A compound of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R represents a --CONHOH, carboxyl (--CO.sub.2 H) or esterified carboxyl group;. X represents an amino (--NH.sub.2), or substituted amino, hydroxyl or substituted hydroxyl group; and their use as metalloproteinase inhibitors.

In normal tissues, cellular connective tissue synthesis is offset by extracellular matrix degradation, the two opposing effects existing in dynamic equilibrium. Degradation of the matrix is brought about by the action of proteinases released from resident connective tissue cells and invading inflammatory cells, and is due, in part, to the activity of at least three groups of metalloproteinases. These are the collagenases, the gelatinases (or type-IV collagenases) and the stromelysins. Normally these catabolic enzymes are tightly regulated at the level of their synthesis and secretion and also at the level of their extracellular activity, the latter through the action of specific inhibitors, such as .alpha..sub.2 -macroglobulins and TIMP (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase), which form inactive complexes with metalloproteinases.
The accelerated, uncontrolled breakdown of connective tissues by metalloproteinase catalysed resorption of the extracellular matrix is a feature of many pathological conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, corneal, epidermal or gastric ulceration; tumour metastasis or invasion; periodontal disease and bone disease. It can be expected that the pathogenesis of such diseases is likely to be modified in a beneficial manner by the administration of metalloproteinase inhibitors and numerous compounds have been suggested for this purpose [for a general review see Wahl, R. C. et al Ann. Rep. Med. Chem. 25, 175-184, Academic Press Inc., San Diego (1990)].
Certain hydroxamic acid peptidyl derivatives [see for example European Patent Specifications Nos. 214639, 231081, 236872 and 274453 and International Patent Specifications Nos. WO90/05716 and WO90/05719], have been described as collagenase and/or stromelysin inhibitors.


The invention generally relates to an apparatus for controlling tilt and pivot movement of an umbrella, or a sunshade positioning device. In one embodiment, an umbrella support receiving member and a positioning and tilt control unit can be used to retrofit any umbrella to enable the umbrella for quick and easy positioning for maximizing a shaded area throughout the day. The positioning unit can be coupled to an umbrella's support member, or post, towards the bottom of the support member. A receiving member connects the positioning unit to the umbrella support member, and control of the positioning unit causes the support member to move back and forth, thereby changing the angle at which the umbrella is positioned with relation to a surface. The positioning unit can be controlled by hand, or by a small electric motor that actuates the connector coupled to the umbrella support member.

It is known that umbrellas, or sunshades, have been used to provide shade from the sun. Commonly used in backyards, at a beach, in a park, or at any other outdoor location, sunshades are typically set up near a table or a sitting area to provide people with shade.
Some sunshades come modified so that they may be placed on a table, or for example, through an opening in the center of a table so that the sunshade provides shade for individuals sitting at that table. However, as a day progresses, the angle at which the sun's rays hit the sunshade change, and thus the area that is shaded changes as well. An individual enjoying the shade must then move, or move the entire table in order to continue enjoying the shade. Typically, this proves too burdensome, as the table is heavy, or attached to a surface so that changing its location is impossible or impractical.
Other sunshades come attached to tables, or to heavy bases made of cement, or are somehow permanently affixed to the ground. These present the same problem because an individual typically has to change locations throughout the day as the angle at which the sun's rays hit the sunshade constantly changes. Thus, the user will have to constantly move locations in order to be positioned so that they can continue to enjoy the shade, and thus, in many instances the sunshade becomes useless as a source of shade from the sun.
One solution is always to simply reposition the sunshade no matter how large and heavy it is. By placing the sunshade either at a different angle, or in a different location, the user will be able to create the desired shade depending on the hour of the day. However, as stated above, this is undesirable because a user enjoying a day by, for example, the pool, will have to do so continuously throughout the day, which means constantly moving the sunshade from one location to another. Furthermore, depending on the user, for example kids, this may prove an impossible task when dealing with very heavy sunshades or sunshades affixed to the ground.
The prior art tries to address this problem by providing some umbrellas or sunshades with a tilting mechanism about halfway or towards a top portion of the umbrella or sunshade. This, however, does not address the issue of maximizing shade. For example, such devices only provide limited cover because the tilted portion of the umbrella begins too high up and thus too far from the user, lessening the shaded area coverage of the umbrella or sunshade. This leads to light that penetrates and often hits a user in an undesired manner. Hence, these devices do not properly maximize the shaded area potential that an umbrella can provide.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a sunshade that is easily adjustable, and could be controlled to provide maximal shade throughout the day without forcing a user to relocate from their current position, physically move the entire sunshade, or worry whether the sunshade is or is not permanently affixed to a surface.
Therefore, in light of the problems presented by the prior art, there is a need in the art for a device or apparatus for controlling tilt and pivot movement of an umbrella in order to provide shade throughout the day. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.


A security document according to the present invention includes a document substrate having a surface for receiving printed indicia. A half tone warning image is printed on first areas of the surface and a half-tone background image is printed in second areas surrounding the first areas. The half-tone a warning image includes at least one word indicating a status of a copy of the document. A camouflage image extending over the document surface for confusing the eye of an observer such that said warning image is not readily observed. The camouflage image includes at least one word indicating to an observer a status of the original document. One of the half-tone warning image and the half-tone background image are printed with half-tone elements of such a line spacing and element size that it is not readily reproducible by a photocopier. As a consequence, the half-tone warning image becomes apparent on photocopies of the original document.

The importance of making various types of documents safe from nefarious duplication is readily apparent. The development of the color copier has resulted in significant concern in this regard. The quality of color reproductions that can be made with a color copier has become so good that it may be very difficult to distinguish original documents from color reproductions. Even if a reproduction is not an exact copy, the reproduction often appears reasonably authentic in the absence of the original for comparison purposes. As a consequence, there has been concern that color copiers could be used to reproduce security documents, such as checks, stock certificates, automobile title instruments, and other documents of value, for illegal purposes. This concern has been heightened with the advent of desk top publishing software and hardware, including personal computers and scanners. Such desk top publishing systems allow sophisticated image processing and printing not previously generally available.
Many techniques have been developed to prevent improper reproduction of security documents. One of the most successful is the use of a hidden warning message which is readily apparent on reproduced copies of a document, but which is invisible, or nearly so, on the original document.
Examples of this technique are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,227,720 and 4,310,180. A single tone warning phrase and a single tone background pattern are used. Tone refers to the visual effect produced by solid ink coverage or by half-tone dots, bars, or marks which cover a portion of a printed area and which usually have a frequency that is measured in dots, lines, or marks per inch. Half-tone dots, bars, or marks may be more or less uniformly distributed over an area to produce the visual effect, i.e., less than full tone, of a lighter overall color with the use of a darker color ink printed at less than full area coverage. The warning phrase and background pattern area tones are of different frequencies and are made up of dots, bars, or marks of different sizes, but they are selected to provide similar appearance to the eye of a casual observer. A less than full tone effect may also be produced by full area coverage of a paler color of ink than the darker color of ink used for the half-tone dots, bars, or marks.
Because the tone of the warning phrase and the tone of the background pattern surrounding the warning phrase on the original document are selected to be the same, these two areas have much the same visual impact on an observer, and the warning phrase is not readily perceived. The optics of color copiers have typically been unable to reproduce relatively small half-tone dots, lines or other elements. As a consequence, reproduced copies of the original document will have a noticeable warning phrase.
A camouflage pattern is sometimes utilized to obscure the warning phrase further. The camouflage pattern may be defined by areas in which the dots, bars, or marks have been deleted from both the warning phrase and the background pattern. The camouflage pattern may also be defined by a pattern of dots, bars, or marks which are smaller than or larger than those used in the background pattern and the warning phrase, or by areas of complete coverage of a paler ink. The patterns of such camouflage images have commonly been decorative, although some camouflage images have been utilized which identify the organization producing the document. Such a camouflage image may, for example, be a variation of the company logo, or letters spelling out the name of the company.
In recent years, color copiers have been improved substantially. These new color copiers have made the above technique less effective in protecting documents. By manipulating the control settings on such copiers, copies can be made of such documents in which the warning phrase does not appear on reproductions when some of the most commonly used frequency and size combinations are used. Furthermore, desk top publishing systems now available in conjunction with laser printers, offer additional possibilities for unauthorized copying. Therefore, it is clear that improvements in this technique are desirable.
One such improvement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,547, which also utilizes a single tone background and a single tone cancellation phrase. In this improved technique, the warning phrase is not defined by dots or elements of the same size and frequency. Instead, the warning phrase is defined by an alternating element pattern which includes large elements of lower frequency than the background tone, and small elements located in exact registry with the large elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,370 represents another improvement in the use of a hidden warning phrase. The background and warning phrase are each made up of half-tone elements of two pairs of element sizes. For example, the background might be made with about 50% of 130 lines per inch, 0.005 inch diameter, and the balance of 130 lines per inch, 0.006 inch diameter; the cancellation term might be made with about 50% of the elements of 65 lines per inch, 0.010 inch diameter and the balance of 65 lines per inch, 0.012 inch diameter. This provides additional protection for documents against improper copying.
These methods have generally been successful in protecting documents at most copier settings. However, by adjusting the settings for sharpness and lightness/darkness it has still been possible on some copiers for a skilled individual to produce a copy in which the warning phrase is not visible.
Furthermore, while the technique of hiding a cancellation or warning phrase within a background image has provided an indication on the face of copies that they are not original documents by indicating "VOID" or the like, there has been no corresponding indication on the original documents that they are in fact original. Rather, the recipient relied on an assessment of the overall appearance of the document, and the fact that it did not bear a visually apparent cancellation phrase or warning phrase as indications of authenticity.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for a security document which provides improved protection against copying over a wide range of copier settings, or against manipulation using desk top publishing systems.


