A gasket for sealing a channel of a mounting cup to a container bead including at least one protrusion at an end of the gasket for retaining the mounting cup in position on a container bead prior to clinching. Six such protrusions can be equidistantly positioned about the gasket. A gasketed mounting cup including such protrusions is also disclosed. A method for manufacturing such a gasketed mounting cup is disclosed as well.

Aerosol dispensing containers have found widespread use in the packaging of fluid materials including a variety of both liquid and powdered particulate products. Such containers are provided with a valve-controlled discharge orifice and operate by the action of a volatile propellant which is confined within the container together with the product to be dispensed. Because the propellant has an appreciable vapor pressure at room temperature, the product in the closed container is maintained under superatmospheric pressure.
A typical aerosol unit comprises a hollow cylindrical container which is tightly closed at one end and is provided with an opening at its opposite end for receiving a dispensing valve assembly. A closure, commonly referred to as a mounting cup, serves as the closure for the container and as a support for the valve assembly. Typically, the mounting cup comprises a pedestal portion for mounting the valve unit, a panel portion extending from the pedestal portion, a skirt portion depending from the periphery of the panel, and an annular channel portion extending outwardly from the skirt. When the mounting cup is placed in sealing position on the container, the channel is positioned over the bead surrounding the container opening and the lower portion of the skirt adjacent to the channel is flared or clinched outwardly against the underside of the bead. To ensure adequate sealing between the closure and the container, the cup is provided with a gasket in the channel, or predominantly in the channel, of the cup.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,546,525 ("the 525 patent") and 4,547,948 ("the 948 patent"), a novel gasketed mounting cup system, including novel method and apparatus, is described wherein the gasket material is disposed on the mounting cup in the preferred position for effecting a seal between the mounting cup and the bead of the container, in an exceptionally rapid and efficient manner to form gasketed-mounting cups having excellent sealing characteristics. In general, the method of invention of the '525 and '948 patents comprises passing a tubular sleeve of gasket material onto a compressible mandrel; initially positioning and aligning the skirt of the mounting cup and the contiguous end of the mandrel such that the sleeve of gasket material may pass onto the skirt, said mandrel having fixed and moveable portions with respect to each other and to their movement toward and away from the mounting cup; urging the moveable portion of the gasket material bearing mandrel toward the mounting cup such that the gasket material passes onto the skirt of the cup; causing the moveable portion of the mandrel to retract to its initial position, cutting the sleeve at a point between the mounting cup and the mandrel to leave a band of gasket material; and subsequently, advancing the mounting cup to a station whereat the band of the gasket material is urged further onto the skirt of the mounting cup, whereby the band of gasket material does not extend beyond the skirt of the mounting cup. Subsequently, the gasket is advanced to the ultimately desired position partially within the channel of the mounting cup. The '525 and '948 patents are incorporated by reference herein.
In the United States, aerosol containers are typically filled by the undercap filling method. First, the product to be dispensed is deposited into the container. Then a mounting cup, including the valve and dip tube, is placed on the container such that the bead of the container is within the channel of the mounting cup. The filling head of an undercap filling machine then encompasses the top of the container, creating an airtight seal. Air is then evacuated from the container. The suction created during evacuation raises the mounting cup off of the container bead. Propellant is then forced into the container opening beneath the mounting cup and the mounting cup is repositioned and clinched to the container bead. In certain applications, the propellant can be dissolved in the product, mixed and inserted into the container in one step. Product saturated carbon dioxide is one common example.
During the filling process, suction during evacuation or the force of the propellant during filling can displace the gasket from its position within the channel of the mounting cup, preventing a proper seal on clinching. In some cases, the gasket can be completely displaced by the propellant filling the container, forcing the gasket into the container. This is referred to as a "blown" gasket.
The dip tube of the container is usually slightly longer than the height of the container to insure that its end is positioned at the bottom of the container. As shown in FIG. 1, when the mounting cup is positioned on the container bead, the dip tube is slightly bent. This can provide an upward force which can displace the mounting cup from the container bead, interfering with proper clinching. To ensure that the mounting cup is maintained on the container bead prior to clinching, protrusions are created around the skirt of the mounting cup which are below the container bead when the mounting cup is in position. Such protrusions 14a are also shown in FIG. 1. The force provided by the bent dip tube is generally insufficient to overcome the retaining force provided by the protrusions. The protrusions are formed by a tool placed around the pedestal of the mounting cup, which forces out particular sections of the skirt of the cup.
Such protrusions can scratch the container bead or walls of the opening of the container when the mounting cup is being positioned, promoting corrosion. In addition, the mounting cup can be split or punctured during formation of the protrusion.

Gasket with a self-supporting protrusion


An image forming apparatus includes an encode process unit for: (a) allocating image data of an original document into blocks containing a predetermined pixel matrix, and (b) determining from the image data in each block a mean value information and a gradient range exponent for each block; a series copy data generating unit for generating reduction image data for a plurality of reduction images by using the mean value information for each of the blocks as image data for the reduction images so that each pixel of the reduction images corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of blocks of the original document image data; and an image forming unit for forming images based on the reduction image data generated by the series copy data generating unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device and method for compression encoding of image information, and in particular, using a generalized block truncation coding (GBTC) method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years the GBTC method has been proposed as a method for compressing and expanding document image data. The GBTC method executes processing to allocate image data of a document into blocks having a predetermined number of pixels, and compresses each block. Specifically, the pixel data within each block are quantized at a lower gradient level using gradient range exponent LD and mean value information LA calculated from the image data within each block. That is, the image data are converted to code data .o slashed.ij obtained by quantization, with the result that the data quantity is compressed. Mean value information LA equally divides the sum of mean value Q1 of image data less than parameter P1 determined by image data within the block, and mean value Q4 of image data greater than parameter P1 (where P1<P2). Gradient range exponent LD is the difference between mean value Q4 and mean value Q1.
FIG. 1 illustrates the flow of the coding process using a typical GBTC method. First, the image data of the document image are divided into blocks of 4.times.4 pixels, as shown in FIG. 1(a). Then the image data of each allocated block are extracted, and the image data of each extracted block are subjected to an encoding process using the GBTC method. Each image data has a data quantity of 1 byte (1 byte=8 bits=256 halftones). In the encoding process using the GBTC method, data of 16-pixel blocks (i.e., 1.times.16 bytes=128 bits) within the allocated block are encoded (compressed) in 4-bytes of code data, 1-byte gradient range exponent LD, and 1-byte mean value information LA, as shown in FIG. 1(b). The 4-bytes of code data are obtained by sorting and allocating the data of each pixel in 4-levels (quantizing). That is, 2-bit code data become 4-bytes in the 16-pixel block.
As a result, the image data (16 bytes) within a single block are encoded as 6-byte (48-bit) data. That is, the quantity of data of an image is compressed to 3/8.
FIG. 1(c) shows the data quantity of coded image data corresponding to a 6-pixel block of image data before encoding. Decoding of the encoded data is executed by calculating the image data (1 byte) corresponding to each code data (2 bits) based on the gradient range exponent LD and mean value information LA.
The image data of the 16 pixels Xij (i.e., i,j=1, 2, 3, 4) within the 4.times.4-pixel block are replaced by the four types of data (1 byte) among the 256 halftones via the decoding process. The decoded data contain obvious errors when compared to the data of the original document image. These errors are difficult to discern, however, due to the limitations of human visual acuity. That is, there is virtually no discernable loss of image quality in normal images.
Parameters Q1 and Q4 can be determined from the gradient range exponent LD and mean value information LA contained in the coded data. That is, a text image comprising a black color portion below parameter P1 and white color portion above parameter P2 can be reproduced from the coded data.
In the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) method of Huffman coding of data obtained by DCT (discrete cosine transform) conversion of image data, the data compression rate varies depending on the type of document. That is, although the JPEG method may realize a higher rate of data compression than the GBTC method on a particular document, the JPEG method may not be capable of any compression of another document. Thus, it is difficult to set the capacity of installed memory in image forming apparatuses using the JPEG method. On the other hand, the GBTC method is capable of compressing data at a normally constant compression rate. Therefore, image forming apparatuses using the GBTC method are advantageous in that the capacity of installed memory can be readily set.
Digital full color copying machines are often provided with a reduction series copying function for a plurality of image formations on a single sheet. When forming a plurality of reduced images, image information subjected to a reduction process is output a plurality of times in a main scan direction. Furthermore, when forming a plurality of reduced images, magnification is changed by changing the scanning speed in a subscan direction, and repeating a plurality of image forming processes on the same sheet.
In copying machines provided with a reduction series copy function, an image quality monitoring function is provided to monitor the quality of the image actually formed on paper by changing the various image forming conditions relative to a plurality of images formed on a single sheet. Copying machines provided with this image quality monitoring function execute, in addition to processing related to reduction series copying, other processing for switching the gamma table for each output of reduced image output of a single screen.
In the execution of the aforesaid reduction series copy function and image quality monitoring function, a mechanism for executing electrical variable magnification in the main scan direction and a function for outputting image data a plurality of times in the main scan direction must be provided. It is further necessary to provide a mechanism for controlling the scanning speed for processing in the subscan direction, and a separate control mechanism for the plurality of executions of the image forming process for a single sheet. When executing repeated image forming processes for the same sheet, the images formed on the sheet cannot be fixed until all image forming processes have ended. Therefore, variations in image quality may occur among the initially formed images and the last formed images on the sheet. Furthermore, problems arise in accelerated deterioration of the apparatus due to the repeated image forming processes on the single sheet.

