A method and apparatus for pipe pig that is employed in a piping system for the purpose of recovering product. The pipe pig, or simply xe2x80x9cpig,xe2x80x9d is utilized to flush or purge a piping system, which includes a pipe that is normally filled with a product stream. The pig is a substantially solid slug that is introduced into the flow within the pipe. The pipe pig includes at least a component of a product stream and the pig is at least partially frozen to achieve its substantially solid form. The pipe pig is inserted or alternatively formed within a launch chamber that junctions with a pipe. A release valve is opened to allow the pig to enter the pipe. An exterior surface of the launch chamber can be heated to prevent the pig from sticking within the launch chamber or refrigerated to form the pig. The pipe pig can be propelled into the product stream or allowed to fall by gravity or suction alone. Articulations can also be formed into the pipe pig to allow the pig to bend along its length and so allow the pig to travel around elbows and bends in the pipe. Alternatively, a freezing agent can be injected into the pipe that contains the product stream to form the pig. With product recovery using the pig, piping system waste products are minimized.

The invention relates field of product recovery and the flushing of pipelines used in any fluid transfer operation and especially in piping systems utilized in the filling of containers, including bottling lines, can lines and tank filling operations. More specifically, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for a pipe pig that is formed from a substantially frozen product or a component of the product.
Typically, the transfer of liquid materials or products demands a periodic purging or flushing of the pipe carrying the materials. This pipe may be above or below ground, or in a plant setting. Often, a particular piping system must have the ability to handle a wide variety of products or at least periodic changes in product composition. These various products may differ in terms of their viscosity, ranging from high viscosity products such as peanut butter, salad dressings, and frozen concentrated juices; medium viscosity products, such as pharmaceutical products, petroleum products, syrups, oils, soups, stews, and sauces; to low viscosity products such as wine, waters and juices. These products also vary in terms of other properties, such as temperature, pH and suspended solids. Another such property is the presence or absence of carbonation.
The purging of a piping systems results in lost product unless a system of xe2x80x9cproduct recoveryxe2x80x9d is employed. Current product recovery systems are burdened with serious problems. For piping systems, the xe2x80x9cproduct recovery problemxe2x80x9d usually means that periodically, a significant quantity of product in the piping system becomes waste that cannot be economically recovered for later use. The product recovery problem typically arises in several situations with piping system designs. For example, if a piping system is used to fill tanks or containers with a variety of different products over the course of a day or a week, then each time a run for one product ends and a run for a different product begins, a considerable amount of both products becomes unrecoverable waste. Food grade piping systems handle a considerable amount of perishable products, such as carbonated products, which must be maintained at a constant temperature, especially during a bottling or container filling process. Also, pharmaceutical and technical grade products require special handling to ensure product integrity or purity. Any compromise in this purity or control translates to unrecoverable waste at, the end of each work day, or product change or alteration.
Regrettably, much of the unrecoverable product waste currently created by the liquid material processing industry is often literally dumped down the drain, or is stored in tanks or drums to later be reprocessed, taken to a landfill, or, for certain potentially hazardous products, to an appropriate hazardous waste disposal facility. In the case of food and beverage products, this unrecoverable waste is most often dumped down the drain. The xe2x80x9cdrain dumpingxe2x80x9d disposal method costs the processor more than just the value of the wasted product, because this wasted product must be treated before it is reintroduced back into the environment.
For those food processors without their own waste water treatment facility, the liquid waste product dumped into the drain travels through the sewage system to the local sewage treatment facility. The high sugar or carbohydrate content of most wasted food products then causes a population explosion in the bacteria at the sewage treatment facility. The bacteria used by sewage treatment facilities is xe2x80x9caerobicxe2x80x9d bacteria, which means they use up oxygen as they consume sewage waste. Sewage treatment plants maintain a careful balance between their bacteria""s population and the incoming sewage waste, to ensure adequate oxygen for their bacteria to survive. Sewage treatment plants make every effort to ensure that their entire system remains aerobic (with oxygen) rather than anaerobic (without oxygen). Aerobic bacteria do not create offensive odors when they consume sewage waste. Anaerobic bacteria create offensive odors, and are less efficient than aerobic bacteria at disposing of sewage waste. Sewage treatment plants track precisely how much high sugar content industrial waste is dumped into their system, and they charge each company dumping this waste a considerable xe2x80x9cbiological oxygen demandxe2x80x9d (BOD) assessment, which can significantly impact profit.
Sewage treatment plants also track precisely the quantity of suspended solids contained in the waste stream they receive from industrial sources, because the required treatment of these suspended solids is expensive. Suspended solids are present in unfiltered fruit juices, soups, sauces, peanut butter, condiments, and a wide variety of other products. In addition to a monthly B.O.D. assessment, sewage treatment plants also charge their industrial sewage sources a monthly suspended solids assessment.
For those processing companies that elect to build their own waste water treatment facility, they must incur the expense of building, maintaining, and operating their own facility. This cost, which can be considerable, is often incurred primarily because of their decision to dump wasted product down the drain. Accordingly, there is a great need for solutions to the problem of product recovery.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for pipe pig that is employed in a piping system for recovering a product. Specifically, the present invention provides a pipe pig or simply referred to as a xe2x80x9cpigxe2x80x9d and a method of utilizing the pipe pig as an instrument to flush or purge the piping system, which is includes a pipe that is normally filled with a product stream. The pig is a substantially solid slug in the flow of the pipe. The pipe pig includes at least a component of a product stream and the pig is at least partially frozen to achieve its substantially solid form.
A preferred method of the invention includes providing the pipe pig within a launch chamber. The launch chamber has a junction with a pipe. The pipe conducts the product stream past the launch chamber. The pipe pig, as provided within the launch chamber, is substantially frozen and formed from at least a component of the product stream.
A release valve is opened to allow the pipe pig to enter the pipe of the product. Preferably, the release valve is normally closed to partition the launch chamber from the pipe. The release valve is positioned proximate the junction between the launch chamber and the pipe of the product stream. An exterior surface of the launch chamber can be heated to prevent the pipe pig from sticking within the launch chamber when the pipe pig is released into the pipe containing the product stream.
The pipe pig can be either be propelled into the product stream, or allowed to fall by gravity or suction alone. One alternative that can be utilized to propel the pipe pig into the pipe of the product stream is to blow a quantity of an agent into the launch chamber. Additional quantities of the agent can be blown into the launch chamber to further propel the pipe pig within the pipe of the product stream. Blowing the agent into the launch chamber can be utilized to form a slug of agent in the pipe of the process stream, behind the pipe pig.
Articulations can also be formed into the pipe pig. These articulations preferably include slots into the pipe pig. The articulations allow the pipe pig to bend along the length of the pipe pig and so allow the pipe pig to travel around elbows and bends in the pipe.
The pipe pig can be formed external to the launch chamber by freezing a liquid to form the pipe pig and loading the pipe pig into the launch chamber through a chamber access. To prevent the pipe pig from prematurely entering into the pipe from the launch chamber, and also to prevent the product stream from entering the launch chamber and exiting through the chamber access, a released valve located proximate the junction between the launch chamber and the pipe is closed prior to loading the pipe pig into the launch chamber.
In a preferred alternative, the pipe pig can be formed from a semisolid ice material. The semisolid ice material contains at least a component of the product stream. The semisolid ice material is introduced into the launch chamber after closing the release valve. The semisolid material can be formed by first substantially freezing at least a component of the product stream to form a frozen material. The frozen material is then shaved, or in some similar method, reduced into particles of a size that can be introduced into the launch chamber. In this way, the shaved frozen material forms the semisolid ice material.
The pipe pig can be formed within the launch chamber from a liquid, the liquid being at least a component of the product stream. The liquid is substantially frozen within the lunch chamber to form the pipe pig. The freezing of the liquid is preferably accomplished by refrigerating an exterior surface of the launch chamber. Articulations can also be formed along the length of the pipe pig while the pipe pig is formed within the launch chamber. To form articulations into the pipe pig, a plurality of opposed valves are positioned along the length of the launch chamber. This plurality of opposed valves are partially closed prior to freezing the liquid in the launch chamber. The plurality of opposed valves are then opened after the freezing of the liquid. To aid in opening the plurality of opposed valves, heat can be applied to the plurality of opposed valves prior to the opening them.
In a preferred alternative method of forming the pipe pig, a quantity of a super-cooled freezing agent is injected into the pipe that contains the product stream. The freezing agent substantially freezes a portion of the product stream, to form the pipe pig. A propelling agent can then be injected into the pipe of the product stream to propel the pipe pig through the pipe. A filling agent can be injected into the pipe of the process stream to form a slug of the filling agent in the pipe, behind the pipe pig.
The present invention can be employed in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in the processing of petroleum products, chemicals or water, and can be utilized for product recovery in any material handling operation that includes a pipe transfer of a flowable product.
An object of the invention is that the pipe pig is employed as an instrument for product recovery in a piping system. The use of the pipe pig in this way has the advantage of minimizing product losses during product change-out or interruption that would conventionally result in the loss of a significant quantity of product that must be used to flush the pipe line. With product recovery using the pipe pig method of the present invention, the amount of waste product that must be discarded from a piping system when the system is shut down, or a change is made from one product to another, is minimized.
An additional advantage of the invention is that the pipe-pig is formed from at least a component of the process stream flowing within the pipe. This eliminates the need to retrieve the pig from the system. The frozen pipe pig simply melts when it reaches its destination or if it becomes inadvertently lodged within the pipe.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


