The present invention provides a charged particle beam device for irradiating a specimen with ions. The charged particle beam device comprises a gas field ion source unit for generating a beam of ions, the gas field ion source having an emitter unit having an emitter unit tip; and a gas supply system for directing gas to the emitter unit tip. The gas supply system comprises an array of capillary tubes. Further, the present invention provides a method for irradiating a specimen with ions by operating a charged particle beam device having a gas field ion source, wherein the method comprises the step of directing a gas flow to an emitter unit tip, wherein the gas flow has a gas beam aperture angle of 3° or less.

Technologies such as microelectronics, micromechanics and biotechnology have created a high demand for structuring and probing specimens within the nanometer scale. On such a small scale, probing or structuring is often performed with charged particle beams which are generated and focused in charged particle beam devices. Examples of charged particle beam devices are ion microscopes as well as ion beam pattern generators. Charged particle beams, in particular ion beams, offer superior spatial resolution compared to photon beams, due to their short wave lengths at comparable particle energy.
Typically, a charged particle beam device for generating an ion beam comprises an ion point source and an optical column. Examples for ion point sources are liquid metal ion sources and gas field ion sources. In liquid metal ion sources, ion formation results from field desorption from a liquid protrusion stabilized by the electric field. Hereto in contrast, ion formation in a gas field ion source is based on ion formation at the very tip of an emitter unit in a gas ambient. The emitter tip is biased at e.g. 10 kV positive with respect to a downstream extraction aperture that produces an electric field strong enough to ionize the gas atoms in the vicinity of the emitter unit.
Gas field ion sources provide advantages over liquid metal ion sources including pumping out the gas after its neutralization, thereby preventing deposition, and decreasing the size of the ion beam by a very monochromatic ion beam. Further, in contrast with liquid metal ion sources, beams of light ions such as Helium ions or the like can be generated.
However, gas field ion sources also provide difficulties. One of the main difficulties is to get enough gas particles to the tip without increasing the pressure in the optical column because in this case the gas would downgrade the vacuum level in the high-vacuum optical column. This, in turn, would result in a higher rate of collisions of the beam ions with the residual gas, thus leading to blur in the irradiating application. For example, it is known in the state of the art to operate the emitter tip within a recipient with a high partial pressure of the utilized gas, and to apply a differential pumping system to isolate this recipient from the rest of the optical column. It is further known in the state of the art to use a nozzle that directs the gas flow to the emitter tip. This reduces the total gas load as only the area around the emitter tip is exposed to the required high gas pressure. For instance, in a geometry, where the nozzle with a 100 μm opening is at a distance of 10 mm from the tip, and where the minimum pressure required near the tip is about 10−4 mbar, the required gas flow dynamics results in an aperture angle of the gas beam of about 30° half width (cosine distribution) so that still a rather large total gas flow results. This will be explained in more detail with regard to FIGS. 1a and 1b below. In general, ion generating would capitalize from pressures of up to 10−2 mbar and more. However, if state of the art ion sources are operated at pressures of 10−3 mbar, 10−2 or higher pressures, the ion beam quality is substantially reduced due to the large number of gas particles contaminating the optical column. Examples for gas field ion sources as described in this paragraph are given in H. Horishima et al: "A focused He+ ion beam with a high angular current density," Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 31 (1992), pp. 4492-4495; E. Salancon et al: "A new approach to gas field ion sources," Ultramicroscopy 95 (2003), pp. 183-188, and W. Thompson et al: "The gas field ion source for finely focused ion beam systems," Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 396 (1996), pp. 687-693.
High gas load in the source leads to glow discharge. A further improvement known in the state of the art is to use one nozzle for the gas supply and a further nozzle to pump this gas. By applying this technique, the total gas load can be further minimized. An example of such an ion beam generating apparatus is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,209.
However, the techniques known in the state of the art are still problematic in that too many residual gas particles get into the optical column and cause collisions with the beam ions. As this leads to blur, the quality of the irradiating application is jeopardized.
The documents EP 1 439 564 A1, J. Guevremont et al.: "Design and characterization of collimated effusive gas beam sources: Effect of source dimensions and backing pressure on total flow and beam profile," Rev. of Sc. Instrum. Vol. 71 (2000), and C. Lucas: "The production of intense atomic beams," Vacuum 23 (1972), deal with gas flows. However, none of them deals with the specific difficulties of liquid gas ion sources.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome at least part of the problems in the state of the art. It is particularly an object of the present invention to provide a charged particle beam apparatus having a gas field ion source and a method of operating thereof that minimizes the interactions of the ion beam with gas molecules.

Charged particle beam device with a gas field ion source and a gas supply system

ICT, Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft fur Halbleiterpruftechnik mbH


A semiconductor substrate is provided with a plurality of photosensitive regions on a first principal surface side. An insulating film has a third principal surface and a fourth principal surface opposed to each other, and is arranged on the semiconductor substrate so that the third principal surface is opposed to the first principal surface. A cross section parallel to a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate, of a region corresponding to each photosensitive region in the first principal surface is a corrugated shape in which concave curves and convex curves are alternately continuous. A cross section parallel to a thickness direction of the insulating film, of a region corresponding to each photosensitive region in the third principal surface is a corrugated shape in which concave curves and convex curves are alternately continuous corresponding to the first principal surface. The fourth principal surface is flat.

There is a known solid-state imaging device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposed to each other and provided with a plurality of photosensitive regions on the first principal surface side; and an insulating film having a third principal surface and a fourth principal surface opposed to each other and arranged on the semiconductor substrate so that the third principal surface is opposed to the first principal surface (e.g., cf. Patent Literature 1). In the solid-state imaging device described in Patent Literature 1, the first principal surface of the semiconductor substrate has an uneven surface in a region corresponding to the photosensitive regions and the third principal surface of the insulating film has an uneven surface corresponding to the uneven surface of the first principal surface, in a region corresponding to the photosensitive regions.


Secretory gland cells, particularly pancreatic, hepatic, and salivary gland cells, are genetically altered to operatively incorporate a gene which expresses a protein which has a desired therapeutic effect on a mammalian subject. The expressed protein is secreted directly into the bloodstream to obtain therapeutic levels of the protein thereby treating the patient in need of the protein. The transformed secretory gland cells provide long term or short term therapies for diseases associated with a deficiency in a particular protein or which are amenable to treatment by overexpression of a protein.

The ability to replace defective or absent genes has attracted wide attention as a method to treat a variety of human diseases (Crystal 1995 Science 270:404), Lever et al. 1995 Gene Therapy. Pearson Professional, New York p. 1-91; Friedmann 1996 Nature Med. 2:144). Although originally intended as a means of correcting inherited disorders in certain populations of somatic cells, gene-based therapy can be a useful means to supply exogenous gene products to the circulatory system for the treatment of a wide range of systemic disorders that involve deficiencies in circulating proteins, such as hormones, growth factors, and clotting proteins (Lever et al. 1995 supra; Buckel 1996 TiPS 17:450), as well as a means of administering other polypeptide drugs. The success of this application depends upon developing effective methods to both manufacture the desired protein in vivo and then secrete it into blood (Crystal 1995 supra; Lever et al. 1995 supra).
Currently, DNA-based therapy (i.e., gene therapy) is carried out in a variety of ways but involves two general protocols. In the first method, referred to as ex vivo gene therapy, cells are extracted from an individual and subjected to genetic manipulation. After genetic material has been properly inserted into the cells, the cells are implanted back into the individual from which they were removed. Persistent, in vivo expression of the newly implanted genetic material after transplantation of the transformed cells has been successful (see Morgan et al., Science 237:1476 (1987); and Gerrard et al., Nat. Genet. 3:180 (1993)). In the second approach to DNA-based therapy, referred to as in vivo gene therapy, cells within a living organism are transformed in situ with exogenous genetic material.
Several different methods for transforming cells can be used in accordance with either the ex vivo or in vivo transfection procedures. For example, various mechanical methods can be used to deliver the genetic material, including the use of fusogenic lipid vesicles (liposomes incorporating cationic lipids such as lipofection; see Felgner et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:7413-7417 (1987)); direct injection of DNA (Wolff, et al., Science (1990) 247:1465-1468); and pneumatic delivery of DNA-coated gold particles with a device referred to as the gene gun (Yang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1990; 87:1568-9572). Morsy et al. reviews several of the different techniques useful in transformation of cells ex vivo or in vivo and provides citations of numerous publications in each area (Morsy et al., JAMA 270:2338-2345 (1993)).
One method of particular interest for delivery of genetic material involves use of recombinant viruses to infect cells in vivo or ex vivo. In these methods, a virus containing the desired genetic material is allowed to infect target cells within the subject. Upon infection, the virus injects its genetic material into the target cells. The genetic material is then expressed within the target cell, providing for expression of the desired genetic material. However, it would be preferable to avoid introduction of the desired genetic material by viral infection for a number of reasons. For example, viral infection results in delivery of viral DNA in addition to the desired genetic material, which may in turn result in undesirable cellular effects such as, adverse immune reactions, productive viral replication, and adverse integration events.
There is a need in the field for a method for delivery of genetic material into a cell in vivo to provide for expression of the introduced polynucleotide and secretion of the gene product it encodes into the bloodstream. The present invention addresses this problem.