Image forming apparatus and method based on reduction images and encoding


The present invention relates to a device for indoor air purification and sterilization which excites indoor air by arc discharge to decompose bad odor and sterilize air, wherein an excited state is maintained by applying a magnetic field and the contact time between molecules activated by arc and pollutants is extended, thereby improving air purification and sterilization effects, and the noise generated by arc discharge is reduced by a silencer and ozone and static electricity are removed by a filter which removes ozone and a metal filter for removing static electricity, respectively, thereby enabling very suitable configuration for indoor air purification and sterilization.

Since the 1970s, buildings built in an airtight structure and an energy saving structure in an attempt to save energy and enhance energy efficacy continue to increase in a variety of industries. A variety of ways are widely under ways for an airtight construction of buildings and energy consumption reduction for the purpose of facilitating a carbon emission restriction and an emission trading due to a high oil price and a depression in economy and a framework convention of a climate change since the 2008s. For these reasons, the quality of indoor air of a building is fast being worsened.
The problems of indoor environments might be directed to a phenomenon of contaminating indoor environments as various contamination substances generating due to the activities of human beings are directly emitted into the indoor space, namely, it might be the problems occurring due to the indoor contamination.
A variety of physically, chemically and biologically different contamination substances might exist in the indoor air. Since the above mentioned contamination substances come from combined discharge sources such as the input of external air, cigarette smoke, heater, oven, cooking utensils, cement, washing agent, construction materials, paint, etc., the discharge amounts of each source are of very deviated differences depending on the kinds of contamination substances.
For example, the indoor air quality of a department store in Seoul was measured. As a result of the measurement, CO2 was 779 PPM, NO2 was 40 PPM, HCHO was 0.16 PPB, TSP was 0.023 μg/m2, and in terms of microorganism, fungus was 297 CFu/M3, and the total bacteria was 1622 CFu/m3. In addition, the offices located in industrial factories had a variety of harmful bad smell substances such as NH3, H2S, C6H6 etc. now that various process gases were introduced into the offices, the substances of which were reported to cause health disorders.
In order to resolve the above problems, a method is provided to eliminate micro dusts using an air purification machine with a plurality of filter units. In recent years, it is being attempted to deodorize and sterilize using an air purifier which is equipped with a deodorizing filter with carbon or something in addition to a micro dust elimination filter, and an antibacterial filter or something equipped with a silver nano carbon; however due to the structural characteristics of an indoor type air purification machine, deodorizing and sterilizing effects are bad since it is not easy to install enough a carbon and a silver nano carbon in the filters, and it is needed to periodically exchange the filters.
As a conventional method for eliminating bad smells in the air generally used in the industry, there are a washing tower for spraying washing water, an adsorption tower for eliminating bad smells by forcing to pass through filled carbon layers, and an incineration method. The above apparatuses are hard to be made in a compact size for the purpose of being used for indoor air purification due to the natural characteristics of the apparatuses. In addition, the washing tower is good only at eliminating bad smells from a hydrophilic substance, and the adsorption tower is needed to periodically exchange the carbon which is an adsorption material. The incineration method is needed to burn LNG, so it is hard to actually adapt for the purpose of indoor air purification.
In addition, as a method for sterilizing the bacteria in the contaminated air, there is disclosed an apparatus sterilizing bacteria by spraying, into the contaminated air, ozone water produced as ozone is dissolved in water; however since an ozone generator, an ozone dissolver and a discharged ozone treatment apparatus are necessarily needed, so the apparatus becomes complicated and is expensive. In particular, if the ozone discharged is not treated in a proper way, it might be discharged into the indoor space, so the respiratory organs of the people staying in the indoor space might be damaged. If ozone is discharged into the air, optical chemical smog might be formed, thus contaminating the air environment.
In terms of an apparatus and a method for purifying the air using ozone like the above mentioned methods, there is a Korean utility model registration publication number 0434060 (Title of the design: Advanced air deodorizor and process based on ozone (water), plasma and catalyst) discloses a deodorizer and its method which is characterized in that an ozone pump is pumped for an elimination of bad smell into an ozone water tank, and it is sprayed via a spraying nozzle, thus purifying the air. The moisture is eliminated using demister and is discharged. However, the deodorizer is directed to a construction purifying the air by spraying ozone water into the air which rises up in the interior of the purification container. In this case, the purification container should be inevitably larger, namely, it is impossible to make it smaller, so such the above deodorizer is used for only the purpose of industry, not for the purpose of a home or an indoor space.
The Korean patent publication number 2008-96973 (Title of the invention: Apparatus for spraying ozone fog) discloses an apparatus for spraying ozone fog which is directed to enhancing an air purification performance in such a way to spray air along with ozone and water. The apparatus for spraying ozone fog is based on a method for directly spraying ozone into the air, so the humidity of the indoor space increases. Since the ozone is not dissolved in water, but ozone and water are separately sprayed into the air, it cannot be used in a space with a high humidity. It is basically designed to spray directly toward a person, a thing, an apparatus or something, it is uneasy to use. In addition, severe harmfulness might occur due to the ozone which is directly sprayed.
The Korean utility model registration publication number 0428872 (Title of the invention: The air cleaner with disinfection and sterilization for in the room which possesses an ozone water making device) is directed to an air cleaner with disinfection and sterilization for in a room which possesses an ozone water making device which is characterized in that when sterilizing food materials and various utensils with ozone water, an inclusion concentration and an inclusion time of ozone water are made to be enough while continuously supplying ozone water, and the apparatus can be movably installed at an indoor space, thus purifying indoor air and sterilizing the whole indoor spaces; however the above air cleaner with disinfection and sterilization for in the room is directed to directly discharging ozone gas into the indoor air, so the discharged ozone gas might directly damage human body.
A small size apparatus designed to purify the indoor space using an arc discharge occurring from a plurality of spaced-apart electrode is widely being developed for the purpose of the use in the indoor space by resolving the above mentioned problems.
The Korea patent publication number 2005-102600 (Title of the invention: Plasma odor and germ remover) is directed to a plasma odor and germ remover which is characterized in that contaminated air containing a variety of harmful substances such as various volatile organic compounds and smell and bacteria is in real time oxidized and decomposed with the aid of sliding arc plasma produced from a plurality of electrodes and plasma oxidation ion produced from a photocatalyst filter. The above-mentioned plasma odor and germ remover is theoretically possible to remove contaminated substances with the aid of a sliding arc plasma by way of an arc discharge and a plasma oxidation ion produced from a photocatalyst filter; however since the exited state of contaminated air caused by means of an arc discharge ends within a very short time, the oxidation and decomposition efficiencies of the harmful substances contained in the contaminated air are very low, and there are not provided a certain means for shielding electromagnetic waves produced during arc discharge and a certain means for removing ozone, so the produced electromagnetic waves and ozone might provide human bodies with serious bad effects, whereby the above plasma odor and germ remover is not well applied to the purifications of indoor air.
The Korean patent publication number 2008-4018 (Title of the invention: An air purification system of a cattle shed, removing device ammonium-nitrate of ozonizer) is directed to an air purification system of a cattle shed which is characterized in that there are provided a pair of electrode plates generating ozone by way of arc discharge and an ozone generation means containing an oxidation catalyst layer which facilitates an oxidation operation, thus oxidizing and removing bad smells and harmful gases with the aid of ozone produced by means of the ozone generation means. The above mentioned air purification system is characterized in that since the excited state of the contaminated air, which excited state occurs by means of arc discharge, ends within a very short time, so the oxidation and decomposition efficiency of the harmful substances contained in the contaminated air is very low, and since there are not provided a means for shielding the electromagnetic waves generating during the arc discharge and a means for reducing noises, the electromagnetic waves and noises are harmful to human bodies, and since the ozone generating during the arc discharge is discharged into the air, it provides bad effects to environment.
The Korean patent registration publication number 10-0840935 (Title of the invention: Plasma and bio filter hybrid gas cleaning system) is directed to a plasma and bio filter hybrid gas cleaning system which is characterized in that a harmful gas decomposition performance is enhanced by concurrently supplying water and harmful gas to a plasma reaction part, and a harmful gas purification function of microorganism is enhanced by uniformly supplying micro water particles and oxygen to a bio filter with the aid of a fluid nozzle spray and plasma discharge. The above mentioned plasma and bio filter hybrid gas cleaning system is characterized in that the excited state of contaminated air produced by means of arc discharge ends within a very short time, so the oxidation and decomposition efficiencies of harmful substances contained in the contaminated air are very low, and since there are not provided a means for shielding electromagnetic waves produced during arc discharge, a means for eliminating ozone, and a means for reducing noises, whereby the electromagnetic waves, ozone and noise might seriously affect human body. So, it is not well applied to the purification of the indoor air.
In conclusion, a conventional small size apparatus for purifying indoor air using arc discharge is characterized in that since the excited state of contaminated air produced by means of arc discharge ends within a very short time, the oxidation and decomposition efficiencies of the harmful substances contained in the contaminated air are very low, and since there are not provided a means for shielding electromagnetic waves produced during arc discharge, a means for eliminating ozone, and a means for reducing noises, whereby the electromagnetic waves, ozone and noise might seriously affect human body. So, it is not well applied to the purification of the indoor air.

