A method for determining a filling stop during a filling process of an operating fluid container whose operating fluid container interior can be filled with an operating fluid via a filling pipe opening into said interior, wherein a pressure sensor for determining a pressure within the filling pipe is arranged in the filling pipe, wherein the method has the following method steps: acquiring the time profile of pressure values acquired by means of the pressure sensor; and outputting a filling stop signal in accordance with the time profile of the pressure values. In addition, the present invention discloses an operating fluid container system having an operating fluid container and a filling pipe, opening into an operating fluid container interior, for filling the operating fluid container with an operating fluid, wherein the operating fluid container system has a pressure sensor arranged within the filling pipe and is coupled via a data line to an electronic control device for transmitting data, representing the pressure within the filling pipe, to the electronic control device, wherein the control device is designed to carry out the method according to the invention for determining a filling stop.

In the text which follows, reference is made to operating fluid containers which are embodied as fuel containers or as fuel tanks and to operating fluid container systems which are embodied as fuel container systems. Operating fluid containers according to the invention are, however, in particular not exclusively fuel containers (for gasolines or diesel fuels), urea containers, windscreen washer fluid containers, oil containers secondary fluid containers or additive containers, in each case for motor vehicles. Operating fluid containers of the type mentioned at the beginning are frequently manufactured by extrusion blow moulding, wherein, in particular, HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) is suitable for the manufacture of extrusion blow-moulded containers. In addition it is possible to manufacture corresponding operating fluid containers by means of an injection moulding method. Furthermore, operating fluid containers which are formed from metal can also be used.
From the prior art it is known that in order to vent a fuel container said container has at least one venting valve which in turn is fluidically connected to a venting line in order to discharge the overpressure to the atmosphere. In particular in the case of fuel containers which are designed for gasoline, their venting lines are frequently fluidically connected to activated carbon filters for passing through and filtering fuel vapours. The gases which are filtered by means of the activated carbon filter are output to the atmosphere after they pass through the activated carbon filter. When a fuel container is refuelled, the venting valve is in its open position, so that gas which is expelled from the fuel container during refuelling (fuel vapour-air mixture) can be discharged to the atmosphere—if appropriate filtered by an activated carbon filter. A filling stop or refuelling stop is initiated in such a way that the venting value is closed off by the fuel which has risen in the fuel container, as a result of which discharging of the gases/vapours which are located in the fuel container by the venting valve is prohibited. As a result of further feeding of fuel via a filling pipe opening into the fuel container interior, the pressure within the fuel container rises so that a fuel level within the filling pipe also rises until the fuel level closes off a fuel pump nozzle which is inserted into the filling pipe, subsequent to which any flowing out of fuel on the part of the fuel pump nozzle is ended.
In order to be able to carry out a refuelling process or filling process more precisely and in order to have more influence during the filling process, it is of great benefit to be able to detect deactivation of the filling device or of the filling valve.
The prior art has not disclosed any method or any operating fluid container system in which deactivation of a dispensing device, which may be embodied, for example in the form of a fuel pump nozzle, is detected. Instead, when a refuelling venting valve closes in the operating fluid container systems which are known from the prior art, it is simply assumed that the filling device ends an outputting of operating fluid with a delay after the closing of the refuelling venting valve.

Detecting the deactivation of a filling device


A scleral lens has an optical zone, a peripheral zone and a sagittal depth control zone between the optical zone and the peripheral zone. The sagittal depth control zone may be configured to raise the optical zone above the level of a person's eye when the scleral lens is in use and create a tear layer between the optical zone and the person's eye. Tear flow control features are provided in the sagittal depth control zone.

The front surface of the eye comprises the cornea at the center, the sclera, which is white and surrounds the cornea, and the limbus, which provides the boundary between the cornea and the sclera. For many years, contact lenses were made that covered the cornea, with little overlap onto the sclera. These lenses could be rigid or soft. Rigid lenses provide advantages over soft lenses, such as superior sagital depth control, shape maintenance, and ability to work with problematic eyes, but rigid lenses are generally less comfortable. Hence, soft lenses have become more popular. More recently, rigid lenses have been made of a much higher oxygen permeable materials and have been made sufficiently large to extend some distance beyond the limbus onto the sclera, while maintaining the advantages of rigid lenses. However, such lenses suffer from a difficulty in that they tend to gradually accumulate debris under the lens, become adhered and uncomfortable and cannot be worn comfortably for a long time.


An acoustic wave flow sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate and a heater located immediately below the acoustic wave substrate. A heating element can be deposited in association with a plurality of acoustic wave components upon the acoustic wave substrate. The acoustic wave components, the piezoelectric substrate, the heater and the heating element operate in a high-condensation environment, such that the plurality of acoustic wave components are heated directly by the heater and/or the heating element, thereby promoting a desorption of water in the high-condensation environment in order to achieve accurate and reliable flow sensing data thereof.

Acoustic wave sensors are utilized in a variety of sensing applications, such as, for example, temperature and/or pressure sensing devices and systems. Acoustic wave devices have been in commercial use for over sixty years. Although the telecommunications industry is the largest user of acoustic wave devices, they are also used for sensor applications, e.g., in chemical vapor detection. Acoustic wave sensors are so named because they use a mechanical, or acoustic, wave as the sensing mechanism. As the acoustic wave propagates through or on the surface of the material, any changes to the propagation path affect the characteristics of the wave.
Changes in acoustic wave characteristics can be monitored by measuring the frequency or phase characteristics of the sensor and can then be correlated to the corresponding physical quantity or chemical quantity that is being measured. Virtually all acoustic wave devices and sensors utilize a piezoelectric substrate to generate the acoustic wave. Three mechanisms can contribute to acoustic wave sensor response, i.e., mass-loading, visco-elastic and acousto-electric effect. The mass-loading of chemicals alters the frequency, amplitude, and phase and Q value of such sensors. Most acoustic wave chemical detection sensors, for example, rely on the mass sensitivity of the sensor in conjunction with a chemically selective coating that absorbs the vapors of interest resulting in an increased mass loading of the acoustic wave sensor.
Examples of acoustic wave sensors include acoustic wave detection devices, which are utilized to detect the presence of substances, such as chemicals, or environmental conditions such as temperature and pressure. An acoustical or acoustic wave (e.g., SAW/BAW) device acting as a sensor can provide a highly sensitive detection mechanism due to the high sensitivity to surface loading and the low noise, which results from their intrinsic high Q factor. Surface acoustic wave devices are typically fabricated using photolithographic techniques with comb-like interdigital transducers placed on a piezoelectric material. Surface acoustic wave devices may have either a delay line or a resonator configuration. Bulk acoustic wave devices are typically fabricated using a vacuum plater, such as those made by CHA, Transat or Saunder. The choice of the electrode materials and the thickness of the electrode are controlled by filament temperature and total heating time. The size and shape of electrodes are defined by proper use of masks.
One area where it is believed that acoustic wave devices can offer significant improvements is in the area of flow sensors. Flow sensors are utilized in a variety of fluid-sensing applications for detecting the quantity of fluids, including gas and liquid. Thermal sensors of such fluids, which detect the fluid flow or property of fluid, can be implemented, for example, as sensors on silicon in microstructure form. For convenience sake, and without limitation, the term "flow sensor" can be utilized to refer generically to such thermal sensors. The reader will appreciate that such sensors are also generally utilized to measure primary properties such as temperature, thermal conductivity, specific heat and other properties, and that the flows may be generated through forced or natural convection.
Conventional thermal-conductivity based flow sensors typically utilize a by-pass design for some high-flow applications. Such a configuration increases costs and the complexity of the sensing design, particularly in the context of a high-condensation environment. Additionally, the use of a by-pass may cool down the high-humidity air and the condensed water may clog the by-pass and cause the sensor to malfunction.

Acoustic wave flow sensor for high-condensation applications


The device (100) for assembling capacitors (200) is intended for an electronic converter with a plurality of arms provided with transistors. The device comprises a bus bar (11) with positive polarity and a bus bar (12) with negative polarity. The bus bar with positive polarity and the bus bar with negative polarity are superposed one on top of the other without electrical contact. Preferably, the bus bar with positive polarity comprises a width (L1) smaller than the width (L2) of the bus bar with negative polarity. The device further comprises a support part (13) for insulating and indexing, arranged between the bus bar with positive polarity and the bus bar with negative polarity. The support part for insulating and indexing is typically formed from PBT plastic material reinforced with fiberglass.

Conventionally, an electronic converter comprises a printed circuit board commonly known as a PCB board, the said PCB board comprising the electronic components which form the electric circuit of the converter, i.e. capacitors, an integrated circuit, discrete electronic components and conductive traces in order to distribute the current through the electric circuit etc. The PCB board is conventionally formed from an assembly of one or a plurality of fine layers of copper separated by an insulating material. The layers of copper are etched by means of a chemical process in order to obtain the assembly of conductive traces (also known as tracks) which end in pads. The traces are often covered with a layer of coloured varnish which makes it possible to protect the tracks against oxidation and any short-circuits.
According to a prior art well known to persons skilled in the art, the capacitors are welded directly on the PCB board, and connected to the conductive traces by means of the pads.
A disadvantage of this prior art consists of the fact that, since the thickness of the layer(s) of copper is slight, it is difficult to use an electronic converter of this type in the case of applications which require strong currents, for example of approximately 50 A. In addition, since the traces are positioned adjacent to one another, this creates strong inductance which can disrupt the functioning of the electric circuit.
In this context, the object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages.