Protein delivery by secretory gland expression

The Regents of the University of California


A vehicle storage apparatus including a plurality of storage frames. The apparatus is provided with a passage, which is located at the middle section of the frames, along the length of the apparatus. Storage compartments are provided at the left and right sides of the passage. Each compartment is provided with a transfer tray. An orienting tray is provided in a compartment of one of the frames. The orienting tray is moved between its associated compartment and a carriage. The transfer tray is also moved laterally between the compartments and the carriage. When a vehicle is stored in or retrieved from a designated compartment, the carriage is moved carrying the transfer tray. The orienting tray is accommodated in its associated compartment in this state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage system, and more particularly, to a storage system for vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing vehicle storage apparatuses are known to include a main frame and a plurality of sub-frames. The main frame is provided with a loading station from where vehicles are stored or retrieved. A vertical elevator path is defined in each frame. The bottoms of the frames are connected to each other by a transfer passage, which extends horizontally.
An elevator that lifts and lowers vehicles between each level is provided in each elevator path. A transport carriage, which transfers vehicles, is provided in the passage. Storage compartments are provided on both left and right sides of each elevator path at each level. Each storage compartment is provided with a carry tray, which moves sideways between the associated compartment and the elevator path.
In this conventional appratus, to store a vehicle in the main frame at a designated storage compartment, the vehicle is first moved onto the elevator at the loading station. The elevator then lifts the vehicle to a position beside the designated compartment. Afterwards, the tray of the compartment moves sideways into the elevator path. The vehicle is then transferred to the tray and is subsequently carried into the designated compartment by the tray.
For storing a vehicle in one of the sub-frames, the vehicle is first moved onto the elevator at the loading station in the main frame and then transferred to the transport carriage. The carriage then transports the vehicle to the sub-frame of the designated compartment. The vehicle is then transferred to the elevator of the sub-frame and subsequently stored in the designated compartment in the same manner as above.
To retrieve the vehicle from the designated storage compartment of the main frame, the elevator is moved to a position beside the compartment. The tray, which the stored vehicle is carried on, is moved into the elevator path. The vehicle is then transferred to the elevator and subsequently moved to the loading station. The vehicle is then removed from the vehicle storage apparatus by driving it out from the loading station.
To retrieve the vehicle from one of the sub-frames, the vehicle is transferred to the elevator in the designated sub-frame. The vehicle is then transferred to the carriage and transported to the main frame. Afterwards, the vehicle is transferred to the elevator of the main frame at the loading station and removed from the vehicle storage apparatus by driving it out.
There are apparatuses in which a turntable is provided on the carriage to reverse the orientation of the vehicle. The turntable is supported by the carriage such that it rotates in a horizontal plane. A vehicle is placed on the table during retrieval and rotated 180 degrees to reverse its orientation. This enables the vehicle to be driven forward both when exiting and entering the loading station. However, in such a vehicle storage apparatus, since the carriage travels together with the turntable, the weight of the turntable slows the traveling speed of the carriage. This increases the time necessary to transport the vehicle between the main frame and each sub-frame. This hinders efficient storing and retrieving of vehicles. In addition, the load of the vehicle causes undesirable swaying of the table during rotation.


Disclosed is a brassiere having breast cups configured with inflatable bladders specifically positioned and configured to manipulate the breast tissue of a target breast into a lifted position whilst simultaneously displacing laterally sideways/outward and downward a contra-lateral breast. The brassiere is configured to lift the target breast away from the chest wall and to stabilise the breast so as to increase treatment accuracy and reduce radiation dosage to high risk organs such as the heart and lung. The brassiere according to the subject invention is advantageous to be worn by women for the treatment of either the left or right breast whilst providing modesty during treatment delivery.

Breast cancer affects a substantial proportion of the population with over 1.5 million diagnosed globally in recent years. For many of these women the primary treatment is local excision (LE) followed by external beam radiotherapy to the whole breast. Traditionally this has been given using basic tangential radiotherapy beams. New technology employing complex approaches such as 3D conformal and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) provide the opportunity to spare sensitive structures that lie close to the breast. However, such techniques require greater accuracy in patient alignment. Set up inaccuracies (anterior-posterior and superior-inferior systematic displacements) have dosimetric consequences that vary depending on breast gradient, standard or IMRT based techniques and magnitude of error.
Most radiotherapy centres rely on the use of permanent tattoos marked on the patient and use laser alignment systems. However, accuracy using this approach can be problematic and the use of permanent tattoos is of concern to many patients. In addition, women with large (above a D bra cup size) or pendulous breasts can be difficult to position. Specifically, overhang of the breast inferiorly produces an effect that leads to an increased skin dose in the lower part of the breast and on the chest wall underneath the tissue overhang.
The long-term effects of incidental cardiac irradiation during breast radiotherapy have been assessed and studies have indicated that while modern radiotherapy techniques do not increase mortality from cardiac irradiation, the impact of cardiac morbidity on breast cancer survivors is a concern. In order to reduce the dose to the heart many centres are employing cardiac avoidance techniques including voluntary deep inspiration breath hold (vDIBH) which has been shown to reduce mean heart dose by approximately 50%. However, using vDIBH techniques adds further opportunity for patient movement during the beam on time and requires imaging (adding additional radiation dose to the patient) to ensure accuracy especially in the caudo-cephalic direction where mean systematic error in heart position of 0.5 cm have been reported.
Additionally, clinical trials testing partial organ techniques compared with whole breast irradiation (eg IMPORT low trial) in cases where there is low risk of tumour recurrence are starting to present their results. The principle of partial breast irradiation is to spare sensitive tissues by reducing the volume of breast tissue irradiated. However, partial organ techniques require accurate positioning if favourable cosmetic outcomes and local control are to be achieved. Many centres are employing image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) as a way of confirming radiotherapy field placement prior to treatment exposure. However IGRT incorporates kilovoltage imaging that increases the patient total body radiation dose received and for younger women there is concern that the life time additional risk from this extra exposure to the contra-lateral breast could increase the likelihood of a second cancer.
Additionally, in the majority of radiotherapy centres worldwide women lie for breast irradiation, bare from the waist upwards, with up to four potentially male therapy radiographers adjusting and manipulating their thorax and breast in preparation for treatment.
A number of attempts have been made to support the breast for radiotherapy treatment and examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,753,171; 8,814,774; 5,769,779; US 2013/0316616; and WO 2010/078048. However, existing breast manipulation garments are not optimised to stabilise the breast whilst manipulating the breast tissue into a position that optimises the radiotherapy treatment or diagnostic assessment whilst minimising radiation exposure to the contra-lateral breast. Accordingly, there is a need for a breast immobilisation and positioning device that addresses these problems.


The invention relates to a phosphor diffusion sheet luminaire for agricultural lighting, comprising: a lamp shell; a light source unit; a disc body, mounted in the accommodating space and gripped on the inner wall of the lamp shell, where the disc body is provided with plural tanks at the side corresponding to the light source unit, and the tanks are randomly filled with plural phosphors; and a diffusion sheet, mounted in the lamp shell, and the side of the diffusion sheet corresponding to the disc body. The light ray passing through the diffusion sheet will irradiate the plant. And the wavelength of the light ray varies according to different ratio of the phosphors. Adequate wavelengths are gained by means of light transmission, refraction and absorption, which is beneficial to control the growth of plant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phosphor diffusion sheet luminaire for agricultural lighting, and especially relates to applications for agriculture related fields, where the main feature is to provide illumination for the plant, and the provision and replacement of the phosphor diffusion sheet is used to control the wavelength of plant growth, an invention of practicality.
2. Description of Related Art
A prior plant lighting on the market is referenced herein, which includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) modules, where the LED module is provided with at least one blue LED device, or at least one red and one blue LED device, and the light emitted surface of each LED device is furnished with red phosphors, where the red phosphors blend with the light source of the LED device, to produce artificial lighting that favors plant growth. The output light power of the LED can be regulated through the controller, to achieve the control of the growth rate of plant.
The aforementioned technique takes advantage of the light illumination of the LED to expedite plant growth, and achieves the purpose of accelerating the plant growth, but this LED employs the red and blue light as its light source, and through various combinations to engage in light mixing modulation, where lighting wavelength needed for plant growth can be modulated. But the light attenuation for the red and blue light is not the same, and the regular LED contains not only red and blue light but it could contain green light. On the other hand, a LED lamp mixed by three light colors features different wavelengths and inconsistent attenuation. Since different wavelength demands dissimilar current, the control of current is difficult and further leads to issues of cost and power consumption; therefore, relevant industry may further thought how to improve to conform to the use by public.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, the inventor has invested a lot of time to study the relevant knowledge, compare the pros and cons, research and develop related products. After quite many experiments and tests, the "phosphor diffusion sheet luminaire for agricultural lighting" of this invention is eventually launched to improve the foregoing shortcomings, to meet the public use.

Phosphor diffusion sheet luminaire for agricultural lighting


A self-cleaning separator is described for cohesive or adhesive solids from a fluidborne stream of solids on the basis of a cyclonelike separation. The separator consists at least of a cylindrical upper section (8) having a separating chamber (3), a product inlet (2), a fluid outlet (5), and of a conical lower section (6) having a solids outlet (7) adjoining below the lower section (6), at least the side wall (4) of the upper section (8) being produced from an elastic material, in particular an elastomeric material.