Device for indoor air purification and sterilization


The present disclosure provides a system and method for analyzing customer communications to provide better customer service including generating customer related data from communications of a customer by at least one sensing device located in a venue, transmitting the generated customer related data to an analysis engine, determining based on an analysis of the customer related data a customer experience, identifying at least one suggestion to provide better customer service including the identification of a representative of the venue that the analysis engine has determined can assist the customer, and receiving the at least one suggestion including an indication that the representative should assist the customer from the analysis engine by a computing device associated with the representative of the venue.

Brick and mortar stores or other venues often include many aisles, pathways, etc., storing different goods for purchase by customers. Often each aisle will have a sign indicating generic or general categories of goods that the aisle includes. In some cases, however, a visiting customer may have trouble locating an item of interest in the aisles. For example, the customer may be unsure of the category to which the item belongs or simply may not be able to locate the item within the appropriate aisle itself. Customer frustration over an inability to quickly and efficiently find the item of interest may cause the customer to leave the store without purchasing anything, provide bad reviews of the store, or other similar negative outcomes. In addition, if the customer desires help in finding the specific item of interest but is unable to locate a store employee in the vicinity, or if the located store employee does not know where the specific item is, the customer frustration may increase thereby tarnishing the reputation of the store.

Method, system, and manufacture for providing better customer service by analyzing customer communications

International Business Machines Corporation


A stack structure of a fuel cell according to an aspect of the invention includes a plurality of separators of the fuel cell, and a protruding portion which has a tip portion that contacts a reference portion of an assembly jig during assembly of the fuel cell. Since the tip portion of the protruding portion contacts the reference portion of the assembly jig, an adhesive agent does not come out from the tip portion of the protruding portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent positioning accuracy in stacking cells from being reduced. The reduction of the positioning accuracy is due to adhesion of the spreading adhesive agent to the reference portion of the assembly jig. In addition, it is possible to prevent a short-circuit from occurring. The occurrence of the short-circuit is due to deformation of the separator caused by making the separator contact the reference portion of the assembly jig.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a stack structure of a fuel cell, and a manufacturing method of same.
2. Description of Related Art
A solid polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes a plurality of Membrane-Electrode Assemblies (i.e., MEAs) and a plurality of separators. Each of the MEAs includes an electrolyte membrane formed of an ion-exchange membrane, an electrode (i.e., an anode, a fuel electrode) formed of a catalyst layer which is provided on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, and an electrode (i.e., a cathode, an air electrode) formed of a catalyst layer which is provided on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane. A diffusion layer is provided between the MEA and the separator on each of the anode side and the cathode side. A fuel gas passage for supplying fuel gas (i.e., hydrogen) to the anode, and an oxidizing gas passage for supplying oxidizing gas (i.e., oxygen, normally, air) to the cathode are formed in the separator. A coolant passage for supplying coolant (i.e., cooling water, normally) is further formed in the separator. A cell is formed by sandwiching the MEA between the separators. A module includes at least one cell. A cell stacked body is formed by stacking a plurality of modules. Terminals, insulators, and end plates are provided at both ends of the cell stacked body in a direction in which cells are stacked (hereinafter, referred to as a "cell stacked direction"). The cell stacked body is fastened in the cell stacked direction. A fastening member (e.g., a tension plate), which is provided outside the cell stacked body and extends in the cell stacked direction, is fixed using screw bolts/nuts. A stack is thus assembled. On the anode side of each cell, a reaction occurs in which hydrogen is decomposed into a hydrogen ion (i.e., a proton) and an electron. The hydrogen ion moves through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode side. On the cathode side of each cell, the following reaction occurs in which water is produced from oxygen, a hydrogen ion and an electron (the electron produced at the anode of the adjacent MEA reaches the cathode side through the separator, or the electron produced at the anode of the cell, which is on one end of the stack in the cell stacked direction, reaches the cathode of the cell, which is on the other end of the stack, through an external circuit). Anode side: H2→2H++2e− Cathode side: 2H++2e−+(½) O2→H2O. An adhesive agent is provided between the separators which are adjacent to each other with the electrolyte membrane therebetween, and between the separator and the electrolyte membrane, so as to bond the separators, and the separator and the electrolyte membrane, and so as to seal gaps therebetween. A cell is thus formed. A plurality of the cells is positioned and stacked so as to form a stack. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-48849 discloses a method for positioning and stacking the cells. In the method, a notched portion is provided at an edge of each separator, and the cells are stacked while making the notched portion contact a guide post which is a reference portion of an assembly jig so as not to cause displacement between the cells.
However, there exist the following problems regarding the conventional method for assembling the cell stacked body. First, the adhesive agent comes out of the gap between the separators to the notched portion when forming a cell, and the adhesive agent, which has come out, adheres to the reference portion of the assembly jig when forming a cell or a stack, which may reduce the positioning accuracy. Secondly, the separator is deformed due to a pressing load when the separator is pressed to the reference portion of the assembly jig, and the anode side separator and the cathode side separator, which are adjacent to each other with the electrolyte membrane therebetween, come into contact with each other, which may cause a short-circuit.

Sealing structure of fuel cell and manufacturing method of same


A CMOS output stage is disclosed. The CMOS output stage comprises a substrate and at least one well coupled to the substrate. The CMOS output stage also includes a plurality of slots provided through the one well into the substrate. Each of the slots are oxidized. Each of the plurality of slots are filled with metal to provide a plurality of power busses. One of the power busses provides a ground. One of the power busses provides an output. One of the power busses provides a power connector. This results in the buried power buss metal always having oxide isolated surroundings. This feature allows all of these power busses to be established wherever necessary without causing any circuit issues since they are always insulated from other areas of the device. One of the power busses provides a ground. One of the power busses provides an output. One of the power busses provides a power connector.

A CMOS output stage or any prior stage has certain physical and electrical limitations. Many of these limitations can be overcome with the use of a buried power buss.
Overview of Issues Limiting the CMOS
FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a conventional CMOS device 10 utilized as a power output stage. The CMOS device 10 is a dual well device P well 12 and N well 14 with appropriate N and P regions therein 16 and 18. The CMOS device 10 includes a ground 20 which is coupled to the P well 12 and the N doped section 16, a power out connection 22, an N doped region 16, the P well doped region 18 of the N doped region and a power connection 24 to the P doped region of the N well.
The connections shown to the output stage are typical of the earlier stages of a CMOS device, the main difference being the amount of current and the resultant power that this output stage carries. Because of the high current demand the output stage differs from the other stages by the W/L ratio and the resultant larger size, as well as the amount of metal used. The various metal interconnects are the inputs, ground, the power buss, and the drains of the P channel and N channel tied together forming the output. Since the output stage must carry the highest current these metal interconnects need to have a much larger cross section than the earlier stages. This is to prevent electromigration, IR drops, chip heat, and in some cases reduce the time constant presented by this metal drop and the capacitance of the load and distributed capacitance of the metal interconnect itself.
There are many issues related to providing a CMOS output stage that has adequate performance. These issues include the following:
1. The dual well has a somewhat weak point where the two wells tend to merge. This can be a leaky area or an area of low breakdown. It can have a very low field threshold.
2. The N channel device has a parasitic NPN from the drain through the P well to the epitaxial layer. This can cause problems and is mainly determined by the distance the N drain is from the edge of the P well.
3. Also, the level of positive charge in the oxide above the drain/P well area can cause the region between the N drain and the edge of the P well to have a channel that can connect the N drain to the N epitaxial layer resulting in a short drain to the epitaxial layer.
4. The P channel device has a somewhat similar issue that usually does not come into the picture. The distance from the edge of the P drain to the edge of the N well is important since a short can result to the epitaxial area. Also it has a parasitic PNP from drain through the N well to the P substrate.
5. The N channel device has a parasitic NPN bipolar device made up of the source of the N channel, the P well, and the drain of the N channel (or the N epitaxial layer). Hole current is generated in the P well by impact ionization which flows out of the source of the N channel to ground. At some point the IR drop forward biases the source/P well junction and results in injection and the resulting NPN action. This results in a voltage and current limiting bipolar snap back voltage and sustaining current.
6. Current carrying capability is determined by the thickness, width and resistivity of the metal line interconnects. Except for the inputs of the power output stage the rest of the output interconnects must normally carry the same high current. Current is limited by current density which, if exceeded, can result in electromigration issues. This is very important for the power, ground, and output of the power output stage.
7. In cases where speed is desired the resistance in the poly or metal interconnect leads can result in RC time constant limitations. This RC time constant relates to the distributed resistance capacitance of the interconnects and the capacitance of the inputs or loads the lead is connecting to.
8. Current is determined by the uCW/L of the device as well as the gate voltage that drives the device. Current can be limited by insufficient voltage on the gate due to IR drops in the interconnect to the gates.
9. Heat is generated in the output stage as a result of the high current IR heating of the metal as well as power consumption of the output stage.
10. The on resistance (Ron) of the device is determined by several physical elements of the output stage as well as some related to the device physics. The sheet resistance of the metal, the length of the metal, the resistance of the ground connection, the turn on resistance of the device as a function of the drive to the device, the channel length, the contact resistance of the drain, and the mobility of the channel.
11. The Ron times area product of the device is a figure of merit that wants this to be as low as possible for the given function to be performed.
12. The speed/power factor of the device where the highest speed is desired at the lowest power for that given function. These issues are present in dual well or single well (CMOS) devices.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method which overcomes the above-identified issues. The present invention addresses and resolves these issues.

