An implantable, modular spine stabilization system that allows for multi-level treatment of the spine by providing either rigid fixation or dynamic stabilization at different levels to be treated is provided. This modular spine stabilization system may be configured to span multiple spine levels, and have a curvature that closely matches the curvature of the spine over those multiple levels to be treated. Further, the modular spine stabilization system allows adjustment of the curvature of the overall system such that the system may be adapted for a patient for a customized fit. Instruments are also provided for the assembly and/or implantation of the modular spine stabilization system. The associated instruments may include instruments for adjusting the curvature of the system to the patient, and for implanting the curved system into the patient. The instruments may be configured for implantation of the system in a minimally invasive surgery.

The spine includes a series of joints known as motion segment units. Each unit represents the smallest component of the spine to exhibit a kinematic behavior characteristic of the entire spine. The motion segment unit is capable of flexion, extension, lateral bending, and translation. The components of each motion segment unit include two adjacent vertebrae, the corresponding apophyseal joints, an intervertebral disc, and connecting ligamentous tissue, with each component of the motion segment unit contributing to the mechanical stability of the joint. For example, the intervertebral discs that separate adjacent vertebrae provide stiffness that helps to restrain relative motion of the vertebrae in flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending.
When the components of a motion segment unit move out of position or become damaged due to trauma, mechanical injury or disease, severe pain and further destabilizing injury to other components of the spine may result. In a patient with degenerative disc disease (DDD), a damaged disc may provide inadequate stiffness, which may result in excessive relative vertebral motion when the spine is under a given load, causing pain and further damage to the disc. Depending upon the severity of the structural changes that occur, treatment may include fusion, discectomy, and/or a laminectomy.
Known treatments for spinal instability can include long-term medical management or surgery. Medical management is generally directed at controlling the symptoms, such as pain reduction, rather than correcting the underlying problem. For some patients, this may require chronic use of pain medications, which may alter the patient's mental state or cause other negative side effects. Surgical treatment typically includes decompression procedures to restore normal disc height, realign the column, and alleviate the pain.
Current surgical treatments often involve the immobilization or fusion of unstable motion segment units, sometimes with the removal of adjacent tissue. One such treatment method involves the rigid fixation of the spine at one or more levels by securing a rigid rod against the spine to prevent motion and thereby enable fusion.
An alternative surgical treatment also stabilizes the spine, but preserves motion instead of promoting fusion. This type of dynamic stabilization typically involves the fixation of a dynamic or spring-like coupler between vertebrae, which would still serve to stabilize and limit motion of the spine, but also allow close-to-normal motion, mimicking the physiological response of a healthy motion segment and providing pain relief, at that level.
There is, nevertheless, a need for a surgical treatment that can address multi-level spine stabilization, and an implantable, modular spine stabilization system that can achieve one or the other type of stabilization at different levels. Rather than having different or separate rod systems to treat multiple levels of the same spine by either rigidly fixing or dynamically stabilizing a single level, what would be desirable is a modular spine stabilization system that could allow either rigid fixation or dynamic stabilization at each level of the same spine to be treated. Further, since this spine stabilization system would span multiple spine levels, it would be further desirable to enable the system to have a curvature that closely matches the curvature of the spine over those multiple levels to be treated, and even more desirable to be able to adjust the curvature of the system to the patient for a customized fit. Accordingly, associated instruments for the assembly and/or implantation of such a modular spine stabilization system are also desirable.

Modular spine stabilization system and associated instruments


An apparatus for supporting a keyboard having a first and a second mounting member with each mounting member having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end. A first and a second tray member are slidably mounted to the first and the second mounting member, respectively. A first and a second rear mounting bracket and a first and a second front mounting bracket are also provided. The first rear mounting bracket is adjustably mounted to the first end of the first mounting member and the second rear mounting bracket is adjustably mounted to the first end of the second mounting member. The first front mounting bracket is adjustably mounted to the second end of the first mounting member and the second front mounting bracket is adjustably mounted to the second end of the second mounting member. A keyboard tray may be provided with the tray having a first side connected to the first tray member, and a second side spaced from the first side and connected to the second tray member.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a keyboard. In particular, the present invention relates to an adjustable mounting bracket arrangement for supporting computer keyboards in a computer keyboard tray.
In order to conserve space, computer keyboards are often placed in computer keyboard trays that are either fixedly, rotationally, or slidably mounted to a desk or table. Generally, these trays are attached to the underside of a work surface such as a desk or table. The keyboard tray slides out and away from underneath the desk or table for use by an operator. The keyboard tray can then be slid back toward and under the table or desk for storage purposes and conservation of space when the operator is no longer using the keyboard. The computer keyboard trays known in the prior art, however, generally tend to be limited in the variety of positions and the degree of adjustments that are available for the tray once it is slid out from underneath the desk or table. Moreover, the trays known in the prior art are often expensive, complex, and not very compact in size.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for supporting a computer keyboard that is an improvement over the prior art computer keyboard trays and overcomes the previously mentioned disadvantages associated with such prior art computer keyboard trays. The apparatus of the present invention utilizes a plurality of adjustable mounting brackets that are simple in design, easy to use, compact in size, and relatively inexpensive. Most importantly, the apparatus of the present invention provides a diverse range of positions available for the keyboard tray, including various vertical and/or angular positions.


The present disclosure relates to a photo sensor module. The thickness and size of an IC chip may be reduced by manufacturing a photo sensor based on a semiconductor substrate and improving the structure to place a UV sensor on the upper section of an active device or a passive device. The photo sensor module includes a semiconductor substrate, a field oxide layer, formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a photo sensor comprising a photo diode formed on the field oxide layer.

1. Field
The following description relates to a photo sensor and to a photo sensor module configuring a UV sensor using poly silicon formed on a semiconductor substrate, which minimizes size of a chip by forming a passive device processing sensing signal in a vertical direction with a UV sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
UV sensing has recently been incorporated in various portable products, such as, for example, smart phone and wearable devices, because of an increase in awareness of protecting people from UV exposure. Such products, which are equipped with a UV sensor, can signal alarm before an end-user harms his or her health during outdoor exercise by measuring accumulated UV exposure concentration. Moreover, a UV sensor in smart phones or wearable devices can operate functions such as, for example, proximity and motion control, and measure UV exposure concentration, heart rate, pulse frequency and blood oxygen level.
Silicon photo diode is generally used as a UV sensor. U.S. Pat. No. 8,071,946 (Multi-function light sensor, registered on Dec. 6, 2011, hereinafter referred to as 'prior document') to Kita ("Kita") is an example of a UV sensor which uses silicon photo diode. Kita is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference in the same manner as when each cited document is separately and specifically incorporated or incorporated in its entirety.
Kita discloses a UV sensor manufactured based on a Silicon on Insulator (SOI) substrate structure. The UV sensor provides a SOI substrate 12 comprising a silicon oxide insulator film 16 and a silicon semiconductor layer 18 configured of single crystal silicon on a silicon substrate 14. An ultraviolet ray sensing UV sensor is formed on the silicon semiconductor layer 18 configuring the SOI substrate 12. A first photo diode and a second photo diode which sense other rays, are formed on a silicon substrate 14 to avoid overlap with a UV sensor. A silicon oxide insulator film separates a first photo diode, a second photo diode, and a UV sensor.
A UV sensor with the above-mentioned structure has some problem. A UV sensor is manufactured formed on a silicon semiconductor layer of a SOI substrate. Moreover, any active device or passive device to process sensing signal is not formed on a lower UV sensor.
This makes it difficult to reduce the size of an IC chip comprising a UV sensor and making it difficult to reduce the size of the smart phones or wearable devices smaller.
Demand for a UV sensor, which can detect UV with high sensitivity while reducing manufacturing cost is increasing. The UV sensors known in the art are not capable of high sensitivity sensing function and being cheaper than a SOI substrate.


The light reception unit is disposed behind each of a plurality of light sources that emits signal lights having mutually different wavelengths in a forward direction and receives a backlight emitted backward from each of the light sources. The synchronizing signal generation unit generates a synchronizing signal serving as an electric signal synchronized in phase with a drive signal for driving each of the light sources. The multiplication unit multiplies the synchronizing signal and a light reception signal serving as an electric signal obtained by receiving the backlight by the light reception unit. The light power detection unit detects power of the signal light by multiplying an integrated value of a multiplication signal obtained by multiplying the synchronizing signal and the light reception signal by the multiplication unit and a power ratio of the signal light to the backlight stored in a predetermined storage unit.

