A projector includes a calibration image information generation section, an image projection section which projects a calibration image, a sensing section which senses a region including the projected calibration image and a projection target through a sensing plane to generate sensing information, a projection target region information generation section which generates projection target region information which indicates coordinates of four corners of the projection target in a sensing region based on the sensing information, a projection area information generation section which generates projection area information which indicates coordinates of four corners of the calibration image in the sensing region based on the sensing information, a correction information generation section which generates image distortion correction information based on the projection target region information and the projection area information, and a distortion correction section which corrects image distortion based on the image distortion correction information.

The present invention relates to an image processing system, a projector, a program, an information storage medium, and an image processing method capable of correcting image distortion.
An image may be distorted due to the relative angle formed by the optical axis of projection light from an image projection device such as a projector and a projection target such as a screen, whereby keystone distortion may occur in the vertical direction or horizontal direction.
Therefore, the image display device must display an image while eliminating distortion of the image.
A conventional projector with an image distortion correction function corrects image distortion only in the vertical direction using a built-in angle sensor, and cannot correct image distortion in the horizontal direction.
In the case of correcting image distortion in the horizontal direction, a user points at the four corners of the screen using a mouse or the like, and the projector semi-automatically corrects image distortion based on the point information. However, it is troublesome for the user to point at the four corners of the screen using a mouse or the like.
In order to solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-241874 has disclosed an automatic screen position adjustment device for a projector which detects the position of the screen in an image sensed by using a monitor camera based on an image signal input from the monitor camera, and adjusts keystone distortion of the projected image based on the detected screen position data.
In the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-241874, keystone distortion is adjusted by comparing the lengths of opposite sides of the screen in the sensed monitor screen as described in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-241874.
However, in the case where the height/width ratio (aspect ratio) of the projection target such as the screen is unknown, the projector cannot appropriately determine image distortion merely by comparing the lengths of opposite sides of the screen.
Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 2002-247614 has disclosed a projector which detects the external shape of a screen by using a sensing section, and corrects an image so that the image has an external shape the same as the detected external shape.
However, if the projector changes the shape of the image into the external shape of the screen as disclosed in Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 2002-247614, the image after changing has an external shape differing from the external shape of the original image. In this case, since an observer is given an impression differing from the original image, it is not preferable to employ such a processing method.
Moreover, it is preferable that a projected image be displayed at a desired height/width ratio even if the height/width ratio of the projection target is used as a reference.

Image processing system, projector, and image processing method


A hybrid ceramic/sand casting method of manufacturing a metal part. The method is especially suitable for manufacturing engine cylinder blocks or cylinder head, which have very small internal passages or other very small internal features. These parts are formed using a hybrid core having at least one ceramic section and at least one sand section, with the ceramic section being used to create the internal feature. A mold cavity is created for the part, and the hybrid core is positioned in the mold. Molten metal is introduced into the mold, and after the metal cools, the core is removed, thereby forming the part with the internal feature.

Sand casting, also known as sand molded casting, is a process for casting parts, normally metal parts, characterized by using sand as the mold material. A suitable bonding agent is mixed with the sand to develop coherency for molding and strength and stiffness of the cured mold.
For manufacturing metal objects, the basic steps of the sand casting process are quite simple. A pattern is made for the object to be produced, typically using wood, metal, or a plastic. The pattern is placed in a suitable sand mixture, contained and cured in a casting box, to create a sand mold. The pattern is removed, to form the mold cavity, and the mold cavity is filled with molten metal. After the metal cools, the sand mold is broken away leaving the desired casting.
To produce internal holes and passages within the casting, "cores" are used. A core is formed independently of the sand mold, usually also from sand, then positioned in the mold cavity, with some means for supporting the core in position. The positioning means may be one or more recesses in the pattern called "core prints" or small supporting pieces between the core and cavity surface called "chaplets". Then, the molten metal is introduced as described above.
Although sand cores are useful, the cross section size of the internal passages made using sand cores is limited. This is because as sand core cross section dimensions are reduced, the core's ability to resist premature breakdown in the presence of molten metal is also reduced. Thus, there are limiting dimensions below which a sand core will disintegrate during casting by effects that include thermal shock, evaporation of binder and penetration of the sand core.
Internal combustion engines contain numerous flow passages for delivery of fluids (such as fuel, lubricant, coolant and air) to various locations throughout the engine. It is desirable that as many of these passages as possible be contained within the cast material of components such as the cylinder block and cylinder head, to avoid external plumbing and additional parts count.
However, many of these engine passages are too small to cast using conventional sand core casting methods, and therefore they must be machined separately after the components are cast. This normally requires a sequence of machined features, typically drillings, which intersect to create flow networks. Because machining requires straight "line-of-sight" access to locate the features, the flexibility of their placement, orientation and shape is very limited. Additionally, in some engines the passages are long and consequently difficult to machine. Also, many of these drillings must be plugged to seal one end, which requires further machining and creates potential fluid leak paths.

Hybrid ceramic/sand core for casting metal engine parts with passages or holes having a cross section too small for sand casting


[Object] To provide a composition for oral administration which is excellent in masking a taste of an unpleasant tasting drug and in bioavailability.. [Constitution] A composition for oral administration comprising an unpleasantly tasting drug, a high polymer soluble in the stomach and a monoglyceride in the .beta.-crystal form.

There have been hitherto found various preparations for masking tastes of unpleasantly tasting drugs.
For example, Japanese Patent Kokai 49-81526 discloses a method which comprises dissolving a macrolide antibiotic in an inert volatile organic solvent wherein a wall polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylacetal diethylaminoacetate (hereinafter referred to as "AEA"), cellulose acetate dibutylaminohydroxypropyl ether, aminoalkylmethacrylate copolymer E (trade name; Eudragit E) and ethyl cellulose and at least one selected from the group consisting of a wax, a higher fatty acid and a salt insoluble in the higher fatty acid are dissolved or dispersed; spray-drying the solution; and collecting the resulting encapsulated particles of the macrolide antibiotic.
On the other hand, EP Patent No. 37740 discloses a pharmaceutical preparation having an improved stability and content uniformity of drugs, and this preparation can be applied to mask an unpleasant taste, but has a drawback of a bad dissolution because waxes only are used for masking.
As an example of a pharmaceutical mixture for masking a taste of an unpleasantly tasting basic drug, EP Patent No. 69097 discloses that a dry powder for a pharmaceutical mixture comprising an encapsulated bad tasting drug in a form insoluble at high pH.
In addition, EP Patent No. 101418 discloses a pharmaceutical mixture preparation with controlled release of an active substance which includes masking of bad taste and stability increasing of the active substance characterized in that it contains an encapsulated active substance in combination with 40-99% of a release controlling substance, examples of which are a carbohydrate, a carbohydrate-related compound and a mixture of such compounds.
In the past, however, since an inert volatile organic solvent (e.g. methylene chloride, chloroform, cyclohexane, carbon tetrachloride, methylethylketone, acetone, methyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol) should be used for dissolving coating agents, a drying step for removal of the solvent is required. As a result, the coating layer becomes porous, and the drying step requires a lot of time, equipment, labor, cost, etc. In addition, this step has risks such as inflammation and explosion in work, and the product might contain the residual inert volatile organic solvent which is feared to affect human health, therefore, it has a problem for safety.
In order to mask a taste of an unpleasantly tasting basic drug without using the inert volatile organic solvent, the present inventors disclose in EP. Patent No. 630233 a composition for oral administration comprising a complex formed by dispersing or dissolving the drug and a high polymer soluble in the stomach in a substance having a low melting point of 40 to 120.degree. C., a sugar-alcohol and a basic oxide.

