According to the present invention a communication method and a communication system/network is provided comprising at least one server and a plurality of user terminals. Wherein the user terminals can share information with each other and with the at least one server by means of the internet each user can be accessed by means of a unique address. Thereby a plurality of different unique addresses can be assigned to one user. A corresponding assignment information is stored in a table of the server. The assignment information enables the server to associate a plurality of different addresses for the same user. Respectively one profile can be associated to one of the plurality of addresses assigned to one user, the profiles containing characteristics of the preferences and/or interests of the associated address and being stored in a database of a profile manager. Respectively one home page can be created and associated to one of the plurality of addresses assigned to one user, the home pages being stored on the server. The server furthermore can comprise a group database containing different predefined groups, preferences and/or interests of each group as well as the user addresses which are members of the corresponding group.

The present invention generally relates to the field of computer networks. A network is a distributed communication system of computers comprising user terminals and at least one server, the computers of which are interconnected by various electronic communication links and computer software protocols. A particularly well-known network is the internet. The internet is a world-wide network whose electronic resources include among others text files, graphic files in various formats, world-wide-web pages, etc. The scheme for denotation of an electronic resource on the internet is an electronic address which uniquely identifies its location within the network and within the computer in which it resides. On the internet such an electronic address is called URL (universal resource locator).
According to the state of the art, when a user is subscribing with a network service provider, one unique address is assigned to him. Of course, when subscribing a plurality of contracts, one user can have a plurality of different unique addresses. However, when the user has logged in with one of said several addresses, and the other addresses assigned to the same user are not in a logged-in state, no message or notification from a server or another user terminal can be forwarded to the user, when the notification or message is addressed to one of the addresses which are in a non-logged-in state.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a communication method and a communication system (network) according to which one user can have a plurality of addresses without encountering the above-cited disadvantages. The method and the system according to the present invention provide for a possibility to address a user with a second address assigned to him even in case the user has logged-in with a first address assigned to the same user.
Thereby it is the central idea of the present invention that a plurality of different unique addresses can be assigned to one user, wherein at least one server of a network knows which addresses belong to the same user and can therefore for example send a notification of new mail in another personality to the user though the new mail is dedicated to another address of the user than the address the user has logged-in.
According to the present invention therefore a communication method for a network comprising at least one server and a plurality of user terminals is provided, wherein the user terminals can share information which each other and with the at least one server by means of the network and each user can be accessed by means of an unique address. A plurality of different unique addresses can be assigned to one user. A corresponding assignment information for each user is stored in a table of the server. The assignment information enables the server to associate a plurality of different addresses with the same user.
Messages can be sent from the server or a first user terminal to a second user terminal. When the user of the second user terminal has logged in with a first of the plurality of addresses assigned to him, the server checks the table containing the assignment information and a message is also sent to the user of the second user terminal, when the message is sent to another address assigned to the same user than the address the user has logged in with.
Respectively one profile is associated to one of the plurality of addresses assigned to one user. The profiles can contain characteristics or preferences and/or interests of the associated address and can be stored in a data base of a profile manager.
The data base of the profile manager can be stored on the server.
Preferably the data base of the profile manager is stored in an object-oriented approach on the server.
Respectively one home page is created and associated with one of the plurality of addresses assigned to one user, the home page being stored on the server.
The different addresses assigned to one user respectively can belong to another one of a plurality of user groups predefined by and stored in the server.
On the server a group data base can be provided containing different predefined groups, preferences and/or interests of each group as well as the user addresses which are a member of the corresponding group.
According to the present invention furthermore a communication network is provided comprising at least one server and a plurality of user terminals. The user terminals thereby can share information with each other and with the at least one server by means of a network and each user can be accessed by an address. According to the present invention a plurality of different unique addresses can be assigned to one user. The server comprises a table storing an assignment information. The assignment information enables the server to associate a plurality of different addresses with the same user.


A process measuring device including: A first processor, which performs a measured value processing with a first algorithm in first processing cycles; and a second processor, which is responsible for coordination and/or communication tasks. The second processor reads, in time intervals which are greater than the first processing cycle, a control data set from the first processor, and executes the first algorithm on the basis of the control data set, in order to verify the correct functioning of the first processor.

Certification of a process measuring device according to the standard IEC61508 (SIL2) requires that possibly occurring hardware defects of higher probability be detected and signaled on a measured value receiver as an error state. The statistical fraction of errors, which lead to a correct signalling of the error state on the measured value receiver, is referred to as the SFF (Safe Failure Fraction).

Process measuring device with expanded hardware error detection


An olefinic polymer composition comprising at least one polyolefin, as well as a broadleaf tree lignin with pH below 7. The invention further relates to objects obtained from such a composition, and the use of broadleaf tree lignin with pH below 7 in the preparation of an olefinic polymer composition.

Lignin can be defined as a polyphenolic amorphous material derived from the dehydrogenative polymerization of three phenyl propanoid monomers: trans-coniferyl, trans-sinapyl and trans-p-coumaryl alcohols. As any natural matter, it presents substantial variations in composition, structure and purity, that affect its properties. Such variations depend on the botanical origin (grass, soft wood, hard wood) and the process of isolation/extraction of lignin.
Obtained mainly as a by-product of the manufacture of cellulose from wood, lignin has been known as a component in polymer formulations for some decades.
Although providing advantageous features, such as low density, low abrasiveness to equipment and availability from renewable sources, typical problems of polymer products comprising lignin are also known, such as increased stiffness to the detriment of tensile strength.
This invention aims to overcome the problems of the prior art, by way of an olefinic polymer composition that comprises a specific lignin, endowing such a composition with improved features not found up to now.

Polymeric olefinic composition, lignin use and object


A method for producing a washing agent portion unit having at least one receiving chamber surrounded by a water-soluble film, including the steps of: a) transporting a first water-soluble film in the direction of a dosing station; b) molding the first water-soluble film into the cavities of a deep-drawing die located below the water-soluble film, forming at least one cavity in the direction of travel of the film; c) filling the cavity by way of the dosing station with a first flowable washing agent preparation containing, based on its total weight, i) 20 to 80 wt. % surfactant; ii) 2 to 15 wt. % fatty acid; iii) 0.3 to 8 wt. % of the salt of a divalent cation; iv) 8 to 35 wt. % solvent; d) transporting the filled cavity in the direction of a sealing station; e) sealing the filled cavity with a second water-soluble film, and the washing agent portion.

Continuously changing requirements are placed on the forms in which washing and cleaning agents are manufactured and sold. For some time, the consumer has paid special attention to the easy dosing of washing and cleaning agents and the simplification of the operational steps required to carry out a washing or cleaning process. A technical solution is provided by pre-portioned washing or cleaning agents, for example film pouches having one or more receiving chambers for solid or liquid washing or cleaning agents.
The film pouches described above are produced by multi-stage processes, in the course of which water-soluble film materials are molded into cavities, filled, and subsequently sealed, for example by means of negative pressure. The efficiency of filling the cavities and the subsequent sealing thereof is influenced, among other factors, by the chemical and physical properties of the textile washing agent to be packaged.
The physical properties of the filling material are of great importance for the efficiency of the filling process. In the case of solid filling materials, these properties are, for example, the particle size and particle size distribution or the dust content; in the case of liquid or flowable filling materials, the viscosity properties, primarily the absolute viscosity and viscosity fluctuations, but also the rheological properties, must be taken into account.
While the absolute level of viscosity influences the design of the method equipment, for example the power of the pumps used, or the filling time, viscosity fluctuations with constant running speeds of the packaging equipment can lead to fluctuations in the degree of filling of the cavities and thus to production waste. At high running speeds or changes in the rotating speeds of the packaging apparatus, for example when starting up such an apparatus, viscosity fluctuations lead to minor dosing errors of the filling material in the edge region of the cavity. These dosing errors subsequently affect the sealing of the cavity and thus also increase the production waste.
In addition, aging effects of the filling materials during the assembly process, for example short or varying pot lives, can significantly disrupt production or lead to system downtime.
The provision of flowable filling materials having an easily adjustable, sufficiently high viscosity and rheology which is sufficiently stable both in terms of formulation fluctuations and in terms of temperature fluctuations is therefore an essential prerequisite for the efficient packaging thereof.
The commercial success of a washing agent portion unit is of course also determined, in addition to processing-related aspects, by the ability to provide a product that meets consumer interests. An essential means of communicating product quality and product claims is the appearance of the product, including the shape and color of the portion unit. While colored, i.e. non-white, liquid washing agents can be obtained in a simple manner by adding appropriate dyes, the provision of white liquid washing agents is more challenging because the opacifying agents previously used for their production are increasingly being critically assessed from an ecological point of view. Against this background, the provision of an ecologically acceptable opacifying agent is a further development objective in the field of liquid washing and cleaning agents.