Recently, with an increase in transmission traffic, development of an optical transmission device using a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system which enables large-capacity data communication has been advanced. By multiplexing signal lights having mutually different wavelengths, the optical transmission device using the WDM system simultaneously transfers different information. At this time, it is desirable that powers of the signal lights having mutually different wavelengths be adjusted uniformly to maintain transmission characteristics of the signal lights. Because of this, a technique which detects powers of signal lights having mutually different wavelengths is often used as a technique which becomes a prerequisite for uniformly adjusting the powers of the signal lights having mutually different wavelengths. For example, a photodetection device which detects powers of signal lights having mutually different wavelengths is used in the optical transmission device using the WDM system.
FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration example of a conventional optical transmission device equipped with photodetection devices which detect powers of signal lights having mutually different wavelengths in this way. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration example of the conventional optical transmission device. The conventional optical transmission device illustrated in FIG. 6 has laser diodes (hereinafter abbreviated as "LD") 11a to 11n serving as light sources and photo detectors (hereinafter abbreviated as "PD") 12a to 12n serving as light reception units.
The LDs 11a to 11n are respectively aligned corresponding to wavelengths "λ1 to λn" and emit signal lights having mutually different wavelengths in a forward direction. The PDs 12a to 12n are disposed behind the LDs 11a to 11n in a state of facing the LDs 11a to 11n and receive backlights serving as lights emitted backward from the respective LDs. Then, the conventional optical transmission device detects power of the signal light by multiplying a value which indicates an electric signal obtained by receiving the backlight by each of the PDs 12a to 12n and a power ratio of the signal light to the backlight stored in a predetermined storage unit.
Here, in the conventional optical transmission device, not only the backlight emitted from the LD which faces each PD but also a backlight emitted from the LD adjacent to the LD which faces the PD may be received by each PD. In other words, with recent miniaturization of a device, a structure in which a plurality of LDs is aligned in such a manner that an interval between adjacent LDs becomes narrow is often adopted. Due to this structure, the backlight emitted from the LD corresponding to a certain wavelength may be leaked into a PD side which faces an adjacent LD. Accordingly, each PD receives the backlight emitted from the LD adjacent to the LD which faces itself, and as a result, detection accuracy of the power of the signal light is deteriorated. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, in a case where the backlight emitted from the LD 11a corresponding to the wavelength "λ1" is leaked into the PD 12b which faces the adjacent LD 11b, a value of the power of the signal light detected by using the PD 12b becomes larger than an actual value.
On the other hand, a structure, in which a bandpass filter has a wavelength band corresponding to a backlight emitted from an LD as a transmission band and is provided on a front surface of each PD, has been proposed. In this structure, a light of a wavelength band other than the transmission band is cut off by the bandpass filter, and each PD receives only the backlight emitted from the LD which faces itself. With this configuration, detection accuracy of power of a signal light improves.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 06-152069
However, though the detection accuracy of the power of the signal light can be improved in the conventional technique where the bandpass filter is provided on the front surface of each PD, there is a problem such that it is difficult to realize miniaturization of a device.
In other words, in the conventional technique, since the bandpass filters are provided on the front surfaces of all of the plurality of PDs, the number of parts is increased by that of the bandpass filters, and as a result, a size of the device can be increased.

Photodetection device, photodetection method, and optical transmission device


Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems and methods for providing remote graphics processing unit (GPU) availability to one or more computing components of a data center. In particular, the present disclosure provides the remote location of one or more GPUs within a computing environment for use by one or more computing devices within the computing environment. Thus, each computing device may utilize the remotely located GPUs to perform the tasks of the computing device associated with a GPU, without the need for the GPU to be located within the computing device itself or within the same rack of the computing device. In this manner, one or more GPUs of a computing environment may provide GPU services to any number of computing devices, even though the GPUs are remote from the computing devices.

Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) are becoming increasingly important to many server applications, particularly for performing Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and big data analysis implementations. However, providing and consuming GPUs in a computing environment creates a unique set of issues, particularly in a highly agile, virtualized environment. GPUs are typically not available for blade server type arrangements of computing environments, generally requiring organizations to implement non-standard rack-mount servers alongside their blade servers to provide the GPU services for the computing environment. Further, GPUs are expensive investments, so an organization will often deploy GPUs to a selective subset of their servers such that workloads requiring GPU support have to be specifically scheduled on those rack-mount servers that are provisioned with GPUs. However, this reduces flexibility of workload deployment, and once a virtualized workload has started running on a particular server, it is pinned to the server, and cannot be migrated to an alternate server for performance or power management reasons. Furthermore, even though a typical server may be capable of hosting a hundred or more VDI sessions, a GPU dependency for a VDI workload will often reduce this capability to around 30 sessions, resulting in a substantial reduction in the efficiencies of the VDI capability.

Systems and methods for remote graphics processing unit service


Method and apparatus for regulating voltage within an integrated circuit is described. For example, a voltage regulator receives a first reference voltage and produces a regulated voltage. A comparator includes a first input for receiving a second reference voltage and a second input for receiving the regulated voltage. The comparator includes an offset voltage. The comparator produces a control signal indicative of whether the difference between the second reference voltage and the regulated voltage is greater than a predetermined offset voltage. A clamp circuit clamps the regulated voltage to the second reference voltage in response to the control signal. In another example, the clamp circuit is removed and a multiplexer selects either a first reference voltage or a second reference voltage to be coupled to a voltage regulator. The multiplexer is controlled via output of a comparator that compares the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) exist as a well-known type of integrated circuit (IC) that may be programmed by a user to perform specified logic functions. There are different types of programmable logic devices, such as programmable logic arrays (PLAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). One type of programmable logic devices, known as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), is very popular because of a superior combination of capacity, flexibility, time-to-market, and cost.
An FPGA typically includes an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by a ring of programmable input/output blocks (IOBs). The CLBs and IOBs are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. The CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data (bitstream) into internal configuration memory cells that define how the CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are configured. The configuration bitstream may be read from an external memory, conventionally an external integrated circuit memory EEPROM, EPROM, PROM, and the like, though other types of memory may be used. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
The programmable interconnect structure typically includes switch circuits (also known as switch boxes) for interconnecting the various logic blocks within an FPGA. Switch circuits generally include pass transistors for forming programmable connections between input/output lines of logic blocks in response to a gate voltage. A voltage regulator provides and regulates the gate voltage that drives the gates of the pass transistors. As is well known in the art, the speed of propagation of a signal through such a switch circuit improves with higher gate voltage applied to the gates of the pass transistors.
One method employed by others to provide relatively high gate voltage to pass transistors in a switch circuit is to clamp the gate voltage to an internal supply source, Vcc, when the internal supply source rises above a target gate voltage. However, known voltage regulators are susceptible to one or more of intrinsic voltage offsets caused by process variations and differences in physical layout of the voltage regulator components, though such physical layout may be intended to be symmetric. One or more of these intrinsic voltage offsets may cause the voltage regulator to become unstable thereby producing oscillations in the output voltage, for example.
Accordingly, it would be both desirable and useful to provide a method and apparatus for voltage regulation within an IC that is less susceptible to one or more intrinsic voltage offsets.

Method and apparatus for voltage regulation within an integrated circuit


A system and method for encoding and decoding a video image having a plurality of frames is disclosed. The method includes a previously reconstructed frame that is segmented to create an alternate reference frame used to encode a current frame. The segments of the previously reconstructed frame are assigned motion parameters, which are used to compile the alternate reference frame. The current frame is encoded and the segmentation parameters and motion parameters are transmitted in the bitstream. The segmentation parameters and motion parameters can be used by a decoder to recreate the alternate reference frame in order to decode the encoded current frame.

An increasing number of applications today make use of digital video for various purposes including, for example, remote business meetings via video conferencing, high definition video entertainment, video advertisements, and sharing of user-generated videos. As technology is evolving, users have higher expectations for video quality and expect high resolution video even when transmitted over communications channels having limited bandwidth.
To permit higher quality transmission of video while limiting bandwidth consumption, a number of video compression schemes are noted including formats such as VPx, promulgated by Google Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., and H.264, a standard promulgated by ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), including present and future versions thereof. H. 264 is also known as MPEG-4 Part 10 or MPEG-4 AVC (formally, ISO/IEC 14496-10).
These compression schemes may use prediction techniques to minimize the amount of data required to transmit video information by using, for example, the spatial and temporal coherences in video information. Prediction techniques can allow for multiple past transmitted frames and future frames to be used as potential reference frame predictors for macroblocks in a frame.

Encoding and decoding motion via image segmentation


An approach is provided in which the approach captures usage data corresponding to multiple users accessing a codebase that includes multiple code lines. The approach uses the captured usage data to compute a code line usage weighting for at least one of the code lines. The approach also computes a code line test coverage score for at least one code line based on at least one current software test program that tests the codebase. The approach compares the code line usage weighting against the code line test coverage score and flags the code line based on the comparison.

Software testing involves executing a software component or system component to evaluate one or more properties of interest in the software component. In general, approaches to testing the software components or system components are based on design and development requirements imposed during the build stages the software component or system component. As the number of possible tests for software components is practically unlimited, software testing requires strategy to select tests that meet limited time and resource constraints. Consequently, software components are inevitably released with a certain amount of software bugs that are not detected by the limited amount of software testing.
Test coverage describes the degree at which source code of a software component is executed when a particular software test suite executes. Many different metrics are used to calculate test coverage, such as the percentage of program subroutines, the percentage of program statements called during software test suite execution, etc. A software component with high test coverage percentage indicates that the software component has more of its source code executed during software testing. As such, the high test coverage percentage suggests that the software component has been thoroughly tested and has a low change of being released with software bugs.

