Computer implemented systems and methods are described for providing layered multimedia content. Specifically, the systems and methods can analyze a content stream or file using software to identify objects present in the first content, which could include people, items, places, music, sounds, and so forth. One or more elements can be generated and overlaid on to the content, which allow a viewer of the content to access information about the object and/or purchase a product or service associated with the object. Such information can be presented to the viewer when the viewer clicks on or otherwise interacts with the element.

The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Constant development of modern multimedia technologies demands increased interaction between the content and viewers. Video content is by far the most popular content currently, including for example, movies, television shows, sports games, video blogs, social media videos and stories, and so forth. However, the interface for viewing the video and other content is far from being interactive and consumers/viewers have very little to no options to interact with the content they are watching.
For example, viewers are generally unable to interact with content seen in a video. If a viewer would like to obtain additional information about an object in the video, the viewer has to visually identify it and then utilize a search engine or other means to obtain the information. The same applies to an object in a video that a viewer would like to buy. Typically, the viewer first needs to identify that object and then go online and search for it in an online store.
Except for situations where a video is specifically designed to sell an object and contains a link to purchase the object, such as a commercial advertisement, it is generally tedious for viewers to visually identify the exact characteristics of an object or even identify the object itself, a place, a music, a sound or anything else in a video content, especially where the content is not specifically about the desired object.
Some services use a format of outside text description of an object in video content. For example, bloggers using the Instagram platform can only attach links (URLs) to their bio. In YouTube videos, links (URLs) to specific goods, services or information can be placed in the description of the video. Or while watching a movie or a TV show on Amazon, viewers can only see actors shown at the current scene if they pause it. All these solutions fall far short of interactive interaction between the content and viewer, as they only provide specific information presented by the publisher rather than allow a wide variety of objects in video to be explored/purchased by viewers.
All publications identified herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Thus, there is still a need for systems and methods for providing interactive segmentation in layered multimedia content that can be dynamically created for one or more objects in video content.

Dynamic, interactive segmentation in layered multimedia content


Vehicle control information is displayed to a vehicle operator in a central display area. In one embodiment, a sensor associated with a vehicle control is configured to detect an approaching operator. A graphical representation of the vehicle control may be displayed in a central display area and, in one embodiment, is displayed with a varying physical characteristic representative of the distance between the vehicle operator and the vehicle control itself. A second graphical representation of the vehicle control may be displayed in the central display area in response to detecting that the vehicle operator has contacted the vehicle control. In one embodiment, the second graphical representation includes a current control value for the vehicle control.

In the context of an vehicle cockpit, vehicle controls and associated display systems require that the user look away from the road to perform such simple operations as adjusting the cabin temperature to a specific value, changing the radio station, and displaying information, such as current navigation information. Heretofore, vehicle operators would first have to locate the physical control itself. This task may require visually scanning the cockpit control area to pinpoint the control's precise location. Optionally, vehicle operators may maintain their line of site with the road while "feeling around" until contact is made with a knob or other input device that approximates the same shape and size as the target control.
Once the control is located and physically contacted, the vehicle operator would then have to view a display, usually located near the control itself, in order to ascertain the control's current value or general information representative of the current status of the desired variable that is meant to be changed (e.g., cabin temperature, radio station, etc.). Even then, the vehicle operator will have to maintain visual contact with the control area to determine when the desired control value has been reached. Additionally, in the case of vehicles which utilize a Central Information Display (CID), the operator would have to glance towards the CID in order to discern which among the several fields of data shown is the one that is being changed. This requires additional scanning of information and further distraction from the main task at hand, which is safely driving the vehicle.
In sum, prior art vehicle control operation systems require the vehicle operator to look away from the road to locate the target control, obtain information about the control's current value and to determine when the new desired control value has been reached. primary line of sight, the main disadvantages of the prior art are as follows. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system and method of displaying vehicle control information to the vehicle operator.

System and method for displaying control information to the vehicle operator

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present invention relates to the angular calibration of passive reception systems such as sonars or active ones such as certain radars whose angular performance is inadequate.

Calibrating an antenna consists in determining for all the useful directions the estimation error (bias and standard deviation) between the real direction of arrival of a signal received by the antenna and the direction of arrival estimated at the output of the antenna processing; the values measured are thereafter corrected upon utilization of the antenna by compensating for the corresponding bias. The knowledge of the bias in particular is a data item indispensable to the holding of the performance of the equipment associated with the antenna. In regard to the measurement of the bearing of the source, the equipment acts as a measurement apparatus whose antenna constitutes the sensor. A bias in the determination of the bearing can impair the tactical operation of the system and in particular the locating function. This is why it is generally useful to undertake a calibration.
To calibrate an antenna use is made of a noisemaker, preferably fixed, but usually mobile for operational reasons, in front of which the receiver is made to deploy in such a way that all the bearings of the span to be calibrated are explored: the source-receiver geometry must permanently be known perfectly (or moreover measured with an accuracy noticeably greater than the required accuracy for the receiver to be calibrated) in order for it to be possible to make the comparison between real bearing and estimated bearing on the reception antenna. The determination of the real bearing presupposes either its very accurate measurement by a procedure available during calibration or that it is possible to associate (temporally) signal emitted and signal received and therefore that it is possible to define the axis joining the position of the emitter to this of the antenna, corresponding to the measurement. It is necessary to specify in this regard that in principle propagation intervenes and that if one considers a signal emitted at the instant t it will be received at an instant t+ΔT (such that ΔT=D/c, c being the speed of sound in water and D being the distance traversed by the signal between source and reception antenna). For the calibration, the angle of arrival, measured on reception at t+ΔT, must theoretically be compared with the direction of the source axis at the date t and antenna at the date t+ΔT. This precaution is often neglected, the error that is made then being small since it is equal to v/1500 radians, v being the speed of motion of the source in m/s.
In the case of the calibration of sonar antennas carried by submarines, these two conditions impose constraints of implementation of the measurements which are difficult to satisfy, whatever method is used.
A first method commonly used in the past, consists in performing the calibration with the aid of a periscope. The calibration then consists in performing optical measurements of angles by means of the periscope of the submarine carrying the antenna to be calibrated and in comparing the angle measurement obtained by means of the periscope with the measurement provided by the sonar receiver associated with the antenna.
This first procedure has the advantage of simplicity. Specifically, it does not require any complementary measurement equipment, the periscope forming part of the onboard equipment. On the other hand, this procedure has several drawbacks.
Measurement by periscope firstly requires a prior operation of calibration of the periscope which must serve as measurement reference.
Measurement by periscope thereafter requires that the submarine remain just below the surface with the consequence, sometimes, that the antenna to be calibrated is incompletely immersed, thereby modifying its characteristics. Moreover, even if the antenna is completely immersed, the conditions of propagation of the sound waves under the surface are very particular and subject to meteorological vagaries, and this may impair the measurements. This method does not allow calibration of the antenna at various depths, this being necessary in order to take into account the variations in acoustic behaviour of the antenna as a function of pressure.
Periscopic sighting is, in good visibility conditions, a fairly accurate measurement. Nevertheless, to make an accurate measurement, it is necessary to be able to sight the source itself, this not being possible if the latter is hauled behind a boat or carried by a submarine vehicle.
On account of the constraints cited above, the method of calibration by periscope allows only imperfect calibration in overly constraining operational conditions. This is why it is often reserved for preliminary checks.
The arrival of modern electromagnetic positioning means using in particular satellite-based locating means, of GPS type for example, have upgraded the calibration methods based on the knowledge of the absolute positions of the noisemaker and of the receiver by removing in particular the depth and proximity constraints. With such locating means, the towing ship can ascertain its initial position with sufficient accuracy and refresh its position information throughout the duration of the calibration operation. Likewise, the submarine can ascertain before diving, its initial position, position information that it will be able to update over time by means of its onboard navigation instruments. It can thus use its inertial system (SINS) or else navigate by dead reckoning by means of the gyrocompass and the log. Thus, during the calibration operation the receiver performs angular measurements βm(ti) and associates them with the coordinates of the submarine, calculated for the measurement instants ti.
To carry out the calibration operation with such means, it remains to associate for each measurement instant ti the information of position of the noisemaker, available aboard the towing ship, with the information of position of the submarine and with the corresponding measurements βm(ti), which are recorded aboard the submarine. This association is generally carried out on land by sifting of the recordings performed during the measurement operation.
With respect to the methods using a sighting by means of a periscope, previous case, this second type of method presents the advantage, as was stated previously, of enabling the noisemaker to be made to deploy at a sufficient distance to minimize the influence of parallax. Moreover, the submarine no longer being constrained by the need to raise its periscope, it is possible by virtue of this type of method to perform calibration measurements for various depths under pressure conditions that are more operational.
On the other hand the measurements being carried out independently on each vessel, this type of method does not enable the result of the calibration to be ascertained immediately on completion of the measurement operation. The sifting of the data, generally carried out on land, can take several weeks. This interlude can bring about a delay in the validation of the operational functionalities utilizing the azimuth measurements arising from the sonar.
This drawback can be partially circumvented by furnishing the towing ship and the submarine with means of acoustic communication allowing for example the towing ship to transmit its position in real time to the submarine during the measurement operation. However, these specific acoustic means are unwieldy to implement and expensive. Moreover, it may produce appreciable disturbances of the angle measurement.
It is also possible to envisage after the measurements phase, a phase of data transmissions between the towing ship and the submarine, the submarine resurfacing to establish a radio link with the towing ship, during which link the towing ship transmits its position file. The whole set of operations can then be processed thereafter aboard the submarine. In practice, this second solution presupposes that the towing ship, which is in general only a support vessel of the port institutions, is furnished with digital transmission means compatible with those of the submarine and having a sufficient throughput.
In all cases, this type of method, which involves GPS type means associated with various secure communication means, mobilizes a fairly unwieldy infrastructure. Moreover, they are inoperative in the event of a noisemaker carried by a submarine.
As regards known calibration methods it is finally possible to cite the methods using a fixed source of known position, for example anchored to the bottom. In practice, the use of such a method is very limited and can be applied only to configurations of shallow water type. In deep waters, the anchoring of a fixed source is difficult and to keep a towed noisemaker fixed is hardly conceivable. Towing ships preferring, for maritime safety reasons, not to remain at high tide with their engines stopped, move thereby causing movement of the noisemaker. The use of boats with dynamic positioning such as those of oil operations, moreover very noisy and not very widespread, does not offer any real solution to the problem of keeping the source in a fixed position at high tide.
It is noted therefore that the known prior art calibration methods, based on the knowledge by the receiver of the absolute positions of the noisemaker and of the reception antenna throughout the duration of the measurements, all exhibit significant drawbacks.

