difficulties in achieving efficient removal of fluid from the body of the wearer and storage away from the wearer, in part due to the difficulty in controlling and maintaining the appropriate blend of particulate and fiber to provide the desired degree of capillary fluid transport and core integrity and flexibility.
In the past decade intensive research and development has been carried out in the development of foams particularly designed for disposable personal hygiene products, for example as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,817,704, 5,856,366, 5,869,171, 6,207,724, US2002128338, and US2005192365. All such attempts have focused on optimization of a number of foam properties, such as capillarity, density, cell size and the like, by particular selection of foams, chemical composition and processing techniques.
Although such developments have led to successful commercial products such as Always® Infinity™ (manufactured by the Procter and Gamble Company), a need still exist for further specifically optimizing efficient fast absorption of exudates (like blood, urine, menses etc.) and reduced rewet at a reduced cost. Indeed, some of the disadvantages of foam structures of the prior art include complex processes of making as well as high cost.
The present invention is directed at solving the drawbacks still present in the current state of the art.

Absorbent cores and absorbent articles having anisotropic foam structures


A weight training machine for allowing at least two of a user's muscle groups to push or pull simultaneously in a synchronized and unified fashion, having at least one common counter or weight resistance mechanism; a first actuating means operatively connected to the at least one common counter or weight resistance mechanism for allowing actuation of the at least one common counter or weight resistance mechanism by a first of the user's muscle groups, and a second actuating means operatively connected to the at least one common counter or weight resistance mechanism for allowing actuation of the at least one common counter or weight resistance mechanism by a second of the user's muscle groups, wherein actuation of both the first actuating means and the second actuation means simultaneously acts upon and or resists against the at least one common counter or weight resistance mechanism. One embodiment is an exercise machine and a drive or actuating mechanism with a lever and fulcrum configuration. The fulcrum has an attached handle, arm, lever or platform means, bearings for operatively cooperating with an axle and/or the lever, and attachment means for additional actuating member or members being operatively connected to the axle. The lever has a means for contact with the user and a weight means for providing a counterweight to the weight of the user, as well as attachment means for operatively connecting with the fulcrum and/or axle. The actuating member or members are attached to the fulcrum, preferably pivotally, and comprise linkages to the axle and/or lever so as to be able to transfer force from the user to the lever. Other embodiments include weight training machines having a moment arm weight, weight stack, or weight plate weight resistance mechanism for creating a weight resistance or weight load.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the general technical field of exercise, physical fitness and physical therapy equipment and machines. This invention relates more specifically to the field of exercise equipment for the combined exercising of two muscle groups, simultaneously in a synchronized and unified manner. This invention also relates to the field of exercise equipment for the elderly, for the handicapped, and for the infirm. This invention relates to the field of weight resistance mechanisms to generate weight resistance for such weight training equipment and machines.
2. Prior Art
Exercise, physical fitness and physical therapy equipment and machines are available in various configurations and for various purposes, and are available for all of the major muscle groups. The majority of such equipment and machines, especially in the exercise field, concentrate either on an aerobic or anaerobic workout or on areas of the body such as the legs, the hips and lower torso, the chest and upper torso, the back, the shoulders and the arms. The individual operations of these machines generally concentrates on a single muscle group such as biceps, pectorals, quadriceps and so forth. Other equipment and machines are designed to aid the user in the exercise regimen, such as to aid the elderly, handicapped, and/or infirm in an appropriate exercise regimen. There are numerous examples each of these different types of exercise equipment and machines.
Generally, such equipment and machines can be categorized into three broad categories: free weights, mechanically operated single action resistance machines, and electrically operated resistance machines. Mechanically operated single action resistance machines can be subcategorized into three broad categories: stack weight resistance operated, free weight resistance operated, and alternative resistance operated. Mechanically operated single action resistance machines are available for exercising, strengthening and rehabilitating various individual muscles, muscle groups, combinations of muscle groups, joints, and other parts of the body.
There are physical fitness and physical therapy equipment and machines having alternative weight resistance devices. One example is disclosed in US Patent Publication No. 20060105889 to Webb and assigned to Nautilus, Inc., which discloses an exercise machine having a rotatable weight selection index that is rotated to operably couple the exercise member to at least one weight plate such that the displacement of the exercise member causes the displacement of the weight plate. This device has a plurality of weight plates and the index allows the selection of different combinations of weight plates for operable coupling to the exercise member. Other examples are the BOWFLEX® brand line of products offered by Nautilus, Inc., which incorporate flexible rods and spiral devices to produce a weight resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,593 to Keiser discloses a pneumatic exercising device including a source of gas and a pneumatic resisting mechanism connected to the source of gas and operable to compress gas received from the source to provide a resistance to movement. In other words, this device uses a pneumatic weight resistance mechanism.
Other alternative weight resistance mechanisms include hydraulic cylinders and electromagnetic devices. Several examples of such mechanisms are shown on a brochure put out by the American College of Sports Medicine entitled Selectively and Effectively Using Home Weights.
This inventor previously has developed a composite motion movement machine for use in connection with exercise and physical therapy equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,588 discloses this composite motion movement machine, which combines a moving actuating member and a moving user support, the composite motion movement machine having a support member, a frame on which the user support is located, the frame being pivotally connected to the support member, a truck in slidable engagement with the support member and the frame, an actuating member being pivotally connected to the support member and operatively connected to the truck, the actuating member being adapted to move between a first position and a second position, and a linking mechanism operatively connecting said actuating member with said truck, wherein, when the user moves the actuating member between the first position and the second position, the truck moves along rails on the support member, forcing the frame to pivot relative to the support member and causing the user to actuate a resistance weight, thus exercising, strengthening or rehabilitating certain of the user's muscles. This machine can be used in connection with a variety of different weight resistance mechanism, such as stack weights, free weights, and alternative weight resistance devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,241 discloses this inventor's improvement on leg press exercise apparatuses by utilizing composite motion movement combined with a moving actuating member and a moving user support, the leg press having a support member, a frame on which the user support is located, the frame being pivotally connected to the support member, a truck in slidable engagement with the support member and the frame, an actuating member on which a push plate is located, the actuating member being pivotally connected to the support member and operatively connected to the truck, the actuating member being adapted to move between a first position and a second position, and a linking mechanism operatively connecting the actuating member the truck, wherein, when the user pushes the actuating member between the first position and the second position, the truck moves along rails on the support member, forcing the frame to pivot relative to the support member and causing the user to actuate a resistance weight, thus exercising certain of the user's muscles. This machine can be used in connection with a variety of different weight resistance mechanism, such as stack weights, free weights, and alternative weight resistance devices.
There are many other examples of leg exercise machines. U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,714 to Lambert, Jr. discloses a seated weight lifting leg press exercise machine having a moving push plate and a stationary seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,254 to Maag discloses a crank and slider/four-bar variable resistance carriage-type leg press machine having a stationary push plate and a moving seat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,080 to Jones discloses a leg press exercise machine having a stationary seat and two moving push plates, one for each leg. U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,432 to Habing et al. discloses a leg press having a stationary seat and a moving push plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,365 to Jones et al. discloses a leg press exercise machine having a stationary seat and a moving push plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,086 to Habing et al. discloses a leg press exercise apparatus having a stationary push plate and a moving seat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,090 to Jones discloses a calf exercise machine having a stationary seat and a moving push plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,107 to Simonson discloses a method and apparatus for leg press exercise with counterbalance having a stationary seat and a moving push plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,270 to Woods et al. discloses a semi-recumbent arm and leg press and aerobic exercise apparatus having a stationary seat and a moving push plate.
There are many examples of chest exercise machines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,089 to Jones discloses a military press exercise machine having a stationary seat and moving actuating grips. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,152 to Simonson discloses a chest press exercise machine and method of exercising having a stationary seat and moving actuator grips. U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,447 to Giannelli et al. discloses a chest press apparatus for exercising regions of the upper body having a stationary seat and moving actuator grips.
There are many examples of back exercise machines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,449 to Jones discloses a rowing exercise machine having a stationary seat and moving actuating grips. U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,402 to Simonson discloses a rear deltoid and rowing exercise machine and method of exercising having a stationary seat and moving actuator grips.
There are other machines for exercising other parts of the torso, such as the abdominal muscles, or combinations of muscles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,881 to Jones discloses a rear shoulder exercise machine having a stationary bench and moving actuating pads. U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,084 to Jones discloses an abdominal/hip flex exercise machine having a stationary seat and moving actuator pads. U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,437 to Jones discloses a standing push/pull exercise machine having no user support and moving actuator grips.
The previously described art comprises a general cross-section of the exercise and physical therapy equipment and machine art as it is today. As can be seen, individual apparatuses either use weight plates, weight stacks, free weights, user body weight, tensile resistance, or air resistance, or a combination of weight stacks or free weights with the user's body weight. Thus it can be seen that a moment arm weight resistance mechanism and a weight training machine comprising a moment arm weight resistance mechanism would be useful, novel and not obvious, and a significant improvement over the prior art. Such a mechanism can be used as the basic operative mechanism on a wide variety of weight training equipment and machines. It is to such a moment arm weight resistance mechanism and weight training equipment and machines that the current invention is directed.