Traffic-based mutation/coverage testing requirements

International Business Machines Corporation


A pixel count section calculates a coverage rate corresponding to toner consumption. A control coefficient value setting section determines, based on the coverage rate, a stop threshold value representing reference concentration for toner replenishment and replenishment extension time. A magnetic permeability sensor measures permeability representing toner concentration in a housing portion. A toner concentration control section starts toner replenishment when an output value from the magnetic permeability sensor varies from a value less than a start threshold value to the start threshold value or above, and stops toner replenishment after lapse of replenishment extension time from the time at which an output value varied from a value greater than the stop threshold value to the stop threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of replenishing toner for a housing portion for accommodating therein a dual-component developer composed of toner and carrier, a toner replenishing apparatus, and a computer readable recording medium having a program stored thereon which allows a computer to effect a toner replenishing function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a development process based on electrophotography, an image is formed by causing toner to be electrostatically adhered to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor drum.
FIG. 9 is a view schematically showing a housing portion 1 for accommodating therein a dual-component developer composed of toner and carrier. As the toner is consumed in the course of development process, so the concentration of the toner within the housing portion 1 is caused to vary. In a case where the concentration of the toner within the housing portion 1 is deviated from an intended concentration, it becomes impossible to obtain a desired image due to an undesirable increase or decrease in the density of a developed image, scattering of the toner, and so forth. Accordingly, the concentration of the toner within the housing portion 1 needs to be maintained at the intended concentration by effecting replenishment of toner in an appropriate manner.
Toner is supplied through a toner replenishment inlet 2 formed at one end of the housing portion 1. The housing portion 1 includes an agitating roller for agitating and conveying the toner supplied through the toner replenishment inlet 2. The toner fed into the housing portion 1 is circulated inside the housing portion 1 while being agitated with carrier by the agitating roller. In FIG. 9, a direction in which the toner is moved is indicated by arrows 3. Together with the carrier, the toner is adhered once to a magnet roller 4, and subsequently the toner is adhered to that part of a photoreceptor drum which bears an electrostatic latent image, and it is thereupon consumed. The housing portion 1 is provided with an ATC (Auto Toner Control) sensor 5 for detecting toner concentration. With the necessity of detecting the concentration of the toner in the developer under the condition that the toner and the carrier have been agitated together, the ATC sensor 5 is spaced a predetermined distance away from the toner replenishment inlet 2 on a downstream side in a toner conveying direction. Therefore, according to the related art, there is a time delay of about 5 to 6 seconds before the ATC sensor 5 detects variation in toner concentration resulting from the replenishment of toner through the toner replenishment inlet 2. Furthermore, since the toner is consumed at the magnet roller 4, even if replenishment is required following the consumption of the toner, there is a time delay of about 10 to 15 seconds before the necessity of toner replenishment is detected by the ATC sensor 5.
The larger is the amount of toner consumption in a unit of time, the greater is the variation of the concentration of the toner within the housing portion 1 in a unit of time. When the amount of toner consumption is small, the variation of the toner concentration in a unit of time is insignificant correspondingly. In this case, even if the replenishment of toner is effected to adjust the current toner concentration detected by the ATC sensor 5 to a predetermined concentration, it is possible to keep the toner concentration constant. However, when the amount of toner consumption is large, the variation of the toner concentration in a unit of time is significant correspondingly. In this case, in accompaniment with the replenishment of toner for adjusting the current toner concentration detected by the ATC sensor 5 to the predetermined concentration, the toner concentration is deviated considerably from the intended concentration. Therefore, in a case of effecting the replenishment of toner on the basis of the toner concentration detected by the ATC sensor 5, the toner concentration cannot be maintained at the intended concentration, thus causing a ripple in the concentration of the toner adhered to the magnet roller 4. The time period of the ripple corresponds to the time taken for the toner to go around inside the housing portion 1.
FIG. 10 is a graph showing the variation of the value of output from a magnetic permeability sensor with respect to time and the change of the state of a toner motor between an ON state and an OFF state with respect to time, as observed when toner is fed into the housing portion 1 with use of the related art. In the graph, the value of output from the magnetic permeability sensor is taken along the vertical axis, and the time is taken along the horizontal axis.
The ATC sensor 5 is realized by using the magnetic permeability sensor. The value of output from the magnetic permeability sensor represents the concentration of the toner within the housing portion 1. Moreover, the replenishment of toner is effected during the time the toner motor for rotating a toner bottle is kept in an ON state, but it is not effected during the time the toner motor is kept in an OFF state. According to the related art, the switching between the ON and OFF states of the toner motor is made every time the concentration of toner crosses a threshold value. In this way, the replenishment of toner to the housing portion 1 is controlled. A repeat of the switching between the ON and OFF states of the toner motor results in an increasingly significant variation of toner concentration, and also makes it impossible to achieve continuous toner replenishment.
In a toner replenishing apparatus according to one related art, the amount of toner consumption is calculated on the basis of a coverage rate, the number of pages printed, and a predetermined constant of toner consumption. Then, toner is replenished based on the amount of toner consumption obtained by calculation and the concentration of toner. In this way, the replenishment of toner is effected in accordance with the amount of toner consumption thereby to maintain the concentration of toner constant (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-304486 (1992)).
In an image forming apparatus according to another related art, the amount of toner to be replenished is conjectured based on the concentration of toner. Moreover, the amount of toner consumption is measured on the basis of the number of pixels of an electrostatic latent image. Then, a conjectured amount of toner is replenished with each toner consumption. In this way, the replenishment of toner is effected in accordance with the amount of toner consumption thereby to maintain the concentration of toner constant (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 5-88554 (1993)).
In an image forming apparatus according to yet another related art, an output signal from a toner concentration sensor is shifted in accordance with a coverage rate. On the basis of the shifted output signal, the replenishment of toner is effected. In this way, the timing of toner replenishment is changed in accordance with a coverage rate thereby to maintain the concentration of toner constant (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2002-333774).
In each of the related art constructions thus far described, the replenishment of toner is effected in consideration of the amount of toner consumption. However, in a case of performing printing with a high degree of coverage rate, the amount of toner consumption is large, and the range of variation in the concentration of toner is wide correspondingly. This gives rise to a problem of occurrence of a ripple. Furthermore, the switching between the ON and OFF states of the toner motor is repeated in keeping with the ripple, which results in a further widening of the range of variation in the concentration of toner. This makes it impossible to achieve continuous toner replenishment. As still another problem, a toner shortage may be caused due to a failure of replenishing toner in good time.

Toner replenishing method, toner replenishing apparatus, and computer readable recording medium


The arm and hand can be reliably massaged with a massaging machine having a chair body 5 having a seat 2 and a backrest 3; an armrest 7 provided to the side of the seat 2; a tunnel-shaped support 22 provided to stand from the armrest 7 so as to enable the massagee's arm or hand placed on the armrest 7 to be inserted therein; and expanding/contracting massage air cells 34, 35 provided to the inner surface of the tunnel-shaped support 22.

There is a pneumatic massaging machine comprising an air cell which expands/contracts according to the supply of air. The air cell is generally disposed at the backrest, seat or leg rest of the chair.
Japanese Patent Publication No. S44-13638 describes a massaging machine in which a bellows-shaped expandable cylinder, which expands and contracts according to air, is disposed at the upper part of the armrest. Here, the massagee' arm will be pressed upward.

Massage machine, massager for hands and massaging method


A system for estimating size distribution and concentration of aerosols in an atmospheric region includes a digital camera, a sunlight attenuation filter, and a processor. The filter is aligned between the sun and the camera's aperture. Image processing is performed on an image captured when the filter and the sky are in focus of the camera. The image includes (i) sunlight passing through the filter, and (ii) sunlight scattered by the atmosphere and not incident on the filter. The image processing compares intensity of a first portion of the image defined by the sunlight so-scattered to Mie and Rayleigh scattering computations generated for aerosols of known size distributions where a closest match is indicative of size distribution of aerosols. The image processing determines total solar irradiance in a second portion of the image defined by the sunlight so-passed through the filter as an indication of total concentration of aerosols.

In the world of physical chemistry, aerosols are defined as systems of colloidal particles dispersed in a gas. When the gas is the Earth's atmosphere, many of the particles originate from man-made events that generate smoke, smog or dust. Human and animal populations can experience medical problems when such particles are prevalent in high concentrations. As is known in the art, larger aerosols settle/land more quickly than smaller aerosol particles that can travel for hundreds or thousands of miles. Accordingly, atmospheric science attempts to monitor local atmospheric regions as a means to monitor local aerosol generation as well as "imported" aerosols. Monitoring can be part of pollution awareness, pollution regulation, scientific research, etc.
Devices that measure aerosol concentration and size distribution include systems that draw air through a filter and then analyze material left on the filter. However, these systems are complicated and expensive. Other types of devices that can be used for aerosol measurement are photometers where the aerosol measurement process is known as sun photometry. Scientific grade photometers are designed to make direct sun measurements and measurements of the surrounding sky. The direct sun measurement can be used to make what is known as a Langley plot to determine solar intensity as an indicator of total aerosol attenuation. The sky measurement is used to determine sunlight scattering due to the presence of aerosols. Both of these measurements can be made at several discrete wavelengths using colored filters. Typical scientific-grade sun photometers are two-telescope devices (i.e., one used for direct sun measurements and one used for sky measurements) that are fairly complex and expensive. Thus, measurement of aerosol concentration and size distribution in an atmospheric region tends to be limited to well-educated and well-funded groups.