Method for an antenna angular calibration by relative distance measuring

Abstract: The invention proposes a method making it possible to perform antenna calibration using the detection system associated with this antenna under real operating conditions.

Abstract: The method according to the invention consists in making an immersed noisemaker deployed along a substantially rectilinear uniform trajectory and a submarine equipped with an antenna to be calibrated along any trajectory whatsoever, but nonrectilinear.

Abstract: The method according to the invention consists also in implementing a trajectography algorithm making it possible to determine the noisemaker-antenna relative distance at known instants the, and to deduce therefrom the trajectory followed by the noisemaker as well as the bearing corresponding to the positions of the noisemaker at the measurement instants. The bearing thus calculated is compared with the bearing measurements carried out directly by the sonar associated with the antenna to be calibrated.

Abstract: This method applies in particular to the calibration of sonar antennas during their commissioning.


A frame communication apparatus and method for a broadband wireless communication system are provided that employ a transmitter. In the transmitter, a control channel generating unit generates burst allocation information including a receiver identification (ID) with respect to a transmission packet, a burst generating unit constructs data burst by adding a header including a traffic ID to the transmission packet, and a transmitting unit transmits the burst allocation information and the data burst. An existing connection ID (CID) is subdivided into a user ID (UID) and a traffic ID (TID). The UID and the TID are recorded in a map channel message and a medium access control (MAC) header, respectively. Accordingly, an amount of information contained in a downlink map (DL-MAP) and uplink map (UL-MAP), and an amount of the MAC header of a data packet can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to frame communication apparatus and method in a broadband communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing a frame overhead in a wireless communication system using an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many wireless communication technologies have been proposed for high speed mobile communication. Among the technologies, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is considered as the most potential next generation wireless communication technology. For example, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 based Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN) employs the OFDM technology as a standard specification.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a frame structure in a conventional OFDMA system.
Referring to FIG. 1, data transmission units of conceptual frequency and time domains in the OFDMA standard are subchannel and symbol, respectively. A minimum data unit that can be transmitted to one user (terminal) consists of one subchannel and one symbol. A vertical axis represents index of a subchannel that is a frequency resource allocation unit. One frame consists of (L+1) number of subchannels from sth subchannel to (s+L)th subchannel. A horizontal axis represents index of OFDM symbol that is a time resource allocation unit. One frame consists of (M+1) number of downlink OFDM symbols, from kth downlink OFDM to (k+M)th downlink OFDM symbol, and N number of uplink OFDM symbols, from (k+M+1)th uplink OFDM symbol to (k+M+N)th uplink OFDM symbol. A Transmit/receive Transition Gap (TTG) exists between the downlink and the uplink. The TTG is a time guard region.
In the OFDMA frame, the downlink interval includes a preamble, a frame control header (FCH), a downlink map (DL-MAP), an uplink map (UL-MAP), and downlink bursts (DL-bursts). The uplink interval includes uplink bursts (UL-bursts). The preamble is used for providing users with time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and cell information. The FCH contains information for decoding the DL-MAP. The DL-MAP contains information indicating which user data the DL-bursts transmitted from a base station are, and which region the user data are located in within the frame. The UL-MAP contains information on the UL-bursts transmitted from the user terminals.
One burst includes at least one subchannel and one symbol. Order of the symbol is physically identical to that of time, so that kth symbol, (k+1)th symbol, . . . , and (k+M+N)th symbol are arranged in sequence. On the other hand, sth subchannel and (s+1)th subchannel may or may not be physically adjacent to each other. Because of characteristics of the OFDM technology, the signal has a frequency selective characteristic when passing through a radio channel. Therefore, the subchannels are constructed with subcarriers that are not physically adjacent to each other.
The process of mapping the actual physical subcarriers to the subchannels to construct one logical subchannel is referred to as a subchannel allocation. IEEE 802.16 OFDMA standard uses several subchannel allocation schemes, including a diversity subchannel allocation scheme and an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) subchannel allocation scheme. The diversity subchannel allocation scheme also includes a Full Usage of Subcarrier (FUSC) and a Partial Usage of Subcarrier (PUSC). The diversity subchannel allocation scheme can well cope with a radio channel having frequency selective characteristic by scattering the physical subcarriers of the logical subchannels. Meanwhile, the AMC subchannel allocation scheme constructs the subchannel with the subcarriers physically adjacent to one another. The AMC subchannel allocation scheme can determine the subchannels having good channel situations among the frequency selective subchannels and increase the throughput by changing the subchannel modulation and the channel coding.
As described above, the IEEE 802.16 OFDMA system adaptively copes with the radio channel environment by using various subchannel allocation schemes, and maximizes the degree of freedom in the frame structure by constructing the uplink and downlink bursts of the frame through the allocation of at least one subchannel and at least one symbol.
However, as the degree of freedom increases, control information to be transmitted also increases. Therefore, when a plurality of user data are mixed within the frame, control information notified to the user through the DL-MAP and the UL-MAP serves as the overhead. As one example, in a 2084-Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) mode having a bandwidth (BW) of 10 MHz, at least 43 bits are required to inform one user of the data location in the frame. The 43 bits include "CID (16 bits)+starting point of data (14 bits)+data size (13 bits)". If adding the subchannel allocation scheme and other necessary control information, control information that must be actually transmitted will greatly increase. When there are a lot of users, a small amount of data can be merely transmitted.
In addition, the data packets of the DL-burst are several users' packets using the same Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level. The users' own data location cannot be accurately known only by the location of the DL-burst notified from the DL-MAP. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2, CID (16 bits) identical to that used in the MAP channel to discern the user's own data is included in a header of user data (packet). Because the same information (CID) is recorded in the header of each data packet as well as the MAP channel, the data throughput decreases.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for increasing data throughput in a wireless communication system.

Frame communication apparatus and method in broadband wireless communication system


Vehicle projection assemblies are described. In particular, vehicle projection assemblies within a housing including a projection module, and selective reflective polarizing element are described. Particular selective reflective polarizing elements may enable advantageous configurations for such vehicle projection assemblies.