The invention relates to a self-cleaning separator for cohesive or adhesive solids from a fluidborne stream of solids on the basis of a cyclonelike separation by means of which cohesive or adhesive products can be removed without fouling. The separator in this case is operated without an additional cleaning mechanism and is particularly suitable for removing weighed products from pneumatic conveying lines when there is a requirement for high metering accuracy in conveying and separation.
Separators for pneumatic systems for conveying solids through pipelines are known in the literature and have been described at length on numerous occasions (Examples: R. D. Marcus et al.: xe2x80x9cPneumatic conveying of solidsxe2x80x9d, St. Edmundsbury Press, page 361-409, Bury St. Edmunds, GB, 1990; W. Siegel: xe2x80x9cPneumatische Fxc3x6rderungxe2x80x9d, Vogel Buchverlag, page 243-259, Wxc3xcrzburg, D, 1991).
In this context the mention of cyclone separation occurs frequently, which has been known in principle since the end of the last century (cf.: R. Nagel: xe2x80x9cDer Zyklon als Staubabscheiderxe2x80x9d, BWK Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 331-335, October 1951).
A disadvantage of this method is that its use is restricted to readily flowable products, since otherwise these products remain adhering to the wall of the separator and thus cannot be fully discharged. This also applies to the case in which the fouling flakes off again at irregular intervals in the case of batchwise conveying, since in this case there are fluctuations between the individual conveying cycles in terms of the amount of product discharged.
In order to avoid fouling, conventionally a description is given of jacketed separators with pneumatic or mechanical cleaning by means of shakers, strikers, or paddle equipment [in accordance with the silo discharge aids as per D. Schulze xe2x80x9cAustragsorgane und Austragshilfenxe2x80x9d, Preprints, Lecture and Discussion Conference xe2x80x9cAgglomerations- und Schxc3xcttguttechnikxe2x80x9d, pp. 139-166, Baden-Baden 1991] or cyclones with an additional vibration apparatus [JP 92-215316] are used.
A disadvantage with these systems is the additional, complex cleaning unit in order to avoid fouling.
The invention is based on the object of developing a separator for pneumatic conveying systems which is self-cleaning and with which it is possible to perform virtually complete removal of cohesive or adhesive products without fouling on the separator walls.
The object is achieved in accordance with the invention by using a self-cleaning separator for cohesive or adhesive solids from a fluidborne stream of solids on the basis of a cyclonelike separation, the said separator consisting at least of a cylindrical upper section having a separation chamber, a product inlet, a fluid outlet, and of a conical lower section having a solids outlet adjoining below the lower section, and is characterized in that at least the side wall of the upper section consists of an elastic material, in particular an elastomeric material.

Self-cleaning separator for cohesive or adhesive products


A plastic bag carrier to be used by an individual for lifting and carrying filled plastic grocery bags from the individual's motor vehicle to a desired location inside the individual's home. The plastic bag carrier comprises a support frame having opposite first and second ends, and a handle opening formed therein between the first and second ends for accommodating insertion of a user's hand. The rigid support frame can be a single piece structure formed from molded plastic material. The support frame includes at least one upwardly and inwardly extending hook integrally molded thereto at each of the first and second ends, about which flexible plastic bags can be hung. In an alternative embodiment, the support frame is provided with two handle openings so as to allow the user to grasp the support frame with both hands.

This invention relates to a carrier for flexible plastic bags. More particularly, the invention relates to a carrier which is to be used by an individual for assisting the individual in carrying plastic bags filled with items such as groceries. Further, the invention relates to a bag carrier comprising a support frame provided with a handle opening for accommodate the insertion of a user's hand, and at least one upwardly extending hook integrally molded to the support frame at the opposite ends thereof, about which flexible plastic bags can be hung.
Flexible plastic bags are widely used for transporting grocery goods, particularly, those bags having a pair of handle loops extending upwards from the upper edge of the bags. Most people carry grocery filled plastic bags by grasping the pair of handle loops thereof with their fingers. In order to reduce number of trips necessary to transport all the purchased items from their car to their home, many people opt to carry as many grocery bags in their hands as they are able to lift. When the bags are filled with heavy items such as water, soda and the like, the thin handle loops can compress into the fingers from the cumulative weight of those heavy grocery items, which can cut blood circulation and cause a numbing sensation in their fingers.
Due to the difficulties and unpleasantness encountered while moving groceries from their automobile to desired destinations inside their homes, many people dread grocery shopping. Therefore, there is a need to provide a plastic bag carrier that can simplify the task of bringing groceries from their cars to the kitchen. Such a plastic bag carrier should be simple in construction so as to minimize manufacturing costs, and yet allow shoppers to conveniently lift and carry filled plastic grocery bags from location to location without enduring pain associated with grabbing the handle loops of the bag with the fingers. Moreover, such a plastic bag carrier should be capable of permitting shoppers to carry as many filled plastic grocery bags as they are able to lift, thereby reducing number of trips necessary to transport all the purchased items from the automobile to the kitchen.


An improved method and apparatus for administrative monitoring of a calling card fraud prevention system is disclosed. An administrative monitor continuously oversees the functions performed by components of the fraud prevention system and thereby detects abnormalities in system performance. The administrative monitor regularly compiles status information from system components and applies a set of predefined thresholds in order to determine whether abnormalities are present. Upon detection of an abnormality, the administrative monitor generates a health warning, which is displayed on workstation monitors to provide notice of the problem.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and more particularly to an improved system for detecting, analyzing and preventing fraudulent use of telephone calling card numbers. The invention provides enhanced intelligence and efficiency in detecting fraudulent use of calling card numbers and may therefore assist a telephone company in better identifying and responding to calling card fraud.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Telephone fraud is a major area of abuse in the United States and throughout the world. Such fraud frequently involves the unauthorized or bogus use of telephone billing numbers, which have been assigned to customers and are associated with customer billing accounts. These numbers are typically imprinted or encoded on wallet sized cards, which are provided to customers to enable the customers to easily charge calls to their respective billing accounts. Consequently, these numbers are commonly referred to as telephone calling card numbers. As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, however, the terms "calling card number," "billing number" and "bill number" are not restricted to card-based numbers but may refer more generally to any number used to bill or track telecommunications services.
The present invention may be used in the context of telecommunications networks generally, including, for example, the telephone network depicted and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,906, issued on Feb. 11, 1997 in the name of Phelps, for a toll fraud detection system ("the Phelps patent.") The Phelps patent, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
A typical telecommunications network includes telephone units interconnected to each other via central offices owned by local exchange carriers (LECs). These central offices are in turn interconnected to each other via network equipment owned by long distance service providers, or interexchange carriers (IXCs). The LEC provides local switches for receiving and forwarding calls placed to and from the interconnected telephone units as well as a tandem switch for passing calls between the local switches and the IXC. The IXC in turn commonly includes tandem switches designed to receive and forward calls to and from the LECs and from point to point throughout the IXC's long distance network.
In the United States, when a call is placed from a telephone unit, equipment in the LEC central office examines the originating and target phone numbers in order to determine the availability of the target phone and in order to properly handle and bill the call. For local calls, one or more switches in the central office routes the call from the originating phone to the target phone if the target phone is available.
For long distance calls made with a calling card, a user typically places an initial call to a calling card platform in order to input the user's card number and destination phone number. In many cases, this initial call is toll-free and may, for instance, take the form of a 1-800 (or 1-888) phone number. When the user dials a 1-800 number, LEC equipment first determines which interexchange carrier is designated to handle calls placed to that 1-800 number. This determination is typically made by passing a data message to a local signal transfer point (STP) in the LEC, which may query a database to find an associated IXC. In turn, after identifying the IXC, local equipment queries the long distance carrier to determine whether the carrier and its equipment is properly available to handle the call and whether the carrier agrees to handle the call. This query passes between signal transfer points in the form of a data message identifying information about the call such as the originating number, the target number, and the caller's billing number or calling card number.
IXC equipment examines this information to determine whether the call should be placed and, if so, which equipment or logic should handle the call. Upon receiving confirmation that the proper lines and switches are available along the call path from the originating phone through the target phone, the switches along the call path then complete the call.
In advanced telecommunications systems, interexchange carriers have seen a need to provide specialized services to meet diverse customer needs. In order to provide call handling services to meet these diverse needs, an interexchange carrier may include in each of its switches multiple "originating partitions" or "o-parts," which identify logic for handling calls or bill numbers of particular types. O-parts have typically been used to provide "virtual private networks" (VPNs), which define the IXC calling network available for specified bill types.
As an example, an IXC may provide multiple calling cards to a corporate customer for use by the corporation's employees. Calls made with these cards bear a bill type representing the corporate customer. Therefore, all of these calling cards may be associated with a specific o-part in the IXC's switches, and the o-part may identify logic such as a VPN in the IXC's switches for processing calls made with the cards. In this scenario, customers using these cards may or may not be aware that their calls are being handled in a special way by a virtual private network, depending on the design of the network.
As another example, interexchange carriers may sell long distance service to local exchange carriers or other companies throughout the country that act as apparent "long distance service providers" to callers. An LEC, for instance, may establish its "own" long distance service for its customers by arranging for an interexchange carrier to supply the service and providing its customers with calling cards. By arrangement with the IXC, these calling cards may be associated with an o-part in the IXC's switches that defines custom logic for processing calls made with the cards.
Fraudulent use of calling card numbers has evolved over the years and has unfortunately responded to telephone company detection efforts. More particularly, as interexchange carriers have developed new systems to detect and prevent fraud, criminals have developed new tactics for defeating those very detection schemes. In an early form, for instance, calling card fraud was detected by customers or long distance service providers who recognized the existence of unauthorized charges on customer billing statements. In response, interexchange carriers developed systems for monitoring records of completed calls, in search of aberrations or telltale signs of fraud. In turn, however, criminals developed methods of maximizing their fraudulent use of card numbers before the calls are completed. For example, organized groups of criminals have arranged to simultaneously or serially make multiple calls from phones across the country using a single stolen calling card number. As another example, criminals have used stolen card numbers to make expensive overseas calls that last many hours at a time and that evade detection until completed.
Calling card fraud has subjected interexchange carriers and others to financial loss, in part because the charges for such calls are frequently uncollectible. This is especially the case when unauthorized use is made of calling card numbers for placing international calls, because the interexchange carrier handling the call may have to transfer payments to the destination telephone company, even if the toll charge is uncollectible.
In addition, the existing methods and systems of fraud detection employed by interexchange carriers have been only partially successful. This is illustrated, for example, by the fact that some interexchange carriers will not place calls using a billing number to certain suspect countries. This scheme, of course, unfortunately prevents some legitimate billing number calls from going through to these countries.
Further, fraudulent use of calling card numbers issued by local exchange carriers or other "service providers" may not only affect the interexchange carrier that actually provides the service, but may also affect customer perception of the local company that issues the cards. In some circumstances, these companies may in turn suffer financial loss as a result of such calling card fraud.
A need therefore exists for a more efficient and intelligent system of calling card fraud detection.