An ESD protection device may include a substrate, a first conductivity region arranged at least partially within the substrate, a second conductivity region arranged at least partially within the first conductivity region, third and fourth conductivity regions arranged at least partially within the second conductivity region, and first and second terminal portions arranged at least partially within the third and fourth conductivity regions respectively. The third and fourth conductivity regions may be spaced apart from each other. The substrate and the second conductivity region may have a first conductivity type. The first conductivity region, third conductivity region, fourth conductivity region and first and second terminal portions may have a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The first and second terminal portions may have higher doping concentrations than the third and fourth conductivity regions respectively.

Electronic apparatuses can be damaged by ESD voltages higher than the usual voltages supplied to these apparatuses. Accordingly, the electronic apparatuses are often coupled to ESD protection devices to protect them against such damage.
FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view of a prior art ESD protection device 100 including a high voltage npn device. As shown in FIG. 1A, the device 100 includes a deep N type well (Deep NWell) 104 arranged over a P type substrate (P-Sub) 102. The device 100 further includes an N type well (Well) 106 and a P type well (PWell) 108 arranged within the deep N type well 104. A collector portion 110 is arranged within the N type well 106, and a base portion 112 and an emitter portion 114 are arranged within the P type well 108. These portions 110, 112, 114 are isolated from each other and from the sides of the device 100 by isolation regions 116. Further, the collector portion 110 is connected to a collector terminal 118, whereas the base portion 112 and the emitter portion 114 are shorted and are connected to an emitter/base terminal 120. FIG. 1B shows an equivalent circuit of the ESD protection device 100. Referring to FIG. 1B, the shorting of the base portion 112 and the emitter portion 114 of the npn device 100 allows the device 100 to act as a diode between the collector and emitter/base terminals 118, 120. In use, an apparatus to be protected is connected to the collector and emitter/base terminals 118, 120 of the ESD protection device 100. The voltage between these terminals 118, 120 may be referred to as the ESD voltage. When the ESD voltage is below a predefined level, negligible current flows through the npn device 100. However, when the ESD voltage exceeds the predefined level, the npn device 100 turns on to conduct current away from the apparatus, hence protecting the apparatus from damage.
The prior art ESD protection device 100 can only support uni-directional (or in other words, single polarity) high voltage bias. Said differently, the prior art device 100 can sustain a high voltage bias in only one direction. For example, referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the high voltage bias can only be applied in the direction from the emitter/base terminal 120 to the collector terminal 118 for the device 100 to operate as an effective ESD protection device. Otherwise, if the voltage at the emitter/base terminal 120 is much higher (e.g. more than 0.7V higher) than the voltage at the collector terminal 118, the device 100 is forward biased and may turn on to conduct current away from the apparatus, even when the voltage bias between the terminals 118, 120 is below the above-mentioned predefined level.
To form an ESD protection device that can support bi-directional (or in other words, dual polarity) high voltage bias, two npn devices 100 may be coupled together. FIG. 1C shows an equivalent circuit of a prior art ESD protection device 120 that can support bi-directional high voltage bias. As shown in FIG. 1C, the ESD protection device 120 includes a back to back stack of the npn devices 100. In particular, the ESD protection device 120 includes two npn devices 100 connected to each other via their collectors 110. This forms two diodes biased in opposite directions, allowing the device 120 to sustain bi-directional high voltage bias. However, such an ESD protection device 120 is large as its silicon footprint is almost double that of the npn device 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. Further, due to the stacking of the npn devices 100, the clamping ability of the ESD protection device 120 tends to be poor and the on-resistance of the ESD protection device 120 tends to be high.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a smaller ESD protection device with better clamping ability and lower on-resistance that can support bi-directional high voltage bias.

Electrostatic discharge protection device


Hybrid human interferon-α polypeptides, and the corresponding nucleic acid molecules, are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising these peptides, and the use of these polypeptides to treat viral disease and regulate cell growth are also provided.

Interferons are cytokines produced by a variety of eukaryotic cells upon exposure to certain environmental stimuli, including mitogens, endotoxins, double stranded RNA, and viral infection. In addition to having antiviral properties, interferons have been shown to affect a wide variety of cellular functions. These effects include inhibition of cell proliferation, immune regulatory functions and activation of multiple cellular genes. Interferons (IFNs) have been classified into four groups according to their chemical, immunological, and biological characteristics: α(leukocyte), β(fibroblast), γ, and ω. IFNs are further identified by the eukaryote in which they originated, with HuIFN indicating human interferon, for instance.
HuIFN-αs are encoded by a multigene family consisting of about 20 genes; each gene encodes a single subtype of the HuIFN-α. Amino acid sequence identity among IFN-αsubtypes is generally 80-85% (Horisberger and Di Marco 1995). HuIFN-α polypeptides are produced by a number of human cell lines and human leukocyte cells after exposure to viruses or double-stranded RNA, or in transformed leukocyte cell lines (e.g., lymphoblastoid lines).
IFN-αs act through interaction with cell-surface receptors and induce the expression, primarily at the transcriptional level, of a broad but specific set of cellular genes. Several IFN-induced gene products have been used as markers for the biological activity of interferons. These include, for instance, ISG15, ISG54, IRF1, GBP, and IP10.
Individual IFN-αsubtypes have different biological activities. For instance, it was recognized early in interferon research that IFN-α1 and IFN-α2 have distinct target-cell specificities. Human IFN-α2 shows high specific activity on bovine and human cells (similar to most HuIFN-αs), whereas human IFN-α1 shows high activity only on bovine cells.
Interferon activities were first characterized in relation to viral infections, and IFN-αs have proven to be remarkably effective antiviral agents. The current definition of IFN activity units is expressed in virological terms. There are many assays known to those skilled in the art that measure the degree of resistance of cells to viruses (McNeill, 1981). These assays generally can be categorized into three types: inhibition of cytopathic effect; virus plaque formation; and reduction of virus yield. Viral cytopathic effect assays measure the degree of protection induced in cell cultures pretreated with IFN and subsequently infected with viruses. Vesicular stomatitis virus, for instance, is an appropriate virus for use in such an assay. This type of assay is convenient for screening numerous different IFNs, as it can be performed in 96-well plates (Rubinstein et al., 1981). Plaque-reduction assays measure the resistance of IFN-treated cell cultures to a plaque-forming virus (for instance, measles virus). One benefit to this assay is that it allows precise measurement of a 50% reduction in plaque formation. Finally, virus yield assays measure the amount of virus released from cells during, for instance, a single growth cycle. Such assays are useful for testing the antiviral activity of IFNs against viruses that do not cause cytopathic effects, or that do not build plaques in target-cell cultures. The multiplicity of infection (moi) is an important factor to consider when using either plaque-reduction or virus-yield assays.
Other clinically important interferon characteristics are also easily assayed in the laboratory setting. One such characteristic is the ability of an interferon polypeptide to bind to specific cell-surface receptors. For instance, some IFN-αs exhibit different cell-surface properties compared to IFN-α2b, the IFN most widely used in clinical trials. While IFN-α2b is an effective antiviral agent, it causes significant adverse side effects. Interferons that exhibit distinct binding properties from IFN-α2b may not cause the same adverse effects. Therefore, interferons that compete poorly with IFN-α2b for binding sites on cells are of clinical interest. Competitive interferon binding assays are well known in the art (Hu et al., 1993; Di Marco et al., 1994). In general, such assays involve incubation of cell culture cells with a mixture of 125I-labeled IFN-α2b and an unlabeled interferon of interest. Unbound interferon is then removed, and the amount of bound label (and by extension, bound 125I-labeled IFN-α2b) is measured. By comparing the amount of label that binds to cells in the presence or absence of competing interferons, relative binding affinities can be calculated.
Another prominent effect of IFN-αs is their ability to inhibit cell growth, which is of major importance in determining anti-tumor action. Growth inhibition assays are well established, and usually depend on cell counts or uptake of tritiated thymidine ([3H]thymidine) or another radiolabel. The human lymphoblastoid Daudi cell line has proven to be extremely sensitive to IFN-αs, and it has been used to measure antiproliferative activity in many IFN-αs and derived hybrid polypeptides (Meister et al., 1986). Use of this cell line has been facilitated by its ability to be grown in suspension cultures (Evinger and Pestka, 1981).
IFN-αs also exhibit many immunomodulatory activities (Zoon et al., 1986).
Although IFNs were first discovered by virologists, their first clinical use (in 1979) was as therapeutic agents for myeloma (Joshua et al., 1997). IFN-αs have since been shown to be efficacious against a myriad of diseases of viral, malignant, angiogenic, allergic, inflammatory, and fibrotic origin (Tilg, 1997). For instance, IFN-α is the only drug that is currently approved for treatment of hepatitis C in Europe and North America (Moussalli et al., 1998), and is the treatment of choice for chronic acute hepatitis B and AIDS-related Karposi's sarcoma. It has also proven efficacious in the treatment of metastatic renal carcinoma and chronic myeloid leukemia (Williams and Linch, 1997). Clinical uses of IFNs are reviewed in Gresser (1997) and Pfeffer (1997).
Standard recombinant techniques have become useful methods for the production and modification of IFN-α proteins (Streuli et al., 1981; Horisberger and Di Marco 1995; Rehberg et al., 1982; Meister et al., 1986; Fidler et al., 1987; Sperber et al., 1993; Mitsui et al., 1993; Muller et al., 1994; and Zav'Yalov and Zav'Yalov 1997). One such recombinant modification is the formation of hybrid IFN molecules. Hybrid IFNs contain fragments of two or more different interferon polypeptides, functionally fused together. The first IFN-αhybrids were designed to study molecular structure-function relationships. Much research has since been directed toward the production of hybrid IFNs that combine different biological properties of the parental proteins. Some hybrid IFNs display biological activity that is significantly different from that of both parent molecules (Horisberger and Di Marco 1995). For instance, certain early IFN-α/IFN-α hybrids acquired the novel property of very high activity on mouse cells (Streuli et al., 1980; Rehberg et al., 1982).
The techniques used by researchers to generate hybrid IFN polypeptides have evolved through time (Horisberger and Di Marco 1995). Early researchers took advantage of the presence of naturally occurring restriction endonuclease (RE) cleavage sites within IFN-encoding sequences to piece together homologous coding fragments. (See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,761 "Hybrid Interferons"). Though convenient, this was a limited method in that only so many of such pre-existing RE sites occurred in each IFN coding sequence. In addition, the location of each restriction site was fixed, making the possible combinations relatively small. More recently, researchers have used PCR amplification to create specific desired nucleic acid fragments, thereby gaining the ability to piece together new pieces of different IFNs (Horton et al., 1989).
A number of U.S. patents discuss various hybrid IFNs, how to produce them, and how to use them to treat patients. Many such patents relate to inter-group (multi-class) hybrid IFNs, wherein portions of the final hybrid are taken from at least two different interferon classification groups (e.g., α and β). For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,428 ("Multiclass hybrid interferons") describes the multi-class hybrid IFN HuIFN-α1 (1-73)/HuIFN-β1(74-166), and its use in pharmaceutical compositions to treat viral infections and tumorous growths in animal patients. Another such patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,033 "Structure and properties of modified interferons") discloses the making of constructs that encode hybrid interferons comprising amino- and carboxy-terminal fragments of HuIFN-β fused to an internal sequence (amino acid residues 36-46) of a HuIFN-α. This patent also discloses the purification of the encoded hybrid IFN polypeptide and its use in pharmaceutical formulations.
Intra-group hybrid interferons (e.g., α1/α8 hybrids) have also been described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,761 ("Hybrid interferons") provides a good example of such intra-group hybrids. This patent discloses the construction, purification, use, and pharmaceutical preparation of various fusions hybrids between HuIFN-α1 and HuIFN-α8, where as many as four distinct IFN-α fragments have been used to construct the fusion. The construction, purification, and use of similar IFN-α hybrids to treat animal patients are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,720 ("Antiviral combination, and method of treatment").
It is to such engineered, recombinant intra-group hybrid interferon molecules that the present invention is directed.