System for estimating size distribution and concentration of aerosols in atmospheric region


A heart valve prosthesis having a valve housing providing a lumen therethrough. The valve housing has a first annulus on one end and a second annulus on the other end spaced apart from the first annulus. A suture cuff is used for attaching the valve housing to heart tissue of a patient. The cuff is attached between the first annulus and the second annulus. The cuff is positioned such that prosthesis is attached in a supra-annular position relative to a tissue annulus of the heart. The design allows for an increased valve lumen.

Prosthetic heart valves are used as a replacement for natural heart valves of patients. A standard implantable mechanical heart valve typically includes an annular valve housing or body (often called an "orifice") to provide a lumen or passageway therethrough for blood flow. One or more occluders mounted to the valve are movable between an open position, allowing blood flow, and a closed position which blocks blood flow. In many mechanical valves, the occluders are essentially plate-like members called "leaflets." Typical configurations include one, two or three leaflets in the valve body.
An attachment mechanism typically surrounds the valve body and is used to secure, typically with sutures, the valve to the patient's heart tissue. While some early prosthetic valves used hooks or barbs for attachment, a fabric suture or sewing cuff which is secured to the annular valve housing is typically used. Attachment of the suture cuff to the valve may be through any of a number of different retention techniques, some of which provide rotatable coupling. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,014 shows a separate stiffening ring which carries a suture cuff and which is clipped to the valve body by a lock wire between the valve body and the stiffening ring.
There has been an ongoing effort to improve the efficiency of prosthetic heart valves. One critical factor in heart valve efficiency is the total area of the lumen when the leaflets are in an open position. For patients with small aortic roots (typically defined as a tissue annulus diameter of between about 17 mm and about 21 mm), there have been indications that available prosthetic valves are stenotic when compared to the healthy native valve. The orifice or lumen area of typical prosthetic valves is so small that the left ventricle may be unduly burdened in maintaining an adequate cardiac output. The effective orifice area is further reduced by the hydrodynamic impedance of the valve. It has been found that currently available small prosthetic aortic valves are associated with decreased tolerance to exercise, reduced rate of regression of left ventricular hypertrophy and a higher incidence rate of congestive heart failure. (See "Prosthetic Valves for the Small Aortic Root," Journal of Cardiac Surgery, 1994; 9[suppl]: 154-157, by H. B. Barner, A. J. Labovitz and A. C. Fiore.)
One technique which provides a less stenotic replacement valve involves enlargement of the aortic root and tissue annulus by the surgeon. However, such procedures introduce additional risk to the patient because they require greater manipulation and excision of tissue. Further, these procedures require an increased duration of heart-lung bypass, thereby imposing additional risks to the patient from that procedure. Another surgical approach for implanting a less stenotic valve has been to implant tissue valves such as allografts and stentless heterografts in these patients. However, for many patients, the well-established durability of mechanical heart valves is preferred.
To meet the need for less stenotic small prosthetic heart valves, changes in mechanical valve sewing cuff configurations have been introduced. This has allowed implantation of valves having a lumen diameter typically one size (2 mm) larger than has been previously possible. For example, the tissue annulus of the standard mechanical heart valve from St. Jude Medical, Inc., of St. Paul, Minn., lies on sewing cuff fabric which extends from a pyrolytic carbon orifice ring. In the Hemodynamic Plus (HP) Series mechanical heart valve also available from St. Jude Medical, Inc., the sewing cuff lies entirely between cuff retaining rims of the orifice ring so that the cuff is implanted supra-annularly and the upstream retaining rim periphery or circumference constitutes the valve surface (the "valve tissue annulus") engaging or apposing the heart's tissue annulus which remains after excision of the native valve. The intra-annular and subannular projection of this valve reduces the potential for tissue overgrowth of the valving mechanism and maintains the patency of the valve and tissue lumens.
Another prior art prosthetic heart valve is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,041, issued Nov. 1, 1994. In this configuration, the valve is completely supra-annular. The suture cuff forms a brim which surrounds the extreme edge of the upstream annulus of the orifice ring. Although this may allow for increased valve and lumen size, the high supra-annular profile of the valve has, in at least some patients, blocked the right coronary ostium. Further, the position of the suture cuff may render the valving mechanism relatively vulnerable to tissue overgrowth. In addition, there is no intra-annular barrier to retard growth of tissue into the valve lumen.
While recent developments in prosthetic heart valves, such as those described above, have provided improvements, they remain stenotic compared to the healthy native valve. Improvements to further decrease the transvalvular pressure gradients of forward blood flow would be beneficial to patients. Although small, non-stenotic replacement valves are typically needed for the aortic position, there is also a need for such valves for the mitral position, typically in pediatric cases.
Another problem which may be associated with replacement heart valves with small lumens relates to formation of thrombus and thromboembolism. Thrombus and thromboembolism are known complications of mechanical heart valves and can result in serious disability or death. To help prevent these complications, a common treatment involves life-long anticoagulant therapy. However, anticoagulant therapy itself leads to an increased risk of anticoagulant-related hemorrhage.
Factors which influence the risk of thrombus and thromboembolism formation for mechanical heart valve patients include the nonphysiological surfaces and blood flow introduced by mechanical valves. Further, typical mechanical heart valves subject the blood to high shear stress, largely because the relatively small lumens of such valves tend to produce high velocity forward flow as the heart strives to maintain adequate cardiac output. Since the blood flow velocity immediately adjacent to the walls of the valve lumen and the occluders must be zero, large velocity gradients are generated during forward flow as a consequence of the high mean velocity. The shear stresses are proportional to the velocity gradients. High shear stresses are known to activate blood platelets and damage red blood cells. Such damaged red blood cells release a biochemical agent, adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP), which further activates platelets. The activated platelets have the potential to be deposited on the valve or downstream from the valve and to aggregate into thrombi. Furthermore, the activated platelets and the released biochemical agents initiate a coagulation cascade. Therefore, valves with mean forward flow velocities and peak shear stresses which are lower than prior art valves would be beneficial to patients.

Prosthetic heart valve with increased valve lumen


A feldspathic porcelain composition is provided which comprises a continuous glassy matrix phase and a discontinuous, substantially uniformly dispersed cubic leucite crystalline phase, said composition possessing a fusion temperature of from about 800.degree. to about 1200.degree. C. Methods of making the feldspathic porcelain composition are also provided, said methods comprising the steps of forming an alkali aluminosilicate powder comprising SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, K.sub.2 O and Na.sub.2 O and at least one metal salt of rubidium, cesium, calcium, strontium, barium or thallium; heating the powder to effect an exchange of alkali cations with metal cations derived from said metal salt to provide a feldspathic porcelain composition which comprises a continuous glassy matrix phase and a discontinuous crystalline phase comprising cubic leucite.