Device for assembling capacitors for an electronic converter


An exhaust gas burner reactor which comprises a burner apparatus having a combustor tube which extends axially in a spaced relationship to an exhaust gas conduit. The combustor tube has a first, base end having fuel and air inlets and a mixing chamber therein, and a second combustor end having a combustor chamber and outlets for ejecting burning fuel and air into the exhaust gas conduit. The combustor assembly is oriented so as to locate the burner outlets upstream of the first end so that heated exhaust gas/burner output mixture passes through an exhaust reactor defined between the combustor tube and the exhaust gas conduit. The reactor aids in the combustion of unreacted fuel components in the exhaust gas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an internal combustion engine exhaust treatment apparatus and, in particular, to a fuel fired burner for heating an exhaust stream.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Advancement in emission technologies for internal combustion engines has resulted in significantly lowered total engine emissions. In general, automotive emissions applications employ an exhaust mounted catalytic treatment device for reduction of regulated exhaust constituents such as Hydrocarbons (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Oxides of Nitrogen (NO.sub.x) in the engine exhaust prior to its release to the atmosphere.
The catalytic treatment devices, or catalytic converters, rely on the heat of the exhaust gas to become catalytically active following a cold start. Initiation of catalytic activity occurs at the light-off temperature and is typically in the area of 400 degrees C. A substantial amount of time, on the order of 75-100 seconds or more, may be required before the engine exhaust supplies sufficient heat to the converter for the catalyst to light off. This delay in light-off of the catalyst occurs at a time when the engine is typically calibrated to run in a rich, open loop control format to insure rapid and smooth engine start-up and good vehicle performance immediately after start. Rich vehicle calibration leads to a high fuel/air ratio resulting in additional tailpipe emissions following start-up and prior to converter light-off.
In order to reduce cold-start engine emissions, it is desirable to provide an additional heat source at, or before, engine start-up to supplement exhaust heat and promote faster heating of the converter with a reduced time to optimal catalyst efficiency. In addition, it is desirable to minimize engine-out emissions prior to converter light-off by adding heat to the engine exhaust soon after its exit from the engine so as to promote the reaction of exhaust constituents such as Hydrocarbon (HC) and Carbon Monoxide (CO).
Several technologies have been considered for the preheating of catalytic converters. Electrically heated converters, which use an engine driven electrical system to heat elements in the converter, or the catalyst support itself in the case of metal supports, have been proposed. The heat output of the electrically heated units is directly related to the electrical input. In order to achieve the desired, rapid heating of the catalyst support, significant power must be supplied by the electrical system. In addition, electrically heating the catalyst support does not promote the reaction of exhaust constituents within the exhaust system upstream of the converter during the time prior to light-off when a reduction in engine-out emissions is desirable.
Burner systems, to which the present invention is directed, have also been considered for achieving rapid catalyst heating. Although not suffering from the drawbacks of electrically heated units, such systems require a burner, a fuel system, and an ignition system, along with the related complexity and packaging problems of such systems. In addition, rapid, reliable ignition of the burner, burner control, and adequate mixing of burner output with the engine exhaust have been problematic. Typically, burner based systems have not been useful for reacting the exhaust constituents within the exhaust system upstream of the converter for reducing engine-out emissions prior to catalyst light-off.


Compounds include polythioaminals of the formula:

Polythioaminals are a class of polymers with a variety of uses, including drug delivery. Some polythioaminals are polymers that have the general structure:
where R1 and R2 are organic or hetero-organic species. It has been shown that polythioaminals having the above structure may be synthesized by reacting an N-substituted hexahydrotriazine with a dithiol, as follows:
Subsequent reactions may replace the hydrogen atoms at the end of the thioaminal polymer with the X and Z groups above.
Whether a polythioaminal can achieve a high molecular weight during polymerization is significantly affected by stoichiometric ratios of starting materials, in view of the Carother's equation. The Carother's equation states that the degree of polymerization of a monomer (into a polymer) is equal to 1/(1−p), where p is the extent of conversion of a monomer. Small changes in the stoichiometry of one of the polymerization reactants may significantly affect the molecular weight of a synthesized polymer.
Furthermore, the reaction shown above generates a byproduct amine R2—NH2. As the reaction proceeds, concentration of the byproduct amine grows to an extent that limits progress of the reaction from achieving high degrees of polymerization. If the byproduct amine is not removed, molecular weight of the polymer generally does not grow above about 5,000 Daltons. Amine scavengers may be added to the polymerization reaction to capture R2—NH2 species. If the reaction is performed at elevated temperature, volatile byproduct amines may be vaporized to drive the reaction to higher molecular weight. However, some thioaminal polymers tend to decompose at temperatures above about 200° C., so use of such methods to increase molecular weight is limited.
Furthermore, growth of polythioaminals on substrate surfaces via two monomeric starting materials (e.g., dithiols and hexahydrotriazines) generally yields polythioaminals of less than about 5,000 Daltons.
Broadly applicable methods of increasing molecular weight of polythioaminals are needed.

High molecular weight polythioaminals from a single monomer

Abstract: Each instance of R may be hydrogen or an electron withdrawing group. ‘n’ may be an integer such that the number average molecular weight (Mn) or weight average molecular weight (Mw) is between about 2,000 to about 80,000. Compounds also include polythioaminals of the formula:

Abstract: Each instance of R may be independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —F, —CF3, and —NO2. Each instance of R′ may be independently selected from the group consisting of cycloalkyl, alkyl, alkylene glycol, acrylate, and siloxane. ‘n’ may be an integer such that the number average molecular weight (Mn) or weight average molecular weight (Mw) is between about 2,000 to about 80,000.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Methods and systems for endoscopic observation of tympanic function.

Middle-ear disease is the cause of conductive hearing losses that affect nearly every person in the world at some time in their life. Most of these cases are due to acute infectious processes that are amenable to antibiotic treatment and are quickly resolved. However, a sizable fraction of these cases are due to chronic middle-ear disease, which is best treated by middle-ear surgery, i.e., opening of the mastoid to remove disease (mastoidectomy) and reconstruction of all or part of the middle-ear sound-conductive apparatus (tympanoplasty). There are over 70,000 middle-ear surgeries performed each year in the US.
While middle-ear disease is common, the differential diagnosis of the multiple pathologies responsible for these hearing losses is problematic. Even diagnosis of the common middle-ear effusion depends on expert observation or the use of screening systems that generate significant high false positive rates. Differential diagnosis of the pathology responsible for conductive hearing loss with an intact eardrum (tympanic membrane) and fluid-free middle ear is a particularly difficult problem, even for a trained otologist. Furthermore, while the surgery to cure ears of chronic disease is highly successful, the hearing results of middle-ear reconstructive procedures are generally poor, except for certain minimally invasive procedures such as stapes replacement surgery (stapedectomy).
Otoscopy and pneumatic otoscopy work well for the diagnosis of middle-ear effusion in well-trained hands, but the average clinician is not always capable of accurately performing these tests. Simple otoscopy is of little value in the diagnosis of ossicular disorders; pneumatic otoscopy is useful in expert hands, but the assessment of eardrum mobility is subjective and such expertise is not easy transferred to inexperienced clinicians. In the hands of a practiced observer, pneumatic otoscopy can sometimes aid in the diagnosis of reconstructive failures.
Tympanometry (and its cousin reflectometry) is one of the standard screening methods for the presence of middle-ear effusion. As a screener, tympanometry is fairly sensitive for middle ear effusion, but of less than perfect selectivity (there is a sizable percentage of false positives). The utility of tympanometry in differential diagnosis of ossicular disorders or evaluation of middle-ear reconstruction is limited. Tympanometry also shows limited sensitivity and selectivity in cases of ossicular disorders or chronic middle-ear disease.
Laser-Doppler vibrometry (LDV) has been successfully used in the differential diagnosis of ossicular disorders and the evaluation of middle-ear reconstructive procedures. It presently requires two people (a clinician observer and a computer operator) to make these measurements.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods for the observation of middle ear behavior that provide easier use and accurate measurements.

Methods and systems for observation of tympanic function


When it is tried to detect a microscopic defect, it is desired that the width of the above-mentioned illuminated region in the minor axis direction should be short. In the related art, although an illuminated region is formed by converging light by some means, it is not easy to form an illuminated region with a narrower width. This is because various aberrations possessed by optical elements themselves used for convergence, aberrations possessed by other optical elements disposed on optical paths, assembly errors, and the like have undesired influence on the formation of linear illumination. In the related art, sufficient consideration has not been paid to the above points. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a system for changing the wavefront of light.