A device, method and system for displaying medical information/instructions is presented. The device is comprised generally of an elongated base displaying a plurality of color-coded zones having a plurality of removable instruction portions attached which correspond to each color zone. The instruction portion is generally comprised of fastener and a medical information/instruction display. The medical information/instruction display can be at least one sheet on which the medical information/instructions are printed or an electronic display such as an LCD screen. If printed information/instructions are used, each sheet may be contained within a transparent sleeve to protect the sheet from damage. In use, a child's weight is correlated to a specific color zone on the elongated base and the corresponding instruction portion is removed and fastened to an object near the child to easily enable the user to administer medical treatment to the child.

Resuscitation tapes are routinely used to correlate a child's length/height and/or his/her weight to a specific color zone on the tape in order to provide medical instructions in an emergency situation. The resuscitation tape is divided into several color-coded zones which correspond to various heights and weight ranges. Each color-coded section applies to a specific weight range and provides medical dosages and equipment sizes that are suitable for a child in that weight range.
Once the child's color zone is determined, the specific instructions for that color zone can be utilized to provide medical instructions such as medication dosages, equipment sizes, ventilator settings, and shock voltage when using a defibrillator.
One problem with the resuscitation tapes currently available is that they are cumbersome for the medical professional to read the medical instructions. The medical professional must unfold the tape each time he/she needs to consult it for dosages and/or equipment sizing for the child. This can waste valuable time in an emergency situation. What is needed is a device in which the user can quickly and easily access medical information for a child in an emergency situation.

Device and method for displaying pediatric medical instructions

Medical Emergency Device Innovation Corporation


A magnetic head of an embodiment includes: a first electrode being a magnetic body having a magnetic shielding property; a first signal detector disposed on the first electrode and being a differential magnetoresistive effect element; a second electrode disposed on the first signal detector; an insulating layer disposed on the second electrode; a third electrode disposed on the insulating layer; a second signal detector disposed on the third electrode and being a differential magnetoresistive effect element; and a fourth electrode disposed on the second signal detector and being a magnetic body having a magnetic shielding property. At least one of the second electrode and the third electrode is a nonmagnetic metal.

As a reproducing element of HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or the like, a magnetoresistive effect element is used. In HDD, a reduction of noise is required in addition to an improvement of reproducing resolution in order to improve recording density. For this purpose, a multi-magnetic head (multi-reproducing head) which is one magnetic head having a plurality of magnetoresistive effect elements mounted thereon has been investigated.
Such a multi-magnetic head makes it possible to integrate the same signal to be reproduced a plurality of times, thereby enabling a reduction of a white noise component. As a result, a high SNR (Signal Noise Ratio) is obtained, which makes it possible to improve the recording density.
Here, there is a possibility that the multi-magnetic head gets off-track due to skew. Specifically, when the magnetic head has an angle to a track, there is a possibility that one of the pair of the magnetoresistive effect elements deviates from a reproduction target track. This makes the reduction of the white noise difficult.
Accordingly, it is necessary to narrow an interval between the magnetoresistive effect elements so that the pair of magnetoresistive effect elements are on the same track even when the magnetic head has skew. Under such circumstances, thinning a magnetic shield electrode between the magnetoresistive effect elements has been investigated.
However, thinning the magnetic shield electrode leads to a deterioration of its shielding performance, making the magnetoresistive effect elements susceptible to an influence of external noise.

Magnetic head, magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, and method of manufacturing magnetic head


A method at an Access and mobility Management Function (AMF) for facilitating a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session procedure for a User Equipment (UE) in a 5th Generation System (5GS) network, wherein the 5GS network is interworking with an Evolved Packet System (EPS) network, and a Packet Data Network Gateway Control plane Function+Session Management Function (PGW-C+SMF) supporting the interworking is selected for managing the PDU session. The method comprises determining whether the PDU session supports interworking with the EPS network, based on at least one of a capability of the UE and a subscription data of the UE; and sending an indication which indicates whether the PDU session supports interworking with the EPS network to the PGW-C+SMF.

This section introduces aspects that may facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is in the prior art or what is not in the prior art.
Today, there are many kinds of communication networks to meet the demands of communication of people and/or devices. In some cases, two or more different networks will coexist with and interwork with each other, cooperating to provide a bigger coverage for the communication. For example, due to the gradual evolvement of the communication system, it can be envisaged that in some cases, a next generation communication network, e.g., a 5th Generation System (5GS) network, will coexist with and interwork with a current generation communication network, e.g., an Evolved Packet System (EPS) network.
FIG. 1 illustrates the non-roaming architecture for interworking between 5GS and EPC (Evolved Packet Core, the core network of an EPS network)/E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network). In the figure, the nodes PCF+PCRF (Policy Control Function+Policy and Charging Rule Function), PGW-C+SMF (Packet Data Network Gateway Control plane function+Session Management Function) and UPF+PGW-U (User Plane Function+Packet Data Network Gateway User plane function) are supporting interworking between 5GS and EPC, which are optional. UEs that are not subject to 5GS and EPC interworking may be served by entities not supporting interworking, i.e., either by PGW/PCRF or SMF/UPF/PCF. Also, in the roaming architecture (not illustrated) for interworking between 5GS and EPC/E-UTRAN, the nodes PCF+PCRF, PGW-C+SMF and UPF+PGW-U supporting the interworking may also exist.
Interworking between different networks makes it possible that the UEs in a network can connect to another network. However, it can also be envisaged that due to some reasons, such as network capability and/or network restriction of a UE, e.g., lack of related hardware and/or software support, lack of money in the related account and so on, the UE in a first network may not connect to a second network which the first network is interworking with.
For example, in a 5GS network, the core network capability of a UE is indicated in a MM (Mobility Management) Core Network Capability information element (IE). The Core Network Capability information element (IE) may have e.g., two values, one value may be "N1 mode supported", indicating a mode of the UE accessing the 5G core network is supported, the other value may be "S1 mode supported", indicating a mode of the UE accessing the EPC core network is supported. In order to ensure that the UE MM Core Network Capability information stored in the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) is up to date (e.g. to handle the situation when the USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) is moved into a different device while out of coverage, and the old device did not send the Detach message; and the cases of inter-RAT Registration Area Update), the UE shall send the UE MM Core Network Capability information to the AMF during the Initial Registration and Mobility Registration Update procedure within the NAS (Non-Access Stratum) message. The AMF shall store always the latest UE MM Core Network Capability received from the UE. Any UE MM Core Network Capability that an AMF receives from an old AMF/MME is replaced when the UE provides the UE MM Core Network Capability with Registration signalling. If the UE's MM Core Network Capability information changes (in either CM-CONNECTED or in CM-IDLE state), the UE shall perform a Registration Update ('type' different to 'periodic') when it next returns to NG-RAN (Next Generation Radio Access Network) coverage.
Also, a UE in a 5GS network will be subject to some mobility restrictions. Mobility Restrictions restrict mobility handling or service access of a UE. The Mobility Restriction functionality is provided by the UE (only for mobility restriction categories provided to the UE), the radio access network and the core network. In CM-CONNECTED state, the core network provides mobility restrictions to the radio access network within Handover Restriction List (HRL). Mobility restrictions consists of RAT restriction, Forbidden Area, Service Area Restrictions and Core Network type restriction, wherein the Core Network type restriction defines whether UE is not allowed to connect to a core network. For example, the Core Network type restriction parameter in a 5GS network may have e.g., two values: one value may be "5GC", indicating the UE is not allowed to connect to the core network of a 5GS network, the other value may be "EPC", indicating the UE is not allowed to connect to the core network of an EPS network. The Core Network type restriction parameter of a UE may be found in subscription data of the UE. If subscription data of the UE does not include a Core Network type restriction parameter, then the UE may be allowed to connect to e.g., both the core network of a 5GS network and the core network of an EPS network.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and nodes for facilitating a PDU session procedure in interworking networks


A new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant named ‘White Dynasty’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; intermediate to tall plant size; uniform potted plant habit with or without de-eyeing tubers; vigorous and dense growth habit; fast growth rate; and lance-type leaves that are white and greyed green with few random red purple-colored spots, dark green-colored margins and greyed green-colored venation.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name 'White Dynasty'.
The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive foliage coloration.
The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2003, in Lake Placid, Fla. of Caladium×hortulanum 'White Wing', not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum 'Aaron', not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Lake Placid, Fla. on Aug. 15, 2004.
Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by tuber divisions in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Lake Placid, Fla. since Apr. 15, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A vehicle door control apparatus is provided with an authentication unit, a detection unit and a control unit. The authentication unit authenticates an ID information outputted from a mobile device carried by a user. The detection unit detects an object around a door. The control unit performs an opening operation of the door at least when both a first condition and a second condition are satisfied. In the first condition, the authentication unit authenticates the ID information. In the second condition, the detection unit detects that the object is separated from a predetermined determination area after the object is continuously located in the determination area over a predetermined time.

