Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for identifying images relevant to a query are disclosed. An image search subsystem selects images to reference in image search results that are responsive to a query based on an image relevance model that is trained for the query. An independent image relevance model is trained for each unique query that is identified by the image search subsystem. The image relevance models can be applied to images to order image search results obtained for the query. Each relevance model is trained based on content feature values of images that are identified as being relevant to the query (e.g., frequently selected from the image search results) and images that are identified as being relevant to another unique query. The trained model is applied to the content feature values of all known images to generate an image relevance score that can be used to order search results for the query.

This specification relates to digital information retrieval, and particularly to processing search results.
The Internet enables access to a wide variety of resources, such as video or audio files, web pages for particular subjects, book articles, or news articles. A search system can identify resources in response to a user query that includes one or more search terms or phrases. The search system ranks the resources based on their relevance to the query and importance and provides search results that link to the identified resources. The search results are typically ordered according to the rank.
The relevance of a resource to a user query can be determined, in part, based on the textual content of the resource or textual content associated with the resource. For example, text included in the content of a resource can be compared to the query to determine whether the resource is relevant to the query. In turn, the resources can be ordered, in part, based on the comparison of the textual content and the query.
While using textual features associated with a resource can provide information by which a search system can determine the relevance of the resource to the query, some resources contain textual content that causes the resource to be improperly identified as relevant to queries. For example, an image of a cake may be associated with a sentence describing the image as "Johnny got a birthday cake" may be identified as a relevant image for a query for "Johnny" even though Johnny does not appear in the image. Thus, search results for images that are selected based solely on textual content associated with the images referenced in the search results may include images that are not relevant to the query.


A wind turbine comprising: (1) a support portion; (2) a hub that is mounted to rotate adjacent the support portion; and (3) at least one turbine blade mounted adjacent the hub and that comprises both a rotor and a sail that is mounted adjacent the rotor. The rotor may be in the shape of an airfoil, and the sail is preferably mounted to be selectively extended and retracted adjacent the rotor. The wind turbine may include a boom that extends adjacent the rotor. In one embodiment, the sail is mounted so that the sail is stored adjacent within, or adjacent a rear surface of, the boom when the sail is in a retracted position. The exterior surface of the boom may be substantially in the shape of an airfoil. In one embodiment, the wind turbine is configured to selectively extend or retract its sails in response to varying weather conditions.

Wind turbines have been used for decades to convert wind energy to useful mechanical or electrical energy. The current focus in the wind turbine industry is on producing very large wind turbines that are equipped with standard rotors (such as GE's 3.6S Offshore Wind Turbine) and using those wind turbines in high-wind zones. The goal of this approach is to obtain the largest energy output possible from each wind turbine. Drawbacks associated with this approach include the fact that the approach requires a large capital investment per wind turbine, and also that it requires the various wind turbines to be used in high-wind zones. Accordingly, there is a need for improved wind turbines that, for example, are less expensive to produce and that are suitable for use in low-wind zones.


A marine habitat enhancement system is provided that in one embodiment is configured for attachment to existing pilings and in another embodiment is a stand-alone system anchored to the soil. The system includes a housing formed of a plurality of panels configured for attachment together to surround either a piling or a marine habitat. Compartments on the exterior of the housing can be used to promote the growth of plants and other marine aquaculture. A cap is provided for use with stand-alone pilings to prevent contaminated water and material from escaping outside the sleeve formed by the plurality of panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system and method for protecting marine life from contaminated pilings, and, more particularly, to a marine aquaculture recovery system that contains and decontaminates pilings and provides a habitat to facilitate the recovery of marine aquaculture in the contaminated area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pilings and similar support structures, such as fence posts, telephone poles, and light poles, are frequently treated with a preservative to resist corrosion and decay when placed in the soil. In the past, creosote has been one preservative used to protect wood. It has been discovered that creosote and other preservatives can be damaging to the environment and harmful to nearby life.
More particularly, creosote can seep into the soil surrounding the posts and pilings and pollute the soil, causing damage to plants growing nearby and endangering animal and human life, as well as endangering aquatic life in the case of pilings. For example, barnacles, mussels, and similar aquatic life can attach themselves to creosote-treated pilings, becoming themselves contaminated. Examples of such aquatic life include pile worm, Nereis procera, an active predator that inhabits pilings, mussel beds, eel grass flats, plumed tube worm, Magalomma vesiculatum, oius tubes, white plumed anenome, Metridium senile, which attaches to rocks and pilings at the lowest intertidal level to very deep water, scarlet anenome, Tealia lofotensis, which attaches to rocks or pilings at low tides in semi-protected areas, wood bryozoan, Bugula neritina, which is found attached to wood pilings, edible mussel, blue and bay mussel Mytilus edulis, dead man's fingers, Polymastis pachymastia, which is a sponge that attaches to rocks or pilings, warty sea squirt, Pyuria haustor and a variety of algae that also attach to pilings. This marine life feeding on contaminated material become contaminated and will in turn spread the contamination to other marine life. Hence, there is a need to protect all forms of life from aging posts and pilings and to provide a system that enhances the recovery of animal and plant life in contaminated areas.
While a number of devices have been proposed for enclosing pilings, such devices fail to adequately protect surrounding aquatic life and to promote the recovery and healthy growth of such life.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,300, discloses a piling jacket that uses a multi-piece fabric jacket fastened together with a zipper or similar system that is snugly secured against the piling. The jacket provides no space for injecting decontamination material between the jacket and the piling, and the jacket does not cover the top of the piling, upon which birds and other marine and aquatic life can build habitat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,071 discloses a piling encasement system in which molds, having two hemispherical parts, are used to encompass a piling. An annular space between the mold and the piling is filled with concrete that is injected to form a concrete sleeve around the piling. There is no teaching of decontaminating the piling or of providing materials to enhance the growth of aquatic life.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,004 teaches a method and apparatus for protective encapsulation of structural members that is in the form of a tubular jacket installed around a submerged pile. The objective of this patent and the other patents referred to therein is to form a stagnant film or layer of water between the wrapping and the piling to deny marine microorganisms or micro-borers of necessary oxygen, thus causing the death of the marine microorganism or marine borer and preserving the life of the piling. An aperture is formed in a tubular jacket around the piling through which foam is injected to fill the annular space therebetween. The foam is allowed to set, which provides life extending benefit to the piling. Here, the goal is to destroy marine life in order to preserve the life of the piling.

Piling decontamination and marine life enhancement system


A method for controlling access to digital information is performed based on a plurality of decryption keys sent by the information provider. A first type of decryption key instructs a user's host system to reproduce the digital information in accordance with a first level of reproduction quality degradation. Additional keys may specify other degradation levels. The quality of the digital information may be degraded based on a time condition or a use condition. Alternatively, only a portion of the information may be made viewable by a user. In order to obtain full and unrestricted access, the user must obtain a type of decryption key from the provider which removes all previous limitations on reproduction quality degradation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the encryption of digital information, and more particularly to a system and method for controlling access to encrypted audiovisual, textual, and other digital information on a host computer system. The invention is also a business method based on this access control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ubiquitous appeal of computer networks has greatly simplified the dissemination of information. Through the internet, for example, digital images, movies, and text-based files can be downloaded to host computer systems in mere seconds. The availability of this information has spawned entire industries dedicated to compression technologies for making these downloads faster and more efficient, encryption technologies for making them more secure, and e-business technologies for selling information to consumers.
The implementation of these e-business practices is not without problems. One significant problem focuses on providing information to customers in a way that allows the e-business to make a profit. A typical scenario involves a company which provides JPEG or MPEG files to the public. These files may be personalized to the user. For example, the business may have acquired image files of a customer's newborn baby while at the hospital. Now, the business seeks to sell these pictures. Employing conventional methods, the business may send one of the images to the customer as a promotional incentive. This approach is undesirable because if the customer does not make a purchase, the business has essentially given the customer an image free of charge.
Other conventional techniques involve making a non-downloadable sample picture available on a website secured by a dated password, i.e., the customer may view the image on the provider's website using a password that is operative for a limited period of time. This approach requires a great deal of effort by the business and is not secure because, while the file may not be in downloadable form, the customer may still obtain the images free by capturing bitmaps of them. Further, such an approach is vulnerable to skilled hackers who have the ability to breach the security provided by the password scheme.
In view of the foregoing considerations, it is clear that there is a need for an improved system and method for controlling a user's access to digital information, and moreover one which provides access to at least a sample of the digital information without compromising the ability of the business to make a profit. There is a further need of providing such a system and method with tamper-resistant features and which operates in a manner which enhances convenience to both the user and provider.

System and method for secure distribution and evaluation of compressed digital information

International Business Machines Corporation


A device displays contents of data used by an electronic component mounting machine. The data includes necessity information regarding a plurality of optional functions. The optional functions are functions which are selectively used among the functions of the electronic component mounting machine, and the necessity information is information which describes necessity of use of each of optional functions. The device includes an extraction processing section and a display section. The extraction processing section extracts the necessity information regarding a plurality of optional functions from the data used by the electronic component mounting machine. The display section visually displays the necessity information regarding the plurality of optional functions extracted by the extraction processing section.