Normalization parameters are generated at a normalization-parameter generating unit by calculating the mean values and the standard deviations of an initial prosody pattern and a prosody pattern of a training sentence of a speech corpus. Then, the variance range or variance width of the initial prosody pattern is normalized at the prosody-pattern normalizing unit in accordance with the normalization parameters. As a result, a prosody pattern similar to speech of human beings and improved in naturalness can be generated with a small amount of calculation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prosody-pattern generating apparatus, a speech synthesizing apparatus, and a computer program product and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique of applying a hidden Markov model (HMM), which is used in speech recognition, to speech synthesizing technology of synthesizing speech from a text has been receiving attention. In particular, a speech is synthesized by generating a prosody pattern (fundamental frequency pattern and phoneme duration length pattern) that defines the characteristics of speech by use of a prosody model, which is an HMM (see, for instance, Non-patent Document 1 of "Simultaneous modeling of spectrum, pitch and duration in HMM-based speech synthesis" by T. Yoshimura, K. Tokuda, T. Masuko, T. Kobayashi, and T. Kitamura, Proc. EUROSPEECH '99, pp. 2347-2350, September 1999).
With the speech synthesizing technology of outputting speech parameters by use of an HMM itself and thereby synthesizing a speech, various speech styles of various speakers can be readily realized.
In addition to the above HMM-based fundamental frequency pattern generation, a technique has been suggested, with which the naturalness of a fundamental frequency pattern can be improved by generating the pattern in consideration of the distribution of fundamental frequencies of the entire sentence (see, for instance, Non-patent Document 2 of "Speech parameter generation algorithm considering global variance for HMM-based speech synthesis" by T. Toda and K. Tokuda, Proc. INTERSPEECH 2005, pp. 2801-2804, September 2005).
However, there is a problem in the technique suggested by Non-patent Document 2. Because optimal parameter strings are searched for by repeatedly using algorithms, an amount of calculation increases at the time of generating the fundamental frequency pattern.
Furthermore, because the technique of Non-patent Document 2 employs the distribution of the fundamental frequencies of the entire text sentence, a pattern cannot be generated sequentially for each segment of the sentence or the like. Thus, there is a problem that the speech cannot be output until the fundamental frequency pattern of the entire text is completed.