Projectors may be located or built into vehicles in order to provide information to a driver or passenger. Head up displays may use projectors to display information visible to a driver or passenger in a forward and upright head position. Projection systems located in vehicles are subject to significant environmental extremes, including solar irradiation and temperature fluctuations.


A precision tunable VCO includes a bias transistor, a first inductor, a second inductor, a first input transistor, a second input transistor, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first precision tune capacitor circuit, and a second precision tune capacitor circuit. The bias transistor, the first and second inductors, the first and second input transistors, and the first and second capacitors are operably coupled to produce a differential output oscillation. The first precision tune capacitor circuit is operably coupled to the first leg of the differential output oscillation, wherein the first precision tune capacitor circuit provides a first precision capacitance value based on a calibration signal. The second precision tune capacitor circuit is operably coupled to the second leg of the differential output oscillation, wherein the second precision tune capacitor circuit provides a second precision capacitance value based on the calibration signal, wherein the control voltage, the first precision capacitance value, the second precision capacitance value, the first capacitor, the second capacitor, the first inductor, and the second inductor establish frequency of the differential output oscillation.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention related generally to frequency synthesis and more particularly to voltage controlled oscillators.
2. Description of Related Art
Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variations thereof.
Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop computer, home entertainment equipment, et cetera communicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-point communications), the participating wireless communication devices tune their receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of the plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wireless communications, each wireless communication device communicates directly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connection between the wireless communication devices, the associated base stations and/or associated access points communicate with each other directly, via a system controller, via the public switch telephone network, via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.
For each wireless communication device to participate in wireless communications, it includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier. The data modulation stage converts raw data into baseband signals in accordance with a particular wireless communication standard. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.
As is also known, the receiver is coupled to the antenna and includes a low noise amplifier, one or more intermediate frequency stages, a filtering stage, and a data recovery stage. The low noise amplifier receives inbound RF signals via the antenna and amplifies then. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the amplified RF signals with one or more local oscillations to convert the amplified RF signal into baseband signals or intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The filtering stage filters the baseband signals or the IF signals to attenuate unwanted out of band signals to produce filtered signals. The data recovery stage recovers raw data from the filtered signals in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard.
As is further known, the one or more intermediate frequency stages of the receiver and of the transmitter each include a local oscillator to produce a local oscillation that is mixed with an incoming signal to produce an output of the intermediate frequency stage. Typically, a local oscillator includes a phase locked loop (PLL) to produce an oscillation that is used as the local oscillation or is processed to produce the local oscillation. A popular PLL architecture includes a phase and/or frequency detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), and a feedback module.
In operation, the phase and/or frequency detector compares phase and/or frequency of a reference oscillation (which is typically produced by a crystal oscillator) and a feedback oscillation (which is produced by the feedback module by dividing the output oscillation by a divider value). If the phase and/or frequency detector detects a difference between the phase and/or frequency of the reference oscillation and the feedback oscillation, it generates a difference signal. The difference signal may be a positive signal when the phase and/or frequency of the feedback oscillation leads the phase and/or frequency of the reference oscillation, which occurs when the output oscillation is greater than the desired rate. The difference signal may be a negative signal when the phase and/or frequency of the reference oscillation leads the phase and/or frequency of the feedback oscillation, which occurs when the output oscillation is less than the desired rate.
The charge pump is operably coupled to convert the difference signal into a positive current signal or a negative current signal depending on the state of the difference signal. The loop filter converts the positive or negative current into a control voltage, which is provided as the input to the VCO. The VCO generates the output oscillation based on the control voltage. For instance, the rate of the output oscillation increases as the control voltage increases due to a positive current, the rate of the output oscillation decreases as the control voltage decreases due a negative current, and the rate of the output oscillation remains constant for a constant control voltage.
There are a variety of ways to implement a voltage control oscillator including a ring oscillator and an inductor-capacitor based oscillator. In many radio transceiver applications, the inductor-capacitor based oscillator is used due to the high frequencies that need to be generated (e.g., 900 MHz to 5.75 GHz). When implemented on an integrated circuit, the inductor-capacitor based VCO typically provides a 10% frequency tuning range (i.e., the output oscillation range from minimum control voltage to maximum control voltage) once a local oscillation for a particular channel frequency has been selected (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 2.42 GHz, 2.44 GHz, etc.). To change the local oscillation for different channel frequencies, the capacitance of the inductor-capacitor based VCO is changed. For some radio transceiver applications, the tuning range needs to be about 0.5%.
Therefore, a need exists for a precision tunable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that has an accurate and small tuning range.

Precision tunable voltage controlled oscillation and applications thereof


A storage aggregator is described. In an implementation, a method includes executing a module to determine whether sufficient storage is available to the module to store a particular content item and access a content storage provider over a network to open a client account to obtain additional storage when sufficient storage is not available.

Users today have access to and utilize a wide range of content that is electronically stored. For example, a user may access digital photos, songs, documents, applications, and so on. As the prevalence of this content increases, the amount of storage needed to store this content is also ever increasing. For example, the user may wish to store thousands of songs and pictures for later retrieval. The amount of storage required to save these thousands of songs and pictures may be quite significant, even to the point that the user does not have sufficient storage available on any one particular device to store the content. For example, the user may utilize a portable digital song player that has sufficient storage for a library having thousands of songs. The user may also wish to store a backup version of this library to a laptop computer. However, the laptop computer may not have sufficient available storage to store these songs with the other data already stored on the computer.
Additionally, the user may utilize a wide variety of computing devices during the course of a typical day. Continuing with the previous example, for instance, the user may listen to the portable digital song player while commuting to work, access a personal computer (PC) while at work, read email while at lunch using a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA), access the Internet while at home using the laptop, and so on. The content stored by the user, however, may be stored on different ones of these computing devices and therefore limit access of the user to the content to particular computing devices which actually stores the content. Additionally, as previously described, even if the user is willing to duplicate the content on each computing device, such duplication may not be possible. For example, the user may not be able to store the library of songs using the laptop computer due to insufficient storage of the laptop.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for improved storage techniques for content.


A spectroscopic ellipsometer comprises a wideband light source, together with a first optical system including a rotating polarizer which applies a parallel beam to a sample contained in an enclosure. The reflected beam is picked up by an analyzer in a second optical system which transmits said reflected beam to a monochromator which is followed by a photodetector which is connected to control electronics connected, in turn, to a microcomputer. An optical fiber is provided between the source and the first optical system. Advantageously, a second optical fiber provided between the second optical system and the monochromator.

