Initial source and target models are divided into segments responsive to at least one segmentation rule. After changes, post-change source and target models are likewise divided. The at least one segmentation rule is defined responsive to at least one transformation rule such that use of the at least one segmentation rule divides initial source and target models into corresponding segments. Change statuses are identified regarding initial segments relative to post-change segments of the respective models responsive to comparing initial segments to post-change segments of the source model and initial segments to post-change segments of the target model. An indication of conflicts between the post-change source model and post-change target model is generated for presentation to a user or to a computer automated conflict settlement process. The generating is responsive to comparing the identified change statuses of the corresponding segments of the initial source model and initial target model.

In object-oriented technique field, Unified Modeling technique is one of the most important techniques currently in use. In 1997, Object Management Group (OMG) issued Unified Modeling Language (UML). UML is a modeling language having various functions and is well defined, easy to express, and widely used. Not only does it support object-oriented analysis and design, but also, and more importantly, it supports the whole procedure of software development beginning from demand analysis. One object of UML is to provide a development team with a universal design language to develop and construct computer applications. UML offers a set of unified standard modeling symbols, so that IT professionals can perform the modeling of computer applications. Using UML, the professionals can read and discuss system architectures and design layouts, like construction layouts used by architects for many years.
One reason that UML has become a "standard" for modeling language is that it is independent of program design language. Moreover, the UML symbol set is only a kind of language rather than methodology. This is critical, since a language differs from a methodology in that a language can easily fit some business operation of any company without any alteration. UML offers various types of model description figures. When these figures are used in a certain methodology, it makes the application program in development more easily understood. By representing a project with standard UML figures, a person skilled with UML may more easily understand the project and get in character. The common-used UML figures comprise: instance figure, class figure, sequence figure, status figure, activity figure, component figure, layout figure, and etc.
Taking the above as an example, high level models are transformed to low level models after their construction. Such a situation exists in the development process for various model-driven solutions. Then, the solution developer may change the transformed low level model by way of refinement, enhancement, optimization, and implementation. However, such changes in low level models usually cannot be reflected to high level models for the following reasons:
1) High level models and low level models are at different abstraction levels, so some low level changes are too trivial to be reflected to high level models.
2) For complex and large scale solution development, multiple solution developers are involved and the person taking charge of high level models is usually not those taking charge of low level models. Therefore, the latter might not communicate with the former about the changes to low level models.
3) Even if the above reason 2) is well-solved, reverse transformation of the changed low level models is needed. However, the reverse transformation is very difficult if not impossible.
Thus, it is seen from the above, there is a gap between the original high level models and the post-change low level models, i.e., low level models that have been changed after being created from original, high level models. Furthermore, with a change in requirements, original high level models have to be changed. Accordingly transformation should be done again to reflect the new changes to low level models.
The above description will be much clearer by referring to FIG. 1, for example. FIG. 1 illustrates the technical problem to be solved, wherein, s0 represents an original high level model (i.e., pre-change high level model), t0 represents the low level model transformed from s0 (i.e., pre-change low level model), s1 represents the post-change high level model by changing s0 according to requirements, t1 represents the post-change low level model by changing t0, and t2 represents the low level model newly generated by transforming s1 while including necessary changes in t1. It can be clearly seen, how to take the existing post-change low level model t1 into consideration while transforming s1, i.e., how to present conflicts between the changes in s1 and t1 and reconcile the changes in s1 and t1 to generate the new model t2, is a big challenge, in which the main difficulties are:
1) How to judge whether the changes on high level models conflict with those existing in the low level models?
2) How to implement the compatible changes on low level models in the newly generated low level models in retransformation?
Presently, solution developers can solve these problems manually. They retransform the post-change high level model s1 to a totally new low level model t2, compare the generated low level model t2 with the post-change low level model t1 to find conflicts and identify reusable model segments, and have the changes from t0 to t1 reflect manually to t2 to eliminate the conflicts. However, this manual method has the following two obvious disadvantages:
1) The manual method requires a lot of effort and time to analyze conflicts and copy compatible changes from a post-change low level model t1 to a newly generated low level model t2.
2) Veracity and consistency of manual conflict analysis is uncertain because it mainly relies on the solution developer himself, rather than the conflict in the model transformation itself.
Therefore, it is critical to provide a method and system for analyzing and presenting conflict in the model transformation and automatically reconciling model transformation, which reduces the efforts and difficulties to adjust solution for changing requirements, saves the cost and time brought by model-driven solution development method, and improves solution quality and stability.
For complying with well-known transformation related terms, the following uses the term 'source model' to denote a 'high level model', and the term 'target model' to denote a 'low level model'.
Although currently there is no method or system to support automatically reconciling model transformation, some related techniques exist, including but not limited to: 1) round trip engineering in Rational Software Architect (RSA); 2) model-code synchronization in Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF); and 3) incremental transformation. The techniques listed above will be compared and explained item by item below.
For round trip engineering in RSA, a UML model is originally automatically transformed into code and Global Unique Identification (GUID), a unique identification code created for a certain entity, such as a document, through a particular algorithm) of model element is written in the special comment of its corresponding code element to indicate the tracing relationship between them. In this way, changes in the UML model can be automatically reflected to its corresponding code and vice versa. This approach, however, is hard to apply to reconcilable model transformation, because using a GUID to indicate a tracing relationship is not powerful enough to support complex transformation wherein multiple source elements are transformed to multiple target elements.
EMF allows users to select whether to protect some existing code from being overwritten when regenerating a changed Ecore model to code. But to do this users must judge in advance which part of the code is not conflict with the changed Ecore model.
3. Details on incremental transformation can be obtained from "Instant and Incremental Transformation of Models" (Proceedings of the 19th IEEE ICASE, Linz, Austria, Sep. 2004) by Sven Johann, Alexander Egyed. The above article addresses incremental model transformation from source model to target model, wherein only changed source model elements are re-transformed and merged to a previous target model so as to save effort. However, this approach doesn't consider a situation in which a previous target model might be changed before re-transformation.

Method and system for analyzing and presenting conflicts in model transformation and automatically reconciling model transformation


A vehicular charging system is provided that includes a battery and a charger region. The system also includes a wireless charger for generating an electric charging signal in the charger region to charge the battery, and a plurality of sensors located to sense foreign objects and living beings in proximity to the charger region. The system further includes a controller for controlling the charger to at least reduce the charging signal when a foreign object or a living being is in proximity to the charger region. The controller may be configured to terminate the charging signal and/or activate an alarm element when a foreign object or a living being is in proximity to the charger region.

Battery operated electronic devices, such as cell phones, employ rechargeable batteries that must be recharged when the battery charge is depleted. Electric and hybrid vehicles also employ rechargeable batteries in their drive systems that must be recharged when the battery charge is depleted. Typically, electric-powered or electronic devices are physically connected to an electrical charger via a wire connection. The batteries employed in hybrid and electric vehicles are also typically connected to a charger via a wire connection. More recently, wireless charging devices, such as inductive chargers, have been developed to charge these batteries without any physical wire connection between the electronic receiver device or vehicle and the transmitter charging device.
Wireless chargers generate an electrical signal in the form of an electromagnetic field through the use of electromagnetic transducers to transfer the electric energy from the charging device to the battery or device having a battery being charged. Inductive chargers generate an electrical signal in the form of a magnetic field through the use of inductive coils to transfer the electric energy from the charging device to the battery in the device or vehicle having a battery being charged. Inductive chargers have been proposed for use in vehicles at various locations within the cockpit of the vehicle having a battery, typically near the driver and other passengers for the sake of convenience to allow easy access to the devices. Inductive chargers have also been proposed for use in charging batteries employed in the drive systems of hybrid and electric vehicles (e.g., battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)).
The electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by such inductive chargers may overlap with an occupant, pedestrian and/or foreign objects within or in proximity to the vehicle. The EMF associated with charging a battery used in the drive system of a hybrid or electric vehicle can be particularly high in energy. It is therefore desirable to provide a wireless charger within a vehicle, and wireless charging systems used with batteries employed in the drive system of electric and hybrid vehicles, in a safe manner. For example, it would be advantageous to minimize the exposure of electromagnetic fields to a user such as a driver and other passengers in the vehicle, and/or foreign objects or pedestrians in proximity to such chargers and systems.
Over the past decade, a rise in the cost of precious metals (e.g., platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold) has spurred an increase in thefts of catalytic converters used in vehicles. The catalytic converters used in most automobiles contain precious metals. Thieves have been known to physically remove catalytic converters from the underside of parked vehicles. The threat to vehicle dealerships is acute, as many dealerships possess hundreds of vehicles parked in showrooms and outdoor lots. Trucks, vans and SUVs are particularly vulnerable to catalytic converter theft as these vehicles sit high off of the ground. The replacement cost for a catalytic converter can exceed $1000, not including the costs associated with inoperability of the vehicle until repair.
Known approaches to deterring and/or preventing the theft of catalytic converters rely on devices and components that mechanically secure the converter to the vehicle. These devices and components may consist of a series of cables, clamps and the like designed to attach the converter to the vehicle in a configuration that cannot be readily removed by a would-be thief. These components and devices are fairly expensive and may approach $300, up to a third of the replacement cost of the catalytic converter. In addition, these mechanically-oriented catalytic converter theft deterrent and preventions systems can add appreciable weight to the vehicle with an adverse effect on fuel efficiency. Even if the thief or other would-be criminal is deterred from tampering with and/or stealing the catalytic converters afforded protection by these mechanical devices, these individuals may still inflict significant damage to the vehicle before being deterred. It is therefore desirable to provide catalytic converter protection systems that can deter would-be criminals from damaging and/or stealing these catalytic converter systems in the first instance, before such damage has been inflicted to the systems.