Administrative monitoring system for calling card fraud prevention


Linear dampers are capable of offering an expected damping force without the use of oil or gas. A casing body 10 has a cylindrical portion 14 and a damping groove 15 continuing with each other and axially extending. The side face of the damping groove 15 are tapering faces 17 between which the space gradually opens up toward the opening of the damping groove 15. A slider 18 constituted of a first moving member 19 and a second moving member 20 is inserted into the casing 10. When the slider 18 is inserted into the casing 10, an inclined face 28 of the second moving member 20 and an inclined face 24 of the first moving member 19 are in contact with each other and tapering faces 29 of the second moving member 20 and the tapering faces 17 are in contact with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a linear damper exerting an effective damping force without the use of fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 57 illustrates a conventionally known linear damper exerting a damping effect on movement in the axial direction.
The conventional linear damper includes a cylindrical-shaped casing 1, a piston 2 sliding in contact with the inner surface of the casing 1, and a rod 3 connected to the piston 2. The casing 1 has an open end 1a and a closed end 1b. The open end 1a is covered with a cap 4 for enclosure.
The piston 2 divides the inside of the enclosed casing 1 into two chambers 5a and 5b which contain viscous fluid.
The casing 1 has a groove 6 formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The groove 6 formed serves as a passageway allowing the flow of the viscous fluid along the sliding surface between the casing 1 and the piston 2.
The cap 4 has a rod hole 4a that supports the rod 3 protruding from casing 1 through the cap 4 to the outside.
An external force pushes the rod 3 against the spring force of a spring 7, whereupon the piston 2 moves downward in the casing 1. Upon release of the external force, the spring force of the spring 7 moves the piston 2 upward in the casing 1.
Such a downward movement of the piston 2 causes the viscous fluid to move from the chamber 5a through the groove 6 into the chamber 5b. The resistance of the viscous fluid produced at this point activates the damping effect.
An accumulator 8 is provided in the chamber 5b for absorbing the fluid up to an amount equivalent to the volume of the rod 3.
In the conventional damper described above as an example, because the casing 1 holds viscous fluid, there is a need to seal the area between the rod 3 and the rod hole 4a with a seal member (not shown) for the prevention of leakage of the fluid.
The rod 3 slides inside the rod hole 4a with one end thereof fixed to the piston 2. Therefore, the exacting dimensions of both the rod 3 and the rod hole 4a must be determined with extreme precision for the smooth sliding of the rod 3 in the rod hole 4a.
Such a linear damper is also described in Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 3-277839 (page 2 and FIG. 2).
As described hitherto, the conventional linear damper is an oil damper of which the casing 1 accommodates viscous fluid and the flow resistance of the viscous fluid is used to produce the damping effect. For this reason, oil is absolutely necessary. This brings with it the need to provide a seal member for preventing the leakage of fluid. But however tight the seal is applied, the oil adhering to the rod or the like will inevitably leak to the outside. A complete elimination of oil leakage is virtually impossible in reality. Such characteristics of the oil damper produce the problem of the impossibility of using the oil damper in a situation where the adhesion of the oil to food or the like must be absolutely avoided.
Although the complete elimination of oil leakage is close to impossible in reality, in order to approach a complete elimination as closely as possible, there is a need to increase the precision of the seal structure. In this respect, however, the problem is that the higher the precision of the seal structure, the higher the cost.
If the seal function is to be performed satisfactorily without an increase in the seal precision, an increase in the tightening force of the seal is needed. However, as the tightening force of the seal becomes increased, the friction increases. This in turn causes impairment in the sliding performance of the rod and thus adversely affects the damping effect.
Further, a seal groove is required to hold the seal member, but the formation of the seal groove in itself requires time and effort. This also becomes a factor in increasing the cost.
For the prevention of oil leakage and a reduction in slide resistance to a minimum, moreover, the surface of the rod 3 is required to be finished with a high degree of accuracy, naturally resulting in an increase in the cost. In addition, another problem is that as compared with the machining techniques for resin and the like, metal work requires time and effort, so that the higher the degree of accuracy of machining metal is required, the higher the cost.
Whatever the case, the conventional oil dampers face the inescapable problems of not only a limited use but also a substantial increase in production costs.
On the other hand, an air damper having a cylinder filled with a gas is conventionally known as a damper compensating for the drawback, e.g. the oil leakage, in the oil dampers as described above. However, if the gas leaks, it becomes next to impossible to expect a damping effect from the air damper. In addition, to completely prevent the leakage of a gas composed of extremely small particles is much more difficult than to block the oil leakage.
As a result, though the air damper has no structural problems, the problem is that the air damper becomes functionally unusable due to the gas leakage.
Moreover, due to the high degree of compressibility of the gas or the like, the air damper has the characteristic of response inferior to that of the oil damper.
In other words, the oil damper is capable of having a long life to a certain extent, and promising to offer a strong damping force, but has the problem of the impossibility of being used in a situation where oil leakage is forbidden. The air damper has no problems in respect to oil leakage, but has the problems of a short life and a somewhat inadequate response.


Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for identifying a component of culture medium based on the parameters (e.g., physical, chemical, biological and/or topological characteristics) of compounds from within a compound library. In preferred embodiments, the compound library is a peptide library. Also provided are methods of selecting a compound library from a larger compound space based on whole molecule (i.e., global) parameters of the compounds. Preferably, this method is practiced in conjunction with a method of identifying a component of a culture medium. Further provided are methods of predicting a biological activity of a peptide based on at least one whole molecule parameter of the peptide. This method finds use in methods of drug discovery, identifying components of culture medium, and identifying and/or designing peptides with particular pharmacological or therapeutic activities.