Method for producing a washing agent portion unit with improved optical and rheological properties


A method for converting globally clock-gated circuits to locally clock-gated circuits is disclosed. A timing analysis is initially performed on an integrated circuit (IC) design to generate a slack time report for all globally clock-gated circuits within the IC design. Based on their respective slack time indicated in the slack time report, all globally clock-gated circuits that should be connected to locally generated clocks are identified. After disconnecting from a global clock tree, each of the identified globally clock-gated circuits is subsequently connected to a locally generated clock having a clock delay comparable to its slack time indicated in the slack time report.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to integrated circuit design methods in general, and, in particular, to a method for assigning clock-gated circuits within an integrated circuit design. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for converting globally clock-gated circuits to locally clock-gated circuits within an integrated circuit design.
2. Description of Related Art
A digital integrated circuit (IC) design typically employs many clock-gated circuits, such as flip-flops, latches, etc., that are periodically clocked by edges of a clock signal. Since there is a very large number (thousands or millions) of clock-gated circuits within an IC design, a single clock signal driver normally cannot directly supply a clock signal to all of the clock-gated circuits. Instead, a global clock tree having a set of buffers arranged in a tree-like network is utilized to supply clock signals to various clock-gated circuits. All circuits clocked by a global clock tree are considered as globally clock-gated circuits.
In order to ensure proper synchronization between various parts of a circuit design, each clock signal edge should reach all synchronization points at substantially the same time. Thus, the time required for a clock signal edge to travel from its source to any clock-gated circuit should be substantially the same for all paths it follows through the global clock tree. The time required for a clock signal edge to work its way through the global clock tree from its source to a globally clock-gated circuit depends on many factors, such as the lengths of conductors in the path, the number of buffers the edge must pass through, the switching delay of each buffer, the amount of attenuation of the clock signal incurs between buffer stages, and the load each buffer must drive. Accordingly, the global clock tree needs to be balanced by ensuring that all clock signal paths between any two tree levels are of substantially similar length and impedance, that all buffers at any level of the global clock tree drive the same number of buffers or globally clock-gated circuits at the next level of the global clock tree, and that all buffers on any given level have similar characteristics.
Generally speaking, global clock trees consume a relatively large amount of power. Global clock trees typically attribute to approximately 30-60% of the total power consumption of an IC design. In addition, the clocking of a global clock tree requires a rigid boundary between pipeline stages such that all logic must line up upon the boundaries. Thus, the ability to improve performance either in the current pipeline stage or in the next pipeline stage becomes locked to the clock boundary. The present disclosure provides a method for reducing overall clocking power consumption of an IC design such that additional flexibility in clock management can be achieved.

Method and apparatus for converting globally clock-gated circuits to locally clock-gated circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


A fixing device according to this invention includes a heating roller, a heater driver, a thermistor, and a CPU. The heating roller has a heater and heats a recording sheet. The heater driver drives the heater. The thermistor detects a surface temperature of the heating roller. The CPU stops an operation of the heater driver when the surface temperature of the heating roller becomes higher than a predetermined temperature and, thereafter, causes the thermistor to perform detection of the surface temperature of the heating roller for a predetermined time period and issues an alarm about occurrence of a first abnormality when the surface temperature of the heating roller fails to drop in the predetermined time period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device for fixing an image to a recording medium, an image forming apparatus including the fixing device, and a method of detecting an abnormality of the fixing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
With fixing devices used in image forming apparatuses developed in recent years, there has been a danger that a fire breaks out because of the temperature of a heating roller continuing to rise when the heating roller is entwined with recording sheet. This is because a power source for a heater heating the heating roller, which forms a fixing roller, fails to be turned OFF for the reason that the temperature detected by a temperature detecting member remains low in spite of the heating roller heated to a predetermined fixing temperature by the heater. In order to avoid such a danger, a method has been proposed which includes providing two temperature detecting members at a recording sheet passage point and at a point other than the recording sheet passage point, and detecting occurrence of entwining with recording sheet by utilizing the difference between the temperatures detected by the two temperature detecting members.
However, since such a fixing device requires two temperature detecting members, spaces for mounting the two temperature detecting members have to be secured and, in addition, wiring becomes complicated. Further, since the occurrence of entwining with recording sheet cannot be detected until the difference between the temperatures detected by the two temperature detecting members takes on a predetermined value or more, the fixing device involves a problem that it takes a relatively long time to detect the occurrence of entwining with recording sheet.
With respect to these problems, a fixing device capable of controlling the temperature of the heating roller by detecting the temperature with a single temperature detecting member while detecting the occurrence of entwining with recording sheet, is known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 07-287473 for example).
The fixing device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 07-287473, however, cannot detect abnormalities including a harness contact failure and a software control failure. These abnormalities make it impossible to control the temperature of the heating roller.
The present invention intends to provide a fixing device capable of detecting various troubles related to the heating roller temperature control thereby obviating an accident such as a fire.

Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and method of detecting an abnormality of a fixing device


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of stacked bodies and a spacer film provided on a side surface of the stacked bodies. Each of the plurality of stacked bodies includes a silicon electrode and a metal electrode stacked on the metal electrode. The plurality of stacked bodies are separated from each other by an air gap. The spacer film includes silicon oxide. A portion of the spacer film disposed on a side surface of the metal electrode is thicker than a portion of the spacer film disposed on a side surface of the silicon electrode.

Conventionally, NAND flash memory has been developed as a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. With the higher integration of NAND flash memory, interference between memory cells has become problematic. Therefore, technology that makes an air gap between the memory cells has been proposed. Technology in which a metal gate is used as the control gate electrode also has been proposed.

Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same


An optical fiber preform is assembled by inserting core rod segments axially end to end inside of a first glass overclad tube having a first, relatively low concentration of a given impurity that contributes to signal attenuation in an optical fiber to be drawn from the preform. The first overclad tube with the contained core rod segments are inserted in a second glass tube having a second concentration of the given impurity which is higher than the first concentration. The wall thickness of the first overclad tube is preferably less than that of the second overclad tube, thus reducing the amount of high purity glass needed to form the first overclad tube and attendant manufacturing costs. The core rod segments may include salvageable remnants from a single long core rod produced, for example, by vapor axial deposition (VAD).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical fiber preforms, and particularly to preforms that are prepared with multiple overclad tubes.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Optical fibers for data and information transmission are typically produced by lowering one end of a glass fiber preform into the mouth of a vertical fiber draw furnace, and heating the preform as it descends through a hot zone inside the furnace. A drop of soft glass forms at the heated end of the preform, and an optical fiber is drawn from the soft drop. The preform may be assembled using a so-called rod-in-tube (RIT) technique.
In a RIT preform, a solid glass rod is supported axially inside a cylindrical glass overclad tube. The rod may be comprised only of core material, or possess a circumferential outer layer of cladding material. The overclad tube thus acts as a source of outer cladding on fibers that are drawn from the assembled rod and tube. The glass rod is referred to hereafter simply as a "core" rod, even though the rod typically possesses an outer layer of cladding material.
During fiber draw, the tube is heated until it softens and collapses about the rod, and the tube glass consolidates with the outer glass layer on the rod. An optical fiber with a relatively thick outer cladding layer may then be drawn from the consolidated rod and tube. This drawing process is sometimes referred to as overclad during draw or simply ODD. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,378 (Oct. 8, 2002) entitled "Collapsing a Multitube Assembly and Subsequent Optical Fiber Drawing in the Same Furnace", and commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/309,852 filed Dec. 4, 2002, entitled "Rod in Tube Optical Fiber Preform and Method". All relevant portions of the mentioned '378 patent and the '852 application are incorporated by reference.
According to one embodiment disclosed in the '378 patent, a core rod is placed inside a first overclad tube, and a second overclad tube is arranged over the first overclad tube. The core rod and the two overclad tubes are heated under such conditions as to cause a partial collapse of the tubes at one end of the rod, thus forming a unitary multiple overclad preform. The one end of the preform is later set up for insertion into a vertical fiber draw furnace. An ODD fiber having a desired cladding to core mass ratio is then drawn inside the furnace as the tubes collapse further and consolidate with the core rod.
Because lengths of suitable core rods are typically much shorter than the uncut lengths of commercially available overclad tubes, it has been common practice to stack a sacrificial glass spacer rod above the core rod to obtain a "total" inner core length that matches the length of the overclad tube. Once all the material of the core rod is drawn into the core of an optical fiber, however, the remaining portion of the preform must be wasted. Accordingly, this procedure does not lend itself to a low cost and robust manufacturing process.
It is also known to weld a number of core rod segments axially in line end to end, to form a continuous long core rod. See, U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,980 (Apr. 1, 1980), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,667 (Oct. 4, 1983). This is a costly extra processing step, however, and negatively affects fiber quality in regions around the weld, i.e., added hydroxyl (OH) concentrations are produced by the welding heat source. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,975 (Aug. 20, 2002) disclosing a preform for producing a dispersion managed (DM) optical fiber, wherein the preform is assembled by selectively inserting a number of core rod tablets into a cladding glass tube, with adjacent tablets having different optical characteristics.
The use of larger preform sizes both in length and diameter, can yield cost benefits. As mentioned, the effective length of the core rod determines the useful length of the preform. But manufacturing long rods of core material, e.g., more than two meters in length, is difficult due to defects such as the formation of bubbles or deviations in optical properties beyond specified limits. Typically, only relatively short remnants will remain after defective portions of a single long core rod are cut away.
When preparing large size preforms of the overclad tube variety, satisfactory interfacial glass quality must be achieved. The interface between the outer circumference of the core rod and the inner circumference of the first overclad tube is critical, and must meet stringent material property requirements. For example, the concentration of hydroxyl (OH) ions or "water" greatly affects signal attenuation through so-called zero or low water peak (1383 nm) optical fiber. This requires that the first overclad tube be formed from an expensive high purity glass, as well as a large quantity of such glass if only one overclad tube is used for the preform. Other elements or ions that can act as impurities at the interface and, thus contribute to light signal attenuation through the drawn fiber include, without limitation, Chlorine (Cl), Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Li, Ni, Cr, Cu, Ti, V and Zn. See, R. H. Doremus, Glass Science (1973) at page 321, which is incorporated by reference.

