The invention concerns a non acoustic alarm device, intended to be fitted to a unit worn in contact with the body, such as a timepiece or a portable telephone, including a case, a moving mass within said case intended to transmit vibrations thereto, a coil (L) electromagnetically coupled to said moving mass to cause it to oscillate, and an excitation circuit of said coil. According to the invention, the device includes means for measuring the instantaneous oscillation frequency of the coil-moving mass unit during the oscillation in progress, as well as means for generating a series of excitation pulses for said coil during the following oscillation, whose characteristics are a function of the measurement of said instantaneous oscillation frequency. Due to its high yield and low energy consumption, this device is particularly suitable for watches.

The present invention relates to a non acoustic alarm device, intended to be fitted to a portable unit in contact with the body, such as a watch, a portable telephone or a pager.
In numerous situations, it is useful to be able to transmit a piece of information to a person other than by acoustic or visual means. This is the case in particular when one wishes to alert a person who is in the middle of a meeting.
Tactile data transmission means offer an advantageous alternative for this purpose: a unit worn by the person next to the body, such as a watch for example, is made to vibrate, in order to stimulate his skin locally to indicate to him a given time or the occurrence of an event (arrival of a message, a call, a meeting, etc.).
Vibrating devices of the type with an unbalanced mass mounted on a rotor are known to those skilled in the art. In these devices, typically, the unbalanced mass rotates at a speed of several tens of revolutions per second thanks to an electric motor which is supplied with a power of several tens of milliwatts and started at the moment when the message has to be perceived by the wearer.
These devices have the main drawback of consuming a lot of energy, which is incompatible with the battery miniaturisation requirements encountered within the horological field.
European Patent Application EP 0 625 738 in the name of the Applicant discloses a vibrating device for a unit such as a watch. This device includes a coil electromagnetically coupled to a moving mass.
This patent application does not describe the characteristics of the excitation means of the coil. Having said this, those skilled in the art know that pulses whose frequency is equal to the natural oscillation frequency of the coil-moving mass unit have to be applied to the coil to obtain a maximum vibration amplitude for a given quantity of supplied energy.
In practice, this natural frequency is difficult to determine strictly. First, it varies from one coil-moving mass unit to another because of manufacturing tolerances, which are of the order of 15%.
Next, it varies as a function of the way in which this unit is worn, and forms a body with the wearer. Typically, the wear conditions induce variations of the order of 5% of the unit""s natural frequency, as well as a variation in the energy dissipated in the wearer.
These variations reduce the yield of the coil excitation means which are designed to operate at a fixed frequency, and this results in a significant waste of energy.
The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks.
This object of the invention, in addition to others which will appear upon reading the following description, is achieved with a non acoustic alarm device, intended to be fitted to a portable device worn next to the body, such as a timepiece or a portable telephone, including a case, a mass moving within this case intended to transmit vibrations thereto, a coil electromagnetically coupled to said moving mass to make it vibrate, and an excitation circuit of said coil, this device being characterised in that it also includes means for measuring the instantaneous oscillation frequency of the coil-moving mass unit during the oscillation in progress, as well as means for generating a series of excitation pulses for said coil during the next oscillation, whose characteristics are a function of the measurement of said instantaneous oscillation frequency.
As a result of these characteristics, it becomes possible to make a non acoustic alarm device which does not require much energy and which operates with a good yield, which means that the use thereof in particular in timepieces of small dimensions, such as watches, can be envisaged.


A guest engagement system and associated methods provide seamless engagement with guests of facilities through the use of wireless sensing technologies. The system makes use of individual guest devices which are carried by guests and used to automatically identify and authenticate the guests throughout the facility. Services can thereby be seamlessly provided to the guests throughout the facility. The services include automatic unlocking of doors, including hotel or state room doors, based on the guests' immediate proximity to their assigned room's door. The services also include automated payment services provided at checkout or vending terminals, and automated log-on to interactive displays and portals, among others, based on secure wireless authentication of the guest devices.

Guests of hotels and resorts, cruise ships, as well as other retail and commercial establishments, have come to expect a high level of service and engagement from their hosts. The service can include being provided with ready access to private and/or restricted areas without having to present a badge or other form of identification, to swipe or tap an access card, or to otherwise proactively authenticate themselves. The engagement can include being personally recognized by the hosts and provided with services and recommendations on that basis, without requiring the guests to identify themselves and remind the host of their preferences or pre-existing bookings.
In the present context, service and engagement is provided only on the basis of users providing a name or identification, tapping or swiping an access card, and having information on bookings retrieved manually by a host through a computer terminal. For example, guests must present photo identification and a credit card at the time of check-in, guest must tap or swipe an access card to activate elevators or unlock doors of health facilities and guest rooms during their stay, and guests must identify themselves each time they interact with a concierge, restaurant host, or front desk staff. As a result, interactions between hosts and guests are impersonal and disjoined.
This disclosure provides a novel guest engagement system that relies on recent improvements in low power wireless communication technologies and distributed sensor networks to provide novel services to those guests without requiring guests to proactively identify and/or authenticate themselves. The guest engagement system thereby enables hosts to seamlessly engage with the guests throughout their facilities and provide recommendations to the guests based on the guests previous experiences.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Devices and accessories for use in wireless guest engagement systems


The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of the compound N-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-N′-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) guanidine of formula (I) which comprises reacting a salt of a compound of formula (II) or a mixture of the salt of the compound of formula (II) and a compound of formula (II) with a compound of formula (III), in the presence of a polar organic solvent; a crystalline solid form of the compound of formula (I), in particular crystalline solid form A; to a pharmaceutical composition comprising them; and to their use as a medicament, in particular to the treatment of a condition mediated by Rho-GTPase cell proteins.