In semiconductor processes, foreign substances (also referred to as defects in the broad sense of the term) on the surface of a semiconductor substrate (wafer) cause insulation failures and short circuits between wirings, and also cause insulation failures of capacitors and breakages of oxide films, and the like. The foreign substances includes substances such as created from moving parts of a carrier, device, created from human bodies, created in chemical reactions in processing devices in which process gases are used, and mixed in medicals and materials. Then these foreign substances are attached to the surface of the wafer for various reasons. In addition, in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display element, if a foreign substance gets mixed in a pattern of the display element, this liquid crystal display element can not be used as a display element. Further, the same can be said for the case of the manufacturing process of a printed-circuit board, and the contamination with foreign substances leads to short circuits and contact failures between patterns. Therefore, in order to manage the process yield, it becomes important to detect foreign substances on substrates such as a wafer and feed back the information to the manufacturing process.
Apparatuses that are used for detecting foreign substances and the like on the above-mentioned substrates are so-called inspection apparatuses. The inspection apparatuses can be roughly classified into two types: one type is a surface inspection apparatus for inspecting mirror surface wafers, and the other type is a wafer-with-patterns inspection apparatus for inspecting wafers on which circuit patters are formed. In particular, Patent Literature 1, Patent Literature 2, and Patent Literature 3 are well known as wafer-with-patterns inspection apparatus for inspecting wafers on which circuit patters are formed. In Patent Literatures 1 to 3, an illuminated region having a two-dimensional spread in the major axis direction and the minor axis direction is formed on a substrate. Patent Literature 4 and Patent Literature 4 are well known for disclosing the related art regarding another inspection apparatus. In addition, Patent Literature 6 is well known for disclosing a technology for illuminating a substrate. Patent Literature 7 and Patent Literature 8 are well known for disclosing other technologies.


A system and method for data protection in a logical namespace of a storage system environment is provided. An integrated management framework implements a data protection technique that monitors failures in the logical namespace at a managed data object granularity, e.g., a share. In the event of a failure to the data object, e.g., a primary share, the data protection technique enables automatic failover for a link point to the object (primary share) that is protected by a backup copy of the data object, e.g., a secondary share. That is, the data protection technique enables failover from the primary share to a secondary share and corresponding linking of the secondary share to the link point in the logical namespace.

A storage system typically comprises one or more storage devices into which information may be entered, and from which information may be obtained, as desired. The storage system includes an operating system that functionally organizes the system by, inter alia, invoking storage operations in support of a storage service implemented by the system. The storage system generally provides its storage services through the execution of software modules, such as processes. The storage system may be implemented in accordance with a variety of storage architectures including, but not limited to, a network-attached storage environment, a storage area network and a disk assembly directly attached to a client or host computer. The storage devices are typically disk drives organized as a disk array, wherein the term "disk" commonly describes a self-contained rotating magnetic media storage device. The term disk in this context is synonymous with hard disk drive (HDD) or direct access storage device (DASD).
The storage system may be further configured to operate according to a client/server model of information delivery to thereby allow many clients to access information stored on the system. In this model, the storage system may be embodied as file server executing an operating system, such as the Microsoft® Windows™ operating system (hereinafter "Windows operating system"). Furthermore, the client may comprise an application executing on an operating system of a computer that "connects" to the server over a computer network, such as a point-to-point link, shared local area network, wide area network, or virtual private network implemented over a public network, such as the Internet. Each client may request the services of the server by issuing storage access protocol messages (in the form of packets) to the server over the network. By supporting a plurality of storage (e.g., file-based) access protocols, such as the conventional Common Internet File System (CIFS) and the Network File System (NFS) protocols, the utility of the server is enhanced.
To facilitate client access to the information stored on the server, the Windows is operating system typically exports units of storage, e.g., (CIFS) shares. As used herein, a share is equivalent to a mount point or shared storage resource, such as a folder or directory that stores information about files or other directories served by the file server. A Windows client may access information in the directory by mounting the share and issuing a CIFS protocol access request that specifies a uniform naming convention (UNC) path to the share. The UNC path or pathname is an aspect of a Windows networking environment that defines a way for a client to refer to a unit of storage on a server. The UNC pathname is prefixed with the string \\ to indicate resource names on a network. For example, a UNC pathname may comprise a server name, a share (directory) name and a path descriptor that collectively reference a unit of storage or share. Thus, in order to access the share, the client typically requires knowledge of the specific physical location (i.e., the identity) of the server exporting the share.
Instead of requiring the client to provide the specific identity of the file server exporting the share, it is desirable to only require a logical pathname to the share. That is, it is desirable to provide the client with a globally unique pathname to the share without reference to the file server. The conventional Distributed File System (DFS) namespace service provides such a solution in a Windows environment through the creation of a namespace that removes the specificity of server identity. DFS is well-known and described in DCE 1.2.2 DFS Administration Guide and Reference, 1997, which is hereby incorporated by reference. As used herein, a namespace is a view of shared storage resources (such as shares) from the perspective of a client. The DFS namespace service is generally implemented using one or more DFS servers and distributed components in a network.
Using the DFS service, it is possible to create a unique pathname (in the form of a UNC pathname) for a storage resource that a DFS server translates to an actual location of the resource (share) in the network. However, in addition to the DFS namespace provided by the Windows operating system, there are many other namespace services provided by various operating system platforms, including the NFS namespace provided by the conventional Unix® operating system. Each service constructs a namespace to facilitate management of information using a layer of indirection between a file server and client accessing a shared storage resource (share) on the server. For example, a share may be connected or "linked" to a link point (link in DFS terminology or a mount point in NFS terminology) to hide the machine specific reference to the share. By referencing the link point, the client can automatically access information on the storage resource of the specific machine. This allows an administrator (user) to store the information on any server in the network by merely providing a reference to the information (or share). However, these namespaces are typically services created on heterogeneous server platforms, which leads to incompatibility and non-interoperability with respect to management of the namespaces by the user. For example, the DFS namespace service is generally limited to Windows-based operating system platforms, whereas the NFS namespace service is generally limited to Unix-based operating system platforms.
The Virtual File Manager (VFM™) developed by NuView, Inc. and available from Network Appliance, Inc., ("NetApp") provides a namespace service that supports various protocols operating on various file server platforms, such as NetApp filers and DFS servers. The VFM namespace service is well-known and described in VFW™ (Virtual File Manager) Reference Guide, Version 4.0, 2001-2003, and VFM™ (Virtual File Manager) Getting Started Guide, Version 4.0, 2001-2003.
A difficult and time-consuming issue involved with managing a server, such as a file server or filer, is copying data, e.g., a data set, from an original server ("primary server") to another server ("backup server") to protect against data loss/corruption due to primary server failure. As used herein, a data set is defined as one or more storage units, such as volumes and/or "qtrees" that when combined represent data being protected against disaster. A qtree is a special directory that has the properties of a logical sub-volume within a physical volume.
One way to copy or duplicate a data set onto a backup server to ensure against total primary server failure is to replicate a primary server data set at the backup server using conventional data replication facilities, such as remote asynchronous mirroring. In this sense, the duplicated data set could include all or part of a file system. An example of an asynchronous data replication facility is the SnapMirror facility available from Network Appliance, Inc. Examples of techniques for duplicating all or part of a file system that may be advantageously used with the invention are described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/127,497 titled File System Image Transfer, by Kleiman et al, filed Jul. 31, 1998 and issued on Aug. 5, 2003 as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,604,118 and 09/426,409 titled File System Image Transfer Between Dissimilar File Systems, by Kleiman et al., filed Oct. 25, 1999 and issued on Jun. 3, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,591, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Broadly stated, the SnapMirror facility periodically replicates a data set stored on a primary server ("source filer") to a backup server ("destination filer") at a user-definable time interval, with the range being from one minute to one month. At the end of each data replication event, the backup data set becomes an exact block-for-block "mirror" copy of the primary data set. At that point, the two data sets share identical data content and characteristics. The mirror is initialized by effectively copying the entire primary data set to the backup data set. Once this initial copy is complete, replication events thereafter copy only changed blocks from the primary data set to the backup data set to thereby provide an efficient data replication mechanism.
It is also possible to protect a unit of storage, such as share, on a primary data set that is exported by a namespace (which is used to access the share) using the data replication facility. Often, there is more than one location (link) within the namespace where the share may reside. Once the share is protected and in response to a source filer failure, another mechanism is needed to specify actions to be taken to failover the link to the backup data set on the destination filer. Such a mechanism may include a management application that detects a failure on the source filer and invokes the mirror on the destination filer.
Previous namespace services (such as the VFM namespace service) have the capability to monitor a source share on a source volume and/or qtree of a source filer and, upon a failure, insert a destination share on the mirror of the destination filer into a namespace. However, such services monitor failures at the filer level. A noted disadvantage of this approach is that if the original volume is taken offline or otherwise fails on the source filer, the services do not detect that a failure to the source share has occurred and the management application cannot invoke the mirror to access the destination share. Accordingly, applications requiring access to the destination share fail. In addition, it is possible for the source filer (and source volume) to be operational, but the source share to be inaccessible. For example, the source share may be deleted or its properties changed so that it is no longer accessible. Since the previous services cannot detect such a source share failure, the insertion of the destination share into the namespace does not occur.

