An input device is provided having at least a plurality of touch-sensitive back surfaces, with ability to split into several independent units, with adjustable vertical and horizontal angles between those units; a method of dividing the keys of a keyboard into interface groups; each group having a home key and associated with a finger; a method of dynamically mapping and remapping the home keys of each interface group to the coordinates of the associated fingers at their resting position, and mapping non-home keys around theft associated home keys on the touch-sensitive back surfaces; a method of calculating and remapping home keys and non-home keys when the coordinates of the fingers at the resting position shift during operation; a method of reading each activated key immediately and automatically; a method of detecting typos and grammatical errors and notifying operators using human speech or other communication methods.

The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appear relevant:
U.S. PatentKindPat. No.CodeFiling DatePatenteeUS20130275907A12011 Oct. 14Hannes Lau and Christian SaxUS20070036603A12004 Sep. 22Marek SwobodaUS20110254762A12011 Oct. 20Tobias Dahl et al.US20110055256A12011 Mar. 03Michael S. Phillips et al.US20120036121A12012 Feb. 09John Nicholas Jetkoff et al.US20140104180A12014 Apr. 17Mark SchafferUS20150109207A12015 Apr. 23Youngui Li et al.US20130046544A12013 Feb. 21David Kay et al.US20060084482A12004 Oct. 15Sami SailaU.S. Pat. No.A1998 Jan. 29Radoslav P. Kotorov6,118,432U.S. Pat. No.B22011 Mar 03Apple Inc.8,799,803
Data entry has now become one of the dominant methods of our daily communication both at work and in personal life. Pressing a key on a computer keyboard or on a keypad can register and sent a character or a command to a computer or another device. We refer to the term "keyboard" in this application in its broader meaning that applies to devices with a plurality of input keys.
Keyboards with mechanical keys, whether used as desktop computer keyboards or on portable devices are bulky, heavy, noisy, or slow. A flat computer keyboard with key on the front-facing surface can develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Statically positioned mechanical or soft keys on smaller portable devices such as cell phones are mostly activated only by the thumbs of an operator; causing stress on thumbs.
A few inventions introduce computer keyboards with mechanical or soft keys that are statically positioned on the back of said keyboards. This kind of keyboards may have an advantage that the wrist of the operator is not touching the keyboard or carrying the weight of the hand compared to a flat computer keyboard with front-facing keys. However, said keyboards like other keyboards with static keys are inflexible, heavy, bulky, slow, and lead to fatigue of the hands and fingers.
I have found that while operating a keyboard, the arms and wrists of the operator are not in a natural straight line. The wrists are either bent inward, outward, left, or right. The lack of proper alignment causes stress on shoulders, arms, wrists, and fingers; which is not only unhealthy but also slows down data entry. There are two factors contributing to this problem; 1st, static keys are not flexible and they force or confine the hands and fingers of the operator to the static position of the keys. And 2nd, as I mentioned earlier, when all keys are positioned on a single back surface, it does not allow flexibility to attain a comfortable and natural posture of the arms and the wrists.
Soft keys may be positioned on a keyboard statically, or mapped dynamically at the point of contact between fingers and said surfaces. Soft keys provide faster data entry; making the keyboard lighter and slimmer. Keyboards with keys positioned on the front-facing surface, regardless of using mechanical keys, soft keys, or dynamically mapped keys, are prone to developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. On the other hand, keyboards with static soft keys positioned on the back of a keyboard are dependent on visibility in order to touch and activate said keys correctly. Therefore such keyboards use either a partially transparent or see-through keyboard for viewing the keys on the back surface; which takes away a large portion of the front or top surface for viewing the back keys. Keyboards with mechanical keys that are positioned on the back of a keyboard may have better performance compared to the keyboards with mechanical keys positioned on the front surface. However such keyboards are bulky and don't perform as fast as keyboards with soft keys.
Discomfort and related heath concerns like developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from using flat keyboards with front-facing keys currently available in the market hasn't been completely addressed and resolved. Mechanical keys and statically positioned virtual keys reduce flexibility and contribute to slower data entry. Mobile devices like smart phones on the other hand, are becoming increasingly popular for sending text either through text messaging, email, or alternative methods. However, since the size of said mobile devices are relatively smaller compared to a standard US 101 keyboard, the texting interface is either limited to a miniaturized keyboard or a small soft keyboard. Users of said devices can enter text but with only two thumbs. In addition to unhealthy ergonomics, this limitation decreases the typing speed.
Lau et al. (Pub. No.: US 20130275907 A1) provides a flat computer keyboard with dynamically mapped keys on the front-facing surface. Invention in Lau is based on a single front surface like a US 101 computer keyboard. The location of the wrist of an operator is considered in the calculation to determine the coordinates of mapped keys. Invention in Lau however, forces the hands of the operator to rest on the median nerves of the wrists; more like using a conventional US 101 keyboard. When the median nerve is squeezed repeatedly, it leads to developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Marek Swoboda (Pub. No.: US 20070036603 A1) describes a keyboard with static keys mapped on a single back surface of a device with multiple layers. Each layer is made with transparent or partially transparent material in order to see the keys of said keyboard through layers and to lay fingers on said keys correctly. With this modification, static keys are still viewable. The keys of the keyboard in Swaboda are positioned on the device statically (paragraph [0019]) rather than being mapped dynamically. In other words, the fingers of an operator are confined to the predetermined position of said keys. This limitation leads to slower typing speed and fatigue of wrists and fingers. Since all the layers of said keyboard and the keys have to be transparent or partially transparent (paragraph [0023] and [0024]), it leaves little or no space on the front surface to position other keys or for a display for running applications.
Tobias Dahl et al (Pub. No.: US20110254762 A1) introduces a device that can detect a range of pressures on an elastic surface. Dahl incorporates analog transducers and light sources with semitransparent or fully transparent yielding surface to detect the movement of an object into the yielding surface. Dahl claims that his invention can provide a virtual keyboard to control a computer according to the amount of pressure applied to the yielding surface (paragraph [0025]). Dahl however, does not teach or claim how multiple computer keys could be mapped on a yielding surface, or how computer keys could be mapped dynamically on the back surface either. Improving Dahl in view of Lau would defeat the purpose of the invention in Dahl. Dahl's invention is comprised of analog transducers and light sources to detect a range of pressures and movement of an object even when the object is not touching the yielding surface, while Lau does not detect a range of pressures or detect object above a yielding surface.
Mark Schaffer (Pub. No.: US20140104180 A1) introduces a keyboard with a plurality of bumps, that are statically mounted on the top non-sensitive housing or the top surface of a device like a wrist watch. The fingers of an operator are confined to the static bumps in order to activate a character. After the operator activates one of the bumps with a finger, a list of pre-selected static computer keys are available to choose from. Therefore it takes at least two steps to enter a single character or a key. First, the operator touches one of the bumps with a finger to bring up a menu that is specific to that bump; second, while looking at a display, the operator urges or pushes same finger towards one of the preferred directions. The selected character or computer key is activated after releasing the touch. Schaffer does not make any reference to, or teach how those bumps could be mounted on a back surface and be utilized. Schaffer depends on the display to choose each character and correct misspellings. The nature of Schaffer's multi-step process reduces typing speed.
Youngui Li et al (Pub. No.: US20150109207 A1) introduces an input device with keys statically positioned on the front and side surfaces, and a keyboard with hard keys statically positioned on a single back surface. There are dynamically mapped zones on the back surface but not dynamically mapped keys that follow the touch of each finger. Each zone is comprised of a group of keyboard keys that are pre-positioned on said rectangular mapped zone. Publication US20150109207 A1 was however filed on Nov. 27, 2014; which is after the current invention PPA date of Mar. 15, 2013.
David Kay et al (Pub. No.: US20130046544 A1) introduces a system and method to disambiguate entered text and present word choices. All embodiments introduced by Kay have static soft keys positioned on the front surface of an input device. Kay provides a text-to-speech engine as an input method. A user is notified by vibration or sound when a letter or a character is recognized (paragraph [0104]). The audio input erroneously may generate a word that was not intended by the user. Kay's invention is fully dependent on a display. When there is an unintended word displayed on the display, the user is provided a list of word choices to replace unintended words from a list of word choices (paragraph [0091]). Tactile and sound feedback is used to notify user when a character or a text is recognized, however Kay does not teach of claim having a method of automatically notifying and providing options using human speech when typos or grammatical errors occur.
Sami Saila (pub. No.: US20060084482 A1) also provides a keyboard with keys positioned on the back of the keyboard. All keys are mapped statically on a single surface; therefore it doesn't have the ergonomic privileges of dynamically mapped keys or the flexibility of two back surfaces.
Radoslav P. Kotorov (Pub. No.: U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,432 A) provides a keyboard with mechanical keys mounted on two separate smaller pads. A user may flip the pads over and turn them 90 degrees. This way the user can access the keys on the back of the keyboard. The fingers of the user are confined to the static position of the mechanical keys. Therefore, Kotorov's keyboard inherits the characteristics of mechanical keys; which is bulky and slow.
Apple Inc (Pub. No.: U.S. Pat. No. 8,799,803 B2) provides a keyboard with an array of discrete sensors around the backside edges of a device like an iPad. These sensors may be configures to register a particular character, or an icon based upon the location of the hands of a user. These sensors are referred to as Virtual Buttons. Depending on the location of the hands of the user, a row of computer keys may be registered with said discrete sensors. Each discrete sensor is aligned with the approximate relative location of a finger.
Invention in Apple does not teach if a complete set of QWERTY keys could be mapped dynamically on a plurality of back surfaces of a device in multiple rows. Said array of discrete sensors are static in function and are positioned around a given region of the back side edges. Therefore the limitations of static keys and inflexibility of a single back surface are inherent in this invention.
The aforesaid inventions have a dependency for a display monitor to see and verify that the intended words were typed correctly. Imagine an operator reading from a printed letter and typing it on a computer keyboard. The operator would have to look constantly back and forth on the printed letter and the display monitor. If the operator could focus only on reading the letter, faster typing speed could be achieved.
None of the aforesaid inventions teach a method of informing operators using human speech; reading or pronouncing as each letter or word is correctly entered. There are other forms of notification and verification including information displayed on a display monitor. Yet none of the aforesaid inventions notify operators immediately and automatically. Now let's imagine if, for example, an operator is reading a printed letter and is typing the word "bottle" on a keyboard. If there was a notification facility using human speech, the operator would hear the sound of each letter "b" "o" "t" "t" "I" "e" individually, and then the operator would hear "bottle" as one word. That would help the operator know that the intended word was entered correctly letter-by-letter. The operator wouldn't even need to look back and forth at the printed letter or into a display monitor. There is neither a method of notifying the operator in aforesaid inventions using human speech when typos or grammatical errors occur.
Michael S. Phillips et al (Pub. No.: US20110055256 A1) provides a search facility for web content by transcribing voice into text and feeding said text into the search facility. Phillips also discloses a text-to-speech (TTS) engine. The names that have multiple pronunciations, multiple possible phonetic spellings can be created. Each of those can be repeated to the user using text- to-speech software, and the user can pick the one that sounds closest to the desired pronunciation [0161]. Phillips does not teach or claim that the manually entered text could be routed into the TTS engine and the TTS engine could automatically pronounce each letter individually.
Phillips refers to irrecoverable errors generated while processing an audio input stream by the automatic speech recognition system or ASR. As explained in paragraphs [0135], [0136], and [137], these irrecoverable errors are intended to be displayed to the user. Yet, none of said errors pertain to typos or grammatical errors. Phillips does not have a facility that automatically notifies an operator using human speech when typos and grammatical errors occur. Therefore aforesaid inventions may not benefit in view of Phillips to be notified with human speech and detect typos or grammatical errors, or pronounce each letter and each word using human speech automatically and immediately.