When a light beam is reflected from a sample, its polarization is modified in a way which depends on the structure of the sample, and in particular on its reflection coefficient (rp) parallel to the plane of incidence, and on its reflection coefficient (rs) perpendicular thereto.
Two independent data items are thus obtained, namely the phase difference delta and the amplitude ratio tan psi of the parallel and perpendicular polarizations of the beam reflected from the sample. These ellipsometric parameters are defined by the equation: EQU tan psi e.sup.i.multidot.delta =(rp)/(rs)
where e is the exponential function and i is the unit imaginary vector of complex numbers.
The optical properties of a material are defined by its real index (refractive index n) and its imaginary index (absorption coefficient k). For a thin layer of material, there is a third parameter which characterizes its optical properties: namely its thickness T. In order to characterize a multi-layer sample, three parameters are required per layer, plus the two indices of the substrate. It is then necessary to operate at a plurality of different wavelengths if information is to be obtained on all of the parameters of a multi-layer surface. Further, as the person skilled in the art is well aware, since these measurements are based on a periodic phenomenon, they suffer from ambiguity: the optical period in the layer.
Ellipsometric measurements must therefore be repeated at several different wavelengths. Initially this was done using a laser beam together with a filter for each wavelength.
More recently, spectroscopic ellipsometry has appeared in which the light emitted is taken from a wideband source and a frequency-controlled monochromator is used for separating the various different wavelengths over the entire available spectrum. Such an apparatus is described in an article entitled "Ellipsometrie Spectroscopique" by M..H. Debroux, Ged. A. Vareille, l'Echo des Recherches No. 113, 3rd quarter 1983, pages 61 to 68, and also in a notice from the (French) Centre National d'Etude des Telecommunications (CNET) entitled "Spectroscopic Ellipsometry", edition 20.2.A/CMS, dated 1st March 1984, and published by CNET's Centre Norbert Segard at Grenoble. Reference can be made to these documents for a fuller understanding of spectroscopic ellipsometry.
It also appears that spectroscopic ellipsometry is particularly advantageous for monitoring the manufacture of integrated circuits, in particular during the gas diffusion or ion implanting stages. Spectroscopic ellipsometry can also be used to accurately measure the surface state of a solid, or to investigate a phenomenon relating to such a surface, such as chemical adsorption or absorption.
Thus, a prior art spectroscopic ellipsometry apparatus comprises:
a light source;
a first optical system including a polarizer for illuminating a sample at a sloping incidence with a beam of polarized light which is collimated by a diaphragm;
a second optical system including an analyzer for picking up the light reflected by the sample; and
a photodetector mounted at the outlet from said second optical system.
One of the two polarizing members constituted by the polarizer and the analyzer is subjected to continuous rotation, and in practice to rotation at a constant speed. As a result, the light received by the photodetector is amplitude modulated at a frequency equal to twice the speed of rotation of said member.
Operation is rendered monochromatic either at the light source or else at the photodetector. In spectroscopic ellipsometry, this means that a variable monochromator is located either downstream from the light source or upstream from the photodetector.
Finally, the prior apparatus also includes electronic means for control and processing purposes in order to measure the amplitude of the radiation received by the photodetector as a function of the angle of polarization so as to deduce information concerning the surface state of the sample therefrom in the manner defined above.
In theory, such apparatuses are quite simple. However, they are very difficult to produce in practice, particularly now that laser sources are no longer used and wide band light sources are used instead. Similar remarks can be made about the changeover from discrete optical filters to a monochromator capable of operating continuously over the entire spectrum used.
The main problems encountered are as follows:
Firstly, if the necessary rotation takes place at the polarizer between the light source and the object, any polarization defect in the light source will disturb the measurements. This also applies under opposite circumstances when it is the analyzer which is rotated. In this case, any sensitivity to polarization by the photodetector and in particular any dichroism in its inlet window will degrade measurements.
Secondly, the rotating member, be it the polarizer or the analyzer, produces not only a variable angle of polarization, but also a slight deflection of the beam, thereby causing the beam to follow a circular trajectory. This phenomenon can be compensated at one wavelength only and is therefore incapable of being corrected when a monochromator is used which can be adjusted over a wide optical bandwidth.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved spectroscopic ellipsometer capable of solving the above problems and also of providing other advantages.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry apparatus including an optical fiber

Sopra-Societe De Production Et De Recherches Appliquees


An absorbent article that prevents a discharged matter from leaking out, and also prevents a wearer's sensation of wearing a sanitary napkin from worsening is provided. The absorbent article of the present invention includes a liquid-permeable surface sheet, a liquid-permeable back sheet, an absorbent body disposed between the surface sheet and the back sheet, and an intermediate portion disposed between the surface sheet and the absorbent body. The absorbent part 4 includes an absorbent body center portion and an absorbent body posterior portion continuously formed on a posterior side in the longitudinal direction D of the absorbent body center portion. The intermediate portion includes a first intermediate sheet disposed between the surface sheet and the absorbent body center portion and a second intermediate sheet disposed between the surface sheet and at least the absorbent body posterior portion. The liquid-transport property of the second intermediate sheet is different from that of the first intermediate sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent article.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, as a sanitary napkin suitable for being worn by a woman during menstruation while sleeping or the like, for example, a sanitary napkin which is extended backward to cover the coccyx has been used. However, when the conventional sanitary napkin is used for a long time in a lying posture, while sleeping or the like, the sensation of being worn may worsen, and the leakage of a discharged matter may be caused. In such a sanitary napkin, for preventing the sensation of wearing a sanitary napkin from worsening, the leakage of discharged matter, and the like, in addition to an improvement in a surface sheet, brought into contact with the body and an absorbent body for absorbing the discharged matter, an improvement in a second sheet part to be positioned between the surface sheet and the absorbent body has been achieved.
For instance, as shown in FIG. 7 which is one of the sanitary napkins disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Publication No. Hei 08-511706, an invention is proposed in which a certain absorbent strip 910 is combined with a fluid directing strip 920 to direct a discharged matter to move toward the exterior edge portion of an absorbent article, thereby preventing the sensation of wearing a sanitary napkin from worsening at the excretion part of the body.
The sanitary napkin disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Publication No. Hei 08-511706 can direct the discharged matter to move toward the exterior edge portion of an absorbent article by combining a certain absorbent strip 910 with a fluid directing strip 920. Therefore, a worsening of the sensation of wearing a sanitary napkin at the excretion part of the body can be prevented. However, as shown in Japanese Unexamined Publication No. Hei 08-511706, when the discharged matter is directed to move toward the exterior edge portion of the absorbent article, the leakage of discharged matter from the posterior of the absorbent article can be promoted. This is because the vaginal opening portion directs in a direction perpendicular to the floor when the wearer lies on her back and thus the blood tends to flow to the floor. Therefore, the present invention intends to prevent the leakage of a discharged matter, and also a worsening of the sensation of wearing a sanitary napkin, which have not been solved in Japanese Unexamined Publication No. Hei 08-511706.


Methods, systems, and devices are described for reducing congestion in a wireless communications system. A second connection failure is detected, and a difference between a timestamp of the second connection failure and a timestamp of a first connection failure is calculated. Upon determining that the difference satisfies a first time threshold, information relating to one or more previous connection failures is cleared. A time period is identified. A number of connection failures from a cell that occur during the time period is identified. A determination is made as to whether the number of connection failures satisfies a threshold. Upon determining that the number of connection failures satisfies the threshold, a future connection request may be withheld for a time period.

Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and the like. These wireless networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available network resources.
A wireless communication network may include a number of base stations or NodeBs that can support communication for a number of user equipments (UEs). A UE may communicate with a base station via downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base station to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the base station.
The UE may attempt to connect to the base station by transmitting a connection request on the uplink. If a connection failure is received on the downlink in response to the connection request, the UE may continue to transmit additional connection requests. The transmittal of the additional connection requests increases the congestion of a communications network.

Techniques for reducing network congestion in a wireless communications system


Techniques for representing core files generated by a computer operating system upon crash of a computer program in a generic format are disclosed. A generic representation of the core file can be generated and analyzed to help in determining errors in code that occurred which the operating system is unable to handle. The generic representation of core files can be represented in a platform-independent format, for example, generic representation of core files may be represented in an extensible data format.

Unless otherwise indicated, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
When developing program code for multiple computer operating systems, the program code is generic except for specific layers performing platform-dependent tasks. Generic program code should compile and run on all platforms. A core file is typically generated by the operating system when a process fails because of an irrecoverable error. Information obtained from this core file serves as a starting point for determining and analyzing what contributed to the failure.
Commercially available software programs are often shipped in an optimized format, without symbol and type information. In conventional debugging and analysis techniques, lack of this information can necessitate running a process multiple times. Rebuilding unoptimized code is extremely inefficient for software programs with a large source base. When it is not readily apparent how much of the code needs rebuilding, it is impractical to rebuild the code in its entirety because of the size of the resulting binary.
To circumvent this limitation, engineers manually inspect the optimized program code, trying to pinpoint areas that could have contributed to the error. Engineers will typically rebuild the suspect portion of the code unoptimized, run it in the same environment where the error occurred, and attempt to replicate the error. Time and inaccuracy are major drawbacks to this conventional debugging and analysis technique. In addition, the unoptimized code may not behave consistently with the optimized code because the behavior of the executable may be different, and therefore, the error may not be reproducible.
Support and development teams typically perform debugging in tandem. Platforms at client, development, and support sites may well vary, and core file formats vary from platform to platform. Additionally, byte ordering of data differs depending on machine architecture. There are many limitations to conventional debugging and analysis techniques.
For example, in most collaborative support and development environments, support teams are the first to receive and analyze core files generated by a software crash at a client site. Generally, development and support work together to assess, troubleshoot and resolve code errors. One benefit of collaborative environments is that individuals are able to contribute to areas of the code in which they have expertise. However, a drawback to traditional techniques is that collaborative environments often include multiple platforms, operating system versions, and environments. Traditional techniques can require support and development personnel to repeat steps in their separate environments. Both time and effort would be saved if developers and support analysts were able to contribute to editing and building code without duplicating effort. Incremental and persistent capture and storage of analysis and debugging data would save additional time and effort.
In addition, when platforms at client and development sites are different, replicating bugs may be difficult or even impossible. Conventional debuggers require a compiled binary for each platform. A drawback to traditional techniques is that even with platform-specific layers, there may be bugs on a specific platform that will not replicate on another platform. Traditional techniques require that the developer would have to replicate, change, test, and debug the code on both deployment and development environments. This approach requires that the developer be familiar with tools, debuggers and other support software on both platforms. If the developer could analyze the code in a generic format on any platform, time and effort would be saved.
It is therefore desirable to provide techniques for generating and representing core files in a generic format and performing analysis on existing core dumps from optimized binaries. Performing analysis on existing core dumps from optimized binaries eliminates replication of effort using optimized and unoptimized formats. Generating and representing core files in a generic format would remove platform dependence from the debugging process.