Optical fiber preform with overclad tubes


Sodium energy storage devices employing aspects of both ZEBRA batteries and traditional Na—S batteries can perform better than either battery alone. The hybrid energy storage devices described herein can include a sodium anode, a molten sodium salt catholyte, and a positive electrode that has active species containing sulfur. Additional active species can include a transition metal source and NaCl. As a product of the energy discharge process, Na2Sx forms in which x is less than three.

Sodium-beta alumina batteries (NBBs), based on a molten Na anode and β″-Al2O3 solid electrolyte (BASE), have recently gained increasing interests as an electrical energy storage device for renewable integration and grid applications, along with commercial or fleet transportation. There are mainly two types of NBBs that have been widely studied, based on the particular cathode materials. One is a sodium-sulfur (Na—S) battery of which the cathode is molten sulfur, following the cell reaction:xS+2NaNa2Sx (x=5˜3), E=2.08˜1.78 V at 350° C.  (1)
Na—S chemistry has a high theoretical energy density (˜760 Wh/kg), high energy efficiency and acceptable cycle life. The materials of the sodium-sulfur battery (i.e., alumina, sulfur and sodium) are relatively non-toxic, inexpensive and readily available. The combination of these features makes it extremely attractive compared to other technologies for grid storage such as lithium-ion, Ni-metal hydride or Pb-acid batteries. The traditional Na—S battery uses a thick solid β″-Al2O3 membrane (>1 mm) as electrolyte to separate the sulfur cathode and sodium anode, and operate at high temperatures (300˜350° C.). The high temperature is necessary for both the BASE and cathode constituents (i.e., sodium polysulfides) to achieve satisfactory electrochemical activities. However, the drawbacks of Na—S battery can include: 1) intrinsic corrosive behavior of polysulfide melts, which limits material selections for both cathode current collector and battery casing; 2) high operating temperature and open circuit cell failure mode. If the BASE is broken during battery operation, molten sulfides come in direct contact with molten sodium and the reactions between them are inherently vigorous. This can potentially result in a fire and even explosion since the battery operation temperature is close to boiling point of sulfur (440° C.). Neighboring cells can also be affected by such an event and result in severe power loss due to open circuit.
The second type of NBB is the ZEBRA battery, in which solid transition metal halides, which can include NiCl2, FeCl2 and ZnCl2, are used as active materials in the cathode. The ZEBRA battery typically needs a molten secondary electrolyte (i.e., NaAlCl4) in the cathode so as to ensure facile sodium ion transport between the BASE and solid cathode materials. The electrochemical reaction of Na—NiCl2 cells is as follows:NiCl2+2NaNi+2NaCl E=2.58 V at 300° C.  (2)
The ZEBRA battery exhibits a number of advantages over the Na—S battery, which include higher voltage, facile assembly in discharged state, less corrosive nature of cathode materials, lower operating temperature, safer cell failure mode, and better tolerance against overcharging. One notable disadvantage of the current ZEBRA technologies is the lower energy density compared to Na—S battery. Accordingly, a need exists for sodium energy storage devices exhibiting at least some advantages of both ZEBRA and Na—S technologies.

Hybrid energy storage devices having sodium


An alarm system that includes a number of alarm detecting devices wherein each alarm detecting device includes an alarm condition detecting circuit, a secondary alarm activation circuit, and an audible alarm output circuit including an audio oscillator and a speaker; the audible alarm output circuit being responsive to a detecting circuit control output generated by the alarm condition detecting circuit and to a secondary triggering output signal generated by the secondary alarm activation circuit; the secondary alarm activation circuit including a microphone having a microphone output signal, an amplifier circuit in connection with the microphone output signal and generating an amplified output signal, a filter circuit having a filter input in connection with the amplifier output signal generating a filtered output signal in a first predetermined frequency range; a filter signal integrator having an integrator input in connection with the filtered output signal for integrating the filtered signal output and generating an integrated output signal; a reference signal generator having a reference signal output; a comparator circuit having a reference signal input in connection with the reference signal output and a compared signal input in connection with the integrated output signal, and generating the secondary alarm triggering output signal when the compared signal input exceeds the reference signal input.

Battery powered alarm detecting devices, such as homeowner installed smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, typically provide an audible output in response to detecting the desired alarm condition. Although these alarm detecting devices provide valuable warnings to occupants of the room within which they are installed, the output level of the audible alarm is often insufficient to alert sleeping individuals in another portion of the home or building when the alarm condition is first detected. Because each of the detecting devices operates in isolation from the other detecting devices installed within the home or building an alarm condition can be detected by one of the alarm detecting devices while the other alarm detecting device provide no warning. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have an alarm system that was easily installed by a homeowner and that included a number of alarm detecting devices each including a secondary triggering mechanism that detected activation of the other alarm detecting devices installed within the home or building. Because, each home or building may have different transmitting characteristics between the detecting devices it would also be desirable to have an alarm system that included a number of alarm detecting devices each including a secondary triggering mechanism that detected activation of the other alarm detecting devices installed within the home or building and that could be tuned for peak performance during installation.


A long hole of a seat plate member is fittingly inserted to a fitting head portion provided on an upper surface of a flat plate portion of a clip in an upright posture, so as to attach the clip to the cutaway groove portion with the seat plate member in contact with a flat plate portion, and the fitting head portion is fitted to a long hole formed in an attachment receiving member. As the fitting head portion is fitted to the long hole, the boss portion moves within the cutaway groove portion to bring the seat plate member into contact with the attachment receiving member and to elastically lock a pair of elastic locking pieces with the periphery of each longer side portion of the long hole.

Conventionally, various kinds of clips have been proposed for use in attaching a console box, instrument panel, and the like to various kinds of panels constituting an automobile body.
For example, there is a console device to be attached on a floor of a vehicle body. In attaching the console device on the floor of the vehicle body, a fitting hole formed on a flange of the console box and a through hole formed on a seat portion are aligned to two fitting holes formed on the floor of the vehicle body, and in this state, a clip comprising an outer member and an inner member is inserted through the holes (for example, see Patent Document 1).    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11(1998)-70838, paragraphs [0028] to [0037] and FIG. 2
In the clip comprising the outer member and inner member described in the Patent Document 1, when the inner member is withdrawn from the outer member, the diameter of the outer member is decreased to enable the clip to be detached from the respective fitting holes of the floor and the flange, the fitting hole of the floor, and the through hole of the seating portion. When the inner member is inserted into the outer member, the diameter of the outer member is enlarged to restrict the clip by the respective fitting holes and through hole, so as to fasten the console box to the floor of the vehicle body.


A method for managing bandwidth allocation in a storage area network includes receiving a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) requests from a plurality of client devices, determining a priority of each of the client devices relative to other client devices, and dynamically allocating bandwidth resources to each client device based on the priority assigned to that client device.

The use of computers and computer networks pervade virtually every business and other enterprise in the modem world. With computers, users generate vast quantities of data that can be stored for a variety of purposes. This storehouse of data can grow at a phenomenal pace and become critically valuable to those who have generated it. Consequently, there is an ever-present need for data storage systems that improve on capacity, speed, reliability, etc.
In a single computer, the primary data storage device is usually a hard drive with a storage capacity measured in gigabytes. Additionally, computers may store data using such devices as CD-ROM drives, floppy disk drives, tape drive, etc. Within a computer network, the computers of the network may also store data on network servers or other data storage devices, such as those mentioned above, that are accessible through the network. For larger systems with even greater data storage needs, arrays of data storage disks may be added to the network.
Storage Area Networks (SANs) are an emerging technology being implemented to accommodate high-capacity data storage devices, particularly disk arrays, within a network. A SAN is essentially a high-speed network between client devices, such as servers and data storage devices, particularly disk arrays. A SAN overcomes the limitations and inflexibility of traditional attached data storage.
A SAN can overcome limitations of traditional attached data storage but also introduces new considerations. In particular, SANs experience competition for resources when more than one server is attempting to access the same data storage device. A typical storage device has a limited amount of bandwidth in its Input/Output (I/O) paths, and this bandwidth must be shared by the clients accessing the storage device.