An electronic component mounting machine which mounts electronic components on a circuit board is known. An operation of the electronic component mounting machine is controlled based on a production program and part data which are prepared in advance. The production program generally describes a plurality of electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board, and positions on the circuit board on which each of the electronic components is to be mounted. In general, the production program is prepared for each production item (the type of the circuit board on which the electronic components are mounted). An electronic component mounting machine mounts each of the electronic components described in the production program, on the corresponding mounting positions on the circuit board, by the operation based on the production program.
Meanwhile, the part data is generally prepared for each type of the electronic component. In the part data, an operation condition when the electronic component mounting machine mounts the electronic components is described. For example, in the part data, a supply state of the electronic components, the moving speed of a mounting head, an imaging state for an image recognition, and collation data, are described. When each of the electronic components described in the production program is mounted, the electronic component mounting machine refers to the part data which corresponds to the electronic component, and operates under the operation condition described in the part data. Accordingly, the operation of the electronic component mounting machine appropriately changes in accordance with the electronic component to be mounted. An example of data used by the electronic component mounting machine, such as the production program or the part data, is described in PTL 1.

Device for displaying data associated with operation of a plurality of electronic component mounting machines at a production site


A basketball practicing apparatus includes a frame, a support bracket mounted in the frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the support bracket, a backboard mounted on the drive shaft to rotate in concert with the drive shaft, and a basket ring mounted on the backboard to move in concert with the backboard. Thus, the backboard and the basket ring are rotated about the drive shaft so that the position and angle of the backboard and the basket ring can be changed arbitrarily and freely to facilitate a user practicing throwing the basketballs in different angles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a practicing apparatus and, more particularly, to a basketball practicing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional basketball practicing apparatus comprises a frame, a backboard mounted in the frame, a basket ring mounted on the backboard, and a return table mounted in the frame and located under the basket ring to return basketballs falling from the basket ring. Thus, a user can throw basketballs into the basket ring to practice the basketball skills. However, the position and angle of the backboard and the basket ring are fixed and cannot be adjusted, thereby easily causing a tedious sensation to the user during a long-term utilization.


A homogenous polymer composition useful as a membrane for biosensors is disclosed. The polymer composition comprises the reaction products of a diisocyanate, a hydrophilic diol or diamine, and a silicone material. An aliphatic diol or diamine may also be included. Membranes prepared from the composition allow for increasing oxygen permeability and decreased analyte permeability (e.g. glucose). They also possess the necessary physical properties of an outer polymeric biosensor membrane.

Biosensors are devices that use biological (cells, enzymes, tissues etc.) to convert a chemical concentration in a matrix into a detectable signal (electrical, acoustic, optical, thermal etc.). There are many types of biosensors used for a wide variety of analytes. Electroenzymatic biosensors which use enzymes to convert a concentration to an electrical signal have been the most studied types of biosensors. For a review of some of the operating principles of biosensors, see P. Bergveld, and D. Thevenot, Advances in Biosensors, Supplement 1, p. 31-94, A. P. F. Turner, editor.
The prototype biosensor is the amperometric glucose sensor. There are several reasons for the wide ranging interest in glucose sensors. The scientific interest is driven by the availability of a very robust enzyme, glucose oxidase, which is used to monitor glucose, as well as the desire to develop model sensors for a wide variety of analytes. The commercial interest is driven by the need for glucose monitoring of patients with diabetes mellitus as well as the development of sensors that can be used to monitor fermentation reactions in the biotechnology arena. A working glucose sensor is also the most difficult component in development of a closed loop artificial pancreas with an implanted insulin pump.
Any amperometric glucose sensor or any oxido-reductase enzyme that uses O.sub.2 as a co-substrate that is designed for subcutaneous or intravenous use requires an outer membrane and an anti-interference membrane because of the fundamental nature of the sensor and the environment in which the measurement is made.
A glucose sensor works according to the following chemical reaction (Equation 1): ##STR1##
In this reaction, glucose reacts with oxygen in the presence of glucose oxidase (GOX) to form gluconolactone and hydrogen peroxide. The gluconolactone reacts with water to open the lactone ring and produce produce gluconic acid. The H.sub.2 O.sub.2 reacts electrochemically as shown below (Equation 2): EQU H.sub.2 O.sub.2 .fwdarw.O.sub.2 +2e.sup.- 2H.sup.+.
The current measured by the sensor/potentiostat (+0.5 to +0.7 V oxidation at Pt black electrode) is due to the two electrons generated by the oxidation of the H.sub.2 O.sub.2. Alternatively, one can measure the decrease in the oxygen by amperometric measurement (-0.5 to -1 V reduction at Pt black electrode).
The stoichiometry of Equation 1 clearly demonstrates some of the problems with an implantable glucose sensor. If there is excess oxygen for Equation 1, then the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is stoichiometrically related to the amount of glucose that reacts at the enzyme. In this case, the ultimate current is also proportional to the amount of glucose that reacts with the enzyme. If there is insufficient oxygen for all of the glucose to react with the enzyme, then the current will be proportional to the oxygen concentration, not the glucose concentration. For the sensor to be a true glucose sensor, glucose must be the limiting reagent, i.e. the O.sub.2 concentration must be in excess for all potential glucose concentrations. This means that a way must be devised to either increase the O.sub.2 in the GOX membrane, decrease the glucose concentration, or devise a sensor that does not use O.sub.2.
The basic problem in the use of a biosensor in the body is that the ratio of glucose to O.sub.2 is opposite to what is desired for optimal operation of the biosensor. The glucose concentration in the body of a diabetic patient can vary from 2 to 30 mM (millimoles per liter or 36 to 540 mg/dl), whereas the typical oxygen concentration in the tissue is 0.02 to 0.2 mM, U. Fischer, A. Hidde, H. vonWoedtke, K. Rebrin, and P. Abel, Biomed. Biochim. Acta., 1989, Vol. 48, pp. 965-971. This ratio in the body means that the sensor would be running in the Michaelis Menten limited regime and would be very insensitive to small changes in the glucose concentration. This problem has been called the "oxygen deficit problem".
Several approaches to solving the deficit problem have been attempted in the past. The simplest approach is to make a membrane that is fully O.sub.2 permeable, with no glucose permeability and mechanically perforate it with a small hole that allows glucose to pass. Here the differential permeability is defined by the ratio of the small hole area to the total membrane area. Two significant problems with this method are first that reproducibly making small holes is difficult and second and more serious, the O.sub.2 permeability is a strong function of the thickness of the membrane and thickness is difficult to control in mass production. Microporous membranes (U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,828 to Young et al.) have also been tried with limited success. Another problem with both the hole in the membrane approach and the microporous membrane approach is that the sensor electrodes and the enzyme layer are exposed to body fluids. Body fluids contain proteins that coat the electrodes leading to decreased sensitivity of the sensor and enzymes (proteases) that can digest or degrade the sensor active enzyme.
One approach to the oxygen deficit problem is described by Gough (U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,987).
The approach uses a combination membrane with discrete domains of a hydrophilic material embedded in a hydrophobic membrane. In this case, the membrane is not homogenous and manufacturing reproducibility is difficult. Physical properties of the membrane are also compromised. In a similar manner, Gough (U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,620) describes a "two dimensional" system where glucose diffusion is limited to one dimension while the oxygen diffusion is from both dimensions. This sensor is extremely complicated and manufacturing on a large scale is expected to be difficult.
Several other groups, G. W. Shaw, D. J. Claremont and J. C. Pickup, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 1991, Vol. 6, pp. 401-406; D. S. Bindra, Y. Zhang, G. S. Wilson, R. Sternberg, D. R. Thevenot, D. Moatti and G. Reach, Analytical Chemistry, 1991, Vol. 63, p. 1692; and M. Shichiri, Y. Yamasaki, K. Nao, M. Sekiya and N. Ueda, Horm. Metab. Res., Suppl. Ser., 1988, Vol. 20, p. 17, have used a homogenous membrane of a relatively hydrophobic polyurethane and reported good results. In classical diffusion experiments with these membranes, however, the glucose diffusion is extremely small. It is believed that the ability of these polyurethane layers to allow glucose diffusion is due to micro cracks or micro holes in these materials when applied as membranes.
In order to circumvent the oxygen deficit problem with a homogenous membrane, Allen et al. developed two homogenous membranes with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,140, they describe an acrylic system and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,063 they describe a polyurethane system. Both of the membranes have hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties in the molecule leading to limited control of oxygen and glucose permeabilities.
The key to stable, high sensitivity enzyme biosensors is that the sensor output must be limited only by the analyte of interest, not by any co-substrates or kinetically controlled parameters such as diffusion. In order to maximize the output current (equation 2) of the biosensor, oxygen diffusion should be as large as possible while maintaining oxygen excess at the reaction surface. Since the normal concentration of O.sub.2 in the subcutaneous tissue is quite low, maximization of the O.sub.2 diffusion coefficient is desirable.
The membrane systems described in the literature as cited above attempt only to circumvent the oxygen deficit problem by reducing the amount of glucose diffusion to the working electrode of the biosensor. The magnitude of the signal from a typical biosensor of the appropriate size for either subcutaneous or intravenous implantation is typically 1 to 10 nA at physiological glucose and O.sub.2 concentrations. This level of current requires sophisticated electronics for measurement. Increasing the oxygen transport and concomitant glucose transport will increase the signal and (to a limited extent) reduce the complexity of the controlling and recording electronics. It is obvious however that a membrane that simultaneously increased the oxygen and limited the glucose would lead to both better performance and increased signal.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a polymer useful in an outer polymeric membrane of a biosensor. There is a need for the membrane to have physical stability and strength, adhesion to the substrate, processibility (ability to be synthesized/manufactured in reasonable quantities and at reasonable prices), biocompatibility, ability to be cut by laser ablation (or some other large scale processing method), and compatibility with the enzyme as deposited on the sensor. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