Existing software proposals for electronic payments can be divided into "on-line" schemes which require participation of a trusted party (the bank) in every transaction and are secure against overspending, and "off-line" schemes which do not require a third party and guarantee only that overspending is detected when vendors submit their transaction records to the bank (usually at the end of the day). A new "hybrid" scheme is proposed which combines the advantages of both "on-line" and "off-line" electronic payment schemes. It allows for control of overspending at a cost of only a modest increase in communication compared to the off-line schemes. The protocol is based on probabilistic polling. During each transaction, with some small probability, the vendor forwards information about this transaction to the bank. This enables the bank to maintain an accurate approximation of a customer's spending. The frequency of polling messages is related to the monetary value of transactions and the amount of overspending the bank is willing to risk. For transactions of high monetary value, the cost of polling approaches that of the on-line schemes, but for micropayments, the cost of polling is a small increase over the traffic incurred by the off-line schemes.

Typically, inexpensive items such as newspapers or candy bars are paid for in cash, since the costs of other payment systems, such as checks or credit cards, are too high for such small transactions. Electronic commerce is expected to lead to a dramatic growth in even smaller transactions, in some cases, transactions for less than a penny, such as purchases of individual news stories.
Most of the conventional electronic payment systems are inadequate for handling "micropayments" because of either computational or communications burdens. Therefore, a number of electronic micropayment systems have recently been developed (a list of references included in the Section 1, below provides citations to various conventional systems). While these systems do not provide all of the features of conventional electronic payment schemes, they are more efficient and provide adequate features for the small sums involved in micropayments.
The main problem for issuers of digital money is preventing "double spending" of legitimate digital currency. Although it is possible to verify who created a particular document, a basic problem with all electronic payment systems is that bits are easy to copy.
One class of electronic payment systems rely on tamper-resistant devices which prevent double spending by keeping users from duplicating those devices or from modifying the software in them. The disadvantage of these systems is that they require special hardware, and if the chips are reverse-engineered, the issuers could face a disastrous loss.
A second class of systems, on-line software-only electronic payment systems, can be secure if they are "fully" on-line such that the issuer participates in each transaction (such as in the iKP or NetCheque systems). However, these systems are typically unacceptable in micropayment situations, since the computational and communication requirements that they impose are excessive when a purchase costs only a fraction of a penny.
A third class of systems, off-line digital certificate systems, applicable to micropayment schemes, have been proposed to reduce the computational and communication requirements described above (e.g., NetCard, PayTree, PayWord, etc.). In each of these systems however, in order to make purchases from vendors, a customer must receive a digital certificate from a bank or some other financial intermediary. Each of these systems therefore either expose the issuer of the certificate to large losses, or, limit the users flexibility. The issuer is exposed to losses when the user spends up to a total limit assigned to that user at each of, for example, 10,000 vendors. While such losses can be prevented if the customer is required to obtain a separate certificate for each vendor she intends to deal with, these certificates must then sum up to no more than the customer's bank account balance. Similarly, the system may prevent overspending by "freezing" in the customer's account the maximal amount that the customer can spend with a given vendor. However, both of these solutions would be unacceptably restrictive when a customer wants to deal with any of thousands of online vendors and can not know beforehand how much she might spend with each vendor.
Accordingly, it is submitted that each of the above-outlined conventional approaches of tamper-resistant devices, fully on-line payment systems and off-line digital certificate systems is inadequate in low-priced transactions via electronic commerce.


Silver is able to be recovered from a photographic fixing solution by circulating the solution through a unit separate from, but connected to, a main unit. In the separate unit the solution is subjected to electrolysis by anodic and cathodic electrodes. The density of the current is limited to 100A/m.sup.2 and the voltage is controlled up to a maximum of 1.4V. The supply of current and voltage is self-regulating within these limits so that no deposits of sulphide from the solution being treated occurs.

For both economic and environmental purposes it is necessary to recover silver which goes into solution in a photographic fixing process. In economic terms it is desirable to recover the maximum amount of silver from the solution which is absorbed into the solution during the fixing of photographic films and plates. The silver thus obtained is able to be re-cycled and used further in photographic processes.
It is also necessary to ensure that any discharge from photographic processing equipment into the public utility sewage and river disposal areas are such that the effluent is substantially non-polluting and meets the standards set by the utility authorities. As far as silver is concerned, it is very necessary to ensure that the silver level is kept to an absolute minimum since the presence of silver in solution can have a poisonous effect on both plant and animal life.
There are basically two known methods of recovering silver from photographic fixing solutions. The first of these is a metal-exchange system of the type such as is marketed by the Applicants, which is usually placed between the overflow from a photographic processor and a drain. One typical example of such a metal-exchange unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,716, where steel wool is used as an anode and the iron ions pass out of the steel wool into solution to replace the silver ions which are plated onto a cathode. It is necessary in this system for the electrolyte to be monitored to ensure that the silver content does not rise above a predetermined low level which would seriously affect the standard of effluent discharged into the drain. When a rise in level of silver in the effluent is detected, the process has to be stopped and the unit is disconnected and sent off for refining.
The second method which can be used is that of an electrolytic silver recovery method where no metal exchange takes place, but silver from the solution is plated onto a cathodic electrode. It is very necessary to be able to control the electrolytic method to ensure that no action takes place which causes sulphiding. Sulphiding is where a sulphide of silver is caused to deposit from the electrolyte which would destroy the fixer solution itself and reduce the quality of the plated silver.
It has been recognised previously that extremely accurate control of the electrolysis conditions are necessary if sulphiding is to be avoided. For example, suggestions have been made in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,108 to take samples of the cell condition periodically when the cell is in a zero current state and to apply a reference voltage and to monitor this voltage so that sulphiding is minimised. This requires an interruption in the plating process periodically.
A further silver recovery process using anodic and cathodic tanks separated by a diaphragm is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,766. In this patent used solution from an overflow tank is fed to the anodic and cathodic tanks and subjected, on a batch basis, to electrolytic treatment.
An alternative suggestion has been made in U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,456 to provide a control electrode of pure carbon which provides a constant reference voltage.
It has been proposed that the electrolysis takes place in the main processing tank and that removable rotating cathodes are used. The purpose of the rotating cathode is to ensure that fresh fixing solution is properly circulated to the cathodic electrodes and that there are no areas of low concentration of silver or high concentration of sulphide created in the solution and that the whole solution is subject to treatment.
If the whole of the solution is being treated in the main fixing tank the electrodes, be they rotating or fixed, have periodically to be removed from the tank and sent away to a processing unit for recovery of the silver from them. It is better if any handling of fixer-coated electrodes is avoided.
Furthermore, it is necessary to check the concentration of the silver in the solution in the main fixing tank periodically which can mean either interrupting the process to take measurements or to operate a logging system to ensure that the number of films or area of film material treated does not become too high for the fixing solution to work effectively.

Method for recovering silver from a photographic fixing solution


A pad for an air bag apparatus is provided which assures that a part of the pad between a breakage portion and a side wall portion is not scattered away in pieces when the air bag expands. The pad includes an upper wall portion and side wall portions extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall portion. Cover portions adapted to be opened upon breakage of a breakage portion at the time of expansion of the air bag are formed over the upper wall portion. A predetermined number of vertically extending triangular plate-shaped ribs are integrally molded with the upper wall portion and the side wall portions along the periphery of the breakage portion and extend from the side wall portions to the breakage portion.