Method and apparatus for dynamically managing bandwidth for clients in a storage area network

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A shock absorber includes: a valve body; a valve seat; an actuator; and a fail-safe valve that is urged by a first elastic body. When fluid does not flow, the fail-safe valve is urged by the first elastic body to come into contact with the valve body and close a channel. When the fluid flows, the fail-safe valve is spaced from the valve body by a fluid pressure to open the channel. When the valve body moves most in a valve opening direction, the fail-safe valve is brought into contact with the valve body and the channel is closed, and a supporting portion supports a part of the fail-safe valve. When the fluid flows in this state, at least a part of the fail-safe valve, which is in contact with a non-supporting portion, is spaced from the valve body by the fluid pressure to open the channel.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a shock absorber including a damping-force generating device that controls a flow of working fluid caused by sliding of a piston in a cylinder and thereby generates a damping force.
2. Related Art
As a shock absorber used as a rear cushion that suspends a rear wheel of a motorcycle on a vehicle body, for example, there is a shock absorber including a cylinder in which working fluid is sealed, a piston fitted in the cylinder to be capable of sliding, and a piston rod coupled to the piston and extended to an outside of the cylinder. The shock absorber includes a damping-force generating device that controls a flow of oil caused by the sliding of the piston in the cylinder and thereby generates a damping force.
In such a shock absorber, as a control valve for adjusting the damping force, for example, there is known a control valve including a valve body urged in a valve opening direction by urging means such as a spring, a valve seat on which the valve body is seated, and an actuator that moves the valve body in a valve closing direction by the thrust of a solenoid and seats the valve body on the valve seat.
The shock absorber including the control valve controls an electric current supplied to the solenoid, which is the actuator, to adjust, with the thrust of the solenoid, a load in the valve closing direction in which the valve body is seated on the valve seat, and thus controls an opening degree of the valve body to adjust a hydraulic pressure to thereby adjust the damping force.
In the shock absorber, at a failure time when the solenoid is broken down by some cause, energization to the solenoid is interrupted, and the solenoid does not generate the thrust, the valve body of the control valve moves with an urging force of the urging means and changes to a full-open state. Therefore, for example, the adjusted hydraulic pressure drops, the damping force suddenly decreases, and operation stability of a vehicle is hindered.
Therefore, Patent literature 1 (JP-A-2011-075060) proposes a shock absorber shown in FIGS. 23A and 23B. Note that FIGS. 23A and 23B are main part sectional views of the shock absorber proposed in Patent Literature 1. FIG. 23A shows a state at a normal time. FIG. 23B shows a state at the failure time.
In the shock absorber proposed in Patent Literature 1, a valve body 170 configuring a control valve for controlling a back pressure of a main valve, which controls a flow of oil caused by sliding of a piston in a cylinder to generate a damping force, is urged to a valve opening side (the right in FIGS. 23A and 23B) by a valve spring 173, which is urging means. An annular sheet disk 190 is fixed in contact with a rear end face (a right end face in FIGS. 23A and 23B) of the valve body 170. An annular sheet-like fail-safe valve 175 is disposed on a downstream side of the valve body 170. An outer circumferential portion of the fail-safe valve 175 is clamped and fixed by a pilot valve member 148 and a holding member 149.
The valve body 170 is attached to a distal end of an actuation rod 167 that moves in an axial direction (the left-right direction in FIGS. 23A and 23B) with thrust generated by a not-shown solenoid, which is an actuator. At the normal time when the solenoid normally operates, the valve body 170 moves with the thrust of the solenoid and is spaced from or seated on a circumferential edge of a port 171 of a pilot valve member 148 as shown in FIG. 23A to thereby open and close the port 171. Note that, at the normal time, the valve body 170 and the sheet disk 190 in contact with the valve body 170 are spaced from the fail-safe valve 175. Therefore, a pilot channel 150 is always in an open state.
At the normal time when the solenoid normally operates, it is possible to control a supply current to the solenoid and adjust a valve opening pressure of the valve body 170 to thereby adjust an internal pressure of a not-shown pilot chamber (the back pressure of the not-shown main valve) and thereby control the opening degree of the main valve to adjust the damping force.
At the failure time when the solenoid does not normally operate because of, for example, disconnection of a coil, the solenoid does not generate the thrust. Therefore, the valve body 170 and the sheet disk 190 in contact with the valve body 170 move in a valve opening direction (the right in FIGS. 23A and 23B) with the urging force of the valve spring 173 as shown in FIG. 23B. An outer circumferential portion of the sheet disk 190 comes into contact with an inner circumferential portion of the fail-safe valve 175 and closes the pilot channel. When the internal pressure of the pilot chamber reaches a predetermined value in this state, the fail-safe valve 175 bends centering on the outer circumferential portion as indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 23B and flows fluid. Therefore, a sudden decrease in the internal pressure of the pilot chamber is prevented by the flow resistance of the fluid. Consequently, a sudden decrease in the damping force due to a sudden increase in the opening degree of the main valve is prevented.


A method for initiating an operation under emergency conditions of a motor vehicle, the method including detecting a malfunction of a component of the motor vehicle; checking whether an operation under emergency conditions is possible; reporting the malfunction to the driver; initiating the operation under emergency conditions under predefined conditions, the operation under emergency conditions being initiated following an active confirmation by the driver.

In the automotive technology sector, conventionally, malfunctions of components of the motor vehicle are detected and such malfunctions are responded to. Conventionally, the operation of the vehicle under emergency conditions in such a situation is continued, or else, the driving operation is terminated in a safe manner. In the conventional safety concepts for control units in the automotive sector, the response to the occurrence of a dangerous malfunctions usually consists of turning off the faulty system, especially in the case of malfunctions in the drive train or the engine area. This usually leads to a termination of the driving operation. Malfunctioning components having a sporadically occurring fault may also be reactivated, e.g., by turning the ignition off and on. If the sporadically occurring fault is no longer present upon reactivation, the system may be put into operation again, possibly with certain restrictions.
In the case of permanent faults that are not directly safety-relevant or dangerous, however, the affected system may continue to be operated under certain conditions, e.g., with a warning signal to the driver. According to the currently prevailing safety concept, however, the system either is switched off automatically, or its operation is continued automatically with an appropriate warning to the driver.
The disadvantage of the conventional systems is that it cannot be reliably ascertained whether the driver has actually become aware of the warning, since, for example, the ignition operation cannot be distinguished from the conventional use during normal operation. In addition, the conventional safety concept does not take into account that certain faults, given corresponding knowledge of the driver, do not constitute a danger, or else, a controllable danger, so that it is possible to safely operate the vehicle nevertheless, in an operation under emergency conditions.

Method and device for initiating an operation of a motor vehicle under emergency conditions


A document analyzer receives a collection of text-based terms associated with a document. The document analyzer performs a statistical analysis on the text-based terms to identify a distribution of where the text-based terms appear in the document and relative frequency indicating how often the text-based terms appear in the document. The document analyzer utilizes the distribution and relative frequency information derived from the statistical analysis to rank multiple themes associated with the document. For example, a received listing of multiple themes may not be presented in any useful order, although it can be assumed that the themes in the listing are present in the document. Based on application of distribution and relative frequency information derived from the analysis, the document analyzer can identify which themes are most relevant to the document as a whole and/or which of themes correspond to different portions (e.g., pages or sections) of the document.

Advertising in a network environment can be done in a number of different ways. For example, advertisements can be displayed on a search engine web page. Advertisements also can be displayed on web sites via means such as an advertisement banner.
According to one conventional method, when a user clicks on an advertisement banner displayed on a web page, the user's browser initiates retrieval of an advertisement web page associated with the banner.
Advertisers typically choose keywords or keyword phrases to be associated with their advertisements. In general, the keywords specify when to distribute an advertisement web page to a viewer.
For example, suppose that an advertiser wishes to advertise a brand of scuba equipment. In such an instance, the advertiser may choose the term "Toronto tourism" as a keyword phrase to be associated with the advertisement. When a viewer requests viewing of a web page, the server identifies the theme of the web page to identify which advertisements to serve to the user. In this example, assume that the retrieved web page is about scuba equipment. In such an instance, the server will identify the appropriate advertisement in a repository having the associated keyword phrase "Toronto tourism" and serve the "Toronto tourism" advertisement to the requestor. Thus, keywords are useful for targeted advertising.
In certain cases, multiple advertisers compete against each other for rights to use of keywords or keyword phrases because they want their advertisements displayed to users that retrieve certain types of web pages.
As mentioned above, when an end user enters a web site including an advertisement, the advertisement (for which the advertisers have bid on keyword or keyword phrases) is displayed to the end user. The displaying of the advertisement banner or selectable advertisement region in a retrieved web page is referred to as an 'impression'.
Advertisers do not always pay for mere impressions. However, when an end user selects (i.e., "clicks") an advertisement web page link by clicking a selectable region to view the corresponding advertisement, the advertiser normally is charged in response to the end user's selection. Typically, upon selection by the viewer to retrieve and view the advertisement, the advertiser is charged whatever amount the advertiser bid on the keyword or keyword phrase that caused the displaying (i.e., impression) of the advertisement.
According to conventional methods, each time an end user clicks on an advertisement in the above example, the advertiser is charged for that selection. This is known as "pay per click" since the advertiser only pays for the advertisement when an end user selects (i.e., "clicks") on a displayed advertisement.