Polyurethane/polyurea compositions containing silicone for biosensor membranes


Disclosed aspects include geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique. A set of dynamic user data is received from a set of users. The set of dynamic user data may have identification information which identifies one or more users, location information which indicates location for one or more users, and context information which indicates application context for one or more users. The cluster analysis technique may be used to process the set of dynamic user data. Accordingly, a geo-fence opportunity event is detected using the cluster analysis technique. Based on a selection criterion with respect to the geo-fence opportunity event, it is determined to provide an opportunity for a subset of the set of users. In response to making the determination, the opportunity can be provided for/to the subset of the set of users (e.g., sending a notification to the subset of the set of users).

This disclosure relates generally to computer systems and, more particularly, relates to geo-fence management. Managing geo-fences (e.g., virtual barriers) may be desired to be performed as efficiently as possible. The amount of data that needs to be managed by enterprises related to geo-fences is increasing. As data needing to be managed increases, the need for management efficiency may increase.

Geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


In a process for preparing a Diels-Alder addition product of a conjugated diolefin and acrylonitrile by reacting the conjugated diolefin with acrylonitrile, a vessel type reactor is used. The pressure of the gaseous phase in the reactor is increased by using an inert gas in the reaction. A premixed solution of the conjugated diolefin or a compound which produces the conjugated diolefin in the reactor and acrylonitrile is released through an upper portion of the reactor into the gaseous phase and then dropped into a liquid phase to react. A reaction product is taken out through a lower portion of the reactor. The process can be carried out continuously in a safe manner over an extended period of time without any adhesion of an insoluble polymer to the reactor or to the inlet or outlet pipes, and without sudden pressure fluctuations.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a Diels-Alder addition product of a conjugated diolefin and acrylonitrile by reacting the conjugated diolefin with acrylonitrile.
(2) Description of the Related Art
It is known to prepare a Diels-Alder addition product of a conjugated diolefin and acrylonitrile by reacting the conjugated diolefin with acrylonitrile. This is a thermal reaction and thus is desirably conducted at elevated temperatures. However, when the reaction is carried out at a high temperature, an increased amount of polymers are formed in the reaction solution.
These polymers can be insoluble in the reaction solution and can adhere to or deposit on inner surfaces at or around an inlet of feed and an outlet of the reaction solution. This interferes with the operation of the reaction. Thus, processes have been proposed which add various polymerization inhibitors to the reaction solution to inhibit the by-production of these polymers and to thereby avoid the above-mentioned problems. In order to avoid polymerization of the diolefin or olefin used in a Diels-Alder reaction, the following processes are known: Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-9198 discloses the use of an N-nitrosoamine compound; Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-165338 discloses the use of an alkylphenol compound; Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-7131discloses the use of a p-phenylenediamine compound; and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-167733 discloses the use of a hydroxylamine compound.
Alternatively, in a process for preparing cyanonorbornene through a Diels-Alder reaction between acrylonitrile and a conjugated diolefin that is produced from dicyclopentadiene, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-188147 discloses performing the reaction in the presence of an N-nitrosoamine compound, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-51533 discloses adding cyanonorbornene before adding raw material of the reaction.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-34139 proposes a process for keeping the raw material in a liquid phase by feeding the raw material into the reaction solution through a lower portion of the reactor and taking out the reaction solution through an upper portion of the reactor to achieve reaction under a pressure higher than a pressure generated spontaneously during the reaction at a given temperature, as a way of improving the yield of cyanonorbornene while reducing the amount of by-produced polymers in a reaction between dicyclopentadiene and acrylonitrile.
Studies made by the present inventors have revealed that the reaction between a conjugated diolefin and acrylonitrile may tend to produce a highly insoluble polymer in the reactor or in the inlet or outlet pipe of the reactor, or may sometimes be accompanied by danger, depending on the methods and aspects used.
More specifically, the present inventors have carried out various reactions using both a so-called tubular reactor in which the conjugated diolefin and acrylonitrile are heated and reacted in a spiral pipe, and a vessel type reactor. In the so-called tubular reactor, it was found that insoluble polymers adhere to the inner surface of the pipe which may then clog the pipe. Thus, this process is hardly applicable to continuous production.
On the other hand, the vessel type reactor does not suffer from adhesion of the insoluble polymers to the inner surface thereof when the reaction is carried out with the reactor completely filled with a solution. However, the present inventors have found that this process is quite dangerous because of sudden change in pressure in the reactor. The present inventors have also found that this process can produce insoluble polymers which adhere to pipes through which the raw material is supplied to the reaction solution or to a discharge portion of the pipes and create a possibility of clogging the pipes. The process described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-34139 is thus revealed to be effective as a process for improving the yield of cyanonorbornene while reducing the by-produced amount of the polymers, but such process is far from being a safe.
As described above, there are some conventional processes that are directed to inhibiting the production of insoluble polymers in the reaction solution during the reaction. However, there is no description of a reactor that can effectively inhibit production of the insoluble polymers. Nor is there a description of a process for carrying out the reaction in a safe manner.

Process for preparing diels-alder addition product from conjugated diolefin and acrylonitrile


Apparatus for harming or killing fouling flora or fauna, for example on boat hulls, comprises two conductors and an AC power source. The first conductor is a conductive coating while the second conductor is a spaced sheet in one embodiment and a grid on a dielectric insulating coating in another embodiment.

The invention relates to apparatus for harming or killing fouling flora or fauna and an item carrying the same.
Fouling of items placed in the water, such as boat hulls, is a well known problem. The fouling problem is usually combated by the use of a toxic, anti-fouling paint which should kill animal or plant life which attaches itself to the painted surface. The use of toxins in this way is environmentally undesirable and other methods of control or elimination of fouling have been investigated. One such method is described in International patent application no. WO92/17061 in the name of the present applicant. The disclosure of that prior document is incorporated herein by reference. WO92/17061 discloses a trap for swimming larvae such as the larvae of fresh water mussels. The trap comprises two metal plates which are coated with insulating material and spaced apart in fresh water. The plates are connected to a high voltage AC generator to provide an electric field across the plates. Fresh water has low conductivity and so the leakage current between the plates is low. As the polarity of the water around a larvae changes, the induced polarity of the body liquid of the larvae also changes and this is sufficient to disable or kill the larvae relatively quickly. More than 90% of the internal content of a larvae is highly conductive aqueous liquid.
Providing two insulated conducting plates closely spaced apart so that larvae can swim between them may be relatively difficult to achieve.

Apparatus for harming or killing fouling flora or fauna and an item carrying the same


A technique for implementing an untethered access point (UAP) mesh involves enabling AP-local switching at one or more UAPs of the mesh. A system constructed according to the technique may include a wireless switch; an access point (AP) wire-coupled to the wireless switch; and a UAP mesh, wirelessly coupled to the AP, including a UAP with an AP-local switching engine embodied in a computer-readable medium. Another system constructed according to the technique may include an untethered access point (UAP), including: a radio; a backhaul service set identifier (SSID) stored in a computer-readable medium; an anchor access point (AAP) selection engine embodied in a computer-readable medium. In operation, the AAP selection engine may use the radio to attempt to associate with the AAP if a beaconed backhaul SSID matches the stored backhaul SSID. A method according to the technique may include beaconing with a backhaul SSID; acting in concert with an upstream switch as an authenticator for a downstream station that responds to the beacon; providing limited local switching functionality for the downstream station.