Rho family GTPase are molecular switches that control signaling pathways regulating actin cytoskeleton reorganization, gene expression, cell cycle progression, cell survival, and other cellular processes. Among other functions, they participate in cell cycle and cell division regulation, being also involved in secretion, endocytosis, phagocytosis, membrane traffic and apoptosis. Rho family proteins constitute one of three major branches of the Ras superfamily. Rho proteins share approximately 30 percent amino acid identity with the Ras proteins. At least 23 mammalian Rho family proteins have been identified thus far, including RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42.
Tumor cells, besides presenting proliferation deregulation, they present alterations in their morphological characteristics and, in the case of metastasis, and they get the ability to pass through tissue barriers. Rho-GTPases play an important role in controlling cell morphology and motility. A compound capable of specifically inhibiting Rho-GTPases activity offers a specific alternative in cancer therapy.
The compound N-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-N′-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) guanidine represented by the structural formula (I) is a potent and selective inhibitors of Rho-GTPase cell proteins:

Particularly, the compound of formula (I) can be used to inhibit Rho-related Rac1 GTPase cell protein. Accordingly, the compound of formula (I) as an inhibitor of the Rho-related Rac1 GTPase cell protein can be used to treat diseases mediated by mammalian Rac1 cell proteins, particularly for the treatment of any condition mediated by Rho-GTPase cell proteins such as Rac1 cell proteins.
The preparation and the therapeutic use of the compound of formula (I) has been described in the European Patent number EP2766342.
EP2766342 discloses a process for the preparation of the compound 25 (cf. Example 1) which corresponds to the compound of formula (I) of the present invention. The process disclosed in EP2766342 comprises reacting equimolar amounts of a solution of 3,5-dimethylaniline chlorhydrate and N-(2-trifluoromethyl)phenyl)cyanamide in absolute ethanol at a reflux temperature for 15 h. The crude compound of formula (I) was purified by column chromatography with a mixture of hexane and ethyl acetate in the presence of triethylamine. The purified compound of formula (I) was obtained as a white solid compound showing a melting point of 127° C. However, the European patent EP2766342 does not disclose a process for preparing a crystalline solid form of the compound of formula (I). Furthermore, the use of extreme reaction conditions for a prolonged period of time and the use of non-scaling purification technics such as chromatography causes considerable difficulties for its industrial scale up.
On the other hand, polymorphism is the property of some molecules to assume more than one crystalline form in the solid form. A single molecule may give rise to a variety of crystalline forms (also called "polymorphs") having distinct physical properties. The existence and physical properties of different crystal forms can be determined by a variety of techniques such as X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy and melting point. Differences in the physical properties of different crystalline solid forms result from the orientation and intermolecular interactions of adjacent molecules in the bulk solid. Accordingly, polymorphs are distinct solids sharing the same molecular formula yet having distinct advantageous and/or disadvantageous physical properties compared to other forms in the polymorph family. The existence and physical properties of polymorphs is unpredictable.
One of the most important physical properties of a pharmaceutical compound which can form polymorphs is its solubility in aqueous solution, particularly the solubility in gastric juices of a patient. Other important properties relate to stability, bioavailability, ease of formulation, ease of administration, among others. Since some of the crystalline solid form are more adequate for one type of formulation, and other forms for other different formulations, the development of new crystalline solid forms, such as for example crystalline solid forms (i.e. polymorphs), allows for improving the characteristics of the pharmaceutical formulations comprising them. In addition, depending on the therapeutic indications, one or another pharmaceutical formulation may be preferred.
Especially desirable improvements/advantages of a crystalline solid form of the compound of formula (I) form would include: improvement of physicochemical properties in order to facilitate its manufacture or its formulation; to enhance the absorption and/or the bioavailability; being easily obtainable with more constant physicochemical properties; allowing more flexibility while formulating, or facilitating its formulation; having better dispensability properties, thus allowing better dispersion rates, especially if dispersed in an aqueous physiological surrounding, or reducing hygroscopicity; improving stability; and allowing new routes of administration. Most desirably the new crystalline solid form should combine more than one, or even most of these advantages.
Thus, there is a need to develop a more economical and more easily industrializable process for the preparation of the compound of formula (I), in particular for the preparation of new crystalline solid form of the compound of formula (I) suitable for use in the pharmaceutical industry and, in particular, for the treatment of a condition mediated by Rho-GTPase cell proteins.

Process for the preparation of the compound N-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-N′-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) guanidine


A rack component having a component body with a front, back, top, base, width between the front and the back, and an aperture extending through the component body near the top, the top of the component body configured to be the negative of a cut-out on the base, such that the cut-out on the base of one component body can receive the configuration on the top of an adjacent component body below it. A rack system using a series of the rack components is also disclosed.

Workers finishing building workpieces such as doors, trim, moldings and the like during building or renovations, including painting, staining, sealing, or the like, often experience difficulties due to the awkward shapes and need to finish more than one side of the piece or pieces. For example, when finishing a door, a worker generally needs to paint a first side, wait for that side to dry and then finish the other side. Moreover, because of the size of most doors, finishing multiple doors often requires significant space to lay the doors down with the finish side up so that the finish side does not come in contact with other pieces, tools, brushes, drop cloths, etc., during the drying process.
Devices used to finish and stack workpieces have been primarily limited to saw horses, work benches, boards and the like, which are themselves not only space consuming when in use, but also space consuming when not in use and need to be stored.
Efforts to permit drying in smaller spaces generally include trying to place workpieces such as doors on an edge and stacking subsequent doors horizontally. However, this still requires that the edges be unfinished, and can lead to imperfections in the finish where a piece rests against an adjacent piece. Similarly, when drying trim or moldings, it is usual to finish a piece and then line it up with similarly finished pieces on a flat surface such as a floor or leaning against a wall to maximize space when drying. However, this quickly leads to the use of all available floor or wall space, leaving the worker without sufficient room.
Therefore, there is a failure in the art to provide a solution for permitting a user to finish doors, trim, molding and other pieces quickly and efficiently, and minimizing the space needed to dry multiple pieces as they are finished.


A communication device combined with a portable radio telephone operates upon communication media and transceives signals representative of the communication media between the communication device and a remote station. The communication device includes a docking port into which a proximal end-side portion of the portable radio telephone is insertable to be positioned at a docking position. Once positioned at the docking position, the portable radio telephone is used as a hand-hold to support the communication device engaged together with the radio telephone.