The Government of the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services


There is provided a power control apparatus including a power supply control unit that executes power supply control with respect to a device connected to a power supply line, a connector that is connected to a cable to perform versatile communication between the power supply control unit and an external device, and a switch that is provided at a predetermined position of a circumferential portion of the connector and physically intercepts the versatile communication between the power supply control unit and the external device.

The present disclosure relates to a power control apparatus.
An alternating current is generated in a power plant to generate power and the alternating current is transmitted through a power line. The alternating current is converted into a direct current in an adapter or an electronic apparatus and is then used. However, the direct current is preferably supplied to the electronic apparatus, in terms of efficiency. Therefore, technology relating to direct-current power supply has developed.
Recently, with a surge of a power demand, power generation using natural energy such as solar power generation or wind power generation has attracted attention. However, because power generated by a solar battery is a direct current, after the direct current is converted into an alternating current, the alternating current should be converted into the direct current again, and this is inefficient. Therefore, supply of the direct-current power becomes more important in the future.
A power supply bus system in which a power supply block to supply power to an apparatus such as a battery or an AC adapter and a power consumption block receiving the power from the power supply block are connected to one common bus line for a direct current has been suggested (for example, refer to JP 2001-306191A and JP 2008-123051A). In such a power supply bus system, the direct current flows through the bus line. In the power supply bus system, the individual blocks are described as objects and the objects of the individual blocks mutually exchange information (state data) through the bus line. The object of each block generates information (state data) on the basis of a request from the object of the other block and transmits the information as reply data. The object of the block that has received the reply data can control supply or consumption of power, on the basis of the content of the received reply data.


A communication device is disclosed which is comprised of: a transmitter for transmitting an ultra wide band wireless wave pulse; multiple receivers which are disposed equidistant from the transmitter and receive the ultra wide band wireless wave pulse; and distance-measuring equipment which detects a distance or a direction to an object by measuring time intervals between the first reception times when receivers receive the ultra wide band wireless wave pulse directly from the transmitter and the second reception times when the receivers receive a object-reflected wave of the ultra wide band wireless wave pulse.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication device, a vehicle-installed system, a communication system, and an anti-theft system, in particular to the same that utilize an ultra wide band (UWB) wireless wave.
2. Description of the Related Art
A UWB wireless system is a wireless system in which communication is carried out by using significantly wide-range frequency-band and narrow pulses of about several GHz or several tens of GHz and less than 1 ns.
FIG. 1 shows a wave shape of transmitted data of the wireless communication system and FIG. 2 shows a frequency band of the wireless communication system. FIG. 1B illustrates the wave shape of PSK (phase sift keying) and FIG. 1A illustrates the wave shape of UWB.
Communication is carried out by generating a narrow-wide pulse, called as an impulse, in a data train that is less than 1 ns. Since the UWB system can avoid the necessity for continuously generating a carrier as in the PSK system shown in FIG. 1B, it requires less power consumption than the communication system in which information is superimposed on a carrier such as PSK.
Further, a narrow pulse, which is used in the UWB system, has good permeability of being able to pass through a wall such as a gypsum-board wall, a wood wall, a concrete wall and others. For this reason, various applications have been examined.
However, since the transmit power is restrained up to a radiation electromagnetic noise limit level in the UWB system, as shown in FIG. 2, there has been no other choice but to shorten the communication distance.
With respect to the prior art, reference may be made to JP08-511341 A, which discloses a radar using the UWB system.
A traditional UWB wireless system has its application area in radar system art. However, since the communication distance is short, application to typical radar system or communication system involves difficulties.
Therefore, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a communication device, a vehicle-installed system, a communication system, and an anti-theft system that can make advantageous use of the characteristics of the UWB communication system.

Communication device using an UWB wireless wave


The present invention provides an information monitoring apparatus and an information monitoring method which make it possible to prevent personal information from being acquired by a disclosure requester for the purpose of an unfair use thereof. The information monitoring apparatus includes: a means for storing therein acquired attribute information corresponding to at least one acquired attribute which has already been acquired by an acquisitor, a means for, on the basis of the acquired attribute information and disclosed attribute information corresponding to a disclosed attribute targeted for disclosure to the acquisitor, determining whether or not attribute synthetic information resulting from synthesizing the acquired attribute and the disclosed attribute satisfies each of predetermined one or more determination conditions, and a means for executing predetermined protection processing on an attribute on the basis of the result of the determination.