An access point (AP) is a device used by wireless clients to connect to a network. An AP functions as a standalone entity in some implementations and functions in cooperation with distribution hardware in other implementations. Distribution hardware may include a wireless switch used to manage APs and provide network-connectivity to wireless clients. A wireless domain may refer to a group of wireless switches that are configured to exchange relevant information, and using this information make informed decisions. A known device is a station (e.g., a wireless AP or client device) that is part of a network wireless installation.
Trapeze Networks, Inc. (Trapeze), uses a MOBILITY POINT™ (MP®) APs in a MOBILITY DOMAIN™ wireless domain. An MP® AP is coupled to a MOBILITY EXCHANGE® (MX®) wireless switch. Trapeze uses MOBILITY DOMAIN™ to refer to a collection of MX® switches. This collection of MX® switches shares RF environment and station association information. This information is used by the MX® switches to support features including by way of example but not limitation roaming, auto channel selection, rogue AP detection, intrusion detection and/or the launching of countermeasures. Some additional details regarding the Trapeze-specific implementation is provided by way of example but not limitation, including novel features that are discussed later in this application, in the provisional application to which this application claims priority.
In a typical implementation, APs are coupled to a switch via a wire. Implementations that include untethered APs (UAPs), introduce additional configuration difficulties that are only recently being explored. This is an area that is ripe for experimentation and innovation because it has proven challenging to find a way to scale wireless domains using UAPs.
These are but a subset of the problems and issues associated with wireless access point authentication, and are intended to characterize weaknesses in the prior art by way of example. The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Untethered access point mesh system and method


A composition for preventing or treating an aging-related disease includes a novel decursin derivative as an active ingredient, wherein the novel decursin derivative has exhibited an excellent effect of inhibiting progerin expression and excellent effect of inhibiting binding between progerin and lamin A, and it has been confirmed that the novel decursin derivative prolongs the survival period of animal models in which progerin was induced.

As the lifespan of human increases, an interest in the aging progress has been actively raised, but there are still many areas that have not yet been clarified and recent studies have mainly focused on genetic or molecular aging mechanisms in human progeria.
Progeria or Hutchinson Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a fatal and rare genetic disorder that causes premature aging in young children. Children with progeria show normal appearance in early infancy, but serious growth retardation starts around about 9-24 months, resulting in a small height and a low weight. They have distinctive facial appearance, systemic atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, stroke, hip dislocation, loss of fat layer under the skin, defects of the nails, hardness of the joints, skeletal damage, etc. These pediatric patients with progeria usually die at the age of 8-21 due to heart diseases and their life expectancy is about 13 years old.
HGPS is a very rare autosomal dominant genetic disease caused by silent mutation of G608G of Lamin A (LMN A). The mutation produces a new truncated donor site and produces progerin (Prg), an alternative cleavage site product in which the 50 amino acids of the C-terminal domain of Lamin A have been deleted.
Expression of progerin leads to morphological changes such as nuclear membrane irregularity or decrease of nuclear-cytoplasmic Lamin A and inhibition of progerin expression induces the reduction of the nuclear deformation, which was confirmed as a major factor of HGPS.
Accordingly, the progeria can be treated by inhibiting farnesylation of the progerin or by removing the farnesylated Lamin A using autophage to relieve progerin, however In both cases there is a side effect problem and until now no fundamental treatment of the progeria has been reported.

Pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating aging-related diseases containing decursin derivative as active ingredient


A first display discharge lamp has a transparent airtight container filled with a discharge gas; a positive electrode disposed in the airtight container and supported by a stem having an air tube therein; a negative electrode of an inverted configuration disposed in the transparent airtight container and surrounded by the positive electrode; a lead member integrally formed with the positive electrode, having a bent portion between a lower end of the negative electrode and the stem; and an insulating member disposed between the lower end of the negative electrode and the bent portion of the lead member. According to a second display discharge lamp, both a negative electrode and a positive electrode are of an inverted conical configuration. The former has at least an open upper end, while the latter has an open upper end and an open lower end. A lower end of the positive electrode is inserted in an interior of the negative electrode from the open upper end of the negative electrode. And, a lower/outer periphery of the positive electrode is, in a non-contact condition, opposed to an upper/inner periphery of the negative electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to display discharge lamps, and particularly, a display discharge lamp, in which a negative electrode and a positive electrode are facing each other in a transparent airtight container filled with a discharge gas therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, small-sized incandescent bulbs having tungsten filament coils have been used as a light source for traffic information displays on highways, flight schedules, time displays in an airport terminals, time displays on main streets or various advertisement displays. The incandescent bulbs have a high brightness, but consume a great amount of electric power and have a lower durability. To overcome such defects, in recent years the display discharge lamps have been used as the light source, because they are superior due to less power consumption and a longer life span.
FIG. 11 is a view of a conventional display discharge lamp, and FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part thereof. A discharge lamp 71 includes an inverted conical negative electrode 72 of which upper and lower ends are open and a wire-shaped positive electrode 73 inserted from the lower open end of negative electrode 72. Namely, positive electrode 73 is spaced from the edge of a lower end 72b of negative electrode 72, keeping a discharge gap. A lead 72a of negative electrode 72 and a lead 73a of positive electrode 73 are supported by a glass-made stem 74. Those components are all disposed in a glass-made airtight container 75 filled with a discharge gas.
When a certain voltage is applied between negative electrode 72 and positive electrode 73, a trigger discharge occurs between lower end 72b of negative electrode 72 and a part 73b surrounded by lower end 72b, thereby transferring into an inner surface of negative electrode 72 to form a main discharge. The main discharge is a glow discharge which produces a bright negative glow on the inner surface of negative electrode 72. The light produced by the negative glow is reflected on an inner surface of negative electrode 72, and then the reflected light is emitted more intensely by way of a light collecting lens 75a.
A central part of stem 74 is formed in an air tube 74a for exhausting an air in the airtight container 75 and introducing the discharge gas. Air tube 74a is positioned in the central part thereof in order to cut off a remainder thereof by a burner after filling the discharge gas, rotating a long-sized glass tube. Since it is necessary to dispose both leads 72a and 73a at left and right sides of stem 74 while bypassing air tube 74a, positive electrode lead 73a forms a crank-shaped bent portion 73c between lower end 72b of (of negative electrode 72) and an upper end of stem 74. Further, in order to generate the trigger discharge between lower end 72b of negative electrode 72 and part 73b surrounded by lower end 72b, a distance 1 therebetween is predetermined to be smaller than a distance m between lower end 72b and a bent portion 73c of positive electrode lead 73a.
However, for the discharge display lamp, it is difficult to set an accurate position relationship between negative electrode 72 and positive electrode 73. When distance 1 is larger than distance m, in which the electric intensity between the lower end 72b of negative electrode 72 and bent portion 73c of positive electrode lead 73a is intensified, thereby possible triggering a discharge. As a result, the trigger discharge is transferred to the outer surface of negative electrode 72. Thus, the main discharge should occur on the inner surface of negative electrode 72, but it is obliged to occur on the outer surface of negative electrode 72. It is a so-called back discharge, so that the discharge lamp cannot perform its proper function.
FIG. 13 shows a view of another conventional display discharge lamp 81 for display, and FIG. 14 is an enlarged section view taken on line A--A in FIG. 13. Discharge lamp 81 includes a glass-made airtight container 82, a negative electrode 83 of an inverted conical shape disposed in airtight container 82 and a positive electrode 84 of the same inverted conical configuration surrounding negative electrode 83. Positive electrode 84 is supported by and fixed with two leads 87, 87 mounted on a top surface 86 of a stem 85. Further, negative electrode 83 is mounted on top surface 86 of stem 85 so as to be supported by one lead 89 inserted into a cutaway portion 88 of positive electrode 84, keeping a slight gap 90 between an inner periphery 84a of positive electrode 84 and an outer periphery 83d of negative electrode 83.
Lead 89 of negative electrode 83 and two leads 87, 87 of positive electrode 84 are, inside a base 91 under stem 85, connected to a first outer terminal 92 and a second outer terminal 93, respectively. Inner periphery 83a and an edge portion 83b of negative electrode 83 are coated by an emitting material to reduce a breakdown voltage. Further, a light collecting lens 94 is formed at an uppermost part of airtight container 82. Further, formed inside stem 85 is an air tube 95 for exhausting air in airtight container 82 and filling a discharge gas by way of an opening 95a. After that, air tube 95 is cut off by a burner.
When a certain voltage is applied between negative electrode 83 and positive electrode 84, a trigger discharge occurs between edge portion 83b of negative electrode 83 and an inner periphery 84a of positive electrode 84, and then transferred to inner periphery 83a of negative electrode 83 to form a main discharge which is a glow discharge. Then, a negative glow is generated by which an interior of negative electrode 83, particularly, a lower part thereof becomes brighter. The light produced by the negative glow is reflected on inner periphery 83a of negative electrode 83, and emitted forwardly from an upper opening 83c of negative electrode 83 and an upper opening 84b of positive electrode 84 through lens 94.
The disadvantage however, is that when using display discharge lamp 81 for a long time, the emitting material coated on edge portion 83b of negative electrode 83 may be worn, thereby the breakdown voltage on edge portion 83b is intensified. As a result, the trigger discharge occurs between upper end 83e of negative electrode 83 and inner periphery 84a of positive electrode 84, but the trigger discharge cannot extend across edge portion 83b, so that it continues to be discharged exclusively between outer periphery 83d of negative electrode 83 and inner periphery 84a of positive electrode 84 without being transferred to inner periphery 83a of negative electrode 83.