Leucite is a crystalline potassium aluminosilicate which, in stable form, possesses a tetragonal configuration at room temperature. Tetragonal leucite, also known as "low leucite", has been employed as a reinforcing agent in feldspathic dental porcelains. Such dental porcelain materials are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,604,366 and 4,798,536. Since tetragonal leucite possesses a high coefficient of thermal expansion, the resulting feldspathic porcelains comprising tetragonal leucite dispersed therein as a discontinuous phase have correspondingly high coefficients of thermal expansion. For example, the tetragonal leucite-containing feldspathic porcelain powder sold under the trademark Optec.TM. by Jeneric/Pentron Inc., Wallingford, Conn. can be used to provide a dental porcelain body possessing a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 18.6.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree. C. when measured at 50 to 550.degree. C.
When tetragonal leucite is heated to about 625.degree. C., it changes to a cubic polymorph and exhibits a volume change of 1.2%. This transformation is reversible. Upon cooling, the cubic leucite crystals revert to the more stable tetragonal polymorph. In contrast to tetragonal leucite, the stabilized cubic phase of leucite, known as "high leucite", which is otherwise unstable at room temperature, possesses a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 3.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree. C. when measured at 625 to 900.degree. C.
Rouf et al. "Crystallization of Glasses in the Primary Field of Leucite in the K.sub.2 O--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 System", Trans. J. Brit. Ceram. Soc., 77:36-39 (1978) describe an isothermal heat treatment method of crystallizing cubic leucite in the high viscosity system of K.sub.2 O--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 for both powder and bulk samples which employs TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2 and P.sub.2 O.sub.5 as catalysts. The Rouf et al. method employs the use of high temperatures and long time periods and relies on the presence of large amounts of K.sub.2 O (approximately 18 weight percent) in the starting glass composition to form cubic leucite as the only crystalline phase. Bulk samples of the porcelain produced by the method disclosed in Rouf et al. do not comprise cubic leucite substantially uniformly dispersed therein.
Hermansson et al. "On the Crystallization of the Glassy Phase in Whitewares," Trans. J. Brit. Ceram. Soc. 77:32-35 (1978), similarly disclose a heat treatment method of crystallizing cubic leucite in the high viscosity system of K.sub.2 O--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2. Hermansson et al. disclose that high K.sub.2 O content, a long firing time and a low content of CaO (approximately 1 weight percent) are required to stabilize the cubic phase of leucite at room temperature.
Prasad et al. "Crystallization of Cubic Leucite By Composition Additives", 19th Annual Session, American Association For Dental Research, (1990), describe a bulk crystallization method for stabilizing cubic leucite at room temperature by the addition of cesium oxide to a feldspathic composition. The method involves heating a raw material mix including cesium oxide to 1550.degree. C. for eight (8) hours, rapidly cooling the melt to 1025.degree. C. holding the resulting material for 1-4 hours isothermally to effect bulk crystallization of cubic leucite crystals followed by bench cooling the composition in air. The compositions disclosed in Prasad et al. are composed of mixtures of cubic leucite and tetragonal leucite and are highly refractory materials that can only be fused at temperatures in excess of 1200.degree. C.
None of the aforementioned prior art methods disclose an ion exchange step.
It is well-known in the art that it is extremely important that the thermal expansion coefficient of a dental porcelain closely match the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal or porcelain material with which it is in contact. Since the leucite-containing dental porcelains of the prior art generally possess high coefficients of thermal expansion, they cannot be employed in combination with materials possessing significantly lower thermal expansion coefficients. For example, low expansion porcelain veneering materials, such as SlipperyGlass.RTM. porcelain sold by Jeneric/Pentron, Incorporated (Wallingford, Conn.), cannot be employed with the high expansion leucite-containing dental porcelains of the prior art, such as Optec.TM. porcelain sold by Jeneric/Pentron, Incorporated (Wallingford, Conn.).
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low expansion feldspathic porcelain and a method whereby a low expansion feldspathic porcelain can be produced. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cubic leucite-reinforced feldspathic dental porcelain composition which can be utilized in combination with low expansion materials in the fabrication of dental restorations.


A motor vehicle including at least one individual seat is provided. The individual seat includes a seat part and a backrest. The seat part has a seat-part main shell and seat-part side shells arranged thereon on respective sides. The backrest has a backrest main shell and backrest side shells arranged thereon on respective sides. A rail system is provided, which moves the respective seat-part side shell and/or the respective backrest side shell in a desired or specified position by way of actuators.

The invention relates to a motor vehicle.
DE 102007003284 A1 discloses a motor vehicle which has a vehicle seat with an inflatable air cushion of which the hollow volume can be altered in an active fashion. The hollow volume of the cushion element with the inflatable air cushion is connected, via a line system, to a store which supplies a filling agent for filling the hollow volume. Also provided is at least one actuator for filling and emptying the hollow volume of the cushion element. The cushion element is, for example, a vehicle-door-mounted lateral guidance cushion.
The actuator is coupled to a motor-vehicle door via a coupling element, and therefore actuation of the motor-vehicle door activates the actuator so as to alter the hollow volume of the lateral guidance cushion of the seat in an active fashion such that the filling agent is released from the lateral seat guidance cushion in the vicinity of the door and entry into the motor vehicle is thus facilitated. When the motor-vehicle door is closed, the lateral seat guidance cushion in the vicinity of the door is filled.
One object of the invention is to create a motor vehicle having at least one seat of which the shape can be altered in a straightforward manner.
This and other objects are achieved by a motor vehicle including at least one individual seat including a seat part and a backrest in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
The seat part advantageously has a main seat-part shell and a lateral seat-part shell arranged on each side thereof. In addition, or as an alternative, the backrest has a main backrest shell and a lateral backrest shell arranged on each side thereof. A rail system is also provided and, via actuators it adjusts the respective lateral seat-part shell and/or the respective lateral backrest shell into a desired or predetermined position.
In an advantageous embodiment, for the purpose of adjusting the lateral seat-part shells and/or the lateral backrest shells, the rail system is arranged on the rear side of the backrest and/or the underside of the main seat-part shell.
If the lateral seat-part shells and/or the lateral backrest shells are arranged in an adjustable manner, via the rail system, on the rear side of the backrest and/or the underside of the main seat-part shell.
The backrest can advantageously be pivoted in terms of inclination in relation to the seat part.
In an advantageous embodiment for facilitating entry into and/or exit from the motor vehicle, when the motor vehicle is at a standstill and the vehicle door is open, the lateral seat-part shell and/or lateral backrest shell adjacent to the vehicle door is in a state in which it has been adjusted out of a retracted position into an extended position.
The seat part and/or the backrest advantageously have/has a lateral support, which is arranged at the side and has a respective cavity with a volume which can be filled with, or emptied of, a filling agent via an actuator.
In an advantageous embodiment, when the motor vehicle is at a standstill, the respective lateral support which is formed in the seat part and/or on the backrest and is adjacent to the open vehicle door is in an emptied state, and this therefore gives rise to a planar seat-part surface and/or a planar backrest surface for the purpose of facilitating entry and/or exit.
The shape and width of the seat-part surface and/or of the backrest surface are advantageously set in dependence on the driving speed and/or on the acceleration of the motor vehicle as it starts up and/or the braking and/or on the selected mode of operation of an automatic transmission, in the case of a motor vehicle being controlled by a driver and/or on the given driving conditions, in the case of highly automated driving.
In an advantageous embodiment, the width and shape of the seat part and of the backrest are adjusted via the lateral seat-part shells and/or via the possibly present lateral seat-part supports, which can be altered in terms of shape and size, and/or via the lateral backrest shells and/or via the possibly present lateral backrest supports, which can be altered in terms of shape and size.
In the case of the seat according to an embodiment of the invention, the width and the shape of the seat-part surface and/or of the backrest surface can be straightforwardly altered, and adapted to the driving situation, on account of predetermined conditions.
The backrest advantageously has a headrest at its upper end.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


An organic electroluminescent device is provided having a metal wiring in a non-light-emitting region. The device may include a substrate, a wiring formed on the substrate to electrically connect to an external circuit, an insulating layer formed on the wiring such that the wiring is partially exposed. The insulating layer having a thickness 0.3 to 30 times a thickness of the wiring.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention may relate to an organic electroluminescence device.
2. Background
Organic electroluminescent (EL) devices may use a principle that when charge carriers are injected into an organic film formed between an electron injecting electrode (cathode) and a hole injecting electrode (anode), electrons may combine with holes to create electron-hole pairs, which may then decay to emit light.
Organic EL devices may have advantages in that the devices may be fabricated on flexible transparent substrates (e.g., plastic substrates) and may operate at a voltage (e.g., 10 V or below) lower than voltages required to operate plasma display panels (PDPs) and inorganic electroluminescent devices. Organic EL devices may also have other advantages such as relatively low power consumption and excellent color representation.
Further, since organic EL devices may emit light of three colors (i.e., green, blue and red), organic EL devices may be considered next-generation full color display devices capable of producing images of various colors.
An organic electroluminescent device may be divided into two regions, namely a light-emitting region where light-emitting pixels that generate light are formed and a non-light-emitting region where a metal wiring and a pad are formed to electrically connect with an external circuit module (or an external circuit).

Organic electroluminescent device and method for fabricating the same


A blow mold provided with a locking system for mutually locking each half-mold with the related half-mold holder, thus allowing a simpler and quicker replacement of the side half-impressions of the mold. The blow mold of the invention provides for the side half-impression of each half-mold to be fixed in a cavity of the corresponding mold holder by actuating at least one quick coupling device comprising a bar (23) inserted in one of the two longitudinal edges of the half-mold holder (3) and adapted to move only by rotation about an axis thereof; actuation means (22) adapted to actuate a rotation of said bar; and at least one locking fin (21) fixed along said bar (23) and adapted to move, by rotating the bar (23), from an unlocking position to a locking position in which said locking fin interacts with the respective half-mold (2).