Document analyzer and metadata generation


An optical window assembly for use in implantable medical devices includes a generally U-shaped ferrule having a strain relief channel to accommodate residual stresses remaining in the ferrule after welding the ferrule to the housing of an implantable medical device. The assembly may be used to transmit optical energy and/or electrically insulate a feedthrough. The assembly can be mounted in a window opening in a housing. The ferrule can include a ferrule body forming a lens opening, the ferrule body having a generally U-shaped cross-section with an inner leg, an outer leg, and a strain relief channel in the ferrule body between the inner leg and the outer leg. A lens is mounted in the lens opening of the ferrule. The ferrule can also include a lens flange on the inner leg of the ferrule body, a support flange on the outer leg of the ferrule body, and/or a braze stop to control flow of the braze. The ferrule and housing can be constructed of titanium. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing the optical window assemblies and implantable medical devices including the optical window assemblies.

Ceramics and glasses are used in implantable medical devices for a variety of purposes. In some instances, optical windows including ceramics or glasses are used to transmit optical energy in vivo either into the device or out of the device to monitor or detect a variety of conditions or parameters. In other cases, optical windows including ceramics or glasses are used to provide an electrically insulated point of entry into the device for, e.g., a feedthrough pin used to deliver electrical signals or energy between the interior and exterior of the device.
When used for transmitting optical energy, it is important that the optical window assembly be capable of transmitting light of the desired wavelengths. One example of an implantable medical device using optical energy is a blood oxygen sensor. In some instances, the sensors are located along the lead of, e.g., a pacemaker. By incorporating a blood oxygen sensor into an implantable cardiac pacemaker, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level can be monitored and used as one factor in setting the pacemaker's rate.
Like any device designed for implantation, implantable medical devices incorporating optical windows must be made of biocompatible and biostable materials. In addition, devices must also be hermetically sealed to protect the components within the implantable device from contamination. In the case of a blood oxygen sensor designed for long-term placement in a blood environment, the design also preferably provides smooth outer surfaces to minimize the formation of clots and other undesirable events.
Attempts at providing optical transmission into and out of implantable medical devices such as blood oxygen sensors located in leads has included providing the optical sensors or sources enclosed in glass or sapphire tubes and other structures. Enclosing the devices within a tube presents a number of problems in the manufacture of such devices. In addition, it is often difficult to provide a long-term hermetic seal to prevent contamination of the devices by body fluids.
Where optical windows including ceramics or glasses are used to electrically insulate, e.g., a feedthrough pin, it is advantageous to use a window formed of material that is electrically non-conductive and that may also be optically transmissive. The optically transmissive characteristic can be useful because it allows for relatively easy visual inspection of the feedthrough assembly to determine whether any cracks are present in the lens (i.e., insulating) material that could compromise hermeticity of the device.
Although not admitted as prior art, examples of implantable medical devices incorporating optically transmissive portions, such as windows, etc., can be found in the published documents listed in Table 1 below.
______________________________________ Patent/Document No. Inventor(s) Issue/Publication Date ______________________________________ H1114 Schweitzer et al. December 1, 1992 B1 4,467,807 Bornzin June 30, 1992 3,746,087 Lavering et al. July 17, 1973 3,847,483 Shaw et al. November 12, 1974 4,114,604 Shaw et al. September 19, 1978 4,202,339 Wirtzfeld et al. May 13, 1980 4,399,820 Wirtzfeld et al. August 23, 1983 4,407,296 Anderson October 4, 1983 4,421,386 Podgorski December 20, 1983 4,444,498 Heinemann April 24, 1984 4,523,279 Sperinde et al. June 11, 1985 4,554,977 Fussell November 26, 1985 4,623,248 Sperinde November 18, 1986 4,651,741 Passafaro March 24, 1987 4,697,593 Evans et al. October 6, 1987 4,727,879 Liess et al. March 1, 1988 4,750,495 Moore et al. June 14, 1988 4,791,935 Baudino et al. December 20, 1988 4,807,629 Baudino et al. February 28, 1989 4,813,421 Baudino et al. March 21, 1989 4,815,469 Cohen et al. March 28, 1989 4,830,488 Heinze et al. May 16, 1989 4,903,701 Moore et al. February 27, 1990 5,005,573 Buchanan April 9, 1991 5,040,538 Mortazavi August 20, 1991 5,058,586 Heinze October 22, 1991 5,067,960 Grandjean November 26, 1991 5,113,862 Mortazavi May 19, 1992 5,176,138 Thacker January 5, 1993 5,267,564 Barcel et al. December 7, 1993 5,312,454 Roline et al. May 17, 1994 5,329,922 Atlee, III July 19, 1994 5,358,519 Grandjean October 25, 1994 5,411,532 Mortazavi May 2, 1995 5,438,987 Thacker et al. August 8, 1995 5,490,323 Thacker et al. February 13, 1996 5,535,752 Halperin et al. July 16, 1996 5,564,434 Halperin et al. October 15, 1996 WO 80/01620 Kraska et al. August 7, 1980 ______________________________________
All patents listed in Table 1 above are hereby incorporated by reference in their respective entireties. As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate readily upon reading the Summary of the Invention, Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and Claims set forth below, many of the devices and methods disclosed in the patents of Table 1 may be modified advantageously by using the teachings of the present invention.

Optical window for implantable medical devices


A vehicle drive system with a vehicle electric power generation control device is configured to prevent a drive belt between an engine and generator from slipping without causing the output of the generator from declining. When the target load torque Tg* of the generator is limited to the maximum transmittable torque value Tslip in order to prevent the belt from slipping, the engine rotational speed Ne and the generator rotational speed Ng are increased by downshifting the automatic transmission 4 to a lower gear ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle drive system with generator control for a vehicle having an electric generator configured and arranged to generate electricity utilizing power delivered from an engine with a belt. The present invention also relates to a vehicle drive control device utilizing such a vehicle electric power generation control device.
2. Background Information
In recent years, hybrid four-wheel drive vehicles (hereinafter referred to as hybrid 4WD vehicles) have been developed in which the front wheels are driven by an engine and the rear wheels are driven by an electric motor, with the electric motor being driven by electric power generated by an electric generator driven by the engine. When an electric generator is driven with a belt, there is the possibility that the belt will slip if the load torque of the electric generator is large. If the belt slips, then the output of the electric generator will decline. The conventional approach to this problem has been to prevent the belt from slipping by limiting the load torque of the electric generator. One such invention is disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-193877.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved vehicle electric power generation control device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

Vehicle drive system with generator control


A display device which is used in a miniaturized portable information device can exhibit the low power consumption even when a display is not changed over for a long period in a state that a battery or the like is used as a power source. The display device can maintain a high numerical aperture by suppressing the number of parts even when a memory element is provided to a pixel. In a liquid crystal display device, a pixel exhibits the low power consumption by including a memory element and thus preventing the transmission of a video signal. By making use of a charge held in a pixel electrode of a liquid crystal display panel, a signal for AC driving is formed in the inside of a pixel thus performing AC driving to perform a display without deteriorating liquid crystal even when the video signal is not rewritten. The liquid crystal display device can realize the memory element with the simple constitution without sacrificing a numeral aperture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active-matrix-type display device, and more particularly to a display device which has a pixel-memory with a high aperture ratio and high definition.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device of a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) type which includes a switching element in each pixel portion has been popularly used as a display device of a personal computer or the like. Further, the TFT-type display device is also used as a display device of a portable information device such as a mobile phone. The display device used in the a portable information device has been required, compared to the conventional liquid crystal display device, to satisfy the further miniaturization and the further reduction of power consumption.
In using a battery or the like as a power source of the display device, it is necessary to reduce the power consumption which is brought about by the display. Accordingly, there has been proposed an idea to impart a memory function to each pixel of the conventional liquid crystal display device.
Japanese Patent Laid-open 2003-302946 (USP 7057596) discloses a liquid crystal display device in which a pixel includes two pairs of transistors for holding a video signal and an additional capacitor which is connected to a pixel electrode. A stored charge of an additional capacitor makes image signal which is written into the pixel electrode.


The invention, in various embodiments, provides systems, devices, and methods for treating urinary incontinence.