Prosody-pattern generating apparatus, speech synthesizing apparatus, and computer program product and method thereof


A system and method for generating a schedule for multiple employees in a complex environment. In one embodiment, the method includes generating a schedule for multiple employees with varying skill sets for a time period, wherein the plurality of employees have varying overlapping skill sets that enable them to perform various tasks, and wherein employees are shared across tasks within the time period. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of user inputs to a scheduling program, including a number of employee designations that each refer to a unique employee, and a number of skill sets that each correspond to one of the employee designations. The method further includes receiving a user input that changes the number of employee designations by indicating at least one changed employee, and estimating an effect of the at least one changed employee on effective staffing levels for each of the various tasks. The method further includes generating estimated effective staffing levels for each of the various tasks.

Generating schedules for employees is a complex problem for enterprises. Telephone call center scheduling is an example of a scheduling problem with a large number of variables. Variables include call volume at a particular time of day, available staff, skills of various staff members, call type (e.g., new order call and customer service call), and number of call queues, where a queue may be assigned a particular call type. A basic goal of call center scheduling is to minimize the cost of operators, or agents, available to answer calls while maximizing service. Quality of service, or service level, can be quantified in various ways. One common metric for call service level is the percentage of incoming calls answered in a predetermined time, e.g. thirty seconds. The call center may receive calls of various types that are assigned to respective call queues.
Traditionally, call center scheduling is performed by first forecasting incoming call volumes and estimating average talk times for each time period t (based on past history and other measures). The forecast is based upon historical data. Next, a closed-form formula known as reverse Erlang-C is used to compute full-time equivalent (FTE) agent requirements to provide a desired service level for each time period t. Such a method is described in Elementary Queuing Theory and Telephone Traffic, by Petr Beckmann, 1977 (Lee's abc of the Telephone Training Manuals, Geneva, Ill.) After the FTE agent requirements are computed, the required number of agents are scheduled for each time period t.
At a call center, calls of different types are typically placed onto different queues by an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD). The calls wait at the ACD for an operator to answer them. At many modern call centers, the agents cannot answer any type of call; they can only answer calls for which they have the prerequisite skill. At some call centers, there is a group of agents for each type of call that comes in, which means that each group (and queue of calls) can be treated as a separate problem. However, at an increasing number of call centers, agents are multi-skilled, and can answer calls from a variety of queues. Typically, not all agents have the same skills, and thus some agents can answer some calls while other agents cannot. The ACD distributes calls waiting in different queues to agents who are skilled to handle calls from the respective queues. This distribution task is referred to as skill-based routing. Determining agent schedules for this latter type of call center is known as the skill-based scheduling problem. It is considerably more difficult than the basic call center scheduling problem because of all the interactions between queues.
The skills-based scheduling problem has no known closed-form solution that can be used to estimate available FTE levels for each queue when agents are shared among queues. Prior attempts to solve the skills-based scheduling problem involve the use of a discrete event ACD simulator to validate estimates. For example, the skills-based scheduling technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,355 includes forming skill groups that contain agents with identical sets of skills, preferences, and priorities. A "skill group availability array" is then generated that attempts to estimate what percentage of scheduled agents of each skill type will be available to each call type during each time interval. Erlang processing and ACD simulation are used to increase the accuracy of the percentage estimates, and standard call center schedule algorithms can then be used for scheduling.
Such prior solutions have other serious limitations. For example, the array grows exponentially as the number of skills grow. This is particularly true because the skill group is inflexible in that each different combination of skill, preference, priority, and proficiency requires the creation of a new skill group. The size of the array may thus reach a level at which processing time is too great and processing resources are inadequate. Another limitation of prior methods is that they do not allow for the easy determination of fine-grain changes to the schedule such as the addition or subtraction of a single agent. The current methods require that the entire algorithm be executed again for any incremental change, such as the addition or subtraction of one agent.
Other prior methods for skills-based scheduling use skill groups (similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,355) and are limited to the assumption that each individual agent simply splits time at a predetermined ratio between various queues (task switching). In such methods, at any given time, each agent is limited to taking calls from queues assigned to his or her skill group at that time. Each agent is unable to take calls from other queues that he or she may be skilled in. This is a serious limitation, potentially causing some queues to overflow because the assigned skill group is busy, while there may be idle agents in other skill group who are capable of taking those calls.
Another serious limitation of prior methods is that they provide relatively coarse approximations of schedules that fail to take into account all of the dynamics of a situation. For example, if an agent from a new skill group is added to the schedule, the performance of call queues that are not handled by the new agent may change. These complex dynamics are not modeled well in available scheduling methods.
Another limitation of current methods is that simulation must be performed for each iteration of the algorithm. One reason for this requirement is the failure of prior methods to estimate individual contributions of single agents to particular queues. This is expensive and time consuming.
Yet another disadvantage of prior methods for solve scheduling problems is that the algorithms of prior methods may require excessive time to execute because the prior methods are not designed to facilitate parallel processing.