System and method for data protection management in a logical namespace of a storage system environment


In one embodiment, a plasma display device includes: a plasma display panel having a plurality of electrodes; a power supply including first and second power sources for respectively supplying first and second voltages, the second voltage being higher than the first voltage; a driving circuit for driving the electrodes; and a controller for generating a first signal to control the driving circuit. The driving circuit includes: a first switch for supplying a third voltage to the electrodes, the third voltage decreasing over a period of time; a switching controller for controlling the first switch in accordance with the first signal and a second signal; and a feedback signal generator for comparing fourth and fifth voltages respectively proportional to the third and second voltages, adjusting a level of the second signal according to a result of comparing the fourth and fifth voltages, and supplying the second signal to the switching controller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device and a driving apparatus thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plasma display device is a flat panel display device that uses plasma generated by a gas discharge to display characters or images. It includes a plasma display panel (PDP) having hundreds of thousands to millions of discharge cells (hereinafter referred to as cells) arranged in a matrix format, depending on its size.
According to a conventional driving method of a plasma display device, each frame is divided into a plurality of subfields having respective weights (or brightness weights), and gray levels are expressed by a combination of weights from among the subfields, which are used to perform a display operation. Each subfield is divided into a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period and is driven in the periods. Wall charge states of discharge cells are initialized in the reset period, turn-on cells are selected in the address period, and a sustain discharge operation is performed in the turn-on cells for displaying an image (e.g., a substantial image) in the sustain period.
A conventional plasma display device applies a voltage that is higher than a scan voltage to a scan electrode at the end of a reset period by using the scan voltage applied to the scan electrode for selecting turn-on cells during an address period. A driving circuit used for this process will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a part of a conventional driving apparatus of a plasma display device that drives a scan electrode.
As shown in FIG. 1, the driving apparatus 10 includes a transistor YscL, a Zener diode ZD1, and a transistor Yfr. A drain of the transistor YscL is coupled to a scan electrode Y, a source of the transistor YscL is coupled to a power source VscL, a cathode of the Zener diode ZD1 is coupled to the scan electrode Y, and an anode of the Zener diode ZD1 is coupled to a drain of the transistor Yfr. A drain of the transistor Yfr is coupled to the Zener diode ZD1 and the source of the transistor Yfr is coupled to the power source (e.g., voltage source) VscL.
At the end of the reset period, the transistor Yfr is turned on and the transistor YscL is turned off. Accordingly, a current path is formed from the scan electrode Y through the Zener diode ZD1 and the transistor Yfr to the power source VscL, and a voltage applied to the scan electrode Y is maintained higher than a voltage of VscL at the power source VscL by a constant level ΔV due to the Zener diode ZD1.
In an address period, the transistor Yfr is turned off and the transistor YscL is turned on. Accordingly, a current path is formed from the scan electrode Y through the transistor YscL to the power source VscL, and a voltage applied to the scan electrode corresponds to the VscL voltage.
In general, the VscL voltage is set to about −200 V, and the constant level ΔV is set to about 25 V. Therefore, the Zener diode ZD1 has a high withstand voltage of about 175V. However, the use of the Zener diode having such a high withstand voltage has drawbacks of increased implementation costs as well as power consumption.
In addition, in the conventional driving apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 a size of ΔV cannot be modified. As such, it cannot correspond to design compatibility of a plasma display device and a variation range according to a discharge margin, and a voltage of the scan electrode may be decreased to a voltage level that is lower than a voltage (e.g., a predetermined voltage) due to noise and errors in a control device.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Plasma display device and driving apparatus thereof


A DES decrypting unit decrypts video data frames encrypted and compressed based on MPEG standards, when receiving them. The decrypted video data frames are expanded one by one in a MPEG expansion circuit. Each time the single frame is expanded, the MPEG expansion circuit outputs a completion-of-frame-expansion signal to a host control CPU. The host control CPU counts the completion-of-frame-expansion signals and reduces an accounting count value in an accounting data memory in accordance with this count value. The host control CPU outputs character pattern image data from a pattern generator and prohibits the decryption by the DES decrypting unit when the accounting count value becomes 0. The character pattern image data is superimposed on a video signal in an adder circuit.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to a multimedia information outputting apparatus and a software using quantity measuring apparatus for measuring a using quantity of software such as a computer program, and a picture work, especially digitized software. The present invention relates more particularly to a multimedia information outputting apparatus and a software using quantity measuring apparatus capable of imposing a proper charge even in a case where the software is used in an abnormal mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With an advancement of a large scale storage medium such as a CD-ROM, etc. and of a large capacity high-speed communication technology such as a B-ISDN, etc., not only the computer program but also image data and audio data are distributed in the form of digital information via such a media. That is, there are sold CD-ROMs stored with a picture work as hitherto offered in the form of a video tape and a game program. Further, there is also actualized a sales system wherein such a picture work is delivered via a communication line to the user.
By the way, it is quite easy to copy this kind of digital information on other mediums, and, besides, a decline in terms of data quality due to copying as in the case of the analog information is not seen. Accordingly, absolutely the same information can be copied, and there exists a remarkably high possibility in which these acts infringe a profit of the author. Namely, a third party can easily copy the contents of the CD-ROM on other mediums with a mere knowledge about the computer operation simply by possessing a large capacity writable magneto-optic disk device and a magnetic disk device. As described above, in the majority of cases, a rental act of this kind of digital information medium is inhibited by the author for the reason of an impossibility of conducting a sufficient security check. Hence, an end user is not allowed to use the software as far as the end user does not purchase the software. However, this kind of software is expensive at the present. Therefore, the end user has no alternative but to refrain from purchasing the software till the user confirms that the software is identical with the one the user himself or herself really wants to get or usable by the hardware of his or her own. Consequently, collecting the profits from this kind of software tends to make little progress.
For obviating this situation, there starts a realization of a new software distributing system in which a CD-ROM stored with a multiplicity of sets of software restricted in terms of functions is put on the market at a low price, and the end user is informed of a code for canceling the functional restriction in exchange for a remittance of a license fee for a right-of-use of a desired set of software among them. However, setting the right of use involves a difficulty of providing restrictions in a using term and the number of uses. Hence, there is no alternative but to set the right of use for the permanent use. Accordingly, this license fee is inevitably high as in the case of the conventional sales of the software.
In this respect, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-19707 discloses a system for previously registering an amount of money corresponding to a software usable quantity on an IC card. In this system, a user inserts this IC card into an information apparatus usable (executable, reproducible) this software when using the software requiring a payment of money, the software is made usable or unusable the software in accordance with a balance of the registered amount of money and subtracting the balance each time the software is used once.
In the case of the software of such a type that a series of data are sequentially reproduced in time series as in the case of, especially, moving picture data and audio data, however, the charge can not be properly imposed based on the above method. For example, in the case of moving picture data such as a movie, the software user may temporarily stop the picture in the middle of regenerating the moving picture data and leave the reproducer to perform other operations in some cases. In such a case, the software user again returns in front of the reproducer and resumes the reproduction of the moving picture data from the temporarily stopped data position or the heading position of the moving picture data. In this case, according to the above method, the charge for one usage is imposed on the assumption that the reproduction throughout the whole moving picture data is conceived as one usage, or alternatively, the charge for two usages is imposed on the assumption that the reproduction after returning to the heading position is conceived as another reproduction.
In these choices, if the charge for one usage is imposed even when resuming the reproduction on getting back to the heading position, it is irrational that no charge is imposed on the data of the area where the reproduction has already been effected before the temporary stop. Further, if the charge for two usages is evenly imposed in the case of resuming the reproduction on getting back to the heading position, it is also irrational that there is imposed a charge for the data of a unreproduced area before the temporary stop on the assumption. Further, if the charge for the two usages is uniformly imposed in the case of resuming the reproduction at the temporary stopping position, it follows that a charge which is twice the normal charge is imposed. This is further irrational.
It can be also considered that a charge is imposed corresponding to a data using time in order to avoid such irrationalities. In the state where the temporary stop is effected, however, new items of data are not outputted, and there is nothing but to display image segment which could have a meaning in the form of the moving picture. Accordingly, it is still irrational that the same charge as for performing the normal reproduction is imposed during the temporary stop. This is a first problem inherent in the prior art.
Further, when the digital video data is used, a step search can be done instead of queuing and reviewing in an analog video data. Based on the conventional accounting method, however, there was taken no proper measure about how a charge for such a step search is imposed. In this case, it is impossible to follow up the story of the moving picture during the step search, and, hence, it is strict to impose the charge on the user in the same way as the normal reproduction. This a second problem inherent in the prior art.