Patent Document 1 discloses a control system for controlling the opening and closing state of a vehicle door, a trunk lid, and so on. This control system is configured by a mobile device which is carried by a user and a vehicle-side unit which can mutually communicate with the mobile device.
The mobile device is provided with a registration storage unit in which an automatic opening and closing instruction for the vehicle door is registered. The vehicle door is unlocked and then the automatic opening operation thereof is performed when the vehicle-side unit receives the automatic opening and closing instruction at the time of communicating with the mobile device and the authentication for the mobile device is validated.
However, the above control system has a problem that it is necessary to register the automatic opening and closing instruction in the mobile device in advance when opening and closing the vehicle door and thus usability is poor.

Vehicle door control apparatus and vehicle door control method


A method for forming a nanostructure includes coating an exposed surface of a base layer with a patterning layer. The method further includes forming a pattern in the patterning layer including nano-patterned non-random openings, such that a bottom portion of the non-random openings provides direct access to the exposed surface of the base layer. The method also includes depositing a material in the non-random openings in the patterning layer, such that the material contacts the exposed surface to produce repeating individually articulated nano-scale features. The method includes removing remaining portions of the patterning layer. The method further includes forming an encapsulation layer on exposed surfaces of the repeating individually articulated nanoscale features and the exposed surface of the base layer.

The present invention generally relates to nanostructures. More specifically, the present invention relates to nanostructures featuring nano-topography with optimized electrical and biochemical properties, which can be utilized for biological applications.
A biosensor is an analytical device that can be utilized to collect information about a biological system. Data collection methods can include, but are not limited to, optical, acoustic, electrical, and electrochemical systems. Biosensors can incorporate a sensitive biological component to positively identify a specific biological component in a given system, such as an enzyme, or biosensors can be utilized without any additional biological elements, which is referred to as "label-free" sensing. Electrochemical biosensing systems typically include a biological component and a physicochemical detector, which work together to detect an analyte with specificity, which generates an electric signal as output. The sensitive biological component/element, e.g., tissue, microorganism, organelle, cell receptor, enzyme, antibody, nucleic acid, etc., is a biologically derived material or biomimetic component that interacts with, binds to, or otherwise recognizes the analyte. Examples of such pairings include reactions related to antibodies and antigens, enzymes and substrates, and pairings of single strands of DNA. Cell receptors, organelles, microorganisms, and tissues can carry such receptors. The biologically sensitive element can also be created by biological engineering.
In the specific case of electrochemical biosensing, once a receptor is paired with a target, a redox reaction produces a product, such as ft or electrons, and the physiochemical sensor detects the reaction signals. For other means of biosensing, fluorophore molecules with specific binding reactions can also be used for detection, or other analytical methods such as Raman spectroscopy can be utilized to identify specific biological components.
Biosensors with enhanced signal and sensitivity provide reliable data for both medical and environmental monitoring. Such biosensors are especially needed for areas related to food and water supply security, as well as the healthcare industry.
In healthcare, glucose sensors contribute to a significant portion of the existing biosensor market. A signal from a glucose sensor is typically generated via an electrode that is exposed to a glucose-containing biological substance, such as blood. A bioactive agent is physically applied to or arranged adjacent to the electrode, which is typically an enzyme such as glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase. The majority of glucose sensors are designed for testing external to the human body in the "test strip" form as single-use sensors. Additionally, in vivo glucose sensors that are implanted into a human body can be used to continuously monitor blood sugar. However, the body's foreign body response restricts, e.g., affects and reduces the effectiveness of, in vivo biosensors. Moreover, the foreign body response can reduce the sensor signal output over time.
The electrode within a glucose biosensor serves two critical purposes. A first purpose is a physical surface on which the enzyme can be located, and a second purpose is a means of conducting the electrical signal that is generated in response to the specific electrochemical reaction. Typically, a glucose biosensor includes two electrodes, including a "working" electrode that is loaded with, or arranged in the proximity of, enzyme and a reference electrode. Ideally, a third counter electrode can also be added to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. Platinum (Pt), for example, has demonstrated biocompatibility and is frequently used as a working electrode in electrochemical biosensors. Additional electrode materials can include carbon, gold, or other materials known in the art. The target electrochemical reaction typically determines the electrode material selection. External "test strip" electrochemical sensors can include platinum electrodes, for example.

Nanostructure featuring nano-topography with optimized electrical and biochemical properties

International Business Machines Corporation


A sustainability protocol using IoT sensor data on a blockchain, and presenting this data through a QR-code on the labels of sustainable goods, to enable verification by anyone, and provide incentives for the farmer, CPG (consumer product group), retailer, and the consumer to be aligned, and collectively accelerate the goals of sustainability efficiently.

Internet is a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols. Internet is not owned by a single entity and it operates without a central governing body. The same principles of distributed governance were applied to digital currencies by providing ability to perform digital transactions that existed without support from any underlying institution. The digital ledger that records the transactions in a chain using a mathematical hierarchy is called a blockchain.
Conventional sustainability solutions are expensive, mandated, subsidized, and use government programs, which are slow and inefficient. In fact, a new study by FAO, IFAD and WFP—the UN Rome-based agencies, estimates the cost of additional investments needed to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger to be US$265 billion per year between 2016 and 2030, which is equivalent to 0.31% of global GDP. Shockingly, FAO, with a budget of $2.5 billion per year, whose primary goal is to end hunger by 2030, failed to reduce hunger in 2015-2016 timeframe, and in fact, hunger increased by 5% to 815 million. With a population increase projected to be 9 billion by 2050, we need a new approach.

Systems and methods of sustainability protocol using distributed blockchain application with IoT sensors


A vehicle door outer handle system includes: an operating handle formed from a handle main body and a cover covering the outer side of the handle main body; a pair of electrodes; and a circuit board on which a detection circuit is provided for detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes; the electrodes and the circuit board being housed within the operating handle. The electrodes are patterned on the circuit board, and a ground pattern connected to the detection circuit is formed so as to be disposed at a position offset from the electrodes if viewed through the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle door outer handle system that enables a vehicle user's intention to unlock to be confirmed by means of a change in capacitance when the vehicle user's hand approaches or touches an operating handle, and in particular to a vehicle door outer handle system that includes an operating handle formed from a handle main body made of a synthetic resin and a cover made of a synthetic resin so as to cover the outer side of the handle main body, the operating handle being disposed on an outer side of a vehicle door and housing therewithin a pair of electrodes and a circuit board on which a detection circuit is provided for detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-221949 discloses a conventional arrangement for confirming a vehicle user's intention to unlock a door, in which a capacitance sensor is disposed within an operating handle, and a vehicle user's intention to unlock a door is confirmed by means of a change in capacitance when the vehicle user's hand approaches or touches the operating handle.
However, in this conventional arrangement, since electrodes formed as members that are separate from a circuit board are connected to a detection circuit provided on the circuit board, it is necessary to secure a space for arranging the electrodes within the operating handle in addition to a space for housing the circuit board, that is, the space that has to be reserved within the operating handle is relatively large, leading to a difficulty in thinning an operating handle.


A cargo storage assembly for use on a floor of a vehicle may include an outer sidewall assembly defining an interior and an inner sidewall assembly disposed within the interior and slideably coupled with the outer sidewall assembly. A top panel may be coupled with the inner sidewall assembly and defining a floor surface, wherein the floor surface is operable between a raised position and a lowered position.

Various automobiles include cargo areas for storage. An adjustable load floor may be included in the cargo area to provide alternative storage configurations. Typically, the load floor is lifted at an angle and pulled forward into a raised positon to provide two levels of storage. During positioning of the load floor into the raised position, any items disposed on the top of the load floor may slide backwards.