A communication system is operable to communicate information between a transmitting station and a receiving station by way of a communication channel. A radio communication system is a communication system in which the communication channel by which information is communicated between the transmitting and receiving stations is formed upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
A cellular communication system is exemplary of a multi-user, radio communication system. A cellular communication system is a multi-user system, permitting large numbers of users to communicate telephonically therethrough. With the installation of the network infrastructure of cellular communication systems throughout large geographical areas, together with the affordability of telephonic communication effectuated therethrough, use of cellular communication systems by which to communicate telephonically has achieved wide popularity.
Advancements in digital communication techniques have been utilized to form digital cellular communication systems, the network infrastructure of which also has been installed throughout wide geographical regions. Digital modulation techniques permit efficient utilization of the available electromagnetic spectrum allocated to cellular communication systems. Also, digital modulation techniques facilitate the transmission of digital data which can more directly be modulated, in contrast to conventional analog signals.
Digital data, such as computer data or, more generally, "communication media", can be transmitted by way of a cellular, or other, radio communication system, thereby to effectuate the transfer of data between remotely-positioned locations.
Digital data generated by any of many various types of communication devices can be provided to radio telephonic apparatus, such as a portable radio telephone, to be modulated thereat and transmitted by way of a radio link to the network infrastructure of the cellular communication system, thereafter to be routed to a receiving station. Analogously, digital data generated at such location can be provided to the network infrastructure of the cellular communication system, transmitted upon a radio link established with the radio telephone, and thereafter provided to the communication device, when coupled to the radio telephone. Some of such communication devices are conventionally coupled to a portable radio telephone by way of, e.g., a cable connector of infrared coupler. When the communication device is formed of a personal computer, for instance, a cable connector is sometimes utilized to connect a data port of the personal computer to a corresponding data port of the radio telephone.
The conventional manner by which to couple a communication device together with a portable radio telephone to permit the communication of communication media between the communication device and a remote location is somewhat unwieldy, requiring, for instance, a support surface, such as a tabletop, upon which to support the separate devices.
As the electronic circuitry forming portions of electrical devices, such as communication devices and portable radio telephones, becomes increasingly miniaturized, the housings in which such electronic circuitry is housed can be reduced in size, thereby to form devices of increasingly-smaller packages.
The smaller-sized communication devices, in some instances, are of dimensions permitting a user thereof easily to carry such devices. And, a conventional, portable radio telephone is of physical dimensions permitting a user also easily to carry a portable radio telephone. However, when the communication device is connected to a portable radio telephone in conventional manner, the user of the communication device is compelled to hold the radio telephone with one hand and the communication device with another. Or, one or both, of the devices must be separately supported, such as on a support surface. Thereby, the advantages of the increased miniaturization of such devices are largely obviated because of the cumbersome manner by which such devices must be held.
A manner by which a user of a communication device coupled to a portable radio telephone could more easily support the communication device together with the radio telephone would advantageously facilitate ease of use of the communication device.
It is in light of this background information related to the communication of communication media that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Portable telecommunications assembly having user hand-hold, and associated method


An electronic component is coated with a radiation-curable resin composition containing a borate to reduce the cure time and increase the thickness of the coating that can be cured.

This invention relates to electronic components coated with an ultraviolet radiation-curable composition containing a borate that not only accelerates the cure but promotes the curing of thicker films than heretofore possible.
Electronic components have been coated with a variety of materials for a variety of reasons. Some of these have been soft undercoatings to protect the component from shock. Others have protected the component from dirt, moisture, and other contaminants. Still others have provided rigidity.
Changes in manufacturing conditions have necessitated changes in coatings. For example, aqueous fluxes are replacing nonaqueous ones in soldering components to boards. However, aqueous fluxes penetrate many of the coatings in use, and so new coating formulations must be devised.
Electronic components are being used in environments where they had not been used before. Components used in electronic ignition systems must withstand not only elevated temperatures from automotive engines but also salt water spray from road salt.
Manufacturing processes are being evaluated or re-evaluated with emphasis on energy requirements of the process as well as simplicity of operation.

Electronic component with radiation-hardenable coating


A multiple synthesizer based timing signal generation scheme is described that allows accurate data and strobe generation in high speed source synchronous system interfaces. Multiple loop locked clock synthesizers (e.g., phase locked loops, delay locked loops) are used to generate multiple clock signals. Data and strobe signals are triggered off of transitions of one of the clock signals. Because multiple loop locked clock synthesizers are used to generate the clock signals, optimal or near optimal alignment of the data and strobe signals can be achieved. Improved alignment of the data and strobe signals provides improved data transmission rates.

Source synchronous data transfer schemes have been used to increase data transfer rate as compared to common clocked data transfer schemes. While common clocked data transfer schemes use a common clock signal for devices on the sending and receiving ends of a data transfer, in source synchronous data transfer schemes, the sending device provides one or more strobe signals with the data being transferred. The receiving device uses the strobe signal to sample the incoming data.
In order to maximize data transfer, the sampling point as determined by the strobe signal should be in the center of the data time period. This provides a setup margin of one-half data period and a hold margin of one-half data period. The strobe signal can be centered by the sending device or by the receiving device. What is needed is method and apparatus to center strobe signals with respect to the data signals with which the strobe signals are transferred.

Multiple synthesizer based timing signal generation scheme


In a scanning electron microscope with such a structure that a retarding static field for an electron beam is produced between an objective lens and a sample, when the following three conditions can be satisfied, a switch for applying a superimposed voltage is closed to apply the superimposed voltage to the sample. In the first condition, a switch for applying an acceleration voltage is closed and the acceleration voltage 5 is applied. In the second condition, both of a valve and a valve are opened which are provided between a cathode and the sample. In the third condition, when the sample is mounted on a sample stage by a sample replacing mechanism 57, a valve through which the sample passes is closed. The sample stage is electrically connected via a discharge resistor to a sample holder, and when the switch is opened, electric charges charged on the sample are discharged through the sample holder and the sample stage. As a result, when the sample is mounted/released onto/from the sample stage, the application of the voltage to the sample is automatically interrupted.