Software usage measurement apparatus for imposing a proper charge in accordance with number of times multimedia unit data of a software is being processed


Technologies are disclosed herein for providing an asynchronous fleet configuration service for deploying and updating a fleet of network resources. The asynchronous fleet configuration service exposes an asynchronous application programming interface (API) that allows for individual resources to indicate an initialization status. Accordingly, the asynchronous fleet configuration service can asynchronously monitor the status of individual resources being deployed or updated, while performing other duties related to the fleet of network resources.

Distributed computing networks may provide a number of services that can be configured to provide different types of functionality. For example, a service provider network deploying a distributed computing network for use by customers may offer a number of different services. Distributed computing networks may also be utilized to operate fleets of network resources that are configured to provide different types of functionality. For example, a fleet of network resources may be configured to execute a Web server application in order to receive and respond to requests for Web pages or other types of data. Other types of applications and/or services might also be executed on the network resources in such a fleet, including additional services offered by the service provider.
Operation of a fleet of network resources can be a complicated, expensive and time consuming process. For example, the operator of a network service executing on a fleet of network resources may be responsible for arranging to deploy or update configurations to one or more network resources. The deploy or update process may require one or more dependencies between network resources.
Accordingly, if a particular network resource has not deployed or has not been initiated to a functioning level, one or more errors can occur that may limit overall functionality of the fleet. Conventional solutions to reducing dependency errors are limited to invoking time delays between deployment of subsequent resources. The time delays can further complicate the deploy or update process, and may unnecessarily delay the entire deploy or update process if one or more of the network resources is fully functional prior to lapse of the time delay.
The disclosure made herein is presented with respect to these and other considerations.

Asynchronous fleet configuration service


The present invention relates to a catalyst for a solid polymer fuel cell, including platinum, cobalt, and zirconium supported as a catalytic metal on a carbon powder carrier, in which the supporting ratio of platinum, cobalt, and zirconium on the carbon powder carrier is Pt:Co:Zr=3:0.5 to 1.5:0.1 to 3.0 by molar ratio. In the present invention, it is preferable that the peak position of Pt3Co seen in the X-ray diffraction pattern of catalyst particles is 2θ=41.10° or more and 42.00° or less, and moderate alloying has occurred in the catalytic metal.

Fuel cells were once called next-generation power generation systems. In order to meet the expectations, it has become realistic to put such fuel cells in practical use, and their prevalence has been awaited. There are some forms of fuel cells. Among them, solid polymer fuel cells are particularly advantageous in that they have a relatively low operative temperature and can be reduced in size and weight. Then, because of these merits, solid polymer fuel cells are considered promising as automotive power sources or household power sources, and their development has already reached the stage of practical use.
A solid polymer fuel cell has a laminate structure in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a hydrogen electrode and an air electrode. Then, a hydrogen-containing fuel is supplied to the hydrogen electrode, while oxygen or air is supplied to the air electrode, and, utilizing the oxidation and reduction reactions that occur at the respective electrodes, electricity is extracted. In the hydrogen electrode and the air electrode of a solid polymer fuel cell, a mixture of a catalyst for promoting electrochemical reactions and a solid electrolyte is generally applied. As such an electrode catalyst, conventionally, a catalyst having supported thereon a precious metal as a catalytic metal, particularly a platinum catalyst having supported thereon platinum, which is highly catalytically active, has been widely used.
In recent years, in order to reduce the amount of platinum used in a catalyst to achieve the reduction of catalyst cost, examples in which platinum and metals other than platinum are supported, and an alloy thereof is used as the catalytic metal, have been increasingly examined. As such a catalyst having a platinum alloy as a catalytic metal, a Pt—Co catalyst having an alloy of platinum and cobalt as a catalytic metal is considered particularly useful. This is because such a Pt—Co catalyst can exert higher activity than platinum catalysts while reducing the amount of platinum used. Then, in order to further improve the characteristics of a Pt—Co catalyst, a ternary alloy catalyst, in which a third alloy element after cobalt is alloyed, has also been reported (Patent Documents 1 to 3).

Catalyst for solid polymer fuel cell and method for producing same


Provided is an allyl group-modified fluorooxyalkylene group-containing polymer that is represented by the following general formula (1) and has a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 50,000 in terms of polystyrene,

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel fluorooxyalkylene group-containing polymer and a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fluoroalkylene group-containing polymer of which a terminal is modified with various reactive organic groups is used for a water-repellent oil-repellent antifouling agent for a paper and fibers, a lubricant for a magnetic recording medium, an oil proofing agent for a precision instrument, a mold release agent, a cosmetic material, a top coat, or the like.
In particular, when perfluoropolyether-modified silane in which a terminal of a fluoroalkylene group-containing polymer is modified through an ether bond (—C—O—C— bond) with a hydrolyzable silyl group is used as a top coat, or the like, a surface exhibiting water- and oil-repellency, releasability, chemical resistance, lubricity, durability, antifouling property, and fingerprint-wiping property can be provided (Patent Document 1). However, since the —C—O—C— bond in the perfluoropolyether-modified silane has an oxygen atom (heteroatom) between carbon atoms, thermal stability and chemical stability thereof are low. Therefore, the perfluoropolyether-modified silane is not suitable for application that demands these properties.
A method for bonding a fluoroalkylene group-containing polymer with a hydrolyzable silyl group through a siloxane bond (Patent Document 2) has been also proposed. In this method, a production process is made complex, and a larger amount of energy is required for a vapor deposition treatment as the molecular weight is larger. Therefore, this method is not always an industrially advantageous method.
On the other hand, as shown in the following reaction formula, an example of allylation of terminal iodide in a fluoroalkylene group-containing compound with a relatively low molecular weight is proposed (Non-Patent Document 1).
Allylation of Terminal Iodide of Fluoroalkylene
Allylation of Terminal Methylene Iodide of Fluoroalkylene

Allyl group-modified fluorooxyalkylene group-containing polymer and method for producing the same

Abstract: where Rf represents a monovalent or divalent fluorooxyalkylene group-containing polymer residue; “m” represents 1 or 2; X represents F or CF3; “n” represents an integer of 0 to 10; and α represents 1 or 2. The fluorooxyalkylene group-containing polymer is excellent in terms of thermal stability and chemical stability, in addition to water- and oil-repellency, releasability, chemical resistance, lubricity, durability, antifouling property, and fingerprint-wiping property.


The present folding cart is comprised of a rectangular bag and flexible support panel positioned within a rectangular frame, and wheels connected to the frame by legs. The frame is comprised of pairs of scissoring members on the ends and sides for being quickly collapsible in two dimensions. The ends of the scissoring members in each pair are offset toward each other at the corners of the frame to avoid binding during folding. An arched section is provided in each leg at one end of the frame that curve around the wheel at the other end of the frame when folded. A flexible bag is attached to the top corners of the frame, but not to the bottom corners to enable the frame to be collapsed. The flexible support panel is attached to the bottom corners of the frame to prevent the bag from sagging under a heavy load.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to folding carts.
2. Prior Art
Rigid carts are commonly used for transporting people, animals or objects in homes, gardens, farms, factories and stores, and between different locations. For many uses, folding carts are preferable because they can be collapsed for compact storage and transportation when not in use. Folding carts are particularly suitable for transporting children, sporting goods, gardening items, and items purchased in open air markets. Folding carts are especially advantageous for use by families when traveling, because they can be folded to fit inside automotive trunks and other compact spaces. Various prior art folding carts are known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,751 to Giordano discloses one with a tubular fabric bag within a frame which is collapsible in two dimensions. The upper and lower corners of the bag are secured to the frame. When the cart is collapsed, the frame is slightly lengthened in the vertical direction. This is not a problem in the Giordano cart because it is very narrow. If the cart is changed to make it much wider than it is tall, it would not be collapsible because the bag will prevent the frame from extending adequately in the vertical direction. U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,660 to Zalewski discloses another two-dimensionally collapsible cart with a fabric bag. The top corners of the bag are rigidly attached to the frame, and the lower corners are attached to the frame by elastic bands which stretch when the frame is folded. If the elastic bands are loose enough to allow the frame to be easily folded, the bag will sag under a load. If the elastic bands are tight enough to prevent the bag from sagging under a load, they will make folding difficult.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,622,376 to Shamie and 5,687,984 to Samuel disclose folding carts with wheels at all four corners. When folded, the front wheels are positioned on top of the rear wheels for compactness, but the collapsed size of the cart is limited by the interference between the wheels and the frame members. Other known devices include a cart with wheels folded to laterally adjacent positions that take up more room. The lower corners of the bag are not connected to the frame, so that the bag will sag under a load. The bag is limited to a square shape. Any reduction in overall height will reduce the bag height by an equal amount.
Prior art carts typically have small wheels that cannot roll very well on soft or rough surfaces, such as a lawn or soil. Prior art carts also typically have frame members on each side of the cart that are completely parallel to each other when seen from the top. The top and bottom pivots between the sides are thus not vertically aligned with each other, so that the frame will bind during folding.
Accordingly, the objectives of the present folding cart are:
to be collapsible into a very compact shape to allow placement in compact spaces, such as an automotive trunk;
to have larger wheels for better rolling;
to be foldable into a very compact shape despite the large wheels;
to have a bag which does not sag under a heavy load;
to fold easily and smoothly;
to be strong and rigid enough when expanded;
to be lightweight;
to be producible in any height, length, and width; and
to be sufficiently rigid in the vertical and horizontal directions when expanded.
Further objectives of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The present folding cart is comprised of a rectangular bag and a flexible support panel positioned within a rectangular frame, and wheels connected to the frame by legs. The frame is comprised of pairs of scissoring members on the ends and sides for being quickly collapsible in two dimensions to a very compact shape. The ends of the scissoring members in each pair are offset toward each other to align the upper and lower corners of the frame so as to avoid binding during folding. An arched section is provided in each leg at one end of the frame that curve around the wheel at the other end of the frame when folded. Each arched section is engaged against an adjacent scissoring member for rigidity when the frame is expanded. A flexible bag is attached to the top corners of the frame, but not to the bottom corners to enable the frame to be collapsed. The flexible support panel is attached to the bottom corners of the frame to prevent the bag from sagging under a heavy load, and to improve rigidity in the horizontal directions.