Height adjustable cargo storage assembly


A fluid flow rate sensor includes a detection circuit which generates a first signal corresponding to an output voltage of a bridge circuit, and a second signal corresponding to a fluid temperature. A control module can more accurately and quickly determine the fluid flow rate based on the first signal, the second signal and a look-up table. The look-up table includes a plurality of curves plotted according to data, indicating relationship among the fluid temperature, the output voltage and the fluid flow rate. The fluid flow rate sensor is inherently temperature compensated and has a shorter response time.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Fluid delivery systems may include fluid flow meters to measure the flow rate of the fluid in the fluid delivery systems, and thus to determine the volume of the fluid to be dispensed based on the flow rate. Thermo-anemometers have been commonly used for measuring the fluid flow rate over turbine and/or paddlewheel sensors for their lack of moving parts, which are sensitive to contamination of the fluid. A thermo-anemometer operates based on the principles of heat transfer and typically includes a bridge circuit having a resistive heating element subjected to the stream of fluid flow. As the fluid flow passes over the resistive heating element, the fluid carries away heat, resulting in a temperature drop in the resistive heating element. The flow rate of the fluid can be determined by measuring the heat loss from the heating element to the fluid.
In one method, the power to the heating element is increased after a temperature drop occurs in the bridge circuit to bring the heating element back to its starting temperature (constant-temperature type). The increased power gives an indication of the fluid flow rate. Another method involves correlating the voltage drop across the bridge circuit to determine the flow rate (constant-current type).
In either method, the conventional thermo-anemometers have limitations in response time. The flow rate can not be accurately measured until the fluid flow, and hence the signals indicative of the fluid flow rate, reach a steady state. Some thermo-anemometers may require a relatively long time period to measure the flow rate of the fluid.
Another issue with the thermo-anemometers is the need for temperature compensation and part-to-part calibration. A lower temperature fluid has a greater capacity to remove heat from the resistive heating element than a higher temperature fluid at the same flow rate. Therefore, temperature compensation is generally required. Part-to-part calibration may require expensive software and may be difficult to implement in a manufacturing environment.

Fluid flow rate sensor and method of operation


A monochromator 4 is used to direct X-rays from X-ray source 2 onto a sample 14 as a convergent beam. The sample 14 is in a growth chamber. The sample is rotated, and diffraction measurements are made in parallel with multichannel detector 22. A specific reflection is used so that the intensity against angle graph measured in the multichannel detector gives information about the vertical lattice parameter. To compensate for wobble inevitably introduced by the rotation of the sample, short time measurements are made and summed.

MOCVD is a widely used process for depositing semiconductors and other materials in a growth chamber. It is very useful to monitor the growth of material in the growth chamber, and X-ray diffraction is a promising tool for this. There is also a need for monitoring growth in other types of growth chamber.
However, the construction of growth chambers leads to problems for X-ray diffractometers in that their construction necessarily needs to be optimised for growth and not for X-ray diffractometry.
Conventional X-ray diffraction approaches use a goniometer to orient incident and diffracted X-ray beams, but goniometers are difficult to use during growth and generally require a specially designed growth chamber.
Niggemeier et al, "X-Ray Reflectometer for the Diagnostics of Thin Films During Growth", J. App. Cryst. (1997), Vol. 30, pages 905 to 908, described a reflectometer for use with a sample stage in a growth chamber in which a line X-ray source is used to illuminate a curved-crystal monochromator, known as a curved-crystal monochromator, which directs X-rays through a window in the growth chamber onto a sample stage at a glancing angle. The X-rays are diffracted by the crystal and the X-rays diffracted at a glancing angle pass out to an X-ray detector through another window.
A similar, though somewhat later approach, is described in U.S. 2001/0043668 to Hayashi et al.
However, when a sample is mounted in a growth chamber, it is normally mounted on a rotating stage which will inevitably wobble somewhat, especially since excessive time taken to align the sample and axis of rotation would be prohibitive in a production environment. There is accordingly a need for a system that can cope with this wobble and accordingly take measurements during growth.
There is a further need for a system that can work quickly to enable results to be immediately available to allow the growth to be controlled on the basis of the measurements made.


A method for folding hosiery items is disclosed. The hosiery items are wrapped about a folding card and are folded, together with the folding card, against an inclined belt at an acute angle relative to a lower belt, with the trailing portion of the hosiery item resting on that lower belt. The hosiery item is then initially clamped against the lower belt in the vicinity of the folding card, preferably by means of a clamping slide, and is then tensioned about the folding card, preferably by means of a tensioning slide, before the hosiery item is transferred, by advancing the lower belt and the inclined belt, to the pivoting belt, after the latter has been returned to its original position, from where it is then transported between two subsequent, mutually parallel belts, one of which can be moved away from the other in parallel orientation, in order to prevent any rolls from forming during movement into the space between the two belts.

The present invention relates to a method for folding hosiery items where the hosiery items are wrapped about a folding card and are folded, together with the latter, against an inclined surface extending at an acute angle relative to a lower belt, with the remaining portion of the hosiery item resting on that lower belt, and are then transported to two subsequent belts.
The invention further relates to a device for folding hosiery items, comprising a lower belt and an inclined first surface arranged above it, at an acute angle, as well as a pivoting belt that can be pivoted in upward direction between a transport position, in which it is aligned with the lower belt, and an inclined position, as well as two subsequent belts.
A method and a device of this kind, suited in particular for folding and packaging ladies' pantyhose, have been marketed for many years under the designation "wepamat BLM 751" (compare the leaflet entitled "wepamat BLM 751 hosiery folder").
In the case of the known device, a pantyhose is delivered onto two belts arranged horizontally one behind the other, whereafter a folding card is picked from a magazine by a swinging sucker and deposited on the pantyhose. At the same time, the rear belt is tilted in downward direction, and the forward belt is advanced, by suitable driving means, whereby the pantyhose is folded for the first time. The pantyhose is then transported onto a second belt, located in front of the tilted rear belt, and from there onto a further belt located beneath it and being inclined in upward direction. Another belt arranged above the latter and in parallel thereto, which is then moved in rearward direction, causes the pantyhose to be folded at its forward end, whereafter the pantyhose is folded once more by advancing the belts. The pantyhose, having been folded about the folding card in this way, with its rear end pointing again in forward direction, now reaches a lower belt above which there is arranged an inclined belt, extending in upward direction at an acute angle. In front of the inclined belt, there is arranged a pivoting belt that can be moved between a transport position, in which it is aligned with the lower belt, and a pivoted position, in which it extends substantially in parallel to the inclined belt. Now, the forward portion of the pantyhose, folded about the folding card, is moved from the lower belt onto the pivoting belt located in front of it, while the rear portion of the pantyhose still rests on the lower belt, folded over in forward direction. The pivoting belt is now moved in upward direction in order to fold over the forward portion of the pantyhose with the folding card contained therein and to deposit it on the inclined belt. Once the pivoting belt has returned to its position aligned with the lower belt, the inclined belt and the lower belt are advanced to cause the pantyhose to be placed on the pivoting belt, whereby it is folded for the third time. Thereafter, the pivoting belt is driven to move the folded pantyhose into the space between two subsequent belts, arranged in parallel one to the other, from where it is then transported, for example, to a downstream packaging unit for being placed into a flat bag.
It has been found to be a disadvantage of the known device and the known method that they always tend to produce a roll at the rear end of the folding card as the transporting and folding operations cause any excessive material to gather at the rear upper end of the folding card.
Now, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved method and an improved device for folding hosiery items whereby the risk of formation of such rolls is reduced.
In a method for folding hosiery items, where the hosiery items are wrapped about a folding card and are folded over against an inclined surface at an acute angle relative to a lower belt, with the remaining portion of the hosiery item resting on that belt, and are then transported to two subsequent belts, this object is achieved by the fact that the hosiery item is initially clamped against the lower belt, in the vicinity of the folding card, is then stretched on the folding card and thereafter transported to the subsequent belts, by means of the lower belt and preferably by means of the inclined surface which latter is preferably configured as an inclined belt. The object underlying the invention is thus perfectly achieved.
It has been realized that in the case of the prior-art device and the prior-art method folding the folding card, with the portion of the pantyhose wrapped about it in upward direction, by means of the pivoting belt has the result that the subsequent advancing motion of the inclined belt (inclined surface) and of the lower belt will always cause a roll to form at the rear end of the folding card.
The invention recognizes that this can be avoided if the hosiery item is initially clamped onto the lower belt in the vicinity of the folding card, and is then stretched on the folding card. When the inclined belt and the lower belt are then advanced, while the clamped condition and the tension of the folding card are simultaneously released, then the formation of a roll can be avoided, it being even possible to stretch the hosiery material to some extent in the area of the folding card so that any excessive material that may be transported to the rear will be compensated for by the tension of the folding card and come to lie flat on the folding card.
Further, in a device for folding hosiery items comprising a lower belt and a stationary inclined surface arranged above the lower belt, at an acute angle, and a pivoting belt that can be moved between a transport position, in which it is aligned with the lower belt and an inclined position in which it is pivoted in upward direction, and comprising further two subsequent belts, the object of the invention is achieved by the fact that there are provided a clamping device for clamping the hosiery item against the lower belt and a tensioning device for tensioning the hosiery item about the folding card.
The object of the invention is thus perfectly achieved, the formation of a roll of hosiery material at the rear end of the folding card during the folding process being avoided in the manner described above.
Alternatively, in the case of a method for folding hosiery items, where the hosiery item is wrapped about a folding card and is then transported into the space between two subsequent belts, the object of the invention is achieved by the fact that initially one of the two subsequent belts is moved away from the other, whereafter the hosiery item, positioned on one of the two belts, is moved into the enlarged space between the two belts, whereupon the two belts are moved together again.
This also counteracts the formation of rolls as the folded hosiery item can be moved without any difficulty, in a first step, into the space between the two subsequent belts, whereafter, in a second step, the other belt is approached again toward the hosiery item.
With respect to the device, the object of the invention is correspondingly achieved by the fact that one of the two subsequent belts is arranged for displacement relative to the other belt.
Certain advantageous developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. With respect to the method it is preferred that the hosiery item is initially guided over the lower belt, is then moved together with the folding card onto a preceding belt, viewed in the direction of movement, whereafter the pivoting belt is pivoted in upward direction so as to fold the folding card, with the hosiery item wrapped about it, in upward direction at the acute angle, whereafter the pivoting belt is returned to its initial position.
This provides a favorable way of folding the hosiery item about the folding card.
It is further preferred that during transport of the hosiery item onto the pivoting belt, after the latter has been returned to its initial position, the inclined belt is driven at a somewhat higher speed than the lower belt, and/or is switched on a little before the lower belt.
This ensures that the hosiery item assumes its correct position as it leaves the inclined belt and the lower belt.
For clamping the hosiery item against the lower belt, in the vicinity of the folding card, an advantageous further development of the invention provides for a clamping slide which can be moved against the lower belt in a space formed between the lower belt and the inclined belt and which is preferably bent off in downward direction at its forward end.
For tensioning the hosiery item about the folding card an advantageous further development of the invention provides for a tensioning slide which can be moved between the clamping slide and the inclined belt and by means of which the hosiery item can be tensioned in the area of the lower end of the folding card.
This feature enables any formation of rolls at the rear end of the folding card to be reliably avoided.
The bent-off forward edge of the clamping slide facilitates the movement of the clamping slide into the space between the two belts and over the rear portion of the folded hosiery item.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention it is preferred that once the folded hosiery item has been moved into the enlarged space between the two subsequent belts, the contact pressure can be adjusted during movement of the two belts one toward the other.
This feature permits the pressure to be optimally adjusted to the particular hosiery item being processed, and the slight pressure further produces a slight mechanical hook-on effect between the different plies, whereby the hosiery item will be prevented from slipping and coming apart during the subsequent packaging and, if applicable, turning steps.
It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without leaving the context of the present invention.