The present invention generally relates to a scanning electron microscope for obtaining a scanning image by scanning an electron spot on a sample, and particularly to a scanning electron microscope capable of obtaining a scanning image with high spatial resolution within a low acceleration voltage region.
A scanning electron microscope has been conventionally used for observation and a length-measurement of submicron-order (1 micron or less), such as contact holes and line patterns in a semiconductor device sample.
The scanning electron microscope obtains a scanning image (SEM image) by scanning an electron beam emitted from a heating type or field emission type electron source on a sample to detect secondary particles such as secondary electrons and back scattered electrons as detection signals, and using the detection signals for the brightness modulation input for a cathode ray tube scanned synchronously with the electron beam scanning. In typical scanning electron microscopes, electrons emitted from an electron source are accelerated between the electron source to which a negative potential is being applied and an anode connected to the ground potential. The accelerated electrons are focused on the sample connected to the ground potential.
Very recently, scanning electron microscopes have been used in manufacturing process and inspections of semiconductor devices. For this purpose, a need has arisen for achieving high resolution below 10 nm with employment of such a low acceleration voltage less than 1,000 V in order to observe an insulating material without any charging-up effect.
That is, a semiconductor device sample is generally made by forming an electrical insulator such as SiO.sub.2 or SiN on a conductive portion of Al or Si. When an electron beam is applied to the semiconductor device sample, the surface of the electrical insulation is negatively electrified (hereafter may be expressed simply as "changing-up"), orbit of the emitted electrons is changed, and orbit of the primary electrons per se is changed. As a result, abnormal contrast or distortion may occur in the SEM (scanning electron microscope) image.
The above image interference due to charging-up seriously affects the observation of contact holes and the length-measurement of lines-and-spaces. Therefore, this makes it difficult to not only evaluate semiconductor manufacturing processes, but also assure the quality of semiconductor devices. For this reason, a so-called low voltage acceleration SEM has been conventionally used in which the energy of the primary electron beam which scans on a sample is 1 keV or lower.
However, the above-described prior art owns the following various problems. That is, if the acceleration voltage would become lower, observation at a high magnification would become difficult because the resolution is extremely degraded due to increase of chromatic aberration caused by energy spread of electron beams. If electron current would decrease, the ratio of secondary signal to noise (S/N) would extremely decrease, the contrast of an SEM image is impaired, and observation at high magnification and resolution would become difficult. Especially, for a semiconductor device made by an ultra-fine processing technique, signals generated from recessed portions of contact holes and line patterns become weak. Therefore, this makes fine observation and length-measurement very difficult.
To solve such a problem, some methods have been proposed. For instance, in accordance with proceeding of IEEE 9th Annual Symposium on Electron, Ion and Laser Technology, pages 176 to 186, the acceleration voltage applied between the electron source and the anode biased at the ground potential is set to the high value, and the retarding static field is produced between the objective lense biased at the ground potential and the inspection sample to which the negative potential is applied, so that the electron beams irradiated to the sample are decelerated. Thus, the acceleration voltage is eventually set to a relatively low voltage, and such a scanning electron microscope is proposed that both chromatic aberration can be reduced and the charging-up can be prevented.
Nevertheless, since the applications of negative potentials to the sample are manually performed by operators in this prior art scanning electron microscope, there are some possibilities that a shortcircuit happens to occurs between the sample and the ground potential when operators would forget to cut off the application of negative potentials to the sample during substitution of the sample. Moreover, there are possibilities that samples such as semiconductor devices which are readily, adversely influenced by electric damages may be destroyed due to sudden potential changes caused by the shortcircuit. As a consequence, there are various problems. That is, a careful operation is required when the voltage application is turned ON/OFF while the sample is mounted and replaced in the scanning electron microscope, i.e., a difficult handling of the sample is needed.


A method and an apparatus for an effective chemical treatment of a blood disease apply a drug of a wider range with a smaller dose or lower concentration to the blood outside the patient's body. Blood which is collected from a patient is fed through a tube (2a) into a chamber (4) by a pump (3). A drug is injected into the chamber (4) from a container (5), while ultrasonic waves are applied to the blood contained in the chamber (4) from an actuator (7). The blood treated with the drug and by the ultrasonic waves, is returned into the body of the patient through a tube (2c), while the same is monitored by sensors (10) and (11).

In order to chemically treat a blood disease such as leukemia, conventionally a remedy is directly administered into the body of the patient. For example, a patient who receives chemical treatment often gets an intravenous injection of a carcinostatic substance. When he suffers from leukemia, he receives a toxic drug for attacking rapidly propagating leukocytic cells, or such a drug is administered as a relatively high intravascular concentration for attaining a good effect. The above procedures often lead to various side reactions.
On the other hand, there has been developed a new chemical treatment method employing an apparatus called a photophoresis apparatus for treating of a cutis T cell lymphadenoma (CTCL) ("Science" Japan Edition, October 1988, pp. 65-73). As shown in present FIG. 1, such a photophoresis apparatus 20 comprises a centrifugal separator 21 for separating blood into its components, and is controlled by a microprocessor. In the known apparatus, blood components contained in a bag 22a are fed through a transparent passage 23 of plastic, to be stored in another bag 22b. High-power ultraviolet lamps 24 are provided on both sides of the passage 23 meandering through a space between the lamps 24. The blood of a patient is separated into components by the centrifugal separator 21, so that blood plasma and leukocytes are contained in the bag 22a. The components thus contained in the bag 22a are mixed with a physiological salt solution which is contained in a bag 22c and fed into the passage 23. The ultraviolet lamps 24 apply intense ultraviolet radiation (UVA) to the liquid which is passed through the passage 23. The UV-irradiated components are mixed with other centrifugally separated components, and returned into the body of the patient.
The above photophoresis apparatus provides a device for optically processing the blood or the blood components of a patient with a drug outside of the patient's body. Such a device may provide a way for chemically treating and optically activating a drug and selectively applying the drug to a target in a patient's blood.

Blood processing for treating blood disease


A putter having a uniquely-shaped head designed to enhance the use of the club. The head has two `J`-shaped end sections that function to balance the head while visually framing a center section of the head. The front face of the head is located at an elevated position atop a multicurved bottom surface. The shaft of the club is received in the head's central section at a point between the head's front and rear surfaces.

The game of golf provides a number of different situations that challenge different aspects of a golfer's skill. When the ball is located a great distance from the hole or cup, the golfer's strength and general accuracy are tested as he or she drives the ball toward the cup. Once the ball is located relatively near the cup, the golfer must hit the ball in a manner that tests his or her fine control and accuracy. In the latter situation, it is a common practice for a golfer to employ a specialized club called a putter for hitting the ball.
A putter typically features a relatively narrow metal head that is secured to one end of an elongated shaft having a handle portion. The attachment site between the shaft and the head is located either at the center of the head or proximate one of the head's ends. From the attachment area, the shaft extends outwardly from the head at a perpendicular or other angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the head.
A player expects his or her putter to be comfortable to hold, easy to aim and capable of contacting the ball in a controlled manner. A large number of different designs of putters have been invented in the past to achieve these goals. However, none of the designs have been completely successful.
While many prior art putters are considered satisfactory, there is still a need for a putter that will meet the above-described goals in an improved fashion. The objective of the invention is to provide a putter that, when compared to the prior art, is more comfortable to use, is easier to aim and control and is capable of impacting a golf ball in a more predictable manner.