The present invention relates to a molded synthetic resin pad for an air bag apparatus arranged on an instrument panel or the like located within a steering wheel or in front of the passenger's seat of an automobile.
A conventional pad of the foregoing type for an air bag apparatus includes as essential components an upper wall portion for surrounding the periphery of an air bag, and a side wall portion extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall portion. The upper wall portion includes cover portions adapted to be opened upon breakage of a breakage portion at the time of expansion of the air bag.
An example of the breakage portion as mentioned above is disclosed in an official gazette of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 63-189956. According to the conventional device, the breakage portion usually includes two center line portions formed at the central part of an upper wall portion of a pad while extending in the leftward/rightward direction and two side line portions extending from the opposite ends of the center line portions at a right angle relative to the center line portions, as seen from above.
With the pad constructed in the above-described manner, two cover portions, with the central line portions of the prospective breakage portion defined by the left-hand and right-hand side line portions located therebetween, are opened at the time of expansion of an air bag.
Since the conventional pad is constructed in the above-described manner, when a considerably long distance exists between the side line portions of the breakage portion and the side wall portion below the lower surface of the pad, there is a possibility that a part of the pad located between the breakage portion and the side wall portion will scatter away in pieces as the cover portions are opened upon breakage of the breakage portion when the air bag is expanded.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the foregoing background and its object resides in providing a pad for an air bag apparatus which prevents the malfunction that a part of the pad located between a breakage portion and a side wall portion will scatter away in pieces when the air bag is expanded.


Readily castable high density polyethylene (HDPE) films, preferably containing broad molecular weight distribution HDPE resin having treated upper skin layers and untreated lower skin layers, preferably coextruded, on each side. The treated upper skin layer is derived from a polymer, e.g., ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer, and the lower skin layer is derived from a polymer such as ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer and LDPE compounded with silicone oil. Such skin layers provide a film which is readily castable while maintaining the desirable properties of HDPE including dead fold, twist retention, TD tear and moisture barrier. The films are cast, and oriented in the solid state up to about two times in the machine direction and six times or more in the transverse direction to give films having good dead-fold characteristics making them highly suited for packaging, particularly for dry foods.

Blown films of HDPE having an ethylene-vinyl acetate heat seal coating are used for food packaging but such films must have a thickness of about two mils to meet the water vapor transmission (WVTR) requirements for packaging suitable for dry foods such as cereals. Moreover, blown HDPE films do not exhibit the dead-fold properties desirable in food packages particularly of the bag-in-box type.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,870,122 and 4,916,025 (Lu) describe HDPE films which have good WVTR properties at film thicknesses of about one mil. The films are produced from high density polyethylene (HDPE) having a density of 0.96 or higher and are biaxially oriented in an imbalanced manner to a degree of about 1.25:1 to about 2:1 in the machine direction (MD) and to a degree of about 6:1 to about 12:1 in the transverse direction (TD). These films have reduced water vapor transmission (WVTR), improved dead-fold characteristics and other physical characteristics which are markedly better than blown HDPE films which can be further improved by the addition of microcrystalline wax. When provided with a heat seal layer by co-extrusion or coating, the films are particularly well suited for use in packaging foods in bag-in-box operations conducted on vertical, form, fill and seal (VFFS) machinery. While the imbalanced orientation confers the desired overall combination of properties on the film, the high degree of orientation in the transverse direction tends to make the film weak in this direction so that it tears relatively easily.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,343,852, 4,400,428, 4,419,411, 4,502,263, 4,692,379, and 4,734,317, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose films having a base layer of polypropylene polymers and sealable skin layers on one or more sides of the base layer. However, these structures do not comprise HDPE base layer and typically lack good deadfold properties while having higher water vapor transmission rates associated with polypropylene. Given the differences between polypropylene and HDPE, e.g., in melting point (348.degree. F. for PP, 279.degree. F. for HDPE), processing polypropylene films requires different extrusion temperature, extruder screw design, die design draw down ratio, machine direction orientation temperature and percent, as well as transverse direction orientation temperature and rate.


Systems and methods for evaluating electrical characteristics of a transmitter in real time are provided. A particular system includes a code generator configured to generate reference code and test code. The reference code and test code both include a plurality of frames of data. The code generator is further configured to output the reference code at a first rate and to output the test code at a second rate that is different than the first rate. The system also includes a modulator configured to modulate the reference code into a first modulated code. The system further includes a correlator configured to correlate the first modulated code with test code that has been modulated and transmitted by a transmitter as a second modulated code.

It is often desirable to evaluate capabilities and electrical characteristics of electrical equipment, such as transmitters. Such an evaluation can provide an indication of the operating condition of the equipment. When the equipment being tested is a transmitter, an evaluation of the transmitter's electrical characteristics typically involves correlation of a reference signal with data and a signal that is being transmitted by the transmitter.
An example of such a correlation is cross-correlation. As is known, cross-correlation is a standard method of estimating the degree to which two series of data are correlated. For two series x(i) and y(i), where i=0, 1, 2, . . . n−1 and mx and my are means of the correspondence series, the cross-correlation r is given by the formula:
  r  =                              ∑          i                                              [                                          x                                                  (                  i                  )                                            -              mx                        )                    *                      (                                          y                                                  (                                      i                    -                    d                                    )                                            -              my                        )                              ]                                ∑          i                                                            (                                                x                                                        (                    i                    )                                                  -                mx                            )                        2                                                                                ∑                      i                                                                                y                                                                    (                                                  i                          -                          d                                                )                                                                              -                  my                                )                            2
In equation (1), the term "d" represent the group delay between the comparing signals. For this application, the latency between the reference signal and the received data streams is d=0. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary graph 10 of correlation of two series of data. A first series of data is a pulse 12, and a second series of data is a pulse 14. Correlation of the pulses 12 and 14 is shown in a correlation series 16. It will be appreciated that the pulse 14 is being "slid" past the pulse 12. At each shift, the sum of the product of the newly lined-up terms in the series is solved. The sum is large when the delay shift is such that similar structures line up or coincide. In the exemplary graph 10, maximum correlation is achieved for a delay of 3—that is, when the pulses 12 and 14 line up or coincide with each other. As is also known, maximum correlation is normalized to a value +1 and an anti-correlation normalizes to a value of −1.
Current methods of determining electrical characteristics using cross-correlation techniques employ manual derivation of electrical characteristics. Another current method entails extensive post-processing of the transmitted signal.
In the current methods, once the delays are encountered, therefore, any transmitter problems will not be known while the transmitter is in use. As such, the transmitter can be used with faults that are unknown, because the transmitter cannot be tested until after a lengthy delay.
It would therefore be desirable to evaluate a transmitter's capabilities and electrical characteristics in real-time. However, there is an unmet need in the art for evaluating a transmitter's capabilities and electrical characteristics in real time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Real time dynamic correlator for evaluating electrical characteristics of a transmitter


A method implemented by an electronic entity including a nonvolatile rewritable memory and a read-only memory, the method comprising: reception of at least one write command for writing to the nonvolatile memory, and en response to the command, writing configuration data to the nonvolatile memory, wherein the configuration data are obtained based on so-called prerecorded data read in the read-only memory.