Method and device for folding hosiery items


A process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol comprising hydrogenating a starting material containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, .epsilon.-hydroxycaproic acid, .epsilon.-caprolactone and oligomers of .epsilon.-caprolactone, preferably a substance recovered from a reaction mixture resulting from liquid phase oxidization of cyclohexane for the production of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, in a liquid phase in the presence of a solid catalyst containing ruthenium and tin.

1,6-Hexanediol is useful as a starting material for producing polyurethane, polyester-type plasticizers, unsaturated polyesters, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, etc. (see JP-A-62-184640, JP-A-56-78844, JP-A-3-227389, and JP-A-5-59306, the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application").
It is known that 1,6-hexanediol is prepared by a process comprising oxidizing cyclohexane to form adipic acid, .epsilon.-hydroxycaproic acid, etc., esterifying these carboxylic acids with methanol, etc., and reacting the resulting esters with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst for hydrogenation (see JP-B-53-33567 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined published Japanese patent application") and JP-A-51-108040). This process is disadvantageous in that an esterification step is required and that the hydrogenation should be conducted in the presence of a copper catalyst under high temperature and high pressure conditions.
There have been proposed several processes in which 1,6-hexanediol is obtained through direct hydrogenation of the starting compound without involving esterification. For example, JP-A-47-4767 and JP-A-49-132003 disclose hydrogenation in the presence of a cobalt catalyst. JP-B-49-33171 and JP-A-9-5918.8 propose using a rhenium catalyst and a Raney nickel catalyst, respectively. However, these processes have their several problems such that the reaction conditions are severe or the catalyst activity is unsatisfactory.
Further, JP-A-47-4764 and JP-A-48-14609 teach a process comprising catalytically hydrogenating a starting carboxylic acid in the form of an alkali metal salt in a buffer solution. This process is disadvantageous in that an alkali equivalent to the carboxyl group of the starting compound is required and that the hydrogenation should be catalytically carried out in a buffer solution by using a cobalt catalyst under high pressure.


A structure for a connection pin in an electrical connector (100) is disclosed, in which each connection pin (130) includes a portion (136) which is curved laterally, then longitudinally rearwardly, from a rear end of a first electrical contact (132), to terminate in a second electrical contact (134). A width dimension of the curved portion (136) of the contact between upper and lower surfaces of the curved portion is larger than a width dimension of the first electrical contact (132). Also, a width dimension between upper and lower surfaces of the second electrical contact (134) is larger than a width dimension of the curved portion of the contact. A mating part (116) in the connector housing (110), which is formed to correspond to the shape of the connection pin (130) and with which the connection pin is mated, comprises a front mating groove (116a) into which the first electrical contact (132) is inserted and mated, and a rear mating groove (116b), which has a width dimension sized to receive both the curved portion (136) of the connection pin and the second electrical contact (134).

Connectors are generally known in the art for electrically connecting input and output terminals of electronic devices, such as notebook computers, camcorders, etc. Connections between the input and output terminals of a device are generally made via one or more connection pins mounted in the connector. One example of such a connection pin will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 below. FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a female connector 10 incorporating a conventional connection pin 16. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the connector of FIG. 1 showing two connection pins 16 secured in a housing 12 of the connector.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, female connector 10 comprises a connector housing 12 having a mating hole (not shown) through which a male connector 20 is inserted, and mating parts (not shown) formed in sides of the housing on a front surface of the housing for receiving reinforcement pins therein. Mating parts 12a are formed in sides of the housing on a rear surface of the housing for receiving connection pins therein. Reinforcement pins 14 are inserted into complementary mating parts thereof, and connection pins 16 are inserted into complementary mating parts 12a thereof.
In female connector 10, each of the connection pins 16 comprises a first electrical contact 16a, adapted to be inserted through a hole 22 of complementary male connector 20 and is adapted to be mated with an electrical contact of the male connector, and a second electrical contact 16b, which is adapted for soldering to an electrical contact 32 of an underlying printed circuit board 30.
As seen in FIG. 1, second electrical contact 16b of connection pin 16 is formed in an inverted "U" shape and extends outwardly from a rear end of connector housing 12. During soldering of second electrical contact 16b to electrical contact 32 of printed circuit board 30, and of reinforcement pin 14 to a corresponding stationary contact (not shown) of printed circuit board 30, bending of second electrical contact 16b of connection pin 16 due to impact or vibration may be prevented.
However, when employing the conventional connection pin structure described above, it is difficult to accurately form an inverted "U"-shaped mating part which conforms to the corresponding "U"-shape of the connection pin. That is, because the connector housing is so small, it is nearly impossible to accurately form a mating part for the connection pin in the shape of a "U".
Accordingly, as the shape of the mating part does not closely conform to the shape of the connection pin, it is difficult to secure the connection pin in the housing, and the connection pin can be bent due to vibration of the connector housing when the connector is mounted and fixed to the printed circuit board. Also, the connection pin can be electrically disconnected from the printed circuit board due to bending of the connection pin.