A method of operating a supercharger (10) for an automotive engine (20) is disclosed. A supercharger (10) has an input shaft (30) for coupling to a crank shaft (22) of the engine and also for coupling to the rotor of a first electrical machine (40) and the annulus of an epicyclic gear train (60). An output shaft (70) is connected to a compressor (80) and a sun gear of the epicyclic gear train (60). A carrier carrying planet gears of the epicyclic gear train (60) is connected to the rotor of a second electrical machine (50). The first electrical machine (40) is selectively operable to supply electrical energy to the second electrical machine (50). The second electrical machine (50) is selectively operable as a motor or a generator to accelerate or decelerate the compressor (80), thereby tending to increase or decrease the power output of the engine. The first electrical machine (40) is selectively operable as a motor or a generator to control the torque transmitted from the input shaft (30) back to the crank shaft (22) caused by operation of the second electrical machine (50).

WO-A1-2004/072449, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety, describes an automotive air blower in the form of a supercharger for use with an automotive engine. The supercharger differs from a conventional supercharger in being operable to augment rotary power from the engine crankshaft with rotary power from one or more electric motors housed in a body of the supercharger.
More specifically, the supercharger includes an input shaft for coupling by a transmission belt to the crankshaft of the engine, and also includes an output shaft to which is fitted an air impellor. The supercharger further includes an epicyclic gear train, and first and second motor-generator electrical machines. The arrangement is such that the input shaft is coupled to the annulus of the epicyclic gear train and to the rotor of one of the electrical machines; the output shaft is coupled to the sun wheel of the epicyclic gear train; and the carrier of the epicyclic gear train is coupled to the other electrical machine.
This supercharger is advantageous in that it is operable to vary the pressure of air in the inlet manifold of the engine independently of the engine speed, and in an efficient and cost-effective manner. By varying the air pressure independently of engine speed, the supercharger can be very responsive to changes in load.
An object of this invention is to provide a method of operating superchargers similar to that described above.
At present, some drivers of passenger vehicles, such as cars (or "automobiles" in American English), favour larger engines over smaller engines. This is because larger engines offer certain performance advantages over smaller engines in terms of greater power output and, in the case of larger engines that have many cylinders, lower levels of noise and vibration harshness (NVH). Larger engines are, however, less efficient to operate and more expensive to manufacture than smaller engines.
Another object of this invention is therefore to provide a method that can be used to provide at least some of the performance advantages associated with a larger engine, and at least some of the cost and efficiency advantages associated with a smaller engine.


A unit pixel for an image sensor includes an accumulation circuit configured to generate an accumulated dark current by accumulating a charge corresponding to a dark current during a time of flight (TOF), the accumulation circuit being optically shaded to generate the dark current, an output voltage generation circuit configured to generate and output an output voltage corresponding to the TOF based on a charge corresponding to the accumulated dark current, a control circuit configured to control an operation of the output voltage generation circuit based on a light signal that is input to the unit pixel after being reflected by an object, the light signal being emitted by a light source, and an initialization circuit configured to initialize the accumulation circuit at a predetermined cycle.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments relate generally to image sensors and, more particularly, to time of flight (TOF) type three-dimensional (3D) image sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor is a semiconductor device that transforms a light signal input from outside to an electric signal (i.e., performs photoelectric transformations) to provide image information corresponding to the light signal. Recently, a three-dimensional (3D) image sensor that provides distance information as well as the image information based on the light signal has been suggested. Typically, the 3D image sensor may measure a distance between each unit pixel and an object by measuring a time of flight (TOF) that corresponds to an elapsed time during which an optical pulse (i.e., a laser pulse) is emitted toward the object by a light source, and then input to the unit pixel after being reflected by the object. However, a conventional 3D image sensor may need a time to digital converter (TDC) for measuring the TOF for each unit pixel, and each unit pixel of the conventional 3D image sensor may need a light sensing device having a relatively high sensitivity. Therefore, it may be difficult to manufacture a conventional 3D image sensor with a small size, and manufacturing cost and power consumption of the conventional 3D image sensor may be relatively large.

Image sensor apparatus using shaded photodetector for time of flight determination


Disclosed is a system whereby it is possible to verify the safety of a person even if the person is not aware that the person is being searched for as a missing person. In this system, each verification requesting person who is searching for another person registers, in a database of a portal server (4), a set comprising a feature value of the face of the searched-for person and personal information (e.g., telephone number) about the searched-for person or the verification requesting person. A field server (2) constantly compares feature values of captured face images with the database, and if a close match is found between the feature value of a captured face image and the stored feature value of the face of a person, the field server (2) presents the registered personal information associated with that person to the person from which the captured face image was derived and requests verification from the latter person. Since the system is open to the public, the feature values stored in the database are protected by a template protection scheme. For example, random projections which differ with different locality-sensitive hash values of feature values are used so that it can be assumed that, in the vicinity of a target feature value, a local distance-preserving mapping is established between feature values and the corresponding protected feature values.

A person search system, which allows a computer to search for a target person from video images (moving images) captured or recorded by a surveillance camera or the like, using an image recognition technology or the like, has been known conventionally (for example, see Patent Literatures 1 to 4 and Non Patent Literature 1). Such a technology of performing searching based on features of an image itself, without depending on external information such as tagging, is generally called CBIR (Content-Based Image Retrieval) which has been started to be also used for searching for a person.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a video image search system and a person search method in which a portion where (the face of) a person is cut out from an image, and a color histogram or the like is extracted as a feature value for identifying the person individually, and when the feature value is similar to that of a target person, it is estimated that they are the same person.
Feature values used for image recognition are luminance values of pixels like Eigenface used in main component analysis in old days. As the first generation feature values, those based on distribution of pixel values (luminance) and wavelet transformation have been known. In the second generation, feature values based on a local region such as Haar-Like, HOG, EOH, and Edgelet have been known, and also, those having scale invariant property regarding a focused feature point like SIFT and SURF have been known. In the third generation, learning is made in consideration of spatial relativeness of those local regions, and Joint Haar-like, Joint HOG, sparse feature, Shapelet, co-occurrence probability feature, and the like have been used.
In recent years, a time space feature such as PSA (Pixel State Analysis), as the four generation, has been researched (for example, see Non Patent Literature 2).
The performance of face recognition depends of a face image databased used for learning. FERET face database, often used in a contest, includes a right-sided face and a left-sided face, besides a front face. Regarding this database, face recognition having a FRR (False Reject Rate) of about 0.0003%, with respect to FAR (False Accept Rate)=0.001, is realized at the time of year 2010.
CBIR having an accuracy of a practical level in face recognition is expected to be used in various fields in the future.
As an example thereof, a personal safety verification system in times of disaster or the like is considered.
A safety verification means in times of disaster, which is currently used widely, is provided by a telecommunications carrier. For example, a person who wishes to verify safety (verification requesting person) or a person who is to be verified (not verification requesting person) calls a predetermined telephone number, remains a voice message with a telephone number of the other person or the own, and then the other person calls a predetermined telephone number an inputs the telephone number of the own or the other person, whereby the voice message can be played.
Further, there are also various means such as one in which safety information is input using characters from a mobile phone, a smart phone, PC, or the like, and the other person is able to search for and view the safety information using a telephone number or the like, and one in which voice can also be recorded and played with a similar operation. There is also a means for automatically send an email prompting inputting of safety information to an email address of a person to be verified.
Further, SNS (Social Networking services) and the like, which are widely used recently, may also be used as safety verification means.
It should be noted that relating to the present invention, a personal safety verification system using CBIR technology, and one in which any kind of personal information and a telephone number are paired to be used for searching, for example, have been known (see Patent Literatures 5 to 7, for example).
Further, a technology of performing identification of a human body using images has been known (see Patent Literatures 8 and 9, for example).