Media used to grow cultured cells for both industrial and clinical applications are usually chemically undefined or, at best, semi-defined. It would be advantageous to employ chemically-defined media in cell culture systems; however, most attempts to grow cultured cells exclusively in chemically-defined media have been unsuccessful and result in a high frequency of cell death and/or poor cell performance. These efforts have failed, at least in part, because those components of undefined media that promote cell viability and performance remain uncharacterized. Thus, it would be desirable to develop improved methods of identifying media components that support and enhance cell viability and performance.
Hydrolysates are the most common undefined substance used in bacteriological media today for both clinical and fermentation applications. Current media optimization frequently starts with these undefined substances. Hydrolysates are used to replace serum (another undefined substance) in mammalian culture (Saha and Sen, (1989) Acta Virol. 33:338).
The inclusion of tissue and protein hydrolysates in bacterial growth media has been practiced since the late 1800s. Retger, (1927) J. Immunology 13:323, provided some of the earliest details on preparing and combining hydrolysates. Retger's data demonstrated that best toxin yields from Corynebacteria diptheriae were obtained with medium formulated with hydrolysates containing a lower percentage of full-length proteins and a higher concentration of peptides. Kihara et al., (1952) J. Biol. Chem. 197:801, also found that cultured cells performed better in medium containing peptides as compared with the constituent amino acids.
There are several drawbacks associated with using digests in cell culture media, for example, the range of peptide sequences available for incorporation into culture media is limited by the starting substrate and enzyme or acid used in the digestion. Many of the currently-available digests are difficult to reproduce, with significant lot-to-lot variation being commonplace. Digests of tissue obtained from a slaughterhouse are often used as components of cell culture media. These digests are among the most difficult to reproduce since the starting material and ratios of the starting substrate vary. Casein digests are more reproducible because milk is a more homogenous source of protein than slaughterhouse tissue. However, the range of peptide sequences generated by an enzymatic or acid digestion of casein is small. Most media manufacturers blend these two types of digest to yield a medium that provides better results than can be achieved with either digest used alone. Unfortunately, the use of blends adds another level of complexity to the manufacturing process and is also a source of lot-to-lot variability.
Moreover, both hydrolysates and sera are problematic for pharmaceutical applications, since each potentially harbors pathogens. The undefined nature of hydrolysates and sera also leads to problems in manufacturing. To illustrate, the high molecular weight components found in both types of undefined substances create additional downstream processing costs. Furthermore, the undefined nature of hydrolysates and sera leads to lot-to-lot variability. Previous attempts at developing chemically-defined media, however, have generally suffered from sub-optimal cell performance and unacceptable levels of cell mortality.
Historically, there have been several approaches employed to determine the type(s) of nutrients consumed or preferred by cells grown in culture. One of the most common practices is post-culture analysis, whereby the spent medium is evaluated to identify constituents removed from the medium. This approach has only rarely lead to the identification of compounds that can be isolated for use as a medium component or can be employed as a benchmark to monitor future hydrolysate or serum lots. In addition, this approach cannot identify compounds that function through signaling and are not physically removed from the medium.
Zhao et al., (1996) Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 45:778, compared the bacterial growth-stimulating activity of bovine hemoglobin with that of specific peptides from a peptic hydrolysate of this protein. A particular peptide fragment was demonstrated to promote cell growth of gram negative bacteria to a greater extent than the intact protein. No such enhancement was observed when the constituent amino acids of this active fragment were assayed, leading these investigators to suggest that this peptide fragment did not simply act as an amino acid supplier, but rather interacted with peptide permeases on the cell membrane. This strategy can be employed in other systems as well to provide some information as to specific biologically-active peptides produced by hydrolysis of whole proteins.
More recently, Automated Cell Technologies (ACT; Pittsburgh, Pa.) has suggested that it will use a "combinatorial cell culture" to discover improved media for growing hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo. In Vivo: Bus. Med. Rep. 15:38 (December 1997). Utilizing a 384-well microtiter plate and a robotic pipetting system, ACT proposes to add different growth factor combinations to various mixes of culture media in an effort to identify a culture medium that will support stem cell growth ex vivo. It is unstated whether chemically-defined or undefined media will be used.
All of the previously-described methods fail to further an understanding of the physical, chemical or other properties of the medium components that contribute to the enhanced cell performance in culture. As a result, these methods are inefficient as they fail to provide a means of predicting and systematically screening additional lead compounds.
Most of the research on quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) have focused on small organic molecules in medicinal and environmental chemistry. Peptides have not been studied as much owing to difficulties in developing descriptors for amino acid side chains. The earliest attempt to quantify amino acids for QSAR was by Sneath, (1966) J. Theoretical Biology, 12:157, who developed four semi-quantitative descriptors for amino acids. Later, Hellberg et al., (1987) J. Med. Chem. 30:1126, developed a set of principal components, which were derived from twenty-nine measured and theoretical properties of amino acids, including molecular weight, isoelectric point, nuclear magnetic resonance parameters, logP (hydrophobicity), thin layer chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography parameters. Principle component analysis led to three principal components, which Hellberg et al. called z1, z2 and z3. Theoretically-derived parameters have been developed by Norinder, (1991) Peptides, 12:1223, and Cocchi and Johansson, (1993) Quant. Struct.-Act. Relat. 12:1. In all of these instances, parameters were developed for the individual amino acids, but none were measured on whole peptides.
Cho et al., (1998) J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 38:259, used a rational drug design approach to identify peptides in a targeted virtual library having bradykinin-potentiating activity. This group identified virtual peptides predicted to be enhanced in amino acid building blocks with bradykinin-like activity based on analysis of a starting set of peptides known to possess such activity. These investigators employed topological indices or physiochemical descriptors of individual amino acid building blocks from known leads to design a virtual targeted library. Cho et al. also report that computational limitations prevented complete analysis of all indices for every virtual peptide within their targeted library. Cho et al. did not apply their methods to media development.
Thus, previous attempts to improve culture media have largely relied on ad hoc trial-and-error techniques. There remains a need in the art for systematic and predictive methods for identifying medium components to improve cell performance in culture. Moreover, there is a need in the art for high through-put methods for identifying medium components.

Methods, apparatus and computer program products for formulating culture media


A water supply mechanism for the bowl rim of the toilet is configured to supply water to a bowl of a toilet body of the toilet for flushing, including: an inlet valve assembly communicated with a water source; a water-feeding power unit including a water inlet connected with the inlet valve assembly and a water outlet communicated with the water inlet of the water-feeding power unit; and an outlet pipe connected with the water outlet of the water-feeding power unit and communicated with a water channel at the bowl rim of the toilet body. Compared with the prior art, the toilet body is flushed under sufficient water pressure, so that the toilet body can be made cleaner.

The toilet is an indispensable sanitary device in people's daily life, the basic principle of which is to convert potential energy of water into kinetic energy by use of gravity of the water, so as to carry excrements and discharge the same into a drain. In some toilets, pipelines are used to connect the toilet to the household water supply line, so that water can be provided to the bowl of a toilet body for flushing the toilet body. In the condition that the pressure of the household water supply line in a building is very low, it is impossible to provide sufficient flow to the bowl for flushing, thus the toilet body cannot be made clean.

Water supply mechanism for a bowl rim and a water inlet mechanism


A charging station performs communications by use of a superimposing/separating unit configured by connecting a capacitor, a coupling transformer and a capacitor to branch lines branching out respectively from a control cable and a grounded cable. An electric vehicle performs communications by use of a superimposing/separating unit configured by providing a coupling transformer to the control cable. A capacitor is also connected between the control cable and the grounded cable. Communications are allowed by the configuration of a closed loop circuit comprising the control cable, the branch line, the capacitor, a primary coil of the coupling transformer, the capacitor, the branch line, the grounded cable, the capacitor, and a primary coil of the coupling transformer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a communication system in which a power feeding device and a power receiving device are connected with each other through a cable, and communication of control signals necessary for charge control based on power feeding from the power feeding device to the power receiving device is performed through the cable.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, electric and hybrid vehicles have become widespread, which are provided with devices such as a motor, a battery and the like, and which run by the motor driven by power stored in the battery. An electric vehicle needs to be charged from an external power feeding device to a battery. A hybrid vehicle includes a plug-in hybrid vehicle which can also be charged from an external power feeding device to a battery. In a vehicle charged from the outside to its battery, a plug of a charge cable connected to an external power feeding device is connected to a connector device at a feeding port provided at the vehicle and power is fed through a charge cable from the power feeding device to the battery of the vehicle so as to charge the battery.
Moreover, in charging from a feeding device to a vehicle, a charge control system may be employed in which a control cable transmitting and receiving a control pilot signal to/from the power feeding device and the vehicle, and charge control is performed based on the control pilot signal (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-106053, for example).
Furthermore, as power feeding from a power feeding device has widely been commercialized, it has been required to employ communication function of transmitting and receiving information for management of charge amount management, accounting management and the like between a vehicle and a power feeding device.
A communication system has thus been noted in which communication signals including information used for management and the like are superimposed onto control pilot signals communicated through a control cable. In this communication system, such a configuration is employed that an electromagnetic inductive signal transformer (a circuit element such as a coupling transformer) which superimposes or separates signals onto or from a control cable is connected to a branch line from each control cable.


A bone plate system for osteosynthesis comprises a bone plate, a swivel screw, a clamping screw, a swivel hole formed in the bone plate as a through hole for receiving the swivel screw polyaxially, and a clamping hole, which is associated with the swivel hole and is formed in the bone plate as a further through hole for receiving the clamping screw. When the swivel screw and the clamping screw are screwed in, they are fixed with angular stability in multiple dimensions, as the screw heads of the swivel screw and of the clamping screw are secured by one another and by the bone plate against relative movement. The swivel screw and the clamping screw are each designed as a bone screw.