Taste masking pharmaceutical composition for oral administration


Implants may be coated with a biocompatible coating to improve the biocompatibility of the implant. The biocompatible coating may include a bone growth promoting compound. Such compounds include, but are not limited to, phospholipids, bone morphogenetic proteins, or combinations thereof. The bone growth promoting compound may enhance the rate of bone growth proximate to the implant and the integration of the implant into the surrounding bone.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to coating materials for implants that are used as bone or dental substitutes. More specifically, the invention generally relates to coating materials that include a bone growth promoting agent.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
A goal of the placement of an endosseous implant is to achieve osseointegration of bone with the implant. "Osseointegration" is herein defined as the direct contact of the loaded implant material with living bone. Previously, materials were sought which would act as inert substances, usually eliciting a fibrous encapsulation around them. Osseointegration cannot occur, however, when a fibrous layer is present. It is believed that the biological response of bone is not inertness towards foreign materials, but rather integration of the material with the bone as if it were the part of the body.
In general, only the surface of an implant is in direct contact with host tissue. Thus, an implant surface may play a role in determining biocompatibility of the implant with the surrounding bone. Modifications of the implant surface may be employed as a means of controlling cellular responses to biomaterial surfaces and the process of induction of bone generation.
Plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite ("HA") has been applied to titanium implants to enhance osteoconduction. The rationale for coating implants with HA grew out of the desire to combine the bioactivity of HA with the strength of titanium. Studies have demonstrated that dental and orthopedic implants coated with plasma sprayed HA promote greater direct bone attachment and higher interfacial strength compared to the uncoated titanium implants. The performance of HA coated implants is attributed to more rapid osseointegration and the development of increased interfacial strength that results from the early skeletal attachment and increased bone contact with the implant surface. In vivo research indicates that HA coated implants are biocompatible and may perform better than non-coated titanium implants.
HA coatings have a number of problems, including variation in bond strength at the coating-metal interface, variation in coating thickness among vendors, variation in structural and chemical properties, and nonuniformity in coating density. These problems have made it unclear whether or not plasma sprayed HA coatings are actually beneficial to implant success. It appears, however, that these problems reflect shortcomings inherent in the plasma spray technology rather than the rationale for the coating.
There are no accepted standards for plasma spraying HA on implants, and studies indicate differences among plasma sprayed HA coatings. Conflicting animal and clinical observations have been reported as a result of variable coating quality. It has been shown that the coating processes employed by manufacturers result in different surfaces, chemistries, and structures of plasma sprayed HA coatings. These differences may alter the cascade of cellular activity and host tissue responses.
Clinical failures of plasma sprayed HA coated implants have been observed to occur due to premature degradation or delamination at the HA-metal interface, indicating a weak bond at the coating-metal interface compared to bone-HA interface. Failures have been related to the dissolution of the coatings as well as the weak coating-substrate interface. Dissolution of the coatings is dependent not only on the crystallinity of the surface, but also on the porosity of the coating. During plasma spraying, there is porosity present between, as well as within, the laminar structure of the semi-molten particles that is not squeezed out on impact with the substrate. A high porosity level tends to lead to a higher dissolution rate of the coating.
Besides implant failure caused by dissolution of the coatings, failure of implants is also the result of delamination of the coatings at the coating-implant interface. The delamination of the coatings at the coating-implant interface may be related to the thickness of the applied layer. Currently, the HA coatings of commercial implants are fabricated by a modified plasma spray process that produces a thick coating. However, a report on the measurement of the HA coating thickness revealed inconsistent coating thickness among different vendors. Some coatings were observed to have significantly expanded when compared to the coating thickness prior to implantation, indicating the presence of fluid behind and within the coatings. Such coating expansion was suggested to mark the beginning of coating breakup leading to failure. Finally, it has been shown that thin HA coatings (2 μm) have a significantly greater coating-metal interfacial strength than commercially available thick (70 μm) plasma sprayed HA.

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


An information management system, method and computer program code and means for facilitating communications between user members of an online network is provided which includes receipt, from a first user of an online network, of an identification of a second user of the online network. An indication of an association level of the second user is also received. First information having an association level different from the second user and second information having an association level corresponding to the second user is also received from the first user. Only the second information based on the association level is transmitted to the second user.

The present disclosure relates generally to electrical computers and digital processing systems and, more particularly, to remote data accessing using interconnected networks.
Both wireless technology and the Internet have, in recent years, enabled people to more readily intercommunicate than in previous decades when the telephone and courier services were the predominate forms of communication, These technologies offer new and previously unparalleled forms of communications. Wireless technology, for example, has evolved to include text and electronic mail messaging, in addition to providing voice services by cellular and satellite networks. Likewise, the Internet has given rise to prolific use of electronic mail, instant messaging, chat rooms and the like.
These technological advances have resulted in the convenience of being able to communicate at any time of day and from nearly any location. However, such systems have been designed for particular modes of communication, which are not suitable for all applications. Notably, no current communications medium allows persistent information to be distributed non-intrusively to recipients selected by access level and automatically organized. Examples of applications that may benefit from such a communication medium are personal relationship management, knowledge management, and content management.
For instance, many e-mail software packages allow a user to define of a group of users to which a message is to be transmitted, and may be included under a single group name. This approach has specific drawbacks, however. First, e-mail software sends a message directly to the recipients, which is intrusive on their time and resources. One would never, for example, send an e-mail to all of one's personal acquaintances to announce a small personal event, even though one may wish that all of one's colleagues were made aware of that event Second, e-mail software puts the burden of organizing received information onto the receiver. Although some tools exist for automatically categorizing incoming e-mails, these tools still require the user to explicitly develop a set of rules for organization, a task that is onerous enough that the vast majority users do it ineffectively or not at all. Third, e-mail software distributes information only once, at the time of writing of a message. This means that a sender must know ahead of time the complete set of recipients. If a new person is met after the message is sent, any information previously sent to others must now be manually resent to the new person. Further, this means that the sender cannot easily change the recipients after the message is sent, for example to exclude a user who was previously permitted to access the
Accordingly, there is a need for a personal relationship management system that addresses certain problems found in existing technologies.

Distributed personal relationship information management system and methods


A method for modeling a Discrete Event System includes the steps of: a) receiving the user-defined requirement and specification of a Discrete Event System; b) extracting events and action from the user-defined requirement and specification and storing the events and action; c) generating a tree-type data structure including start node; d) searching the stored events to determine existence of allowable events from the event represented by a leaf node. which quits the generation of the tree-type data structure when there is no allowable event; e) when there is the allowable event in the stored events, generating a child node of the leaf node, the child node representing to allowable event and F) iterating the step of searching and the step of generating a child node for all the leaf nodes of the tree-type data structure.