Representation of core files in a generic format


A cigar lighter including a mounting ring, and a socket insertable into the mounting ring. The socket has at least one cantilevered lance extending in a longitudinal direction of the socket and directed radially inwardly. The mounting ring has a cylindrical body with an inner surface. A rib is provided on the inner surface of the housing so as to extend in a longitudinal direction. The rib is arranged in a vicinity of the lance of the socket so as to limit outward radial travel of the lance.

The present invention relates to a cigarette or cigar lighter for an automobile, and more particularly to a radial travel limiter for socket lances for such lighters.
Various lighters for automotive applications are known, including the lighter shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,622,454; 3,955,333; 2,210,025; 2,730,605; 2,180,711; 6,740,850; and 5,493,098.
As taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,098, and as shown in attached FIG. 1 (which comes from the patent), typically cigarette lighters for automobiles comprise a receptacle 10 that includes a socket member or shell 12 that receives the lighter plug. The shell 12 has spring fingers 34 that frictionally engage the lighter plug. The lighter also has a plastic mounting ring 24. During assembly of the automobile, typically, the mounting ring 24 is inserted first. The mounting ring typically has projections which prevent it from being removed without tools once it is inserted into an opening, for example, in the dashboard of the automobile.
As previously mentioned, the lighter socket or shell 12 typically has spring fingers or lances 34 stamped into the metal socket body. The spring fingers are conventionally stamped out of the metal of the socket and are directed slightly radially inwardly. The spring fingers assist in keeping the lighter plug in position, and in particular, exert a frictional force against the lighter plug to keep it in position, specifically when the lighter plug is being energized by electrical current. The spring fingers 34 also provide an electrical path to ground. Once the heating coil of the lighter has been heated sufficiently to cause ignition, a thermally sensitive bimetallic disk or clip converts from a first position to a second position and pops the lighter plug outwardly to a position whereby it is disengaged from the electrical current and ready for use. The spring fingers 34 exert a frictional force to maintain the lighter plug in position and only when the bimetallic disk or clip inverts or changes its position does the lighter plug pop to the slightly outward position in the socket, as it is well known, with the fingers holding the lighter plug in position of the socket.
Sometimes, electrical plugs are inserted into the lighter socket for supplying electrical current to other electrical devices such as a computer, a radio, a television or other automotive accessories such as tire inflators, vacuums, etc. The specifications for the exact sizes of these electrical plugs for these electrical accessories and devices are often not very exact and many times the plugs are poorly made and do not conform to the manufacturer's or the cigarette lighter's size specifications. As a result, particularly when plugs are slightly larger than they should be, the lances or spring fingers are forced radially outwardly and deformed. As a result, the frictional force exerted against the cigarette lighter plug is insufficient to maintain the plug properly in position and/or to allow electrical current to complete a circuit to ground for the lighter plug. This is due to the lances having become deformed and no longer pressing radially inwardly to an extent sufficient to provide electrical contact.

Radial travel limiter for lighter socket lances


Process for preparing sulfinyl derivatives of Formula 2, useful as inhibitors of gastric acid secretion, comprising the selective oxidation of the corresponding sulfides of formula 1, as represented in the following scheme

A whole class of gastric Na/K pump inhibitors, widely used as antiulcer drugs, are benzimidazole compounds containing in their skeleton a sulfoxide moiety. Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole and Rabeprazole are the most famous members of this class of compounds and several patents have appeared dealing with their synthesis.
Whatever the staring materials are, the final step of their preparation is invariably the oxidation of the corresponding sulfide 1, as represented in the following Scheme 1:
in which each substituent of the above formulae has, for the drugs just mentioned, the meaning reported here below:
Omeprazole2aR1═R2═R3═R4═Me; n=1Lansoprazole2bR1═Me; R2═R4═H; R3═CH2CF3; n=0Pantoprazole2cR1═OMe; R2═H; R3═Me; R4═CHF2; n=1Rabeprazole2dR1═Me; R2═R4═H; R3═CH2CH2CH2OCH3; n=0So far, several methods for performing the above oxidation have been described in the literature. Such methods use different oxidizing agents and/or conditions of reaction (see as an example WO99/47514 and the references cited therein).
Particularly relevant for the present invention are those oxidations that use hydrogen peroxide as oxidizing agent, in the presence of a transition metal compound as catalyst. For example EP302720 describes the use of vanadium catalysts for the oxidation of sulfides 1 with hydrogen peroxide, whereas ES2036948 claims as catalyst for the same transformation phosphotungstic acid, ammonium molibdate, sodium tungstate, phosphomolibdic acid and silicotungstic acid. ES2105953 specifically claims phosphomolibdic acid for this transformation.
All these oxidation methods show serious problems of impurity formation due to overoxidation As a matter of fact overoxidation of 1 can form byproducts such as the sulfone 3 or the N-oxides 4 e 5, as represented in the following Scheme 2:
Other examples of the same kind of oxidation are disclosed in WO02/074766 and WO01/21617.
In particular, WO02/074766 describes the preparation of Lansoprazole from the corresponding sulfide through the reaction of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by phenylseleninic acid. In this case the use of a toxic selenium catalyst, combined with that of halogenated solvents as reaction media, limits the industrial applicability of the process.
On the other hand, WO01/21617 discloses the use of the same oxidant but in the presence of a different catalyst, namely MeReO3, in an alcoholic medium.
Unfortunately, even if this method is very good as regards selectivity, it is hardly applicable on industrial scale, both for the large quantities of very expensive catalyst employed and for the low temperatures at which the reaction has to be performed. In fact, according to the above patent application, it is possible to achieve the good yields and the high purity of the final sulfoxide reported therein, only by keeping the amount of catalyst and the reaction temperature within specific values, rather disadvantageous from the industrial point of view.
As stated in the description, the catalyst may be used in an amount from 0.1 to 10 moles % but, preferably, from 1 to 5 mole % (see page 12, lines 18–20) with respect to the starting material In addition, the amount of catalyst effectively used in example 1—the only one according to the invention—is about 4 mole %. In the same patent application it is stated that " . . . when the methyltrioxorhenium catalyst was used at the amount of 1 mole % or less, yield was decreased" (see page 18, lines 11–13).
As a matter of fact, the whole application teaches that an amount of catalyst greater than 1 mole % is required for obtaining satisfactory results.
But even more relevant for the present discussion are the temperature requirements.
In fact the description of WO01/21617 states that the oxidizing reaction is carried out at a temperature from −40° C. to 0° C., preferably from −30° C. to −15° C. (see page 13, lines 4 and 5) while all the examples are performed at a temperature of −20 to −30° C.
The main teaching that a skilled in the art could have got by reading the patent application in object is that a temperature lower than 0° C. was necessary in order to reduce the formation of by-products and achieve good results. In other words, the content of WO01/21617 would have seriously discouraged any attempt to perform the same oxidation at a higher temperature and with a lower amount of catalyst.
In conclusion, in view of the above discussion on the relevant prior art, it would be highly desirable to dispose of a selective and industrially feasible method of oxidation of sulfide 1 to sulfoxide 2, that would produce satisfactory yields of a highly pure final product, by using a very low amount of catalyst and by performing said oxidation at a temperature compatible with standard industrial equipments.
Notwithstanding the opposite teaching of the closest art (WO01/21617), it has now been found that the oxidation of sulfide 1 to the desired sulfoxides 2 disclosed in said patent application can be run with good selectivity and recovery of the desired product by using lower catalyst loadings and temperatures higher than 0° C. The opportunity of lowering the catalyst loading is particularly advantageous both in terms of reduced contamination of the final product with heavy metals and in terms of cost of the catalyst. On the other hand, the chance of performing the reaction at higher temperatures avoids the need of special expensive low temperature equipments, allowing the use of ordinary industrial reactors for the synthesis. As a matter of fact, the present process represents a cheaper and industrially practicable advantageous alternative for preparing the class of compounds in object.