Method and system for providing a CMOS output stage utilizing a buried power buss


A rotation angle detection device capable of easy selection of detection gears is provided to detect a rotation angle of a main gear. The device includes first and second detection gears each rotatable in conjunction with the main gear, a first magnetic sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the first detection gear, a second magnetic sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the second detection gear, and a microcomputer for detecting the rotation angle of the main gear on the basis of the rotation angle detected by the first magnetic sensor and the rotation angle detected by the second magnetic sensor. The periodicity from the first magnetic sensor and the periodicity of the second magnetic sensor are set to be prime to each other. Further, the teeth number of the first magnetic sensor is set to be a numeric value obtained by multiplying the periodicity of the first magnetic sensor by a predetermined integral number. As well, the teeth number of the second magnetic sensor is set to be a numeric value obtained by multiplying the periodicity of the second magnetic sensor by a predetermined integral number.

The present invention relates to a rotation angle detection device equipped with a rotating main gear, for detecting a rotation angle of the main gear.
As a prior art, there is a known technology that allows a steering angle of a steering wheel to be detected uniquely even if the steering angle of the steering wheel exceeds 360 degrees (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-531858). In detail, the above technology enables the steering angles of 370 degrees and 10 degrees to be distinguished from each other.
In this technology, a rotation angle detection device disclosed therein includes a main gear, first and second detection gears, first and second detection magnets, first and second magnetic sensors and a microcomputer.
In the rotation angle detection device, the main gear rotates integrally with a steering shaft of a vehicle, while the first and second detection gears rotate in conjunction with the main gear.
The first detection magnet, which is a magnet magnetized with two poles, rotates together with the first detection gear. Similarly, the second detection magnet also magnetized with two poles rotates together with the second detection gear.
The first magnetic sensor detects the directions of magnetic lines of the first magnet fixed on the first detection gear, that is, the rotation angle of the first detection gear and further outputs a detection signal in accordance with the detection result (i.e. detection angle). Similarly, the second magnetic sensor detects the directions of magnetic lines of the second magnet fixed on the second detection gear, that is, the rotation angle of the second detection gear and further outputs a detection signal in accordance with the detection result (i.e. detection angle).
The microcomputer calculates the rotation angle of the main gear based on the detection signals outputted from the first and second magnetic sensors.
Here noted that the number of teeth (or "teeth number") m1 of the first detection gear and the number of teeth (teeth number) m2 of the second detection gear are respectively established so as to meet a condition 1 or a condition 2 as follows:m2=m1+1  (condition 1)|m1−m2|>1 (m1 and m2 are prime to each other)  (condition 2)
When the numbers of teeth m1, m2 meet the above condition 1 or the condition 2, the combinations of detection signals from the first magnetic sensor with detection signals from the second magnetic sensor differ from each other so long as the rotation angles of the main gear corresponding to the combinations differ from each other, within the rotating range of the main gear, in other words, the steering range of a steering wheel. Therefore, if only given the detection signals from the first and second magnetic sensors, then it becomes possible to determine the rotation angle of the main gear uniquely.
That is, according to the above technology, even if the steering angle of the steering wheel exceeds 360 degrees in such a system that detects the rotation angle of the main gear on the ground of the rotation angles detected by the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor, it is possible to detect the rotating angle of the main gear, namely, the steering angle of the steering wheel uniquely.
However, the following problem resides in the above-mentioned technology. That is, as the detection gears used in the technology are respectively limited to ones meeting the above condition 1 or the above condition 2, the manufacturing of a device according to the technology requires the selection of gears that can be accommodated in such a device and further meet the condition 1 or the condition 2.
Thus, if there is a limitation in size of the device, it is complex to select appropriate gears.

Rotation angle detection device for a rotatable body


An apparatus and method for preparing a flexible substrate with uniformly spaced images and corresponding physical or virtual registration marks at regular intervals, applying an energy curable coating to the flexible substrate either uniformly or in selected spots, and providing a master web carrying uniformly spaced impressing images and corresponding registration marks at regular intervals, where accurate alignment of the registration marks of the flexible substrate and the master web is achieved by stretching the master web to align the registration marks. One embodiment of the apparatus comprises scanners which sense the location of the registration marks on the flexible substrate and the master web; an electronic register control system programmed to monitor error signals representing the on-the-fly deviation in the alignment of the master and flexible substrate registration marks and makes determinations of the amount of stretching that must be applied to the master web in order to bring the registration marks into alignment; and means for achieving the appropriate stretching of the master web to produce the desired alignment.

Coatings are used extensively by the graphic arts printing industry to protect and enhance products. The graphic arts printing industry and its packaging segment commonly apply coatings and other finishes to aesthetically and protectively improve printed materials and substrates, including business cards, catalogues, brochures, posters, publication covers, folding cartons, blister cards, shrink wrap films, and labels. Merchandisers are seeking a product that appeals to the consumer with a unique design and graphic appearance that differentiates their product from the rest.
Holographic, microstructure or refractive images, and other surface finishing techniques, are widely used in a variety of decorative and security applications, including throughout the graphic arts and converted industries to create flexible substrates and materials with a unique and distinctive look. Holographic and other microstructure or refractive images are applied to printed material to capture the visual attention of the viewer by producing elaborate visual effects via light refraction and reflection. Such applied imagery can produce different viewing effects depending on the viewing angle, light source, and image details. Additionally, holograms and other microstructure imagery are often used to authenticate the genuineness of a product and increase the difficulty of counterfeiting.
Due to the mechanical application techniques involved, all graphic arts coatings and finishes, including mirror, textured, and holographic finishes, are apt to vary in the quality of the finished product. Oftentimes, in order to perform such coatings and finishes, a printed substrate must be removed from the printing press where the ink was applied and placed in separate machines that perform the duties of coating, ultraviolet curing, and the like. This results in a variation in appearance and an inconsistent look being presented to the purchasing consumer, who is attracted to the sales appeal of an aesthetically appealing finished printed product.
The predominant method of applying holograms to flexible substrates has been the lamination of an embossed holographic film such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) to the substrate. This method provided a decorative effect and served as a deterrent to counterfeiting; however, it consumed additional raw materials, it prevented the recycling of paper and paperboard substrates, and it increased manufacturing costs.
An alternative method for applying holographic and other microstructure images used heating, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,604, and while eliminating the need for lamination, it created other important drawbacks. For example, applying holograms to rigid resin substrates with a heated cylinder to form microstructure images in a hardened resin substrate can produce image distortion because of the substantial heat and pressure required to impress the image into the rigid substrate. Similarly, applying further heating to previously heat-impressed films, such as the heat necessary to apply shrink film webs with microstructure images to container surfaces, can distort the images, effectively causing them to disappear or to lose some of their holographic or other refractive properties. Moreover, many graphic arts, converting, and packaging substrates are heat sensitive, and exposure to temperatures at or above 30° C. would damage or destroy the substrate.
A method employed in the prior art for casting holograms or other images in registration with printing on a substrate uses a holographic or other image embedded in a cylinder or film; consequently, it can transfer shim lines or other unwanted patterns to the finished product. For example, electroformed metal masters may be welded together or plastic masters may be ultrasonically butt-welded, or a number of masters may be adhered to the surface of the cylinder with the impressing surfaces of the masters facing out. In each case seams are present which can be impressed onto the receiving substrate along with the intended imagery.
Systems for impressing holographic and other microstructure or refractive images into a layer of curable liquid resin using cylinders with adjacent relief image masters (as described above) and then curing are also known. These systems suffer shortcomings in addition to those stemming from the seams between adjacent masters on the cylinder. For example, it is difficult to maintain accurate registration between the impressing image on the cylinder and printing on the substrate carrying the curable liquid resin. This problem is exacerbated when the system is run at high speed. Indeed, current systems for impressing holographic and other microstructure or refractive images into a layer of curable liquid resin using cylinders with adjacent relief image masters offer no means for fine tuning the alignment between the impressing image on the cylinder and printing on the substrate carrying the curable liquid resin.
As manufacturers have increased their use of holography and diffractive patterns to improve security, counterfeiters have responded by developing increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting methods. Counterfeiters may use an exposed cast surface image itself to create a duplicate master of a holographic, refractive, or diffractive effect.
Packaging professionals seek visual impact, functionality, recyclability and sustainability, and cost effectiveness. Visual impact drives shelf appeal; it improves market differentiation; and it improves packaging value added. Functionality is a requirement, for no matter how good a package or product looks, it must perform on the packaging line and on the shelf. Current environmental awareness increases the need for packages and products that are recyclable and sustainable. Last, a package or product must be affordable; consequently, the methods used to produce the package or product must be cost effective.
Accordingly, what is needed is an environmentally friendly, cost effective method or apparatus for creating holographic, microstructure, refractive and reflective images in registration on a substrate, which may eliminate repeat lines, reduce image distortion, and is compatible with temperature sensitive substrates. Further, there is a need for a method or apparatus that achieves accurate registration at high speed and accommodates large images.