The present invention relates to the configuration of electronic entities such as microcircuit cards for example, also called "chip cards", and relates more particularly to the pre-issuance and/or issuance steps implemented following fabrication of a microcircuit card.
Such microcircuit cards are used in many fields of application (telecommunications, banking applications . . . ). They can in particular allow their bearers to gain access to their bank accounts, to carry out payment transactions or even to authenticate themselves using a card reader.
FIG. 1 shows schematically the hardware architecture of a conventional microcircuit card 100.
More particularly, the microcircuit card 100 includes a microcontroller 102 comprising a processor 104, a read-only memory (or ROM) 106, a nonvolatile rewritable memory 108, an input/output port 110 and a volatile rewritable memory (or RAM) 112. The different elements of the microcontroller are interconnected by a bidirectional bus.
In the example considered here, the nonvolatile rewritable memory 108 is an EEPROM type memory.
In the first place, it is worth recalling that data are generally placed in the read-only memory 106 by the integrated circuit manufacturer during the manufacture of the microcontroller 102. Typically, the manufacturer writes appropriate data directly into the patterns of the memory layers of the ROM 106. These data include, for example the operating system OS of the microcontroller, as well as a boot script.
Further, in known fashion, once the manufacture of the microcircuit card 100 is finished, it is necessary to configure the card, that is to store so-called configuration data in the EEPROM memory 108 of the microcontroller 102 in order to make the card operational. The storage of these configuration data in the EEPROM memory 108 is carried out in two successive steps called pre-issuance and issuance.
A pre-issuance step consists of configuring the microcontroller 102 of the card 100 by storing various pre-issuance data in the EEPROM memory 108. Typically, this pre-issuance step makes it possible in particular:
to select, among the applications stored in advance in the read-only memory 106, those which will be active on the card 100 once it is operational. For example, in the field of banking applications, it is possible to activate a banking application of the Visa or MasterCard type. In the field of personal identification, it is also possible to configure the EEPROM memory so as to activate a "passport" or "driver's license" application;
to configure the selected application(s) (to select for example the protocol to be used: BAC, EAC . . . );
to select the speed at which the microcontroller 102 communicates with a compatible reader;
to select the operating speed of the processor 104;
to select the size limit of the EEPROM memory 108.
After the pre-issuance step, a step consisting of customizing, the card 100 is generally carried out. During this step, issuance data are stored in the EEPROM memory 108 of the microcontroller 102. issuance data consist of personal data of the final bearer of the card 100. They include for example at least one of the following data:                family name;        given name;        date of birth;        photo of the bearer,        card number,        cryptographic key of the card . . . .
Most often, the issuance step includes in addition the creation of a file tree in the EEPROM memory 108.
Writing the pre-issuance, then the issuance data to the EEPROM memory 108 is accomplished by means of a microcircuit card reader. Typically, this card reader sends a succession of write commands to the microcontroller 102 during the pre-issuance and issuance steps. These commands contain data which the microcontroller 102 must write into the EEPROM memory 108.
Generally, these write commands are of the APDU (Application Protocol Data Unit) type complying with ISO standard 7816-4.
One of the principal APDU commands used during a pre-issuance step is the PUT DATA command.
Moreover, the principal APDU commands used during issuance are: CREATE FILE and UPDATE BINARY.
In a PUT DATA or UPDATE BINARY command, the data to be written are contained in the data field "Command Data Field" of the command. Likewise, in a CREATE FILE command, the file name (EFID per ISO 7816), the file size and the conditions for gaining access to the file in question are contained in the data field "Command Data Field" of the command.
Thus, the microcontroller 102 generally receives tens of APDU commands during the pre-issuance and issuance steps, each of these write commands requiring the writing of particular data (of a byte for example) to the EEPROM memory 108.
In general, the executable program of the read-only memory 106 implemented by the microcontroller 102 when an APDU command is received appears as follows:
S100: Checking whether authentication of the card reader by the card 100 has been successfully accomplished (implementation of the GET CHALLENGE and/or MUTUAL AUTH commands, for example . . . );
S110: Checking the authorization associated with the received APDU command, for example:
                S111. Checking that the current state of the card 100 allows the implementation of the received APDU command (the PUT DATA, CREATE FILE and UPDATE BINARY commands are generally only authorized in the card pre-issuance and/or issuance phases).        S112. Checking that, according to the authorization accomplished in step 100, the received APDU command can in fact be executed by the card.S120: Actual call of the APDU function received. This step can include in particular:        S121. Checking the integrity of the received APDU command. Typically, a signature of the APDU command is checked (MAC type signature, for example).        In general, to limit the execution time of this step, an identical session key is used for several APDU commands.        S122. Decrypting the configuration data to be written (to guarantee the confidentiality of the operation).        S123. Copying the data to be written into a memory buffer of the RAM memory 112 dedicated to writing to the EEPROM memory 108.        S124. Call to the driver of the EEPROM memory 108 to write the content of said memory buffer into the EEPROM memory 108.
It should also be noted that, for each APDU command received, the microcontroller 102 must perform protocol processing (also called "protocol overhead"). This protocol processing includes, for example the checking by the microcontroller 102 of the CRC of a received APDU command.
Moreover, it is possible in some cases to proceed with a reconfiguration of the microcircuit card 100 after the issuance step, that is once the card is operational. Such a configuration corresponds to a post-issuance step, that is a configuration step subsequent to the issuance phase.
A post-issuance step makes it possible to modify the configuration of a microcircuit card in order, for example, to change the personal data or the directory and file tree in the card.
The Applicant, however, has observed that the configuration of a microcircuit card during the pre-issuance, issuance and post-issuance steps exhibits a major drawback in that it necessitates a particularly long execution time.
Indeed, as indicated above, for each APDU command received, the microcontroller 102 must perform a number of processing operations (authentication of the sender, encryption of the data to be written, verification of the integrity of the commands received, call to the write driver of the EEPROM memory 108 . . . ). Each of these operations requires a non-negligible execution time. Given the large number of APDU commands generally received by the microcontroller 102 during the pre-issuance and issuance steps, it is understandable that the configuration of the card 100 can be particularly costly in terms of time.
In practice, the manufacture of microcircuit cards is in fact subject to very strict time constraints during the micro card fabrication and configuration phases. Hence the greater the execution time required by the pre-issuance and issuance steps, the greater the cost of the microcircuit cards.
The Applicant has of course noted that it would be possible to increase the quantity of data contained in each APDU command sent to a card to be configured. However, increasing the data in the APDU command data field would considerably slow the processing to be carried out by the microcircuit card.

Configuration method for an electronic entity


A two stage rotary concentrator takes the gas from the first stage desorption section and passes it back into a second stage concentrator process. A second stage desorption gas is passed over the rotary concentrator in a second stage desorption section. The gas from the second stage desorption section may then be passed for final treatment. The invention greatly reduces the volume of air which must be sent for final treatment.

This invention relates to a rotary concentrator, wherein the volume of polluted air sent for final treatment is drastically reduced compared to the prior art.
The removal of pollutants in industrial air streams has caused the development of many pollution control devices. One commonly used device is a rotary concentrator. A rotary concentrator is basically a rotating adsorbent element. The element can be formed as either a disc or cylinder shape. Known adsorbents such as zeolites, or activated carbon are utilized in the rotating element.
Industrial air streams carrying impurities or pollutants are passed over the disk in a process cleaning stage, and the adsorbent material removes the impurities. A relatively clean air then leaves the disk. As the disk rotates, it passes through a desorption stage. Typically, the desorption stage occurs only over a very limited portion of the rotary cycle for the concentrator. Appropriate ducting blocks the gas to be cleaned from passing over the disk as it moves through the desorption stage. A hot gas is passed over the disk in the desorption stage to remove the impurities which have previously been deposited. Typically, the hot gas moves in the opposed direction over the disk to the direction taken by the gas to be cleaned.
The desorption air removes impurities such that the disk can leave the desorption section relatively clean of impurities. The disk is thus ready to remove additional impurities from gas as it moves out of the desorption stage and back into the process cleaning stage. In some cases the disc is cooled between the desorption and adsorption steps.
The desorption gas which leaves the desorption section carrying the pollutants is then sent to a final treatment stage wherein the pollutants are removed. The final treatment stage typically includes relatively expensive equipment when compared to the cost of the rotary concentrator. By utilizing the rotary concentrator, a much smaller volume of gas must be passed to the final control device.


An electrode for dielectric barrier discharge treatment of a substrate includes a tubular housing that is made of electrically insulating material and has a bottom wall facing the substrate, two side walls extending away from the substrate, and a top wall connecting the distal ends of the side walls. The electrode further includes an electrically conductive electrode member disposed inside the housing and having a plate that engages an internal surface of the bottom wall of the housing. The electrode has two wings formed in one piece with the plate and engaging internal surfaces of the side walls of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode for dielectric barrier discharge treatment of a substrate, the electrode comprising a tubular housing that is made of electrically insulating material and having a bottom wall facing the substrate, two side walls extending away from the substrate, and a top wall connecting the distal ends of the side walls. The electrode further comprises an electrically conductive electrode member disposed inside the housing and having a plate that engages an internal surface of the bottom wall of the housing and two wings formed in one piece with the plate and engaging internal surfaces of the side walls of the housing.
2. Background of the Invention
A dielectric barrier discharge treatment such as a plasma treatment or corona treatment is frequently employed for modifying the surface tension of a substrate in order to improve, for example, the adhesion of a coating layer, an ink layer or the like that is to be applied to the surface of the substrate.
EP 0 621 667 A2 shows an electrode of the type mentioned above, wherein the electrode member is tubular and water cooled, and the housing is formed by a ceramic coating on the electrode member.
EP 1 919 048 A1 discloses a corona electrode, wherein the housing is made of ceramic material and the electrode is configured as a flat plate that engages the bottom wall of the housing and extends between the opposite side walls of the housing.
When an electrode having this design is to be employed for plasma treatment, a high voltage with high frequency is applied to the electrode member, thereby creating an oscillating electric field that excites a gaseous medium (ambient air or a suitable treatment gas) that is present in the space between the electrode and the surface of the substrate to be treated, so that the gaseous medium is turned into a plasma. In the process of generating the plasma, a considerable amount of heat is generated inside the electrode plate. It is thereby necessary to cool the electrode in order to prevent the ceramic housing from being over-heated.
In order to control the temperature of the electrode, it is possible to circulate a cooling medium, e.g. air, through the tubular housing.