Process for the preparation of sulphinyl derivatives by oxidation of the corresponding sulfides

Abstract: The oxidation is performed with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of low amounts of a rhenium compound as catalyst, at a temperature from 0° C. to room temperature.


A new and distinct Lantana cultivar named ‘DANTAN31’ is disclosed, characterized by low fruit production and intensely yellow single color inflorescence. The new variety has a compact and spreading habit and small leaves. The new variety is a Lantana, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

The new Lantana cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Lantana varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The open pollination resulting in this new variety was made during March of 2007.
The new variety originated as a seedling from the open pollination of various, Lantana varieties. The actual seed parent is unknown as seed was bulk harvested from the collection of Lantana plants. The open pollination resulting in the bulk collected seed was organized by the inventor in an open field at a research nursery in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The new variety was selected in August of 2008.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been performed by vegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel in November of 2008 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in more than 100 successive generations.


An intake system includes an air cleaner that is disposed above an engine main body mounted on a vehicle body frame and connected to cylinder heads of the engine main body and an air introducing unit for introducing air into an air inlet provided at a lateral part of the air cleaner on at least one side thereof in a vehicle width direction. The air introducing unit has an opened front end and is connected to the air cleaner so as to bend an intake direction from a vehicle front-rear direction to the vehicle width direction. In the air inlet, a plurality of ribs partition the air inlet into plural sections.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the following intake system of a saddle-type vehicle.
Description of Related Art
An air intake system includes an air cleaner that is disposed above an engine main body mounted on a vehicle body frame and is connected to cylinder heads of the engine main body and an air introducing unit for introducing air into an air inlet provided at a lateral part of the air cleaner on at least one side thereof in a vehicle width direction. The air introducing unit has an opened front end and is connected to the air cleaner so as to bend an intake direction from a vehicle front-rear direction to the vehicle width direction.
Such an intake system is already known due to Patent Document Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-343356.
However, if the configuration is employed in which air whose intake direction has been converted from the vehicle front-rear direction to the vehicle width direction is introduced into the air inlet of the air cleaner as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-343356, the air is introduced into the air cleaner with disturbance of an airflow generated at a conversion part of the intake direction, which possibly precludes achievement of the desired intake efficiency for the engine.


A new and distinct variety of miniature rose with long lasting, novel pink flowers, and dark green and attractive foliage. It exhibits compact, uniform growth and flowering under greenhouse conditions when grown as a potted floral plant. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

The new variety of miniature rose plant of the present invention originated from a controlled crossing in a breeding program between the non patented rose variety 'Poulsabel' and an 'un-named seedling', which was developed by the same inventor.
The hybridization, seed production, seed germination, seedling selection, and subsequent propagations were conducted in controlled greenhouse environments. The new rose plant was selected as a single plant from the seedling beds due to its superior characteristics and asexually propagated for further evaluation. This new and distinctive miniature rose variety is named 'KORbalrom'.

W. Kordes' Söhne Rosenschulen GmbH & Co KG


Disclosed is an HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa co-production preparation method. The HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa are prepared through a two-stage gas phase fluorination reaction by using 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (HCC-240fa) as a raw material. With the processing method of the present invention, HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa can be prepared at the same time, and the alkene is unlikely to polymerize or carbonize during the reaction, thus being suitable for industrialized promotion.

HFC-134a (CF3CH2F, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane) is currently the most widely used coolant. Even though its ozone destroying potential (ODP) is zero, its global warming potential (GWP) is high and can remain in the atmosphere for a long time. When used in large quantity, it can cause global warming. Therefore, European Union passed the F-gas regulations in 2006, banning uses of fluorinated gas with GWP greater than 150 as coolants in the air conditioners in new cars from Jan. 1, 2011, and banning use of fluorinated gas with GWP greater than 150 as coolants in all new automotive air conditioners from Jan. 1, 2017.
In the search for a substitute for HFC-134a, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze) is recognized as a future substitute for HFC-134a as a new generation coolant, because its various properties, including ODP=0 and GWP<100. HFO-1234ze is also thought to be promising as a next generation foaming agent. In addition, it can be used as a cleaning agent, aerosol propellant, solvent composition, insulation material, and fire extinguishing and flame retarding agent, etc. Its applications are wide and promising.
1,1,1,3,3-Pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa) is being developed as an ultimate substitute for the widely used foaming agent trichlorofluromethane (CFC-11) and its transition substitute product 1,1-dichloro-1-fluroethane (HCFC-141b). It is recognized as the most promising third generation foaming agent substitute. In addition, HCFC-245fa is used as a coolant, cleaning agent, aerosol agent, a starting material for other fluorinated compounds, heat conducting medium, tobacco swelling agent, and extraction agent, etc. Its application is broad and wide.
Currently, industrial methods for the preparation of HCFC-245fa mainly involve gas phase fluorination of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluropropane. And, the preparation methods for HFO-1234ze mainly use 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HCFC-1233 zd) and 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (HCC-240fa) as the starting materials. For example, Japanese patent No. JP10007604 discloses methods using Cr, Ti, Ni, Al, Mn, Co etc. metal oxides supported on carbon as catalysts to fluorinate HCFC-1233zd to produce HFO-1234ze. These methods have relatively high one-way conversion rate. U.S. Patent publication No. 2005/0020862 and Chinese Patent application No. CN1852880 disclose methods that under the catalysis of a fluorination catalyst, fluorinate the starting material 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HCFC-1233zd) to produce 1-chloro-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropane and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane. Then, in liquid phase under the action of a strong base to remove HF and produce HFO-1234ze. Chinese Patent No. CN1852880A, Japanese Patent Nos. JP10007605, JP 11140002, and U.S. Pat. Nos. S6,124,510, 5,986,151, etc. disclose a method that, under the action of a suitable catalyst, dehydrofluorinate 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane to produce HFO-1234ze. This method has a relatively high one-way conversion rate. Chinese Patent Publication No. CN200710090535.2 and CN200810000765.X reported a method that converts 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane, under the action of a fluorination catalyst, to HFO-1234ze. This method first fluorinates 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane to produce HCFC-1233zd and a small amount of HFC-245fa. Then, without purification, the mixture is placed into a second fluorination reaction to produce HFO-1234ze. The product is separated by a distillation column to produce HFO-1234ze. The unreacted HCFC-1233zd and HFC-245fa are circulated back into the second reactor.
In the industrial production, HFC-245fa is mainly prepared in liquid phase, and HFO-1234ze is mainly prepared in gas phase. Production of HFC-245fa in the liquid phase generates a large amount of waste liquid and the production often cannot be continuous. And, in the gas phase production of HFO-1234ze, HFC-245fa is a side product, which would need to be further dehydrofluorinated. The dehydrofluoroination reaction tends to inactivate the catalysts. The present invention provides methods for co-producing HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa. These methods can overcome the deficiency in the art and product two useful products at the same time.

HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa co-production preparation process

SINOCHEM MODERN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CHEMICALS (XI'AN) CO., LTD.


A battery charger and receiver arrangement is constructed to include a battery charger adapted for charging the battery of a wireless signal source, the battery charger having a cable for connection to a computer and an electric female connector, and a detachable receiver adapted for receiving signal from the wireless signal source to be charged by the battery charger and transmitting received signal to the computer through the cable of the battery charger, the receiver having an electric male connector connectable to the electric female connector of the battery charger for transmission of signal to the computer through the cable of the battery charger.