An agricultural implement controller configured to receive a first signal indicative of at least one image of a field and to determine a crop residue mass map of the field based on the at least one image. In addition, the agricultural implement controller is configured to receive a second signal indicative of a position of an agricultural tillage implement within the field and to determine a target penetration depth, a target downforce, a target speed, or a combination thereof, of at least one ground engaging tool based on the crop residue mass map of the field and the position of the agricultural tillage implement. Furthermore, the agricultural implement controller is configured to output a third signal indicative of instructions to control at least one actuator coupled to the at least one ground engaging tool based on the target penetration depth, the target downforce, the target speed, the combination thereof.

The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for controlling an agricultural tillage implement.
Certain agricultural implements include ground engaging tools configured to interact with the soil and/or residue disposed on the surface of the soil. The residue may include plant matter from previously harvested crops, weeds (e.g., living or destroyed), other organic material, or a combination thereof. For example, a tillage implement may include tillage points, disc blades, leveling discs, finishing reels, or a combination thereof, configured to condition the soil and/or the residue for subsequent planting or seeding operations. Typically, an operator of the tillage implement may set the penetration depth (e.g., vertical penetration depth) and/or the downforce (e.g., vertical downforce) applied by the ground engaging tools (e.g., tillage points, disc blades, leveling discs, finishing reels, etc.) prior to tillage operations (e.g., based on soil conditions, field profile, crop residue quantity, etc.). However, the mass of crop residue, the profile of the terrain, soil types, and/or the types of subsequently planted crops may vary throughout the field. Accordingly, using fixed penetration depth/downforce settings may result in uneven and/or less effective tillage throughout the field (e.g., including inadequate and/or excessive ground cover). As a result, the soil may be less protected from erosive rainfall in sloped regions of the field, and/or crop emergence may be delayed during a cool/wet spring, thereby reducing crop yield from subsequent harvesting operations.

System and method for controlling an agricultural tillage implement


The invention relates to methods of modulating immune responses in a subject, such as by administering to the subject agents which modulate tim-1, tim-2 or tim-4 activity, or which modulate the physical interaction between tim-1 and tim-4 or between tim-2 and a tim-2 ligand. Immune responses include, but are not limited to, autoimmune disorders, transplantation tolerance, and Th1 and Th2-mediated responses and disorders. The invention also relates to novel assays for identifying agents which modulate the physical interaction between tim-1 and tim-4. In addition, the invention relates to novel soluble tim-4 polypeptides and to nucleic acids which encode them.

Excessive immune responses to external or internal factors may lead to disease, which may be characterized as Th1- or Th2-mediated diseases. Asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), atopic dermatitis (eczema) and food allergies, examples of Th2-mediated diseases, are exceedingly prevalent, affecting 20-40% of the general population and constituting a major public health problem. The economic costs for these disorders are enormous. For asthma alone, the estimated health care costs in 1996 were
14 billion. In addition, the prevalence of all of the atopic diseases has increased dramatically in industrialized countries over the past two decades for reasons that are not yet clear. The prevalence of asthma in industrialized countries, for which the numbers are the most accurate, has doubled since 1982, and is projected to double again in prevalence by the year 2020.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a Th1 disorder, is a common human autoimmune disease with a prevalence of about 1% among Caucasians (Harris, B. J. et al., 1997, In Textbook of Rheumatology 898-932), currently affecting 2.5 million Americans. RA is characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial joints and infiltration by activated T cells, macrophages and plasma cells, leading to a progressive destruction of the articular cartilage. It is the most severe form of joint disease. Multiple Sclerosis (MS), another Th1 disorder, is the most common central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease, affecting 350,000 (0.1%) individuals in North America and 1.1 million worldwide. In general, MS is considered to be an autoimmune disease mediated in part by proinflammatory CD4 T (Th1) cells that recognize specific myelin polypeptides in association with MHC class II molecules expressed on antigen (Ag) presenting cells (APC). Another example of a Th1 mediated disorder, human type I or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is characterized by autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. The depletion of beta cells results in an inability to regulate levels of glucose in the blood. In humans a long presymptomatic period precedes the onset of diabetes. During this period there is a gradual loss of pancreatic beta cell function. The development of disease is implicated by the presence of autoantibodies against insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and the tyrosine phosphatase IA2 (IA2).
T helper (Th) subsets are distinguished by their ability to produce distinct cytokine patterns and promote specific immune responses. Th1 cells produce IFNγ and promote cell-mediated immunity directed towards intracellular pathogens. In contrast, Th2 cells produce the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, activate mast cells and eosinophils and direct B cells against extracellular pathogens.
The specific cytokines produced by polarized Th cells are the primary effectors that promote differentiation of precursor Th cells, but these cells also cross-regulate the other subset's functional activity. For example IL-4 is reported to be a potent factor in promoting the differentiation of Thp cells to Th2 effectors. In addition, IL-4 antagonizes production of IFNγ. IL-10, another cytokine produced by Th2 cells, has also been described to inhibit Th1 development and IFNγ-induced macrophage function. Conversely, the IFNγ produced by Th1 cells amplifies Th1 development and inhibits the expansion of Th2 cells. The ability of these cytokines to promote development of specific Th cell subsets, while simultaneously inhibiting the alternate developmental fate, results in a progressively polarized response.
Accordingly, a need exists for novel therapies which promote or inhibit the development of Th1 or Th2 responses. Such novel therapies my be used to treat autoimmune and allergic diseases, to enhance immune tolerance of transplanted tissues or to decrease immune tolerance in individuals afflicted with cancer.

Methods of modulating immune responses by modulating tim-1, tim-2 and tim-4 function

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.


Systems are provided for a frame of an optic element of a lighting system. In one example, a baffle frame including extended exterior sidewalls and inner angled walls extending below a bottom surface of the optic element may reduce light reflecting off a workpiece and escaping outside and interior of the baffle frame.