Method and device for producing registered holographic microstructure refractive and reflective effects


In an ophthalmic solution comprising an antimicrobial preservative having a quaternary ammonium type cationic group, there are blended a cyclodextrin, EDTA or its salt, and boric acid and/or borax. The solution has an excellent antimicrobial activity and is effective for inhibiting the antimicrobial preservative from adsorbing to contact lenses. It can be instilled to eyes with contact lenses on.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an ophthalmic composition comprising an antimicrobial preservative having a cationic group and more particularly, to an ophthalmic composition comprising an antimicrobial preservative having a cationic group which inhibits the antimicrobial preservative from adsorbing to contact lenses while remaining fully antimicrobial.
2. Prior Art
Various antimicrobial preservatives are used in eye drops or ophthalmic solutions. For example, compounds having a cationic group such as benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chlorohexidine gluconate, chlorobutanol, p-aminobenzoates, and sorbic acid are used alone or in admixture of two or more.
Among these antimicrobial preservatives, compounds having a cationic group are widely used in eye drops due to their excellent antimicrobial activity. Undesirably, these antimicrobial preservatives have good affinity to contact lenses, especially soft contact lenses. If an ophthalmic solution containing such an antimicrobial preservative is instilled to an eye with a contact lens put on, the antimicrobial preservative adsorbs to the contact lens. With repeated instillations, the antimicrobial preservative accumulates in the contact lens. The adsorption and accumulation of the antimicrobial preservative can cause chemical and physical degradation of contact lenses. The use of contact lenses having the antimicrobial preservative accumulated therein can cause eye damages.
There is a demand for an ophthalmic solution which can be instilled to eyes without wearing contact lenses, especially soft contact lenses off and which has improved shelf stability. In order to develop such an ophthalmic solution, means for inhibiting the cationic group-bearing antimicrobial preservative from adsorbing to contact lenses is necessary. Various proposals have been made as the anti-adsorption means. For example, Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 15008/1980 discloses to add a nonionic surfactant to an ophthalmic solution comprising a cationic group-bearing antimicrobial preservative. The nonionic surfactant, however, is not fully effective for inhibiting the antimicrobial preservative from adsorbing to contact lenses. The remaining proposals are also not so successful in providing effective anti-adsorption means.
An object of the present invention is to provide an ophthalmic composition comprising an antimicrobial preservative having a cationic group which not only remains fully antimicrobial, but also inhibits the antimicrobial preservative from adsorbing to contact lenses so that the composition can be instilled to eyes with contact lenses on.


A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a heating roller and a fixing roller over which the fixing belt is looped, a pressure roller forming a fixing nip with the fixing belt, a pair of side plates, one of the side plates being disposed on each end of a shaft of the fixing roller and each end of a shaft of the heating roller, and heating roller holding members to hold corresponding insulating bushing, and corresponding heating roller bearings, the heating roller holding members being attached to opening parts of the side plates. The heating roller holding members are formed of two separate components such that the heating roller is capable of moving along the opening parts formed in the side plates toward the fixing roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein relate to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic system such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, a multifunctional peripheral, and the like, a photoreceptor is initially charged by a charging device, a latent image is then formed on the photoreceptor by exposure of an original image or optically writing an image based on image information. The latent image is then developed by a developing device using toner to convert the latent image into a visible image, that is, a toner image, and then the toner image is transferred onto a recording sheet of paper serving as a transfer material. The sheet carrying merely transferred unfixed toner image is then passed through a fixing device to fix the unfixed toner image onto the sheet, and thus a copy or print of the image is obtained as a result.
A typical and well known fixing device used in such an image forming apparatus includes a fixing roller having a heat source (fixing roller having a built-in heater or self-heating fixing roller), a fixing belt looped over the fixing roller, and a pressure roller rotated by contacting the fixing belt or the fixing roller. In such a fixing device, the recording medium (transfer material) carrying the unfixed toner image is transferred by being sandwiched between the fixing roller and the pressure roller, where the fixing roller and the pressure roller pressure contact the unfixed toner image carried on the recording medium and the unfixed image is thus fixed to the recording medium. Further, it is also well-known in the art that a heating roller having an internal heater, and a tension roller applying tension to the fixing belt are disposed inside the fixing belt other than the fixing roller.
In such a fixing device, a belt of the fixing belt or a roller of the fixing roller is generally replaced with a new one when the belt or the roller is degraded or worn with time, or accidentally damaged. However, compared to the fixing roller, the fixing device having the fixing belt may exhibit a longer downtime because the fixing belt may require a longer replacing time or a roller may be damaged while the belt is replaced due to its complicated configuration.
The related art fixing device generally includes an integrated structure of heating roller holding members supporting a heating roller with a case or the like of the fixing device. In this configuration, to replace the fixing belt or the like, the heating roller holding members are removed from the case, and the heating roller is then removed from the fixing device. Further, after heating roller bearings and insulating bushing attached to a shaft of the heating roller are removed from the heating roller, the heating roller is drawn out from the fixing device, and the fixing belt and the fixing roller are detached thereafter.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-197019 (hereinafter referred to as "Patent Document 1"), for example, discloses a technology to form an endless belt unit in which a fixing belt is attached to opposite ends in an axial direction of reinforcement members, a fixing nip forming unit is inserted in an axial direction between the reinforcement members projected from side faces of a flange and the fixing belt, which forms the endless belt unit as a result. In this disclosed configuration, a flange of the endless belt unit is configured to be attached or detached with respect to a frame of the fixing device, which allows the endless belt unit to be attached or detached with respect to the frame of the fixing device. A nip forming unit is removed from a side of the flange of the endless belt unit detached from the frame of the fixing device.
However, the related art fixing device may require a longer time for replacing the belt or the like because the heating roller is removed only after the components attached to the shaft of the heating roller are removed. Further, the heating roller may need to be drawn out from the fixing belt in an axial direction before the fixing belt is detached. Hence, interference between the heating roller and the fixing belt while the heating roller is being drawn out may damage the fixing belt.
Further, in the technology disclosed in patent Document 1, a longer time may be required for inserting the flange of the endless belt unit into the frame of the fixing device in order to replace the fixing belt of the endless belt unit composed of the reinforcement member and the flange for attaching the fixing belt. The heating roller may need to be drawn out from the frame of the fixing device in an axial direction before the fixing belt is detached. Hence, interference between the heating roller and the fixing belt while the heating roller is being drawn out may damage the fixing belt.
Further, the heating roller may need to be drawn out from the fixing belt in an axial direction before the fixing belt is detached. Hence, interference between the heating roller and the fixing belt while the heating roller is being drawn out may damage the fixing belt. Moreover, in this configuration, a longer time may be required for replacing the fixing belt with a new one.

Fixing device having separable heating roller holding members and image forming apparatus thereof


Disclosed herein are methods and systems determining contextual awareness for a mobile device and adjusting settings based on the contextual awareness determination. A method for determining an environmental context for a mobile device includes capturing, by one or more non-intrusive sensors on a mobile device, sensor data associated with the one or more non-intrusive sensors, where global positioning system sensor data is unavailable, generating, by the mobile device, a sensor data attribute from each captured sensor data, determining, by the mobile device, an environmental context for the mobile device from the sensor data attribute, and adjusting, by the mobile device, settings on the mobile device based on the determined environmental context.