A latch apparatus has a latch base, a latch frame, and at least one flexible bracket connecting the latch frame to the latch base. Connectors are used to connect the flexible bracket to the latch frame and connect the flexible bracket to the latch base. The connectors prevent the outer surface of the flexible bracket from moving along the surface of the latch frame or the surface of the latch base. A biasing member is connected to the latch base and the latch frame. The flexible bracket maintains a gap between the latch base and the latch frame and prevents the latch base from contacting or sliding along the latch frame.

Embodiments herein generally relate a latch apparatus, and more particularly to a latch apparatus that connects a latch frame to a latch base and allows the latch base to move relative to the latch frame.
In mechanical devices, drawers are often utilized for various purposes, such as to maintain items and/or allow internal items to be accessed. For example, in printing devices, drawers are often utilized to maintain functional components or modules at appropriate positions and/or locations so that the components can perform their respective operations.
However, one issue that is encountered when utilizing such mechanisms is that the latches of the drawers may not operate properly if they become contaminated with foreign matter. For example, an excessive amount of foreign matter may prevent the latch mechanism from properly opening and/or closing. The embodiments described herein address such issues.
More specifically, one embodiment comprises a latch apparatus that has a latch base, a latch frame, and at least one flexible bracket connecting the latch frame to the latch base. Connectors are used to connect the flexible bracket to the latch frame and connect the flexible bracket to the latch base. The connectors prevent the outer surface of the flexible bracket from moving along the surface of the latch frame or the surface of the latch base.
The shape of the flexible bracket comprises a ribbon of flexible material shaped to have four equally spaced 90 degree bends. The ribbon of flexible material has a width approximately at lease 10 times greater that a thickness of the ribbon of flexible material. The flexible bracket can comprise any flexible material, such as a metal, an alloy, a polymer, a plastic or rubber.
The flexible bracket flexes in a "first" direction when the latch frame moves relative to the latch base. The flexible bracket biases a relative position between the latch base and the latch frame to a predetermined centralized position. A biasing member is connected to the latch base and the latch frame. The biasing member biases the latch frame in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the latch frame. The flexible bracket has a shape that allows the flexible bracket to have greater flexibility in the first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the latch frame and lesser flexibility in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The flexible bracket maintains a gap between the latch base and the latch frame and prevents the latch base from contacting or sliding along the latch frame.
Therefore, embodiments herein use a flexible bracket to eliminate sliding surfaces within latches. The structures described herein are especially useful with latches that find application in highly contaminated environments, such as those environments experienced within printing devices. The flexible brackets described herein create a gap between surfaces that would otherwise slide against each other; yet the flexible brackets allow parts that need to move to have a sufficient movement to perform their intended function. Further, the embodiments described herein allow the flexible bracket to provide some of the latching force required, thereby allowing the biasing device that is used to create the latching force to be smaller, less expensive, lighter, etc. These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.


The present invention provides titanium based precursor for polyolefin catalyst with desired morphology and high particle strength. The of preparation of the precursor in accordance with the present invention obviates the use of iodine.

The commercially available magnesium alkoxides are synthesized by the reaction of magnesium metal with alcohols in the presence of reaction initiators like iodine. For example, WO2005/044873 discloses a method for synthesizing spherical magnesium alkoxide particles by reacting magnesium with an alcohol mixture at a temperature below the boiling point of the mixture using I2 as a reaction initiator.
There are several drawbacks associated with the method as provided in the aforesaid PCT application. The spherical magnesium alkoxide particles synthesized by such method are frangible and they do not retain their morphology or particle size during the synthesis of Ziegler Natta procatalyst, especially when the procatalyst synthesis is carried out on a plant scale. Furthermore, a resin produced using the method reported in WO2005/044873 exhibits low resin bulk density which in turn hampers the plant throughput.
A method which attempts to overcome the problems mentioned above has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,357. It employs dissolution and re-precipitation methodology to incorporate chlorine and the titanium atoms in the matrix of the precursor. In accordance with the method disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,357, magnesium alkoxide is dissolved in a halo-hydrocarbon solvent by heating a mixture of magnesium alkoxide, titanium tetra chloride, titanium tetra ethoxide, alcohol, and a phenol derivative at an elevated temperature and the re-precipitation is carried out by the removal of alcohol from the system. The solid semi spherical particles magnesium particles are separated by filtration.
Provided herein below is a brief summary of the known processes wherein iodine has been used as an initiator in the synthesis of the magnesium alkoxide based precursor.
A method for producing the morphology controlled magnesium alkoxide with high mechanical strength and controlled particles size precursor which employs iodine is disclosed in WO2009/130707. It involves the activation of the magnesium metals by iodine to react with a mixture of alcohols at a controlled rate.
A method for synthesis which employs magnesium alkoxide as a carrier material for preparing Ziegler Natta Catalysts with Spherical Morphology has been disclosed in Macromol. React Eng., 2(2008)233-239. It employs Metal halides (MnCl2, FeCl2, CoCl2 and ZnCl2) to synthesize Magnesium ethoxide in the presence of iodine.
Another article, Applied Catalysis A: General 350(2008) 197-206 "Particle growth of magnesium alkoxide as a carrier material for polypropylene polymerization catalyst" provides the details of a process that employs Iodine as a reaction initiator. This article also provides the details of the mechanism by which particles are formed (agglomerates of primary particles) on the surface of magnesium metal. Also, disclosed in this article is the replication of morphology from precursor to catalyst to polymer.
Apart from the abovementioned references, methods for synthesis of the magnesium alkoxide precursor using halogen initiators and activators are taught in US 2009/0112027, US2009/0233793, US2009/0148702, U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,357 and WO/2009/130707.
The drawback of the precursor prepared through the iodine activator is that its particle strength is low and therefore it is prone to breakage. This results in the formation of fines during catalyst synthesis. As a result a polymer obtained through the catalyst also contains very high level of fines which causes frequent choking problems in a commercial plant. Furthermore, the precursor prepared through iodine activator form iodine compounds which remain with the precursor. This adversely affects the performance of the catalyst.
In view of the above, there is therefore exists a need for a method to synthesize a magnesium alkoxide based precursor with high particle strength that overcomes the drawbacks associated with the prior art.


An optical component includes a support structure having a first composition including a recessive phase material and a second composition including protrusive phase material, the protrusive phase material defining a plurality of spaced apart surface features, each of the surface features comprising a distal end opposite the support structure, integrated with the support structure, and protruding distally from a surface of the support structure, each of the surface features reducing in cross sectional area distally from the support structure to provide a lowest cross sectional area at the distal end, the recessive phase material supporting and separating the surface features and defining a contiguous recessed surface area between the surface features, at least two of the protrusive features being characterized as optical waveguides.

Tapering an optical waveguide (also known in many instances as an optical fiber) below its transmission cutoff diameter causes the propagating light to form an evanescent field at the waveguide tip. If nothing couples to this evanescent field, the propagating light undergoes total internal reflection (TIR) and returns to the light source. If any evanescent field coupling occurs the amount of reflected light is proportionally reduced. Near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) uses this phenomenon to achieve spatial resolution performance beyond the classical diffraction limit by employing a sub-wavelength light source or detector positioned in close proximity to a specimen. Individual optical waveguides have been drawn down to approximately 100 nm and addressed optically as microscopy or sensor probes. Scanning a large area with such probes is time consuming because of the small size of the probes.


An optical cable shield layer connection may include a wire electrically connected to a shield layer of an optical cable. The optical cable shield layer connection may also be sealed, for example, to prevent leak paths. The optical cable shield layer connection may be made when coupling the optical cable to a device or another cable, for example, using a universal joint such as the Millennia® Joint available from Tyco Telecommunications (U.S.) Inc. The wire may provide a ground path from the shield layer or a continuity path from the shield layer to another optical cable.

Optical fibers may be used as transmission paths for optical signals in communications networks. Such optical fibers often must extend across many miles and large bodies of water. To protect the optical fibers, particularly in an undersea or submarine environment, the optical fibers may be included in an optical cable that provides many layers of protection. An undersea or submarine optical cable may include, for example, layers of strength members, tubing, insulation, shielding, and sheaths depending upon the system environmental conditions.
Optical cables sometimes must be coupled to other cables or to other devices (e.g., to repeaters or branching units). To repair an optical cable, for example, one segment of the optical cable may be coupled to another segment of an optical cable using a cable-to-cable joint such as a universal joint as specified by the Universal Jointing (UJ) Consortium or a Millennia® Joint available from Tyco Telecommunications (U.S.) Inc. When joining optical cables including a metallic shield layer (sometimes referred to as a screen layer), an electrical connection may be made to the shield layer, for example, to provide a ground path or a continuity path from the shield layer to another cable segment or device. When such an electrical connection is made, the shield layer and the electrical connection may be sealed from water (e.g., in an undersea environment).
Existing processes for connecting wires to a screen layer in an optical cable have involved the use of heavy metal solders and chemical flux. Injection molding has been used over the connection to reinstate the insulation. Other processes have used corrosion resistant metals or a tapered screw thread and external collet arrangement. Such existing processes may involve extensive assembly time, potentially damaging heating, high cost and/or hazardous materials.