Generally, the two side half-molds of a blow mold for making thermoplastic material containers are removably fixed to the respective half-mold holders, whereby said half-molds may be replaced without the need to replace the whole blow device, in case of damage or wear and tear or especially in the event containers having different shapes and/or sizes are to be made.
In such a known solution, each half-mold is very heavy, e.g. about 20 kg for a steel mold. The fixing means are to be capable of supporting this weight and comprise many nut-screw joints and/or threaded joints. Moreover, each half-mold is provided with ducts for the circulation of one or more fluids for cooling and/or heating the walls of the half-impression obtained in the inner cavity of the half-mold. Such ducts are connected to fluid supply tubes with joints for the connection to the half-mold. Replacing each half-mold therefore also involves disconnecting and then reconnecting the respective tube joints.
All these aspects result in very long times for replacing the two half-impressions in a blow mold, which may reach about 10 minutes per mold.
A solution to this problem was obtained by the blow mold described in document EP0821641.
This blow mold consists of two side half-molds, each supported by a half-mold holder, the two half-mold holders being movable with respect to each other.
Although the quick coupling device used in this solution reduces the replacement times of the half-impressions to 5 minutes, it still does not completely meet the needs of the current market, especially for modern blow mold machines with a large number of molds. Moreover, a further disadvantage is the fact that there is still a need to use external tools to disassemble and assemble said half-impressions. Indeed, although so-called quick coupling devices are used, a predetermined number of screws is to be loosened to allow the locking tabs of the half-mold to be moved radially outwards, thus allowing the extraction thereof. Said predetermined number of screws then is to be tightened again once the half-impression is replaced, to allow the locking of the half-mold using the aforesaid tabs moved radially inwards of the mold in corresponding flat seats provided on the separation or contact surface of the half-mold.
Thus, the need is felt to make a blow mold provided with a quick coupling system of the side half-impressions which allows to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks.


The disclosure relates to technology for an apparatus having a current conveyer comprising a first stage having a first differential input, and a second stage having a second differential input. The first and second stages are configured to operate in a push-pull mode to provide an output signal at a current conveyer output between the first stage and the second stage. The apparatus has a first frequency mixer configured to generate a first mixer signal based on an input signal and an oscillator signal having a first frequency. The first frequency mixer is configured to provide the first mixer signal to the first differential input. The apparatus has a second frequency mixer configured to generate a second mixer signal based on the input signal and a second oscillator signal having the first frequency. The second frequency mixer is configured to provide the second mixer signal to the second differential input.

A current conveyor is an electronic amplifier that is used to transfer a current from a first circuit to a second circuit. The current conveyer prevents the second circuit from undesirably loading the first circuit's output current, and thereby interfering with operation of the first circuit. The current conveyer may have a unity current gain, in which case the current conveyer does not alter the magnitude of the current it passes. An ideal current conveyer has an infinite output impedance and zero input impedance. Of course, an ideal current conveyer cannot be realized with real world physical components. However, a high output impedance and a low input impedance can be realized in a current conveyer. A current conveyer with a resistive load at its output is referred to herein as a trans-impedance amplifier. A trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) is an amplifier that receives a current and outputs a voltage. In other words, a TIA is a current to voltage converter.
Current conveyers have a wide variety of uses, one of which is in a radio frequency (RF) transceiver. A direct conversion receiver (DCR) may be used in an RF transceiver to receive an RF signal. The DCR demodulates an incoming radio signal using synchronous detection driven by a local oscillator whose frequency is very close or equal to the carrier frequency of the intended signal. In a DCR, the RF is fed into a frequency mixer, and the frequency of a local oscillator is near the received signal's frequency, resulting in a demodulated output. A DCR may include one or more current conveyors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Detection of a target by a surveying device is automated to achieve simple work. A surveying method uses a surveying device for detecting and identifying a target device having an entire circumference reflection prism and a code display that is arranged in a vertical direction. The surveying device has a laser scanner configured to perform laser scanning along a vertical plane while horizontally rotating. The surveying method includes performing laser scanning by emitting laser scanning light along the vertical plane while making the surveying device horizontally rotate, and detecting the code display on the basis of the laser scanning light that is reflected back.

When a laser scanner is used in surveying, exterior orientation parameters, or a location position and attitude, of the laser scanner must be correctly determined. The operation for this determination involves measuring multiple targets or multiple reflection prisms, at which locations are preliminarily determined, by the laser scanner, and calculating the exterior orientation parameters of the laser scanner from the measured locations of the multiple targets or the multiple reflection prisms by a method of resection.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-138802 discloses a technique for surveying using a total station (TS) and a reflection prism. In this technique, an identifiable code that can be identified from its image is disposed in proximity to the reflection prism, and the reflection prism is identified by image analysis.
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-138802, after an operator approximately sights the reflection prism, the reflection prism is automatically searched for by means of a searching function of the TS, and then, the identifiable code is recognized by using a camera.
Normally, in surveying using a reflection prism, many points are surveyed by repeating an operation as described above. Thus, an operator needs to perform the approximate sighting in the first step with respect to each of the many points and this requires time and labor. Some types of total stations (TS) have an automatic detection mode of a target or a reflection prism, using searching light, but the searching takes time. For this reason, in actual cases, an operator sights approximately first, and then, the automatic searching is performed in a narrowed search target area.
Methods for improving the speed of the automatic searching for a target are also investigated. However, as the speed of searching increases, detection failure and incorrect detection of the target also increase. Currently, desired performance still has not been achieved.
From another point of view, it is necessary to identify each of targets that are located at respective positions. For this purpose, a technique that uses an image for identification, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-138802, requires photographing the target to obtain an enlarged image after the target is sighted. Also, in this case, the operation for sighting is necessary.

Method, device, and program for surveying


To reduce pattern resistance including a secondary winding in a power supply module having a pair of secondary windings transformer-coupled with a primary winding. The pair of secondary windings coupled with a primary winding through a transformer is drawn out in both directions each other, and further disposed on different layers. Also, output pattern films are disposed on both sides of the second and third layers, so that pattern films of wide shape can be produced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an on-board type power supply module for a distributed power supply system and an electronic apparatus using the same, and more particularly a power supply module for improving power supply efficiency and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Arts
With increasing complexity of an electronic apparatus such as an information processing unit, the electronic-apparatus is required to have improved reliability. As a distributed configuration is preferably applied to the electronic apparatus to obtain improved reliability, a power supply unit having a distributed configuration is also desired for the electronic apparatus. A distributed power supply system is currently applied for a server, a storage system, etc. The distributed power supply system requires a miniaturized power supply module which can be on-board mounted on a board for electronic units installed in the server, the storage unit, etc.
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a prior art transformer-coupled switching power supply circuit. A primary winding 100 and two secondary windings 110, 120 are wound around a core of a transformer T, enabling transformer coupling between the primary side and the secondary side. The primary side is provided with an FET 102, which is a primary side circuit for controlling the current flowing through the primary winding 100, and a switching control circuit 104.
Meanwhile, on the secondary side, there are provided: pairs of FETs 114, 116 and 124, 126 respectively constituting rectifier circuits which rectify the current flowing through the secondary windings 110, 120; switching control circuits 112, 122; choke coils L1, L3 and capacitors C1, C2 which constitute smoothing circuits.
As is well known, in this switching power supply, switching control circuits 112, 122 controls to switch FETs 114, 116, 124, 126 to perform rectification operation of the secondary output, and to protect from overcurrent and overvoltage. Also, switching control circuit 104 controls FET 102 to protect from overcurrent on the primary side.
In such a way, when a large electric current is required on the secondary side, two secondary circuits are provided, constituting a so-called double-current configuration.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory winding diagram in a conventional power supply module, and FIG. 11 is an exploded configuration diagram of the conventional power supply module. As can be seen from FIGS. 10, 11, there are limits of a card size, component layout, etc. when miniaturizing the power supply module. A typical power supply module is structured of five layers L1–L5.
A top surface layer L1 and a bottom surface layer L5 are component-mounting layers, while inner layers L2–L4 are provided for forming circuit patterns. The top surface layer L1 is provided an one part of a transformer T, a primary winding 100 and primary-side circuit 102, 104, FETs 114, 116, 124, 126 of the secondary side circuit, one portion of switching control circuit 112, 122 on the secondary side, one input terminal 150 and one output terminal 160.
The bottom surface layer L5 is provided another part of the transformer T, the primary winding 100 and the primary-side circuit, choke coils L1, L3 and capacitor C disposed in the secondary side circuit, the other portion of the switching control circuit 112, 122 on the secondary side, another input terminal 152 and another output terminal 162.
A first inner layer L2 is provided two secondary windings 110, 120, a wiring area 132 for the primary side circuits 102, 104 and a wiring area 130 for the secondary switching control circuits 112, 122. A second inner layer L3 is provided a pair of output pattern films P1, P3, a wiring area 136 for the primary side circuits 102, 104 and a wiring area 138 for switching control circuits 112, 122 on the secondary side. A third inner layer L4 is provided a pair of ground films G1, G3, a wiring area 138 for the primary side circuits 102, 104 and a wiring area 140 for switching control circuits 112, 122 on the secondary side.
As shown in FIG. 10, the primary winding 100, the transformer T, and the pair of the secondary windings 110, 120 are disposed on a module, from left to right on this order. Together with these components, the primary side circuits 102, 104, the secondary side circuits 114, 116, 124, 126, and L1, L3, the output pattern films P1, P3 and the ground films G1, G3 are provided.
More specifically, the pair of secondary windings 110, 120 is drawn out in the same direction. Also, the secondary side circuits 114, 116, 124, 126, and L1, L3, the output pattern films P1, P3 and the ground films G1, G3 are disposed in such a manner that each point p1, u1, q1, s1, t1, p2, u2, q2, s2, and t2 in the secondary side circuit shown in FIG. 9 may be connected between the relevant layers through vias.
Now, in recent years, a load to which power is supplied from such a power supply module requires a large electric current. For example, a high-speed CPU requires larger current than a low-speed CPU. When. outputting such large current, the resistance and inductance included in the patterns of the power supply module become hardly negligible, because a large power loss and noise may be produced.
According to the above-mentioned layout of the conventional power supply module, the pair of secondary windings 110, 120 is drawn out in single direction, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain large cross-section areas S of the secondary windings 110, 120. Also, in order to draw in single direction, it is necessary to mount both a pair of rectifier circuits and a pair of smoothing circuits of the secondary side on single side of the transformer T. To enable via connection with these secondary side circuits, the lengths l of the secondary windings 110, 120 have to be large.
The resistance r of the secondary windings is defined as r=ρ*l/S, the resistance value of the secondary windings cannot be small enough when l is large. Further, because the drawing of single direction requires a pair of output pattern films and a pair of ground films to be disposed on single side of the transformer T, it is difficult to have wide output pattern films and wide ground films. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the output resistance.
As a result, when a large current is output, a large power loss is produced, and power supply efficiency is reduced. Further, because of large pattern lengths of the secondary windings, the inductance L becomes large. In the switching power supply, sharp current variation (di/dt) is produced by the choke coil and the transformer, the produced noise is determined as L*di/dt. Accordingly, when the current becomes large, the noise produced becomes hardly negligible, and a large switching noise is produced.
Needless to say, if a size of the power supply module may be large, the resistance value and the inductance of each pattern disposed on the pattern layers L2, L3, L4 can be smaller. However, the power supply module of large size does not fit for an apparatus in which miniaturization is desired.