Solid-state lighting devices have many uses in industrial applications. For example, in printer and coating applications, solid-state lighting devices are typically used to cure photo sensitive material such as coatings, including inks, adhesives, preservatives, etc. In these applications, the light curable material is dispensed/printed onto a surface via a dispensing/printing mechanism and the light output from solid-state lighting devices is directed towards the substrate or material to be cured with the aid of coupling optics. The coupling optics including rod lens, cylindrical lens, Fresnel lens or even flat glass, may be used to channel and focus the light onto the substrate. A photochemical reaction occurring between the incident light and the material cures or "dries" the material.
However, these applications using light to cure the materials face an issue. Any light that escapes/reflects/scatters from the surface of the applied material into the dispenser (e.g., ink dispensing apparatus), may prematurely cure the material in the dispenser before it is applied to the target. The inventors herein have recognized the potential issue of light reflecting back into the dispensing mechanism, and have engineered a way to at least partially address the issues discussed above.
In one example, the issue described above may be at least partially addressed by a frame for holding an optic element of a lighting system, comprising: a central, inner surface formed along a length of the frame and adapted to receive the optic element; first and second vertical sidewalls extending from a top surface to respective first and second bottom surfaces of the frame, the first and second bottom surfaces positioned below an exterior, bottom surface of the optic element when the optic element is mounted to the inner surface of the frame; and first and second angled surfaces, each angled from one of the first and second bottom surfaces and inward toward the inner surface. In this way, light reflecting off a workpiece and back toward the frame may be contained within the frame, thereby reducing light scattering to surrounding objects, including un-cured photo sensitive material in a dispensing system.
As one example, a baffle or beam block may be used to capture the light reflecting off the surface to be cured before it reaches the dispenser. The baffle may have long and flat sides extending along the frame holding the optics. Further still, the baffle may be coated with black anodized material to further absorb the reflected light. In this way, light reflected off the surface may be captured and absorbed by the baffle surrounding the coupling optics. In another example, the baffle may have additional grooves or rough textured surfaces to further scatter the reflected light. The grooves may trap the reflected light, thus reducing the light escaping into the surrounding medium. The baffle may be further integrated into the window frame of the light source itself, thus creating a compact package that can reduce light reflected back towards the lighting system.
The present disclosure may provide several advantages. In particular, the approach may offer a more consistent curing method of photo sensitive material. In addition, by reducing the amount of reflected light from a workpiece upon which curing light is directed, it may further reduce the curing of unapplied photo reactive material, thus reducing wastage and unwanted curing of the photosensitive material.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Light engine frame with integrated baffle


A self-light-emitting type organic electroluminescence device which makes it possible to restrain to the utmost the absorption of light in an electrode layer, to efficiently take out the light and thereby to obtain sufficient luminance efficiency and the like, in the case of emitting the light through the electrode layer. In an organic electroluminescence device comprising a light-emitting layer (3) comprised of an organic material based the light-emitting layer (3) being sandwiched between a first electrode (2) and a second electrode (4), and light emitted from the light-emitting layer (3) being taken out to at least one of the side of the first electrode (2) and the side of the second electrode (4), the light absorbance of the electrode or electrodes on the side of taking out the light, of the first electrode (2) and the second electrode (4), is not more than 10%.

In recent years, the organic EL device is paid attention to as a display device for constituting a flat-panel display. The organic EL device generally has a structure in which an organic material is sandwiched between electrodes (an anode and a cathode) from the ups and downs. With a driving current applied to both electrodes, positive holes and electrons are injected respectively from both the electrodes into an organic layer composed of the organic material, and the positive holes and the electrons are recombined with each other in the organic layer, whereby light emission is induced.
As an example of such an organic EL device, there is known a top emission type using the so-called TAC (Top emission Adaptive Current drive) technology, as for example shown in FIG. 1. In the organic EL device shown, a first electrode 2 formed of a light-reflective material and functioning as an anode (positive electrode), an organic layer 3 which is comprised, for example, of a buffer layer 3a, a hole (positive hole) transport layer 3b and an organic light-emitting layer 3c functioning also as an electron transport layer, a second electrode 4 which is comprised of a semi-transparent reflective layer 4a and a transparent electrode layer 4b and functioning as a cathode (negative electrode), and a passivation film 5 formed of a transparent dielectric, are sequentially laminated on a substrate 1, and light from the organic light-emitting layer 3c is taken out to the side of the second electrode 4. Furthermore, the organic EL device has a resonator structure in which the light emitted from the organic light-emitting layer 3c is resonated between the first electrode 2 and the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a of the second electrode 4, and only the light at the resonance wavelength is augmented by the resonator structure so that light with a high peak and a narrow spectrum can be taken out, whereby the color reproduction range of the emitted light can be enlarged.
Besides, as another example of organic EL device, there is known a both-side transparent type one as for example shown in FIG. 2 (Gu et al, Appl. Phys. Lett. 68(19), 1996). In the organic EL device shown, a first electrode 12 having a light transmissive property and functioning as an anode, an organic layer 13 which comprises a hole transport layer 13a and an organic light-emitting layer 13b, and a second electrode 14 which is comprised of a semi-transparent reflective layer 14a and a transparent electrode layer 14b and functions as a cathode, are sequentially laminated on a substrate 11 formed of a transparent glass or the like. Light from the organic light-emitting layer 13b can be taken out to both the sides of the first electrode 12 and of the second electrode 14.
In both of these organic EL devices, the second electrode 4, 14 comprise the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a, 14a as an extremely thin film, in order to enhance a light transmissive property and to secure electrical characteristics. The semi-transparent reflective layers 4a and 14a are formed by co-vapor deposition of magnesium (Mg) and silver (Ag) in an atomic ratio in the range of about 30:1 to 5:1. Namely, the semi-transparent reflective layers 4a and 14a are formed of an alloy containing magnesium as a main constituent.
In the above-mentioned organic EL devices according to the prior art, however, since the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a, 14a is formed of an alloy containing magnesium as a main constituent, the absorption of light in the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a, 14a itself is large, resulting in that the efficiency of taking out the light from the organic light-emitting layer 3c, 13b may be lowered.
For example, when a general magnesium-silver co-vapor deposition film (atomic ratio of about 10:1) is irradiated with light having a wavelength of 550 nm, the reflectance, transmittance and absorbance of light in the co-vapor deposition film are as shown in Table 1 below. Namely, the absorbance is about 16%, even when the thickness of the co-vapor deposition film is varied from 10–15 nm.
TABLE 1FilmReflectanceTransmittanceAbsorbancethickness(%)(%)(%)10 nm51331612 nm43411615 nm602416
When the light absorbance is high, the influence thereof is increased, particularly in the top emission type organic EL device. For example, in the case where the light reflectance on the side of the first electrode 2 is 100, the light from the organic light-emitting layer 3c is transmitted through the second electrode 4, or is reflected by the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a of the second electrode 4 to the side of the first electrode 2, or is absorbed into the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a. It should be noted here that since the light reflectance on the side of the first electrode 2 is 100%, the light reflected to the side of the first electrode 2 is caused by the resonator structure to be again incident on the second electrode 4. Therefore, all the light other than the light portion absorbed into the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a is finally emitted to the outside, irrespectively of the light transmittance and reflectance at the second electrode 4. This means that the efficiency of taking out the light from the organic light-emitting layer 3c is lowered as much as the light absorbance in the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a is large. Even where the reflectance on the side of the first electrode 2 is less than 100%, the stronger the light interference effect due to the resonator structure gets, the more dependant on the absorbance in the semi-transparent reflective layer 4a intend to be.
On the other hand, in the both-side transparent organic EL device, since it has not the resonator structure, only the light portion transmitted through the second electrode 14 is emitted to the outside as the light on the side of the second electrode 14. It should be noted here that the sum total of the light reflectance, transmittance and absorbance is normally constant (100%). Therefore, the light transmittance is influenced as much as the light absorbance is increased. As a result, the efficiency of taking out the light from the organic light-emitting layer 13b may be lowered.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an organic EL device, which enables to obtain sufficient luminance efficiency and the like by suppressing as much as possible the absorption of light so that the light can be taken out efficiently.


A vehicle wheel restraint device include a base plate having a wheel plate assembly adjustably mounted in a lateral direction by a channel mounted to the base plate. A pair of outwardly angled wheel plates engage the vehicle wheel, with the spacing adjustable, and a tire belt is arranged to be tightened onto the tire with a ratchet wind up mechanism also carried by the wheel plate assembly. The base plate can be swung out by release of one of a pair of floor anchor bolts and pulling on a pull cord.

This invention concerns vehicle wheel restraints of the type including wheel chocks and tire straps. There is currently conducted extensive dynamometer and emissions testing of vehicles during development. Such devices are sometimes used to secure a vehicle in a testing enclosure during the performance of dynamometer and emissions tests.
Such restraints have often involved fastening of individual devices by means of anchor bolts received in floor channels, with the varying vehicle dimensions requiring individual fitting of the devices for each vehicle tested.
Some adjustable wheel restraints have heretofore been developed, as for example shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,189,127; 2,998,102; and 1,776,935.
The prior art devices have not provided easy but precise adjustment of the wheel chock, nor for an adjustment of the wheel chock laterally, as is required for floor anchored devices.
The object of the present invention is to provide such capability in a vehicle wheel restraint device.