Electrode for dielectric barrier discharge treatment of a substrate


A method of operating a drop generating printhead including heating the printhead, providing melted phase change ink to the printhead, allowing the printhead to cool, and while the printhead is cooling, pressurizing the phase change ink in the printhead with a pressure that is sufficient to substantially maintain meniscuses at the outlets of the nozzles of the printhead as the phase change ink in the printhead solidifies. Also disclosed is a method of operating a drop generating printhead including heating the printhead, and pressurizing solidified phase change ink in the printhead with a pressure that is sufficient to substantially maintain meniscuses at the outlets of the nozzles of the printhead as the phase change ink in the printhead melts.

The subject disclosure is generally directed to ink jet printing, and more particularly to ink jet printing apparatus that includes an ink supply cable having a plurality of ink channels and an air channel.
Drop on demand ink jet technology for producing printed media has been employed in commercial products such as printers, plotters, and facsimile machines. Generally, an ink jet image is formed by selective placement on a receiver surface of ink drops emitted by a plurality of drop generators implemented in a printhead or a printhead assembly. For example, the printhead assembly and the receiver surface are caused to move relative to each other, and drop generators are controlled to emit drops at appropriate times, for example by an appropriate controller. The receiver surface can be a transfer surface or a print medium such as paper. In the case of a transfer surface, the image printed thereon is subsequently transferred to an output print medium such as paper. Some ink jet printheads employ melted solid or phase change ink.

Pressurizing a heatable printhead while it cools


The invention provides a method for constructing a zoom path between a predetermined viewing point Pn+1 in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space and a target point P0 in the 3D space, and for zooming in or zooming out along the zoom path. The target point is assigned control points in the 3D space, and the zoom path of the invention is nonlinear and passes through at least one of the control points. During zooming, the viewing direction is continuously selected to provide an aesthetically acceptable zooming effect.

Computer screens and other two-dimensional (2D) surfaces are commonly used for displaying 2D visual content such as a page of text, a diagram or a website page. Some forms of visual content contain two or more content forms, such as a page consisting of text and diagrams, or a website page containing information related to the site and unrelated advertising. Usually, only one page is displayed on a screen at a time and the page is confined to the boundaries of the screen. The different elements in a page must therefore compete with each other for space and the viewer's attention, even if they are related to each other. Existing website pages are therefore generally overcrowded by advertising and this is the major reason why Internet advertising is considered ineffective.
When pages are displayed in this way, changing a displayed page (known as browsing or navigating) is a discontinuous process wherein an initially displayed page is removed from the screen and a second page is subsequently displayed. The ability to view only one page at a time makes it difficult for a viewer to know his location at a website and also creates uncertainty while navigating through the site. Changes in the size of a page are also done in discrete steps, and a return to the browser is required for each step change.
An alternative method for displaying visual content on a screen involves arranging several pages in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space and projecting a portion of the 3D space onto a 2D surface. With this method of displaying visual content, a viewer may continuously navigate from page to page. Methods of displaying visual content in a three dimensional space, and browsing the visual content in the space are disclosed, for example, in Applicant's copending US 20020176636, Robertson et al (Data Mountain: using Spatial memory for document Management), and Robertson et al (Task Gallery: a 3D Window Manager)
Several projections are known for projecting the 3D space onto the 2D surface Applicant's US 20020176636, for example, discloses projecting the 3D space onto a viewing surface using a single perspective projection. In this case, visual content is positioned in the 3D space with at least one page positioned in a plane, referred to as the "base plane". A viewpoint and a viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint are selected from which to view a portion of the 3D space, including a portion of the base plane. Once the viewing ray has been selected, the viewing surface is positioned in the 3D space so that it intersects the viewing ray at a predetermined distance from the viewpoint. The viewpoint and viewing surface define a pyramid consisting of the set of rays having the viewpoint as vertex and passing through a point on the edge of the viewing surface. The portion of the 3D space located in the frustum of the pyramid determined by the viewing surface (referred to as the "viewing space") is perspectively projected onto the viewing surface. The projection of the 3D space onto the viewing surface is then displayed on a display device such as a computer screen, television or a head mounted display for stereo viewing.
Browsing the visual content in the 3D space involves changing the view of the 3D space, so as to make the visual content more amenable to viewing. This is typically done by the user using a computer input device, such as, mouse or keyboard. Applicant's US 20020176636 discloses changing the perspective continuously (for example 20 to 30 times per second). Continuously changing the perspective creates an impression of smooth gliding through the 3D space over the base plane. The user may zoom into a page for closer inspection, or zoom out from a page.
Moving the view point in a 3D virtual space towards a target point in the 3D space is referred to herein as "zooming in" on the target point. Moving the view point in the 3D space away from a target point in the 3D space is referred to herein as "zooming out" from the target point. As used herein, the term "zooming" includes zooming in and zooming out. Zooming requires generating a zoom path between the target point and a predetermined viewpoint.

Method and system for browsing visual content displayed in a virtual three-dimensional space


A package reclosure label has a paper base label which is secured by a pressure-sensitive adhesive to the package. A tear resistant synthetic top sheet has a first end permanently adhered to the base sheet and extends beyond the far end of the base sheet to a second end which is secured by a resealable adhesive directly to the package. A generally unadhered central portion of the top sheet is also releasably adhered to the base sheet. The package is reclosed by folding over its open flap and adhering the first end of the top sheet to the flap. The labels are provided for application to packages side-by-side in multitude on a continuous release liner, with the pressure sensitive adhesive of the base sheet and the resealable adhesive of the second end of the top sheet mounting the labels to the liner in production of the labels and prior to application of the labels to packages.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a label which is adhered to the exterior of a product bag for holding the open top of the bag reclosed after the bag is opened.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
As is well-known, it is often desirable to reclose the top of a bag after it has been opened. For example, a bag of coffee, potato chips or other food may be opened and less than all of the entire contents removed. To preserve the contents, the top of the bag is usually folded over on itself one or more times and resealed with a clothes pin, a special purpose package closing clip or clamp, or a resealable adhesive strip. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,153,310; 3,946,507; 4,622,799; 4,902,141; and 5,366,087.
A need exists for a package reclosure label which can be inexpensively manufactured, easily applied in automated package production operations, does not interfere with distribution or handling of the package prior to consumer purchase, is easy and durable for the consumer to use, does not unduly obscure the package, and provides promotion opportunities.