Bone plate systems provide fixed-angle fixation of a bone plate by means of assigned screws for osteosynthesis in the human or animal body. Numerous bone plate systems are known that generally include a bone plate with an arrangement of a plurality of through-holes and associated screws. In addition to so-called bone screws, that is, screws that are screwed into the bone during fixation, fastening screws may be provided that are themselves not screwed into the bone but rather are screwed into a thread formed in the bone plate. Such fastening screws are then used for instance for fixing the bone screws (see for instance documents EP 1 702 577 A2, WO 2006/014436 A1, and AT 406 446 B). A fastening screw for fixing a plurality of bone screws is also used in the system for cervical vertebra in document DE 698 35 968 T2.
Document WO 2005/041769 A1 discloses a bone plate that is provided with longitudinal holes.
Fixed-angle plate-screw connections to osteosynthesis plates have the advantage of better anchoring of the bone plate to the bone. This is particularly advantageous with bone fractures close to a joint, since in this manner it is possible to better capture and fix bone fragments that are close to a joint. The advantage of fixed-angle plate-screw connections is even more significant in osteoporotic bone fractures close to a joint, since non-fixed-angle bone screws are not able to fix an osteoporotic bone as well.
Fixed-angle plate-screw connections can be divided into monoaxial and polyaxial plate-screw connections.
Examples of monoaxial fixed-angle plate-screw connections are presented in documents DE 10 2005 044 841 B4 and DE 10 2005 043 285 B3. These systems are characterized in that they have screw heads with male threads that engage in corresponding female threads of plates. If a screw is screwed in during an operation, the positive fit between the male thread of the screw head and the female thread of the bone plate effects a fixed-angle plate-screw connection during the last rotations of the screwing-in process.
Furthermore, bone plate systems have been suggested in which bone screws are variable with respect to their swivel or angular position relative to the bone plate during use. Such a bone plate system is described for instance in document DE 10 2006 000 948 A1. Document WO 2007/025520 A1 discloses a bone plate having at least one screw for fixed-angle fixation. Another example of a polyaxial fixed-angle plate-screw connection is disclosed in DE 10 2005 042 766 B4. The embodiment of a female thread from six female thread columns makes it possible to screw in spherical head screws having a special male thread in the polyaxial direction and to fix them in a fixed-angle manner during the last rotations of the screwing-in process. Such plate-screw systems have become increasingly common in clinical practice due to clinical advantages of a polyaxial fixed-angle fixation option.
A disadvantage of known fixed-angle bone plate systems is the lack of an option for drawing bone fragments to the bone plate during the process of tightening, since, due to its thread on the screw head, the thread of the screw head locks up in the bone plate during the last rotation. However, near a joint it is often necessary to draw in fragments in order to attain better restoration of the original anatomy. Moreover, for weakened osteoporotic bones there is a lack of plate systems with options for fixing a plurality of screws to or in a bone plate at a fixed angle in a narrow space.


Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for providing a payment plan to credit card customers. A customer may be offered membership into a payment plan that allows the customer to pay past due penalty fees included in a balance associated with the customer's credit card account. Once a customer is member of the plan, a new segment is created for the customer's account. The penalty fees are removed from the balance and applied to a balance associated with the new segment. Thereafter, each time payment is received for the financial account, the payment may be applied in whole or part to the new segment's balance until it reaches zero. Subsequent payments are applied to the balance of the financial account. In one configuration, the financial account may not be charged any penalty fees while the customer is a member of the plan.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to credit card products and, more particularly, relates to systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for managing penalty fees for financial accounts.
II. Background and Material Information
Credit card products have become so universally well known and ubiquitous that they have fundamentally changed the manner in which financial transactions and dealings are viewed and conducted in society today. Credit card products are most commonly represented by plastic card-like members that are offered and provided to customers through financial account providers, such as banks and other financial institutions. With a credit card, an authorized customer or cardholder is capable of purchasing services and/or merchandise without an immediate, direct exchange of cash. Instead, with each purchase, the cardholder incurs debt to their credit card account, which the cardholder may thereafter pay upon receipt of a periodic account statement. In most cases, the cardholder will have the option to either fully pay the outstanding balance or, as a matter of necessity or choice, defer at least a portion or the balance for later payment. For cardholders electing to defer payment, financial account providers typically assess interest or finance charges for the period during which payment of the outstanding debt is deferred.
Financial account providers assess penalty fees on customer accounts based on, for example, past due payments and overlimit charges. Delinquent cardholders or customers can cost financial account providers millions or even billions of dollars in revenue if payment can not be recovered. Furthermore, the financial ramifications on the delinquent cardholder is costly as well. For instance, issuers often charge customers penalty fees each payment period the customer has failed to make a timely payment or reduce an overlimit credit balance on an account. Together with interest charges and principal balance payments on the account, penalty fees may be more than a customer can financially handle. This may cause the customer to be late in making payments or even ignore payment deadlines.
Most financial account providers do not merely wait for delinquent customers to pay their debt. Instead, to recover all or a portion of the debt, providers employ various tactics to collect payments from their delinquent customers. Many financial account providers initially make an effort to collect overdue payments using some type of reminder, such as a letter or a phone call. Initial efforts are usually non-confrontational in instances where there has been a misunderstanding, such as the customer erroneously believing that all debt was previously paid or the financial account provider not receiving payments that actually were sent by the customer. A financial account provider often will receive payments from some customers in response to such a reminder. For other customers, however, this reminder may not be sufficient and their debts will remain unpaid despite the initial non-confrontational reminder(s).
Accounts that remain overdue for a lengthy period of time may be designated as a charged-off account. A charged-off account is an account on which a customer has not made a payment for a predetermined time period. Financial account providers consider charged-off accounts "written off" from their books (e.g., no longer receivable). Financial account providers may continue to attempt collection on charged-off accounts, but customers may no longer use the account to create further debt.
If initial collection efforts fail, some financial account providers resort to using debt collection agencies to collect payments from delinquent customers. For example, a credit issuer may give a number of charged-off accounts to a collection agency, while retaining ownership of the accounts. When customers provide payments to the agency, the agency keeps a percentage (e.g., 50%) and forwards the remainder to the financial account provider. Financial account providers may also try selling a portfolio of charged-off accounts to a collection agency. Under this arrangement, the agency essentially buys the portfolio for a fraction of the debt amount (e.g., less than one cent per dollar) and attempts collection on the account. Accordingly, a customer then owes the debt collecting agency instead of the original financial account provider. However, the practice of selling portfolios of charged-off debt and managing the charged-off accounts is expensive for the financial account provider and may jeopardize relationships with customers.

Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for managing penalty fees for financial accounts


A visor assembly includes first and second coextensive shades formed from opaque material for reflecting sunlight outwardly and away from the vehicle. The shades are sized and shaped to become nested subjacent to a windshield and partially intercalated within a selected portion of the vehicle frame surrounding the windshield. The shades are situated within a slot of the vehicle and each shade includes an inner edge portion that is juxtaposed side-by-side and formed from rubber. First and second pairs of guide tracks are intercalated within the vehicle slot and conjoined to a top surface of the shades. The first pair of guide tracks lays adjacent to the vehicle slot and the second pair of guide tracks lays adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A power mechanism selectively positions the shades between retracted and extended positions. The user can extend and retract one shade while another shade remains stationary.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to sun visors and, more particularly, to a power-operated vehicle sun visor.
2. Prior Art
Every person who owns a vehicle of some type is well aware of the consequences when they leave their vehicle parked in the sun. Ultra Violet (UV) radiation freely enters the car through the front windshield and the rear window causing the interior of the car to be considerable warmer than the ambient temperature outside. Since the heated air inside can not escape an enclosed vehicle, the heat is transferred to surfaces on the interior thereof, such as the dashboard and the steering wheel, in effect causing the car's interior to become like an oven. This heating effect is not only uncomfortable to a driver once they reenter the vehicle, but heat transfer can cause permanent and serious damage to the interior surfaces of the car including, but not limited to, cracking and discoloration of surfaces. To prevent this from happening, the use of manual sun visors has become a common practice.
Manually placed and adjusted sun visors for temporarily covering the windshield of an automotive vehicle are nearly ubiquitous, available in a plethora of shapes, sizes, and colors, providing ample testimony for the need to protect the dashboard of contemporary motor vehicles. Unfortunately, forgetfulness on the part of the motor vehicle operator often results in an overheated vehicle or, worse, a damaged dashboard, when the simple, manually placed sun visor is absent from its intended position.
Accordingly, a need remains for a power-operated vehicle sun visor in order to overcome the above noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a power-operated vehicle sun visor that is easy to use, has electric and motorized means of operation. Ti improve safety, such a sun visor only operates when the engine is turned off. Such a vehicle sun visor advantageously eliminates the clutter and hassle associated with storing and putting up the more conventional manual sun visors that have inundated the market. The power-operated vehicle sun visor allows for a quick and convenient way to cover both a vehicle's windshield and rear window in order to reduce interior heating of the vehicle and the damage associated therewith.


An imitation leather laminate material comprises a base sheet consisting of 50 to 90% by weight of a microfiber felt wherein said microfibers are polyethylene terephthalate or polyamide 6 or polyamide 6--6 of from 0.05 to 0.4 denier, and 50 to 10% by weight of a polyurethane-polyurea polymer having an average molecular weight corresponding to a polymer solution viscosity within the range from 10,000 to 50,000 centipoise (cps) when the solution is 25% by weight in dimethylformamide at a temperature of 20.degree. C.; the resulting base sheet has final weight within 140 to 450 g/m.sup.2 and density within 0.20 to 0.40 g/cm.sup.3 and is backed with one or more functional substrates adhered thereto.