First of all, the terms used in this specification for describing the present invention are as follows:
(1) State: a state is defined by the properties or attributes of DES and defines the behaviour of DES. The state of DES changes to others. DES should be in any state at any point of time.
As an example, CD player powered on has "playing", "stopped", etc. and is in any one of those states at any point of time.
(2) Immediate sub-state: The conception of state is hierarchical. Any state can have a number of subordinate states. Those subordinate states are called immediate sub-states.
As an example of CD player, "playing" and "stopped" are immediate sub-states of "power-on".
(3) Immediate super-state: Contrary conception of immediate sub-state.
As an example of CD player, "power-on" is immediate super-state of "playing" and "stopped". Immediate super-state is abstracted conception of immediate sub-state representing immediate sub-state. "Playing" state of CD player is thus "power-on" state.
(4) Sub-state: Extended conception of immediate sub-state. Sub-state includes immediate sub-state and all the subordinate states of the immediate sub-state.
(5) Super-state: Extended conception of immediate super-state. Super-state includes immediate super-state and all the superior states of the immediate super-state.
(6) Sibling state: Sibling states have identical immediate super-state.
As an example of CD player, "playing" and "stopped" are sibling states that have identical immediate super-state or "power-on".
(7) Hierarchical depth: The number of super-states.
(8) Active state: The state where DES currently stays. The other states are referred to inactive states. Active state is also called current state.
(9) State transition: The transference of DES active state from one to another.
(10) Event: The change occurred inside/outside of DES and affecting DES. An event is input of DES and concrete phenomenon that generates output and state change of DES.
(11) Guard condition: Guard condition determines allowance of state transition.
(12) Action: The event that DES generates when state transition occurs. Action is output of DES.
(13) State Transition Diagram (STD): Diagram proposed by Moore and Mealy representing transitive relationship between states.
(14) State Chart: Extended type of STD proposed by David Harel. Hierarchical structure is added to Moore and Mealy's STD so that parallel state or orthogonality can be represented.
(15) Transition-allowed state: Transition-allowed states are ones to which current state is allowed to transfer to.
FIG. 1 is flowchart of development process of Discrete Event System
As shown in FIG. 1, the process of developing DES generally comprises "REQUIERMENT AND SPECIFICATION" step for describing the functions of DES (S101), "ANALYSIS AND DESIGN" step for modelling the DES according to the requirement and specification (S103), "IMPLEMENTATION" step for implementing the result of modelling (S105), and "VERIFICATION" step for verifying the DES (S107).
The process of developing DES generally iterates several times until the DES satisfies the requirement and specification. The process of developing DES is repeated from the "REQUIERMENT AND SPECIFICATION" step (S101) if an error is detected or the DES needs change of function.
The "ANALYSIS AND DESIGN" step (S103) has sub steps of "DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM", "ASCERTAINMENT OF ELEMENTS", "DESCRIPTION OF RELATIONSHIP OF ELEMENTS" and "MODELLING OF DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR".
The present invention is provided with a method for designing and implementing Discrete Event System (DES) and more particularly deals with a method for describing and implementing dynamic behaviour of DES, this method needed in the step of "ANALYSIS AND DESIGN" step (S103).
FIGS. 2A and 2B show the characteristics of non-state system and state system.
DES is system where response of DES is triggered by the occurrence of event(s). DES is classified into non-state system and state system.
Non-state system, as shown in FIG. 2A, has output dependent only upon input and its behaviour is relatively simple. I is set of input ij of DES, O is set of output Ok of DES, S is set of state Sl of DES, and f is output function.
State system, as shown in FIG. 2B, has output dependent upon both input and state of DES and its behaviour is relatively complicate. State system needs the sub step of "MODELLING OF DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR". Function g is state function.
Distinction between non-state system and state system is apparent from FIGS. 2A and 2B.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, it is ascertainment of output function f(•) that is needed in modelling non-state system because there is only relationship "Ok=f(i)" in non-state system. Thus, modelling non-state system is relatively simple process requiring only the relationship between input and output.
On the other hand, most real-world systems are state systems. The output function f(•) of state system needs state variable Sl that is current state, that is, state variable Sl is needed for determining output Ok. Next state Sx is determined by state function Sx=g(ij, Sl).
The degree of difficulty in modelling state system is much higher than the degree of difficulty in modelling non-state system because of description of state change.
FIG. 3 illustrates requirement and specification of CD player; FIG. 4 shows events, actions and states extracted from the requirement and specification of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is State Transition Diagram modelled by the requirement and specification of FIG. 3; and FIG. 6 is State Chart modelled by the requirement and specification of FIG. 3.
There are State Transition Diagram (STD) proposed by Moore and Mealy and State Chart (SC) proposed by David Harel for representing state change (Refer to FIGS. 5 and 6).
STD represents transition between states and is drawn on flatly. Input event ij generating state transition is generally marked on STD.
State transition process of STD is as follows:                (1) Event occurs;        (2) Guard condition is tested; and        (3) State transition is executed on the condition that the guard condition is satisfied.
Exit action of current state, state change, and entry action of the target state are sequentially performed in execution of state transition.
As an example of CD player, FIG. 4 shows input (I, event)/output (O, action)/states (S) ascertained from the given requirement and specification of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows STD drawn by the input (I, event)/output (O, action)/states (S) of FIG. 4. Default state 501 is initial state or sub-state that the CD player automatically enters when the CD player enters arbitrary state.
STD was not utilised widely even though STD visually represents transition relationship between states to improve efficiency of modelling because of flat structure having the shortcoming that flat structure cannot represent complicate transition relationship between states.
Harel's SC overcomes the shortcoming of STD. SC can represent hierarchical state transition relationship. Any state of SC can have a number of subordinate sub-states in itself, which is generalised type of state diagram.
FIG. 6 shows SC drawn by the input (I, event)/output (O, action)/states (S) of FIG. 4.
As an example of CD player shown in FIG. 6, states of "Stopped" (503) and "Playing" (505) are possible only when the CD player is powered on and state of "Power On" (601) can be abstracted from the states of "Stopped" (503) and "Playing" (505). The states of "Stopped" (503) and "Playing" (505) thus become sub-states of the state of "Power On" (601), and the state of "Power On" (601) becomes super-state of the states of "Stopped" (503) and "Playing" (505).
The step of "Stopped" (503) is default state of the step of "Power On" (601) because the CD player automatically enters the step of "Stopped" (503).
Harel's SC is implemented on the commercial software ┌STATEMATE┘ of ┌I-Logix┘, ┌BetterState┘ of ┌MatrixX┘, and ┌Stateflow┘ of ┌Matlab┘ for visual modelling of DES using the concept of SC.
Commercial software ┌Rapid┘ of ┌Emultek┘ for designing man-machine interface also uses similar concept but has distinction that SC is of tree structure on the ground that SC has hierarchical structure(The referred name of software and/or company may be the registered trademark held by that company).
Modelling DES by methodology of SC is known to have advantage of DES implementation, modification and extension due to exact description of DES dynamic behaviour.
But it is difficult to model DES by methodology of SC. Modelling DES by methodology of SC fundamentally requires exact ascertainment of DES states. There is quite a possibility that inconceivable modelling flaw may exist and the result of modelling DES by methodology of SC can vary with designers because of abstractness of conception "state".
It is difficult for non-expert to model DES by methodology of SC and different DES model of SC can result by different view of experts.
CD player is very simple system with only three (3) states and can be modelled by different view as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
An abstract characteristic of conception "state" also makes modification and extension of already completed DES model complicated.
FIG. 7 illustrates requirement and specification with pause function added to the requirement and specification of FIG. 3; FIG. 8 shows events, actions and states extracted from the requirement and specification of FIG. 7; and FIGS. 9A to 9C show three (3) types of State Charts different to one another and modelled by the requirement and specification of FIG. 7.
Requirement and specification and event/action/states of FIGS. 3 and 7 differs from each other in that CD player of state "play" after "stop" plays tracks from the first track and CD player of state "play" after "paused" plays tracks of former position.
The following is illustrating various modelling according to designer:
Modelling I defines "Paused" as sub-state of "Stopped" (503);
Modelling II defines "Paused" as sub-state of "Playing" (505); and
Modelling III defines "Paused" as sibling state of "Stopped" (503) and "Playing" (505).
FIGS. 9A to 9C respectively show SCs corresponding to Modelling I/II/III.
It is difficult to determine which model is better in that efficiency of model is determined by purpose or implementation of DES. But different model from identical DES decrease efficiency of development when men cooperate in development. Consistency of development is also decreased because of different view of identical designer as the case may be.
To overcome the problem of abstractness in conventional SC, Message Sequence Chart (MSC) of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and ┌Cult3D┘ of ┌Cycore┘ were proposed to stress characteristic of event.
Messages of MSC are the entire communication phenomenon including data transfer and function call and can be treated as events. MSC is structural method describing data flow by dealing with message transference between components of which DES comprises.
Sequence Diagram and Collaboration Diagram of UML (Unified Modelling Language) similar to MSC use the same concept and can be considered as slightly modified type of MSC.
But there is defect that MSC cannot describe control flow controlling entire DES including data transference or behaviour in component itself in that MSC just describes data transference.
┌Cult3D┘, different from MSC, describes behaviour of DES. But ┌Cult3D┘ can describe behaviour of only non-state system and thus cannot describe state dependant behaviour. That is, there is a weak point that ┌Cult3D┘ describes relationship of input and output by Ok=f(ij), ignoring state change and cannot describe dynamic behaviour of DES.
The following is references that aid in understanding the present invention:
1) David Harel, "State charts, a visual approach to complex systems", Science of Computer Programming, 1987;
2) David Harel, "On Visual Formalism", Communication of the ACM, pp 514–530, May 1988;
3) David Harel, "STATEMATE: A Working Environment for Development of Complex Reactive System", IEEE Transaction on Software Engineering, pp 403–414, April 1997;
4) D. Coleman, F. Hayes and S. Bear, "Introducing object charts or how to use state charts in object-oriented design", IEEE Transactions on software engineering, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 9–18, January 1992;
5) D. Budgen, "Software Design", Addison Wesley, pp 123–135, 1994;
6) Antti Auer, "State Testing of Embedded Software, University of Oulu, Department of Information Processing Science and Infotech Oulu, Research paper series A2T, March 1997;
7) P. Ramadge and W. M. Wonham, "The Control of Discrete Event Systems", Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol 77, No. 1, 1989;
8) Quatrani, Terry., "Visual Modeling with Rational Rose and UML", Addison Wesley, 1998;
9) Gomaa, Hassan., "Software Design Methods for Concurrent and Real-Time Systems", Addison Wesley, 1993; and
10) ITU (International Telecommunication Union), "ITU-T Recommendation Z.120—Message Sequence Chart", ITU, November 1999.

Modeling method for discrete event system using event flow chart


In an optimized hydraulic brake system, a pedal travel sensor is used to improve pedal feel. In order to improve pedal feel, a low pressure is detected in the brake booster and the brake hydraulic system is used to increase wheel pressure. This prevents the operator from having to exert an increasing large force on the brake pedal during a deceleration situation.

The present invention relates to a method for regulating a predetermined modifiable brake pressure in the wheel brakes of a brake system, wherein input quantities determining the brake pressure in the individual wheel brakes are evaluated and correcting variables of hydraulic valves are defined in a control and/or data processing system.
Vacuum brake boosters require a vacuum supplied by the engine for boosting the pedal force to be generated by the driver. Depending on the engine, even relatively low pedal forces allow reaching a condition where further increase of the force applied to the actuating unit is possible only by an increase in the pedal force because the vacuum brake booster has reached the maximum possible boosting force. This condition is referred to as the point of maximum boosting of the booster. Braking operations that take place in excess of the point of maximum boosting of the vacuum brake booster place high demands on the driver in terms of the pedal force to be generated. For this reason, brake systems (OHB-V) are employed at an increasing rate supporting the driver by means of an active hydraulic brake pressure build-up. Brake systems of this type generally include a motor-and-pump assembly and a hydraulic unit being controlled by an electronic control such as an electronic stability program (ESP), antilock brake system (ABS), traction control system (TCS), and similar systems, to comply with the desired brake force boosting.
When pressure is built up in the wheel brakes by means of hydraulic boosting beyond the point of maximum boosting of the vacuum brake booster, the (analogized) separating valves are closed, and the hydraulic pump delivers brake fluid from the tandem master cylinder (TMC) into the wheel brakes. In the pressure reduction phase, it is required to discharge the additionally generated pressure into the tandem master cylinder by way of the separating valves in a manner comfortable with respect to pedal feeling and braking effect. This action usually requires two additional pressure sensors at the wheel brakes, one per brake circuit, in order to determine the wheel pressure. The result is a higher requirement of components causing an increase in the system's costs.
During failed boost brake applies, the brake pedal forces required to enter OHB are very high. This is due to the increase of the booster cut-in force at zero vacuum, and the inaccuracies of the master cylinder pressure transducer at low pressures. In prior systems, the driver had to generate enough pedal force to overcome the cut-in force of the booster, before pressure could be built in the master cylinder. Next, the driver had to generate additional force, before the master cylinder pressure transducer would output a reliable signal at which point OHB would start to generate pressure at the wheels. This pedal force can reach 250 Newtons or higher.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide a method for regulating a predetermined variable brake pressure in the wheel brakes of a brake system, wherein when a very low booster vacuum level is detected the OHB system is used to command an increase in wheel pressure.