An electrochemical gas probe capable of measuring an amount of gas in a molten metal. The probe comprises a sensing unit that includes a reference electrode, a sensing electrode, a solid-state reference mixture adjacent to the reference electrode, and a conductor between the reference electrode and a sensing electrode. The probe also comprises a supporting unit that includes a main support, a protection cover and a stabilizing material, wherein the stabilizing material is between the sensing unit and the protection cover of the supporting unit. By using a solid-state reference material, the change of hydrogen content in molten aluminum may be conveniently monitored during a degassing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrochemical probe, and more particularly, to an electrochemical hydrogen probe having a solid-state reference electrode, which measures the amount of dissolved hydrogen in molten aluminum (Al).
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There are many ways of fabricating aluminum (Al) products, such as casting, forging and sintering aluminum powders. Among them, casting is the most popular and cheapest way of fabricating aluminum products. During the casting process, however, hydrogen is inevitably trapped in the aluminum products by a dissociation reaction of moisture in the air, where oxygen is captured by the aluminum to form aluminum oxide. Due to the large difference in the solubility of hydrogen between solid aluminum and liquid aluminum (hydrogen dissolves in liquid aluminum about 10 to 20 times more than in solid phase aluminum), dissolved hydrogen accumulates and forms voids or porosities in the final products. These defects can cause a reduction in mechanical strength and adversely affect the appearance of the final products. Therefore, the aluminum foundry industry generally employs a degassing process to remove hydrogen in molten aluminum. Since the amount of dissolved hydrogen depends on alloying elements and the level of humidity in the environment, the duration of the degassing process has to be changed from time to time in order to maintain a constant hydrogen level in molten aluminum, and hydrogen probes are an essential tool for the in-situ monitoring of hydrogen content in molten aluminum during the degassing process.
Conventional methods for measuring hydrogen content in molten aluminum may involve cutting final casting products to check the fraction of voids appearing in the cross-section of solidified aluminum ingots, which are formed by dissolved hydrogen, or involve analyzing the concentration of hydrogen in the gas which is equilibrated with argon (Ar) bubbled through the melt. The destructive nature of the former test gives rise to a sluggish throughput with a high cost of measurement. The latter needs a gas bubbling system, which also results in similar disadvantages as the former test. Alternatively, there exists an electrochemical method using a solid electrolyte for measuring hydrogen content in molten aluminum. However, this method uses a gas reference instead of a solid reference, which requires the use of a standard gas tank whenever measurements are made. Thus, this electrochemical method is inconvenient and it increases measurement costs due to the expense associated with the use of standard gas.
The conventional electrochemical sensors that use the principle of a concentration galvanic cell can measure oxygen content in molten steel or hydrogen content in molten aluminum. However, they also require a reference electrode that is in contact with a standard gas with a known gas concentration. For example, an oxygen probe in the steel industry uses air containing 0.21 atm-oxygen as a standard gas. In this way, the chemical potential of a detecting gas is set at the reference electrode to a constant value, whereby the measured electromotive force (EMF) becomes proportional to the gas content at the sensing electrode that is in contact with a gas to be detected.
Thus, most galvanic cell type gas sensors that include a hydrogen probe need a gas reference, which is inconvenient as a standard gas mixture is needed. Moreover, such gas sensors increase measurement costs due to the use of expensive standard gas.
Replacement of the gas reference with a solid phase mixture can solve the inconveniences arising from the conventional structure of the electrochemical hydrogen sensor of the galvanic cell structure. The adoption of such a solid-state reference can simplify the sensor structure, because it can be easily installed within the sensing element, but such problems as instability and gas leakage remain.
In the aluminum foundry industry, controlling the amount of hydrogen dissolved in molten aluminum is one of the most important quality control issues. As described above, conventional hydrogen measuring devices have problems such as large size, inconvenience of testing and high cost of maintenance.

Solid-state electrochemical hydrogen probe for the measurement of hydrogen content in the molten aluminum


A pair of resilient contacts 12 facing each other are made into a C shape. The base end of each contact 12 connects to a tubular member 11. In this manner, the contact 12 has a strengthening wall 13 formed along the direction of bending. Thus when a male terminal fitting C is inserted between the contacts 12, the strengthening walls 13 bend in a direction that is parallel to the wall face and consequently an increased clamping force can be provided notwithstanding that the thickness of the terminal material is not great. Miniaturization of the terminal is facilitated.

Female terminal fittings of the type shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 of this specification are well known. This type of female terminal fitting comprises a main body 1 formed by bending from a thin electrically conducting metal plate, and a stainless steel protecting cover 2 that covers the main body 1. The main body 1 is formed so as to have an insertion aperture 3 into which a corresponding male terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted, the insertion aperture 3 being connected to a barrel member 4 which is located posteriorly to the insertion aperture 3 and which allows the connection of an electric wire terminal thereto. The insertion aperture 3 has a pair of resilient contacts 6 formed by extending longitudinal side walls 5 in an anterior direction, the side walls 5 being provided so as to face each other on the left and right sides (the upper and lower sides in FIG. 15). The male terminal fitting is inserted between the resilient contacts 6 and forces them apart.
However, the resilient force of the contacts is determined by the plate thickness of the portion connecting with the side walls, and in the case where this portion is thin, it is not possible to maintain a sufficient contact pressure with respect to the male terminal fitting. In particular, along with the increased desirability of miniaturization of the connector, it becomes necessary to reduce this portion's thickness in correspondence with the plate material thickness of the female terminal fitting. For this reason, it becomes very difficult to maintain a sufficient contact pressure with respect to the male terminal fitting.
The present invention has been developed after taking the above problem into consideration, and aims to provide a female terminal fitting wherein a pair of resilient contacts provided thereon give an increased contact pressure.


A catheter system includes a mapping catheter having an open lumen and a mapping arrangement provided at a distal end of the mapping catheter. A balloon catheter is movably disposed within the open lumen of the mapping catheter. The balloon catheter has an open lumen dimensioned to receive a lead. A balloon arrangement is provided at a distal end of the balloon catheter and inflatable with an inflation mechanism provided at a proximal end of the balloon catheter. The balloon arrangement is dimensioned to prevent movement of the lead upon inflation of the balloon arrangement, and to permit movement of the lead within the open lumen of the balloon catheter upon deflation of the balloon arrangement.

Implantable cardiac rhythm management systems have been used as an effective treatment for patients with serious arrhythmias. These systems typically include one or more leads and circuitry to sense signals from one or more interior and/or exterior surfaces of the heart. Such systems also include circuitry for generating electrical pulses that are applied to cardiac tissue at one or more interior and/or exterior surfaces of the heart. For example, leads extending into the patient's heart are connected to electrodes that contact the myocardium for monitoring the heart's electrical signals and for delivering pulses to the heart in accordance with various therapies for treating arrhythmias.
Typical implantable cardioverter/defibrillators (ICDs) include one or more endocardial leads to which at least one defibrillation electrode is connected. Such ICDs are capable of pacing and/or delivering high-energy shocks to the heart, interrupting ventricular tachyarrhythmias or ventricular fibrillation, and allowing the heart to resume normal sinus rhythm.
An electrode of a typical endocardial lead is often implanted at an apical location within the heart. While apical placement is performed readily, it is often desirable to place leads at other locations, such as at the septum or along an outflow tract. Current systems and methods may not provide sufficient precision and capability for septal electrode placement desirable for optimum performance and improved patient outcome.

Catheter lead placement system and method


A drainage receptacle support system for use by a post operative patient. The support device includes an adjustable belt and a plurality of pockets for individually receiving a drainage receptacle. A loop is provided on the back of the pockets for slidably receiving the belt, so that the pockets may be positioned directly underneath an insertion point for the drainage tubes. The loop is positioned so that the pockets are held in a generally upright position. Preferably the support device is lightweight and washable, and the pockets and the loop include padding to distribute the weight of the receptacle.

This invention relates to post surgical drain receptacle supports, and more particularly to drain receptacle supports to be worn about the abdomen of a patient.
Following certain types of surgery, especially surgery involving the removal of tissue, the resulting body cavity may fill with fluid. Examples of such surgery include mastectomies and lumpectomies with auxiliary nodal dissection, which involved removal of lymph nodes under the arm. The removal of the large amount of tissue in such procedures creates a cavity, and as a result, the remaining lymph nodes secrete fluid which collects in the cavity. To relieve swelling and infection that may occur if the fluid is left in the body, a drainage tube is inserted through the surgical incision into the cavity. Such drain tubes typically have perforated ends through which fluid enters the tube from the cavity. Drainage of such fluid provides the further advantage of creating a negative pressure in the body cavity, thereby holding the skin against the muscle until it heals. When such operations require tissue removal from multiple sites, post operative treatment will utilize multiple tubes and bottles, each associated with a separate incision.
The drainage tubes are connected to receptacles, such as plastic bottles, for collecting the fluid. Depending on the surgery and the amount of fluid buildup expected, the number of drainage tubes and receptacles utilized can vary from as few as one to as many as four. However many drainage tubes are utilized, the managing of the tubes and their associated receptacles pose certain problems. In the past, it was common to pin the receptacles to clothing worn by the patient or to the bandage for the incision itself. While not very comfortable, this procedure was somewhat effective in the hospital where an open gown was worn, thereby easing the ability of the patient to accommodate basic bodily functions. Furthermore, the awkwardness and discomfort is increased with multiple sets of bottles and tubes. In addition, outside of the hospital, where patients wear standard, relatively constricting clothes, it is not practicable to use such means to receive drain bottles. Accordingly, with the advent of insurance company mandates on shorter hospital stays for many types of surgeries, these types of problems have become more prevalent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,233 to Turner attempts to address some of these problems by providing a single large pouch to be worn on a belt which extends about the waist of a post operative patient to support fluid drainage receptacles. The pouch of that device includes a pouch extension, an elongate loop of fabric which receives the belt and supports the pouch so that the pouch opening hangs down below the belt and deflects in an angular position when the lip of the pouch is pulled away from the wearer, thereby allowing easy access to the interior of the pouch. While the Turner patent resolves some of the problems associated with prior art post operative drainage receptacle supports, it is not completely effective. For example, the Turner device cannot hold a number of drainage receptacles individually in separate, secured positions about a patient's body in locations which avoid tangling of the drainage tubes.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a lightweight support device for drainage receptacles to be worn by post operative patients which comfortably secures the drainage receptacles against a wearer, which can be worn under clothing, which facilitates draining of the receptacles, and which can be positioned in a manner to avoid tangling and stress on the drain tubes.