The subject mater herein relates to human resources data processing and, more particularly, to separation of employee data for different applications, such as personnel administration applications. Various embodiments provide systems, software, and methods that maintain a first set of employee data in an employee object, wherein the first set of employee data is valid across one or more other objects, and executing a process of a business object requiring at least a portion of the first set of employee data. In some embodiments, the business object obtains the portion of the first set of employee data from the employee object and maintains a second set of employee data that is not valid across all other objects.

Human resource management systems maintain data related to employees. Such information includes information such as employee name, address, salary data, benefit data, vacation balances, tax data, and other data related to employment. This data is stored in databases having one record per employee.
However, storing employee data in a single record prevents human resource management systems from providing data access and processing flexibility. For example, if a payroll batch process is running, the payroll process locks all affected employee records until the payroll batch process is complete to prevent interim updates to the payroll data.
This lack of flexibility causes further issues. For example, if an employee, such as a teacher, has a work agreement covering a nine-month school year and another agreement covering a summer term, current human resource management systems do not provide a simple solution. A work around is used in some such systems by creating multiple employee records. However, this presents other issues such as maintaining redundant data between the two employee records that requires synchronization in the event of an update, such as an update to an employee's home address.
Another issue can arise in a situation where an employer has multiple business units, subsidiaries, or has operations in multiple taxing jurisdictions, such as countries. If an employee in such an organization is employed by more than one business unit, subsidiary, or in multiple taxing jurisdictions, present systems require multiple employee records, one for each business unit, subsidiary, or taxing jurisdiction.

Separation of employee data for different applications


The invention relates to a drive control for an electric drive with a secure electrical separation of power element and control element. The aim of the invention is to reduce the number of components such as optic couplers and buffer amplifiers between the power element and a control electronics. To this end, a suitable electrical transformer (U) is inserted in a digital communication interface (K) between the control unit (R) and the control electronics (A) for the purpose of providing a secure electrical separation. To make use of a transformer (U) possible, a non-zero frequency encoding, for example a Manchester encoding, is carried out. Alternatively, an Ethernet physics can be used to provide a suitable communication interface. The transformer electrically insulates the two communication paths from each other that are provided in an Ethernet physics and preferably has little coupling capacity and a low attenuation factor.

The invention relates to a drive control system for an electrical drive having a power section which is at a comparatively high electrical potential, having drive electronics which supply the power section with drive signals, and which receives phase current actual values from this power section, and having a control unit which is at a comparatively low electrical potential and is connected to the drive electronics via a digital communications interface, with DC isolation between the power section and the control unit.
For safety reasons, the high-voltage side of the power section (up to 720 volts) must be safely electrically isolated from the low-voltage side of the control unit (generally approximately 5 volts) in a drive control system such as this. DC isolation is required at some point for this purpose, with the relevant Standards requiring an air gap and creepage distance of, for example, 8 mm. To achieve this, the electrical components which are used must comply with the requirements in these specific Standards.
Present-day solutions for such safe electrical isolation provide this isolation between drive electronics and the power section. A known arrangement of a drive control system such as this is illustrated in the form of a block diagram in FIG. 3.
The power section LT draws its power from an intermediate circuit ZK of a converter (not shown), and provides the three phase voltages for driving a motor M. The drive electronics A produce six drive signals Ux via six respective optocouplers OK (for the sake of clarity, only one such optocoupler is shown by way of example), which are used for driving current valves which are arranged in the power section, in particular a bridge circuit for IGBT transistors. In addition, a further path Ubr such as this may be required for driving a braking chopper.
The respective phase current actual values lactR, lactS, lactT in the three phases R, S, T of the motor M are measured, and are passed via respective isolating amplifiers TV to the drive electronics. In individual cases, only two isolating amplifiers are also provided, since the current in the third phase can be obtained from the two detected phase current actual values. In addition, an isolating amplifier TV is required for detecting the intermediate-circuit voltage Uzk. The drive electronics are connected to the control unit R via a communication interface K.
Thus, according to the prior art, the six or seven (with the braking chopper) optocouplers OK and the isolating amplifiers TV must comply with the requirements for safe electrical isolation. Components such as these are comparatively expensive, as a result of which the fact that a large number of these components that have been mentioned are required means that this approach is highly costly.

Drive control for an electric drive with a secure electrical separation of power element and control element


A positioning system can position lumber to be cut while the lumber is traveling on a transfer deck. The positioning system has end stops that circulate at the same rate as the transfer deck. The end stops each have a locking mechanism that is triggered when the end stop passes an actuating member. A controller positions the actuating member so that the locking mechanism will lock the position of the end stop when the end stop is in a desired position.

In lumber mills it is often necessary to trim pieces of lumber. For example, some boards may have defects at their ends. It is desirable to trim the boards to cut off the defects. There exist various control systems for determining where a board should be cut to remove defects while optimizing the value of the board. Such systems can be connected to a lumber positioning system upstream from a trim saw. The lumber positioning system positions each board at a longitudinal position determined by the control system so that the trim saw will cut the board at one or more desired locations.
Examples of lumber positioning systems are described in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,828 (Newnes et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,798 (Newnes et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,190 (Newnes et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,829 (Jackson et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,080 (Jackson)
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,302 (Jackson)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,829 (Jackson et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,067 (Gagnon)
By and large, existing lumber positioning systems include some mechanism for moving lumber coupled control mechanisms that react in real time to stop the lumber from moving from the desired position.
It is generally desirable to operate lumber mills at higher speeds than have been prevalent in the past. Current mechanisms have reached the limit where higher speeds are not practical due to the response times of mechanical components and the limitations imposed by physics on the designs. At high speeds the times taken for actuators to move to positions dictated by control systems become significant. This limits the rate at which such mechanisms can operate.
There is a need for alternatives to existing lumber positioning systems. There is a particular need for cost-effective systems for positioning lumber and similar objects that can operate accurately while the objects are being moved quickly.


An elongate flexible body, having a central body rod, is arranged with the body having forward and rear pairs of appendages directed from the body, with each of the appendages including an appendage rod, and each appendage rod free distal end mounts a pivot shaft through a polymeric bushing, with each pivot shaft mounting a suction cup member thereto, wherein forward and rear pairs of suction cup members of facing relationship are arranged for securement to opposed sides of a door member to prevent inadvertent closing of the door.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to door stop structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved toy door stop wherein the same is arranged for the ease of mounting relative to a door member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Door stops of various types have been utilized in the prior art and exemplified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,044,681; 5,010,622; 4,657,293; and 4,998,941.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by directing the use to a door stop enhancing use by children and the like for entertainment and amusement of such children during use and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Toy figure door stop having door adhering/suction cups


The method of filtering data concerning an electronic program guide (EPG) in a television receiver having a device for automatically searching television channels includes supplying a list of CNI codes of all or some of the channels received by the television receiver to a memory. The method includes obtaining, from the SUMMARY of the guide, a MODIFIED SUMMARY containing only the information of the SUMMARY concerning all or some of the channels received by the television receiver, and recording only the data blocks of the CONTENTS of the guide in a memory when they correspond to all or some of the channels received by the television receiver.

A TV image or video image includes two interlaced fields of lines, and the time interval which runs between the end of one field and the start of the next, referred to as the field flyback (or vertical flyback), is devoid of video signals. Accordingly, it has been proposed to use this field flyback to send information, for instance "teletext" information. It has been proposed to use these time intervals to send the programs of certain channels as well as to produce an electronic guide to the programs on these channels, known under the acronym EPG for Electronic Program Guide.
This electronic program guide is sent in two parts, SUMMARY and CONTENTS, the SUMMARY identifying each channel by a code CNI (for Country Network Identification) and indicating, for each channel, references or ID numbers identifying blocks of data whose contents relate to the program of the corresponding channel. These ID references are classed in an ascending order and identify, for example in the form of a pair of ID references, the first data block and the last data block allocated to a channel of the SUMMARY. This pair defines a series of identification numbers for each channel.
Presently in France, two channels propose such a guide not only for their own programs, but also for programs of other channels, for instance those in the French language. Such a service could moreover be supplied by each channel for other channels. To supply such a service, the TV set must be equipped with a device which includes a memory storing the information received during the field flyback and concerning the electronic program guide. This memory is then "managed" by programs and algorithms in view of presenting the information according to criteria defined by the viewer, e.g. the programs on a given channel, films shown on the channels at a given date, etc.
It has been determined that the size of the memory needed to record the program of a channel over one week is about 256 kilobytes, i.e. two to three megabytes for around ten channels. This size is without counting the microprocessor memory for processing the information in view of presenting it according to selected criteria. These figures show that the size of the memory limits the service which can be proposed to a TV viewer in that area.

Method and apparatus for filtering data concerning an electronic program guide for a television receiver


A method is described for the automatic recognition of at least one handwritten symbol. A representation of such symbol is provided, in a data storage medium, as a sequence of one or more discrete strokes having respective initial and final endpoints, a spatial location and a tangent angle being associated with each endpoint. Representations of plural library symbols, each a prototype of a possible class to which the input symbol may be assigned, are retrieved from a data storage medium. A comparison between the input-symbol representation and each of the retrieved library symbol representations includes comparing the respective tangent angles of the input symbol with the corresponding tangent angles of at least some of the library symbols, and comparing the respective endpoint locations of the input symbol with the corresponding endpoint locations of at least some of the library symbols.