A method for utilizing a database for an inspection of an industrial plant includes downloading a spreadsheet from a remote database containing inspection-related data for the industrial plant, wherein the spreadsheet includes selection lists of inspection data. The method further includes entering inspection data into the spreadsheet utilizing the selection lists and uploading the spreadsheet with the entered inspection data to the remote computer to thereby update the remote database.

This invention relates generally to utilization of databases, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for maintaining and using database records to facilitate inspections of industrial plants such as nuclear power plants.
Regular inspection of nuclear power plants for cracks or other anomalies is performed by teams of qualified inspectors known as "level 3 engineers."The level 3 engineers inspect internal components and denote and quantify items needing attention. These inspections occur on a regular, scheduled basis and include a checklist of items to be inspected. For example, the size and location of cracks that might be discovered are noted. In addition, inspections also occur during any unscheduled outages or at other times that may be deemed appropriate. The results of these inspections are uploaded to a central database (e.g., an ORACLE® database, available from Oracle International Corporation, Redwood City, Calif.) for tracking purposes. Any items that may require follow-up are scheduled for a subsequent inspection. Follow-up inspections and checklists of items to be inspected are based on Nuclear Regulatory Commission or other rules in place that dictate how, when, and what to inspect in a plant and what to do during an inspection.
These databases are effective at scheduling and targeting inspections, but require much manual intervention to use and are not automated. In some cases, processes involving multiple software and/or computer systems are involved that can increase time for both a customer and a level 3 engineer. Previous attempts at addressing these issues involved the use of a number of individuals checking data, ensuring that it is valid and in existence prior to uploading the inspection data to the central database. This approach requires considerable time and is very labor intensive. Moreover, at least one known procedure involves entering inspections into an ORACLE database via a web server one inspection at a time (where, for example, there could be hundreds of exam inspections per outage) or sending information to a number of different resources in a process that can take days to complete.

Method and apparatus for utilizing a database


The present invention provides compositions and methods of using placental stem cells that originate from a postpartum placenta with conventional cord blood compositions or other stem or progenitor cells. The placental stem cells can be used alone or in a mixture with other stem cell populations. In accordance with the present invention, the placental stem cells may be mixed with other stem cell populations, including but not limited to, umbilical cord blood, fetal and neonatal hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, human stem cells and progenitor cells derived from bone marrow. The placental stem cells and the mixed populations of placental stem cells and stem cells have a multitude of uses and applications, including but not limited to, therapeutic uses for transplantation and treatment and prevention of disease, and diagnostic and research uses.

There is considerable interest in the identification, isolation and generation of human stem cells. Human stem cells are totipotential or pluripotential precursor cells capable of generating a variety of mature human cell lineages. This ability serves as the basis for the cellular differentiation and specialization necessary for organ and tissue development.
Recent success at transplanting such stem cells have provided new clinical tools to reconstitute and/or supplement bone marrow after myeloablation due to disease, exposure to toxic chemical and/or radiation. Further evidence exists that demonstrates that stem cells can be employed to repopulate many, if not all, tissues and restore physiologic and anatomic functionality. The application of stem cells in tissue engineering, gene therapy delivery and cell therapeutics is also advancing rapidly.
Many different types of mammalian stem cells have been characterized. For example, embryonic stem cells, embryonic germ cells, adult stem cells or other committed stem cells or progenitor cells are known. Certain stem cells have not only been isolated and characterized but have also been cultured under conditions to allow differentiation to a limited extent. A basic problem remains, however, in that obtaining sufficient quantities and populations of human stem cells which are capable of differentiating into all cell types is near impossible. Stem cells are in critically short supply. These are important for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders, including malignancies, inborn errors of metabolism, hemoglobinopathies, and immunodeficiencies. It would be highly advantageous to have a source of more embryonic stem cells.
Obtaining sufficient numbers of human stem cells has been problematic for several reasons. First, isolation of normally occurring populations of stem cells in adult tissues has been technically difficult and costly due, in part, to very limited quantity found in blood or tissue. Secondly, procurement of these cells from embryos or fetal tissue, including abortuses, has raised religious and ethical concerns. The widely held belief that the human embryo and fetus constitute independent life has prompted governmental restrictions on the use of such sources for all purposes, including medical research. Alternative sources that do not require the use of cells procured from embryonic or fetal tissue are therefore essential for further progress in the use of stem cells clinically. There are, however, few viable alternative sources of stem cells, particularly human stem cells, and thus supply is limited. Furthermore, harvesting of stem cells from alternative sources in adequate amounts for therapeutic and research purposes is generally laborious, involving, e.g., harvesting of cells or tissues from a donor subject or patient, culturing and/or propagation of cells in vitro, dissection, etc.
For example, Caplan et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,359 entitled "Human mesenchymal stem cells," issued Jan. 23, 1996), discloses human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) compositions derived from the bone marrow that serve as the progenitors for mesenchymal cell lineages. Caplan et al. discloses that hMSCs are identified by specific cell surface markers that are identified with monoclonal antibodies. Homogeneous hMSC compositions are obtained by positive selection of adherent marrow or periosteal cells that are free of markers associated with either hematopoietic cell or differentiated mesenchymal cells. These isolated mesenchymal cell populations display epitopic characteristics associated with mesenchymal stem cells, have the ability to regenerate in culture without differentiating, and have the ability to differentiate into specific mesenchymal lineages when either induced in vitro or placed in vivo at the site of damaged tissue. The drawback of such methods, however, is that they require harvesting of marrow or periosteal cells from a donor, from which the MSCs must be subsequently isolated.
Hu et al. (WO 00/73421 entitled "Methods of isolation, cryopreservation, and therapeutic use of human amniotic epithelial cells," published Dec. 7, 2000) discloses human amniotic epithelial cells derived from placenta at delivery that are isolated, cultured, cryopreserved for future use, or induced to differentiate. According to Hu et al. a placenta is harvested immediately after delivery and the amniotic membrane separated from the chorion, e.g., by dissection. Amniotic epithelial cells are isolated from the amniotic membrane according to standard cell isolation techniques. The disclosed cells can be cultured in various media, expanded in culture, cryopreserved, or induced to differentiate. Hu et al. discloses that amniotic epithelial cells are multipotential (and possibly pluripotential), and can differentiate into epithelial tissues such as corneal surface epithelium or vaginal epithelium. The drawback of such methods, however, is that they are labor-intensive and the yield of stem cells is very low. For example, to obtain sufficient numbers of stem cells for typical therapeutic or research purposes, amniotic epithelial cells must be first isolated from the amnion by dissection and cell separation techniques, then cultured and expanded in vitro.
Umbilical cord blood ("cord blood") is a known alternative source of hematopoietic progenitor stem cells. Stem cells from cord blood are routinely cryopreserved for use in hematopoietic reconstitution, a widely used therapeutic procedure used in bone marrow and other related transplantations (see e.g., Boyse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,681, "Preservation of Fetal and Neonatal Hematopoietin Stem and Progenitor Cells of the Blood", Boyse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,553, entitled "Isolation and preservation of fetal and neonatal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells of the blood and methods of therapeutic use", issued Mar. 9, 1993). Conventional techniques for the collection of cord blood are based on the use of a needle or cannula, which is used with the aid of gravity to drain cord blood from (i.e., exsanguinate) the placenta (Boyse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,553, issued Mar. 9, 1993; Boyse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,681, issued Apr. 2, 1991; Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,581, entitled Method and apparatus for placental blood collection, issued Dec. 13, 1994; Hessel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,665, entitled Umbilical cord clamping, cutting, and blood collecting device and method, issued May 16, 1995). The needle or cannula is usually placed in the umbilical vein and the placenta is gently massaged to aid in draining cord blood from the placenta. Thereafter, however, the drained placenta has been regarded as having no further use and has typically been discarded. A major limitation of stem cell procurement from cord blood, moreover, has been the frequently inadequate volume of cord blood obtained, resulting in insufficient cell numbers to effectively reconstitute bone marrow after transplantation.
Naughton et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,325 entitled "Three-dimensional stromal tissue cultures" issued Oct. 5, 1999) discloses that fetal cells, including fibroblast-like cells and chondrocyte-progenitors, may be obtained from umbilical cord or placenta tissue or umbilical cord blood.
Kraus et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,942, entitled "Selective expansion of target cell populations", issued Jan. 15, 2002) discloses that a predetermined target population of cells may be selectively expanded by introducing a starting sample of cells from cord blood or peripheral blood into a growth medium, causing cells of the target cell population to divide, and contacting the cells in the growth medium with a selection element comprising binding molecules with specific affinity (such as a monoclonal antibody for CD34) for a predetermined population of cells (such as CD34 cells), so as to select cells of the predetermined target population from other cells in the growth medium.
Rodgers et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,195 entitled "Method for promoting hematopoietic and mesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation," issued Jan. 1, 2002) discloses methods for ex vivo culture of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells and the induction of lineage-specific cell proliferation and differentiation by growth in the presence of angiotensinogen, angiotensin I (AI), AI analogues, AI fragments and analogues thereof, angiotensin II (AII), AII analogues, AII fragments or analogues thereof or AII AT2 type 2 receptor agonists, either alone or in combination with other growth factors and cytokines. The stem cells are derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood or umbilical cord blood. The drawback of such methods, however, is that such ex vivo methods for inducing proliferation and differentiation of stem cells are time-consuming, as discussed above, and also result in low yields of stem cells.
Because of restrictions on the collection and use of stem cells, and the inadequate numbers of cells typically collected from cord blood, stem cells are in critically short supply. Stem cells have the potential to be used in the treatment of a wide variety of disorders, including malignancies, inborn errors of metabolism, hemoglobinopathies, and immunodeficiencies. There is a critical need for a readily accessible source of large numbers of human stem cells for a variety of therapeutic and other medically related purposes. The present invention addresses that need and others.
Additionally, there remains a need for the treatment of neurological conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although recent studies using irradiated mouse models of familial ALS, a less-common form of ALS, have suggested that cord blood may be useful in the treatment of this disease, the source issue discussed above makes this option less than ideal. See Ende et al., Life Sci. 67:53059 (2000). Thus, there remains a need for stem or progenitor cell populations that can be used to treat diseases, particularly larger amounts of these populations when diseases such as ALS are being treated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Placental stem cells derived from post-partum mammalian placenta, and uses and methods of treatment using said cells