Post surgical drain receptacle support system


There are provided an ion trap mass spectrometer and an ion trap mass spectrometry method which can realize reduction of the number of times that a sample is ionized, and shortening of the measurement time. Ions corresponding to a plurality of peaks P11, P12 and P13 with the intensity or S/N ratio falling within a predetermined range L are detected as MS2 precursor ions based on the MS1 spectrum. A plurality of ions detected as the MS2 precursor ions are dissociated at a time in an ion trap and subjected to mass spectrometry to measure a MS2 spectrum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ion trap mass spectrometer and an ion trap mass spectrometry method in which ions obtained by ionizing a sample are captured in an ion trap, and the ions are dissociated and subjected to mass spectrometry to perform MSn analysis (n is an integer of 2 or greater).
2. Description of the Related Art
An ion trap mass spectrometer provided with an ion trap is widely used in identification of a high-molecular compound such as a peptide from a mixture sample such as a biological sample (see, for example, Andrew N. Krutchinsky, Markus Kalkum, and Brian T. Chait, Automatic Identification of Proteins with a MALDI-Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer, Anal. Chem., 2001, 73(21), 5066-5077). In this type of mass spectrometer, for example, a sample is vaporized in vacuum together with a matrix by MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization), and the sample is ionized by delivery of protons between the sample and the matrix. Ions obtained by ionizing the sample can be then captured in an ion trap and subjected to mass spectrometry.
FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing one example of process when mass spectrometry is performed by a conventional ion trap mass spectrometer. In this example, ions captured in an ion trap are dissociated by so called CID (collision-induced dissociation) and subjected to mass spectrometry to perform MSn analysis.
First, mass spectrometry (MS1 analysis) of an ionized sample is performed to measure a MS1 spectrum (step S501). The MS1 spectrum is then analyzed to detect an ion corresponding to a peak that satisfies a predetermined criterion as a MS2 precursor ion (steps S502 and S503).
When the MS2 precursor ion is detected (Yes in step S504), ions obtained by ionizing the sample are captured in an ion trap, ions detected as MS2 precursor ions are left in the ion trap and dissociated one by one, and subjected to mass spectrometry (MS2 analysis) to measure a MS2 spectrum (step S505). Thereafter, the MS2 spectrum is analyzed to detect an ion corresponding to a peak that satisfies a predetermined criterion as a MS3 precursor ion (steps S506 and S503).
In this manner, MSn analysis is performed by repeating the processes in steps S503 to S506 until the MSn precursor ion (n is an integer of 2 or greater) is no longer detected (No in step S504). Sample components can be identified based on the MSn spectrum obtained by the MSn analysis.
In the conventional ion trap mass spectrometer described above, one MS2 precursor ion is usually selected from each peak and MS2 analysis is performed when the MS1 spectrum has a plurality of peaks that satisfy a predetermined criterion. That is, an attempt has not been made to identify a plurality of peptides by performing measurement for a plurality of MS2 precursor ions in parallel.
Therefore, every time MS2 analysis is performed for a MS2 precursor ion corresponding to each peak in a MS1 spectrum, a sample is ionized to reduce the amount thereof, so that the sample may be exhausted before all the components are identified. The measurement time is increased, so that a matrix may be sublimed in vacuum, thus making it impossible to continue measurement. Particularly, DHB (2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid), a typical compound of a matrix is easily sublimed in vacuum.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described situations, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ion trap mass spectrometer and an ion trap mass spectrometry method which can realize reduction of the number of times that a sample is ionized, and shortening of the measurement time.

Ion trap mass spectrometer and ion trap mass spectrometry method


A correlated set of golf clubs the heads of which each have a top ridge that extends longitudinally along the upper part of the head between the heel and toe ends thereof with enlarged mass concentrations being formed to provide upper protuberances at the heel and toe ends of the ridge. The top ridge and the upper heel and toe protuberances are especially configured to locate mass concentrations high on the heads and set back from the striking faces thereof to provide the club heads with an improved ability to resist twisting of the club heads upon laterally off-center impacts with a golf ball and to resist tilting of the club heads upon vertically off-center impacts with a golf ball.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to golf clubs and more particularly to the type of golf clubs known as irons with these iron golf clubs having improved performance characteristics resulting from strategic changes in weight distribution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although a golfer controls the swinging of a golf club, at the moment of impact the club head acts as though it were a free mass moving at a particular velocity. Most of the energy of this moving mass is transferred to the golf ball in about half of a millisecond with the result being that the ball, which is compressed against the face of the club, will spring clear as it returns to its spherical configuration. Maximum energy transfer and desirable golf ball flight direction and trajectory are achieved when the golf club head impacts a golf ball on the "sweet spot" of the club. The sweet spot of a golf club head is a point on the face of the club head which is in general alignment with the center of gravity of the golf club.
It is very difficult even for highly skilled and experienced golfers to consistently impact a golf ball on the sweet spot of a golf club, and when the sweet spot is missed the golf club will tend to twist, i.e., the face of the club will move from a position of being square with the intended flight path of the ball. When this happens, the amount of energy transferred to the golf ball will be less than maximum which results in a loss of distance. Also such twisting, or turning, of the golf club face will cause the golf ball to deviate from an ideal flight path.
To minimize the effects of mis-hitting a golf ball, modern golf club design has produced a class of game improvement golf clubs which are sometimes referred to as cavity back, or perimeter weighted clubs. As the name suggests, such clubs are formed with a central hollow, or cavity, in the back surface thereof, and the metal which would otherwise be located in the cavity is redistributed in predetermined proportions to strategic locations on the club heads. A relatively large mass is concentrated in the sole of these game improvement clubs to lower the center of gravity. This makes it easier for a golfer to get the center of gravity of the club head below the center of gravity of a golf ball at the moment of impact for producing a properly airborne and solidly hit ball. In addition, relatively large concentrations of mass are located in the heel and toe areas of the cavity back club to minimize the effects of hitting a golf ball on the toe or heel of the club head. When toe or heel hits occur, the club head will twist about the center of gravity. Such twisting, as mentioned above, results in less than a maximum transfer of energy to the golf ball at impact and deviations from the intended flight path of the ball will occur. By designing the golf club head with relatively large concentrations of mass in the toe and heel areas of the club head, the moment of inertia is increased so that the golf club will resist twisting movements in response to laterally off-center hits, i.e., in the directions of the toe and heel of the club head.
Many prior art golf clubs have been designed with mass concentrations in the sole, toe and heel areas of the club head in attempts to achieve optimum weight distribution benefits. The degree of success in achieving these design objectives varies from one club head to another in that the club's performance relies, along with other design parameters, on the proportions of the mass concentrations and the locations of those concentrations.
In a prior art design of mine, which is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,813, I removed metal from the central area at the back edge of the sole of the golf club head where it forms a junction with the lower edge of the back surface thereof. The removed metal was relocated to strategic areas in the toe and heel portions of the club head. This redistribution of material resulted in improved resistance to twisting as a result of lateral mis-hitting of the club, i.e., in the direction of the hoe or heel of the club and this improvement was made without any change in the total weight of the club head. Further, this improvement was made without sacrificing any other desirable characteristics of the golf club in that the relocated material was taken from a non-crucial area of the golf club head.
In most modern golf club designs, including mine as set forth in the hereinbefore disclosed U.S. Patent, considerably more than half of the golf club head mass is located in the lower part of the golf club head. As described above, the reason for this is to take advantage of the benefits derived from toe and heel mass concentrations and sole weighting. I have found that although minimizing the effects of mis-hits in the direction of the toe or heel of the club head is a major consideration in the design of the golf club heads, the effects of mis-hits in vertical directions relative to the center of gravity should not be overlooked.
As is the case with twisting movements of the club head resulting from mis-hits in the direction of the toe or heel, the club head will react to mis-hits in vertical directions by movements that may be described as tilting or tipping movements. When the impact point of the golf ball on the face of the club head is high on the face, i.e., above the sweet spot, that impact causes the club head to tilt about the center of gravity and such tilting will be in a direction which increases the loft angle of the club. This occurs due to the inertia of the mass concentration at the sole of the club head which causes the lower end of the club head to move forwardly under the ball in an arcuate path about the center of gravity. This movement is amplified by the relative lack of mass in the upper end of prior art golf clubs which results in a relatively small moment of inertia that provides very little resistance to tilting motion.
Similarly, when the impact point is low on the face of the golf club head, i.e., below the sweet spot, the lack of mass in the upper end of the club head provides a small moment of inertia and thus a very low resistance to tilting of the golf club head in a direction that reduces the loft angle of the club. In other words, the top end of the golf club head moves forwardly over the top of the ball in an arcuate path about the center of gravity.
To the best of my knowledge, no prior art golf clubs have been designed to provide mass concentration in the top part of iron type golf club heads with those concentrations being located and of sufficient magnitude to effectively minimize the hereinbefore described tilting problem.
A particular prior art golf club design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,151 which issued to Anthony J. Antonious on Apr. 30, 1991. The club head disclosed in this patent had some of the mass, which is referred to as toe counterweight, located above a theoretical longitudinal axis of the club head. The longitudinal axis is defined as bisecting the face of the club head and is shown as extending between the heel and toe of the club head. The toe counterweight is a relatively large mass concentration which blends smoothly with the mass of the .sole so that the counterweight appears to be an upwardly sweeping extension of the sole. At least 25% and preferably 33% of the mass of the toe counterweight is disclosed as being located above the longitudinal axis to shift the center of gravity upwardly and toward the toe which maximizes the energy transfer when a golf ball is hit off-center toward the toe. Although the design of this prior art golf club appears to provide improved resistance to the club tilting problem, it is believed that less than the maximum benefit is achieved in that the toe counterweight does not extend all the way to the top of the toe but ends abruptly at a point below the top. This golf club design is further disclosed as having the top ridge at the upper end of the club of increased mass to provide a top counterweight. However, the cross-sectional configuration of the top ridge is of substantially rectangular conventional design and does not derive the maximum benefit from the mass located in that area.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved set of golf clubs which are configured to minimize the tilting motion of the club heads resulting from vertically miss-hit golf balls, and to otherwise provide a club head design with overall improvement of the club head balance.