Mobile devices use a global positioning system (GPS) tracking system to determine the location of the mobile device. The GPS tracking system depends on the reception of radio frequency (RF) signals which are dependent on weather, environment, proximity to base stations or cell tower, and other reception hampering conditions. In addition, there are privacy concerns related to GPS tracking and location accessibility by others.

Contextual awareness determination for a mobile device


In an optical amplifier of the present invention, a part of an input light output from a transmission path fiber is branched as a monitor light, a frequency component corresponding to a period at which a header area of a framed signal light appears, is extracted, and when a voltage level of a direct-current signal obtained by direct-current converting the frequency component becomes lower than a reference voltage, the input interruption of the signal light is detected, to perform a shut-down control of a pumping light source. Thus, an optical amplifier of low cost capable of suppressing an influence of a noise light while ensuring the immediacy, is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for detecting an interruption state of a signal light in an optical communication field, and in particular, to a signal light interruption detecting method capable of reliably detecting the input interruption of a signal light while suppressing an influence of a noise light, when the signal light is amplified using an optical amplifier, and an optical amplifier using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical amplifier is an instrument which amplifies a signal light just as it is, and for example, there is a Raman amplifier using a transmission path fiber as an amplification medium, a rare-earth element doped fiber amplifier using a rare-earth element doped fiber as an amplification medium or the like. In the Raman amplifier described above, a pumping light of high level (generally, several 100 mW or above) is given to the transmission path fiber in order to cause the Raman amplification in the transmission path fiber. Therefore, for example, in the case where a breakage or the like occurs in the transmission path fiber, there is a possibility that the pumping light of high level is output from the broken portion to the outside, to cause a problem in the safety of maintenance worker. Further, in the rare-earth element doped fiber amplifier described above, in the case where an input of signal light is interrupted due to an occurrence of failure or the like on the upstream side, since there is a possibility that an internal gain is increased in a silence state, and accordingly, a signal light of excess power is transiently output when the signal light is restored, an optical transmission apparatus on the downstream side may be damaged. In order to avoid such a situation, it is necessary to perform an interruption detection of the signal light input to the optical amplifier, to stop the supply of pumping light in the Raman amplifier or an optical amplification operation in the rare-earth element doped fiber amplifier according to the detection result, or to perform a so-called shut-down control for suppressing the power of the pumping light to a low level at which no problem occurs.
As a conventional signal light interruption detecting method in an optical communication system, there has been known, for example, a method of detecting the presence or absence of a signal light based on the input light power measured by an input light monitor which is provided in an optical amplifier disposed in a transmission and reception terminal station or a repeater station, or a method of extracting a clock component or the like of a light received by a reception terminal station, to perform an interruption detection according to the reception state (refer to Japanese Laid Open Patent No. 2-104153 and Japanese Laid Open Patent No. 10-229365).
However, the conventional signal light interruption detecting method as described above has the following problems. In the signal light interruption detecting method utilizing the input light monitor of the optical amplifier, in the case where the optical amplifier is, for example, a Raman amplifier, the input light monitor is given with a noise light which is generated due to the Raman scattering of a pumping light supplied to a transmission path fiber, together with a signal light which is Raman amplified in the transmission path fiber on an input side. Even when the signal light is interrupted due to a breakage or the like of the transmission path fiber, if the broken portion is apart from the Raman amplifier by a distance of certain degree, this noise light is generated. Therefore, even if the signal light is not inputted due to the occurrence of breakage or the like of the transmission path fiber, it is impossible to detect the input interruption of the signal light due to the existence of the noise light. This is because a difference between the levels of the signal light and the noise light becomes small in the case where a level of the signal light inputted to the light monitor is relatively low
Further, in the method of extracting the clock component or the like in the reception terminal station to perform the interruption detection, since the interruption detection result is transmitted on the optical communication system to be transmitted to the optical amplifier on the upstream side, so that a shut-down control is performed, there is caused a delay until a state of the optical amplifier is actually controlled after the signal light interruption is detected, resulting in a problem of lack of immediacy. Moreover, in a system for transmitting the signal light of high bit rate exceeding for example 10 Gb/s, a circuit corresponding to a high frequency is required to extract the clock component in the reception terminal station. However, such a circuit is generally expensive, and therefore, the cost required for realizing the signal light interruption detection is increased.

Signal light interruption detecting method and optical amplifier using same


A new ionization source named Surface Activated Chemical Ionization (SACI) has been discovered and used to improve the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. According to this invention the ionization chamber of a mass spectrometer is heated and contains a physical new surface to improve the ionization process. The analyte neutral molecules that are present in gas phase are ionized on this surface. The surface can be made of various materials and may also chemically modified so to bind different molecules. This new ionization source is able to generate ions with high molecular weight and low charge, an essential new key feature of the invention so to improve sensitivity and reduce noise. The new device can be especially used for the analysis of proteins, peptides and other macromolecules. The new invention overcomes some of the well known and critical limitations of the Electrospray (ESI) and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometric techniques.

A variety of ionization sources, for the analysis of molecules with medium-high molecular weight (like peptides and proteins) are essential components of modern mass spectrometric instruments. The ionization source transforms neutral molecules into ions which can be analyzed by mass spectrometry.
A mass spectrometer generally has the following components:
(1) a device, usually a Liquid Chromatograph, for the separation or de-salting of the molecules contained in a sample;
(2) an ionization source, contained in a chamber, to produce ions from the analyte;
(3) at least one analyzer or filter which separates the ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio;
(4) a detector that counts the number of the ions;
(5) a data processing system that calculates and plots a mass spectrum of the analyte.
The mass spectrometry techniques currently used for the analysis of macromolecules and, especially, proteins and peptides are based on the Electrospray Ionization (ESI) (U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,994; Cunsolo V, Foti S, La Rosa C, Saletti R, Canters G W, Verbeet M. Ph. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 1817; Wall D B, Kachman M T, Gong S S, Parus S J, Long M W, Lubman D M. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 1649; Fierens C, Stöckl D, Thienpont L M, De Leenheer A P. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 1433; Li W, Hendrickson C L, Emmett M R, Marshall A G. Anal. Chem. 1999; 71: 4397; Fierens C, Stöckl D, Thienpont L M, De Leenheer A P. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 451) and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) (U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,884; Cozzolino R, Giorni S, Fisichella S, Garozzo D, La fiandra D, Palermo A. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 1129; Madonna A J, Basile F, Furlong Ed, Voorhees K J. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 1068; Basile A, Ferranti P, Pocsfalvi G, Mamone G, Miraglia N, Caira S, Ambrosi L, Soleo L, Cannolo N, Malorni A. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 527; Galvani M, Hamdan M, Rigetti P G. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 258; Ogorzalek Loo R R, Cavalcali J D, VanBogelen R A, Mitchell C, Loo J A, Moldover B, Andrews P C. Anal. Chem. 2001; 73: 4063).
Both techniques are highly effective for the production of ions of biomolecules in the gas phase, to be subsequently analyzed by Mass Spectrometry (MS).
In the case of ESI, multicharge ions of medium/high molecular weight compounds are produced. The mass of macromolecule compounds is then obtained using specific software algorithms.
Mass spectrometry represents an essential technology in the analytical field. It is usually coupled with other separative techniques, so as to identify chemical compounds and quantify complex biological mixtures. Proteins, for instance, are first separated, collected and then digested with Trypsin. The masses of the resulting peptides are determined by mass spectrometry (normal scan MS or tandem mass spectrometry MS/MS). In the case of the MS/MS approach, peptide ions of a single m/z ratio are fragmented by collision induced dissociation (CID) and then analyzed using various mass analyzers (triple quadrupole, ion trap, Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance). Each peptide gives origin to specific mass patterns for a given amino acid sequence. The peptide sequences can be obtained by computer analysis of the data using a dedicated software (database search and de novo sequence software). In order to obtain good MS/MS spectra doubly charge peptide ions are preferably fragmented (Cramer R, Corless S. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2001; 15: 2058). The electrospray and MALDI techniques when are applied to the analysis of peptides with high molecular weight (2000-4000 Thompson (Th)) using the MS/MS approach have some limitations. For instance, when proteins or peptides with high molecular weight are analyzed, ESI multicharge ions are produced. These ions give rise to complex fragmentation spectra, difficult to interpret. For this reason only peptides with a maximum of 15 amino acidic residues can be analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. In the case of MALDI only mono-charge ions are usually obtained. If the MALDI source is coupled with Time of Flight Mass Analyzer (TOF) the technique used to fragment the ions is the post source decay (PSD). This fragmentation technique give rise to some additional problems; in order to obtain good fragmentation spectra it is usually necessary to use peptide derivatization. A MALDI atmospheric pressure source has recently been coupled with an ion trap analyzer. This configuration makes possible the structural analysis of peptides by MS/MS and MS3. However, it must be emphasized that the MALDI source produces, mainly, mono-charge peptide ions that produce fragmentation spectra more complex and less specific than those obtained by fragmentation of the bi-charge ions.
Another problem that affect both MALDI and ESI techniques is represented by the decrease in sensitivity when salts are present in the sample. In the case of ESI the problem may be solved by coupling the mass spectrometer with a pre-analytical separation step, such as by the use of an High Performance Liquid Chromatographer (HPLC) or other de-salting techniques. This obviously introduces another step in the whole procedure of analysis. The HPLC technique on the other hand cannot be used for the case of MALDI because in this case it is necessary to co-crystallize the analyte with a matrix molecule. Salts contained in the sample must, however, be eliminated before of the crystallization step by well known additional treatments of the sample.