Control systems and methods for aligning multimode optical fibers are provided. A method includes producing a brightness profile for a first and second multimode optical fiber. The method further includes determining a cladding center position and a core center position from the brightness profile of the first multimode optical fiber and from the brightness profile of the second multimode optical fiber. The method further includes calculating a concentricity error for the first multimode optical fiber based on the cladding center position and the core center position from the brightness profile of the first multimode optical fiber and for the second multimode optical fiber based on the cladding center position and the core center position from the brightness profile of the second multimode optical fiber. The method further includes aligning the first multimode optical fiber and the second multimode optical fiber based on the concentricity errors of the first multimode optical fiber and second multimode optical fiber.

Advances in fiber and glass processing technology have been driven by a demand for high quality optical fiber components for a variety of applications. For example, in recent years, CO2 laser-based glass processing machines played a key role in enabling a new generation of optical fibers. One key to the deployment of a network of optical fibers is the necessity of splicing together optical fibers along the network. Accurate splicing of the optical fibers is key to efficient light transmission and the resulting functionality of the network.
For optical fibers to be spliced accurately, the optical fibers to be spliced must be accurately and precisely aligned with respect to each other. More specifically, the ends of the optical fibers to be spliced together must be aligned along an X-axis and Y-axis, both of which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the optical fibers. It is critical that the cores of the optical fibers are aligned in order to prevent the loss of light from the core at the splice point.
Methods and apparatus for aligning the claddings of optical fibers is existing technology (e.g. for most field splicers in the world). Further, core alignment for single-mode optical fibers ("SMFs") is existing technology (e.g. for most factory splicers). However, core alignment for multimode optical fibers ("MMFs") does not yet exist. As multimode optical fibers are increasingly utilized with high powered light sources such as high powered lasers, such core alignment has become both desirable and critical to the use of multimode optical fibers.
Accordingly, methods and apparatus for facilitating the core alignment of multimode optical fibers would be advantageous.


A method, system and computer program product receive a set of objects for connection, create a moving object within the set of objects, display visual connection cues on objects in the set of objects, adjust the visual connection cues of the moving object and a target object in the set of objects, identify event propagation precedence, and connect the moving object with the target object.

This disclosure relates generally to connectivity in a data processing system and more specifically to visual connectivity of objects using event propagation in the data processing system. Self-service mash-up and dashboard environments have gained attention in recent years. This type of environment enables users to address specific business needs to aide in solving business problems. An important and common feature in mash-up environments is widget connectivity. Widget connectivity is often used by users to send information using a type of event mechanism from one widget to another specific widget or broadcast an event to all other widgets on the dashboard.

Visual connectivity of widgets using event propagation

International Business Machines Corporation


A method is provided for transforming ordered pairs of keystrokes entered on a keypad with eight or more keys into a full complement of alpha-numeric characters, as might be enterable from a computer keyboard. The method can be utilized with any device that permits an operator to select one of eight keys or other means of generating a distinct electrical or other signal. The keys or positions are arranged radially around a center point in locations corresponding to keys 1-4 and 6-9 of the telephone keypad. Examples of input devices include a numeric keypad, a telephone keypad, and a "joystick." The method employs an alphabet in which each character is represented by a two-stroke pictographic figure. The first stroke proceeds from the position of the first key to be pressed, thence to the center of the keypad or device. The second stroke proceeds from said center to a the position of the second key to be pressed. For the majority of letters, the figure thus formed bears a pictographic resemblance to the printed letter. The operator presses keys corresponding to the beginning and ending points of the pictograph of the desired character or key equivalent.

The qwerty keyboard has become a worldwide standard for alpha-numeric data entry, but as electronic functionality is increasingly miniaturized, the size of a usable touch-typing keyboard becomes much larger than the package needed for many modern devices. Thus, there is an increasing need for a widely acceptable method for entering alpha-numeric data that can be easily incorporated into small handheld devices.
One proposed solution to this problem has been to miniaturize the keys of the querty keyboard and other controls. At same time, since the development of the push-button telephone, attempts have been made to find a widely acceptable method for alpha-numeric data entry using the pushbutton telephone as a remote data terminal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,513 purports to describe a method of alpha-numeric data entry from the telephone keypad. In accordance with the '513 patent, a plurality of letters are printed on the standard telephone keys and a letter is entered by pressing its corresponding key a predetermined number of times. For example., the "2" key has "ABC" printed on it, and, to form the letter "B", the "2" key is pressed twice to indicate that the desired letter is "3", the second of the three letters printed on the key. Special combinations have been developed to represent "Q" and "Z," which are not printed on the telephone keypad.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,512 purports to use "hard keys" which represent a plurality of characters in combination with "soft keys" displayed on a screen which are used to select the correct one of several possible hard key characters.
Another proposed system is to use chorded keypads in which combinations of keys are pressed simultaneously. One example of such a system is the Stenotype machine used in court reporting. Variations on this system have also been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,360,892 and 4,443,789 purport to provide a 5-key chorded system designated "Microwriting", which utilizes a special apparatus having four finger keys and at least one thumb key, and in which the pre-selected key combinations were chosen to suggest a pictographic relationship to the English alphabet.
Finally, the availability of powerful computers in small packages has given rise to systems that bypass the use of keys entirely, including, for example, voice recognition software which is responsive to spoken words, and handwriting recognition software which is responsive to a special stylus and touch screen.


A cementless orthopedic implant is disclosed. More specifically, but not necessarily entirely, a cementless tibial implant used as a component of a knee joint is disclosed. The tibial component may comprise a tibial tray and stem. The tibial component may be a monoblock design used for both primary and revision surgeries. The stem of the tibial component may comprise a plurality of protruding steps that assist in providing primary fixation and stability without the use of screws or cement. The stem of the tibial component may further comprise a first and second stepped wing portions.

The disclosure relates generally to orthopedic implants, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to a cementless tibial implant and component of a knee joint.
In total knee arthroplasty, the knee joint is replaced with an artificial knee implant. The knee implant traditionally includes a femoral component and a tibial component. It is common practice to ream a portion of the bone (the distal end of the femur and the proximal portion of the tibia) to provide a channel to receive a stem of either the femoral component or the tibial component. A first knee replacement is referred to as a primary surgery. Fixation of the implant to the bone (femur or tibia) in a primary surgery may be achieved through cementing the implant to the bone or biologic fixation (non-cemented techniques) or otherwise.
In some cases, over time, implants may fail for one reason or another. For example, wear, infection, improper loading of the bone followed by loosening of the implant in the bone are reasons for implant failure. In such cases, a revision surgery may be required to properly fix the implant to the bone.
Despite the advantages of modern knee replacement systems, improvements are still being sought. The disclosure relates to a cementless tibial component that may be used in a primary surgery or in a revision surgery. The disclosure minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the failures encountered in modern tibial components by utilizing the methods and structural features described herein.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out herein.