The present invention relates to a battery charger and, more specifically, to a battery charger and receiver system, which enables the receiver to be used with the battery charger to transmit signal from a wireless signal source to a computer to which the battery charger is connected, or separated from the battery charger for use with a computer to receive signal from a wireless signal source.
Following fast development of computer technology, a variety of peripheral apparatus are created for with a computer. When several computer peripheral apparatus are used and connected to a computer by a respective cable, the cables may be tangled with one another. Further, the cable limits the moving range of the respective peripheral apparatus relative to the computer. In order to eliminate these problems, wireless communication is developed. Various wireless keyboards and mice have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. There are also known battery chargers adapted for charging the battery of a wireless mouse. FIG. 1 shows a battery charger 3xe2x80x2 adapted for use with a notebook computer 1xe2x80x2 and a wireless mouse 5xe2x80x2. The wireless mouse 5xe2x80x2 comprises a charging circuit, a transmitting circuit, and a battery. The battery charger 3xe2x80x2 comprises a circuit 32xe2x80x2, a charging chamber 31xe2x80x2 adapted for receiving the wireless mouse 5xe2x80x2, charging contacts 33xe2x80x2 fixedly provided in the charging chamber 31xe2x80x2 and connected to the circuit 32xe2x80x2 for output of charging power to the charging circuit of the wireless mouse 5xe2x80x2, a receiver 2xe2x80x2 connected to the circuit 32xe2x80x2 and adapted for receiving signal from the wireless mouse 5xe2x80x2, and a cable 34xe2x80x2 extended from the circuit 32xe2x80x2 and terminating in a USB plug 35xe2x80x2 adapted for connecting to an electric female connector, for example, a USB socket 11xe2x80x2 of the notebook computer 1xe2x80x2. Further, an AC adapter 4xe2x80x2 is provided for connection to city power supply. The AC adapter 4xe2x80x2 is adapted for converting AC power supply into the desired DC power supply for the battery charger 3xe2x80x2, having a cable 41xe2x80x2 for connection to a power input jack of the battery charger 3xe2x80x2. This structure of battery charger 3xe2x80x2 is functional. However, because the receiver 2xe2x80x2 is built in the battery charger 3xe2x80x2, it is not detachable. When using the wireless 5xe2x80x2 with another computer or a computer in another place, the battery charger 3xe2x80x2 must be disconnected from the notebook computer 1xe2x80x2 and then installed in the other computer to be used.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a battery charger, and a detachable receiver that can be installed in the battery charger for communication between a wireless mouse and the computer to which the battery charger is connected, or detached from the battery charger for use with another computer.
To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the battery charger and receiver arrangement comprises a battery charger, the battery charger comprising a charging chamber adapted for charging a wireless signal source, for example, a wireless mouse, wireless joystick, or remote controller, an electric female connector (of USB or PS/2 specification), and an electric plug cable (of USB or PS/2 specification) electrically extended from the electric female connector adapted for connecting to a computer for transmitting signal from the electric female connector to the computer; and a receiver adapted for receiving signal from the wireless signal source to be charged by the battery charger, the receiver having an electric male connector (of USB or PS/2 specification) adapted for connection to the electric female connector (of USB or PS/2 specification) of the battery charger for enabling received signal from the wireless signal source to be charged by the battery charger to be transmitted to the computer to which the electric plug cable is connected.

Battery charger for charging a wireless signal source and detachable receiver


An automatic pull-in mechanism for drawer guides consists of a guide rail and a runner rail, which are made longitudinally displaceable relative to one another by rolling bodies. On the guide rail there is disposed a component that can toggle between two end positions and is biased bistably toward the toggle end positions by a spring system, and has an open-ended slot for a projection projecting downward from the runner rail. The projection and the toggling component are so disposed relative to one another that upon a displacement of the runner rail from the drawer-open position to the drawer-closed position, as the projection approaches the latter it enters into the slot and then, after passing over the dead center of the toggling component, it is carried resiliently by the slot into the drawer-closed position.

The invention relates to an automatic pull-in mechanism for drawer guides; with a guide rail formed of sheet metal which is to be fastened to the carcase wall, which has a portion of its profile bent upwardly from a profile portion projecting at substantially right angles and horizontally from the carcase wall and entering from below into the corresponding runner rail formed by an open-bottomed hollow member which is to be fastened removably on the drawer, on which tracks are formed in the interior of the runner rail for rolling bearings mounted in an elongated cage, which can roll on the tracks of the guide rail on the one side and on tracks formed by associated portions of the inner surface of the runner rail, and thus permit a longitudinal displacement of the runner rail relative to the guide rail.
In addition to the roller drawer guides provided with rollers rotatably mounted on the guide rail and runner rail, such rolling bearing-mounted drawer guides have in recent times become widely used for the mounting of drawers in the corresponding cabinet, because the drawers are very easy to close and open even when bearing heavy weights. Precisely this easy running of such drawer guides, however, also has the disadvantage that a closed drawer can very easily be slightly opened accidentally, for example when an article of clothing on a person passing the cabinet catches on it. Also, when a drawer is shut forcefully and the drawer front collides with the carcase, a reaction occurs which again slightly opens the drawer. It has even been seen that, when a drawer is closed rapidly, it compresses the air trapped in the carcase interior and the displaced air then produces an opening thrust against the back of adjacent drawers, which, again on account of the easy running of the drawer guide, slightly opens the adjacent drawer. Therefore there is an urgent need to construct drawer guides such that as the drawer they are carrying approaches the closed position they will positively draw it into the fully closed position and hold it there with a closing force, even if slight, in order to prevent the effects described above. In the case of the roller drawer guides mentioned above, such a pulling-in action can be produced relatively simply by the weight of the drawer itself, by tilting slightly downwardly the portions of the guide rail or runner rail on which the rollers of the other rail run as they approach the closed position. When such a downwardly tilted portion of the rail is reached, a component of the weight force develops toward the carcase interior and pulls the drawer in. In drawer guides of the kind mentioned above, however, such a function cannot be realized, because the runner rail's support on the guide rail is provided by the roller bodies carried in cages and the runner rail completely surrounds the tracks of the guide rail. The ball races of the cooperating rails must therefore be made precisely rectilinear. The problem of the accidental opening of a closed drawer by catching or by the air-pumping effect of the closing of another drawer has been partially solved by providing catch means which act between the rails of the guides when the closed position is reached, because, for example, a resilient body, e.g., a wheel of elastomeric plastic, is mounted on one rail, preferably the guide rail, whose circumference, immediately before reaching the closed position, strikes against a projection or abutment provided fixedly on the other rail, i.e., the runner rail in this particular case. If an additional closing pressure is then exerted on the drawer toward the fully closed state, the resilient body, i.e., the resilient wheel, is first compressed radially until, in a dead center position, a maximum compression takes place. When this dead center is passed, the wheel resiliently returning to its original shape thrusts against the projection or abutment and, through the runner rail affixed to it, pushes the drawer into the closed position. Catch means of this kind or of similar or conceivable kinds, operating for example with ball catches or magnetic catches, have the disadvantage that they cannot become effective until just ahead of the closed position of the drawer, and then require an additional, greater exertion of pressure on the drawer in order to hold it in the closed position.

Automatic pull-in mechanism for drawer guides


A CMOS device that includes three-volt MOS transistor, five-volt MOS transistors, FLASH EPROM cells, poly resistors, and double-poly capacitors is formed in a single integrated CMOS process flow. The FLASH EPROM cells are formed as single-transistor memory cells that operate on low to very-low voltages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming CMOS circuits and, more particularly, to a method for forming mixed-signal CMOS circuits that include electrically-erasable non-volatile memory cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
Historically, the integration of electrically-erasable non-volatile memory cells into mixed-signal CMOS circuits (analog and digital circuits) has been hampered by the higher voltage requirements of the memory cells. The higher voltage requirements, in turn, require increased isolation, thicker gate oxide, deeper junctions, and additional voltage sources that substantially increase the device size and the process complexity required to make an integrated device.
For example, current CMOS logic devices utilize minimal isolation and shallow junction depths, and operate on approximately 3.3 volts. Analog devices have similar isolation and junction depth requirements, but typically operate on 5.0 volts to obtain a wider dynamic range.
On the other hand, conventional electrically-erasable non-volatile memory cells, such as floating-gate tunneling oxide (FLOTOX) EEPROM and FLASH EPROM cells, utilize significantly more isolation and deeper junction depths, and typically require 12-15volts to program and erase the cells.
Recently, however, low-voltage FLASH EPROM cells based on one and two transistor configurations have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,477,485 and 5,511,021, and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/422,146 and 08/654,103. These transistor configurations require significantly less isolation, shallower junction depths, and lower operational voltages.
As a result, there is a need for a method for fabricating mixed-signal CMOS circuits that include these transistor configurations.