Disclosed is a universal and versatile fiber optic cable module system which can be used in combination with any one of a plurality of different front plates. The system also discloses module housings which can be combined with one another and attached to a front plate. Also disclosed is a method for providing such a universal and versatile fiber optic cable module system.

Fiber optic cables are a commonly used means through which to transmit information in the telecommunications industry. For fiber based telecommunications systems, there are numerous fibers which need to be connected and routed to transmit the appropriate signals and transmissions to their intended destination. The connection and distribution or re-distribution of fiber cables generally occurs at a system location referred to as a fiber distribution frame.
The fiber optic distribution frame systems generally contain connector adapter devices which have two ends, each of which connect to a fiber optic adapter and a fiber optic connector attached to the adapter thereby operatively joining two fiber optic cables.
Known fiber optic distribution frame systems include a front and a rear side, with the rear side adapters connected to fiber optic cables which are in turn connected to fiber optic equipment of various types. The connections on the rear or back side of the frame system are typically made with the intent not to frequently change connections in the rear due to the more difficult access.
On the other hand, the fiber optic adapters on the front side of the fiber optic distribution frame and system generally endure more frequent switching of fiber optic cables and connectors from one adapter to another. The front side connectors and adapters are more typically used for cross connecting incoming signals to other fibers or to other fiber optic equipment.
In the telecommunications industry, different manufacturers utilize different fiber optic adapters, which are well known in the industry. Examples of different fiber optic adapters are ST fiber optic adapters, SC fiber optic adapters, D4 adapters, and FC fiber optic adapters. Each generally serves to connect two fiber optic cables, but each is configured differently from the others.
Modules or cassettes have been heretofore used to hold the fiber optic adapters and to retain slack fiber optic cable and other devices, such as splitters. In the typical prior art fiber optic module, a front plate retains the fiber optic adapters which join the two fiber optic cables.
Prior to this invention, a module--front plate combination was manufactured for each type of fiber optic adapter used and for each different configuration of a particular fiber optic adapter, and none may be used to house different front plates or different fiber optic adapters.
A typical telecommunications facility and company utilizes more than one type of fiber optic adapter and more than one configuration of fiber optic adapter modules. Such facilities and companies must therefore purchase and/or maintain in inventory, a multitude of configurations of fiber optic cable modules, each of which is only configured for one particular application.
Further, each facility and company is also limited in the uses it can make of existing modules in the event it has a need to rearrange or reconfigure its modules.
It is an object of this invention to provide one universal fiber optic module housing which can be used for each type of fiber optic adapter and in the various module configurations desired. A more particular object directed to the current commonly used fiber optic adapters, is to provide a fiber optic module which can be used for ST fiber optic adapters, SC fiber optic adapters, D4 adapters, and FC fiber optic adapters. This object is accomplished by providing a universal module housing which may be configured and connected to a plurality of different front plates, the different front plates retaining different types of fiber optic adapters.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a fiber optic module which can be utilized in applications wherein there is a single column of fiber optic adapters, and in applications wherein there are two or dual columns of fiber optic adapters. This invention accomplishes this object by providing a module which alone may be utilized for an application wherein there is a single column of fiber optic adapters, and which can be joined to a like fiber optic module to provide an integrated module which facilitates two columns of fiber optic adapters, with fiber feed between the two modules to accommodate a fiber cable containing as many as twelve fibers. The fiber is routed between two stacked modules through a breakout section in the body of the modules.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a fiber optic module wherein the configuration maintains a minimum acceptable bending radius for fiber optic cable routed through the module.
It has been a long felt need for the universal module which can be used in combination with multiple different front plate configurations and with multiple types of fiber optic adapters. This invention satisfies this need with the advantages and features described herein.


A device that provides better movement of semi solid materials such as but not limited to food products for metered dispensing. The device is able to take bulk semi solid material, entrain or draw the material into the device and add pressure to the semi solid material so that the semi solid material may be passed thru a nozzle or controlled discharge metering device or orifice. The rollers have circumferential grooved profiles and scrapers that are able to actively remove the semi-solid materials from the grooved profiles. The emitted semi solid material can then be more accurately applied or portioned in a metered fashion. Typical applications include but are certainly not limited to the production of cookies from bulk dough, the application of icing to a cake base/body/top or perimeter, metering of dough for bread or rolls so as to allow for a cutting device to cut off into uniform pieces.

In the production of food products such as cookies, candies, icing of cakes, layering of butter into pastry dough and other food and non food products that may be a semi solid materials there is always a need to pump or move the bulk material and metered it out. Existing units use two counter rotating horizontally profiled rollers to entrain product and extrude it out thru a specific profile. The roller design is widely accepted in that it does not impart any grinding or mashing of the material being processed, as an example when making chocolate chip cookies the chocolate chips pass between the gap between the two rollers without crushing or grinding, by comparison an auger, lobe or gear style pump would crush or grind up the chocolate chips.
These machines have several applications, some non-limiting examples include for instance the production of cookies and candy materials, where these machines force the materials through die nozzles to emerge as a continuous stream of product that are cut at uniform increments. Another non-limiting example includes icing a cake, the icing is forced thru a long narrow slot to produce the sheet of icing that will then cover or be applied to a cake. Another non-limiting example is pastry manufacture. With pastry, buttery or fatty material is extruded into a sheet to go onto the dough which is then layered, typically by folding repeatedly and rolling thin multiple times to produce the thin layers of dough that have a flaky nature after baking.
Basic devices of this type have been produced in the past but the roller profiles on these previous machines resulted in numerous issues. The rollers of these devices typically have grooves or saw tooth profiles running across the face of the rollers, in a horizontal or longitudinal direction parallel with the axis of rotation of the roller. These profiles tend to add a degree of grip or traction so as to grip the material introduced. As the two rollers counter rotate towards and past the pinch point or convergence point of the rollers the entrained material will pass thru this pinch point or point of convergence so as to impart a degree of pressure on the material in the area just beyond the roller pinch point. Thus, as the material exits the rollers it can be forced through a nozzle or orifice at pressure.
The traction or grip of these horizontal grooves being effectively limited to the shear strength of the material were therefore not able to produce as high an extruding pressure as may be needed in some applications. Further shortcomings from the horizontal profiled rollers also includes impediment of the pressures that can be attained as well as allowing for leakage of the entrained medium around the surface of the profiled roller. As the horizontal profiles require clearance between the profile and the exit passage, typically a die block, this gap prevents a positive seal between these components. The inability to create a positive seal between these surfaces leads to leakages of semi solid materials between the rollers and die blocks. The resulting leakage producing an undesirable sanitation or hygenic condition as well as producing scaling deviations or inconsistencies in the output. The previous profiles were also of a shape and nature such that there could never be made a positive seal against the profile or roller surface.
The short comings of these previous art machines are numerous. As noted above, they include a reduced tractive capability and lower feed pressures being achieved by the action of the counter rotating horizontal grooved rollers. The pressures can be so low that it is often times barely adequate to force the material through the nozzle. With some of the materials, such as buttery materials or materials with high fat contents, if for any reason the material chokes or does not flow through the nozzle at the full rate then slippage of the material relative to the roller surface occurs. Any slippage at this interface causes the semi solid or viscous material to become less viscous. Slippage in these materials generates frictional heat which causes the materials to further soften at the interface of the semi solid material to the horizontal grooved roller. Therefore the slippage increases and material flow is further reduced with a compounding effect.
In addition, when material flow decreases, either through slippage or leakage, then the discharge thru the nozzle decreases in those machines. This in turn causes a decrease in the size of the pieces that are cut from the exiting stream of materials since the cutting operation is normally on a timed cycle or is gauged to the rotation of the two counter rotating grooved rollers. In the case of icing being dispensed for a cake this slippage and reduced flow results in a sheet or film of icing that either comes out at a rate slower than that of the cake, for example, that the icing is to be deposited onto or the sheet or film of icing thins, tears or pulls, with the results being incorrectly iced cakes.
A need therefore exists for a device that would exhibit a high degree of traction on the semi viscous or semi solid material to be moved so that slippage would not occur or would be minimized. It would also need to provide this high traction and/or resulting higher post roller pressure without producing any negative side effects such as the grinding, crushing, or smearing of the material or any inclusions that may be within or suspended within the semi solid material. Additionally, it should provide for both a positive seal to maintain consistent through put of material, remove entrapped materials from the groves of the rollers, eliminate or minimize leakage and thereby prevent recirculation of these materials and or scaling deviations

Device for controlled metering of semi solid food products


A low cost force sensor package and a method of forming such a package. The force sensor has a housing or package, such as a surface mount technology package (SMT), and a piezo resistive silicon die, or other force sensing element, carried on the housing or package. An actuator is operably coupled to the force sensing element for transferring force to the sensing element in response to receiving a force from an external source. The force sensing element is configured to sense the external force and generate an output signal representing the force. A signal conditioner is also carried on the housing for receiving the output signal. When the signal conditioner is electrically coupled to the force sensing element, the signal conditioner can condition the output signal and generate a conditioned output.