Various related technologies for monitoring and controlling disclosure of personal information and attribute information have been known.
For example, in patent literature (PTL) 1, a personal information management server has been disclosed. The personal information management server disclosed in PTL 1 includes a personal information accumulation unit, a disclosure policy accumulation unit and a personal information disclosure control unit.
The personal information accumulation unit accumulates pieces of personal information.
The disclosure policy accumulation unit accumulates personal information disclosure policies in each of which disclosure conditions for use in determination of a disclosure propriety regarding the personal information are prescribed.
The personal information disclosure control unit receives a request for disclosure of a piece of personal information regarding one of predetermined users (subjects possessing respective pieces of personal information accumulated in the personal information accumulation unit) from a disclosure requester's terminal. When having received the request for disclosure thereof, subsequently, the personal information disclosure control unit retrieves a personal information disclosure policy corresponding to the predetermined user from the disclosure policy accumulation unit. Subsequently, the personal information disclosure control unit determines a disclosure propriety regarding a piece of personal information corresponding to the request for disclosure on the basis of the retrieved personal information disclosure policy. In the case where the determination regarding the disclosure propriety results in that the disclosure is approved, subsequently, the personal information disclosure control unit transmits the piece of personal information regarding the predetermined user, which is accumulated in the personal information accumulation unit, to the disclosure requester's terminal. In contrast, in the case where the determination regarding the disclosure propriety results in that the disclosure is disapproved, the personal information disclosure control unit transmits a disclosure disapproval notification to the disclosure requester's terminal.
[Patent Literature]
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-031578

Information monitoring apparatus and information monitoring method


A method for minimizing search time and disruption of current service on an originating frequency during a frequency search excursion to a target frequency as part of an inter-frequency hard handoff between cells on different RF CDMA channels. Disruption of service on the current frequency during the frequency search excursion to the target frequency is minimized by increasing the amount of power allocated to other symbols of two consecutive frames impacted by the search excursion as a function of the search excursion time. The mobile station tunes to a target frequency and collects chip samples, which are stored in a memory buffer. The mobile station returns to the originating frequency to process the collected samples.

1. Field
The invention relates to wireless communication system, and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for providing hard handoffs between cells in such systems.
2. Background
In a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, the vast majority of handoffs happen between cells on the same CDMA channel and use soft handoff procedures. On some occasions, the mobile stations need to perform a handoff between cells on different CDMA channels where such channels are at different radio frequencies (FR), often denoted as inter-frequency hard handoff. Such situations are typically, but not limited to, either a handoff between different operators, a handoff between different RF channels allocated for capacity reasons, or a handoff between different signal modulation technologies.
Before affecting an inter-frequency hard handoff, the mobile station is directed by the base station to tune to the new target frequency, measure the radio environment (e.g., pilot signal strength of the received signals, etc.), and report the measurement back to the base station. Such a procedure is specified in TIA/EIA□95□B and greatly enhances the probability of success of an inter-frequency handoff.
An essential requirement of the measurement on the target frequency often referred to, as "search excursion," is to minimize the disruption of the current service on the originating frequency. Handoffs to a second frequency without adequate prior sampling could result in poor signal performance. On the other hand, sampling for long periods of time may cause the signal at the first frequency to be lost completely. The method described below permits the mobile station to minimize the search time and to limit the disruption of service.

Method and system for performing a handoff in a wireless communication system, such as a hard handoff


Disclosed is a gas sensor. The gas sensor comprises: a substrate; a thermoelectric layer which is disposed on the substrate and has a metal nanowire; a first electrode and a second electrode disposed to be spaced apart from each other on the thermoelectric layer; and a catalyst layer which is disposed on the first electrode and has a composite structure in which a metal particle is bonded to a carbon structure.

In general, a gas sensor identifies gas molecules by using adsorption reaction properties when the gas molecules touch a solid surface. In other words, the gas sensor operates based on the principle of measuring the amount of harmful gas by using the properties in which the electrical conductivity varies according to the degree of adsorption of the gas molecules. The gas sensor are mainly used for early detection of flammable or toxic gas to respond quickly. Numerous gas sensors using various detection techniques have been developed, and the gas sensor may be classified into an electrochemical type, a catalytic combustion type, a solid electrolyte type, a semiconductor type according to the detection principle.
In particular, although hydrogen gas is in much spotlight as an eco-friendly energy resource that may replace fossil fuels in the future, more precise and complete management and processing are required because hydrogen may explode caused by a small spark or heat and sunlight in an environment where hydrogen gas having a high concentration is mixed. Hydrogen gas has a wide explosive concentration range between 4% and 75% under normal circumstances. Accordingly, a hydrogen sensor can prevent hydrogen from being leaked when an accurate and fast measurement is available in the range excluding the explosive range, that is, the range within the hydrogen gas range of 4% or less, and the hydrogen sensor can be applied to a wider range when there is no effect from nitrogen, oxygen and water vapor (including humidity) present in the atmosphere or from the temperature, or when the effect is slight as possible. In addition, a commercialization may be substantially possible only when the hydrogen sensor has the very low power consumption and the compact size as well as the price competitiveness such that the hydrogen sensor is applied in the field of Internet of things (IoT) in the future. Hydrogen sensors using various principles have been developed so far.
In general, hydrogen sensors using contact combustion type, hot wire type, thermoelectric type, semiconductor type, electrochemical type, and metal absorption type schemes have been researched. Each operation scheme has advantages and disadvantages, however, a semiconductor type or thermoelectric type having a low power consumption, a compact size and a simple measurement is spotlighted as a next generation hydrogen sensor. However, the semiconductor type has low sensitivity due to a low reactivity with physically stable hydrogen gas at a surface of a semiconductor material. In the case of the thermoelectric type, sufficient researches have not been conducted and there is no commercial product so far.
To solve the above conventional problems, various technologies related to the hydrogen gas sensor have been developed. For example, Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0123022 (Application No.: 10-2010-0042437. Applicant: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of the University of Seoul) discloses a hydrogen sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, the hydrogen sensor including: a silicon substrate, an insulating layer deposited on a surface of the substrate, A heater and an electrode formed on the insulating layer, a protective layer formed on the heater and the insulating layer where the heater is not formed to insulate between the heater and the electrode, and a catalyst layer connected between the electrodes on the protective layer.
Further, various technologies for forming fine patterns have been continuously researched and developed.
(Patent Document) Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0123022

Gas sensor comprising composite structure including graphene and metal particle bonded to each other and method for manufacturing same

INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY ERICA CAMPUS


A wireless-controlled airplane includes a flying unit and an on-ground controller which is connected to the flying unit through a communication section and flies the flying unit. The flying unit includes a body, a drive section installed on the body, a propulsion apparatus which generates a propulsive force when driven by the drive section, a main wing including a plurality of wing elements which are installed so as to be able to move with respect to each other, an opening and closing mechanism which changes the relative positions of the wing elements to change the effective area of the main wing, and a dropping apparatus which selectively holds and drops a load. By changing the effective area of the main wing, the flight speed can be changed, so the capacity and size of the drive section for rotating the propulsion apparatus can be decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless-controlled airplane.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a conventional wireless-controlled airplane is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. H8-33772. That airplane includes a propeller for generating a propulsive force and a kite wing for generating lift. The front portion of the airplane and a vertical tail wing are connected by a body, the kite wing is installed above the body, and the propeller is installed between the kite wing and the body.
In the above-described conventional wireless-controlled airplane, in order to increase the flight speed during flight, it is conceivable to either raise and lower flaps or to change the rotational speed of the propeller. However, raising and lowering the flaps changes the lift which is generated, so it is preferable to change the flight speed by changing the rotational speed of the propeller.
In the case where the rotational speed of the propeller is changed so as to increase the flight speed, it is necessary to increase the capacity of a motor (drive section) for rotating the propeller. This results in the wireless-controlled airplane increasing in size. Therefore, when the wireless-controlled airplane is used to transport a load, it becomes difficult to guarantee space in the airplane for housing the load.


A device for eliminating oil particles from the crankcase ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine. The device is located in the flow duct of the gas that runs from the crankcase to an induction tract of the engine. The device includes an oil separator in the form of an outlet for the gas with a deflection of the flow, causing the oil particles to be deposited on a baffle surface and thus to be eliminated from the crankcase ventilation gas flow. The device has an infeed cross-section, which lies upstream of the baffle surface when viewed from the flow direction of the crankcase ventilation gas, and which is sub-divided into several infeed sub-sections. The baffle surface is a solid surface that is devoid of perforations. The baffle surface is configured on a valve body, which lies downstream of the infeed sub-sections when viewed in the flow direction of the gas, and which is pre-tensioned by a force. The valve body can be displaced in the opening direction in opposition to the pre-tension, as a result of the differential pressure in the gas between the crankcase and the induction tract.