Method for forming a mixed-signal CMOS circuit that includes non-volatile memory cells


The present invention provides a gene that encodes proteins associated with liver neoplastic diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Significantly, these proteins are not expressed in normal, non-neoplastic liver. In accordance with the present invention there also are provided antibodies that are capable of binding to the invention proteins, as well as methods and kits for screening for liver neoplastic diseases.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is reported to afflict as many as 260,000 individuals each year world-wide, making it the eighth most frequent cancer in the world. Cirrhosis has been implicated as a predisposing condition for HCC in a majority of patients who develop HCC in low risk populations. Approximately eighty to ninety percent of HCC cases have been found to occur in patients suffering from cirrhotic liver. See, Lotze, M. T., et al., "Hepatobiliary Neoplasms," in CANCER. Principles and Practice of Oncology, Devita V. T. J. et al., eds., 883-915 (1993); Azzarone, F. A., et al., Eur. J. Cancer Prevention, 1 (Suppl. 3):55-58 (1992).
Current therapies for liver cirrhosis include treatment with corticosteroids and interferon-.alpha.. However, in more severe cases, a liver transplant is often the only recourse. Similarly, treatment for benign and malignant liver tumors is often either a liver resection or a liver transplant. These more drastic treatments are both very risky and very expensive. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of liver neoplastic diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and HCC, is highly desirable.
It has been reported that .alpha.-fetoprotein and IGF-II are expressed in the liver tissue of approximately 30% of those individuals afflicted with HCC, but not in normal adult liver. Unfortunately, these proteins appear more frequently in late stage HCC and thus, are not suitable for the development of an early diagnostic test.
Efforts to develop methods for diagnosis and treatment have been slowed by the lack of understanding of the pathology of HCC. In spite of the clinical importance of liver cirrhosis and HCC, the mechanism of HCC development still remains obscure. Tremendous gaps exist in the current understanding of basic pathologic mechanisms that lead to the development of HCC. Accordingly, the identification of genetic markers associated with liver neoplastic diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and HCC, for use as a tool in diagnosis and in the further elucidation of the pathology of these diseases, is highly desirable.

Method and probe for detection of gene associated with liver neoplastic disease


A warning device is provided for use in an electric vehicle which includes a frame member and ground engaging wheels operative mounted relative to the frame member. An electric motor is operatively connected to the frame member and the ground engaging wheels for supplying rotational motion to the ground engaging wheels. A switch member is provided for selectively energizing the electric motor. An indicator member is provided for indicating to an operator that the electric vehicle has completed a preparing to start operation. The switch member may be a switch for operatively connecting the electric motor to a source of power. The indicator member may provide a visual display or an audible sound for warning the operator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for informing an operator that a vehicle is an electric vehicle adapted to run on a road at the initial starting of the electric vehicle. An information device is provided for visually and/or audibly informing the operator that the preparation for starting the electric vehicle has been completed.
2. Description of Background Art
In an electric vehicle, a manually operated clutch is not provided between the motor and the ground engaging wheels. The arrangement utilized in an electric vehicle is distinct from a vehicle utilizing an internal combustion engine as the prime mover. An internal combustion engine vehicle will be hereinafter referred to as an engine vehicle.
The electric vehicle is provided with a speed operating member such as an accelerator grip or an accelerator pedal, which can be operated with the same feeling as presented in the engine vehicle. However, an operator may turn on a start switch and operate the speed operating member to an open position in an electric vehicle at the starting of the motor with the same feeling as in the engine vehicle. Such an operation of an electric vehicle may cause a problem. As a technique for preventing this problem, it is known that a motor circuit should not be controlled if the speed operating member is returned to a full closed position as set forth in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-32007.
Further, in mass production of the electric vehicle, it is considered advantageous to utilize parts of many engine vehicles presently manufactured and sold. This technique is helpful for productivity and decreasing cost.
In addition, in a vehicle which is powered by an internal combustion engine, wherein the rotation of the power source is maintained during the time when the vehicle is stopped. More specifically, during an idling condition of the engine, the power source continues to rotate. Accordingly, in the case wherein the vehicle is traveling on a route with heavy traffic, the rotation of the power source is disadvantageous from the standpoint of energy consumption. Further, at the starting of the vehicle, the operator recognizes that the preparation of the starting of the vehicle has been completed, according to the idling condition of the engine.
On the other hand, an electric vehicle adapted to travel by means of an electric motor as a prime mover with a battery is not required to maintain rotation of the prime mover during the time when the vehicle is stopped. Accordingly, even when the electric vehicle is traveling on a route with heavy traffic, the vehicle is advantageous from the standpoint of energy consumption.
However, the electric vehicle does not have an idling condition of the engine as mentioned above. The motor is not rotated until the electric vehicle starts to run. Therefore, the operator familiar with the driving of the vehicle when using the internal combustion engine feels discomfort if the operator cannot recognize the preparation for starting of the electric vehicle has been completed.
As an information device for informing the operator that the preparation for starting of the electric vehicle has been completed, a lamp lighting system is known such that a lamp continues to be illuminated during the connection of the lamp to a power source.
In the above case where the electric vehicle employs the same or like parts as those of the engine vehicle, an operator familiar with driving an engine vehicle is apt to operate the electric vehicle in the same manner as he or she would operate the engine vehicle. Therefore, there is a possibility that the operator would feel discomfort at the starting of the electric vehicle.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle which can prevent a feeling of discomfort during the starting of the vehicle.


Unintentional emissions are controlled responsive to the spectral content of the display signal. A video display apparatus comprises a cathode ray tube responsive to a video signal. A processor controls a bandwidth of the video signal coupled to the cathode ray tube in response to an emission control signal. A generating device is coupled to the processor for generating the emission control signal responsive to a component of the video signal.

This invention relates generally to the field of video displays, and more particularly to an arrangement employed therein to detect and control generation of unwanted emissions.
It is well known that electronic circuitry comprising image display apparatus can exhibit electronic characteristics which generate unwanted signal components that can degrade the displayed image or acoustic output signal. Many methods are known for linearizing circuit operation or reducing harmonic generation to prevent impairment of the audio or visual performance of the device. However, these efforts are directed to the prevention of degraded display performance with little or no regard to unwanted or unintentional emissions emanating from the display device.
A recently introduced Federal Communications Commission rule, 47 CFR xc2xa715 subpart B, Unintentional Radiators, mandates levels of radiation for various electronic products including, for example, TV broadcast receivers, TV interface devices, cable system terminal devices, other receivers, personal computers and peripheral equipment. Specifically, all TV broadcast receivers offered for sale in the United States must comply with section rule 47 CFR xc2xa715.117.
Although engineering efforts have been directed to the improvement of display image quality by the elimination of spurious image degrading artifacts, the desire to achieve the enhanced performance provided by the ATSC standards requires, among other things, wider circuit bandwidth and with attendant high frequency signal currents and voltages. Such wider bandwidth signals, while necessary to provide the desired level of enhanced performance, can unfortunately and inherently result in unintentional emissions with levels greater than those mandated by the FCC.
Unintentional emissions are controlled responsive to the spectral content of the display signal. A video display apparatus comprises a cathode ray tube responsive to a video signal. A processor controls a bandwidth of the video signal coupled to the cathode ray tube in response to an emission control signal. A generating means is coupled to the processor for generating the emission control signal responsive to a component of the video signal.


A drive system for an automobile includes a combustion engine, a friction clutch, a multistep gearbox, a controller for controlling the combustion engine based on load lever position, clutch position, gear input shaft rotation speed, gear output shaft rotation speed, engaged gear stage, vehicle speed and/or vehicle acceleration, with a sensor connected with the controller determining a position of the friction clutch. A method for controlling this combustion engine includes the steps of receiving or generating with the controller information about a gear stage change, a clutch position change, a predetermined minimum vehicle speed and-or a predetermined maximum vehicle acceleration, and adjusting the rotation speed of the combustion engine in response to the received or generated information. This approach provides a particularly smooth and comfortable gear stage change.

The present invention relates to a drive system for an automobile with a friction clutch and a method for controlling the combustion engine of such drive system.
In the following discussion, the term "disengaged" position of the friction clutch is understood as a position where essentially no force is transmitted. The term "engaged" position of the friction coupling refers to a position where substantially the entire force is transmitted. A "multistep gearbox" is a gear train with stages having a fixed gear ratio which can be alternatingly engaged. The parameters which are considered by the controller can be provided to the controller, stored in the controller and/or generated in the controller. A "load lever position" is typically the position of the gas pedal or the position of a twist-grip throttle.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved drive system with a multi-step gearbox which allows a particularly comfortable and smooth change between gear stages.

Drive system for an automobile and method for controlling a combustion engine