System and method for complex schedule generation


A power supply voltage detecting circuit includes a voltage regulating circuit, a comparative circuit, a timer circuit, and a display circuit. The voltage regulating circuit provides a stable reference voltage to the comparative circuit. The comparative circuit compares the reference voltage with the voltage from the power supply. The comparative circuit is electrically connected to the display circuit via the timer circuit. The display circuit includes light emitting diodes for revealing a status of the voltage from the power supply. The timer circuit causes the display circuit to keep a light on when there has been an occurrence of abnormal voltage from the power supply until an operator resets it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voltage detecting circuit, and more particularly to a voltage detecting circuit for detecting when voltage from a power supply falls outside of predetermined parameters.
2. General Background
With the increasing development of technology, computers have become essential electrical appliances in our lives. In addition, reliable and stable power supplies are essential to the computers.
To ensure quality performance of computers, testing the stability of power supplies in providing direct current (DC) voltages to a motherboard is needed in the manufacturing process. Each voltage requirement of the motherboard must be fulfilled within a determined range or tolerance. For example, if a 5V voltage is needed for providing power to a USB interface, the specifications may require that the voltage supplied be between 4.75V and 5.25V.
A typical voltage detecting circuit for testing voltages output by a power supply includes a voltage comparator for comparing the output of the power supply with a reference voltage, and a light emitting diode (LED) for indicating when the output voltage is not to specification.
However, the typical voltage detecting circuit does not indicate if the output voltage is greater than or lower than a specified range. In addition, the LED emits light only at the moment the abnormal voltage occurs and goes out when the voltage returns to the normal state. Therefore, an operator may overlook the transient occurrence and may not realize there is a fault needed to investigate.
What is needed is a voltage detecting circuit for detecting when voltage of a DC power supply is outside of specifications and alerting an operator to that fact even when it is a temporary or short term occurrence.


Systems and methods for determining security requirements for an information resource may comprise determining a sensitivity level and a criticality level associated with the information resource. In addition, the systems and methods may include determining the security requirements for the information resource based on at least one of the sensitivity level and the criticality level. Moreover, the systems and methods may include determining a recovery time objective for the information resource and insuring that information used in determining the security requirements adheres to privacy requirements. The sensitivity level may be derived from privacy requirements of information maintained by the information resource. For example, the sensitivity level and resulting security requirements may be based on a need to meet privacy requirements by protecting confidentiality or integrity of the information resource.

I. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to determining security requirements to insure compliance with privacy requirements. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to determining security requirements for an information resource based on a sensitivity level derived from privacy requirements of information maintained by the information resource.
II. Background Information
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent government agency that provides mail delivery and other services to the public. The USPS is widely recognized as a safe and reliable means for sending and receiving mail and other items. With the advent and steady growth of electronic mail and electronic commerce, the physical mail stream will increasingly be utilized for sending and receiving packages and other items.
The USPS processes and delivers billions of items each year. In this large-scale item delivery system, information resources are used extensively. Consequently, determining security requirements for information resources is desired. Great inefficiencies are created in conventional security requirements processes because, for example, they do not consider many critical elements. Accordingly, determining security requirements remains an elusive goal. Thus, there remains a need for efficiently determining security requirements. In addition, there remains a need for efficiently determining security requirements for an information resource.

Methods and systems for determining security requirements for an information resource


Mixtures of hydrocarbon waxes and hydrocarbon soluble polymers which have oxygen containing polar groups provide an abrasion resistant sealant coating for sulfur coated urea.