Power supply module and electronic apparatus using the same


A non-halogen flameproof polycarbonate resin composition is disclosed. The polycarbonate resin composition includes a base resin including (A) about 50 to about 100% by weight of a polycarbonate resin, (B) about 0 to about 50% by weight of a rubber modified aromatic vinyl resin, and (C) about 0 to about 50% by weight of an alkyl(meth)acrylate resin; and (D) about 0.5 to about 30 parts by weight of a cyclic t-butyl phosphonate compound, based on about 100 parts by weight of the base resin comprising (A), (B) and (C). The polycarbonate resin composition can have stability against fire and can be environmentally friendly since it does not contain a halogen flame retardant.

Generally, polycarbonate/styrene containing copolymer blends are resin mixtures which have good processability and high impact strength. Therefore, polycarbonate/styrene containing copolymer blends have been widely used in large injection molded products, such as computer housings or other office supplies, which emit a lot of heat. Accordingly, flame retardancy, heat resistance and high mechanical strength are important factors that should be considered when manufacturing the blend.
Halogen-containing flame retardants and antimony compounds are conventionally used to impart flame retardancy to the resin composition. However, when a halogen-containing flame retardant is used, it can produce very toxic gases during combustion. Therefore, the demand for the resin without halogen flame retardants is increasing. One well known and widely used method for imparting flame retardancy without using halogen-containing flame retardants is to use a phosphate ester flame retardant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,488 discloses thermoplastic resin compositions containing a non-halogen aromatic polycarbonate resin, a non-halogen styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, a non-halogen phosphorous compound, tetrafluoroethylene polymer, and a small amount of ABS copolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,745 discloses a flame retardant resin composition containing an aromatic polycarbonate resin, an ABS graft copolymer, a copolymer and a monomeric phosphate ester.
However, the resin compositions described above have a disadvantage in that it is necessary to add an excessive amount of phosphate ester flame retardant in order to obtain a certain level of flame retardancy.
A large amount of flame retardant also needs to be added to impart flame retardancy to blends of polycarbonate resin and polymethyl methacrylate resin, due to the lack of flame retardancy of polymethylmethacrylate resin. The amount of polymethylmethacrylate resin may be decreased to try to improve flame retardancy, but reducing the amount of polymethylmethacrylate resin may also decrease scratch resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,786 discloses a composition having good weld line strength by using a phosphoric ester compound as a flame retardant and by further adding a polymethylmethacrylate resin to a polycarbonate resin and a styrenic resin. However, it is difficult to obtain improved scratch resistance and flame retardancy, since the amount of a polymethylmethacrylate resin which contributes to the property of scratch resistance is relatively small, in addition to the fact that polycarbonate resin and styrenic resin do not have good scratch resistance.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1999-199721 discloses a flame retardant resin composition which obtains flame retardancy from cyclic phosphonate added as a flame retardant to a blend of polypropylene resin and thermoplastic resin containing nitrogen atoms. However, it fails to disclose a flame retardant method for a polycarbonate resin and polycarbonate resin-based blend.

Non-halogen flameproof polycarbonate resin composition


A method for measuring a complex impedance of a plurality of battery cells in a battery pack comprises controlling an excitation current through the plurality of battery cells in the battery pack; receiving, in a single common measurement circuit, a plurality of voltage signals corresponding to the plurality of battery cells; measuring the excitation current; and calculating a complex impedance of each of the battery cells in the plurality of battery cells based on the plurality of voltage signals and the measured excitation current in a single measurement cycle using either one analog-to-digital converter (ADC) per battery cell or two matched ADCs per battery cell.

An electric vehicle battery (EVB) is a battery used to power the propulsion system of a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Vehicle batteries are usually a secondary (rechargeable) battery, are typically lithium-ion batteries, and typically comprise a plurality of battery cells in a battery pack. A typical battery pack can comprise numerous battery cells, for example up to 100 batteries in each battery pack. A measurement integrated circuit (IC) and other external components are typically used to measure the DC impedance of each battery cell in the battery pack. Implementation costs to measure each battery cell in the battery pack are therefore significant, and the number of nodes in a corresponding communication chain is also quite high, which also adds to implementation costs.

Multi-cell AC impedance measurement system


Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for overcoming latency and loss of signal detection in remote control displays. An exemplary system includes a remote control, a host computing device, and one or more target systems communicatively coupled to each other over a wired and/or wireless network. One method includes receiving, by the remote control and from a host computing device, a first video frame captured by a target device, determining a first time corresponding to receipt of the first video frame, receiving, from the host computing device, a second video frame, determining a second time corresponding to receipt of the second video frame, comparing the time difference to a latency threshold, and causing an alert graphic element to be displayed indicating a latency in communication.

Unmanned systems are typically controlled via one or more remote controls. Unmanned systems can include surveillance platforms, device arms, cranes, weapons, pipeline crawlers, aerial vehicles, water-based vehicles, land-based vehicles, and subterranean-based vehicles. An operator uses the one or more remote controls for providing commands to the unmanned system. In some instances, the remote controls are directly wired to an unmanned system. In other instances, the remote controls are wirelessly linked to an unmanned system. However, in most instances, especially for more sophisticated or larger systems (such as process controls or unmanned vehicles with long ranges) remote controls provide inputs to a host computer/server and a communication network, which in turn communicates with the unmanned system.
To control unmanned systems, operators manipulate controls (e.g., buttons, joysticks, touch sensors, etc.) on a panel of a remote control unit ("RCU"). The RCU communicates control information that is indicative of the operator manipulations of the controls to a host computer either directly (wired connection) or wirelessly. The host system interprets the control information, then relays appropriate commands to the unmanned system using a direct wired link, a wireless link, a satellite communications link, a radio-frequency ("RF") communications link, a cellular communications link, or combinations thereof. The unmanned system simultaneously transmits feedback information to the host computer. The feedback data may include location information, heading, altitude, ground speed, estimated range/battery life, weapon system status, and/or diagnostic information. The feedback data may take the form of video data, audio data, inferred data, or other sensed data that is indicative of an environment in view or in proximity to the remotely located unmanned system.
More recent RCUs have a graphical user interface, such as a display screen or touchscreen. For these RCUs, a host computer streams video data recorded by the unmanned system for display at the RCU. The video data oftentimes provides a real-time or near real-time view from the unmanned system. An operator may use the video display for navigation and control to complete a desired mission, possibly in an augmented reality application. The video displays are especially useful when an unmanned system is no longer within sight of an operator. The close proximity of the screen to the controls on the RCU enables an operator to view the video data while providing control manipulations without having to shift their attention to a separate display monitor, keypad or joystick at a host computer or server.
Oftentimes, a video connection between a target system and an RCU may become interrupted or video frame transmission may become delayed. A video delay of even a few seconds may not be readily apparent to an operator. Oftentimes, an operator makes a control decision based on the current video display. However, a delay as little as a half second between the video viewed by the operator and the actual position of the target system could cause the target system to miss a target, overshoot a waypoint, or crash. As such, video latency is a significant issue for target systems controlled by RCUs.