In one approach to machine reading of human handwriting, the automatic symbol recognizer initially accepts any collection of classified symbols of arbitrary shape entered by the user. Thereafter, the reliability of recognition depends only on the variability of the user's own renditions of a particular symbol. However, a public symbol recognizer, which is trained to recognize the characters of a standard alphabet used by a large population of potential users, will generally be more useful than a private symbol recognizer trained only to recognize the idiosyncratic alphabet of one or a few individuals.
A public symbol recognizer, on the other hand, must deal with variations in the renditions of symbols over a large user population. The range of such variations will generally be much greater than that for a single individual.
One approach to this problem is to train the symbol recognizer using an exhaustive collection of training patterns that represents the full range of variability expected in the user population. This approach suffers from the disadvantages that the initial training set may be extremely large, and advance knowledge is required of the variations that are to be expected.
A second approach is to restrict variability by training the users to adhere to a standard. The training process may be as simple as a requirement for the user to form characters according to a fixed set of instructions, or as extensive as a regimen of memorization and practice. This approach is likely to be unattractive because of the demands that it places upon the user.
A third approach is to make the symbol recognizer do the learning. That is, the symbol recognizer can be made to observe the symbols written by the user, and to adapt its stored class prototypes to agree with the user's personal style. For example, one form of adaptation involves morphing, i.e., a procedure for continuously transforming any curve into any other curve. Each time the symbol recognizer correctly identifies a symbol, it shifts the corresponding prototype fractionally toward the user's version of the symbol along the morph path.
Such an adaptive symbol recognizer gradually grows more reliable, but also more dependent upon the user who is training it. When a new user is introduced, the symbol recognizer must start over with the standard, public version of the alphabet.
Practical symbol recognizers have generally combined two, or even all three, of these approaches. Additionally, the matching of an input symbol to a class prototype can be performed using any of a great number of different algorithms. Such algorithms may rely, for example, upon a direct comparison of shapes, or they may rely upon comparisons in parameter spaces of low or high complexity. Unfortunately, it has not yet proven feasible to emulate the extreme complexity of the process that the human brain uses for character recognition, and it has not been possible to duplicate the extreme accuracy of human perception in recognizing highly variable characters. A successful symbol recognizer will generally embody a tradeoff among algorithm complexity, amount of human learning required, and amount of machine learning required.
Such a tradeoff can be particularly favorable in a symbol recognizer that performs comparisons in a parameter space of moderate size, to achieve a basic level of accuracy using a public alphabet. In particular, such a symbol recognizer could readily serve as the front end for a symbol recognizer that achieves high long-term accuracy by further including a facility for machine adaptation.

Method and apparatus for machine recognition of handwritten symbols from stroke-parameter data


A Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device has at least one first tube assembly and at least one second tube assembly. Each first tube assembly has a first connecting tube, a first rotating alignment element, a guiding element and a male connector. The at least one second tube assembly corresponds to and is connected detachably to the at least one first tube assembly. Each of the at least one second tube assembly has a second connecting tube, a second rotating alignment element and a female connector. A resilient pressing portion is formed between the male and female connectors to perform tight engagement therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device, and more particularly to a Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device that has an electrical connecting assembly to connect two adjacent connecting tubes of the Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device. The Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device prevents connecting tubes from relatively rotating and disadvantaging connection of male and female connectors of the electrical connecting assembly due to over fabricating tolerance, which improves convenience and efficiency of assembling the Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device.
2. Description of Related Art
A Christmas tree generally has two or more connecting tube stacked and assembled perfectly one by one for convenience use.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a Christmas tree electric connecting trunk device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A clamp for a cable having a housing with a first end, a second end, and an interior cavity to receive the cable. The clamp also includes a jaw assembly having a notch. The jaw assembly moves between locked and triggered positions within the cavity. A biasing member is disposed within the cavity to bias the jaw assembly towards the triggered position. A retainer is arranged within the cavity and has gripping fingers to engage the notches in the locked position. A trigger is positioned within the cavity. The trigger has an outer locking portion to engage with the gripping fingers to releasably secure the gripping fingers in the notches to retain the jaw assembly in the locked position. When the cable is inserted into the interior cavity and contacts the trigger device, the gripping fingers and notches disengage so that the biasing member biases the jaw assembly towards the first end of the clamp to clamp the cable.

One type of cable connector is the automatic splice. The automatic splice is commonly used by utility linemen to quickly splice ends of suspended cable together. Automatic splices generally include a tapered clamp body or shell to house a pair of jaw assemblies and a spring. The jaws are shaped to cooperate with the clamp body so that a cable gripping surface applies an ever increasing clamping force on the cable as it travels through the clamp body towards a cable receiving opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,056 to Hlinsky, discloses a relatively complex automatic cable connector configured for electrical and mechanical or only mechanical connections. The device includes a hammer 16 that is moved to a cocked position by the end of an inserted cable 20. A hammer spring 18 is compressed during the cocking motion. When the cocked position is reached, a frangible abutment 64 fractures and the hammer 18 is free to move independently of the cable. The spring 18 drives the hammer 16 into tapered gripping jaws 38 with an impact that firmly grips the jaws onto the cable 20. Since the installer must forcibly compress the spring 18, the stored energy of the spring 18 is comparatively weak, and is limited by the installer's strength and the column strength of the cable being inserted. Therefore, the jaws 38 are often prevented from developing full engagement with the cable 20. Also, the cable 20 tends to pull out of the jaws 38. This pull out may occur during the installation procedure, requiring the automatic cable connector to be discarded.
If the device is double-ended and utilized for a splicing operation, if one end of the connector is unsuccessfully installed, the connector must be cut off. The connector cannot be disassembled. This situation leaves the installer with too short a length of cable. Two additional connectors are then required, one to replace the failed connector, and the other to splice in an additional length of cable to replace the portion that was cut out with the original unsuccessful splice. Furthermore, the connector may hold sufficiently to allow installation to proceed, but, without full insertion. In this event, the line may be energized, but, there is still a propensity for the splice to fail under wind, vibration, ice, or other additional loading that may occur during future use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,554,387 to Saul discloses another cable connector. In this connector, a wire 30 is inserted into the tapered end of a housing 7. The wire 30 pushes a set of jaws 10 backward. The jaws 10 expand to permit passage of wire 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the wire end, after passing through the jaws 10, enters trigger element 20. Continued insertion of the wire 30 causes the wire end to engage the conical surface defined by the inclined sleeve portions of the trigger element 20. Thus, the inclined sleeve portions expand in a radial direction so that hooks 23 disengage from the flange 17. This disengagement releases trigger element 20. Consequently, spring 26 biases the trigger element 20 into engagement with jaws 10. The spring 26 further functions to urge the jaws 10 into the tapered end of the housing to effect initial gripping between the jaws 10 and the wire 30. One drawback of this device is that it is relatively susceptible to premature triggering or firing. In a splicing operation, premature triggering could occur on one end of the device, leaving the other end operational. Since this condition would not be readily apparent to the installer, the unit might accidentally be installed on the non-triggered end, if one exists, only to find the other end triggered. Therefore, removal of the automatic splice is necessary as previously described.
Accordingly, in order to address these disadvantages, there have been various additional attempts to provide improved cable clamps. Examples of such are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,909 to Dobrinski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,736 to DeFrance et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,565 to Herron; U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,273 to Garver et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,353 to Buchholz et al.; 4,698,031 to Dawson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,352 to Hawkins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,850 to Filhaber; U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,300 to Becker; U.S. Pat. No. 2,567,374 to Greco; U.S. Pat. No. 2,554,387 to Saul; U.S. Pat. No. 2,138,913 to Fotsch; Des. 278,230 to Kominiak et al. Although some of the features of those cable clamps ease the disadvantages described above, a continuing need exists for an improved trigger actuated cable clamp which is relatively simple to manufacture, limits pre-triggering of the device, and prevents mechanical failure.


Mixtures of absorbable polymers and plasticizers useful in the production of medical devices are provided.