Force sensors are configured to measure an external force applied to the sensors and provide output signals representative of the applied force.
Discrete force sensors, such as MEMS based force sensors, have applications in medical equipment control, such as kidney dialysis machines, drug delivery systems, hematology equipment, and medical instrumentation. Other applications of discrete force sensors include ultra-low displacement sensing in robotic end-effectors and variable tension equipment to name a few.
Miniature MEMS based force sensors are used for measuring very low force with good accuracy. Such force sensors employ a force sensing component, such as piezo resistive silicon (Si) die, in combination with an actuator which is arranged to press against the silicon die in response to an external force exerted against the actuator. The silicon die includes a flexible membrane which deflects in response to the actuator pressing on the silicon die. Deflection of the membrane causes piezo resistors disposed on the silicon die to stress and change resistance. Circuitry senses the change of resistance and determines the external force from this resistance change.
There is a need to provide force sensors which can be implemented in medical and other applications more efficiently and cost effectively.

Force sensor package and method of forming same


An auxiliary dump box accessory is provided for combining with a conventional flatbed bale (of hay) loader, for effectively converting the flatbed bale loader and the underlying conventional truck into a dump truck. Thus the dump box accessory gives the flatbed bale loader alternative utility(ies) besides the standard utility of loading and transporting large cylindrical bales of hay, including among others all the utilities typically provided by dump trucks. The dump box rests on the flatbed for use in a conventional upright position. However, when the dump box is unloaded for storage during non-use, it is deposited onto a base support surface such as the ground in a position in which it is substantially inverted.

The invention relates to an auxiliary dump box accessory for a truck configured with a conventional flatbed bale loader.
A given flatbed bale loader typically has two opposed grappling or loader arms mounted at the rear for lifting and loading large cylindrical bales of hay onto the flatbed. The loader arms are generally driven by hydraulics or the like both to and away from each other for grabbing and releasing a given bale of hay. The loader arms are also configured with hydraulic drives for sweeping an overhead arc clockwise or counterclockwise between a storage position in which the arms are docked against the flatbed during non-use, and various extended or use positions during loading and unloading maneuvers.
An auxiliary dump box accessory in accordance with the invention gives a conventional flatbed bale loader an alternative purpose besides its basic bale loading utility, by effectively converting it and the underlying truck into a dump truck. A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments and examples.

Auxiliary dump box accessory for a flatbed bale loader


The present invention relates to the use of inorganic salts for increasing the adsorption of oxoanions and/or thioanalogues thereof to metal-doped ion exchangers, preferably to iron oxide/iron oxyhydroxide-containing ion exchangers, preferably from water or aqueous solutions, and also the conditioning of these metal-doped ion exchangers having increased adsorption behaviour toward oxoanions and/or thioanalogues thereof by using inorganic salts with the exception of amphoteric ion exchangers which have both acidic and basic groups as functional groups.

Oxoanions within the meaning the of present invention have the formula XnOm−, XnOm2−, XnOm3−, HXnOm− or H2XnOm2− (where n is an integer 1, 2, 3 or 4, m is an integer 3, 4, 6, 7, or 13, and X is a metal or transition metal of the series Au, Ag, Cu, Si, P, S, Cr, Ti, Te, Se, V, As, Sb, W, Mo, U, Os, Nb, Bi, Pb, Co, Ni, Fe, Mn, Ru, Re, Tc, Al, B, or a nonmetal of the series F, Cl, Br, I, CN, C, N. According to the invention, the expression oxoanions preferably means the formulae XOm2−, XOm3−, HXOm− or H2XOm2−, where m is an integer 3 or 4 and X is a metal or transition metal of the series P, S, Cr, Te, Se, V, As, Sb, W, Mo, Bi, or a nonmetal of the series Cl, Br, I, C, N. Particularly preferably, according to the invention, the expression oxoanions means oxoanions of arsenic in the oxidation states (III) and (V), of antimony in the oxidation states (III) and (V), of sulphur as sulphate, of phosphorus as phosphate, of chromium as chromate, of bismuth as bismuthate, of molybdenum as molybdate, of vanadium as vanadate, of tungsten as tungstate, of selenium as selenate, of tellurium as tellurate or of chlorine as chlorate or perchlorate. Oxoanions which are particularly preferred according to the invention are H2AsO3−, H2AsO4−, HAsO42−, AsO43−, H2SbO3−, H2SbO4−, HSbO42−, SbO43−, SeO42−, ClO3−, ClO4−, BiO42−, SO42−, PO43−. According to the invention, those which are very particularly preferred are the oxoanions H2AsO3−, H2AsO4−, HAsO42− and AsO43− and also SeO42−. Within the meaning of the present invention, the expression oxoanions in the context of the present disclosure also comprises the thioanalogues, where instead of O in the abovementioned formulae, S represents sulphur.
The purity requirements of drinking water have markedly increased in recent decades. Health authorities of numerous countries have developed limiting values for heavy metal concentrations in waters. This relates, in particular, to heavy metals such as arsenic, antimony or chromium.
Under certain conditions, for example arsenic compounds can be extracted from rocks and thus pass into the groundwater. In natural waters, arsenic occurs as an oxidic compound containing trivalent and pentavalent arsenic. In this case it is found that in the pHs prevailing in natural waters the species H3AsO3, H2AsO3−, H2AsO4−, HAsO42− principally occur.
In addition to the chromium, antimony and selenium compounds, readily absorbable arsenic compounds are highly toxic and carcinogenic. However, bismuth passing into the groundwater from ore working is also not safe for health.
In many regions of the USA, India, Bangladesh, China and also in South America, in part very high concentrations of arsenic occur in the groundwater.
Numerous medical studies now confirm that people who are exposed to high arsenic pollution over a long period can develop pathological skin changes (hyperkeratosis) and various types of tumour as a result of chronic arsenic poisoning.
Ion exchangers are widely used for purifying raw waters, wastewaters and aqueous process streams. Ion exchangers are also suitable for removing oxoanions, for example arsenate. For instance, R. Kunin and J. Meyers in Journal of American Chemical Society, Volume 69, page 2874 ff. (1947) describe the exchange of anions, such as, for example, arsenate, using ion exchangers which have primary, secondary and tertiary amino groups.
WO 2004/110623 A1 and EP-A 1 495 800 describe processes for producing iron oxide/iron oxyhydroxide-containing carboxyl-containing ion exchangers. This material adsorbs arsenic down to low residual concentrations, but is limited in its uptake capacity.
EP-A 1 568 660 discloses a process for removing arsenic from water by contacting the water with a strongly basic anion exchanger which contains a specially defined metal ion or a metal-containing ion. EP-A 1 568 660 refers to the fact that the selectivity towards arsenic increases when secondary and tertiary amino groups are converted to quaternary ammonium groups by alkylation, as a result of which strongly basic anion exchangers are characterized according to EP-A 1 568 660. It is of importance that the salt formed from metal and arsenate has a Ksp no greater than 10−5.
In addition, inter alia a process for removing arsenic(III) or arsenic(V) from water by contacting the water with metal-doped ion exchangers is taught in V. Lenoble et al., Science of the Total Environment 326 (2004) 197-207 using manganese dioxide-doped ion exchangers based on polystyrene, in I. Rao et al., Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 246, No. 3 (2000) 597-600 based on iron(III)-doped chelate resins, and in M. Hruby et al. Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. Vol. 68, 2003, 2159-2170.
The arsenic adsorbers known from the prior art do not yet exhibit the desired properties with respect to selectivity, capacity and thermal stability. Therefore there is a need for novel ion exchangers or adsorbers in bead form which are specific for oxoanions and/or thioanalogues thereof, in particular oxoanions of arsenic, which are simple to produce, have an improved adsorption of oxoanions and/or thioanalogues thereof, and also display higher thermal stability.
Higher thermal stability of the adsorbers is desirable, since firstly the adsorbers can be stored before use in storage rooms at higher temperatures, or else can come into contact with hot oxoanion-containing water.

Conditioning of ion exchangers for adsorption of oxoanions


A jounce bumper assembly is provided including a cup-shaped member adapted to be mounted to a vehicle. A spacer formed of an appropriate engineered material is mounted within the cup-shaped member and a jounce bumper is mounted to the spacer. The cup-shaped member includes retaining tabs which engage a shoulder of the jounce bumper for retaining the jounce bumper in the cup-shaped member.