Part A
Urinary incontinence is a widespread problem in the United States and throughout the world. Urinary incontinence affects people of all ages and can severely impact a patient both physiologically and psychologically.
In approximately 30% of the women suffering from urinary incontinence, incontinence is caused by intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD), a condition in which the valves of the urethral sphincter do not properly coapt. In approximately another 30% of incontinent women, incontinence is caused by hypermobility, a condition in which the muscles around the bladder relax, causing the bladder neck and proximal urethra to rotate and descend in response to increases in intraabdominal pressure.
Hypermobility may be the result of pregnancy or other conditions which weaken the muscles. In an additional group of women with urinary incontinence, the condition is caused by a combination of ISD and hypermobility.
In addition to the conditions described above, urinary incontinence has a number of other causes, including birth defects, disease, injury, aging, and urinary tract infection.
Numerous approaches for treating urinary incontinence are available. For example, several procedures for stabilizing and/or slightly compressing the urethra so as to prevent the leakage of urine have been developed. The stabilizing or compressive force may be applied directly by sutures passing through the soft tissue surrounding the urethra or, alternatively, may be applied by means of a sling located under the urethra and suspended by sutures. The sutures may be anchored to the pubic bone by means of bone anchors or, alternatively, the sutures may be attached to other structures such as fascia.
A device for dissecting around a tubular structure such as the urethra or the bladder neck is available from Lone Star Medical Products. The Lone Star device has two shafts which can be positioned in the tissue between the urethra and the vaginal wall using cystoscopy, vaginal or rectal examination, or an examination of the position of the instrument around the urethra with the bladder opened. The two shafts can be locked together to pinch the intervening tissue. A sharp blade is inserted into one of the shafts and advanced into the second shaft, cutting the tissue in between the two shafts. The cut in the tissue can be expanded using a right angle clamp and an artificial sphincter guided by a suture attached to the cutting blade of the device can be introduced into the expanded cut.
With the Lone Star device, the distance between the two shafts cannot be gradually adjusted. In addition, the ends of the shafts of the Lone Star device come in direct contact with the tissue or bone while being advanced towards the tissue between the urethra and the upper vaginal wall. The shafts of the Lone Star device are flat at their distal ends.
Thus, there is a need for devices which simplify treatments for urinary incontinence and increase their safety. Sling application devices for treating urinary incontinence which reduce the risk of inadvertent pinching of the urethra and undesirable scoring of tissue or bone during advancement of the device would be particularly desirable. It is also desirable to have a sling application device that does not employ a guiding suture and can create or maintain an opening in the tissue between the urethra and the upper vaginal wall without the use of a right angle clamp, thereby simplifying the procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,515, issued Mar. 18, 1997 to Benderev et al., introduces pioneering minimally invasive percutaneous and transvaginal bladder neck stabilization approaches. The percutaneous approach of Benderev et al. involves stabilizing the bladder neck using a bone anchor which is percutaneously introduced from the abdominal side of the patient. The transvaginal approach of Benderev et al. involves stabilizing the bladder neck using a staple or bone anchor which is transvaginally placed into the pubic bone. There is also a need for further devices and methods for improving or maintaining urinary continence involving stabilization or compression of the bladder neck or urethra, particularly devices and methods of the present invention that are less invasive than many of those currently available.
Part B
The present invention relates to the treatment of stress urinary incontinence "SUI," and to improved methods and surgical devices for the surgical treatment of SUI. The devices disclosed herein are additionally useful in a wide variety of other surgical procedures.
Genuine stress incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine due to a sudden rise in intra-abdominal pressure. It has been estimated that between 40% and 50% of young, healthy nulliparous women admit to occasional mild stress incontinence; however, at least 80% of stress incontinence patients are in the perimenopausal age group and are multiparous. Raz has suggested that the female urethral continence mechanism is dependent on the interaction of four urethral factors: urethral closing pressure, urethral length, urethrotrigonal anatomy, and urethral reception of intraabdominal pressure. Raz, S., Modified bladder neck suspension for female stress incontinence, Urology, 17:82, 1981.
The urethral closing pressure is predominantly a result of the interaction of smooth and striated muscle sphincter activity, but there is also some contribution by nonmuscular urethral factors such as the submucosal vascular plexus, the elastin and collagen content of the urethral tissues, and a sphincter like effect of the mucosa. There has been considerable diversity of opinion regarding the anatomic structure and the innervation of the urethral sphincters, and a variety of views have been expressed in the literature.
Urethral length is important in the maintenance of continence. However, although it certainly interacts with other factors to contribute to continence, a short urethra alone will not produce incontinence. Urethral length varies considerably in normal women, and women with proven genuine stress urinary incontinence do not invariably have urethral shortening.
Urethrotrigonal anatomy, which can be demonstrated by lateral cystourethrography, should fulfill certain criteria. The bladder base should lie above the level of the inferior ramus of the symphysis, and with straining should not descend more than 1.5 cm. There should be a normal urethrotrigonal alignment with an angle normally less than 100 degrees, and the urethral axis should be approximately 35 degrees from the vertical. In the hypermobile situation loss of all of the normal anatomic features may occur, a radiologic finding that correlates with the clinical finding of cystourethrocele. However, clinical experience has shown that the coexistence of cystourethrocele and incontinence does not predict that the incontinence is of a genuine stress variety.
The transmission of intra-abdominal pressure to the intra-abdominal portion of the proximal urethra is also reported to be important in the maintenance of continence. This is a passive phenomenon, and is the result of the normal anatomic configuration just described. Whenever there is a rise in intra-abdominal pressure during such stresses as coughing or straining, the pressure is transmitted not only to the bladder but also to the proximal urethra, with resultant increase in the closing pressure, and prevention of leakage. If the urethral axis is altered, rotational descent will drop the proximal urethra and bladder base from its intra-abdominal location, and will obviously impair such pressure transmission.
A wide variety of operations have been used to correct this condition, generally involving the principles of elevating the bladder neck anteriorly and/or elongating and narrowing the proximal urethra. Two of the most popular operations today for stress incontinence are the Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz and Birch vesicourethropexies. The Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz technique has at least an eighty-five percent success rate, against which other operative success rates must be measured. Recently, the Pereyra operation and its modifications have enjoyed some popularity, but less than basic techniques.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, there remains a need for an improved treatment for SUI. Preferably, the treatment is as noninvasive as possible under the circumstances, and will eliminate or minimize hospitalization and the use of general anesthetics. In addition, there remains a need for improved medical instrumentation such as tissue cavity dilators, incision guides, bone-piercing guide drivers, and quick-connect slings and suture-securing devices for use in connection with SUI treatment and other medical procedures. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/042,739, entitled "Bladder Neck Suspension Procedure", filed Apr. 5, 1993 by Benderev et al., now issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,515, introduces pioneering minimally invasive percutaneous and transvaginal bladder neck stabilization approaches. The percutaneous approach of Benderev et al. involves stabilizing the bladder neck using a bone anchor which is percutaneously introduced from the abdominal side of the patient. The transvaginal approach of Benderev et al. involves stabilizing the bladder neck using a staple or bone anchor which is transvaginally placed into the pubic bone. The methods and devices of the present invention may be used in several urethral or bladder neck stabilization procedures that are less invasive than many of those currently available.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems, devices, and methods for minimally invasive pelvic surgery

Abstract: The invention also provides a driver and methods for advancing needles, cannulas, and other medical devices through the pubic bone. The driver may be used in connection with a driver frame assembly for proper positioning and stabilization of the driver, and with other devices for creating a cavity in the urethral floor and for positioning medical devices therein. The invention also provides simple connections for attaching a suture to a device within the cavity in the urethral floor or in the vagina, and also for attaching sutures to the pubic bone.


A paste for an NFC magnetic sheet is provided, which comprises: a magnetic powder; an organic carrier; and a nanoscale alumina powder; wherein a weight ratio of the nanoscale alumina powder to the magnetic powder ranges from about 0.0005 to about 0.005. A method of preparing the paste for the NFC magnetic sheet and an NFC magnetic sheet are also provided.

NFC is a wireless technology started by Philips, then developed by Nokia, Sony, and other manufacturers, which was originally just a combination of remote control identification and network technology. Now, NFC has become an easy, safe, fast communicational wireless connection technology and has played a great role in access control, public transportation, and mobile payment, etc.
NFC chip(s) built in NFC mobile phones may be used as one part of an RFID module, which may be used as passive RFID tags to pay expenses or as RFID reader-writers for data exchange and acquisition.
In the absence of external interference, data can be transmitted, read and written between the electronic tag antenna and the reader-writer by electromagnetic coupling. However, in the practical applications, for example, there are many metal parts in the mobile phones such as batteries and back covers, which may interfere with signals. The metal parts absorb the electromagnetic waves emitted by the reader-writer and then lose them in the form of eddy current, thereby greatly reducing the electromagnetic waves through the electronic tag antenna and resulting in the reduction in the communication distance and sensitivity. Moreover, the electronic tag antenna and the reader-writer may not even work normally. Thus, a wave absorbing magnetic sheet may be attached onto the antenna to absorb lines of magnetic force close to the antenna without passing through the metal parts, so that eddy current losses may not be generated so as to avoid the shortening of the communication distance and the decrease in sensitivity. The wave absorbing magnetic sheet is different from other general wave-absorbing materials. General wave-absorbing materials absorb electromagnetic waves and make electromagnetic energy lost, which requires that the imaginary part of the permeability, i.e. the magnetic loss, is relatively large. However, wave absorbing magnetic sheets for NFC antennas just absorb electromagnetic waves to converge the lines of magnetic force without any loss of the electromagnetic energy, which requires that the real part of the permeability is as large as possible and the imaginary part of the permeability is as small as possible, i.e. the quality factor is high.
To meet the requirements of the flexibility and the miniaturization of electronic devices, the existing NFC composite magnetic sheets are made into thin sheets primarily by casting after magnetic powders are loaded by an organic carrier. The adjustment of the permeability of the magnetic sheet is mainly done on the magnetic powder, for example, by doping or heat treatment. However, when the magnetic powder is determined, it is very hard to increase the real part of the permeability and decrease the imaginary part of the permeability by improving the manufacturing process. For example, both the real part and the imaginary part of the permeability may increase when the density of the magnetic sheet increases, but the quality factor does not necessarily increase.