Structure of connection pin in electrical connector


Successive data read access with a final address specified is detected by a command mode detecting circuit to set a command mode entry status. In the command mode entry, a command of designating an internal state is made acceptable in accordance with a predetermined external signal. Consequently, a semiconductor memory device that enters a command mode, maintaining compatibility of pins and signal timings with a conventional status memory is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, particularly, to an SRAM alternative memory replaceable with a static random access memory (SRAM), having compatibility with an SRAM. More particularly, the invention relates to the configuration for setting an SRAM alternative memory into a specific mode.
2. Description of the Background Art
In an application of portable equipment, an SRAM is used as an internal memory because of its high processing speed. A memory cell of the SRAM is constructed of four transistors and two load elements, and the occupying area of the SRAM cell is large. Therefore, it is difficult to implement a memory of a large storage capacity in a limited area.
As the functions of portable equipment are enhanced, it is necessary to process image data and audio data. The amount of data to be processed becomes enormous and a memory of a large storage capacity is required as a memory device for the portable equipment. When using an SRAM as the internal memory, it is difficult to implement the memory of a large storage capacity in a small occupying area, so that a requirement of down-sizing and lightening high-function portable equipment cannot be met.
On the other hand, the memory cell of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is constructed of one transistor and one capacitor in general. The DRAM has, therefore, an advantage that the occupying area of the memory cell is smaller than that of the SRAM. The DRAM is suitable for constructing a memory of a large storage capacity in a small occupying area. However, the DRAM stores data in the capacitor and the stored data is lost by a leak current, so that refreshing operation for holding stored data has to be periodically performed. During execution of the refreshing, an external device such as a processor cannot access the DRAM and is kept in a wait state, so that the processing efficiency of the system is lowered.
The DRAM is designated of a sleep mode and held in a standby state in a waiting time in portable equipment or the like. Also in the sleep mode, however, stored data has to be held and has to be periodically refreshed. Therefore, an ultra low standby current condition of the order of μA in the sleep mode required in a specification or the like cannot be satisfied.
In order to implement the memory of a large storage capacity with a small occupying area, a DRAM-based memory has to be used. In the case of using such a DRAM-based memory (hereinbelow, called an SRAM alternative memory), the memory has to be replaced without significantly changing the conventional system configuration. That is, compatibility of pins is required. Here, the "memory" indicates a memory device connected to a device such as an external processor via pin terminals.
Different from a synchronous memory operating synchronously with a clock signal such as a system clock, an SRAM operates statically according to an external control signal. In order to prevent the load of the external processor from increasing, the SRAM alternative memory is required to operate under the same operating conditions (signal timings) as those of the SRAM.
Particularly, in the case of designating various operation modes in the SRAM alternative memory, in view of compatibility of pins, the operation modes have to be set by using signals prepared for a conventional SRAM. Particularly, as for designation of an operation mode which is not prepared for the conventional SRAM, signals used in the SRAM are generally a chip enable signal CE, an output enable signal OE, and a write enable signal WE, and therefore, a complicated signal timing relation cannot be used for setting a specific operation mode. In the case of designating a specific operation mode with a relation of the timings of signals different from the timings of signals used in a general SRAM, an external device such as a memory controller has to be provided with a new function. Consequently, compatibility with a conventional SRAM cannot be maintained, and a load on the external device increases.


A flexible optical disk, includes a disk substrate, wherein a rigidity of the disk is equal to or more than 5 Pa and equal to or less than 5000 Pa where the rigidity is defined as Young's modulus of the disk×(thickness of the disk/radius of the disk)3.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to flexible optical disks with high recording densities and a manufacturing method of the same. More particularly, a focus error due to poor following of a focus servo at a high frequency area of a tilt (surface wobble) is reduced so that recording and reproducing quality of a flexible optical disk can be greatly improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical disk is removable and has a large capacity. Hence, the optical disk has been widely spread as a recoding medium for recording and reproducing. Normally, in the optical disk, a transferring layer is deposited on a polycarbonate substrate having a thickness of 1.2 or 0.6 mm, information is recorded on the transferring layer, and the information recorded on the transferring layer is reproduced. For recording or reproducing, it is necessary to condense a beam on a recording surface and therefore precision positioning of the recording surface against an optical pick up is necessary. Therefore, the substrate is made plane and has rigidity and a servo is applied to the optical pick up so that the above mentioned precision positioning is obtained.
It has been studied and researched to make an optical spot have a further smaller diameter by increasing the numerical aperture (NA) of an objective lens or by making the wavelength of a laser beam short, so that the recording capacity of the optical disk is increased. On the other hand, in order to increase the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens, it is necessary to make the tilt (surface wobble) of the substrate small. Therefore, it has been attempted to expand a margin of the tilt (surface wobble), by improving the plane precision of manufactured substrate, loading a tilt (surface wobble) servo on the optical pick up, or providing a thin cover layer having a thickness of an approximately 0.1 mm on the transferring layer and recording or reproducing from the side of the cover layer.
It is possible to make the tilt (surface wobble) of the optical disk substrate small by devising materials and manufacturing methods. However, this causes an increase of manufacturing cost. Furthermore, it also causes an increase of the manufacturing cost of the optical pick up to load the tilt (surface wobble) servo on the optical pick up.
In a case where reproducing is performed from the side of the transferring layer without going through the substrate, a distance between the transferring layer surface and the objective lens of approximately only 0.1 mm is provided. Therefore, in order to prevent the rotating rigid body optical disk from colliding with the objective lens, it is necessary to make the surface wobble small and improve the chucking precision of a chucking device of the optical disk. However, these cause an increase in the cost of the optical disk and the recording or reproducing apparatus.
Hence, the following method has been studied instead of improving the mechanical plane precision of a rigid body optical disk. That is, the optical disk is made flexible, and a guide is provided at a side opposite to the recording and reproducing surface and opposite to the objective lens of the optical pick up. Under this state, the flexible optical disk is put between the objective lens and the guide. By rotating the optical disk, the disk is aerodynamically floated away from (does not come in contact with) the guide in accordance with Bernoulli's equation. It has been also studied that the position of a recording surface against the objective lens can be made stable so that the tilt is made as close to 0 (zero) as possible.
The above discussed principle whereby the surface wobble of the flexible disk is reduced is determined by all of the following elements:    (1) a force from the guide to push down the disk aerodynamically    (2) an elastically repelling force of the disk    (3) a pressure area between the guide and the disk    (4) a centrifugal force of the disk.
The above mentioned element (4) is determined by the rotational speed of the disk. The element (3) is determined by a gap between the guide and the disk. Furthermore, the element (1) and the element (2) are balanced. The rigidity of the disk and an internal loss absorbing the element (1) contribute to the element (2) as parameters. Hence, it is necessary to control these parameters.
As conventional methods to manufacture a substrate of the flexible optical disk, there are three methods, namely, a heat press method, a 2P (photo polymerization) method discussed in Japanese Patent No. 2942430, and a method discussed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application, No. 6-60423. In the heat press method, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin is applied on a surface of a flexible sheet such as a polycarbonate film and a minute unevenness pattern of a stamper is transferred. After this is heat cured, a transferring layer is deposited. In the 2P (photo polymerization) method, an ultraviolet curing type resin is applied on the surface of the flexible sheet, the minute pattern of the stamper is transferred, and the transferring layer is deposited after ultraviolet curing is performed. In the method discussed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 6-60423, a flexible organic sheet is heated to a temperature higher than the softening point, a stamper is pressed and fixed so as to be transferred, and the sheet and the stamper are peeled after being cooled.
Furthermore, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-273147 discloses a direct embossing method whereby a transparent film is heated, pressed, and fixed. In the method, the transparent film is heated and then pressed and fixed. Since it is difficult to prevent unevenness of temperature or stress in the surface to a limit, unevenness may be generated in an optical property, mechanical strength, or curvature. On the other hand, the above discussed 2P method has good transferability and is better than other transferring methods on this point.
In the case of the 2P method, the thickness of the flexible optical disk is the sum of thicknesses of the substrate, the film to be transferred, the transferring layer, and the like. Since the film per se is mass-produced industrially, the distribution of the thickness of the film is approximately ±1 μm. However, as shown in FIG. 1, although the normal film has a thickness amplitude of ±1 μm, the thickness change in circumferential direction is drastic and in spike shapes.
In a case where the surface wobble of the disk is made stable by using an air bearing formed between the guide and the rotating disk, the surface wobble can be made stable by the flexibility of the film or the disk.
On the other hand, follow-ability of the focus servo has a limitation at a high frequency area of the surface wobble. Such follow-ability of the focus servo causes an increase in the focus error and makes the precision of recording and reproducing low. This is a big problem when the recording capacity or recording or reproducing speed of the flexible optical disk is made high.
Based on an analysis of a frequency element of the surface wobble of the flexible optical disk, it is found that the high frequency area of the surface wobble largely depends on non-uniformity of the thickness of the film which is a substrate of the flexible optical disk.
An undulation (three-dimensional deformation) of the flexible optical disk is mostly restrained by the air bearing. The surface wobble due to the undulation belongs to a low frequency area of the amplitude of the vibration where the focus servo mechanism may follow. Hence, influence on the generation of the focus error is small. However, the flexible optical disk rotates at a high speed with a constant space between the back surface of the disk and the guide. The non-uniformity of the thickness of the substrate, particularly the non-uniformity of the thickness due to unevenness of the back surface adjacent to the guide, causes the surface wobble of the surface due to the rotation of the disk. At a high frequency area, the surface wobble due to unevenness of the film thickness greatly exceeds the allowable vibration amplitude at which the focus servo mechanism can follow, and therefore the remaining focus error can become large.
Since a cover film required for a blue-ray disk requires a function as an optical transmission layer, it is necessary to make birefringence as small as possible. On the other hand, since a surface recording is performed for a flexible optical disk system, optical property may be free. However, it is necessary to control a property related to a surface property to be as small as possible.