Microfibrous polyurethane sheets are known in the art as leather substitutes having good properties of softness and crease and, in the case of the abraded surface type, also of smoothness and suede or velours-like touch. Examples of such products and of their preparation are disclosed e.g. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,531,368 and 3,889,292 and in UK patent N. 1,329,710.
These known leather substitutes have been extensively used in the field of clothing. However these products have many drawbacks when used in other fields such as trimming in autovehicles and furniture, where their mechanical properties make them unsuitable for this application.
In the art it is known, e.g. in italian patent applications No. 21457-B/89 and No. 21457-B/89, the basic idea of improving the microfibrous imitation leather properties by forming a laminate of the base sheet and one or more functional substrates.
By functional substrate is meant a separately prepared substrate such as knitted or woven fabric, expanded polymer foam, waterproofing films, paper, etcetera. More than one substrate may be adhered to the same base sheet of imitation leather.
While the idea looked easy to implement, serious problems were encountered in order to meet the physical requirements of most demanding uses, such as trim covers for autovehicles. These problems led to modify the composition of the base sheet, and eventually to substitute polyurethane with other elastomers, e.g. chloroprene rubber, acrylic rubber etc., according to the end use of the laminated material.

Laminate material having a microfibrous polyurethanic base sheet and process for its preparation


A venting device with base and an adjuster supported by the base, and a driver driving the adjuster. The adjuster includes a film vent former moved by the driver between vent formation mode and non-vent formation mode. The adjuster includes an adjustable blade moving from non-vent mode position with the blade on a first side of the film to vent mode position with a segment of the blade positioned on an opposite film side. The blade has a blade segment traveling within a nip region of the film driver of a foam-in-bag dispenser, where the venting device is nestled in a film drive component slot in the nip zone, and an opposite nip zone roller across the film path has a reception groove receiving the blade segment. The blade is contained in a housing shaped to perform a film wrap around prevention function relative to the bag forming assembly.

Over the years a variety of material dispensers have been developed including those directed at dispensing foamable material such as polyurethane foam which involves mixing certain chemicals together to form a polymeric product while at the same time generating gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor. If those chemicals are selected so that they harden following the generation of the carbon dioxide and water vapor, they can be used to form "hardened" (e.g., a cushionable quality in a proper fully expanded state) polymer foams in which the mechanical foaming action is caused by the gaseous carbon dioxide and water vapor leaving the mixture.
In particular techniques, synthetic foams such as polyurethane foam are formed from liquid organic resins and polyisocyanates in a mixing chamber (e.g., a liquid form of isocyanate, which is often referenced in the industry as chemical "A", and a multi-component liquid blend called polyurethane resin, which is often referenced in the industry as chemical "B"). The mixture can be dispensed into a receptacle, such as a package or a foam-in-place bag (see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,674,268, 4,800,708 and 4,854,109), where it reacts to form a polyurethane foam.
The above noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,708, which is incorporated herein by reference for background purposes, describes a method and apparatus for successively forming foam filled bags or cushions of the type wherein a foamable composition is deposited in a plastic bag. The formed bags are adapted to be placed in containers with articles being packaged, and so that when the foam expands, the bags and resulting foam are conformed to the configuration of the articles. The method and apparatus includes advancing a pair of plastic webs through the nip of a pair of drive rollers, while heat sealing the opposing longitudinal side edges of the webs together. Periodically, a predetermined amount of the foamable composition is deposited between the advancing webs immediately above the nip, and the heat sealing along the side edges is periodically and momentarily interrupted to form side edge openings for the subsequent escapement of gases generated during foaming. The advance of the webs is momentarily terminated, and a heated wire then engages the webs to sever the formed bag, while forming a sealed top edge of the formed bag and a sealed bottom edge for the next succeeding bag. The advance then again commences, and the cycle is repeated to successively form the foam filled bags.
As an example of a foam-in-bag dispensing system with a film feed for bag formation and chemical dispensing system reference is made to PCT/US2004/014423 filed on 7 May 2004 in the name of IntelliPack of Tulsa, Okla., US, and published in English as WO 2004/101252 A2, which PCT application is incorporated herein by reference. This reference uses a preferred "C-fold" film technique rather than the advanced webs from two different sources system utilized in U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,708.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,483 illustrates an additional foam-in-bag system featuring a C-fold film feed arrangement and with an adhesive strip seal formed on the free edges opposite the C-fold. As shown in FIG. 3 there is a blade device placed in contact with the C-fold film feed as it travels downstream from a guide bar. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,854,109 and 4,999,975 illustrate additional foam-in-bag venting systems. An additional venting system is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,638 (see, for example, FIGS. 40 to 44) featuring a card inserts which include a vent formation heating wire
Some difficulties experienced with the prior art venting designs include inadequate vent formation and the potential for foam shrinkage and poor in-bag foam flow within the bag due to inadequate venting or over extended vent formation and the associated leakage potential (e.g., a failure to properly control the required temperature differential to differentiate between a seal and vent region during interruption of an edge seal for venting purposes causing either too small or too large a seal interruption). The interruption technique (such as the feathering of the flow of electrical current to a sealing heat wire or the movement of heat sealing equipment into and out of position) also can introduce undesirable added complexities associated with temperature or equipment controlling particularly in an environment where devices can become coated with foam, worn out or moved in position during use (e.g., melting into a support component). An additional problem with some prior art is that cut venting is often done on only the front or the back sheet which limits the venting capability. There is also associated with prior art devices difficulty in repair and replacement for a defective venting component due to for example, difficulty in accessing or difficulty in removing and proper replacement.

Venting system for use with a foam-in bag dispensing system


A "hot start" method for arc welding includes selecting a first weld current, setting a time interval, striking an arc, flowing a second, higher weld current through the welding rod and then, after a brief time interval, reducing the current through the rod to the value of the first weld current. Also disclosed is a new arc welder stator having two groups of slots around a core. The group of larger slots contains the weld current windings and slots in the group of smaller slots contain windings for timing, gate voltage, battery charging, auxiliary power and the like. A new cooling apparatus for an arc welder has an air duct and a "double-bladed" fan for flowing air along several paths and cooling both the welder control section and the generating section. A new method for electronically controlling engine speed in an engine-driven arc welder is also disclosed. Such method includes manipulating a current-selecting device, contacting a work piece with a welding rod, accelerating the engine to an elevated speed and then either maintaining such speed or reducing it, depending upon the value of weld current selected.

Electric arc welders, sometimes referred to as "stick welders," are specific types of electrical generators used for joining pieces of metal together. Patents incorporating technology relating to arc welders include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,317,999 (Kern et al.); 5,376,877 (Kern et al.); 5,489,811 (Kern et al.); 5,497,735 (Kern et al.); 5,504,417 (Kern et al.) and 5,537,025 (Kern et al.), all of which are assigned to the same assignee as this invention.
In arc welding, metal joining is by initially "striking an arc" and thereby passing an electrical current through a thin, stick-like welding rod. The electrical current melts the tip of the rod and, gradually, the rod is consumed in the process. That is, the rod is consumed because it is "laid down" in a molten bead of weld material which quickly hardens to form the welded joint. Rods used in arc welding are formulated using a variety of materials and are made in a variety of diameters, all for specific applications.
The general principle of operation of an arc welder involves applying a voltage potential across a clamp which grips the work piece (actually, one of two pieces to be joined together) and an electrode holder which grips one end of a weld rod. So long as the weld rod does not touch the work piece and complete the electrical circuit, no current flows. But when the rod is touched to the work piece to start current flow, the resulting arc creates sufficient heat to melt the rod and weld the pieces together.
While known arc welders have been and are generally suited for the intended purpose, they are not without disadvantages. One such disadvantage often evidences itself at the start of the welding process, especially when the work pieces are at ambient temperature.
To start the welding process, it is necessary to touch the work piece with the cold, not-yet-molten tip of the rod in order to strike or create the arc, the heat of which progressively melts the rod. And to form a weld of high integrity, the rod must be held so that the portion of such rod which has become molten flows onto and bonds to the pieces to be joined.
To put it in different terms, that extremity of the rod not yet melted must not touch the work piece but, rather, must be maintained at a short distance from such work piece. This is so since it is only in this way that the arc can be sustained. The arc produces high localized heat generally according to the formula I.sup.2 R where I is the value of the current flowing through the rod and the arc and R is the electrical resistance across the arc.
Reconciling the seemingly-inconsistent requirements of touching the rod to the work piece to strike an arc and holding the rod a short distance from the work piece during welding takes a good deal of skill and practice. An operator, especially a less-experienced one, is not always successful in doing so.
When the operator is unsuccessful in striking and maintaining an arc, the rod tip fuses or sticks to the work piece. In that event, the rod must be broken away from the work piece and an arc struck anew. And almost invariably, an undesirable and unsightly spot of metal is left on the work piece. Known welders do not offer a satisfactory solution to this problem.
Other disadvantages of known arc welders relate to size and weight. Their size-to-rated-current and weight-to-rated-current ratios are undesirably high. To put it more in the vernacular, they are large and heavy for the rated current they provide. And increased size and weight usually translate into higher cost.
These undesirable attributes arise at least in some part because earlier workers in this field have not fully appreciated how to use available space most advantageously. For example, aspects of the invention disclosed herein involve what might be described as a "triple duty" or multiple-purpose cooling apparatus. Other aspects involve what might be described as a "high-density" stator that combines several different windings in a very compact arrangement.
Yet another disadvantage of known arc welders relate to ambient noise. When the generating section of the welder is powered by an internal combustion engine, it is not unusual to run the engine at rated speed, even though the power output required of the welder is very substantially less than the available engine horsepower at such speed. Of course, an engine running at rated speed produces more noise than one running at some intermediate speed.
A companion disadvantage of known arc welders relates to engine life. An engine which runs at rated speed during substantially all of its operating life will not last as long as one which runs at some intermediate speed during at least a part of such operating life.
The specification describes creative innovations which address the above-described disadvantages in unique ways.