A high availability system has an application server communicatively coupled to one or more client machines through a network utilizing stateless communication sessions. The application server manages concurrent execution of tasks on multiple client machines. A task may be dependent on the execution of another task and the dependencies are managed through stages. The application server utilizes a fault tolerance methodology to determine a failure to any one of the components within the system and to perform remedial measures to preserve the integrity of the system.

A system administrator or developer in a data processing system may often be required to execute a large list of tasks or processes. The easiest way to schedule the list of tasks is to run them sequentially. However, sequential execution of each task may not fully utilize the system's resources and may increase the completion time for all the tasks to execute. An alternative to sequential execution is to execute each task in parallel with the other tasks. Although, running the tasks in parallel may be more efficient, it may also be more complicated due to dependencies that exist between the various tasks in the list. For example, some tasks may temporarily change the topology of the system in such a way that other tasks running in parallel may fail. Other tasks may depend upon the output or changes made to data generated by previously executed tasks in the list. However, certain tasks may not complete or fail thereby preventing subsequent dependent tasks from being executed. Yet other tasks may have dependencies on instructions from other tasks being executed in a particular order.

Fault tolerance for tasks using stages to manage dependencies


Fluid communication to an end of a catheter is afforded through a connection hub selectively attachable thereto. The connection hub includes a catheter-receiving element and a fluid-coupling element that are relatively rotatable coaxially between one of two states by way of a determinant assembly feature. The first state is an unlocked state and the second state is a locked state. The unlocked state is for determinately receiving a catheter and the locked state is for determinately securing the catheter. A method of making a connection hub is also provided.

Conventional catheter connection hubs, comprising a catheter receiving part and a fluid coupling part cooperatively engage to one another, allow a free end of a catheter to be inserted into the catheter receiving part and cooperatively retained by both parts. However, these conventional catheter connection hubs require proper positioning of the catheter receiving part relative to the fluid coupling part in order to receive and or secure the free end of the catheter thereto. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a catheter connection hub that allows for robust assembly while minimizing the degree of uncertainty when making up a catheter with a connection hub.


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a communication method, a source base station, a target base station, a core network device, and a terminal device, where the method includes: sending, by a source base station, a handover request to a target base station, where the handover request is used to request to hand over a session of a terminal device from the source base station to the target base station, and the handover request includes an identifier of a session requested to be handed over and indication information of a network slice corresponding to the session; and receiving, by the source base station, a handover response message from the target base station.

A concept of a network slice is introduced in 5G. A terminal device currently performs a plurality of sessions, and network slices corresponding to different sessions are required to serve the sessions. In this case, if the terminal device needs to access a network and establish a plurality of sessions, a base station connected to the terminal device needs to support network slices corresponding to all sessions or some sessions in the terminal device.
Under the circumstances, it is worth considering how to increase a handover success rate.

Communication method, source base station, target base station, core network device, and terminal device


The claimed invention is related to a self-healing gate driving circuit. The self-healing gate driving circuit includes a plurality of GOA units connected in cascade. The N-th level GOA unit includes a pull-up control circuit 100, a pull-up circuit 200, a transfer-down circuit 300, a pull-down circuit 400, a boast capacitor 500, a first pull-down holding circuit 600, a second pull-down holding circuit 700 and a bridge circuit 500. The bridge circuit 800 includes the first TFT T55, and the gate of the TFT T55 connects to the gate signal point Q(N), and the drain and the source of the TFT T55 respectively connects to the first circuit point K(N) and the second circuit point P(N). During the operation, the first circuit point K(N) and the second circuit point P(N) are alternatively configured to be at a high potential. The self-healing gate driving circuit of the claimed invention can decrease the failure risk of the pull-down holding circuit due to the manufacture process or a long term operation of GOA circuit, and perform the function of the circuit self-healing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to liquid crystal technology, and more particularly to a self-healing gate driving circuit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The Gate Driver On Array (GOA) relates to integrating row-scanning driving signal circuit on array substrates through the conventional thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) array manufacturing process perform so as to achieve row-by-row-scanning toward the gate.
The current GOA circuit usually includes the plural GOA units connected in cascade. Each of the GOA unit are configured to drive the corresponding horizontal scan line. The main construction of the GOA unit includes the pull-up circuit, the pull-up control circuit, the transfer-down circuit, the pull-down circuit, the pull-down holding circuit, and the boast capacitor for pulling up the potential.
The pull-up circuit is mainly responsible for outputting the clock signal as the gate signal. The pull-up control circuit is for controlling the turn-on time of the pull-up circuit, which is generally connected to the downward signal or the gate signal transferred from the previous level GOA unit. The pull-down circuit is for pulling down the gate to a low-potential, which means turning off the gate signal. The pull-down holding circuit is for holding the outputting signal of the gate and the gate signal of the pull-up circuit (usually named as the point Q) in the turn-off state (negative potential), and there are usually two pull-down holding circuits working alternatively. The boast capacitor is for the second pull-up of the point Q, which contributes to the G(N) output of the pull-up circuit.
1. According to the practical experiences, the pull-down holding circuit of the GOA circuits is most likely to be affected by the long stress, which will cause the break of some key TFTs, and thus increases the possibility of malfunctioned GOA circuits. Further, since the design of the current GOA circuits are not capable of self-healing, the possibility of such risk is highly raised.
2. During the GOA manufacturing process, due to the plenty of the circuit levels and the TFT numbers, the TFT may be short-connected or broken. Especially if such kind of situation happens in the pull-down holding circuit, the pull-down holding circuit remains in the turn-on or turn-off state, which will affect the outputted waveform from Gate. Further, as it is not easy to fix the GOA circuit, the yield rate of the liquid crystal display (LCD) will be highly affected.
3. In practices, since there is a huge resistor-capacitor (RC) loading in the GOA circuit, resulting in great delay of the gate waveform, how to decrease the gate delay is deeply concerned. The turn-off state of the pull-down holding circuit during the period of outputting the gate waveform will directly affect the delay of the Gate waveform.

Self-healing gate driving circuit having two pull-down holding circuits connected via a bridge circuit

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


Enriched neural stem and progenitor cell populations, and methods for identifying, isolating and enriching for neural stem cells using reagents that bind to cell surface markers are provided.

Stem cell populations constitute only a small percentage of the total number of cells in the body, but are of immense interest because of their ability to repopulate the body. The longevity of stem cells and the dissemination of stem cell progeny are desirable characteristics. There is significant commercial interest in these methods because stem cells have a number of clinical uses. There is also medical interest in the use of stem cells as a vehicle for gene therapy.
Proteins and other cell surface markers found on stem cell and progenitor cell populations are useful in preparing reagents for the separation and isolation of these populations. Cell surface markers are also useful in the further characterization of these important cells.
Neural stem cells have been isolated from the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) and hippocampus (Gage, (2000) Science 287, 1433-38). These cells are an important source of new neurons, and offer the promise of novel central nervous system (CNS) repair therapies.
CNS stem cells are usually identified retrospectively by their ability to generate typical neurospheres or large adherent clones containing multiple neural cell types (Reynolds and Weiss, (1992) Science 255, 1707-10; Davis and Temple, (1994) Nature 372, 263-266; and Palmer et al., (1997) Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 8, 389-404), which precludes study of the initial stem cell population. Little is known about the unique biology of CNS stem cells, for example which specific gene products they express. Identification of "unique" gene products expressed by CNS stem cells would expand the understanding of these important cells, aid in their identification in vivo and enable their positive enrichment in vitro for study and use.
Two different cell populations have recently been identified as including SVZ stem cells: GFAP-expressing astrocytes (Doetsch et al., (1999) Cell 97 703-16; Doetsch et al., (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 11619-11624) and Notch 1-expressing, ciliated ependymal cells lining the ventricles (Johansson et al., (1999) Cell 96, 25-34). These two distinct cell types are so intimately localized in vivo that it is difficult to separate them physically. Instead, defining specific features of stem cells will provide markers to help reveal their in vivo identity.
Genes expressed by adult CNS stem cells include Nestin, Musashi, Notch1 and GFAP (Sakakibara et al., (1996) Devel Biol. 176, 230-42; Johansson et al., (1999) Cell 96, 25-34; Doetsch et al., (1999) Cell 97, 703-16), but other CNS cell types also express these. Moreover, many of these markers are intracellular, limiting their usefulness for stem cell enrichment, although this problem can be overcome by creating transgenic mice with fluorescent reporter gene expression (Kawaguchi et al., (2001) Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 17, 259-273). A more generally useful marker would be a cell surface molecule allowing stem cell localization and purification from a wild-type mouse. Thus, there remains a need for tools, such as monoclonal antibodies that are useful in isolating and characterizing human non-hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells, and particularly central nervous system (CNS) neural stem cells and progenitor cells.

Enriched central nervous system stem cell and progenitor cell populations, and methods for identifying, isolating and enriching for such populations