The present invention relates to a device for eliminating oil particles from the crankcase ventilation gas in an internal combustion engine, wherein the device is arranged in the flow duct of the crankcase ventilation gas that runs from the crankcase to an induction tract of the internal combustion machine and wherein the device exhibits an oil separator in the form of an outlet for the crankcase ventilation gas with a deflection of the flow, as a result of which oil particles are deposited on a baffle surface and thus eliminated from the crankcase ventilation flow.
A device for deoiling crankcase ventilation gas in an internal combustion is known from EP 1 285 152 B1, wherein the device exhibits at least one oil separator as well as a bypass duct bypassing the oil separator. In the bypass duct at least one means is provided which opens and closes the bypass duct dependent on a differential pressure. In the process the bypass duct and the means for opening and closing of the bypass duct are constructed in such a way that in the case of an opened bypass duct as a result of the deflection of the flow and impact separation a deoiling of the crankcase ventilation gas in the bypass duct is effected. In the normal operation of this device the bypass duct is however closed and the total volume flow of the crankcase ventilation gases flows through the oil separator, which is preferably constructed here as a cyclone separator. Only in the case of extraordinarily great quantities of crankcase ventilation gas is the bypass duct additionally opened, after which the oil separator, here the cyclone separator, and the bypass duct are then flowed through in parallel to the crankcase ventilation gas. With regard to the relatively fine particle sizes of the oil particles in the crankcase ventilation gas the bypass duct with the means for opening and closing the bypass duct located within possesses only a relatively poor oil separation effect, so that with this bypass duct and the means provided within for opening and closing the bypass duct only in combination with another oil separator, here preferably a cyclone separator, is a sufficient total degree of separation achieved.
A device for the separation of gas and liquid particles in a mixture of gas and fluid particles flowing in a line and a method for the separation thereof are known from DE 100 51 307 A1. This device comprises a line in which the mixture flows. A baffle element is arranged in the line which gives rise to the separating eddy current and thus separates gas on the one hand and liquid particles on the other from one another. The baffle element is preferably constructed here in the form of a baffle plate which is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line. Also in the case of this known device the degree of separation with regard to relatively fine particle sizes, in particular as they are present in the crankcase ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine, is relatively low. Therewith this known device is only suitable for applications in which the liquid particles are relatively large.
DE 103 20 215 A1 shows an oil separation device for an internal combustion engine, which is inserted in a flow path for blow-by gas loaded with oil particles between the crankcase and the induction tract of the internal combustion engine and which exhibits an oil separator with a narrowed outlet, through which the flow of the oil-loaded blow-by gas is conducted and deflected, wherein oil particles are separated at a wall, from which the oil particles flow back to the crankcase in an oil return. Further provision is made here that the at least one outlet is formed by a gap of small, variable gap width and great gap passage cross-sections, wherein the gap width is changed dependent on the volume flow of the blow-by gas through the gap against elastic force. The elastic force can in the process be applied by means of a coil spring or one or more spring tongues. The separation of the oil particles takes place by means of deflection and precipitation at a baffle surface, which is either a surface radially surrounding the coil spring at a distance or is a baffle surface developed at the spring tongue. Also in the case of this known device the degree of separation effect is high only in the case of relatively large oil particles due to the comparatively slight deflection of the gas flow, while it is lower for fine oil particles which predominate in the crankcase ventilation gas.
The older DE 10 2004 049 089 A1 which was published later shows a device for the separation of liquid from a gas flow of a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, with an input duct flow connected to the crankcase, an output duct flow connected to an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine and a separation valve arranged between the input duct and the output duct, which exhibits respectively a closing body that can be moved axially with regard to a valve axis and a valve seat cooperating with the closing body. In the process several separation valves are provided which are connected to each other in parallel and which serve as fine separators and/or finest separators.
Preferably the closing bodies of the separation valves are constructed disk-shaped, plate-shaped, latticed or shaped like perforated plates. In the case of an exemplary embodiment of the device in accordance with this publication the closing bodies and the valve openings are constructed latticed or shaped like perforated plates and exhibit several through openings arranged in rows and gaps, wherein valve reinforcing ribs are arranged between the through openings. The through openings of the closing bodies are displaced in such a way to the through openings of the valve openings that in the case of the resting of the closing body on the valve seat the through openings of the closing body through the valve reinforcing ribs of the valve openings and vice versa are closed. Due to the latticed structure in the case of the removal of the closing body from the valve seat many narrow valve gaps are formed, which should make possible a good fine separation.
In the case of this device it is considered disadvantageous that it exhibits a relatively low separation effect with regard to the in particular fine oil droplets carried in the gas flow. In the case of the design of the device with closing bodies and valve openings that are latticed or shaped like perforated plates there is a risk of valve float, which is unfavorable for the function of the device and which can lead to a premature wear and tear and with it failure of the device. In addition the precise geometrical correspondence between ribs on the movable element and the passages on the stationary element in practice with limited technical expenditure can only be achieved with difficulty. A precise radial suspension and anti-twist protection of the unit are required for this. Such an arrangement is impaired in its function through deposits and dirt accumulations.
A pneumatic pressure control valve is known from the older DE 20 2004 013 123 U1 which was published later, said pressure control valve being arranged in the flow of a gas line, whose outlet can be changed automatically by means of the pressure control valve in dependency on the differential pressure between one or more gas pressures present at least one inlet of the pressure control valve. In the process a regulating membrane is provided in the pressure control valve which is impacted on the one hand by a reference pressure and on the other hand by the gas pressure or the gas pressures as well as by a control spring, as a result of which in the case of the change of the reference pressure between the regions adjacent to the regulating membrane the regulating membrane is adjusted and the regulating membrane itself or a closing body actuated by the regulating membrane enlarges or reduces the outlet through a flow cross-section of the pressure control valve. In the process a structure of the pressure control valve adjacent to the flow cross-section on the membrane side forms a stop for the regulating membrane or for the closing body in its closed position. Further at least one preliminary stop is arranged in the pressure control valve in such a way that in the case of the movement of the regulating membrane in closing direction the regulating membrane or the closing body comes into contact with the preliminary stop first and wherein in the case of further movement of the regulating membrane in closing direction the regulating membrane or the closing body then under (further) elastic flexible deformation further reduces the outlet and reaches a final position also in contact with the stop. Further in the process the preliminary stop is formed by at least one open preliminary stop structure lying in the flow cross-section plane on the membrane or closing body side.
With the plane, open preliminary stop structure the pressure control valve, along with its pressure control function, should additionally be given the function of a liquid separator at least to a certain extent. The open preliminary stop structure lies in the flow cross-section, so that a gas with liquid droplets flows first in radial direction from the outside to the inside parallel to the membrane or closing body and then is deflected in axial direction and flows through the individual openings of the preliminary stop structure. In the process at least the larger liquid droplets impact within the openings of the preliminary stop on the latter and can thus be separated from the gas flow.
In the case of this pressure control valve the preliminary stop structure serves first and foremost the purpose of influencing the pressure control behavior in terms of a most constant possible pressure on the inlet side of the pressure control valve. The membrane or the closing body do not form a baffle surface here, because the gas flow direction runs first parallel to the plane of the membrane or of the closing body radially from the outside to the inside and then is deflected in an axial direction through the openings of the preliminary stop structure. Additionally, to achieve the previously mentioned separation effect for liquid droplets carried in the gas an enlarged installation space is necessary, which in the case of narrow space conditions can lead to accommodation problems.
For the present invention therefore one is confronted with the problem of creating a device of the initially named type which avoids the foregoing described disadvantages and with which in the case of a slight technical expenditure an improved degree of separation effect, also with regard to fine oil particles, is achieved. In the process the device should also serve as the controller for controlling the gas volume flows conducted away from the crankcase.

Device for eliminating oil particles from the crankcase ventilation gas in an internal combustion engine


A developing device and a developer cartridge are provided. The developing device includes a first housing that receives a developing roller; a second housing that is disposed adjacent to and detachable from the first housing and stores developer; first and second communication paths that allow an inside of the first housing to communicate with an inside of the second housing and an agitator that is provided within the second housing and conveys the developer from the first communication path toward the second communication path. The developing cartridge includes a housing that stores developer and an agitator including a rotational shaft that is disposed in one direction and a first blade that is provided at a midpoint in the axial direction of the rotational shaft and conveys the developer from the midpoint in the axial direction of the rotational shaft to both end portions of the rotational shaft.