Paste for NFC magnetic sheet, method of preparing the same, and NFC magnetic sheet


An image pickup apparatus in which when a decision button is depressed, a transfer confirmation screen is displayed without recording a selection record, and, when a shortcut button is depressed, a selection record is recorded and the transfer confirmation screen is not displayed. When one of image data recorded in a storage medium is selected by an operation of a user, a reproduction module executes reproduction for display of the image data, and upon a user transfer instruction and acceptance of the instruction by a queue, a communication module transfers image data to an external apparatus. When one of other image data recorded in the storage medium is selected by a user operation in the course of a transfer process of the image data by the communication module, the reproduction module executed a reproduction process on the selected other image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, a control method therefor, an image pickup system, an information processing apparatus, a program and a storage medium, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus having a function of reproducing image data and transferring pickup it to an information processing apparatus, a control method therefor, an image pickup system, an information processing apparatus, a program and a storage medium.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional image pickup system is provided with a digital camera and a computer which can be mutually connected. In case a user transfers an image, captured with the digital camera, to the computer, the user connects the digital camera and the computer and executes a transfer operation on the computer.
On the other hand, the digital camera is provided with a liquid crystal display and certain buttons, which are operated by the user to call a menu and execute various settings. An example of the operations is as follows:
1. A "MENU" button is depressed to call a setting menu;
2. A four-way switch button is operated to shift a display, indicating a menu item to be selected, to an item to be selected (hereinafter such display operation is called "focusing" and a state where the display indicates an item is called "focused");
3. A "SET" button is depressed to decide a focused item; and
4. A function corresponding to the decided item is executed (for example, cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-272389).
The above-mentioned menu has a type of storing a previously selected state and a type of not storing a previously selected state, depending on the type of the digital camera. In the former, when the menu is displayed, a predetermined item, for example, an uppermost item, is always focused. In the latter, when the menu is displayed, a previously selected item is focused. For example, in case a second item from the top was selected previously, such second item from the top is focused when the menu is displayed next time.
The former has an advantage of easy understanding as a focused item is always constant when the menu is displayed. On the other hand, in the latter, in case a particular item is often selected, it is probable that such item is focused from the beginning and there can be obtained an advantage of saving the operation of moving the focus.
Also when an item is selected from the menu, there may be displayed a confirmation as to whether such function is to be actually executed. The user selects "OK" to execute the function, or "cancel" to quit executing the function. Such confirmation is principally executed for a function involving a danger of losing data such as an erasure of all the images.
The above-mentioned two methods have respective advantages as explained above, and it is not possible to uniquely determine which method is superior, depending on the user and the situation of use, so that either of the two method has to be selected to perform the menu operation.
Also the confirmation of the execution required when an item is selected from the menu involves a drawback of increasing the number of operations, while it provides an advantage of increasing safety.
Also there has been disclosed a system in which an operation member (button) provided in the aforementioned digital camera is operated by the user to select an image to be transferred and to transfer the selected image to the connected computer. In case of transferring image data for example to an externally connected computer or the like by a user operation of the operation member provided on the digital camera, the user selects an image to be transferred by looking at an image displayed on a display apparatus of the digital camera. Also in order to facilitate the user to find a desired setting item, there has been disclosed an image pickup apparatus in which a currently selected set item is made identifiable and a number of settable items is rendered variable according to the current state of the image pickup apparatus (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-326836).
However, in the aforementioned case of selecting an image to be transferred to the computer under observation of the image displayed on the display apparatus of the digital camera, the transfer may require a certain time if the transferred image data have a large data size, and a next image is not displayed on the display apparatus until such transfer is completed. Therefore, in case the image data transfer results in a long waiting time, the user requesting a rapid response is given a stress.

Image pickup apparatus, control method therefor, image pickup system, information processing apparatus, program and storage medium


A photoconductive ultra-wideband impulse generating device utilizing pulse harpening techniques to further increase its radiation frequency well above the gigahertz range while also substantially improving radiation efficiency. Such pulse sharpening provides for a radiator having a wider range of applications.

In recent years there has been active research in the area of nanosecond-type pulse generation. Such research has produced GaAs substrate high power storage devices that utilize photoconductive solid state switching to generate nanosecond-type pulses. One such switch, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,971, issued to Anderson H. Kim et al on Jul. 2, 1991, entitled, "High Power Photoconductor Bulk GaAs Switch" is incorporated herein by reference.
The "Bulk GaAs Switch" is basically an electrical energy storage device comprised of two mutually opposite gridded electrodes positioned on opposite surfaces of a GaAs semiconductor substrate such that a power supply means can provide an electric field in a predetermined direction across the patterned electrodes. The device is photoconductively activated to discharge its stored energy when it receives light radiation at a predetermined wavelength. When light energy penetrates the substrate region it generates electron/hole pairs which cause the electrical resistance of the semiconductor material to decrease. As a result, the stored electrical energy will instantaneously discharge through a load.
It is widely recognized that when such devices discharge they radiate pulses in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface. The bandwidth of such pulses is determined and/or limited by the speed with which the device discharges and recovers. As the pulsewidth narrows, the bandwidth increases. Consequently, those skilled in the art widely recognize the benefits of a device that generates a narrow pulsewidth.
The critical elements in generating such narrow pulsewidths are the construction of the energy storage device (shape, size, etc.) and the effectiveness of the photoconductive switching. Heretofore, two general techniques have been used to generate such narrow pulsewidth (ultra-wideband) radiation.
The first technique utilizes the recombination property of the semiconductor material from which the switch itself is fabricated. This technique (using photoconductive GaAs switches), however, typically generates a signal with a long pulsewidth due to a relatively long recovery time. The long recovery time is attributed to the inherent properties of gallium arsenide, including: (1) the substantially long recombination time and (2) the switch lock-on phenomena. As such, this technique is not desirable for generating ultra-wideband pulses.
The second technique utilizes an energy storage element which is comprised of either a short section of transmission line or a capacitor. The energy storage element is photoconductively triggered to instantaneously discharge all or substantially most of its stored energy to an impedance load. As with the aforementioned technique, the extended recovery time inherent in photoconductive switches prevents this device from producing extended wideband radiation.
A major breakthrough in this pulsewidth problem, however, was presented in the inventors copending patent application entitled "Ultra-Wideband High Power Photon Triggered Frequency Independent Radiator," Ser. No. 07/946,718, filed by Kim et al, Sep. 18, 1992 and incorporated herein by reference. This frequency radiator combines an energy storage function and an antenna radiating function into one structure to create an ultra wideband frequency radiator capable of generating pulses with a range of frequency components from hundreds of megahertz to several gigahertz. Basically, this radiator utilizes two identical quasi-radial transmission line structures to store electric energy while it implements photoconductive switching to trigger the instantaneous discharge of the stored energy to generate the desired ultra wideband RF radiation.
Such an energy storage device comprises a dielectric storage medium, two quasi-radially shaped, metalized electrodes mounted opposite one another on the top surface of the dielectric storage medium and a metalized electrode mounted on the bottom surface of the dielectric medium. A photoconductive switch, centrally located on the dielectric between the two quasi-radially shaped electrodes, connects the two quasi-radially shaped electrodes to the bottom electrodes through a load impedance. When the switch is activated by light radiation, the stored energy discharges through the load impedance generating a sub-nanosecond-type pulse.
Although such a device provides for fast rise-time pulses, the radiation bandwidth is limited by the trigger speed of the photoconductive switch and the recovery time of the GaAs substrate. One method of breaking through these physical limits and thus increasing the radiation bandwidth is by sharpening the discharge pulse. A sharpened pulse is a fast rise-time as well as fast fall-time pulse. Consequently, those skilled in the art recognize and desire the bandwidth benefit resulting from an Rf radiator that incorporates pulse sharpening techniques.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A wideband antenna has: a rectangular conductor sheet; a bow-tie-shaped slit formed in the rectangular conductor sheet, the rectangular conductor sheet having two apex portions defined by the bow-tie-shaped slit, the two apex portions being opposite to each other in the middle of the bow-tie-shaped slit; an auxiliary antenna element formed to extend along the bow-tie-shaped slit on both sides of one of the two apex portions; a power-feeding portion formed at the one of the two apex portions; and a grounding portion formed at an other of the two apex portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wideband antenna, and particularly to a wideband antenna, such as a UWB antenna, capable of being applied to UWB (Ultra Wide Band) communications equipment for next-generation ultrahigh-speed communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
UWBs (Ultra Wide Bands) are wireless and capable of more high-speed communications than optical fiber communications, and is expected as a communications means to replace bluetooth™, which uses 2.4 GHz band, and wireless LANs, which use existing 5 GHz band (IEEE 802.11a), etc.
UWBs are a communications method, which uses wideband and multiband frequencies from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz, to realize 100 M to 1 G/bps high-speed data communications, which requires hitherto nonexistent wide bands of antennas used therein.
It has been substantially determined that 3-5 GHz band is used in the current first UWB communications. Further, it is desired that 2.3-6 GHz band is covered in the case of its use combined with wireless LANs, etc.
As conventional UWB antennas, there are suggested various antennas, such as an antenna with a home-base-shaped conductor sandwiched between dielectrics, and whose baseball-shaped apex is grounded with a power supply sandwiched therebetween (see JP-A-2005-94437); an improved Sierpinski antenna (see JP-A-2004-343424); an improved patch antenna (see JP-A-2005-94499), etc.
However, no wideband antenna has been able to be realized that is small and thin, but which covers the wide band of 2.3-6 GHz, and which is in a relative bandwidth of 50% or more.