A magnetic recording medium (12) and a magnetic recording apparatus (10) that makes use of the magnetic recording medium is disclosed. The magnetic recording medium includes an elongated magnetic base film that is significantly thicker than conventional magnetic tape and that presents opposed front (20) and rear faces (22) and opposed upper (24) and lower edges (26) extending between the front and rear faces. One or more layers of magnetic material is coated on both the front face and on the upper edge of the base film. Data is recorded on the front face of the base film in a conventional manner, and sequencing or locating information is recorded on the upper edge of the base film. This permits a read/write head (18) to hover over the base film to read the sequencing information on the upper edge of the base film for locating the position of desired data stored on the front face of the base film. Once the desired portion of the base film is located, the read/write head is plunged or lowered adjacent the front face of the base film to read the desired data from and/or write data to the base film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magnetic recording medium such as magnetic tape for recording data thereon. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium that permits rapid location and identification of data recorded on the medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cassette tapes are commonly used for recording music, dictation, and other data. A typical cassette tape has a length of magnetic tape wound between a pair of rotatable spools supported in a plastic case. Unfortunately, only the tape that is exposed between the spools can be read from or written to. To access the data on the wound portions of the tape, the tape must first be forwarded or reversed until the desired portion of the tape is exposed between the spools. Several forwarding and/or reversing attempts are often required to locate the portions of the tape having the desired data stored thereon. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that locating information on a tape in this manner is extremely inconvenient and time-consuming.
Computer disks, which are typically formed from a rotatable platter having a plurality of concentric tracks formed thereon each having a plurality of adjacent sectors for storing data, do not suffer from the above limitations because a read/write head can scan over the tracks to locate the desired data. However, computer disks are much more expensive to manufacture than conventional cassette tapes and therefore are not practical for many applications. Moreover, recording to a computer disk is more difficult and requires more complicated equipment than when recording to a conventional cassette tape.

Edge recorded magnetic tape and read head


A vehicular remote control system includes, on a portable device side, a portable device side first receiver, a portable device side transmitter, and a portable device side second receiver and, on a vehicle side, a vehicle side first transmitter, a vehicle side second transmitter, and a vehicle side receiver. Transmitting and receiving a request signal requesting an identification signal, the identification signal, an interrogation signal, and a response signal between the portable device and the vehicle allows a door lock actuator to be operated if the portable device is legitimate. When the vehicle side second transmitter or the portable device side second receiver breaks down, transmission and reception of a second request signal and the interrogation signal is carried out using the vehicle side first transmitter and the portable device side first receiver, thereby making the door lock actuator operate unhindered without the need for providing special alternative means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular remote control system that controls the operation of a device on a vehicle by carrying out communication between a portable device and the vehicle using two types of radio waves having different frequencies.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicular remote control locking/unlocking system is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-176448, which discloses a system in which an LF signal at a few hundred kHz is used as an ID signal request-to-send signal, which is transmitted from a vehicle to a portable device. Furthermore, the known system uses an RF signal at a few hundred MHz as an ID signal, which is transmitted from the portable device to the vehicle in response to the ID signal request-to-send signal.
Another vehicular remote control system is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-104429, which discloses a system having an ID signal request-to-send signal that is transmitted from a vehicle to a portable device. In the disclosed system, when an ID signal transmitted from the portable device to the vehicle in response to the ID signal request-to-send signal is authenticated, an interrogation signal is transmitted from the vehicle to the portable device. Accordingly, when a response signal transmitted from the portable device to the vehicle in response to the interrogation signal is authenticated, operation of a device on the vehicle is permitted.
The system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-104429 has the problem wherein if a transmitter which transmits the interrogation signal or a receiver which receives the interrogation signal breaks down, transmission and reception of the interrogation signal become impossible and the entire vehicular remote control system is rendered inoperable.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An accessory drive attachment is provided. The accessory drive attachment may be attached to a lawnmower that has a hydrostatic transmission. The transmission system of the lawnmower may be used to drive a shaft of the accessory drive attachment. An accessory such as a leaf blower, air compressor, pressure washer, or electric generator may be attached to the accessory drive attachment and driven by the shaft.

Residential and commercial establishments make use of items such as pressure washers, air compressors, leaf blowers, electrical generators, water pumps and trash pumps. These items include their own individual engine for use in driving one or more portions of the device so that they can function for their intended purpose. Inclusion of multiple individual engines in various items located within a residential or commercial setting requires a large amount of maintenance. For example, all of the various engines must be provided with appropriate oil changes, air filter replacements, fuel stabilizer additions, and repairs at various service centers. Aside from the time and cost of such maintenance, the ability to properly maintain so many different engines may be problematic as they each require their own separate maintenance schedule and instructions.
Also, the use of various items that have individual engines necessarily increases the cost, size and weight of the particular item. Compromises are made by the manufacture in the selection of an appropriate engine for a particular device. As such, the device may have certain undesirable features such as a smaller horsepower engine or a pull start mechanism. Further, certain individual engines on devices have complicated starting procedures and are often difficult to quickly actuate. Individual engines on items found in home or commercial settings may possibly generate greater emissions and be less fuel efficient due to their small size. Finally, items that incorporate individual engines may have a small fuel capacity due to the size of the fuel tank associated with the engine. These items may thus require frequent fueling and may run out of fuel at locations remote from a fuel source. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.


A bone anchoring device includes an anchoring element having a shaft and a head; a receiving part having a top end, a bottom end, a rod recess, a coaxial bore, and a seat; and a pressure element that is movable within the bore. The head is pivotable with respect to the receiving part and can be fixed at an angle by exerting pressure via the pressure element onto the head. The pressure element has an outer wall portion having a recess or a projection. The receiving part has an inner wall portion having a recess or a projection that cooperates with the recess or projection of the pressure element. The pressure element is configured to assume a first position within the receiving part in which the recess and the projection interact to allow the pressure element to exert a preload onto the head and the head is prevented from freely pivoting but is not locked.

The invention relates to a bone anchoring device for anchoring a stabilization rod in a bone or in a vertebra. The bone anchoring device includes an anchoring element and a receiving part for receiving a head of the bone anchoring element and for receiving a stabilization rod to be connected to the anchoring element. The anchoring element is pivotably connected to the receiving part and can be fixed at an angle by exerting pressure onto the head via a pressure element that is arranged in the receiving part. The pressure element and the receiving part have recesses and projections that are configured to cooperate in such a way that the pressure element can assume a position within the receiving part in which it clamps the head by friction without locking it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,356 describes a polyaxial bone screw including a screw element, a receiving part that is pivotably connected to the screw element, and a pressure element to exert pressure onto the head of the screw element to fix the angle between the screw element and the receiving part. The receiving part has a U-shaped channel for receiving a stabilization rod. The pressure element comprises a cylindrical recess that is to be aligned with the U-shaped channel to receive the rod therein. In order to hold the pressure element in a position aligned with the U-shaped channel, the position of the pressure element is fixed by crimping through bores provided in the receiving part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,176 describes another example of a polyaxial bone screw with a pressure element that is also held in place by crimp bores without impeding a sufficient movement of the pressure element to clamp the head. The receiving part has a tapering inner surface portion and the pressure element has a correspondingly tapering outer surface in a region laterally surrounding said screw head. By the cooperating tapering surfaces, the head can be locked while still allowing adjustments of the position of the rod.
WO 2006/116437 A2 describes a bone anchor for spinal fixation in the form of a polyaxial bone screw including screw element, a housing, a sleeve and a collet arranged in the housing for exerting pressure onto the head of the screw element. The sleeve has retention tabs that snap into slots in opposite wall portions of the housing.
If the head of the anchoring element is freely pivotable with respect to the receiving part, the alignment of the receiving part and the insertion of the rod may be difficult in more complex clinical applications, for example, when a multitude of bone anchors have to be connected to the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,604,656 describes a fastener engageable with a bone portion to connect a longitudinal member to the bone portion. The housing that receives the fastener also receives a spacer that is engageable with the fastener and the longitudinal member. In one embodiment the spacer is urged by a pin member into frictional engagement with the fastener and with the housing.