The present invention, in an embodiment, is a product having an outer shell and an inner filling. In the embodiment, each of the outer shell and inner filling include a legume and an additive such as vitamins and minerals. In the embodiment, the outer shell and the inner filling are substantially free of grain-based flour, the product is a ready-to-eat food, the outer shell is crispy, and the inner filling is creamy.

In developing countries, malnutrition is partially driven by a diet poor in protein and the poor quality of available proteins. Optimal growth and cognitive development of people and specifically children depends on protein quality and key micronutrient (bio)availability.
Legumes are part of the cultural food repertoire of many countries including India. The legumes are eaten in a variety of ways. For example, the legumes may be eaten as a topping in poha or dal to a variety of snacks such as chikki (peanut brittle), sev (extruded, then fried chickpeas), coated-then-fried peanuts, to rolled chickpeas.
Embodiments of the current invention include ready to eat legume-based extruded pillows filled with a legume-based cream. The properties (size, porosity, color, dough rheology) of the legume-based shell and cream are driven by changing composition and enable a series of eating experiences—from small, dense and crunchy to big, highly expanded and crispy shells.
Embodiments of the invention have the potential to become a relevant vehicle for protein and micronutrient delivery. The product falls within a highly relevant category (savory snacks) which as of today does not offer a desirable nutritional profile.


A multilayer pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) film having a first pressure sensitive adhesive layer for bonding glass substrates and at least a second opposing layer, the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer being a polymerization reaction product of a precursor comprising a monomer or a partially prepolymerized monomer, having a curable ethylenically unsaturated group, whereas the precursor further comprises an oligomeric organofunctional silicone having at least 2 Si atoms, in particular 2 to 10 Si atoms,                wherein the monomer having a curable ethylenically unsaturated further has a coupling group with a Zerewitinow-active H-atom and wherein the oligomeric organofunctional silicone has at least one coupling group which is reactive to the coupling group of the monomer having a curable ethylenically unsaturated group,        or        wherein the oligomeric organofunctional silicone has at least one coupling group with a Zerewitinow-active H-atom and wherein the monomer having a curable ethylenically unstaurated further has a coupling group which is reactive to the coupling group of the oligomeric organofunctional silicone;        with the proviso that if the monomer having a curable ethylenically unsaturated group further has a coupling group with a Zerewitinow-active H-atom which is selected to be —OH, then the coupling group of the oligomeric organofunctional silicone which is reactive to the coupling group of the monomer having a curable ethylene group cannot be selected to be an amino group.

For bonding glass substrates with an adhesive, in particular with an adhesive tape, the glass surface is typically pretreated in order to enhance the bond strength of the adhesive. This is achieved by the application of a primer prior to the application of the adhesive tape. Such a two-step procedure is recited for example in US 2005/0081993 A1 (Ilkka et al.), in which a silane primer is used to prepare the glass surface. In the following step, an acrylic PSA-tape is applied to the pretreated surface, whereas the adhesive tape may be a dual-layer film. Another possibility is to pre-treat the surface of the PSA-tape before application to the glass surface. Alternatively, the silane may be incorporated into the adhesive layer of the film by mixing it into the PSA formulation.
In EP 0 889 106 A1 (Johnson et al.), a single layer adhesive film is recited, which is obtained by photopolymerization of a monomeric mixture comprising an acrylic ester and an epoxy resin, whereas the composition may further comprise an organofunctional silane.
A single layer film may however not satisfy the bonding requirements for different substrates, which is however often required for bonding solar panels, which have typically a glass backside. In addition, the silane impregnated tapes recited in the documents mentioned above show a limited shelf-life. In addition, the bond strength to glass surfaces may strongly decrease over time under environmental influence, in particular humidity which may finally lead to a bond break.

Primerless multilayer adhesive film for bonding glass substrates


A method of provisioning car access in a vehicle includes establishing, at data processing hardware, a secure connection between a production tool and more than one low energy communication node of the vehicle. The method also includes acquiring, at the data processing hardware, communication node information from the production tool regarding the more than one low energy node of the vehicle, the more than one low energy node having at least one main node and at least one satellite node. The method further includes communicating, from the data processing hardware, the communication node information about the at least one main node and at least one satellite node, and determining, by the data processing hardware, a mounting location of the at least one satellite node according to signal characteristic data of at least one low energy signal data packet from the at least one satellite node.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
A wireless communication device, such as a smartphone, a smart watch, or a computer (e.g., a tablet, laptop, personal digital assistant, etc.), for example, can be used to communicate with a motor vehicle. For example, a wireless communication device can communicate with vehicle systems of the vehicle in order to access, diagnose faults, start/stop, or provide power to certain components or systems within the vehicle. In particular, a user may utilize a wireless communication protocol (e.g., short-range radio wave communication, Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH®, BLUETOOTH® low energy (BLE), near field communication (NFC), etc.) to access or operate the vehicle. For example, the operator may access or operate the vehicle by utilizing a wireless communication protocol controlled and powered by a smartphone.
Vehicles today are generally using multiple Bluetooth low energy nodes to communicate with vehicle systems. In order for the Bluetooth low energy nodes to properly communicate with each other, an entity, such as a vehicle manufacturer, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), or a repair operator, may need to provision each Bluetooth low energy node within the network in order to mount, to replace, to program, or to reprogram the Bluetooth low energy nodes. The provisioning process generally involves connecting the Bluetooth low energy node to the Bluetooth low energy network. The provisioning process often entails coordinating or communicating network access identifications such as security credentials, unique identifiers, or other network information between two or more Bluetooth low energy nodes.
During the provisioning process, the Bluetooth low energy system may be susceptible to security threats, which can occur when one or more unauthorized wireless communication devices communicate with the vehicle. Unauthorized wireless communication devices may intercept, or otherwise receive, one or more wireless communications between a vehicle and an authorized wireless communication device. Unauthorized wireless communication may compromise the safety of the vehicle and the vehicle system because, for example, the vehicle may allow an unauthorized wireless communication device to unlock the doors on the vehicle or to start the engine of the vehicle. With an increased number of Bluetooth low energy nodes in vehicles, a Bluetooth low energy node network has potentially greater vulnerability and greater potential provisioning complexity. While known systems and methods for provisioning Bluetooth low energy nodes have proven acceptable for their intended purpose, a continuous need for improvement in the relevant art remains.

System and method of provisioning a node network

Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing Corp.


Fuel injector for an internal combustion engine which has a timing chamber bore in its body intersecting at an acute angle with an auxiliary bore. These bores are fuel-receiving passages exposed to the pressure of injection. A radiused intersection between the walls of the respective bores reduces the concentration of stress within the fuel injector, allowing the injector to withstand the high injection pressures of mechanical pressurization. An electrochemical machining method and fixture for machining the intersection between the bores of a fuel injector body or other workpiece is also disclosed.

Many motor vehicle engines, whether compression ignition or spark ignition engines, are provided with electronic fuel injection systems to satisfy the need for precise and reliable fuel delivery into the cylinders of the engines. Such precision and reliability are demanded to address the goals of increasing fuel efficiency, maximizing power output, and controlling undesirable products of combustion.
Several electronic fuel injection systems designed for internal combustion engines use a mechanical linkage from the engine to pressurize the fuel charge. Using mechanical pressurization, an extremely high injection pressure, now often exceeding 20,000 psi (13,800 Newtons per square centimeter) and occasionally reaching a transient peak value of 23,500 psi (16,200 Newtons per square centimeter), is developed within the timing chamber of the injector. A higher fuel injection pressure provides a cleaner exhaust because particulate emissions are reduced, and so is desirable to meet the tightened emission standards which are being and will be imposed on motor vehicles.
One problem preventing the achievement of higher injection pressures in a practical engine is premature failure of the injector body when such pressures are applied. Some bores of the body are exposed to the full preinjection and injection pressure, as well as the high mechanical stresses of moving parts in the injector. The typical life of an injector body is unacceptably reduced when fuel injection pressures exceeding 20,000 psi (13,800 Newtons per square centimeter) are routinely applied within the timing chamber.
Electrochemical machining is a known method for forming workpieces, particularly metal workpieces. A conventional electrochemical machining head comprises a supply of an electrically conductive fluid for application to the workpiece, electrodes communicating with the fluid supply and workpiece for creating an electrical current between the fluid and the workpiece, and a mask for confining the flow of the fluid to the material of the workpiece to be removed. Electrochemical machining has not been employed to address the problem of fuel injector body failure resulting from high fuel injection pressure.