1. Field of the Invention:
Urea granules or prills which have been coated with sulfur to slow the rate of dissolution of the urea in the soil when they are applied as a fertilizer can be coated with a sealant to further slow the release. This application relates to improved sealant compositions which provide abrasion resistance to sulfur coated urea.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The process for sulfur coating of urea granules or prills was developed in 1968 by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in Muscle Shoals, Ala., as an economical system for reducing the rate of dissolution of urea particles when they are applied to the soil as fertilizer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,577 describes this sulfur coating process and also the sealant material that was necessary to fill in the holes that result naturally in the sulfur coating as it cools. The TVA process is also described in Sulphur Inst. J. 4(3) 2-6 (1968), ibid. 8(4) 2-5 (1972a) and ibid. 8(4) 6-8 (1972b). The TVA recommendation for the sealant now used by the majority of manufacturers of sulfur coated urea is a mixture of 30% polyethylene resin 70% bright stock mineral oil.
The process is further described in Sulfur Coating of Urea Treated with Atapulgite Clay, Gullett, G. L.; Simmons, C. L.; and Lee, R. G.; presented at the 198th American Chemical Society meeting in Miami Beach, Fla., in September 1989.
The requirement for a sealant for sulfur coated urea (SCU) has been documented by McClellan and Scheib (Sulphur Inst. J. 9(3/4) 8-12 (1973), and by Scheib and McClellan ibid. 12(1) 2-5 (1976).
A description of slow release urea and NPK fertilizers is given in Hort. Rev. 1 79-140 (1979).
Paraffin waxes have been used to produce relatively slow dissolving clathrate complexes with urea by processes which do not relate to coating urea prills, but instead involve a solution or dispersion of urea in paraffin, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,786.
Paraffin has not been used as a slow release coating for urea because of its lack of adhesion. Also paraffin has not been used as a sealant for SCU for the same reason and also because when the SCU prills or granules are handled in high speed bulk moving equipment wherein large amounts of product are moved by hopper car or by truck and off-loaded into storage bins, the coating is rubbed off or otherwise cracked or abraded.
The wax-oil sealants as described by TVA publications and currently being applied to SCU require the addition of a clay conditioning agent at levels nearly equal to that of the wax sealant to prevent caking and provide a free flowing product. A typical process may require 3% of the wax-oil sealant and 2% of the clay conditioning agent on the weight of the SCU, or 67% clay on the weight of the sealant. This requires large scale clay handling equipment in addition to the equipment necessary to apply the molten sulfur and wax sealant.
When the clay conditioned SCU is applied in the field by mechanical spreaders, the clay or wax-clay mixtures tend to be removed from the SCU particles by the abrasive action of the screw conveyors and the mechanical spreading wheel, resulting in a build-up of wax-clay on various parts of the machine and requiring frequent shut-downs for cleaning.
An additional problem with SCU from current production methods is the reduction or less in WIN which occurs on shipping the SCU from the production point to the local blending point. This loss is exacerbated by the further abrasion which occurs in the blending and bagging operations. Urea and blended fertilizers when they are mixed and bagged must be labelled with the WIN content, and it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to assure that the value does not decrease below the labeled value during shipping and storage. Thus a significant loss in WIN resulting from handling in modern high-speed equipment can create a situation in which the fertilizer is mislabeled and subject to recall.

Abrasion resistant coatings for fertilizers


A lens cover device for a camera lens, particularly suited for use with a telephoto lens and hood assembly, comprises a disk-like body member having a plurality of retention members. The retention members provide friction within the filter-thread region of the camera lens. A large handle attached to one face of the cover device enables a photographer to easily cover or uncover the lens whether the lens and hood are in the shooting position or the stored position.

The present invention relates to a lens protection device, and more particularly to a removable cover device for a camera lens.
A camera lens protection device, or lens cover, or lens cap, protects a front surface of a photographic lens. The lens cover removes from the barrel during photographic use and attaches when not in use to protect the fragile outer-lens surface from damage. Various attempts to provide a lens cover or other such protection or barrier device suitable for protecting a camera lens include articulating lens caps that remain coupled to the lens barrel or camera body and rotate away from the front surface of the barrel lens or removable caps incorporating tensioning devices and release mechanisms.
One such articulating lens protection device includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,854 to Steiner on 5 Oct. 2004. The Steiner reference discloses a protective lens cap for binoculars. The lens cap includes a single articulating mechanism consisting of a pivot joint. This enables the lens to articulate from a substantially horizontal pivot axis to a substantially vertical pivot axis. Accordingly, the protective lens cap can be swung upwards from the closed condition about the substantially horizontal pivot axis and secured to the body. The Steiner lens cap includes an attachment that enclasps an outer edge of the lens cap by a crimp having pivot-bearing bolt molded integrally to form part of a pivot bearing. A joining piece includes a forked end to cooperate with the pivot bearing bolt to establish a bearing axis corresponding to a central longitudinal axis of the bearing bolt.