A mobile messaging data management service is disclosed. Using a computing device, a merchant or other user of the service may transmit an operation to be run on data in a data store to an interactive computing system. In some embodiments, the operation is transmitted as part of a short messaging service (SMS) message. The interactive computing system may process the operation, and return the results to the computing device from which the message was received. The data management service may also enable a merchant or other user to specify one or more custom operations for future use.

Generally described, computing devices and communication networks facilitate network-based commerce. For example, a user such as a customer may employ his or her computing device to access a network-based service for the purchase of items and services (collectively and individually referred to as "items") such as music, books, and electronics, just to name a few.
A merchant may be affiliated with the network-based service. The merchant may buy, sell, trade, barter, broker, or otherwise interact with goods and services in commerce by using the network-based service. Typically, the merchant manages his or her merchant data (e.g., information regarding his or her inventory, order fulfillment, finances, and the like) through one or more content pages hosted by the network-based service. For example, the merchant may use a web browser installed on his or her computing device to access the content pages hosted by the network-based service. The merchant can retrieve, update, and otherwise manipulate or interact with his or her merchant data through the content pages.


A two-sided hermetically sealed package of a metal matrix composite material includes a heat sink and integral cooling fins on each of the two sides which are totally enclosed to retain cooling fluid. Power semiconductors are mounted on ceramic substrates having metallic conductors mounted on both sides thereof. The substrates are mounted to the heat sinks. Cooling is provided by the passage of cooling fluid into one end of the enclosed fins, over the fins and out the other end. The metal matrix composite material and the ceramic are thermally matched and the package is provided with a minimum number of thermal interfaces.

This invention relates to packaging power semiconductor devices, whereby the size and weight of the package is reduced and the thermal efficiency thereof is increased.
The current trend toward very large scale integration of electronic components, greater current densities and high speed switching of power semiconductor devices has created the need to dissipate large heat build-ups. Due to higher aircraft coolant inlet temperatures specified for modern applications, prior art packaging arrangements for the purpose described have not been sufficient to enhance heat transfer characteristics essential for maintaining acceptable component temperatures, high reliability, light weight, high mean time between failures (MTBF) and lower life cycle cost.
The need for increased electrical power and improved range, particularly for military type aircraft, requires replacing prior art heavy, expensive and less efficient packaging materials and arrangements for power semiconductor devices with materials and arrangements more suitable for the intended purposes. Further, prior art packaging materials and arrangements have less than desireable heat transfer characteristics due to their relatively poor thermal conductivities. Also, mechanical failures occur as a result of mismatched thermal coefficients of expansion of the materials used.
Increased circuit density is also an important factor in designing packaging arrangements for power semiconductors. Through the use of effective packaging, circuit density is increased while package size and weight are reduced. Additionally, logic and low level analog circuitry can be cost effectively combined in the same package with the power semiconductors (chips).
The packaging arrangement for power semiconductor devices herein disclosed obviates the noted disadvantages of prior art packaging arrangements for the purposes intended, and is thus an improvement thereover.

Packaging arrangement for power semiconductor devices


A method for testing an OLED substrate comprises: the first step of obtaining a first current value passing through a switching element group connected to a selection signal line; the second step of obtaining a second current value passing through a switching element group connected to a data signal line; and the third step of operating a current passing through each switching element including an OLED element from the current value for each pulse signal obtained by each of the steps 1 and 2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for testing respective characteristics of a plurality of switching elements arranged on an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) substrate and an OLED display equipped with means for correcting non-uniform characteristics of each switching element.
2. Description of Related Art
An OLED display has an OLED substrate having elements and wiring arranged on an insulating substrate. More particularly, in an OLED display, a plurality of switching elements and OLED elements are arranged on an insulating substrate in the form of matrix. Each switching element has a selection terminal and a data terminal. The selection terminals of the switching elements arranged in rows are connected to one selection signal line. The data terminals of the switching elements arranged in columns are connected to one data signal line. There are a plurality of selection signal lines and data signal lines, which cross each other. An OLED display emits OLED elements selected by each switching element to show the OLED elements. Thin film transistors (TFT) are used as switching elements.
Amorphous silicone and polysilicon are used as semiconductor materials for these thin film transistors. Thin film transistors made from amorphous silicon do not have so remarkable nonuniformity in characteristics, so that unevenness of display is dispersed to the whole screen. On the contrary, polysilicon made by local heating with laser irradiation tends to have non-uniform characteristics per unit of pixel.
These switching elements cause non-uniform luminance in OLED elements due to non-uniform characteristics. As a result, display quality is uneven. It follows that stabilizing characteristics of switching elements is important.
However, the number of switching elements is dramatically increased when the display size gets bigger. Consequently, it is difficult to improve characteristics of all switching elements.
Patent document 1 discloses a display for correcting luminance by measuring a load current of OLED elements in a current measurement circuit and correcting displayed data using its measurements.
Further, patent document 2 discloses a display for improving display quality by obtaining uniform quantity of emitted light per pixel and OLED substrate.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-341825
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-333641
Displays targeted for displaying moving picture become extremely deteriorated in picture quality when nonuniformity of emitted light luminance is locally concentrated on the screen. Thin film transistors using amorphous silicon which tend to disperse nonuniformity in characteristics onto the whole screen are employed as switching elements. Switching rate and threshold voltage are important out of the characteristics of switching elements because luminance nonuniformity occurs when the threshold voltage is dispersed.
The display disclosed in patent document 1 detects a current passing through switching elements, that is, OLED elements to control the signal level provided to data signal lines based on this detected current.
An additional circuit is, however, needed between an OLED substrate and a driver integrated circuit (IC) for providing data signal lines with data. An additional circuit comprises a current measuring part, a memory for storing measured current values, an operation part for operating the quantity to be corrected, a D/A converter for converting digital data outputted from the operation part to analog data. An additional circuit is required for each data signal line. This raised a problem of high costs for additional circuits.
The display disclosed in patent document 2 also needs a picture signal memory for storing a picture signal, an arithmetic circuit for processing a signal from the memory, a plurality of sub-frame memories for storing a plurality of sub-frame data outputted from the arithmetic circuit, and a read out circuit for reading particular frame data from the sub-frame memories or the like. Accordingly, there was a problem that the circuit of the display became complicated.
Moreover, the display needs a long test time for testing all pixels and a large-capacity memory to store data.

Method for testing OLED substrate and OLED display