Arc welder and method providing use-enhancing features


A filling device for an anesthetic dispenser has a closing element (3) that can be inserted into the filler neck (2) and can again be removed from same in a simple manner. A bayonet catch is provided between the closing element (3) and the filler neck (2) combined with a ring seal (18). The a ring seal (18) can be pressed in an axial direction by axial rotation and has an elastically deformable spring element.

A filling device of this type is known from CA 622 821 A. The anesthetic evaporator operating according to the bypass principle has an evaporating chamber, which is filled with liquid anesthetic. Wicks, which dip into the liquid anesthetic, generate a saturated concentration of anesthetic vapor within the evaporating chamber. A filling device for the anesthetic in the form of a filler neck, which is provided with a closing element that can be screwed in, is located on the outside of the evaporating chamber. To replace consumed anesthetic, the closing element is screwed out of the filler neck and anesthetic is filled into the evaporating chamber. The closing element is also used to seal the evaporating chamber in a pressure-sealed and gas-tight manner against the environment after filling. The drawback of the prior-art closing element is that several turns are needed for closing.
It is also known, as can be determined from EP 348 019 A1, that a sealing ring, which is pressed axially, can be provided between the closing element and the filler neck. Since nearly all elastomeric sealing materials tend to swell under the effect of anesthetic vapor, it is sometimes necessary to apply high torques to loosen the closing element.
Bayonet catches in anesthetic dispensers are also known, DE 923 500 C, but the sealing problems have not been solved satisfactorily.

Filling device for an anesthetic dispenser


A guidewire for a catheter having a corewire that includes a compound taper at its distal end portion. The compound taper of the corewire has a first taper that transitions into a second taper. The first taper proximal of the distal tip of the corewire has a greater angle with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the corewire, and is shorter in length than the second taper.

Guidewires are used to assist the insertion of diagnostic and therapeutic catheters into body passages such as arteries and vessels. To guide the catheter to the appropriate location the guidewire is inserted into the patient and advanced through the cardiovascular system while the progress of the guidewire is monitored on an x-ray imaging screen. In some procedures, the guidewire must be advanced and steered through extremely tortuous cardiovascular passageways in order to reach the area to be treated or diagnosed. Accordingly, it is important that the distal tip of the guidewire is flexible to facilitate the advancement and navigation of the guidewire along its tortuous journey. Likewise, a flexible tip is also needed to avoid damaging inner walls of the vessels and arteries with which the tip comes in contact as it is advanced. It has therefore been the subject of much inventive activity to develop guidewires and guidewire tips that are extremely flexible and steerable, so that the guidewire can be easily manipulated into various branches and passages in the vessels and arteries.
Not all catheterization procedures require that the guidewire and catheter be advanced through extremely tortuous pathways. In more routine cases, the physician need only guide the catheter to treat or diagnose regions in primary or otherwise more accessible passage ways of the cardiovascular system. Thus, in more routine cases, it is not necessary to navigate the guidewire through a tortuous pathway. In such cases, the advancements made in extreme flexibility of guidewires and guidewire tips can actually hinder the progress of the physician because, during advancement, the guidewire tends to find and follow side branches and undesired passageways. This increases that amount of work required by the physician and unnecessarily prolongs the duration of an otherwise routine procedure.
There is a need for guidewires for use in routine catheterization procedures that will be less likely to find unwanted side branches and more likely to travel in a generally forward direction. Nevertheless, flexibility is still quite important in any catheterization procedure, both for avoiding trauma to vessel or artery walls and for maintaining steerability. Accordingly, there is a need to provide an easily manufacturable guidewire that has the desired ability to avoid unnecessary detours without sacrificing the flexibility and steerability required of a guidewire.


An implant for supporting a prosthesis includes a base sheet that has a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis. At least two holes extend through the base sheet. A post is connected to the base sheet. The temporary dental implant is installed over a patient's jaw bone by exposing the jaw bone by displacing covering tissue. The base sheet is shaped into a U-shape so that the legs of the U-shape are directed away from the post. The shaped base sheet is installed over the jaw bone by securing the covering tissue to the jaw bone and loading a prosthesis onto the post.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dental implants and, more particularly, to a structure and a method for supporting temporary protheses.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When a tooth or teeth are missing, the installation of an implant into a human jaw bone is quite common to replace the missing tooth for chewing and/or cosmetic reasons. The implant is typically a metal "fixture" inserted into the jaw bone, where the missing tooth or teeth are, to form a substitute "root" upon which a prosthesis is "loaded" or installed over the fixture, to replace natural teeth. This procedure can be done for a single tooth as well as a whole jaw bone of missing teeth.
A problem with such implants is that the fixture must remain submerged into the bone for a long period of time, typically from four to six months, to allow the fixture to ossio-integrate and become solidly held by the surrounding bone before a prosthesis can be loaded upon the fixture. Thus, during these four to six months, which is the required period for ossio-integration, the patient is essentially toothless.
To overcome this problem, one publication installs a temporary prosthesis with a butterfly system on the lingual side, or the side facing the tongue and adheres the butterflies to the adjacent teeth. Another publication uses a removable bridge instead of the butterfly system to hold the temporary prosthesis in place by also utilizing the adjacent teeth for anchoring. Although these publications have solved the toothless problem during the ossio-integration period by providing the patient with a temporary prosthesis for chewing and cosmetic reasons, these publications also have several disadvantages.
One disadvantage is that the temporary prosthesis has relatively weak stability because the butterfly system or the removable bridge adheres to adjacent teeth for stability. Another disadvantage is that the adjacent teeth are easily damaged by the additional external forces such as chewing that are applied by the temporary prosthesis. Another disadvantage is that the adjacent teeth can be damaged when the dentist removes the temporary prosthesis.


The present invention is a method and apparatus for counting the number of active hosts behind network address translation boxes. The technique is based on the observation that on many operating systems, the IP header's ID field is a simple counter. By suitable processing of trace data, packets emanating from individual machines can be isolated, and the number of machines determined.

Advanced Internet protocol (IP) packet routing capabilities have become available as an integral part of operating systems. Those capabilities allow flexible packet routing and network address and port translation. Network address translation (NAT) is the dynamic replacement of the source or destination network IP address of a packet as part of the routing process. For a description of network address translation, see P. Srisuresh and K. Egevang, "Traditional IP Network Address Translator (Traditional NAT)," RFC 3022, Internet Engineering Task Force (hereinafter "IETF"), January 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a "network address translator" or "NAT box" or "NAT" 100 has been used as a tool for allowing plural hosts 110, 111, 112 in a stub network 130 to access the Internet (or another packet network) 150 using a single or only a few IP addresses. As commercially available for use in a home networking environment, such a box includes a processor for performing routing functions, ports such as 100 BaseT ports or 802.11 wireless connections for connecting hosts and other devices behind the box in a local area network, and a port for connecting to the outside network. In many available arrangements, the processor is configurable by one of the networked hosts. Such an arrangement hides the actual configuration of the network behind the NAT box from probes received on the open Internet, while conserving the number of global Internet addresses actually used.
NATs pose many challenges to protocols and to the Internet architecture. Relevant to the present invention, NATs pose a barrier to counting the number of hosts on the Internet. Until now, there has been no way to count how many distinct hosts are hidden behind NATs. Such counting is useful in certain situations to be able to detect the existence of NAT boxes, and to tell how many computers are behind one.
A NAT box will use a very small number of IP addresses—perhaps just one—but can act as a relay for many different hosts behind it. Some cable companies restrict such usage as part of their "terms of service." There are reports in the press of people reselling broadband services, especially via 802.11 wireless networks, to neighbors, in violation of tariffs and usage policies. Generally, such resale is via NAT boxes. Network access providers therefore have a need to count the number of hosts that are utilizing a single account.
The present invention takes advantage of an identifier such as the "ID" field located in headers of packets leaving the NAT box. IP protocol defines an IP header containing protocol information. The header is located at the beginning of an IP packet. For a more complete definition of the IP header and its fields, see J. Postel, "Internet Protocol," RFC 791, IETF, September 1981, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The IP header contains fields ranging in length from 3 to 32 bits that are assigned to carry information such as the protocol and protocol version of the header, the total length of the packet, a fragment offset for the case where the packet has been fragmented, a time to live, a header checksum, the source and destination addresses, etc.
The "ID" field in an IP header (or "IPid") is an identifying value assigned by the sender to aid in assembling the fragments of a packet. The field is used by a receiving host to distinguish the fragments of one datagram from those of another. The originating protocol module is required under the IP protocol to set the IPid to a value that is unique for that source/destination pair and protocol for the time the datagram will be active in the system.
To assemble the fragments of an Internet datagram, an Internet protocol module at a destination host combines Internet datagrams that all have the same value for the four fields: IPid, source, destination, and protocol. If there is no fragmentation, there is no need for the IPid field. On the other hand, fragmentation can, in theory, happen anywhere. The IPid field must therefore be unique in all "live" packets that have the same protocol number and source and destination IP addresses.

Method for detecting hosts behind network address translators