Another representative example of prior-art articulating lens covers adapted for use on cameras includes the disclosure of Motohashi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,855 on 19 Jun. 2001. The Motohashi reference describes moving mechanism attached to a camera. The mechanism transfers linear motion along the optical axis to rotary motion adapted to rotate a lens cover about 180-degrees from a first position covering the front surface of the lens to a second position. The mechanism includes a cover open/close groove formed along the optical axis of the lens on both sides of a pedestal extending downward from the outer circumference of the lens barrel. Protrusions of a cover manipulation member engage the cover open/close groove so that the protrusions can slide freely along the optical axis of the lens. A cover manipulation member supports a lens protecting cover for opening or closing the face of the photographic lens and drives the lens protecting cover into the open or closed positions. Additionally, a spring assembly serves as a constraining member to force the cover into a closed position when the cover manipulation member presents the lens to the front of the barrel. A similar articulating structure is disclosed by Muroi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,130 on 7 Mar. 2000.
Another example of an articulating lens cover includes the lens barrier device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,777 to Kobayashi et al. on 6 Jan. 2004. The Kobayashi device includes a lens barrier movable between a position covering a front of a lens and a position withdrawn from the front of the lens. An engagement member engages a filter screw-thread provided by the barrel lens and a rotary shaft that enables the barrier to rotate about 180-degrees from the position covering the front of the lens the withdrawn position. A spring assembly provides sufficient pressure on the barrier device to selectively restrain the barrier in the covering position until a sufficient manual force is applied to deliberately rotate the barrier to the withdrawn position.
Although articulating lens devices of the prior art provide one advantage of permanently coupling a lens cover to the camera or lens barrel—ensuring that the lens cover can not be misplaced—such designs afford this advantage at considerable cost as measured by complexity of mechanisms, numbers of moving parts, and expense to manufacture and maintain.
The second type of lens protection devices of the prior art include removable caps that incorporate tensioning devices and release mechanisms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,278 to Saito issued on 15 Jul. 1986 represents a type of removable lens caps incorporating a locking member movable radially of the body of the cap. This conventional removable cap includes a disk-like body and locking member that is held to the body so as to be radially movable. A pair of support blocks mounts on the body in parallel relation to a radius. Each support block includes a retaining groove and guide surface, which guides sliding movement of engaging legs provided by the locking member. Compression springs cause the locking member to protrude into a screw thread provided by the barrel of the lens. To remove or insert the lens cap, a user must apply a force inward to the center of the disklike body. The locking member includes a feature that enables a user to insert a portion of the user's finger for this purpose.
Although the type of lens cover described by Saito protects the front end of a lens barrel, this design includes several parts, which must be carefully assembled. This design relies on springs to exert a force—and importantly—requires the barrel to provide a filter thread, which may not always be available Further, this design includes moving parts and a number of components, of which the movement of parts is necessary to successfully insert and remove the lens cap from the barrel. The number of parts along with tolerances between parts and wear induced on the parts results in a design that is both uneconomical to produce and prone to failure. Of particular concern, the tensioning spring members of this prior-art design are prone to premature failure, which renders the cap unable to remain in place and no longer functioning as a lens protection device.
Many of the prior-art attempts to provide a cover device for a camera lens do not work with larger lenses, such as large telephoto lenses equipped with a hood. A lens hood prevents unwanted light rays from entering the lens, reducing glare and ghost images. A lens hood, which is generally cylindrical or conical in shape, includes an internal screw-thread adapted to couple over the end of a barrel lens assembly, such as a telescopic lens for a camera. Once in place, the lens hood prevents known prior-art lens caps from mounting on the lens. One other limitation of a bag-type lens protection device for larger barrel lenses, which use a cloth or leather sack open on one end with a drawstring closure at the open end, includes imperfect sealing of the bag when the lens barrel is transported and, further, the bag cannot be used once the lens mounts to the camera.
Another problem common with the prior art lens caps include a practical difficulty of removing and inserting the lens cap when the hood is attached and the lens is in a shooting position, The deep void between the face of the hood and the face of the lens makes it impossible for many photographers to reach in and exert sufficient pressure on the typical radial mounted, spring-tensioning devices of the prior art. Further, articulating lens covers do not work at all with a hood. The articulating structure blocks and makes physically impossible to mount a hood to such a lens assembly.
Thus, there remains a need for a lens cap device that can be economically produced and that limits the number of components. Such a device, ideally, would not have moving parts, which are prone to wear and failure. Such a device should remain fast in position when protecting the lens, but be readily and easily removable when the lens is needed for use with a camera.