Personal safety verification system and similarity search method for data encrypted for confidentiality


Disclosed is a printing die replacement assisting unit for facilitating die replacement by an operator in a printing apparatus having a plate cylinder rotatably supported in the main body of the apparatus with a printing die having engagement plates being mounted on the circumference of the plate cylinder, the printing die replacement assisting unit comprising a support frame disposed on the main body, with a fitting member being descendably supported on supporting means disposed on the support frame; holding means disposed to the fitting member, which can releasably hold one of the engagement plates of the printing die; and an urging means connected to the supporting means, which normally urges the means in the direction such that the fitting member may be ascended, but allows pulling down of the fitting member; wherein the printing die is designed to be held by and suspended from the fitting member via the holding means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printing die replacement assisting unit in a printing apparatus for applying a predetermined print on corrugated board sheets, in which the printing die mounted around the plate cylinder can easily be replaced.
2. Description of the Related Art
The printing apparatus which applies a print on corrugate board sheets cut into a predetermined length is provided with a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder arranged in a vertical relationship, i.e. at an upper position and a lower position with respect to the corrugated board sheet pass line, and a desired printing die is designed to be removably mounted around the plate cylinder. An ink is transferred to the printing die with the aid of an ink transfer mechanism disposed above the plate cylinder, and a corrugated board sheet is passed between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder to apply a required print on the sheet.
An engagement groove and a clamping groove are formed on the circumference of the plate cylinder parallelwise in the axial direction, with a clamp being disposed in the clamping groove. When the printing die is to be mounted on the circumference of the plate cylinder, one of the engagement plates disposed at the end portions of the printing die relative to the die rolling direction is engaged in the engagement groove, and the plate cylinder is then turned to roll the printing die therearound. After the printing die is substantially rolled around the plate cylinder, the other engagement plate of the printing die is clamped and tightened by the clamp disposed in the clamping groove, whereby the printing die can be mounted on the circumference of the plate cylinder.
In such printing apparatus, when the printing die (old printing die) mounted around the plate cylinder is to be replaced in accordance with an order change with another printing die (new printing die) of the next order, an operator first releases the old printing die mounted around the plate cylinder and lays it on the floor or somewhere else. After the operator puts one engagement plate of the new printing die in the engagement groove of the plate cylinder, he holds the free end portion of the new printing die and turns the plate cylinder, whereby the new printing die is rolled around the plate cylinder. After the other engagement plate of the new printing die is clamped by the clamp disposed in the clamping groove, the new printing die is tightened by the clamp to complete the replacement operation.
In this case, when the printing die, one engagement plate thereof being caught in the engagement groove of the plate cylinder, is to be mounted around the plate cylinder, it is not so difficult for one operator to hold the free end portion of the printing die, so long as the width of the printing plate (length in the axial direction of the plate cylinder) is small. However, if the printing die is wide, it is too tough for one operator to hold such heavy printing die so as to cope with such operation, forcing overburden on the operator and reducing operation efficiency, disadvantageously. Thus, in carrying out replacement of a wide printing die, the free end portion of the printing die is generally held by two operators on each side of the printing die. However, increase in the labor cost can be pointed out in this case. Besides, the old printing die released from the plate cylinder must be placed on the floor on which a new printing die has already been provided, so that the floor is occupied by two printing dies to interfere with the replacing operation, disadvantageously.
In order to overcome such problems, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 133069/1982 and 133070/1982 disclose systems. In these systems, a printing die replacing unit is disposed adjacent to the printing apparatus so as to carry out removal of the old printing die from the plate cylinder and mounting of the new printing die therearound automatically in accordance with order changes.
However, it can be pointed out that a complicated mechanism must be employed in these systems, leading to cost elevation, disadvantageously. In addition, a space must be secured for installing the large replacing unit, so that the space in the factory cannot effectively be utilized. Moreover, it can also be pointed out, in order to cope with the automation of printing die replacement with the aid of the printing die replacing unit, that special working must be applied to the printing dies and the plate cylinder, that special jigs must be provided, and that the facility investment for the automation jumps up, disadvantageously. Accordingly, such systems can hardly be utilized in actual applications.