Ruggedized remote control display latency and loss of signal detection for harsh and safety-critical environments


The present invention relates to a method for the stratification of a subject having an acute or a chronic disease, wherein the disease affects endothelial function/dysfunction, comprising the steps of (i) taking a sample of bodily fluid from the subject; (ii) determining in the sample of bodily fluid the concentration of a vasoactive hormone or fragments thereof or precursors or fragments thereof having a length of at least 12 amino acid residues; (iii) stratifying the subjects into either of the categories: (a) responder to a medication for treatment of the disease, (b) non-responder to a medication for treatment of the disease not showing an unfavorable effect after having received the medication; (c) subjects showing an unfavorable effect after having received the medication. The invention also relates to the use of an antibody or a functional fragment thereof in the method according to the invention.

Increased BNP and NT-proBNP blood concentrations are associated with the severity and mortality in heart failure (HF) patients. In several studies the titration of drug treatment to reduce NT-proBNP levels in patients suffering from HF was investigated (Wasywich, et al. Changes in tissue-Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular filling during NT-proBNP guided heart failure treatment titration: a pilot study. Heart Lung and Circulation 2009; 18:38-44; Mant, et al. Identification and guided treatment of ventricular dysfunction in general practice using blood B-type natriuretic peptide. British Journal of General Practice 2008; 58:393-9; Davis, et al. Introduction of metoprolol increases plasma B-type cardiac natriuretic peptides in mild, stable heart failure. Circulation 2006; 113:977-85, Beck-da-Silva, et al. BNP-guided therapy not better than expert's clinical assessment for beta-blocker titration in patients with heart failure. Congestive Heart Failure 2005; 11:248-53; quiz 254-5).
It has been investigated whether vasoactive biomarkers and their precursors and fragments thereof stratify patients exhibiting a positive effect due to a specific medication. For example, the use of NT-proBNP for stratification of HF patients for medication was presented in the PRIMA-Study at the ACC Congress Orlando (29 Mar. 2009). Moreover, the utility of NT-proBNP measurements to identify patients with enhanced benefit from clopidogrel therapy was investigated by Tang et al., but no NT-proBNP subgroup could be identified with an overproportional benefit from clopidogrel therapy (Tang et al. Risk stratification for patients undergoing nonurgent percutaneous coronary intervention using N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide: a Clopidogrel for the Reduction of Events During Observation (CREDO) substudy. American Heart Journal 2007; 153:36-41). Kropp et al. hypothesized that NT-proBNP could be used as a marker for the tolerability and safety of antipsychotic drugs. (Kropp, et al. N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a marker of cardiac safety during antipsychotic treatment. Annals of General Psychiatry 2005; 4:10). In addition, it has been contemplated that other neuroendocrine markers, e.g. AVP, ET-1, Big-ET-1, [NT-pro]ANP and [NT-pro]BNP, may be of value in the choice and titration of medical treatment for an individual patient in the future (Kjaer 2000; Videnskab og Praksis 162:5910-3). For example, it has been shown that elevated ANP levels before treatment with the beta-blocker carvedilol are predictive for reductions of mortality, and ANP and BNP are predictive for reductions of hospital admission in patients with chronic stable heart failure (Richards et al. Neurohumoral prediction of benefit from carvedilol in ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Australia-New Zealand Heart Failure Group. Circulation 1999; 99:786-92). In contrast to the cardiac peptides, higher plasma levels of Arg-Vasopressin (AVP) did not predict benefit from carvedilol in this study. In addition the same study group revealed, that carvedilol reduced mortality and heart failure in patients with chronic ischemic left ventricular dysfunction exhibiting a higher pre-treatment plasma NT-proBNP and adrenomedullin (ADM) (Richards et al. Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and adrenomedullin—prognostic utility and prediction of benefit from carvedilol in chronic ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2001; 37:1781-7). However, patients were stratified according to peptide concentrations below and above median and a beneficial effect of carvedilol was not apparent until 300 days after treatment initiation, indicating that elevated plasma levels of the measured peptides may only predict a long-term benefit of the Beta-blocker carvedilol. Swedberg et al. demonstrated, that markedly elevated levels of ANP before ACE inhibitor treatment (namely elanapril) were related to reductions in mortality levels in patients with severe congestive heart failure in NYHA class IV (Swedberg et al. Hormones regulating cardiovascular function in patients with severe congestive heart failure and their relation to mortality. CONSENSUS Trial study group. Circulation 1990; 82:1730-6). Again, patients were stratified according to peptide concentrations below and above median in this study. A beneficial effect of elanapril was demonstrated for mortality after 6 months.
In the patent application WO 2009/123730 methods for diagnosis and prognosis of pulmonary hypertension are described. A variety of markers has been suggested.

Vasoactive hormone-based stratification of patients suffering from diseases related to endothelial function/dysfunction


A method for specifying, executing and analyzing method sequences for the recognition of dispatch labels and form entries. In the specification phase, the method sequences are input in graphical form into a computer system as flowcharts with attributes and function details which define the influence of individual variables on the method sequence. Codes are then automatically generated from the flowcharts as an internal representation which is converted by a compiler into a loadable, executable module which is called for each processing step in the handling phase for recognizing the respective dispatch label or form entry. In the handling phase for recognition, information for describing the particular current sequence and the current values of the attributes is written to an attribute file for each processing step. In the analysis phase, the course of processing for each dispatch or each form is displayed in the flowcharts with the attributes together with the associated images of the dispatch labels or form entries.

The invention relates to a method for specifying, executing and analyzing method sequences for the recognition of dispatch labels and form entries.
The recognition is performed using OCR reading systems and video coding systems, where, if the reading results of the OCR reading system are not clear, the corresponding images of the dispatch labels or forms are sent to video coding stations where manual or partly manual coding with different coding steps is effected using databases for the labels. The labels to be read on the dispatches are largely addresses, and the databases used are address or forwarding dictionaries. The stipulated method sequence as the fundamental part of flow control is used to monitor and control the flow of processing for each individual dispatch or each form.
The method sequence defines for each dispatch or each form the sequence of the individual processing steps and the final decision regarding what needs to be done with the dispatch or with the form in the overall system. For all decisions, all information which is relevant to the decision and is available at this time is evaluated. Information relevant to the decisions is, by way of example, details about the type of sorting machine, the type of the individual coders and recognition results obtained to date. When all the necessary steps have been carried out, the results are sent to the sorting machine so that the dispatch or form can be distributed on the basis of this result.

Method for specifying, executing and analyzing method sequences for recognition


A dielectric ceramics includes a main ingredient, and a supplemental ingredient in an amount of 0.05 to 2 wt % for the main ingredient. The main ingredient is expressed by xBiO3/2-yCaO-zNbO5/2 and is within a scope of a specified quadrilateral region in a ternary system diagram, and the supplemental ingredient is a glass composition including at least SiO2, Li2O and MO (M includes at least one of Ca, Sr and Ba). A ceramic electronic component is produced by co-firing a dielectric layer composed of the dielectric ceramics and a conductive layer mainly composed of silver, and has a low degradation in Q value and excellent microwave characteristics.

In response to recent development of mobile communication devices, a variety of dielectric ceramic electronic components having a multilayer construction and a circuit formed by stacking a dielectric ceramics and an inner conductor is commonly used. In order to obtain a multilayer dielectric ceramic electronic component particularly having compact size and high performance, dielectric characteristics of the ceramics become important factors. That is to say, a high specific-inductive-capacity (∈r) in microwave zone is required, and a low dielectric loss (tan δ) is required. Namely, a high Q value, which is reciprocal number of the dielectric loss, is required. A low temperature coefficient of resonance frequency (TCF) is also required in its absolute value.
As an internal conductor, metal of high conductivity containing such as gold, silver and copper as a main ingredient is employed. The conductor is co-fired with the dielectric ceramics, forming a unit. For that reason, the dielectric ceramics is required to be sintered densely at a relatively low temperature like 850 to 1,050° C. so as the metal mentioned above do not melt by the firing. As the metal, silver is especially employed because melting point is 962° C. the lowest among gold, silver and copper, conductivity is high and is not oxidized when sintered in air, making management of sintering process is easy. Moreover, the cost of silver is comparatively low, such that silver is industrially advantageous.
As an example of the dielectric ceramic composition satisfying above requirements, material of Bi03/2-CaO—NbO5/2 family is proposed. The family material has a high specific inductive capacity of at least 50, a high Q value of 3 to 5 GHz, and a small TCF of less than ±50 ppm/° C. Because the material is sintered densely at a low temperature of at most 1,050° C., a multilayer dielectric ceramic component composed of a high conductivity metal such as gold, silver and copper can be provided, so that it is a highly useful dielectric material. This kind of dielectric material is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2798105, for instance.
However, while firing to making the dielectric ceramic electronic component made by laminating a conductive layer composed of silver as a main ingredient with an inside layer mainly composed of the dielectric ceramic material of BiO3/2—CaO—NbO5/2 family material, silver in the conductive layer reacts chemically with a constituent element in the dielectric ceramics. As a result, Q value of the dielectric ceramics is dropped, prohibiting the dielectric ceramic electronic component to present its original microwave characteristics.

Dielectric ceramic composition and ceramic electronic component employing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.