Plasticizers are molecules that when mixed with polar or hydrogen bonded polymers position themselves between the intermolecular bonds, thus increasing the spacing between adjacent bonds. In this manner, plasticizers lower the strength of the intermolecular forces, thus increasing the flexibility of the polymeric structure. For example, PVC, which is polar, is plasticized by substances such as dioctylphthlate. As another example, nylon, which is hydrogen bonded, is plasticized by water. Derivatives of long chain fatty aliphatic acids such as lauric, palmitic, stearic or behenic acid have been identified as spinning aids for polyamide fibers. (See, U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,956). Since the softening effect of plasticizers is equivalent to increasing extrusion temperatures, extruding plasticized polymers will require lower temperatures for comparable melt viscosities. Thus, the danger of thermal degradation of the polymer is generally decreased by employing a plasticizer. In this respect plasticizers are, indirectly, thermal stabilizes.
Absorbable surgical devices have been made from fibers of synthetic polymers such as polymer made from glycolide, lactide or p-dioxanone. With respect to polyglycolic acid sutures, U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,033 states at column 3, line 45 that: "In general, plasticizers tend to interfere with crystallinity, orientation, etc., and weaken fibers, but are useful for sponges and films." U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,010 describes plasticized polyester sutures prepared by reacting glycolide and lactide in the presence of a plasticizer such as bis-2-methoxyethyl phthalate or acetoxytriethyl citrate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,956 states at column 7, line 9 that any of a variety of plasticizers such as glyceryl triacetate, ethyl benzoate and diethyl phthalate can be used with polylactide and that preferred plasticizers for glycolide/lactide copolymers are dibutylphthalate and bis-2-methoxyethyl phthalate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,915, 893 describes spinning polyesters such as polylactide with an additive such as a polyurethane, glycolide, lactide, camphor, benzoic acid-2-hydroxyacetate, hexamethylbenzene, 1,2-cyclohexandione and other low molecular weight organic compounds which are preferably soluble in trichlormethane and/or dichlormethane and ethanol and having a melting temperature in the range of 40.degree. to 180.degree. C.

Plasticizers for fibers used to form surgical devices


Small particles and fines included along with larger subdivided solids are treated with water base liquid extraction medium to extract soluble solids therein in a process using milli-screens with milli-sized openings of less than about 0.095 inches across. The milli-screen openings may be kept open for the passage of liquids with specially-designed wipers and/or back-flushing from a liquid compartment and/or rotation of the milli-screen past the matrix of subdivided solids, the subdivided solids themselves acting as a screen cleaner. The invention is useful in batch or continuous diffusers for extracting soluble solids from subdivided solids containing small particles and fines.

Methods which employ countercurrent liquid-solids extraction systems to convey the subdivided solids to be extracted in one direction through a tank, and flow the liquid, usually water, in the opposite direction through the subdivided solids are well known. During the contact of the liquid and solids as they move in opposite directions, soluble substances are extracted from the solids, as by osmotic and lixiviation transfer, and are removed with the enriched extraction liquid.
Apparatus employed for performing countercurrent extraction are of several different configurations. They may be in the form of a Robert battery, a set of identical cells which are filled and emptied alternatively in rotation. They may be in the form of slope diffusers as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,311 Bruniche-Olsen et al. and Silver U.S. Pat. No. 3,573,892; vertical tower diffusers, as illustrated by Schaffer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,589; and horizontal diffusers, for example, the R. T. diffuser.
In the case of vertical and horizontal diffusers, the diffusers are preceded by a hydrator that prepares the animal or plant materials for extraction by treating with hot water. The hot water "kills" the cells, so that cell membranes permit osmotic transfer of soluble substances through the cell walls by the extraction liquid.
The hydrators and continuous diffusers use screens at various locations for controlling the subdivided solids. The screens may convey or push the solids through the diffuser while allowing the liquid to pass therethrough. Because of the hydraulic pressures exerted against the screens, especially when they have a mat or matrix of solids, and particularly because of their need to convey solids, as in the case of horizontal and slope diffusers, the screens must maintain structural integrity during use, and for that reason have been made of plates.
In the past, small particles and fines contained in the larger subdivided solids were a problem. Ordinarily, the smallest openings that have been drilled or cast in such plates are 1/8 inch in diameter, a size sufficiently large to pass the small particles and fines. For example, screens for separating the liquid from solids in such apparatus are ordinarily plates that are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick ordinarily containing drilled or punched holes about 9/32 inch across, a size that easily passes small particles and fines so that the screens cannot effectively control small particles and fines. Likewise, the scroll flights for conveying solids from one end to the other in vertical, horizontal, or slope diffusers are made of plates about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick which may contain holes about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch across; again, holes of such size will easily pass small particles and fines so that the latter cannot be effectively controlled. In the tower diffuser, scroll flights generally have no holes at all but just narrow sections of scroll flights. Scroll flights with or without holes, heretofore, have been ineffective in controlling large amounts of small particles and fines.
The holes or slots in the separation screen have had to be large enough not to plug with subdivided solids. Therefore the depth of the holes has had to be somewhat less than the diameter of the holes or width of the slots, so that particles nearly the same diameter or width would not be caught in the hole or slot, thereby blocking the flow of extracting liquid through the separation screen. Furthermore, as in the case of continuous diffusers extracting sugar from sliced sugar beets called cossettes, the holes had to be larger than the cross sectional area of the cossette so that a cossette starting through the hole lengthwise would not "hang up" in the hole thereby blocking that hole to the passage of extracting liquid. Therefore holes in the diffuser separation screens were customarily larger than 1/4 of an inch in diameter. Slots sometimes were made narrower than 1/4 of an inch but were often subject to plugging as a cossette would lie along the length of the slot and block the passage of extracting liquid.
Continuous diffusers in the past, operating on extracting sucrose from sugar beets, have used screen wipers only on the separation screen between the juice compartment and the active extraction sections of the continuous diffusers: slope, horizontal, and tower (batch diffusers historically have had no separation screens). Screen wipers have been made of brass or micarta materials with a pointed edge designed to cut off and lift up cossettes that have partially entered the holes of the screen (9/32s of an inch or larger) or slots of the screen (1/8 of an inch or larger). Given the propensity for foreign materials to catch in these holes, the clean-cutting pointed edge of the screen wipers has been often chipped off, worn off, or rounded so that cossettes have been mashed into the holes, causing further blockage to the extracting liquid.
Therefore, in the past, continuous diffusers, and even batch diffusers, have been ineffective for processing materials containing small particles and fines. In particular, the scroll conveyors in vertical and slope diffusers have been largely ineffective in pushing the small particles and fines countercurrent to the water in the countercurrent system. The ineffectiveness in controlling small particles and fines has been off-set, in part, by the formation in some cases of a mat or matrix of fibers and large particles that capture the small particles and fines, so that, to some extent, even though the small particles and fines can pass through the holes of the separation screens and scroll flights, nevertheless they can be captured and conveyed to some degree, provided the fines are not present in too great an amount. For this reason, the preparation of materials to be extracted has attempted to keep the small particles and fines to a minimum, for example, usually to less than about 5% by weight, and desirably to less than about 3% by weight, of the solids to be treated.
The inability to prevent small particles and fines from being carried with the extracting liquid has limited the use of batch and continuous diffusers. Although batch and continuous diffusers have found wide usage for extraction in the beet sugar and cane sugar industries, the application of extraction to many other materials has been limited, because such other materials produce large amounts of small particles and fines that conventional batch and continuous diffusers do not adequately control. Since many solid substances, when subdivided, create large amounts of small particles and fines that cannot be controlled by conventional hydrators and diffusers, the application of batch or continuous diffusers to products outside of the sugar beet and sugar cane industries has been limited. For example, in preparing madder root for extraction by pulverizing, in one case, about 10% by weight of the pulverized root was small particles and fines. Many other products, when subdivided, produce small particles, fines, and powder that cannot be handled by conventional diffusers.

Extracting soluble substances from subdivided solids with a water-base liquid extraction medium


A system for processing a data read error from a tape medium in one embodiment includes a reading section for reading data in data units from a tape medium; a reading control section for controlling said reading section to read data, and on condition that if an error occurs in reading one of said data units, the data unit where the error occurs is considered an error data unit and the reading control section issues an instruction to skip the error data unit and read the next readable data unit immediately after the error data unit; a computation section for computing a number of records and a number of boundary marks included in the error data unit where said error occurs from information about the records and boundary marks included in the data unit preceding the error data unit that is read immediately before said error occurs, and information about the records and boundary marks included in the data unit next to said error data unit, the boundary marks indicating the boundary of a record block; and a communication section for outputting the number information about said computed number of records and said computed number of boundary marks.

The present invention relates to a technique for continuing to read data rapidly and appropriately when an unrecoverable read error occurs in a tape reader connected to a host computer.
In a tape drive for reading digital data from a magnetic tape, part of data recorded on the magnetic tape may be unreadable for some reason. When an unrecoverable read error occurs, the conventional tape drive reports the read error to the host computer, and ends reading. To continue reading data, an application of the host computer needs to avoid a part where the error occurs and read data after it.
Typically, the host computer manages the reading position of data based on how many records are in the minimum unit of data as seen from the host computer and how many format marks indicating the boundary of record block are read. On the other hand, the tape drive records data in data units differently than the host computer on the magnetic tape. Therefore, the data unit includes a plurality of records and file marks. However, the length of record is not necessarily fixed. Also, the tape drive often records data after compressing data received from the host computer. Therefore, when the data unit is unreadable for some reason, the host computer cannot know the number of records and the number of file marks included in the data.
Thus, to avoid a portion of the tape where the error occurs, the host computer needs to perform a method of 1) moving the reading position forward by small steps and trying the readability of data at every step, or 2) moving the reading position to the sufficiently far position and starting reading. However, with the method of 1), many tries are necessary, and it takes a long time to read. On the other hand, with the method of 2), data that is originally readable may be canceled.
The conventional technique for conveying the next readable data position to the host computer when an unrecoverable error occurs was described in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-251843, for example. Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-251843 deals with a tape drive unit conforming to the Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT) standards for recording or reproducing data via the tape by handling data in group units, and a host system for controlling the tape drive unit. And Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-251843 discloses a technique in which the beginning of group and the beginning of sector are made coincident in allotting data in group units to sector units of the minimum processing units of the host system, and when a reproduction error occurs, the first record number of group and the error information for every frame making up the group are only returned from the tape drive unit to the host system, and the error sector can be computed on the side of the host system.
However, the technique as disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-251843 presupposes that the length of data recorded on the magnetic tape can be converted to the data length handled by the host computer. Therefore, in the case where the length of record in the minimum data unit as seen from the host computer is variable, or the tape drive compresses data from the host computer and records it in the magnetic tape, the technique of Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-251843 cannot be used, whereby it is still difficult to find the next readable position in the host computer rapidly and suitably.
There is thus a need to provide a tape reader, system, method and/or program that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

Avoiding a part of tape where error occurs by computing a number of records and a number of boundary marks included in an error data unit

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention provides stable feed media containing pyruvate and methods for stabilizing feed media by adding pyruvate. The invention further provides methods for producing proteins using such media and proteins produced through the use of such methods.