In a cluster network, an ingress component can serve as an entry point for incoming request traffic and route requests to a plurality of backend servers for processing. Each of the backend servers can handle multiple flows (e.g., TCP) established with the ingress component. When a backend server is detected to have been overloaded with requests, a different peer server is selected on the network to take over processing of the requests from the overloaded server. A set of state information for at least one connection is then transferred from the overloaded server to the selected peer server. Thereafter, the ingress component can update its routing information to begin routing new incoming requests or packets for that connection to the new peer server. The state information can be transferred upon reaching a logical boundary between requests, or within a request, received on the connection.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are some of the most commonly used communication protocols in the Internet protocol suite. Often referred to as TCP/IP, protocols such as these define ways of communicating between entities over the Internet as well as various other networks.
A TCP connection represents an end point for communicating to another entity over the network. For example, when one server or application wants to communicate some information over the network to another, a handshake process is typically performed to establish a TCP connection, and subsequently, that TCP connection is used to send data between the two entities. The TCP connection takes care of the details of breaking up a large chunk of data and transmitting the individual IP packets on behalf of the sender, such that the sender only needs to issue a single request to the TCP in order to transmit the entire set of information.
Distributed load balancers are used in computer networking to distribute workload across multiple computers. This is often done in order to achieve optimal resource utilization, maximize throughput and avoid overload. In the context of a cluster network that serves client requests, a load balancer would typically receive a request from a client and relay it to a particular server in the cluster that will process that request and often issue a response. Load balancers frequently try to distribute the request load evenly across all of the servers in an effort to prevent any individual server in the cluster from being overloaded with requests. In certain instances, however, servers in the cluster may nonetheless become overloaded with request traffic, causing various latencies, errors, dropped requests and TCP connection problems or other issues.


The present invention is directed to a system and method for managing allocation of a computer resource to at least one partition of a plurality of partitions of a multiple partition computer system, the system comprising: a plurality of work load managers, with one work load manager associated with each partition of the plurality of partitions, wherein each work load manager determines a resource request value for the computer resource based on at least one priority assigned to its partition associated with the computer resource; and a partition load manager that is operative to form an allocation value for each respective partition based on a respective resource request value; wherein the system apportions the computer resource among the plurality of partitions based on the allocation values.

Computer systems inherently have limited resources, particularly CPU resources. These limited resources must be allocated among the different applications operating within the system. A prior allocation mechanism for allocating system resources to applications is a system known as Process Resource Manager (PRM) 10 as shown in FIG. 1A. It is used to partition the CPU resource 11 and various other resources among the different applications 12, 13, 14. The PRM partitions the resources into fractions of the whole, which are expressed as percentages in PRM configuration, as shown in FIG. 1B. The fractions or pieces are then assigned to groups of processes, which comprise applications. Each application would then receive some portion of the available resources.
The PRM is a static mechanism, meaning that the allocation configuration is fixed by an administrator, and can only be changed by an administrator. In other words, the administrator specifies where the partitions should lie, i.e., what percent of the machine goes to application 12, application 13, and application 14. This information is fixed, so it cannot respond to changes in the needs of the different applications. For example, one application may be mostly idle, but occasionally has a large amount of work to do. Under the static mechanism with fixed entitlements, this application would be allocated a smaller fraction of the CPU resources, as a larger fraction can not be justified because of the large amount of idle time. Consequently, when the large amount of work is received, then the application's performance will suffer because of its low entitlement. Therefore, the transactions will take longer to process. Another example is where a transaction requires large amounts of resources for extended periods of time, but also has periods of idle time. Under the static mechanism with fixed entitlements, this application would be allocated a larger fraction of the CPU resources. Consequently, when this application is idle, other applications' performances will suffer, as this application is assigned a large amount of resources that are not being used, and thus are not available for other applications. Therefore, the other transactions will take longer to process. Thus, this mechanism cannot handle changes in the requirements of the different applications.
Another problem is the partitioning of the resources by the administrator. The administrator has to think in terms of the actual machine resources and the requirements of the different applications. This is problematic because the resources and applications are operating at a lower level than what a person typically views. Moreover, the administrator has to have a great deal of knowledge of the application's characteristics and its resource requirements in order to determine where to set the partitions. Lack of knowledge is typically made up with guesswork. For example, an administrator may choose to set application 13 at 20% of the CPU resources. If the users of the system complain, the administrator may change the value later on.
An alternative mechanism is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,739 by IBM, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The IBM mechanism uses a priority-based model to process applications. In other words, high priority applications are serviced from a queue before lower priority applications. This mechanism can change the priorities to adjust processing performance.
Such prior art mechanisms are also ineffective for multiple partition systems. Large computer systems, e.g. those with multiple processors, multiple I/O resources, multiple storage resources, etc., can be separated into partitions or protected domains. These partitions are hardware separations that place resources into separate functional blocks. Resources in one block do not have direct access to resources in another block. This prevents one application from using the entire system resources, as well as contains faults and errors. However, the partitions, once defined, are static in nature, and cannot be readily changed without operator intervention. Thus, resources cannot be readily moved from one partition to another to satisfy workload balancing.

Dynamic management of virtual partition computer workloads through service level optimization

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A dummy work (DW: a work for printing a reference necessary for subsequent printing) is moved to a printing position while the dummy work is fixed to a work alignment mechanism 2, and solder printing is made. The printed dummy work is then returned to the work alignment position and its image is taken by image processing cameras 7 and an image of position coordinates of a solder bump specified for alignment is stored. Positioning of subsequent works W is conducted on the basis of the image of the dummy work stored and solder printing of the works is subsequently made at the printing position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a screen printing method for printing solder paste, etc., onto a work through a screen mask, and a printing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a screen printing method, and an apparatus for the method, that will be suitable for providing screen printing on a high density multi-layered substrate, and a printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
To connect a printed substrate and a semiconductor chip, a connection system called a "flip-chip (FC) system", that uses solder bumps (minute solder protrusions), has generally been used. This system can connect, at one time, thousands or dozens of thousands of connection points by arranging semiconductor bumps in a plane. With the progress of IT technologies, semiconductor chips have higher functions and the connection of such semiconductor chips requires a more minute size, a higher density and a greater number of connection points.
To form the solder bumps, a prior art method uses an apparatus executing two steps at a work alignment position and a solder printing position, sets a work (substrate) to the work alignment position, moves the work to the solder printing position, then superposes a metal screen mask (hereinafter called "screen") on the work by using a screen elevation mechanism and prints the solder paste to the work for printing through a squeegee, or the like (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-155706, for example).
FIGS. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings show this screen printing apparatus according to the prior art. The screen printing machine 1 includes a work alignment mechanism 2 for positioning a work (substrate) W, a work movement mechanism 3 for causing the work W to linearly reciprocate between a work alignment position and a solder printing position, a screen movement mechanism 4 for causing a screen S to linearly reciprocate between the work alignment position and the solder printing machine, a screen elevation mechanism 5 for moving the screen S up and down, a solder bump printing mechanism 6, an image processing camera 7, a camera elevation mechanism 8, and so forth. In this printing apparatus 1, the work W is put on a table 21 of the work alignment mechanism 2 and is positioned by the work alignment mechanism 2 at the work alignment position on the basis of the image taken by the image processing camera 7. Next, the work W is moved to the solder printing position by the work movement mechanism 3 and the screen S is superposed on the work at this solder printing position by the screen movement mechanism 4 and the screen elevation mechanism 5. A squeegee 61 of the solder bump printing mechanism 6 is moved and the solder paste P is applied to the work W through the screen S to thereby print the solder bumps B onto the work W.
Generally, a decisive factor in the printing quality of the solder bumps is the precision of superposition of the printing pattern of the screen S onto the screen pattern of the work W. Because an opaque metal screen S is used, it is not possible to superpose the work W and the screen S one upon another and then to position them. Therefore, a system that individually aligns a positioning marker M of the metal screen S and a positioning marker of the work W by using an image processor and mechanically superposes the screen S and the work W one upon another on the basis of the image processing data has been employed.
When the image processing camera 7 is stationary as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, therefore, the system becomes the printing system that moves the screen S to the work alignment position by using the screen movement mechanism, aligns the screen S by using the image processing camera 7 and then returns the screen to the solder printing position to conduct printing. Therefore, the number of moving mechanisms, such as those for the movement and elevation of the screen S and for the elevation of the image processing camera 7, is large and the set position of the screen S after positioning contains mechanical errors, from the individual movement mechanisms, during alignment.
In addition, because the positioning marker (non-penetrating due to half etching) disposed in the screen S and a printing port (penetrating) for practically soldering the solder have different processing conditions, processing is not simultaneous processing and processing errors occur. This error is further increased by a camera movement system.
Therefore, it has become difficult, in recent years, for such a solder printing mechanism of the prior art and including complicated mechanisms, to satisfy the requirements for further miniaturization, higher density and a greater number of connection points owing to the structural errors.
In a high density multi-layered substrate of the next generation, in particular, the number of bumps per work is thousands of bumps and is more than ten times the number of the existing bumps that is in the order of hundreds. Therefore, the bump density also reaches a high density of bump diameter φ100×pitch 150 μm. The solder paste printing method of the prior art alignment system cannot easily cope with such a requirement.
Further, according to the PALAP (Patterned prepreg Lay-up Process) substrate filed by the present applicant, the substrate material has high wettability with solder unlike the conventional glass-epoxy substrates. Unless the solder is correctly transferred to the bump formation positions, the solder flows during re-flow (because the solder is molten in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to form balls through surface tension) and connects adjacent bumps to cause a bridge defect. Therefore, a printing technology not inviting oozing of the solder, resulting from floating of the screen, is necessary.