There has been proposed a developing device, which is detachably installed in an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer.
For example, JP-A-9-319202 describes a related art developing device including a unit frame having a partitioned developing chamber for receiving an auger roller, a supply roller, and a developing roller, and a toner cartridge detachably attached to the unit frame.
In the related art developing device, a toner supply port is formed at a central position (the central position in the axial direction of the developing roller) of the unit frame and the toner cartridge, and toner suction ports are formed at both sides of the toner supply port.
Toner stored in the toner cartridge is supplied from the toner supply port to an inside of the developing chamber. Thereafter, the toner is supplied to a supply roller, and then from the supply roller to the developing roller, and is carried on the developing roller. In contrast, the toner which has not been supplied to the supply roller is conveyed by the auger roller from the central position toward both end portions, and thereafter, the toner returns to the inside of the toner cartridge from the toner suction ports. Accordingly, the toner circulates and the flowability of the toner is secured.
However, when the toner supply port at the central position supplies toner from the toner cartridge to the inside of the developing chamber, and the toner suction ports at both sides return the toner from the developing chamber to the inside of the toner cartridge, in some cases the toner conveyed by the auger roller from the central position toward both end portions is not returned to the inside of the toner cartridge from the toner suction ports but is left accumulated at both sides within the developing chamber. In these cases, the toner accumulation may cause toner having different degrees of deterioration to become mixed within the developing chamber or the toner cartridge, thus deteriorating image quality.

Developing device and developer cartridge


A nuclear medicine technique for detecting and localizing carcinomas in the breasts of patients with dense breast. In the method, a patient with dense breast is administering a dose of Technetium-99m Sestamibi, or another nuclear medicine substance which selectively accumulates in breast carcinomas. The breast is then imaged with a nuclear medicine detector to image the carcinomas with the accumulated nuclear medicine agent and localize the carcinomas in real time and in three dimensions. The imaging can be done in a first plane with the detector perpendicular to a lateral side of the breast and also in a second plane parallel to the patient's chest wall.

1. Field of the Art
This invention relates to the field of breast lesion localization and biopsy, and more particularly to a method for localizing a breast lesion by nuclear medicine detection in three dimensions and in real-time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The occurrence of breast cancer is a leading cause of death for women. Women are advised to conduct breast self examination for palpable lumps or bumps on a monthly basis, and after the age of 40, to undergo mammography at least on a bi-annual basis in order to detect nonpalpable lesions. Presently, special roentgenography, or x-ray techniques for photographically studying the mammary gland, or breast, are utilized to locate lesion with greater success than with self-examination, particularly with small lesion located deep in the breast. However, one major problem with traditional x-ray mammography is that there is little selectivity in what is imaged. In addition to malignant carcinoma tumors, generally harmless calcifications, proliferative changes., fibroadenomas, and fibrocystic changes show up. Indeed, while x-ray mammography has a high sensitivity of 85-90%, it currently predicts malignancy in only about 20-30% of mammography suspicious lesions. Since the radiologist has great difficulty in distinguishing malignancy from harmless lesions, biopsy and tissue cultures must be carried out to determine if the lesion is malignant. In fact, in around 80% of the cases where biopsies are performed, the lesions prove not to be malignant.
In order to effectively conduct the x-ray mammography, the patient's breast being imaged must be compressed with great and uncomfortable force to squeeze the breast to a thickness of about three to four and a half centimeters so that the x-rays can adequately penetrate the breast and develop the film lying behind the breast. This process must be conducted in two separate planes. First, the breast is compressed in a horizontal plane, so a cranial and caudal projection can be taken. The next projection taken is a mediolateral oblique view, wherein the breast is compressed in a vertical plane. These two initial views taken together make up the screening mammography.
The radiologist will then read the x-ray negatives to determine if there are any lesions or other signs of lesions in the breast. If the radiologist sees any suspicious lesions, then "special views" are taken. Actually, the same views as in a screening are carried out, except that the compressed breast is slightly displaced from the film plate to effect magnification of any lesions in the breast. If the radiologist finds a suspicious lesion, a biopsy needle will be inserted into the lesion site of the anesthetized breast.
After the needle is placed in the breast, another x-ray image will be taken, to determine how close the tip of the needle is to the lesion. Several adjustments of the needle and several x-ray photographs may be required to position the needle at the lesion site. Once the biopsy needle is positioned near the lesion site, a hooked guide wire will be pushed through the biopsy needle and hooked onto the lesion. The guide wire provides the surgeon with a traceable path to the lesion. The surgeon will then remove either a sample of the lesion (i.e. by aspiration biopsy), or the entire lesion in surgical biopsy procedure, and the tissue removed will be examined by the oncologist. This process is time consuming, painful, physically scaring, and expensive. The patient will then wait a few agonizing days to learn of the test results. Again, since by x-ray mammography the radiologist cannot readily distinguish between malignant and non-malignant lesions, when suspicious lesions are located, biopsy is required. Since statistically 80% of all lesions are non-malignant, present x-ray mammography technique results in many unnecessary biopsies.
Several approaches have been explored to better locate the position of the lesion in a patient's breast by x-ray mammography. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,232 to Levene uses computerized device to accurately detect the position of lesions in the breast, and to position the biopsy needle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,520 to Pellegrino et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,142 to Siczek et al. provide automated breast lesion locator imaging and biopsy systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,523 to Hotchikiss, Jr. et al. discloses a device and method for precisely positioning the tip of a probe into a breast lesion. Radiopaque markers are used to identify the position of the lesion relative to a fenestrate compression grid. To determine the depth of the lesion in the breast, a certain amount of trial and error is required. A similar system is provided by the method and apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,478 to Chen. The Chen apparatus used a radiolucent compression support plate with calibration marks, with a movable biopsy needle support guide, so that the biopsy needle can be positioned with its tip in the lesion. Notwithstanding the improvements provided by these x-ray mammography devices, major problems remain in that many unnecessary biopsies will still be to be performed.
Another new, experimental method utilizes contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) mammography, and is disclosed in "MR Mammographic Localization, Work in Progress", by K. Hussman et al. Radiology, Vol. 189, No. 3, pp. 915-917. By this method, after MR resonance enhancing agents are injected into the patient's bloodstream, her breast being examined is placed in an open box with two fenestrated perpendicular side walls. The position of the lesion in the X, Y and Z coordinates is noted, and the precise position of the biopsy needle will then be sought to be located. Since the magnetic resonance apparatus is quite narrow to enter, the needle must be inserted after the patient's breast is imaged. To avoid the breast shifting in the box, the breast is best temporarily adhered to the box with medical grade adhesive. The technique of the Hussman et al. device, is highly uncomfortable, cumbersome, and expensive, and makes this approach disfavored.
Recently, the use of Technetium-99m Sestamibi (sold under the name Cardiolite.RTM., by the DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Co., North Billerica, Mass.) has been explored to accurately detect the presence of carcinoma of the breast. See "Review of Imaging Techniques for the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, a New Role of Prone Scintimammography using Technetium-99m Sestamibi", by I. Khalkhali, I. Mena, and L. Diggles, European Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Vol. 21, No. 4, April 1994, pp. 357-362, and "Prone Scintimammography in Patients with Suspicion of Carcinoma of the Breast", by I. Khalkhali, I. Mena, E. Jouanne, L. Diggles, R. Venegas, J. Block, K. Alle, and S. Klein, Journal of American College of Surgeons, May 1994, Vol. 178, pp.491-97.
Scintimammography is the method to detect the presence of malignant tumors by radioactive substances which selectively accumulate in the malignant tumors, or carcinomas.
By utilizing the method of scintimammography with Technetium-99m Sestamibi, the inventor and others have reported a negative predictive value for the presence of carcinoma of 97.5%, a sensitivity of 96%, and a specificity of 85%. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/253,419, filed June 3, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,177. By the method of scintimammography using Technetium-99m Sestamibi, malignant lesions as small as 2-3 mm or smaller can be diagnosed. In this methodology, a scintillation camera is used to detect the radiation given off from the Technetium-99m Sestamibi. In addition to scintillation cameras, newer semiconductor radioactive detectors, such as offered by the Vigirad company can be used, which does not specifically rely on scintillation, but nonetheless detects the radiation given off. Hereinafter, the term "scintimammography" shall refer not only to the method which uses a scintillation camera but also includes the method using newer semiconductor detectors.
The methodology of scintimammography has not yet heretofore been proven effective for localizing lesions in women with so called "dense breast". The term "dense breast" refers to the condition of the breast wherein the parenchyma is very fibrous and dense, which condition makes traditional mammography difficult since the dense breast is not easily compressed during mammography, and lesions in the dense breasts are often not palpable. Furthermore, under x-ray, tumors are hard to distinguish from dense breast tissue. There accordingly remains a need for a method for reliably localizing lesions in the dense breast.
In Radiology 1995; 196:421-426, the inventor and others report on the usefulness of the method of scintimammography in the complementary role of prone breast imaging for the diagnosis of breast carcinomas, and suggest that the method of scintimammography would be useful for imaging for cancerous tumors in women with dense breast.
In the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 36(5), Abstract 52P, of Tuesday, Jun. 13, 1995, Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting, the inventor herein and others report that in a side-by-side study of 48 patients who exhibited grade +3 or +4 dense breast received both mammographs and scintimammography, the results for scintimammography for the detection of breast carcinoma in patients with dense breast has far superior sensitivity and specificity than the method of mammography. Conducting mammographs of the dense breast is difficult. Since some 25 percent to 35 percent of mammographs demonstrate dense fibroglandular breast tissue, there remains a need for a method for accurately detecting for the presence of carcinomas in the dense breast.