Jounce bumpers are often mounted on a strut assembly, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,535, where a jounce bumper surrounds a piston rod of a strut suspension. The jounce bumper prevents the cylinder of the strut assembly from heavily impacting the strut mounting assembly. Jounce bumpers are also commonly mounted in other locations, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,203, where the jounce bumper is free standing to prevent a control arm of the suspension system from impacting with the vehicle frame.
Jounce bumpers can be mounted in a free state or with a rigid cup. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,726 discloses a jounce bumper with the use of a rigid cup that is designed to be attached to the vehicle frame. The rigid cup acts to attach the jounce bumper to the vehicle (or alternatively the strut) and limits the jounce bumper distortion, thereby increasing its spring rate. The force necessary to compress the jounce bumper increases as the jounce bumper is compressed and the jounce bumper absorbs energy as it is compressing. As the jounce bumper is compressed, the resistance to compression increases to the point where the jounce bumper acts as a solid, and transfers the remaining energy from the impact to the vehicle. The use of a rigid cup or another constraint limits the bulging of the bumper, thereby reducing the amount of travel needed to reach the point where the bumper becomes a solid. In general, when more energy must be removed, a larger bumper is used.
Microcellular urethane (MCU) bumpers are used in vehicle suspensions to absorb energy during jounce and to act as a supplemental spring as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,970. One consideration with regard to the use of MCU bumpers is the ability to retain the MCU bumper which is subjected to both vertical and side-loaded pull-out forces.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

High retention strength jounce bumper assembly


In a wireless chip receiving the multi-rate data according to the related art, power consumption and a circuit area of an analog-to-digital converter become large. In a digital calibration type analog-to-digital converter including both a reference analog-to-digital conversion unit and a main analog-to-digital conversion unit, when processing the high-sample rate wireless receive signal, both the reference analog-to-digital conversion unit and the main analog-to-digital conversion unit are operated to configure a general digital calibration type analog-to-digital converter, and when processing a low-sample rate wireless receive signal, analog-to-digital conversion is performed by using the reference analog-to-digital conversion unit and operations of the main analog-to-digital conversion unit or the like are stopped to remarkably reduce power consumption.

A. N. Karanicolas et al., "A 15-b 1-MSample/s Digitally Self-Calibrated Pipeline ADC," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits Vol. 28, No. 12, pp. 1207-1215 (1993) discloses a digital calibration type analog-to-digital converter as a unit that can realize a high-sample rate and high-resolution analog-to-digital converter while using low power consumption. Further, Y. Shu (Y. S. Shu et al., A 15b-Linear, 20MS/s, 1.5b/Stage Pipelined ADC Digitally Calibrated with Signal-Dependent Dithering, 2006 Symposia on VLSI Technology and VLSI Circuits Session C25-1 (2006) discloses a digital calibration type analog-to-digital converter according to a scheme that uses pseudo-random signals when performing the calibration. In addition, Yun Chiu (Y. Chiu et al., "Least Mean Square Adaptive Digital Background Calibration of Pipelined Analog-to-Digital Converters," IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I Vol. 51, PP. 38-46 (2004) or Takashi Ohshima, Fast Digital Background Calibration for Pipelined A/D Converters, Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication, Technical Report of IEICE VLD 2006-138, (2007) discloses a digital calibration type analog-to-digital converter including a reference analog-to-digital converter. Just like the Yun Chiu or the Takashi Ohshima, JP-A-Hei 6(1994)-291658 discloses a digital correction type analog-to-digital converter having a high-speed low-precision analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a low-speed high-precision ADC, which is another scheme.
The A/D converter disclosed in JP-A-Hei 6(1994)-291658 includes a high-speed low-precision ADC 10, a low-speed high-precision ADC 11, a data generation unit 12, a clock generator 13, and a divider 14 as shown in FIG. 24. The data generation unit 12 is configured so that a high-precision sampling data are selected at a timing when high-precision sampling data are output from the low-speed high-precision ADC 11, interpolation data are generated based on outputs from the low-speed high-precision ADC 11 at other timings, and the interpolation data or the low-precision sampling data from the high-speed low precision ADC 10 are selected.

Digital calibration type analog-to-digital converter and wireless receiver circuit and wireless transceiver circuit using the same


Described herein includes a software testing system that optimizes test case scheduling to efficiently and speedily analyze a block of code. The system enhances the performance of software testing by implementing a test controller using test statistics to optimize testing performance. The test controller may use the test statistics to determine relevant test cases to execute, and to provide better and/or faster feedback to users.

Software maintenance may include modifying a software program to correct defects and/or improve performance. In some instances, software maintenance and/or testing may occur after the software program has been deployed into a production environment. A test suite may be implemented to test the software program to determine whether there are any errors or to ensure that modifications to the software program do not adversely affect any existing functionalities of the software program.


A position sensor is configured to use a Wiegand wire, position magnet(s) and a reset magnet in which changes in polarization of the Wiegand wire caused by the position magnet(s) can be reset by the reset magnet. The position magnet(s), which can move in relation to the Wiegand wire, can have relatively stronger magnetic flux densities, and the reset magnet, which can be fixed in relation to the Wiegand wire, can have a relatively weaker magnetic flux density. When the position magnet(s) are proximal the Wiegand wire, the relatively stronger position magnet(s) overcome the reset magnet to cause a change in polarization of the Wiegand wire which produces an electrical pulse which can be counted. However, when the position magnet(s) become distal to the Wiegand wire, the relatively weaker reset magnet can reset the polarization of the Wiegand wire to prepare for a next count. As a result, the total number of magnets required in the system can be reduced, and the probability of failing to reset the Wiegand wire can be lowered.

Many attempts have been made to measure position using linear and rotary position measurement devices that employ a wide variety of different types of position sensing systems using different types of position sensing head arrangements, sensing elements, circuits, techniques and methods with varying degrees of success. Many of these position measurement devices have position determining systems equipped with a fine position sensing system used to determine fine position and a coarse position sensing system designed to determine and retain a position state using power generated by the coarse position sensing system during coarse position sensing system operation. Such position measurement devices equipped with coarse position sensing systems configured to at least partially or even completely power the position determining system are expensive, are relatively inflexible in their implementation, and can suffer coarse position determination problems.
More recently, Wiegand wires have been used to improve such position measurement devices. A Wiegand wire is a specially formed wire capable of magnetization with a polarization in a first state when exposed to a magnetic field, and reversal of the polarization in a second state when exposed to a revere of the magnetic field, known as the "Wiegand effect," including as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,090 ("Bistable Magnetic Device"). In such systems, Wiegand wires and magnets can be configured to move relative to one another so that position sensing can be efficiently provided. However, this typically requires a significant number of magnets arranged with alternating poles oriented toward the Wiegand wires so that the Wiegand wires can switch between polarization states with relative movement in order to provide position determination. It is now desirable to improve such position sensing systems to achieve high accuracy while requiring the least amount of resources possible.

Position sensor with Wiegand wire, position magnet(s) and reset magnet


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may operate in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state of a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. The UE may receive one or more synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) over a serving single frequency network (SFN) for a first notification zone, wherein the first notification zone comprises a plurality of cells. The UE may perform a channel measurement procedure using the received one or more SSBs. The UE may determine, based at least in part on a result of the channel measurement procedure, that a channel performance metric for the serving SFN of the first notification zone fails to satisfy a threshold. The UE may perform a cell reselection procedure to identify a cell of a neighboring SFN for a second notification zone that has a channel performance metric satisfying the threshold.

The following relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to multi-cell notification zone single frequency network (SFN) paging and mobility.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
Wireless communication systems may operate in millimeter wave (mmW) frequency ranges, e.g., 28 GHz, 40 GHz, 60 GHz, etc. Wireless communications at these frequencies may be associated with increased signal attenuation (e.g., path loss), which may be influenced by various factors, such as temperature, barometric pressure, diffraction, etc. As a result, signal processing techniques, such as beamforming, may be used to coherently combine energy and overcome the path losses at these frequencies. Due to the increased amount of path loss in mmW communication systems, transmissions from the base station and/or the UE may be beamformed. Moreover, a receiving device may use beamforming techniques to configure antenna(s) and/or antenna array(s) such that transmissions are received in a directional manner.
In some aspects, wireless communication systems may include UEs operating in a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. For example, a UE may be in an idle state where functions, components, processes, and the like, of the UE are turned off to conserve power and/or for an initial access procedure. In some aspects, the UE may be in an inactive state, e.g., an RRC inactive state, where the UE is not performing ongoing communications, but maintains an updated association with the network, e.g., current access stratum (AS) context. For example, a UE specific DRX may be configured by upper layers and/or by an RRC layer. As another example, the UE may be operating in an RRC connected or active state for ongoing communications, e.g., for communicating control and/or data information. However, DRX operations may be difficult in some wireless networks, such as a mmW wireless network, where the base station is typically configured to use beam sweeping operations for paging and other signaling for a UE. This may result in wasted resources, e.g., over the air resources and/or increased overhead.

Multi-cell notification zone single frequency network paging and mobility


A lighting panel capable of producing a “Starry Sky” lighting effect and which is easily retrofitted into existing aircraft includes a first substrate, a plurality of microminiature light sources, such as LEDs, mounted on an upper surface of the first substrate, a plurality of electrically conductive traces written on the upper surface of the first substrate so as to make electrical interconnections with respective leads of the light sources, a clear filler material surrounding each light source and tapering down to the upper surface of the first substrate so as to planarize it, and a flexible decorative film laminated over the upper surface of the first substrate and light sources, the decorative film containing a plurality of apertures therethrough, each corresponding in location to a respective light source.