Screen printing method and apparatus thereof


An improved startup device for controlling energization of a lamp has a base, stand coupled with the base and an illuminator connected to an electric power source. The base has a sound-collecting element mated with a housing unit so that the sound-collecting element has direct contact with the surface it is placed on. A control unit is situated within the housing unit and includes a connected startup circuit built on a circuit board, a reception element and a power-supply component. Thus, the reception element cooperates with said sound-collecting element to switch the power-supply component allowing the illuminator to make or break connection with the power source upon receiving tapping sound at the stand or through the surface. In practice, the startup device of the present invention employed in lamps affects to extend the conventional switch size to the entire floor or table area, which advantageously acts as a medium of transmitting tapping sounds to ease the task of lighting up.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric switch device, and more particularly to a sensing switch structure for a lamp that can switch automatically on or off by tapping the floor where the lamp stands.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional lamps consist of a lamp stand, a lamp base on top of the lamp stand, a light bulb or other illuminator installed on the lamp base, and a cover over the lamp stand. The lamp base may include a press switch, which connects with external circuit through an electric socket and receives power supplies from external source. Through the press switch the light bulb is turned on or off.
Through the press switch we can make or break connection with external power source and switch on or off the light bulb of the traditional lamp. This process requires manual handling of the power switch. But when the user enters a darkened room, he/she needs to find his/her way to the switch of the lamp in darkness before turning it on which is very inconvenient. Then there is a touch-sensitive electrical switch to turn on the light. But static of human body results in electrical shock or poor startup especially in dry places and conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,618 to Stevens et al. suggests switch activations in response to different acoustic signals in a situation where multiple controls of appliances are desired. The patent lends efforts to distinguish air-transmitted sound of designated number of claps of the user and respond by activating the corresponding one or more appliances.
However, it does neither suggest using normal tables as a tapping medium in controlling an appliance nor that the table can be tapped to transmit a signal for pick up by a microphone installed in a lamp to control the energization thereof.


An ink cartridge having a box-shaped cartridge body the interior of which is filled with an ink holding member through an opening provided on the upper surface thereof, and a lid member for blocking the opening of the cartridge body. The lid member is structured such that the entire lower surface in contact with the ink holding member is a curved surface, and that the connecting portion between the lid member and the cartridge body forms a smooth shape when the lid member closes the cartridge body. Also, in the inner side corner portion of the ink cartridge, there is formed a pressure portion for pressing the ink holding member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ink cartridge for supplying ink to an ink jet printer which performs recording by ejecting ink droplets onto a recording medium such as a recording sheet, and more particularly to an ink cartridge having an ink holding member for holding ink within a multiplicity of pores.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, an ink jet printer for recording on a recording sheet by ejecting ink droplets has, within the body case, an ink jet recording head; a recording device for replaceably mounting an ink cartridge thereon which contains ink for being supplied to the recording head; a conveying device for conveying a recording sheet; and a carriage device for reciprocating the recording device in accordance with the size of the recording medium conveyed by the conveying device. The conveying device is structured to rotationally drive a platen roller whose axis extends in parallel to the reciprocating direction of the recording device so as to convey the recording medium in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the recording device. The carriage device is structured to support the carriage, on which the recording device is mounted, so as to permit it to slide on a guide rod, which extends in parallel to the platen roller's axis, and to cause the carriage to reciprocate in the axis direction of the platen roller by means of a belt tensioned around a driving pulley driven by a motor and a driven pulley.
In the recording device, such as the ink jet printer as described above, an ink cartridge is used which holds predetermined color, amount and/or type ink for supplying ink to the recording device. Also, a porous ink holding member, such as sponge and urethane foam, is placed in the ink cartridge. The urethane foam which has been widely used has an unstable ink mobility due to the capillary phenomenon because of a large variation in pore density. In order to solve this problem, the urethane foam has, to date, been compressed for use. When the urethane foam is compressed, pores having large diameters are easily compressed and the density of the pores will be averaged.
Also, it is necessary that the ink holding member is closely placed in the inner wall surface of the ink cartridge. For example, a perspective view of a hollow cartridge body used for a conventional ink cartridge is shown in FIG. 13. In FIG. 13, the cartridge body 32 is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped with its upper portion opened, and has a round ink outlet 34 at the lower portion, its inner side corner lines 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D, and 33A, 33B, 33C and 33D being substantially orthogonal respectively.
The ink cartridge is manufactured as described below. An ink holding member 16 (see FIG. 2) shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped for holding ink therein is manufactured slightly larger than the internal space of the cartridge body 32 and the ink holding member 16 is compressed to be inserted into the cartridge body 32. Thereafter, a lid is placed on the open side, which is opposite to the ink outlet 34, and ink is poured through an ink filling port provided on the lid. The ink holding member 16 is manufactured to satisfy the condition of W2>W3, D2>D3 and H2>H3 as compared with the internal space of the cartridge body 32 (FIG. 13) in order to bring it into tight contact with the inner wall surface 35 of the cartridge body 32.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an ink cartridge composed of the cartridge body 32 and the ink holding member 16. The ink contained in the ink holding member 16 flows out of the ink outlet 34 due to the capillary phenomenon, and is supplied to the ink jet head through an ink passage provided within the printer.
The conventional ink cartridge has, however, had the following problem. Being larger than the internal space of the cartridge body 32, the ink holding member 16 must be inserted into the cartridge body 32 by being forcibly compressed when the ink holding member 16 is inserted into the cartridge body 32. Since a frictional force is generated between the ink holding member 16 and the cartridge body 32 at this time, the ink holding member 16 is not pressed with a tight contact with the inner wall surface 35 of the cartridge body 32, and therefore, strain occurs in the ink holding member 16. Further, in the corner portions 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D, the ink holding member 16 receives frictional forces from two adjacent planes, and since the frictional forces are not uniform, strains easily occur in the ink holding member 16 in the corner portions 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D. As a result, there are portions where the ink holding member 16 and the cartridge body 32 are not brought into tight contact, that is, gaps occur. Particularly, as shown in FIG. 14, the gaps 38 easily occur in the corner portions 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D. Since the gaps 38 thus formed are as fine as several tens of microns, it is very difficult to closely insert the ink holding member 16 into the cartridge body 32.
Further, in another type of ink cartridge, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, an ink holding member 51 is inserted into a hollow cartridge body 52 from an opening provided on the upper portion, and the opening is closed with a lid member 53 in the same manner as the ink cartridge shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In addition, the cartridge body 52 is formed with an ink supply port 54 for supplying ink to the recording head, and an air conductive hole 55 for maintaining the internal space at the atmospheric pressure and making smooth the supply of ink to the recording head through the ink supply port 54.
In the case of such a structure, the ink cartridge is generally manufactured by blocking an opening with the lid member 53 for solvent welding after the cartridge body 52 is filled with ink through the opening in a state in which the ink holding member 51 has been compressed Therefore, the compression force which is exerted on the ink holding member 51 is released after the completion of solvent welding of the lid member 53, the ink holding member 51 intends to expand and return to the original state for filling the entire interior of the ink cartridge. However, the surface of the lid member 53 which is brought into contact with the ink holding member 51 is flat, and the connecting portion between the lid member 53 and the cartridge body 52 is square. Therefore, the ink holding member 51 which has expanded and returned to the original state does not align with the shape of the connecting portion, and gaps 56 (a portion of lower density than other portions) are formed between the ink holding member 51 and the lid member 53. Also, gaps 56 easily occur at the circumferential edge portion of the ink holding member 51 in contact with the cartridge body 52 because it is more difficult to expand and return to the original state than in the central portion because of the friction between the peripheral edge portion and the wall surface.
When such gaps 38, 56 as described above are formed, air will be mixed in the flow of ink within the ink holding member 16, 51, thus making it impossible to stably supply ink to the ink jet head. Therefore, mottle or blur will occur upon a printing operation and further, in the worse case, printing becomes impossible.
Also, when such gaps 38, 56 as described above are formed, ink first flows out along the gaps 38, 56 during ink distributed pouring to cause the ink holding member 16, 51 to absorb ink. And, ink is not uniformly distributed in the entire ink holding member 16, 51, but defectively distributed so that pouring easily occurs. Also, when air is fed to the printing head through the gaps 38, 56 it becomes impossible to accurately eject ink, or even to eject ink from the printing head. In addition, when the gaps 38, 56 are formed, air flows in through the gaps 38, 56, and the complete use of ink also cannot be effected well.