The present invention relates to a computer system having a user interface through which a user can select an action in order to invoke a desired operation, and to a method of operation of such a computer system. The action is selectable by one or more views provided via the user interface, and the system comprises generation means for representing an action by an action object, the action object defining, for each available view that can be employed to represent that action, the attributes required to provide that view, and an identifier to identify the operation to be invoked upon selection of the action. Further the system comprises identifying means for identifying when a user selection of a view has occurred, and for informing the associated action object of that selection, and the action object is responsive to the identifying means to employ the unique identifier to generate a command to invoke the desired operation. In preferred embodiments, the computer system is connectable to a display device to display a graphical user interface, and at least one of the views that can be employed to represent the action is a visual view displayable via the graphical user interface, the attributes defined in the action object for said at least one of the views including data required to produce the visual view. The computer system achieves single event generation from multiple views, and therefore the application does not need to concern itself with how the user generated the call. The action views query the attributes of the action object directly, all the necessary data is held in one place, and with automatic view concurrency, the application developer no longer has to worry about keeping action views synchronised with each other.

User interfaces allow the computer user to interact or communicate with the computer system. User interfaces are typically implemented with a display screen and a user-controlled entry device, such as a keyboard, mouse, microphone, light pen or the like. The display screen displays information and data to the user and the user uses the entry device to give commands and provide information to the computer system.
During recent years, more and more people have wanted and needed to use the power of the computer in their daily work. However, generally these users do not want to be required to know specific commands, operators, syntax rules, etc, and much work has been expended on developing user interfaces which alleviate the need for such levels of knowledge. The most common form of user interface nowadays is the so-called graphical user interface (or GUI). Typically, a GUI presents the user with windows and icons. Windows typically include a menu bar, a tool bar, and a client area. The client area may typically include a number of icons, which are small stylized representation of entities (applications, folders, etc) with which the user works.
To enable the user to invoke particular operations on the computer system, the user interface needs to provide selection mechanisms to the user. In a typical user interface environment, this may be achieved by defining `actions` which the user can select via `views` of those actions provided via the user interface. For the purposes of this application, an action can be defined as a user initiated event which invokes an operation. The `views` used to represent an action within the user interface may take a number of different forms, both visual and non-visual.
Typical examples of visual views used in GUIs would be a word or phrase on a menu bar (as illustrated in FIG. 5A where the `Print` action is selected from a word view), a graphical representation such as an icon or bitmap on a tool bar (as illustrated in FIG. 5B where the `Print` action is selected from a print bitmap view), or other visual controls that enable user selection or input. Examples of such other controls are a combination box control that allows font selection (as illustrated in FIG. 5C), or an entry field that allows the setting of a string property such as setting the name of a directory or setting a tool bar name (as illustrated in FIG. 5D). These controls could appear anywhere within the user interface including a tool bar or a window layout. Further examples of visual views are illustrated in FIG. 5E, where the print action is selectable from a context menu displayed by depressing the right mouse button whilst positioned over the window area, and in FIG. 5F where the print action is selectable from a push button view in a window layout.
Examples of non-visual views would be accelerator data such as `Ctrl+P` used to select a print action, speech pattern data used to determine whether a speech input has selected the action, or gesture data to determine whether an input gesture (such as a stroke of a pen on a tablet) is a selection of a particular action. For the purposes of the present application, all such mechanisms for selecting actions (whether visual or non-visual) will be referred to as `views`.
Currently, when developing applications, a significant amount of developer effort is required to provide the functionality required to enable the user to select actions. Additionally, there is a problem in achieving user interface and functional consistency between applications that display views of actions which are functionally perceived by the user as being the same.
One reason why enablement of these actions is so time consuming to the developer is that there are a number of different places within an application where the user can select the same action, since there may be many views of a particular action available for selection by the user in different places within the user interface. Obvious views on actions are those found within menu bars, tool bars and context menus. However, there are also, for example, many places within an application where the user is presented with a push button that opens a dialog or window. This `action` could quite easily be available from a menu bar or context menu in other circumstances.
Some actions open dialogs, like the file open dialog, and some actions do not, but still perform an operation, like the cut, copy and paste actions. The thing that binds these operations together is the fact that they are made available to the user from views of actions. An example of this is where a user can select a print option from a menu bar pull down, a tool bar button on a tool bar, an entry on a context menu, or for example a push button on a dialog. Essentially the same operation of opening a print dialog occurs, but the visual selection mechanisms are different to achieve the same result.
A second consideration which increases the amount of effort required by the developer is that there are a number of different input mechanisms that can be employed by the user to select the same action. The standard point and click mechanism of the mouse is well understood, and this would be the typical mechanism used to select visual views displayed via the GUI. However, a number of actions also have accelerator options that allow selection via a specific character on the keyboard (eg `P` for selecting the `Print` action). Further, speech enabled applications allow the user to speak commands, so that for example the user can say `Print` to open the print dialog, and if a pen gesture has been defined for opening a print dialog, pen enablement will add another view that may be available for the user to select the action.
Additionally, there are situations where small interface behaviors are so pervasive that the same piece of code is written repeatedly throughout an application. An example of this is when an application has a number of dialog type windows that allow the user to cancel out of the window without applying any changes. The visual representation of this function may, for example, be a `Cancel` push button, but usually there is also a keyboard mechanism to achieve the same result, for example selection of the `Esc` key. Traditionally the developer would have to code three things to achieve this function, namely: a) to provide a push button on a dialog; b) to add the escape accelerator to the accelerator table; and c) to provide the cancel procedure within the application code. These three stages would normally be repeated every time the escape function is needed for an individual window.
The application developer thus currently has to write a significant amount of code to cope with these different scenarios, and when new technology is introduced, e.g. speech, additional work is needed by the developer to make that new selection mechanism available to the user. Since there are a number of permutations for the developer to remember, there are times when certain selection mechanisms are not enabled within products. This leads to usability problems across products, where one application works one way, and another does not. Added to this, the various views on the same actions usually are constructed in a number of different ways, and once constructed have little to no user customisation capabilities.
From the above, it will be apparent that there is currently a lot of work for the developer to do in order to fully support the various views of actions, both visual and non-visual, that are required. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method which alleviates the above identified problems.

Selection of operations in a computer system

International Business Machines Corporation


A controllable-pitch propeller for a sport-type watercraft has a push rod eccentrically connected to each blade displaceable in a bore of the propeller hub. The push rod is sealed with respect to the end of that bore by a multifold bellows whose radial flange is clamped by a cap of an axial flange of the housing in which the bore is provided.

Controllable-pitch or adjustable-pitch propellers in which a push rod is eccentrically coupled to the or each of the angularly adjustable blades, are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,056, wherein the positioning of the push rods is effected by hand, or from U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,043, in which an external position mechanism is provided for setting the blade pitch.
The push rods can project from the bores which are open at an end of the hub and are connected to the actuating mechanism. Usually at the beginning of the hub, these bore ends are closed to reduce corrosion and collecting of contaminants which may obstruct the sliding operation of the push rod.
In such cases, between the bore end and the end face of the push rod, an air-filled or gas-filled space is provided, whose volume varies with the change in pitch of the blades. The pressure variation in this space which is associated with the change in volume, acts upon the push rod and thus must be taken up or compensated by the actuating mechanism. This space cannot be enlarged without limit to reduce, for example, the pressure fluctuations because adjacent and between the housings for the push rods, exhaust gas passages may have to be provided in the propeller hub.
Different pressures in the space between the bore ends and the end faces of the push rods, however, cannot ensure a precise adjustment of the pitch. Rather, water can pass the seal and penetrate into the chamber between the push rod and any closure at the end of the push rod bore or otherwise pass into the space in which the end faces of the push rods are exposed. When water penetrates these spaces or chambers and, in particular, enters between the bore ends and the end faces of the push rods, this space is additionally diminished. In cold seasons, the water can freeze and the hub body can burst. When the body is transported from location at high external temperature to a cold location, for example, from a dry dock or trailer to a body of water, the large and rapid temperature fluctuations can create a vacuum in the region of the hub and promote the penetration of water into the pitch control mechanism. The system also is highly sensitive to the formation of ice in the wintertime or whenever the temperature drops sharply.