Ionization source for mass spectrometry analysis


Voltage-activated and accurate current sink, and method of providing same. In one aspect, a circuit for accurately sinking current includes a zener diode coupled to a power source at the cathode of the zener diode, and first and second transistors, where the first transistor has its collector coupled to the power source and its base coupled to the cathode of the zener diode, and the second transistor has its base coupled to the anode of the zener diode and its emitter coupled to ground. A resistor is coupled between the emitter of the first transistor and the collector of the second transistor.

Current sinks and regulators are used in a variety of applications and devices to provide a desired current to a circuit or device accurately and without large fluctuations. Some standards and devices require voltages and currents to be provided at accurate levels or within well-defined ranges, for operation and for detection and identification of characteristics or to determine whether a device is operating within a known standard.
One existing technology that makes use of such voltage and current regulation is Power over Ethernet for networked electronic devices. Electronic devices are often linked together via communication networks that allow the devices to communicate and share data. Local area networks (LANs), wide-area networks (WANs), the Internet, wireless networks, etc., are just some of the varieties of these communication networks. Several standard network implementations are widely used, such as Ethernet for copper cables used in LANs connecting multiple computers or other devices.
It is convenient for some devices to receive power over a network communication link, such as an Ethernet cable, rather than obtaining power from a separate source such as batteries or a standard electrical outlet. This allows the device to conveniently have a single cable connection for communication and operation. For example, Internet Protocol (IP) telephone devices can transmit voice data to another device over the Internet using IP or over other networks instead of over telephone wires. Like standard telephones, receiving power over the communication link allows the telephone to be provided in areas where there is no convenient separate power source. Other types of devices also benefit from receiving power over network links, such as wireless access points for wireless networking devices, video cameras, point-of-sale devices, security scanners or cameras, and other devices.
The Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard, also known as IEEE 802.3af, was created to meet the demand for devices that receive power over network communication links. PoE architecture consists of two elements: the power-sourcing equipment (PSE) and the powered device (PD). A powered device is a device that is drawing power or is requesting power over the data link. The PSE is the equipment that provides DC power to the powered device, and its main functions are to probe the network for powered devices, supply power to the device if a compatible powered device is detected, monitor the power on a link, and remove power from a link when power limits are exceeded or when a powered device is disconnected or no longer requests power.
The Power over Ethernet standard puts only minimal requirements on the powered device to acquire power from the power interface (PI). This helps to minimize the cost of these typically cost-sensitive devices so that the major burden of power control and device detection is put on the PSE, which is typically the more centralized, integrated and expensive part of the system. To prevent harm to non-compatible Ethernet devices by PoE technology, the 802.3af standard defines a powered device detection or "discovery" method. Power will only be applied by power-sourcing equipment if a powered device that is compatible with the standard has been successfully detected. The discovery process is effective at preventing power from being sent to devices inadvertently plugged into Ethernet outlets having PSE devices attached. The PSE can also classify a powered device before power is applied based on current levels in the powered device at predetermined voltage levels. A powered device classification or power class defines the maximum power required by the powered device during its operation and allows PSE devices to better manage limited power resources.
Since it is desired for the PSE to perform the detection and powering functions and for the powered device to minimize the cost of PoE components, the PoE components in the powered device should be simple and low-cost. However, one problem with currently-used PoE circuitry used in powered devices is that high-cost components are commonly used. For example, existing classification circuits, used in powered devices for enabling the PSE to classify the devices, use high cost operational amplifiers and high voltage level shift circuits that have been formed using "BCD" (bipolar-CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)-DMOS (Double Diffused MOS)) processes. For example, a high voltage, low dropout voltage regulator feeding a fixed resistor can be used for a classification circuit, but requires a bipolar "pass element" transistor, operation amplifier, voltage reference, and a level shifter including two or more transistor switches for level shifting the operational amplifier output to the pass element transistor's base-gate connection. These types of components significantly increase the cost of the powered device.
Accordingly, what is needed is an apparatus for providing an accurate current sink and current regulation in accordance with a desired standard, such as in a powered device for Power over Ethernet implementations, using simpler and more cost-effective components. The present invention addresses such a need.

Voltage-activated, constant current sink circuit


The invention relates to a device and a method to measure the IR radiation flux in connection with the temperature difference on the human body surface. The device of the invention comprises an IR sensor, a display unit connected to the output terminal of the said IR sensor, and a test mount. The mount is placed tightly against the covering on the body. The device measures from outside the covering the IR radiation flux on the corresponding part of the human body, and the measurement results are shown on the display unit.

The present invention relates to a device and a method to measure the infrared radiation flux in connection with the temperature difference on human body surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device and a method used to measure, from outside the covering on the human body, the IR radiation flux in connection with the skin temperature difference between the spot on the human body surface corresponding to a person's internal organ and its adjacent spots on the body surface.
Humans are animals with a constant body temperature. Human body temperature is maintained constant through a dynamic balance comprising processes of controlling heat generation and dissipation under the action of behaviour and self adjustment. From the physiological view, when a person is quiet, about 50% of his body heat is generated by his internal organs. At ambient temperatures of 16.degree. to 25.degree. C., more than 50% of the total dissipated body heat is dissipated through body skin radiation. From the pathological point of view, when a person is sick or the physiological state of his organs is changing, the metabolism of his internal organs and tissues and the amount of heat generated by them will also change, thus disrupting the thermal balance of part or the whole of the body. Clinically, this is reflected in the rise or fall of the temperature of the organ. Since the amount of heat generated by the various internal organs and the metabolization rate of the human body are different, the heat contribution or the micro heat increment of the various heat-generating organs is different in the corresponding shallow skin of the body. If such temperature variation in the various parts on the body surface is measured, important physiological data will therefore be provided for assessing the level of the metabolic function of a person's internal organs and his tissue energy.
A common method to measure the temperature of a human body is to use a rod-shaped mercury thermometer. Recent years have seen thermometers made of semi-conductor materials or metal. Although these thermometers incorporate significant improvements in both operation method and accuracy, they are still not accurate enough to measure the heat contribution or the minute temperature difference (normally 0.01.degree. to 0.05.degree. C.) formed in the corresponding spots in the skin due to energy metabolism of the various internal organs and tissues.
People tried to resolve the minute temperature difference between the various parts in the body skin by using an IR thermal imager with a temperature resolution of 0.01.degree. C. Unfortunately IR thermal imagers with such a high resolution are still unable to find the truth of the energy metabolism of a person's internal organs and tissues. This is because when an IR thermal imager is used to measure the temperature characteristics in the body skin (at room temperatures of 16.degree. to 25.degree. C.), the tested person has to bare part of his body for measurement and allow that part of his body to stay put for quite a long time. During the stay-put period, the body skin temperature of the tested person varies correspondingly with the varying ambient temperature as he is under the influence of the ambient temperature, humidity and air flow and also under the action of self adjustment as shown by the group of curves on the left side of FIG. 1A. This upsets to varying extents the micro heat increment (0.01.degree. to 0.05.degree. C.) that reflects the level of energy metabolism of the internal organs and tissues. Contrary to this, if the person does not have to bare part of his body for measurement, the adjustment of the thickness of the coverage on the body surface can keep the body surface temperature unchanged with the variation of the ambient temperature, as shown by the group of curves on the right side of FIG. 1A. Furthermore, when a person bares his body for measurement, he will be forced to rely entirely on self adjustment to be adaptive to the changes in ambient temperature and other factors. This physiological inadaptivity will also disrupt the temperature characteristics in the body skin that reflects the level of energy metabolism of the internal organs and tissues. Since nakedness, especially the nudity of the trunk or the chest, is an unnatural human behaviour that runs counter to moral principles, the person in question will feel nervous and out of the place, such psychological inquiety will also disrupt the temperature characteristics in the body skin. Besides, from the physiological point of view, heat generation or metabolism of the various internal organs and tissues will be normal when a person feels warm and comfortable. FIG. 1B shows the results of tests on the sensitivity of a completely nude person to ambient temperature. Only when ambient temperature rises to 31.degree.-34.degree. C. will the human body feel warm and comfortable. However, in such a case, heat dissipates from the human body through evaporation (perspiration), which disrupts the body skin temperature even more severely. In order to avoid heat dissipation by evaporation, maintain relatively high body skin temperature and make a person's body feel warm and comfortable, the following conditions, must be met:
(1) Ambient temperature is below 25.degree. C.;
(2) The part of body for measurement must have a covering of a certain thickness or be covered with suitable clothes so that the temperature difference between the body surface and the covering surface is about 10.degree. C.
When the part of body for measurement, especially the chest or the trunk is covered with clothes (coverings) of suitable thickness instead of being nude, the effects of the variation of ambient temperature, humidity and air flow will be reduced greatly and the physiological and psychological disruption caused by a behaviour violating human moral principles will also be eliminated.
In such conditions (relatively no-interference state), the heat contribution or the micro heat increment in the body skin that reflects the level of energy metabolism of internal organs and tissues are free from the various interferences.
In order to measure the micro heat increment superimposed on the body skin, people tried in a vain attempt to detect the minute temperature difference between various parts of body skin by applying an IR thermometer or thermal imager with an even higher temperature resolution to the coverings on the human body. Such a failure results from the fact that when a thermal imager is used to measure the temperature characteristics in the coverings on the body, the inhomogeneity of the gaps between the body skin and the coverings causes the thermal resistance of the coverings to be inconstant. If the tested person wears tight-fitting clothes to bring his body skin into uniform contact with the coverings, thus enabling the thermal resistance of the coverings to remain constant, the person will feel uncomfortable and have a psychology that affects the collection of the temperature signals. Therefore, presently available thermal imagers and measuring methods cannot be used to measure the micro heat increment superimposed on the body skin and reflecting the energy metabolism of internal organs and tissues.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device and method to measure the variation of the IR radiation flux density generated in the human body skin owing to various micro temperature differences (0.01.degree.-0.05.degree. C.) corresponding to an individual internal organ.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device and method to measure from the outside of the coverings on the human body the micro heat increment or micro temperature difference on the surface of the corresponding body skin during the process of energy metabolism of a person's internal organs and tissues when his body feels warm and comfortable without dissipating heat through evaporation.