This disclosure relates to interior lighting panels for passenger aircraft, in general, and in particular, to an improved aircraft ceiling mounted lighting panel adapted to display a starry nighttime sky effect.
Passenger aircraft that operate over long distances during the night typically include interior lighting arrangements that provide substantially reduced ambient light so that passengers can sleep comfortably, but which is still bright enough to enable those passengers who choose not to sleep to move about the cabin safely. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, some models of the Boeing 777 passenger jet incorporate ceiling panels 100 that incorporate light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are arranged so as to blink in random patterns against a gray or dark blue background, and which, in a reduced ambient light condition, gives the relaxing, soporific appearance of a starry nighttime sky, and hence, is referred to as a "Starry Sky" ceiling lighting arrangement.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional Starry Sky lighting panel 100 swung down along a long edge thereof to expose the complex discrete wiring and electrical components located on the back surface thereof. The existing arrangement uses Diehl Aerospace lenses, lens holders, hardwired LEDs, wire bundles deployed on individual standoffs, and discrete power conditioning and control components that are integrated in a relatively complicated manufacturing process to produce a panel that gives the desired effect. In a typical installation, the aircraft may contain about 70 such panels 100, each of which may be about 4-6 ft. long, 2-3 ft. wide, and contain about 70 or more LEDs.
The disadvantages and limitations of this prior art solution are that the method of producing the panel is costly and relatively heavy, requires intensive, ergonomically costly manual labor steps, takes up a relatively large volume behind the ceiling panels and is difficult to retrofit into existing aircraft.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need in the relevant industry for an aircraft ceiling lighting panel that provides a Starry Sky effect through a "solid state" method that does not use Diehl lenses, lens holders, wired LEDs and complex associated point-to-point wiring, reduces panel weight, volume, manual fabrication and assembly labor and cost, eliminates repetitive injuries, and which can easily be retrofitted into existing aircraft.


In designing wiring for semiconductor integrated circuits, wiring channels are assigned to reduce a signal delay time developed parallel traces. The selection of the wiring channels for all of the wiring oriented nets of the circuits is based on the trunk trace length between the terminals. For the longer trunk trace lengths, a double-pitch wiring channel is assigned. First, the determined trunk-trace lengths are sorted in decreasing order of length. Then, a double-pitch wiring channel is assigned for the trunk-trace lengths that are greater than a predetermined length. When no double pitch channels remain, single pitch channels are used.

In designing wiring patterns for semiconductor integrated circuits, signal delay times have been taken into consideration. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-245456 discloses controlling the number of traces intersecting a noted or intended trace so as to reduce variations in signal delay time. It is also known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-83911 that in searching for a wiring route or channel, a forbidden region can be set so that parallel wiring lengths are restricted in the region, whereby a signal delay time developed by parallel traces is reduced.

Method of wiring semiconductor integrated circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit


An avian decoy including a decoy body; a stake having an upper end for rotatably supporting the decoy body, and having a lower end for being anchored to a support surface; and a guide for guiding the upper end of the stake into proper position in the decoy body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to avian decoys, and primarily to standing duck and geese decoys, etc., adapted to rotate back and forth, side-to-side about a vertical axis.
2. Background Art
It is often desired to have a decoy spread (a plurality of decoys arranged on a field or the like) with one or more of the decoys providing a wind generated, side-to-side movement about a substantially vertical axis. The prior art discloses windsock-type decoys, or hard bodied decoys rotatably mounted on vertical stakes.
Such decoy spreads are typically set in the field well before daylight and the ease of setting up the individual decoys is critical. While windsock-type decoys are normally fixedly attached to stakes so they can be set up quickly as one piece units, stakes for hard bodied rotatable decoys are set up first and then the decoy bodies are set onto the top of the stakes, typically causing the user to align the top of the stakes with small holes in the bottom of the decoy bodies, which is difficult and time consuming.
Another problem with prior art decoys is that they typically include rigid leg portions which often break off during transport to and from the field and sometimes drag or become tangled when the decoys are set up in snow or fields with high vegetation, thus interfering with the movement of the decoy bodies.
Another problem with prior art decoys is the space required to transport and store hard bodied decoys. One solution is to make such decoys with separate head and body portions for easy transport and storage, but the user must be extra careful when attaching the head and body portions together to insure that the head portion is properly positioned on the body portion.
Nothing in the know prior art discloses or suggests the present invention.


A container that can hold a liquid, such as paint, or a granulated material includes a side wall portion, a bottom portion formed at one end of the side wall portion, and a well region formed in the bottom portion. The bottom portion includes an inclined surface. Alternatively, the bottom portion can be shaped to be frustoconical, hemispherical or an inverted pyramid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container that can hold a liquid or a granular material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Containers, such as paint buckets, are generally formed to have a flat bottom surface. When the level of material is low, such a container must be tipped in order for the material contained therein to be more easily accessible. Accordingly, such a container is not stable while it is tipped.
Consequently, what is needed is a container that is not required to be tipped for easily accessing material contained therein.


An optical information storage medium includes a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and a user data area between the lead-in and lead-out areas and in which user data is recorded. Pits are formed in the lead-in area, the user data area, and the lead-out area, and a track pitch in all or a portion of the lead-in area is different from a track pitch in the remaining area of the optical information storage medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information storage medium, and more particularly, to an optical information storage medium in which a track pitch in all or a portion of a lead-in area is different from a track pitch in remaining areas of the optical information storage medium so that the reliability of reproduction of important optical information storage medium-related information can be improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical discs are generally used as information storage media of optical pickup devices, which record information on and/or reproduce information from the optical discs without contacting the optical discs. Optical discs are classified as either compact discs (CDs) or digital versatile discs (DVDs) according to their information recording capacity. CDs and DVDs further include 650 MB CD-Rs, CD-RWs, 4.7 GB DVD+RWs, DVD-random access memories (DVD-RAMs), DVD-R, DVD-rewritables (DVD-RWs), and so forth. Read-only discs include 650 MB CDs, 4.7 GB DVD-ROMs, and the like. Furthermore, high-density digital versatile discs (HD-DVDs) have been developed which have a recording capacity of 20 GB or more.
Various methods of increasing the recording capacity of optical discs have been studied. One method of increasing the recording capacity is to reduce a size of an optical spot focused on an optical disc. To reduce the size of the optical spot, the wavelength of a laser light source should be shortened or a numerical aperture (NA) of an objective lens should be increased. Further, the track pitch of the optical disc should be reduced. The track pitch refers to a minimum distance measured from a central line of one track to a central line of an adjacent track.
FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of a conventional DVD-ROM 110. The DVD-ROM 110 includes a user data area 105 in which user data is recorded. A lead-in area 100 is formed inside the user data area 105. A lead-out area 110 which is formed outside the user data area 105. Data is recorded as dots in the lead-in area 100, the user data area 105, and the lead-out area 110. Also, the track pitch is 0.74 μm in the lead-in area 100, the user data area 105, and the lead-out area 110.
The track pitch tends to be reduced when increasing the recording capacity. However, since an optical spot focused on a track may reach an adjacent track, the possibility that cross-talk will occur becomes high as the track pitch is reduced. If cross-talk occurs, an abnormal reproduction signal is output. Thus, as the track pitch is reduced, there is an increase in abnormal reproductions of information.
In particular, if information is abnormally reproduced from an area in which is recorded important information in recording and/or reproducing data, this abnormal reproduction may gravely affect a recording and/or reproduction efficiency of a disc. Accordingly, the track pitch is required to be adjusted in accordance with an increase in the recording capacity of a storage medium and the importance of data.

Method of transferring data with respect to optical information storage medium having different track pitches


A soldering layer is formed on a valve guide or valve seat and/or a holding bore of a cylinder head in an internal combustion engine. The solder can be melted below the highest temperature which the valve guide or valve seat reaches during operation of the internal combustion engine. The valve guide or valve seat is a press fit in the holding bore of the cylinder head, and with operation of the internal combustion engine, the soldering layer is melted to close gaps on the contacting surfaces between the holding bore and valve guide or valve seat. The soldering layer finally has a higher melting point than the highest temperature of the valve guide or valve seat as above. During operation of the engine, the soldering layer is not melted.

The present invention relates to a method of increasing heat transfer of a fitted material of a cylinder head in an internal combustion engine and a fitted portion of the fitted material for which the method is carried out.
An exhaust bore of a cylinder head in an internal combustion engine is periodically opened and closed by a valve which moves up and down by a rocker arm and a coil spring.
A valve stem is slidably inserted in a tubular valve guide above an inlet of the exhaust hole. With moving up and down, a valve face of a valve head at the lower end of the valve is engaged on and disengaged from a valve seat fixed on the inlet of the exhaust hole.
The valve guide and the valve seat require high heat, wear and impact resistance, are made of heat resistant steel different from material of the cylinder head such as cast iron and light metal, and are strongly fixed in the exhaust hole of the cylinder head.
The valve guide and the valve seat called "fitted material" are highly finished and firmly engaged to fit on each of the inner surfaces of the exhaust hole of the cylinder head. But the fitted material and the exhaust hole are not thermally integral.
Even if finishing accuracy of the contacting surfaces is increased and even if strong and complete fitness is mechanically made, it is unavoidable to remain fine unevenness. Gaps in the unevenness cause level difference in heat transfer in the contacting surfaces, thereby making it insufficient to transfer heat of the fitted material to the cylinder head.
If the fitted material and the cylinder head are formed to thermally or metallurgically integral material, heat transfer of the fitted material will be clearly improved, thereby increasing durability of the fitted material and the cooling effect of the whole cylinder head.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of melting soldering material during initial operation of an internal combustion engine or heating at a desired temperature, but not melting thereafter, and to provide a fitted portion of fitted material.