Printing die replacement assisting unit in printing apparatus


A hydraulic brake system operates so that under anti-lock control, the braking forces for the rear wheels are enhanced in order to reduce braking loads for the front wheels. Further, upon the occurrence of a malfunction of the anti-locking control, the hydraulic pressure which is supplied to the front and the rear wheels is equalized in order to prevent the rear wheels from locking. In preferred embodiments, a small hydraulic pressure is supplied from a master cylinder to the front wheels while a large pressure is supplied from a brake booster to the rear wheels. Due to the large fluid pressure, the braking forces of the rear wheels are enhanced so that the rear wheels might tend to lock easily. However, anti-lock control can be performed effectively in order to avoid the rear wheels from locking. Upon the malfunction of the anti-lock control, a switching valve is operated so that the brake pressure which is supplied to the front and the rear wheels is equalized. The switching valve operates so that the braking forces of the rear wheels are mutually reduced in comparison to the braking forces of the front wheels. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent the rear wheels from locking if the anti-lock control fails. Thus, the vehicle stability is maintained even if the anti-lock control fails.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a brake system, particularly a hydraulic brake system with enhanced braking force for the rear wheels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional hydraulic brake system includes hydraulic lines, a brake booster for amplifying a depression force applied to a brake pedal and a master cylinder for converting an output from the brake booster to hydraulic pressure so that the vehicle is decelerated in accordance with the depression force applied to the brake pedal. Two hydraulic lines are usually utilized for almost all vehicles in order to transmit the hydraulic pressures from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders. A tandem master cylinder is a known device for supplying pressure to the two hydraulic lines. Further, a vacuum booster and a hydraulic booster can be employed for amplifying the depression force applied to the brake pedal.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 64(1989)-47659 discloses a hydraulic brake system having a hydraulic brake booster. The hydraulic brake booster includes a modulator valve for modulating hydraulic pressure supplied from a pressure source and for supplying the modulated pressure to one of the two lines.
In this conventional hydraulic brake system, sufficient braking force can be obtained if the pressure source fails. When the booster fails due to a lack of pressure from the pressure source, both front and rear wheel cylinders are connected to the master cylinder so that sufficient hydraulic pressure is supplied to all of the wheel cylinders from the master cylinder.
Further, it is well known in the art that an anti-lock control apparatus can be adapted to the hydraulic brake system. Under anti-lock control, slip or skid of each wheel can be effectively reduced so that braking safety is increased.
In the conventional hydraulic brake system, however, the braking forces of the rear wheels are designed to be smaller than the braking forces of the front wheels because the load on the front wheels is generally heavier than on the rear wheels and deceleration of the vehicle reduces the load on the rear wheels. As a result, the brake pads associated with the front wheels are worn out in a short period.

Hydraulic brake system with enhanced braking force for rear wheels


Data related to an event is provided to a group of contacts while the event is occurring via an event user interface that enables the group of contacts to coordinate with one another during the event. In this regard, an event coordination service is provides the event data to each contact of the group for review via an event user interface that is persistently displayed on a telecommunication or other computing device associated with the contact for the contact's easy and immediate reference during the event. When the event ultimately concludes, display of the event user interface ceases as the group of contacts likely no longer needs immediate or ready reference to the event.

Generally described, telecommunications devices and communication networks facilitate the collection and exchange of information. Utilizing a communication network and relevant communication protocols, a telecommunications device can engage in audio and/or data communications (such as voice calls, video calls, text messages (e.g., SMS), multimedia messages (e.g., MMS), content streaming, instant messaging, Web surfing, and the like) with telecommunications devices.
To facilitate communications, telecommunications devices can be associated with software and hardware components that allow the telecommunications device to maintain contact information, such as telephone numbers, email addresses, messaging addresses, etc., maintain personal information, such as task lists, calendars, etc. and send messages utilizing the contact information via available communication channels.
Given the prevalence of telecommunications devices in an increasingly mobile society, many users utilize their telecommunications devices to organize events and communicate with each other during the event, e.g., through voice calls, instant messaging, etc. Although users can communicate with each other during an event in this manner, it may still be difficult for users to coordinate activities, interests, meeting times/locations, etc. during the event, especially if the event is of any appreciable duration, the event is spread out over a geographic area, and/or there is a critical mass of users participating in the event. For example, a family visiting an amusement park may decide to separate and visit different attractions or other points of interest. While they may call each other on their respective mobile phones to coordinate, for example, where to meet again or give a recommendation for an attraction, such coordination typically requires multiple and perhaps time consuming calls and/or messages, forwarding of messages to others family members at the park, etc. This may institute delays, result in miscommunication, etc. Moreover, such haphazard event coordination does not lend itself to social network environments in which users are accustomed to communicating and interacting in real-time on a group or community basis.

Providing event data to a group of contacts


A new musical eight-string instrument in which the body, or resonance chamber, has an ovoidal lute-like shell and a flat sound board having an oval-shape contour, with a larger arc on the bass string side of the neck and a smaller arc followed by a concave portion on the other side of the neck. The larger side meets with the neck at the twelfth fret, while the smaller side meets the neck at the twentieth fret to allow easy access to the strings at all frets. The neck of instrument is joined to the shell by a spine. This new instrument is also tuned in a new manner, so that its eighth open strings are tuned in seven superimposed intervals of four half-tones, in order to make it much easier for the finger board fingers of the player. A positive note identification means is also disclosed for the finger board of any string musical instrument, consisting of rectangular areas of visually contrasting shades, one shade for the natural notes and another shade for the altered notes.

Fretted instruments have a finger board neck which is pre-divided on its playing surface into equally tempered semi-tones by means of spaced-apart upraised strips commonly called frets. When an instrumentalist plays a melody or chord on such an instrument, the right hand fingers are used to pluck or strum the strings while the fingers of the left hand play the proper notes or chords on the finger board.
It frequently happens that a novice musician (as well as those more advanced in the study of such instruments) experiences some difficulty in locating the proper note for the finger board hand to play. Searching for the right note can be a problem whether scales are being practiced or an actual melody played, resulting in an off-key note or a disruption in the rhythm of the piece of music.
The present invention aids in resolving this problem by introducing, in the manner described below, visual means of note-identification on the finger board to augment and support ear-hand coordination. The means proposed herein are based on the well known fact that eye-hand coordination is very well developed in most individuals.
It is also within the scope of the present invention to provide an entirely new musical string instrument similar to a guitar or lute but having a novel construction and tuned in such a way so as improve the finger board hand technique.