Device and a method to measure the infrared radiation of the human body


Described is a method of distributing dynamic structured content from a server or a first communication device to another communication device, the method comprising: populating content fields with data elements to define the dynamic structured content; receiving an identification of an authorized subscriber; associating the authorized subscriber with the dynamic structured content; and, transmitting the dynamic structured content to a communication device associated with the authorized subscriber.

Communication devices are commonly used to transmit data across communication networks and within enterprises. In many cases it would benefit an individual or an organization if a selected number of recipients were to have access to such data. Often the data can be such that it is regularly changing (i.e. it is dynamic). Accordingly, it would be beneficial if the individual or organization could reliably and routinely notify the selected recipients that the data has been updated or changed.

Distribution of dynamic structured content


In a cell-phone terminal for receiving an event and detecting an application corresponding to the event to notify and manage the event, a conflicting condition and a return priority are set to each of multiple applications in advance. On receiving the event making a request for activation of an application later in a status of having an application running in advance, an application management portion suspends the application based on a conflicting condition about the application, and stores return information on the application necessary to activate it again for each return priority in the case of operating the application. When the application is finished, the application management portion reads the return information in lowering order of the return priority and activates a corresponding application by using the return information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell-phone terminal, a program management method and a computer program thereof for controlling a plurality of programs.
The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Applications No. 2004-100267 filed Mar. 30, 2004, No. 2004-100268 filed Mar. 30, 2004, and No. 2004-100269 filed Mar. 30, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
According to a conventional technique, thread histories about processing application programs are stored on a memory of OS (Operating System) in order to have a multitask-like operation performed on a single-tasking operating system. The operating system monitors whether or not there is the application program requesting an operation next with a timer. In the case where there is an application program which is requesting the operation next, the operating system adds the application program to the thread history and after that, switches control to the application program.
In the case of switching to operate the application program originally used again, it is implemented in a form such as the accumulated thread history is read in order from the one accumulated earliest and the process is switched one by one (for example, patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H06-44084).
A technique shown in patent document 1 is an example of control on a personal computer having more sufficient processing power and a lower occurrence rate of unexpected interrupt control such as an incoming call than a cell-phone.
According to the conventional technique for the cell-phone, even if an instruction to run a plurality of application programs is specified by use of the timer, it is not possible to start processing a next application program unless each of processes is completed. Furthermore, it is not possible to hold a plurality of previous statuses of the application programs, either. For that reason, in the case of the cell-phone terminal in patent document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2003-319020) which is the conventional technique, the application programs are individually monitored and controlled according to a type or a status thereof on occurrence of an event such as the incoming call.
As described above, however, the technique in patent document 1 is that on the personal computer having the lower occurrence rate of unexpected interrupts than the cell-phone. It has a problem in that the technique can only read the accumulated thread history in order from the one accumulated earliest. The cell-phone terminal in patent document 2 has a problem in that the control has to be implemented for each individual application because the control is executed according to the type and status of each individual application.
Furthermore, the technique in patent document 1 also has a problem in that, on occurrence of the interrupt, it only switches to a process in a standby status and it does not apply the control in consideration of conflicts of conditions among a running program and a program to be run. The technique in patent document 2 has a problem in that, while it determines the process of an interrupt event based on the type and status of the application program, no consideration is given to a conflict determination process applicable for a plurality of application programs.
The technique in patent document 1 is one in which a personal computer has a lot of memory, where it is easy to add the memory even if application programs are added and the conflicting conditions increase. The cell-phone terminal has a problem in that its memory is limited and it is difficult to increase the memory easily. The technique in patent document 2 has a problem in that the process of the interrupt event is not considered of the amount of memory.

Cell-phone terminal, program management method and computer program of same


A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Duemellina’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; and light red purple-colored semi-double flowers with red purple-colored spots.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Duemellina'.
The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely and early flowering Zonal Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.
The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1999, of an unnamed proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-02-05, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Duemellina was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2003.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings at Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


Techniques for managing data mobility domains in storage system environments. The techniques employ a multiple master approach, in which each storage system in a storage system domain can function as an owner of the domain. Each domain owner has privileges pertaining to addition of new members to the domain, removal of members from the domain, and modification of domain credentials. When a new storage system is added as a member of the domain, the domain credentials are provided from the domain owner to the new storage system, resulting in the domain credentials being shared among all members of the domain. Domain membership information is also shared among all members of the domain. In this way, the management of storage system domains can be achieved without the need of a domain management server, avoiding a single point of failure or latency and reducing the complexity/cost associated with the domain management server.

In conventional storage system environments, data mobility operations such as data replication and/or migration among two or more data storage systems typically require secure communications connections to be established between the respective storage systems. In a peer-to-peer approach to establishing such secure communications connections, two storage systems are authenticated to one another through the exchange of credentials (e.g., a username, a password or certificate). Once authenticated, a secure communications connection is established between the peer storage systems, allowing the respective storage systems to communicate directly with one another over the secure connection. In an approach involving domain memberships, a data storage system participating in a domain typically communicates with a domain management server to determine whether another data storage system to which it desires to be authenticated is a member of the same domain. If it is determined that the other storage system is a member of the same domain, then the data storage system retrieves domain credentials (e.g., shared certificate) from the data management server for authentication with the other storage system. Once authenticated, a secure communications connection is established between the two domain member systems, allowing the respective storage systems to communicate directly with one another over the secure connection.

Systems and methods of serverless management of data mobility domains


The present invention provides a rubber composition for a tread, having improved abrasion resistance, heat aging resistance, processability, and fuel economy in a balanced manner, and a pneumatic tire formed therefrom. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a tread, comprising a rubber component, silica, a silane coupling agent, a sulfur vulcanizing agent, a sulfenamide or thiazole vulcanization accelerator 1, and a thiuram vulcanization accelerator 2.

The society has recently demanded a reduction in carbon dioxide emission for the purpose of resource conservation, energy conservation, and environmental protection. For automobiles, various measures such as weight reduction and utilization of electric energy have been examined. This requires tires for automobiles to have improved abrasion resistance for resource conservation. Also, it is desired that tires have a longer life to improve the properties such as durability.
For example, it is known that the abrasion resistance can be improved, for example, by reducing the amount of sulfur vulcanizing agent in the rubber composition. However, this method causes deterioration of fuel economy and reduction in rigidity (hardness). Thus, these properties are difficult to achieve simultaneously.
Patent Literature 1 proposes to adjust the ratio between the sulfur vulcanizing agent content and the vulcanization accelerator content so as to improve the performance of a tread in terms of heat build-up, abrasion resistance and the like. However, this method still leaves something to be desired in terms of improving the abrasion resistance, heat aging resistance, processability, and fuel economy in a balanced manner.

Rubber composition for tread, and pneumatic tire