Large-scale fed-batch culture of mammalian cells, especially Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, is widely used to produce proteins used in a variety of applications, such as diagnostic, therapeutic, and research uses. Particular attention has focused on CHO cells because they have been extensively characterized and have been approved for use in clinical manufacturing by regulatory agencies. Such cultures are typically maintained for days, or even weeks, while the cells produce the desired protein(s). During this time the culture can be supplemented with a feed medium containing components, such as nutrients and amino acids, which are consumed during the course of the culture. Such feeding has been shown to improve protein production by a mammalian cell culture. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,502. Even incremental improvements in protein production can be valuable, given the expense and difficulty of building and obtaining regulatory approval for large-scale, commercial culture facilities.
Concentrated feed media are often used in fed batch culture processes to improve protein titer, cell growth, and/or cell viability. Some components present at high concentration in feed media may precipitate during storage, especially when the pH of the medium is near neutrality. Precipitation of medium components during storage prior to use of a medium is very undesirable because it adds an element of uncertainty. When medium components precipitate, the concentration of medium components in solution, versus in the precipitate, will be unknown. Since concentrations of various medium components can affect the quantity and quality of a protein produced by a culture, this is an element of uncertainty that is highly undesirable in a commercial culture process, in which culture conditions are, optimally, carefully controlled. Moreover, commercial processes may be subjected to stringent regulatory review. Thus, feed media with high concentrations of amino acids that can be stored for a period of time without precipitating would provide significant advantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An intubation detection system includes a pressure changing source, such as a volume changing device, connected to a transducer and an endotracheal tube. The intubation detection system determines whether the hollow tip of an endotracheal tube is in the esophagus or trachea of a patient. If the tip is in the trachea, the tip is not occluded. If the tip is in the esophagus, it becomes occluded. In one embodiment, the transducer is a pressure transducer, a chamber of a volume changing device is selectively increased in volume, and a flow restrictor is placed between the tip and the chamber and transducer. If the tip is in the trachea, when the volume is increased, the pressure at the transducer temporarily decreases, but quickly returns to atmospheric pressure. If the tip is in the esophagus, when the volume is increased, the pressure at the transducer decreases and remains at that pressure because the tip is occluded. A mass flow transducer may also be used. Analyzing circuitry receives signals from the transducer and determines the location of the tip. The analyzing circuitry control indication circuitry, which provides an indication of the location of the tip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intubation detection system, more particularly, to a transducer based intubation detection system with an indicator that indicates whether an endotracheal tube (or other tubular airway controlling device) is in a patient's esophagus or in the patient's trachea, immediately following an attempted intubation.
2. State of the Art
Endotracheal tubes may be used to pump oxygen enriched air into the lungs of a patient. The procedure is used in the operating room, the emergency department, and prehospital care settings, such as accident sites. One end of the endotracheal tube is connected to a source of oxygen and the other end is placed in the patient's trachea, in a procedure referred to as intubation. A danger in intubation is that the endotracheal tube may be placed in the esophagus rather than the trachea. Even an experienced clinician has difficulty in properly placing the endotracheal tube. Improper placement of the tube may result in permanent injury or death. Accordingly, detection of improper placement of the endotracheal tube is extremely important.
Clinical examination alone is dependent on the clinician's experience and judgement and may give misleading results. For this reason, accessory devices exist that help determine if the trachea is properly intubated. For example, capnographers have been used to detect improper placement. A capnographer is an expensive instrument that detects the presence of CO.sub.2. Confirmation of proper endotracheal tube placement is based on the fact that carbon dioxide is present in exhaled air in approximately 5% concentration, but is present in esophageal gas in only minute concentrations. The capnographer is a relatively large, sophisticated, and expensive reusable instrument that has a valid use in hospital operating rooms. The capnographer is too bulky, too expensive, and requires too much time to calibrate for routine use in prehospital settings and emergency departments. Unfortunately, it is these settings where experience may be limited and where esophageal intubations more frequently occur.
The EASY CAP End-Tidal CO.sub.2 detector is a currently available disposable device for use outside the operating room that assists in distinguishing esophageal from tracheal intubations by a color indication. The EASY CAP End-Tidal CO.sub.2 detector is marketed by Nellcor Inc. (formerly produced and distributed by FENEM Airway Management Systems under the name "FEF End-Tidal CO.sub.2 detector"). After intubation is performed, the CO.sub.2 detector device is attached to the endotracheal tube in line with the oxygen bag. Oxygen is insufflated through the device into the endotracheal tube and lungs, then exhaled back through the device. A change of color from purple to yellow with each breath indicates tracheal intubation. If the endotracheal tube is in the esophagus, no CO.sub.2 is detected and the color change does not occur.
The CO.sub.2 detector device will not easily detect tracheal intubation in the patient who is pulseless or inadequately perfusing the pulmonary circulation. This is due to inadequate CO.sub.2 exhalation. It will still detect esophageal intubation in these patients. However, many tracheal intubations will be interpreted as esophageal due to lack of color change. Clinical judgement is required in these cases.
Another technique for distinguishing esophageal from tracheal intubation is described in M. Y. K. Wee, "The oesophageal detector device assessment of a new method to distinguish oesophageal from tracheal intubation," Anaesthesia, 43:27-29 (1988). This technique relies on the relative rigidity of the tracheal wall, as compared to that of the esophagus. The trachea remains constantly patent due to C-shaped rings of cartilage supporting its lumen. The esophagus will collapse over the end of a rigid tube when significant negative pressure (with respect to atmospheric pressure) is applied in the tube, thus preventing aspiration of air. The more rigid trachea, on the other hand, remains open and allows free aspiration of air, when significant negative pressure is applied in the tube.
Under the technique, a detector device includes a syringe that is attached to an adaptor. After intubation, the adaptor is connected to the endotracheal tube. Air is aspirated into the syringe by pulling the syringe plunger. Free flow of air (i.e., ease in pulling the syringe plunger) is indicative of proper tube placement in the trachea. Resistance to flow (i.e., resistance to pulling the syringe plunger) indicates that the endotracheal tube may be improperly placed.

Intubation detection system with transducer based indicator


A burner for a gas grill is inexpensive and durable. The burner may be made of an inexpensive sheet steel, but the steel is fully porcelainized or otherwise treated to resist corrosion. The complete coverage of the porcelain is accomplished by making the burner in two halves, and porcelainizing all surfaces of the two halves. The two halves are subsequently assembled into a single burner. Each half has flanges extending therefrom, and a channel engages the flanges to hold them together. Screws or other fastening means can be used to secure the channel to the flanges. In one embodiment of the invention the channel is integrally formed with one of the burner halves. One or both halves of the burner may also be made of a durable metal without the anticorrosive treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gas burners, and is more particularly concerned with an improved burner for a gas grill, and a method for making the burner.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The burner in a gas grill, such as a barbecue grill, operates in an extremely difficult environment, in that the burner is subject to repeated heating and cooling. Along with the extreme changes in temperature, the burner is subject to high moisture, corrosive salts, and other items used in coking on the grill.
The interior of the burner is subject to the heating, cooling and moisture to which the outside is subject; plus, the interior of the burner is exposed to the corrosive action of acids that form from the gases used for combustion. Thus, both the inside and the outside of the burner are exposed to highly deleterious environments that cause corrosion of the material from which the burner is made.
There are many forms of burners for gas grills, including burners of cast iron, brass or the like. These are good burners, but are heavy, and expensive to manufacture; additionally, it is difficult to keep the gas ports open so the burners are somewhat difficult to maintain.
Burners are also made of sheet steel, whether stainless steel or other steels. Stainless steel of course lasts longer, but is considerably more expensive. Other steels are inexpensive, but the life in the environment of a grill is very short.
One recent effort at solving the problems of cost and life of a burner has been to fabricate the burner as two halves, the burner being made of inexpensive sheet steel, such as a zero carbon steel. The halves are assembled by hemming a flange of one over a flange on the other; then, the exterior of the burner is porcelainized for longer life. While this may be an improvement, the burner suffers from the fact that the interior is not porcelainized, so the interior is still subject to the corrosive action mentioned above. Those skilled in the art will understand that the interior cannot be porcelainized because the assembly technique cannot be used once the metal has been covered with porcelain. One prior art technique allows porcelainizing of a burner inside and outside after assembly, but that process is expensive and labor intensive. Other prior art burners have been made in two halves and spot welded together; but, this is not possible after porcelainizing because the porcelain does not conduct electricity. Thus, the prior art has not provided an inexpensive and durable burner for gas grills.