An enclosed fluid drive system for cycling the beams in a reciprocating floor between a reset position and a delivery position wherein an array of fluid motors engages the beams for moving the same and the fluid drive system includes an exhaust system wherein the various fluid motors are sequentially exhausted to move the beams from their delivery position to a reset position in sequence. The fluid motors each include a piston and a piston rod which is slidably supported within a passage in an end cap at one end of the motor cylinder. Each end cap and piston rod together form an integral part of the exhaust system which allows the fluid motors to be sequentially exhausted.

1. Field of the Invention
There is currently a burgeoning of interest in reciprocating floors as a vehicle for the loading and unloading of both stationary storage facilities and mobile facilities such as tractor/trailers. Such trailers were typically open at the top and loading was very easy.
Whereas it was common in most locales about the country to load storage and transportable facilities, for particulate materials in particular, by use of a skip loader, or perhaps a conveyer, and even by blowing the material into the space, unloading of such facilities with that kind of equipment proved to be less convenient.
Moreover, with the advent of the passage of laws in many states requiring the covering of such loads, the time required to tarp and untarp a load of, for example, grain, must be figured into the total cost of shipment and storage.
As a consequence, covered vans or trailers actually provided a saving in labor and, coincidently, permitted the load to be enclosed, thereby minimizing losses of material. With the advent and development of reciprocating floors, labor and related costs were capable of being minimized, and the use of such systems has enjoyed great acceptance among shippers and growers alike.
The essence of such systems is the reciprocation of a series of contiguous parallel beams in a controlled sequence, and while there are a variety of more or less mechanical and even electrical systems, the use of fluid motors is perhaps the most efficient and trouble free.
While hydraulic systems are generally considered to be relatively less susceptible to damage from shock, reciprocating floors routinely experience damage to various moving parts, perhaps because of the transverse loading on the floor beams. It has been specifically determined that, as a consequence of the number of hydraulic pistons that are employed in reciprocating floor systems, all of which have to be continuouosly sequenced, that the system experiences a series of pressure surges, or spikes, which raise local system pressures to a multiple of pump output pressure, resulting in blow outs in the system. The consequential damage can result in a spectrum of malfunctions ranging from the premature opening of standard sequencing valves to literally shutting down the entire system. Repairs are both time consuming and expensive to the operator.
To a somewhat lesser extent, but no less debilitating, are accelerated wear problems and sealing problems. By virtue of the nature of the products handled by reciprocating floor systems, and the sensitivity of fluid systems to gritty materials and particulate generally, existing systems typically experience relatively frequent maintenance cycles and seal wear, which results in exaggerated loss of loads. Finally, valving in particular seems vulnerable to the higher level of macroscopic particulate which is inevitably present and airborne as the floor is operating.
2. Overview of the Prior Art
There appears to be a dearth of patent art directed at the driving or motivation of reciprocating floor systems. Most manufacturers have adopted existing technology to very simple systems which sometimes incorporate mechanical or electrical switching systems, with manufacturers and operators alike seemingly willing to give docile, yet grudging acceptance, to a maintenance and repair regime of relatively high frequency, with its attendant relatively high costs.
Referring to the Quaeck U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,593, a system for the hydraulic reciprocation of a reciprocating floor is disclosed, and it perhaps reflects the current wisdom in the industry. Quaeck makes it clear that systems such as that set forth in this specification have achieved recognition in the art as a specialized art.
In Quaeck there is a basic fluid motor acutated plan of operation for what Quaeck refers to as slats. In order, however, to sequence the motors to effect the appropriate operation of the reciprocating floor, each fluid motor is equipped with a fluid-driven timing cylinder, designated respectivly, CT1, CT2 and CT3, which are controlled by soleniod valves, (SV+a number), each having a number representing the cylinder being controlled. Separate limit switches (S+a number) are also provided to detect arrival of the slats at a predetermined position. All of these elements of the system are subject to wear and maintenance, and none provide the shock absorbsion, the absense of which tends to plague such systems due to the shock loading on the drive cylinder.
The use of valves, e.g., spool valves, is common in many hydraulic systems, and as seen in Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,575, a piston may be used in some applications as a rudimentary open/close switching element. Taylor, of course, relates to a pressure relief valve and has no application to the present invention. The present system, however, accomplishes the objectives attributed to it without resort to these techniques, as will be evident from a reading of the detailed description.


This document relates to compositions and methods for modulating an immune response. For example, compositions of immunostimulatory CpG oligonucleotides derived from retroviral genomes are provided.

The cells of the innate immune system, such as dendritic cells (DCs), provide an immune response that does not depend upon specific antigen recognition. See, for example, Tosi, J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 116:241-49 (2005). Dendritic cells lack the highly specific antigen receptors of T and B cells, and rely instead on a set of pattern recognition receptors ("PRRs"), which recognize and bind pathogen-associated molecular patterns and thereby transduce an immune response signal. Fabrick et al., J. Biol. Chem. 279:26605-11 (2004). Illustrative of the class of PRRs are the Toll-like receptors ("TLR5"), which recognize a range of molecular patterns and generate intracellular signals for activating a number of host responses. Toll-like receptors such as TLR-9 detect microbial DNA by recognizing the presence of unmethylated cytidine-guanosine (CG) dinucleotides within certain base contexts, or "CpG motifs." The interaction between microbial DNA and TLR-9 receptor induces cell signaling pathways which include mitogen-activated protein kinases and NFκB. These signaling events, in turn, provoke leukocyte gene expression and cytokine secretion. CpG motifs are not prominent in vertebrate genomes due to a phenomenon known as "CpG suppression," but are present at the expected frequency in prokaryotic DNA. This contrast has been attributed to evolution of the vertebrate immune system to recognize unmethylated CpG motifs and respond with a coordinated cytokine response.

Methods and compositions for modulating an immune response with immunogenic oligonucleotides


In a method for encoding a 3D signal comprising layered-depth images, the viewing area of further layers are (background layers) made to differ in size and/or shape from the viewing area of a reference view (foreground layers) and the 3D image signal is provided this with appropriate scaling data expressing the relation between the reference view viewing area and the one or more further layer's viewing area.

Recently there has been much interest in providing 3-D images on 3-D image displays. It is believed that 3-D imaging will be, after color imaging, the next great innovation in imaging. We are now at the advent of introduction of 3D displays for the consumer market.
A 3-D display device usually has a display screen on which the images are displayed. Basically, a three-dimensional impression can be created by using stereo images, i.e. two slightly different images directed at the two eyes of the viewer. An example of such a device is an autostereoscopic display. In other devices images are sent in all directions and glasses are used to block certain images to give a 3D perception.
Whatever type of 3-D display is used, the 3-D image information has to be provided to the display device. This is usually done in the form of a 3-D image signal comprising digital data.
The generation of 3-D images is conventionally done by adding a depth map, said depth map providing information on the depth of the pixel within the image and thus providing 3D information. Using the depth map for an image a left and right image can be constructed providing a 3D image as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,466,207 entitled "Real-time rendering with layered depth images". Alternatively, for example when using a multi-view autostereoscopic display, more than two views can be constructed for use in visualizing a three dimensional scene.
When the content is displayed on a display multiple views must be rendered and these are sent in different directions. A viewer will have different images on the eyes and these images are rendered such that the viewer perceives depth. The different views represent different viewing positions. However on the input data usually often one viewing angle is visible. Therefore the rendered views will have missing information in the regions behind e.g. foreground objects or information on the side of objects. Different methods exist to cope with this missing information. A solution is to add data to the signal in the form of further data layers representing parts of the 3D image that are hidden behind foreground objects. This background information is stored from the same viewing angle. There may be more than one layer of background information if in a 3D image many objects are positioned behind each other.
In such methods the content for 3D displays is stored in a multi-layer representation. This multi-layer representation captures the scene from the viewpoint of a single camera, and describes the third dimension with the help of layers. Such layers could contain transparency. Often, each layer is provided with a corresponding depth map. The layers behind the foreground layer are usually called 'occlusion layers'.
The inventors have found that in current methods part of the occlusion information useful for accurate construction of a 3D image cannot be represented in an occlusion layer. This reduces the quality of 3-D imaging, since the missing information must be rendered by some other manner, usually leading to some sort of method to estimate the content of the missing information. However intelligent such methods may be, the missing information is generally merely an approximation of the actual content, leading to the possibility of image errors and imperfect 3-D images.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a method for encoding 3D image data allowing an improved 3-D imaging.
It is a further object to provide an improved system for encoding a 3D image signal, a system for decoding a 3D image signal and a 3D image signal.

Method and system for encoding a 3D image signal, encoded 3D image signal, method and system for decoding a 3D image signal