Nuclear medicine techniques for detecting carcinoma in the dense breast

Harbor-UCLA Research and Education Institute


The invention relates to a method for the correction of the brightness of a raw image generated by a sensor matrix, in which an intensity matching is carried out at picture elements defined by a line coordinate and a column coordinate and at least one intensity value. The intensity matching comprises the application to the intensity values of the picture elements to be corrected of two intensity corrections independent of one another, in dependence on the line coordinate, on the one hand, and in dependence on the column coordinate, on the other hand. The invention furthermore relates to an optoelectronic sensor comprising a correction device. This correction device is matched to carry out the initially described intensity matching.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
It is frequently observed with raw images of this type that the image brightness in the marginal regions of the raw image is lower than in the center, although a homogeneous image brightness would be expected. A non-uniform brightness distribution is above all observed when the raw images were taken under oblique light incidence and/or an oblique taking angle.
Further factors can also be responsible for the named inhomogeneities in addition to an oblique light incidence and/or an oblique taking angle. Color filters e.g., which are disposed in front of a sensor matrix, can thus have angle-dependent characteristics. Furthermore, brightness drops in the marginal regions of a raw image—or very generally brightness inhomogeneities—are, however, also caused by imaging errors of an optical receiving system of the sensor. Finally, an inhomogeneous illumination of a surface to be observed can also be the cause for artifacts.
Artifacts of this type, which are caused by the sensor itself, by lighting devices or by distortion in the beam path of the received light, represent a not insubstantial interference factor. In particular with an optical detection of codes (e.g. for the identification of articles) by optoelectronic sensors or cameras, such parasitic inhomogeneities are irritating since they make error-free code recognition more difficult. It is known to avoid this problem to remove the named artifacts largely again by a suitable brightness correction (flat field correction).
Generally, flat field corrections are known for the compensation of deviating image brightness in the marginal region of an image. US 2005/0041850 A1, for example, describes a quality inspection system for wafers using a camera, with a flat field correction being carried out—in addition to other corrections—on the image taken by the camera. The effect of an angular incidence of an illumination light should be taken into account with the correction described. In this connection, a two-dimensional matrix of correction values k(x, y) are applied to the brightness values (intensity values) of the picture elements of the taken raw image. For this reason, just as many correction values as picture elements are required for this process. With a sensor which comprises 1280 picture elements in one direction (e.g. x direction) and 1024 picture elements in a direction perpendicular thereto (e.g. y direction), somewhat more than 1.3 million correction values therefore result, for example. Carrying out such a correction thus requires substantial memory space. The carrying out of the plurality of required computation operations and the accesses to the memory associated therewith are moreover very time-intensive.
However, it is particularly the time factor which is of particular importance for many applications. It is moreover desirable for a brightness-correcting process to be able to be carried out with electronic components which are as simple and therefore as cost-effective as possible.

Method and device for the correction of the brightness of a raw image generated by a sensor matrix


A switched reluctance machine includes a stator body having a stator pole. A bobbin is located on the stator pole. A stator winding is disposed on the bobbin. The switched reluctance machine further includes a first housing unit for receiving the stator body and an insulating member coupled to the first housing unit. The insulating member includes a first mounting element for engaging a first end of the bobbin to secure the bobbin against displacement during machine operation.

A switched reluctance motor is an electrical motor that includes a rotor and a stator. Torque in a reluctance motor is produced by the tendency of the rotor to move to a position relative to the stator in which the reluctance of a magnetic circuit is minimized, i.e. a position in which the inductance of an energized stator winding is maximized. In a switched reluctance motor, circuitry is provided for detecting the angular position of the rotor and sequentially energizing phases of the stator windings as a function of rotor position.
Switched reluctance motors are doubly salient motors having poles on both the stator and the rotor, with windings only on the stator poles. The rotor of a switched reluctance motor does not include commutators, permanent magnets, or windings. A switched reluctance motor may be used in a vacuum cleaner, for example.
Torque may be produced by energizing or applying current to the stator windings of the stator poles associated with a particular phase in a predetermined sequence. The energization of the stator windings is typically synchronized with the rotational position of the rotor. A magnetic force of attraction results between the poles of the rotor and the energized stator poles associated with a particular phase, thereby causing the rotor poles to move into alignment with the energized stator poles.
In typical operation, each time a stator winding of the switched reluctance motor is energized, magnetic flux flows from the energized stator poles associated with a particular phase, across an air gap located between the stator poles and the rotor poles, and to the rotor poles. Magnetic flux generated across the air gap between the rotor poles and the stator poles produces a magnetic field in the air gap that causes the rotor poles to move into alignment with the energized stator poles associated with a particular phase, thereby producing torque. The amount of magnetic flux and, therefore, the amount of torque generated by the switched reluctance motor is dependent upon many variables such as, for example, the magnetic properties of the material of the rotor poles and the stator poles, and the length of the air gap between the rotor poles and the stator poles.
The stator windings of the switched reluctance motor may be prewound around a bobbin. The bobbin acts as an insulation barrier between the stator windings and the core of the stator. The prewound bobbin may then be placed over each of the stator poles during motor assembly. Typically, vibrations in the motor structure, variations in motor temperature, and electromotive force (EMF) may cause radial displacement of the bobbin during motor operation, thereby causing undesirable acoustic noise.

Apparatus for securing a bobbin of a reluctance machine


To provide a vehicle, vehicle motion performance of which can be made high by downsizing a drive unit having an engine and a motor. A drive unit for vehicle travel has the engine and the motor. The motor is arranged adjacent to a rear side of the engine. In a housing of the motor, parts of oil control valves and motor cooling oil paths, through each of which motor cooling oil flows, are provided. The motor cooling oil flowing through first motor cooling oil paths exchanges heat with engine oil in a first heat exchanger. The motor cooling oil flowing through second motor cooling oil paths exchanges heat with an engine cooling coolant in a second heat exchanger.

In recent years, for purposes of reducing an environmental load and the like, hybrid vehicles including a motor in addition to an engine as drive sources of vehicle travel have been widespread.
In Patent Document 1, an automobile that includes an engine and a motor as drive sources for travel is disclosed. In the automobile disclosed in Patent Document 1, both of the engine and the motor, which are provided as the drive sources for the travel, are mounted in a front area.
The automobile disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be switched between an engine-drive mode in which the automobile travels by using the engine and a motor-drive mode in which the automobile travels by using the motor. When a driver selects the motor-drive mode, the automobile is driven by the motor.
Meanwhile, when the driver selects the engine-drive mode, the motor implements a torque assist function at a start of the automobile, and the automobile is driven by the engine at a specified vehicle speed or higher.


A pocket sized plastic restraint, having a rigid edge (1a) and flexible center (1b). In the flexible center (1b) is a flexible gripping strip opening (2d) that gathered excess liner material is inserted through and held tight by. The gripping strip opening (2d) is a serrated opening that bites into the gathered liner like teeth, to hold the bag tight without cutting it. At the base of the garbage bag restraint (2c) is a tucking strip opening (2e) for tucking excess bag material. The garbage bag restraint (2c) holds bags tight around the rim of containers that are smaller than the bag.

This invention is a device that holds garbage and trash liners tight to the rim of the containers in which they are used, when the bag is oversized for the container.
The advantage of the garbage bag restraint in holding garbage and trash liners tight to the rim of the containers is the specific purpose for the invention. Presently, if a bag is too big for the container, it is usually hand tied to keep it in place. The garbage bag restraint eliminates hand tying, by firmly gripping the excess material and holding it tight to the rim of the container, and tucks it in at the base of the restraint in a neat manner. It is easily attached, removable, reusable, attractive, and saves time.