Burner for grill and method for making same


Disclosed herein a process for the preparation of reactive solution of polymerizable polymers comprising polymerizable reactive functionality and wherein one approach discloses a polymerizable polymer comprising a (i) N-vinyl amide monomer; (ii) dual functional monomer; and (iii) polymerizable monomelic solvent. An additional approach reveals about polymerizable polymer comprising (i) a base polymer made from N-vinyl amide monomer and a co-monomer with the proviso for grafting; (ii) graft functional monomer; and (iii) a polymerizable monomelic solvent to enable a medium for polymerization. Also, discloses about the compositions comprising reactive solution of polymerizable polymer and its various possible applications.

For many applications employing polymeric materials, cross-linking of the polymer is a critical and necessary step in preparing many commercially viable products. Historically, one approach to cross-linking a polymer has been to introduce a chemical component, commonly referred to as a "cross-linking agent." Typical examples of cross-linking agents are melamines, formaldehyde, chromates, polyfunctional silanes, zirconates, borates, polyfunctional acids and polyfunctional amines.
More recently, polymer(s) have been developed which do not require the addition of a cross-linking agent. Many of these polymers employ glycidyl or amine functionalities to enable the polymer to form covalent bonds to itself or other functional materials. This approach is advantageous because the cross-linking reaction is simple and the resultant product is a commercially viable polymeric material. For example, crosslinked polymers of N-vinyl amides, such as N-vinyl pyrrolidone (VP or HPVP) and N-vinyl caprolactum (VCL), can be made by the addition of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) functionality according to BS. R Reddy et.al. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 43, 251-258 (1991) and S. A. Sukhishvili et.al. Journal of Polymer Science: Part A—Polymer Chemistry Vol. 44, 183-191 (2006).
Also, EP0103184 assigned to Diamond Shamrock discloses hydrogel terpolymers of GMA (50%) and VP (40%) and hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA, 10%). The U.S. Publication No. 20070056900 assigned to BASF discloses polymer comprising 60-99% by weight of at least one N-vinyl amide monomer (VP or VCL) and 1-40% by weight of at least one monomer selected from, for example GMA, HEMA, aminostyrene compounds and imidazoles.
Given the many uses for cross-linked polymeric materials, there is a need for cross-linkable polymers; the present invention is directed to polymers containing polymerizable functionalities.

Reactive solution of polymerizable polymer comprising polymerizable reactive functionalities, process and compositions thereof


The present invention provides a multilayer wiring board in which warpage during reflow soldering can be reduced even if there is no sufficient space for disposing a dummy pattern or if a dummy pattern cannot be disposed. A difference between the ratios of copper remaining in wiring layers causes a difference between the amounts of thermal expansion of the wiring layers. The fiber bundle content of at least one resin base material layer is made different from that of the other resin base material layers, to cause a difference between the amounts of thermal expansion of the resin base material layers. This difference between the amounts of thermal expansion of the resin base material layers is used to cancel the difference between the amounts of thermal expansion of the wiring layers. Thus, warpage of the board during reflow soldering is reduced.

The present invention relates to a multilayer wiring board having a build-up structure comprising two or more wiring layers.
Multilayer wiring boards having a build-up structure are wiring boards that have been developed for the purpose of realizing high-density mounting of various electronic components. These multilayer wiring boards having a build-up structure are configured such that a plurality of wiring layers constituted by copper wires and resins and a plurality of resin base material layers constituted by resins and fiber bundles are alternately layered, and used for various digital devices and mobile devices.
First, a commonly used multilayer wiring board having a build-up structure will be described. FIG. 11 shows a partial cross section of a multilayer wiring board 100g (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a "board") having a build-up structure. In the board 100g, n (n is an integer of or more) wiring layers (C1 to Cn) and (n−1) resin base material layers [B1 to B(n−1)] are laminated in an alternately layered manner. Hereinafter, the wiring layers and the resin base material layers may be collectively referred to as "wiring layers C" and "resin base material layers B", respectively.
The wiring layers C are constituted by a copper wire 101 and an insulating resin 103. The resin base material layers B are constituted by a fiber bundle 102 in the form of a woven or nonwoven fabric and the insulating resin 103 with which the fiber bundle 102 is impregnated. FIG. 11 schematically shows a state in which the fiber bundle 102 is impregnated with the resin 103 as the resin base material layers B. The layers are similarly shown also in the following drawings.
As the fiber bundle 102, glass fibers or aramid fibers are usually used. Furthermore, as the insulating resin 103, thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins, phenol resins, polyimide, or BT resin are used.
Typically, the wiring layers C and the resin base material layers B are formed by alternately layering fiber bundles that have been impregnated with an insulating resin and copper foils in which a wiring pattern has been formed, and curing the resin with application of pressure and heat in this state. The resin 103 constituting the wiring layers C is formed by causing a part of the resin with which the fiber bundles have been impregnated to enter gaps in the wiring pattern, at the time of application of pressure and heat.
Although not shown, the wiring layers C are electrically connected via a via-hole or through-hole formed through the resin base material layers B. The configuration of the above-described multilayer wiring board having a build-up structure is defined in detail in the standard set by Japan Electronics Packaging and Circuits Association "JPCA standard: Build-up Printed Wiring Boards (Terms and Definitions, Test Methods and Design examples)" (see Design examples 3 and 4 in page 2).
The resin base material layers B are divided into a base layer 104 functioning as a central layer in the multilayer structure and build-up layers 105 laminated above and below the base layer 104, in a laminating press process in manufacture of boards. Resin base materials constituting the base layer 104 and the build-up layers 105 may be the same or different. As resin base materials for the layers of the build-up layers 105, a single material is used in which the fiber bundle content is constant.
In a reflow soldering process, the board 100g in which electronic components are temporarily fixed on its front and rear mounting faces is placed on a reflow belt or reflow pallet, and the temperature is raised from room temperature to 220° C. or more to perform soldering and then lowered to room temperature. At that time, in the board 100g, the ratio of copper remaining (the ratio of the area of copper wires occupied in the entire area of the wiring layers C) differs between the wiring layers. Accordingly, the amount of thermal expansion differs between the wiring layers, and thus warpage occurs. The mechanism how warpage of the board occurs will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 12.
A board 100h shown in FIG. 12 has six wiring layers C1 to C6 arranged in that order from above and five resin base material layers that are arranged between the wiring layers, the resin base material layers comprising layers B1 and B2 (both are the build-up layers 105), B3 (the base layer 104), and B4 and B5 (both are the build-up layers 105) arranged in that order from above. The ratio of copper remaining in the wiring layers is 32%, 28%, 37%, 46%, 52%, and 54% in that order starting with the wiring layer C1. In this case, regarding the average of the ratio of copper remaining in layers (C1 to C3) situated above the base layer 104 (the resin base material layer B3) and that in layers (C4 to C6) situated therebelow, the average of the ratio of copper remaining in the layers situated below the base layer 104 is larger.
Comparison between the copper wire 101 and the resin 103 constituting the wiring layers C shows that the coefficient of linear expansion of the resin 103 is larger than that of the copper wire 101. Thus, wiring layers with a large ratio of copper remaining have a small amount of thermal expansion under temperature load. Thus, in the board 100h shown in FIG. 12, the amount of thermal expansion of the layers situated above the base layer 104 is large, and that of the layers situated therebelow is small. Accordingly, under temperature load, the board is warped to protrude upward.
If electronic components are mounted in a state where the board is still warped due to the reflow soldering process, the reliability in connection between the electronic components and the board is considerably lowered, which is a significant factor to deteriorate the quality of an electronic circuit in which the multilayer wiring board is installed.
In order to prevent warpage of a board in the reflow soldering process, the countermeasure shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-151015 is conventionally adopted. That is to say, as shown in FIG. 11, in order to minimize a difference in the amount of thermal expansion resulting from a difference between the ratios of copper remaining in the wiring layers C, a dummy pattern 108 is formed in the wiring layers C in addition to the original copper wire 101 constituting the electronic circuit, thereby making the ratio of copper remaining in the wiring layers C as uniform as possible.
However, in a board for small electronic devices in which electronic circuits are required to be mounted at high density, the area occupied by lands for mounting electronic components increases, and thus a sufficient space for disposing a dummy pattern cannot be secured. Furthermore, if components operating at high frequency are mounted on a board, arrangement of a dummy pattern is restricted because a dummy pattern leads to generation of noise. Thus, in the conventional countermeasure in which a dummy pattern is provided, there are limits in reducing warpage of the board.