Method of increasing heat transfer of a fitted material of a cylinder head in an internal combustion engine and a fitted portion of the fitted material


A cleaning device has housing, cleaning member, pair of bearing portions, toner receiving seal, and end seal. The housing is formed with opening facing, and waste toner retaining portion. The cleaning member is rotatably borne by the pair of bearing portions at both ends of rotation axis. The toner receiving seal is disposed facing to entire area in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, and extends to be laid across each end portion of the cleaning member and outer periphery of the bearing portion. The bearing portion has the same outer diameter in contact portion where the toner receiving seal contacts, as outer diameter of the cleaning member. The end seal is disposed, in gap between the housing and each of the bearing portions, facing to the contact portion with the toner receiving seal interposed therebetween, and prevents leakage of waste toner from both end portions of the housing.

The present disclosure relates to a cleaning device having a mechanism of removing residual toner on an image carrier surface by means of a cleaning member.
In image forming apparatuses based on an electro-photographic system such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile machine, a developing agent in the form of powder is typically used, and an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier such as a photosensitive drum is visualized by using a developing device. Then the visualized image (toner image) is transferred onto a recording medium and subjected to a fixing treatment. The toner remaining on the image carrier surface is removed by a cleaning device, and a new toner image is formed.
The cleaning device has a cleaning member like a fur brush and a cleaning roller for removing toner from the image carrier surface, a recovery roller for recovering toner from the cleaning member, a conveyance spiral for discharging the toner scraped from the recovery roller surface, a toner receiving seal for partitioning the interior of a housing into a recovery roller side and a conveyance spiral side, and an end seal provided between the toner receiving seal and the housing.
Here, the toner receiving seal guides the toner scraped from the recovery roller surface by a scraper, to the conveyance spiral side to prevent it from going toward the recovery roller side (outer side of the housing). Therefore, the toner receiving seal is required to be in contact with the entire area in an axial direction of the recovery roller at a substantially constant contact pressure that will not scrape off the toner adhering to the recovery roller. On the other hand, the end seal is required to be in contact with the toner receiving seal at a considerable pressure for securely preventing leakage of toner from inside the housing.
However, at an elevated contact pressure of the end seal, the toner receiving seal receives pressure at both end portions from the end seal and the toner receiving seal deforms, so that the contact pressure of the toner receiving seal against the recovery roller also varies. As a result, there exists the problem that the toner adhering to the recovery roller is scraped off by the toner receiving seal, and leaks outside through the opening of the housing.
In this respect, a method for alleviating the pressing force exerted on the end portions of the toner receiving seal from the end seal is proposed. One known exemplary configuration includes a sheet-like guide member (toner receiving seal) that guides the toner removed by the cleaning portion to a cleaner case, and a sealing member for sealing both end faces of the cleaner case, wherein only a tip end portion of the sheet-like guide member is overlapped with the sealing member by providing the sheet-like guide member with a notch portion or by providing the sealing member with a notch portion or a step portion.

Cleaning device, intermediate transfer unit and image forming apparatus


A transmission is provided for changing gears by performing rotation control of a shift drum transmission between an internal combustion engine and a drive wheel by use of an actuator provided on one side of the shift drum and an intermittent feed mechanism driven by the actuator disposed on the other side of the shift drum.

As a shift drum drive mechanism of a transmission, there has been well known a so-called manual transmission which performs a gear change actuation by operating a foot-operated pedal and the like to drive a shift spindle and to turn a shift drum. Moreover, there has been known an electric transmission which performs a gear change actuation by driving a shift drum of the transmission by use of an electric motor. For example, one of such electric transmissions adopts a driving method for driving a shift spindle by use of an electric motor instead of the foot-operated pedal operation described above while adhering fundamentally to a driving method for driving a shift spindle by use of the foot-operated pedal operation. For example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11 (1999)-82734 (Pages 4 and 5, FIG. 5)
Furthermore, as another method of the electric transmission described above, there has been known a method for driving a shift drum by use of an intermittent feed mechanism that is a Geneva stop mechanism. For example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5 (1993)-39865 (Pages 3 and 4, FIG. 5). This electric transmission has a structure in which structural parts related to driving of the drum, in other words, an electric motor that is a driving source for the drum, a gear driving mechanism for transmitting a driving force of the motor, the Geneva stop mechanism that is the intermittent feed mechanism, and the like are concentrated and disposed on one side of the shift drum.
Moreover, there has been also known a transmission which changes gears by selectively driving rotation of a shift drum by use of an electric motor or a manual operation of a knob and the like.
Incidentally, a kind of modification example, described above, of the conversion from the foot-operated shift drum driving method in a vehicle equipped with the known manual transmission to the driving by use of the electric motor can be perceived as the transmission described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11 (1999)-82734 described above. This driving method is an improved method in which foot-operated drive of the shift spindle is changed to the driving by use of the electric motor. This improved driving method achieves the sharing of many parts while maintaining a basic structure of foot-operated shift drum drive.
In the method described above, it is hoped that a certain degree of margin of capacity and size is provided for the electric motor because an output of a driving source, that is, an output of the electric motor needs to correspond to a spring for fixing a position of the shift drum and a return spring of the shift spindle. Moreover, this method adheres to the structure of the manual transmission in that the shift spindle is extended parallel to the shift drum on the outside thereof. Thus, there is also a desire to simplify the structure for the addition of the motor.
Moreover, an improvement based on the shift drum driving method by use of the electric motor according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5 (1993)-39865 described above has a characteristic that, in this driving method, the electric motor that is the driving source for the shift drum, the gear driving mechanism, the intermittent feed mechanism, and the like are concentrated and disposed on one side of the shift drum. Thus, this shift drum driving method is significantly different from the manual driving method described above in terms of the structure. Consequently, there will be many changes in the structure along with a change of the manual driving method into a motorized method.
In consideration of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to achieve the sharing of parts while maintaining the foot-operated shift drum driving method in the manual transmission described above, and to obtain an electrical shift drum driving method which is simplified by a minimum structural change.


Methods and systems for conducting a secure online transaction with a physical payment card. In an embodiment, a user computer identifies, during an online transaction, a selection of a secure payment option involving a physical payment card. Next, a security module of the user computer enters a secure transaction mode of operation which prevents other applications running on the user computer from access to cardholder data, establishes a communication session with a payment provider device, and prompts a user to present a payment card to a card reader device associated with the user computer. The card reader device then reads cardholder data from the physical payment card, and the security module creates a request message. The security module then transmits the request message to a payment provider computer (which provides substitute payment card details to the merchant computer to complete the online payment transaction) and exits the secure transaction mode.

Payment cards such as credit or debit cards are ubiquitous. For decades, such cards have included a magnetic stripe on which the relevant account number is stored. More recently, payment cards have been introduced which include integrated circuit ("IC") chips and memory. These chip payment cards can communicate with point of transaction devices via contact or contactless technology. Merchants around the world have point of sale terminals and card readers that allow payment card holders to easily purchase goods or services using their payment cards.
When a payment cardholder uses his or her physical payment card at a merchant location, the payment transaction is referred to as a "card present" transaction. Card present transactions are generally considered to have less likelihood of fraud or charge back risk because the full payment card details can be read by the merchant point of sale terminal during the transaction. For example, a point of sale terminal can read the "track 1" and "track 2" magnetic stripe data from a card. Chip card terminals can read (or receive wirelessly) similar detailed data from the chips in chip payment cards. This information serves to increase confidence that the cardholder is legitimate, the payment was intended, and that the card was valid. Also, in many situations, the cardholder is required to sign or confirm acceptance of the transaction before the transaction is completed.
Unfortunately, card present transactions have not been available for purchases made over the Internet. Instead, Internet transactions involving payment cards are considered to be "card not present" transactions. In a typical on-line purchase transaction, a cardholder interacts with a merchant Web site and selects one or more products to purchase. The order details are commonly placed in an online "shopping cart". When the cardholder is ready to complete the transaction, he or she selects a payment mechanism (e.g., he or she may choose to pay with a Visa® payment card, a MasterCard® payment card, an American Express® payment card, or some other payment means). The cardholder then enters their name, billing address, payment card number, and, in some situations, a control value printed on the face of the payment card (sometimes referred to as a "Card Verification Value or CVV", a "Card Verification Code or CVC", etc.). The cardholder then clicks "submit" and the payment information is forwarded to the payment card issuer (or issuer agent) for authorization processing. If the transaction is authorized, the goods are shipped and the transaction is complete.
Such "card not present" transactions involve a number of different risks. First, from the cardholder's perspective, there is a risk that the merchant inappropriately stores or uses the cardholder's payment card information (e.g., to defraud the customer, or to inadvertently allow the payment card information to be stolen or misused). On the Internet, it is difficult for consumers to know the reputation of the merchant they are transacting with.
Further, merchants are frequently exposed to high charge back risks. It is relatively easy for a cardholder to dispute online transactions and cause a charge back or return. Charge backs hurt merchants in lost sales, as well as higher interchange rates with their issuer or issuer processor. Further, high charge back rates can cause a merchant to lose their merchant account and their ability to accept payment cards.
It would be desirable to provide an ability to conduct "card present" types of transactions in online commerce.

Methods and systems for using physical payment cards in secure e-commerce transactions