Controllable-pitch propeller, especially for sport boats and other watercraft


A high voltage reed switch that opens and closes in response to a magnetic flux field. The switch comprises a pair of parallel partially overlapping flexible reed contacts hermetically sealed in a tubular envelope and extending through ends thereof to provide external contacts. The preferred switch also comprises at least one non-magnetic member or a plurality of magnets for generally counteracting the electrostatic attraction produced between the open reed contacts while high voltage is applied to the switch.

The present invention relates generally to magnetically operated switches for opening and closing circuits. More particularly, the invention relates to improved high voltage reed switches that reduce the effect of electrostatic pull between the open reed contacts thereof.
A conventional reed switch includes two flexible ferromagnetic reed switch contacts in a parallel partially overlapping arrangement, one contact sealed in each end of an hermetically sealed glass tube. When such a sealed reed contact arrangement is subjected to a magnetic field a flux path is established axially along one reed contact, across an air gap between the two reed contacts and axially along the second. The overlapping ends of the two reed contacts are thus oppositely polarized and attracted to one another, operating the reed switch. In practice, any given reed switch will be designed to operate and release at preselected magnetic flux densities by proper selection of reed contact materials and size of the gap between the overlapping portions of the reed contacts.
High voltage reed switches, for example, those handling more than 500 volts, are commonly known and used for various functions, such as in the operation of defibrillators. However, as high voltage is applied to an open reed switch, an electrostatic voltage is often produced across the open contacts. This electrostatic voltage creates an electrostatic attraction which pulls the contacts closer together thereby reducing the voltage hold-off of the switch or in some cases closing the contacts causing them to short out.
When the contacts close, the electrostatic voltage is temporarily eliminated and the contacts immediately reopen. This undesired closing and opening may be continuously repeated while voltage is applied to the open switch and can cause unnecessary wear on the reed contacts. Hence, conventional high voltage reed switches do not have low ampere turn sensitivity because at moderately high voltage the contacts are pulled so close together that they arc over or actually close.
Until now, no reed switch has been provided with an effective means for reducing the effect of the electrostatic attraction between the open reed contacts thereof while voltage is applied to the switch. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for improved high voltage reed switches that are simple, economical and effective.


The disposable splatter guard is a cover for food being heated in a microwave oven. The splatter guard has a fluted wall member and a semi-rigid, pyramidal top made from a fluted material. The flutes of the wall member and the pyramidal top maintain rigidity and prevent the splatter guard from collapsing into the food product. The top has a plurality of vents to allow steam to escape. The pyramidal configuration prevents condensation from dripping back onto the cooked food and permits easy stacking and dispensing. The disposable splatter guard is made from a microwave transparent material, such as paper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to appliances for microwave ovens, and more particularly to a disposable splatter guard to prevent food splattering on the interior walls of a microwave oven.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microwave ovens have revolutionized food preparation since their use became widespread in the 1970's. Formerly found only in large industrial applications, microwaves are now a standard feature of most kitchens. Current estimates hold that 95% of American homes have a microwave oven.
Microwave ovens cook by passing non-ionizing microwave radiation, usually at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, through the food. The microwaves are absorbed in the outer layers of food similar to other heating methods. Depending on water content, food composition and the frequency of the radiation, microwaves deposit initial heat more deeply than other cooking methods. Microwave ovens are generally used for time efficiency rather than for cooking quality, both in commercial applications, such as restaurants and offices, and at home.
Cooking in a microwave poses some unique problems that commonly do not occur with conventional cooking methods. Chief among these problems is splattering, which occurs when uncovered food splatters on the interior of the microwave oven because of the pressure build-up of steam.
Splattering occurs because liquids, when heated in a microwave oven, can superheat and reach temperatures above their normal boiling point. The boiling process can start explosively when the liquid is disturbed, such as when the container is moved or when other liquids are added or drip into the food product. Because many frozen and prepared food products contain water, they can boil explosively because of the build-up of steam.
Food splattering can cause unsightly stains on the inside of a microwave oven that can be difficult to remove and can cause damage to the oven. This can be a problem in places where microwave ovens are used by many individuals, such as convenience stores or employee lunchrooms. Additionally, because of the lower temperatures inside a microwave oven, food buildup on the walls of the oven can foster the growth of molds and bacteria and create an unsanitary and unhealthy cooking environment.
Traditionally, people have covered items being heated or re-heated in a microwave oven with paper towels or another plate to prevent food splatter. This may not always be a convenient solution to the problem, as additional plates may not be available in a commercial setting, and using a paper towel or napkin as a covering can be unsatisfactory as well.
Paper towels and napkins often become saturated by the steam given off from the cooking food and tear or drip down into the food item. A sopping wet paper towel or napkin adhering to a person's microwave lunch is not only messy and unappealing; it can be unsanitary as well.
Thus, a disposable splatter guard solving the aforementioned problems is desired.