Garbage bag restraint for securing trash liners to containers


Disclosed is an optical fiber composite power cable having a loose-tube-type optical fiber impregnated therein, wherein the optical fibers are installed in a loose tube made of metal to prevent lateral pressure from being imposed on the optical fibers by the metal conductors, even when tensile force or bending force is applied to the cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber composite power cable and more particularly to an optical fiber composite power -able having a loose-tube-type optical fiber impregnated therein which has improved tensile strength and which prevents the optical fiber from being compressed by metal conductors, even when excessive tensile force or bending force is applied to the cable, thereby remarkably reducing the generation of lateral pressure and thus optical loss.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an optical communication method using an optical cable, namely a supreme transmission line for audio and data communication, has been increasingly developed. Thus, optical fiber composite power cables, provided with an optical cable and a power cable, which are impregnated therein, have become popular.
As shown in FIG. 2, an optical power composite interior cable supplied to customers, among the above optical fiber composite power cables, has a structure such that conductors 20 made of a copper wire and an optical fiber 13 are surrounded by a coating layer 40. A filling material 30 fills a gap between the conductors 20 and the optical fiber 13, and is contained in the coating layer 40.
In order to install the optical fiber composite power cable 1 at the end users' locations, such as offices, apartments, stores, etc., as shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber composite power cable 1 is placed in an electric wire conduit 50 installed in a building. Here, excessive tensile force or bending force may be applied to the cable 1 placed in a part of the electric wire conduit 50.
In case that the excessive tensile force or bending force is applied to the cable 1, lateral pressure is imposed on the optical fiber 13 placed inside the cable 1, thereby causing optical loss. As shown in FIG. 2, since the optical fiber 13 together with the metal conductors 20 is surrounded by the coating layer 40, when tensile force or bending force is applied to the cable 1, the optical fiber 13 is compressed by the metal conductors 20, and the lateral pressure imposed on the optical fiber 13 becomes severe.
Since the optical fiber 13 of the conventional cable 1 is coated with a polymer 15, such as acryl, having a lower strength than that of the metal conductors 20, the optical fiber 13 is easily compressed by the metal conductors 20 when tensile force or bending force is applied to the cable 1, thereby increasing optical loss of the cable 1 due to the lateral pressure.
Recently, in order to reduce the lateral pressure of the cable 1, as shown in FIG. 3, a cable 1, of which reinforcement wires made 25 of metal are inserted into a central portion, has been developed.
Some parts of the cable 1, shown in FIG. 3, are substantially the same as those of the cable 1, shown in FIG. 2, and are thus denoted by the same reference numerals, even though they are depicted in different drawings, and a detailed description of the same parts will thus be omitted because it is considered to be unnecessary.
The cable 1 in FIG. 3 has a comparatively high reinforcing capacity against tensile force. However, since the reinforcement wires 25 compress the optical fiber 13 when tensile force or bending force is applied to the cable 1, they are not strong enough to prevent lateral pressure from being imposed on the optical fiber 13, thus being incapable of reducing optical loss of the cable 1.
Accordingly, in view of the recent trend toward the increasing use of cables, there is required a technique for removing lateral pressure imposed on the optical fiber.

Optical fiber composite power cable having loose-tube-type optical fiber impregnated therein


A lower cam housing is formed to be a separate body from a cylinder head and the lower cam housing is arranged at a joint surface of the cylinder head, a first upper oil passage reaching from an oil entry passage to the joint surface is formed inside the cylinder head and an upstream end of the first upper oil passage is opened at the joint surface, and a second upper oil passage through which the oil reaches to the joint surface via an upper side than the joint surface is formed in the lower cam housing, where an upstream end of the second upper oil passage is in communication with the oil entry passage side at the joint surface, and a downstream end of the second upper oil passage is in communication with the first upper oil passage at the joint surface.

In general, in an engine in which the opening and closing of a valve is carried out by a swinging rocker arm, a plurality of hydraulic lash adjusters (referred hereafter as lash adjusters) are arranged along a direction (a length direction) in which cylinders are arranged. This lash adjuster is made such that oil is supplied at a prescribed pressure from an oil pump arranged at a lower portion of the engine. Then, the lash adjuster has an effect of canceling the valve clearance caused by the thermal expansion of the valve, for example, by adjusting a position of the valve by utilizing the oil pressure of the oil during the engine operation. In the lash adjuster, an oil passage for the oil pumped from the oil pump of the engine is passing. The oil passage is formed in the cylinder block and the cylinder head. In the conventional engine, the oil passage formed in the cylinder head such that it is in communication with the oil pump side is positioned at a lower position than the oil passage to the lash adjuster. For this reason, in the conventional engine, the oil present in the oil passage from the oil pump to the lash adjuster at a time of the engine stop has been such that it flows down to the lower portion side of the engine, via this oil passage. Consequently, in the conventional engine, the sufficient oil is not supplied to the lash adjuster at a time of the engine re-start, which becomes a cause for generating a remaining air inside a hydraulic chamber inside the lash adjuster, and there has been a danger of adversely affecting the opening and closing of the valve.
As a measure against such a problem, there is known a lubrication device in which the oil passage provided toward the lash adjuster from the lower portion side of the cylinder head is equipped with an upper oil passage extending to an upper side than the lash adjuster, and a return oil passage that returns from this upper oil passage to a lower side and reaches to the lash adjuster (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H5-306603, for example). In this lubrication device, the oil supply to the lash adjuster from the return oil passage becomes possible at a time of the engine re-start. In this prior art, the oil is supplied to both the lash adjuster of the intake side (also referred to as the air intake herein) and the lash adjuster of the exhaust side, so that a communication pipe for making the oil passage of the air intake side and the oil passage of the exhaust side in communication is added to a space inside the cylinder head cover. At the both end portions of this communication pipe, flanges are provided, and these flanges are fixed to an upper end surface of the cylinder head by bolts.
However, in the above noted prior art, the communication pipe is arranged in a space between the upper end surface of the cylinder head and the cylinder head cover, so that it has been one in which the communication pipe is easily oscillated by the vibration of the engine. For this reason, at the flanges of the both end portions of the communication pipe, there has been a danger of having the oil flowing out due to the loosening of the bolts. Also, in such a prior art, the assembling work for bolting the communication pipe to the upper end surface of the cylinder head is cumbersome.


A ball joint assembly (28) for a vehicular steering or suspension application includes a cap-like housing (42) in which is captured the articulating ball portion (32) of a stud (30). A shank (34) extends from the ball portion (32), outwardly from the housing cap (42), to provide a connection and anchoring interface for the suspension member (16) or other anchoring component. The connection interface with the anchoring suspension member (16) is characterized by a specially designed surface which is convenient to machine, provides increased surface-to-surface contact area, and provides additional advantages such as improved stress distribution and NVH benefits. A washer-like cone adaptor (54) mates with a specially formed adaptor interface region (48) on the stud (30). On its outer surface, the adaptor (54) has a broad tapering feature (56) designed to seat in a complementary-shaped receiving flare (58) in the anchoring suspension member (16). The mating contact region between the adaptor (54) and the stud (30) is formed with spherical or spheroidal curvatures, or by single or multiple step configurations.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ball and socket type joint of the type used in vehicular steering and/or suspension applications, and more particularly toward such a ball joint assembly for use in applications where one of the anchoring members, such as a steering knuckle or tie rod for example, is made from a relatively soft material like aluminum.
2. Related Art
Ball joints are typically used in vehicular applications where three-dimensional movement of a wheel, and in particular a steerable wheel, is required when a vehicle is turning and the suspension is accommodating movement over rough terrain. In the normal course of operation, ball joints are subjected to very high stresses. These stresses are transmitted through the stud of a ball joint assembly into the suspension member, which may be a steering knuckle, control arm, steering link, frame member or other feature.
The recent emphasis on reducing vehicular weight is driving material selections toward lighter options. Sometimes, there is a motivation to substitute aluminum for traditional cast iron materials, even in the area of chassis and suspension components. Unfortunately, lighter materials are often softer than the heavier materials they replace, and therefore less suited to endure the localized and concentrated stresses which may arise during normal vehicular operations.
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate two different prior art attempts to accomplish similar functionality for ball joint assemblies, and in particular studs which are intended to be anchored in relatively soft material like aluminum. FIG. 9, in particular, is intended to correspond to the design depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,468, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. These designs are either difficult to produce on a high volume basis, or result in unacceptable attributes such as NVH issues and provide less surface-to-surface contact in the interface regions. By contrast, the subject invention as depicted in various embodiments in FIGS. 1-8, overcomes some or all of these issues and represents a significant improvement over prior art constructions.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method of interconnecting a ball joint assembly to vehicular steering and suspension features to accommodate the anchor points being made from a softer material.

Cone adaptor for ball joint studs, tie rods, sway bar links and the like


Caps for teeth and artificial teeth such as used in bridges, and the like, formed by a method comprising a combination of steps in joining various materials to make the article, wherein the principal difference in the steps as compared to customary techniques is the elimination of a sandblasting operation on a metal base and utilization of a special adhesive to join the other materials to the metal base.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of artificial teeth or caps for teeth, and the like; the invention is more particularly directed to a method wherein a customary step of sandblasting a metal base for the article is eliminated and a special adhesive material is utilized to enhance the joining of materials for a longer life for the articles.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There is no prior art known to me as to the unique elimination of one step considered crucial in the making of articles of this nature and the additional step of utilizing a special adhesive which has, heretofore, been generally deemed to be impossible.

Tooth caps and artificial teeth and the method of forming same