Fuel injectors and methods for making fuel injectors


According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method is disclosed, in which a determination is made for each of a plurality of network interfaces of whether an amount of traffic on the network interface exceeds a predefined traffic threshold. Each of the network interfaces whose amount of traffic is below the traffic threshold is excluded from Quality of Service (QoS) polling. For each of the non-excluded network interfaces whose traffic exceeds the traffic threshold, a determination is made of a set of traffic classes transported on the network interface, and any of the traffic classes with a priority level below a cutoff threshold are excluded from QoS polling. For each non-excluded traffic class that has a priority level above the cutoff threshold, a determination is made of a per-class QoS polling rate based on the respective priority level of the traffic class.

Quality of Service (QoS) describes the overall performance of a network (e.g., a computer network, a telephony network, or a combination thereof). In particular, QoS often focuses on performance as seen by a user of such a network, and considers things such as error rates, bandwidth, throughput, delays, etc.
QoS plays a significant role in both enterprise networks and Communications Service Provider (CSP) networks. An example CSP network could include one operated by a large service provider such as VERIZON or AT&T, which includes a combination of cellular service, Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) service, cable television service, broadband Internet service, etc. A CSP network is typically a larger scale network than an enterprise network. In CSP networks, voice, video, data, and mobile services are often shared among multiple tenants.
As networks grow, so too does the number of network interfaces that are available for QoS monitoring. With this increased quantity of network interfaces, along with significantly increased traffic levels and more "mission critical" applications being deployed on modern networks, the need for QoS enforcement increases. This becomes particularly important in CSP networks which must meet strict Service Level Agreements (SLAB) or face revenue penalties.
Network interfaces may carry a wide variety of types of network traffic (known as "traffic classes"). Some example traffic classes could include voice, video conferencing, email, streaming video, and web traffic, for example. These different traffic classes may require unique handling which respects their sensitivities for delay, loss, jitter and throughput. To analyze network interfaces and the traffic classes they support, QoS polling is performed based on a plurality of so-called "key performance indicators" (KPIs). Some example KPIs could include a quantity of dropped packets, a probability that an incoming packet will be dropped, a quantity of delayed packets, etc. The same KPI may be analyzed separately for each of the plurality of traffic classes.
Considering the large amount of KPIs that can be analyzed for a given network interface, it is not uncommon for a given QoS polling cycle to yield hundreds of thousands if not millions of KPI responses. This amount of data will continue to grow as networks grow to support an increasing number of network interfaces. Sifting through this vast amount of data to make appropriate network decisions poses a significant challenge for network administrators.


A process is described for producing an alkylaromatic compound, in which a first feed comprising an alkylatable aromatic compound and a second feed comprising an alkene are introduced into a first alkylation reaction zone comprising a first alkylation catalyst. The first alkylation reaction zone is operated under conditions effective to cause alkylation of the alkylatable aromatic compound by the alkene to produce said alkylaromatic compound, the conditions being such that the alkylatable aromatic compound is at least predominantly in the vapor phase. A first effluent comprising the alkylaromatic compound and unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound is withdrawn from the first alkylation reaction zone and at least part of the unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound is treated to remove catalyst poisons therefrom and produce a treated unreacted alkylatable aromatic stream. At least part of the unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound and a third feed comprising said alkene is introduced into a second alkylation reaction zone comprising a second alkylation catalyst. The second alkylation reaction zone is operated under conditions effective to cause alkylation of the unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound by the alkene to produce said alkylaromatic compound, the conditions being such that the alkylatable aromatic compound is at least predominantly in the liquid phase. A second effluent comprising said alkylaromatic compound is withdrawn from the second alkylation reaction zone.

Ethylbenzene is a key raw material in the production of styrene and is produced by the reaction of ethylene and benzene in the presence of an acid catalyst. Old ethylbenzene production plants, typically built before 1980, used AlCl3 or BF3 as the acidic catalyst. Newer plants have in general been switching to zeolite-based acidic catalysts.
Traditionally, ethylbenzene has been produced in vapor-phase reactor systems, in which the ethylation reaction of benzene with ethylene is carried out at a temperature of about 380-420° C. and a pressure of 9-15 kg/cm2-g in multiple fixed beds of zeolite catalyst. Ethylene exothermally reacts with benzene to form ethylbenzene, although undesirable chain and side reactions also occur. About 15% of the ethylbenzene formed further reacts with ethylene to form di-ethylbenzene isomers (DEB), tri-ethylbenzene isomers (TEB) and heavier aromatic products. All these chain reaction products are commonly referred as polyethylated benzenes (PEBs). In addition to the ethylation reactions, the formation of xylene isomers as trace products occurs by side reactions. This xylene formation in vapor phase processes may yield an ethylbenzene product with about 0.05-0.20 wt. % of xylenes. The xylenes show up as an impurity in the subsequent styrene product, and are generally considered undesirable.
In order to minimize the formation of PEBs, a stoichiometric excess of benzene, about 400-2000% per pass, is applied, depending on process optimization. The effluent from the ethylation reactor contains about 70-85 wt. % of unreacted benzene, about 12-20 wt. % of ethylbenzene product and about 3-4 wt. % of PEBs. To avoid a yield loss, the PEBs are converted back to ethylbenzene by transalkylation with additional benzene, normally in a separate transalkylation reactor.
By way of example, vapor phase ethylation of benzene over the crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite ZSM-5 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,504 (Keown et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,506 (Burress), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,483 (Burress).
In recent years the trend in industry has been to shift away from vapor phase reactors to liquid phase reactors. Liquid phase reactors operate at a temperature of about 180-270° C., which is under the critical temperature of benzene (about 290° C.). One advantage of the liquid phase reactor is the very low formation of xylenes and other undesirable byproducts. The rate of the ethylation reaction is normally lower compared with the vapor phase, but the lower design temperature of the liquid phase reaction usually economically compensates for the negatives associated with the higher catalyst volume. Thus, due to the kinetics of the lower ethylation temperatures, resulting from the liquid phase catalyst, the rate of the chain reactions forming PEBs is considerably lower; namely, about 5-8% of the ethylbenzene is converted to PEBs in liquid phase reactions versus the 15-20% converted in vapor phase reactions. Hence the stoichiometric excess of benzene in liquid phase systems is typically 150-400%, compared with 400-2000% in vapor phase.
Liquid phase ethylation of benzene using zeolite beta as the catalyst is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,458 and European Patent Publication Nos. 0432814 and 0629549. More recently it has been disclosed that MCM-22 and its structural analogues have utility in these alkylation/transalkylation reactions, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,606 (MCM-22), U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,565 (MCM-36), U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,310 (MCM-49), U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,554 (MCM-56), U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,894 (SSZ-25); U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,498 (ITQ-1); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,751 (ITQ-2).
Although liquid phase ethylbenzene plants offer significant advantages over vapor phase processes, because they necessarily operate at lower temperatures, liquid phase processes tend to be more sensitive to catalyst poisons than their vapor phase counterparts, making them of limited utility with lower grade ethylene and benzene streams without significant feed pretreatment. However, the purification of alkylation feed streams is a costly business and hence there is considerable interest in developing processes that may operate with lower grade feed streams.
The present invention provides an aromatics alkylation process that allows the use of a dilute alkene feed, in which the aromatics feedstock is initially subjected to a vapor phase alkylation stage and then at least part of the unreacted aromatics feedstock is subjected to a liquid phase alkylation stage. In this way, the advantages of vapor phase alkylation, particularly decreased susceptibility to catalyst poisons, can be combined with the advantages of liquid phase alkylation, decreased capital cost and lower level of by-products. At least part of the effluent from the vapor phase alkylation stage undergoes interstage treatment to remove catalyst poisons before passing to the liquid phase alkylation stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,729 discloses a process for the production of ethylbenzene by the gas phase alkylation of benzene over a molecular sieve aromatic alkylation catalyst followed by liquid phase alkylation of the product of the gas phase alkylation. A feedstock containing benzene and ethylene is supplied to a first alkylation reaction zone containing a molecular sieve aromatic alkylation catalyst. The reaction zone is operated at temperature and pressure conditions to cause gas phase ethylation of the benzene with the production of an alkylation product comprising a mixture of ethylbenzene and a polyalkylated aromatic component including diethylbenzene. At least part of the output from the first alkylation reaction zone is supplied, without pretreatment, to a second alkylation zone which is operated in the liquid phase or in the supercritical region followed by supply to an intermediate recovery zone for the separation and recovery of ethylbenzene and a polyalkylated aromatic compound component including diethylbenzene.
European Patent No. 1,188,734 B1 discloses a process for the production of ethylbenzene similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,729, except at least part of the polyalkylated aromatic component from the first gas phase alkylation reaction zone is reacted with additional benzene in a transalkylation zone and the effluent from the transalkylation zone is supplied to the second liquid phase alkylation zone.