The semiconductor device includes first and second common source semiconductor layers respectively extending in a first direction, first and second logic gate circuits respectively composed of at least one three-dimensional P-type FET and a three-dimensional N-type FET. The sources of the three-dimensional P-type FETs in the first and second logic gate circuits are joined to the first common source semiconductor layer. The sources of the three-dimensional N-type FETs in the first and second logic gate circuits are joined to the second common source semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layers of the three-dimensional P-type and N-type FETs in the first logic gate circuit are joined in their drain side, and The semiconductor layers of the three-dimensional P-type and N-type FETs in the second logic gate circuit are joined in their drain side. The dissipation of the FinFET can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, in particular, a semiconductor device having a three-dimensional structure MISFET (hereinafter, referred to a "three-dimensional FET").
2. Description of Related Art
As a method of reducing the size of the MISFET (to achieve effects such as a suppression of short channel effect), the so-called three-dimensional FET is used for improving channel charge control capability of the gate electrode in place of a typical planar MISFET. The three-dimensional FET is a type of SOI (silicon on insulator) devices. The fin MISFET (FinFET) and the double gate FET (DG-FET) are typical three-dimensional FETs.
As an example of the three-dimensional FET, an SRAM (static random access memory) formed of a FinFET is disclosed in the following document: Zheng Guo et al., "FinFET-Based SRAM Design", International Symposium on Low Power Electronics and Design, pp. 2-7, 2005 (ISLPED '05). In this technique, by adopting the FinFET as an FET of the SRAM, an SRAM with small cell size can be realized.
With regard to devices including the three-dimensional FET including the Fin FET or the planar SOI, the heat generation often becomes troublesome. For improving the heat dissipation of such devices, various techniques has been investigated. However, most of such investigations are directed to the planar SOI device, and the three-dimensional FET has not been sufficiently considered. The heat dissipation of the three-dimensional FET must be considered from different viewpoints from the planar SOI device, since their structures are different to each other. Particularly, in the planar SOI device, the device isolation is performed by partially oxidizing a semiconductor layer (SOI layer) formed on the whole surface of a wafer, while, in the three-dimensional FET, the device isolation is performed by forming semiconductor layers separately on an insulating film. Generally, the heat dissipation is more important technical issue for the three-dimensional FET than the planar SOI device.
More specifically, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2004-72017A discloses a technique for using metal interconnections on an upper layer of the planar SOI device as a heat dissipator. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2004-363136A discloses a structure of the planar SOI device in which a gate electrode of MOSFET used as an ESD protection element is shaped as a ring and a source region is separated from the outside of a source region with a shield plate electrode. With such structure, since the SOI layer forms continuous area, the heat dissipation efficiency is improved. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2005-197462A, even the heat dissipation problem is not described, a structure in which a gate electrode and a channel region (referred to as a "well" in this document) become shorted is disclosed. With the structure disclosed in this document, a well of a P-type FET is joined with a well of an N-type FET by p-n junction.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2006-19578A discloses the heat dissipation of the FinFET. This document discloses a structure in which a gate electrode and a channel region are shorted to reduce power consumption of a FinFET and suppress short channel effect. With this structure, the heat generated in a source and a drain is dissipated through a gate electrode.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2005-116969A discloses an inverter circuit chain, which is one of the techniques of a logic circuit formed by using the three-dimensional FET. FIG. 1 in this document shows a layout diagram of the inverter circuit chain. In this figure, sources of an inverter circuit (104, 105) are not coupled to each other by a semiconductor layer (there is no common semiconductor layer) but are electrically connected to each other with a metal interconnection (106, 107 are source electrode interconnections). Generally, when the three-dimensional FET forms a functional circuit obtained by combining logic gate circuits, sources of FET each forming the logic gate circuit are connected to each other with a metal interconnection as this document JP-P2005-116969A. Accordingly, with such structure, since the heat from the metal interconnection is dissipated from a semiconductor layer through a contact plug, the amount of dissipated heat is limited by the thermal resistance of the contact plug. As a result, heat exhaustion of the semiconductor layer is limited by the thermal resistance of the contact plug.

Semiconductor device with three-dimensional field effect transistor structure


In a threaded connector, a box member has at least two tapered, internal, generally dovetail-shaped threads. The internal threads each having stab flanks, load flanks, roots, crests and a wedge ratio and increasing in width in one direction. A pin member has at least two tapered, external, generally dovetail-shaped threads. The external thread has stab flanks, load flanks, roots, crests and a wedge ratio and increases in width in the other direction so that complementary roots and crests of the internal and external threads move into engagement during make-up of the connection in conjunction with the moving of complementary stab and load flanks into engagement upon make-up of the connection. The wedge ratio of one thread is an aggressive wedge ratio with a larger magnitude and the wedge ratio of the another thread is a conservative wedge ratio with a smaller magnitude. Alternatively, a box member has a tapered, internal, generally dovetail-shaped thread incorporated in a two-step configuration and a pin member has a tapered, external, generally dovetail-shaped thread incorporated in two-step configuration. The wedge ratio of one step is an aggressive wedge ratio with a larger magnitude and the wedge ratio of the other step is a conservative wedge ratio with a smaller magnitude.

The use of threaded tubular connections for joining flow conduits in an end-to-end relationship to form a continuous flow path for transporting fluid under pressure is well known. Oilfield tubular goods all use threaded connections for connecting adjacent sections of conduit or pipe. Examples of such threaded end connections designed for use on oilfield tubular goods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,239,942; 2,992,019; 3,359,013; RE 30,647; and RE 34,467, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. RE 30,647 by Blose, a particular thread form or structure is disclosed for a tubular connection that provides an unusually strong joint while controlling the stress and strain in connected pin and box members within acceptable levels. The pin member is equipped with at least one generally dovetail-shaped external thread whose width increases in one direction along the pin, while the box member is equipped with at least one matching generally dovetail-shaped internal thread whose width increases in the other direction. In this manner, the mating set of helical threads provide a wedge-like engagement of opposing pin and box flanks that limit the extent of relative rotation between the pin and box members, and define a forcible make-up condition that completes the connection. In this thread structure, the flank shoulder angles as well as the thread width can be used to control the stress and strain preload conditions induced in the pin and box members for a given make-up torque. Thus, by tailoring the thread structure to a particular application or use, the tubular connection or joint is limited only by the properties of the materials selected.
As shown in FIG. 1, a prior art connection 10 includes a pin member 11 and a box member 12. Box member 12 has a tapered, internal, generally dovetail-shaped thread structure 14 formed thereon and adapted for engaging complementary tapered, external, generally dovetail-shaped thread structure 15 formed on pin member 11 to mechanically secure the box and pin members in a releasable manner.
Internal thread 14 of box member 12 has stab flanks 18, load flanks 16, roots 20, and crests 24. The thread increases in width progressively at a uniform rate in one direction substantially the entire helical length of thread 14. External thread 15 of pin member 11 has stab flanks 19, load flanks 17, roots 21, and crests 25. The thread increases in width progressively at a uniform rate in the other direction substantially the entire helical length of thread 15. The oppositely increasing thread widths and the taper of threads 14 and 15, cause the complementary roots and crests of the respective threads to move into engagement during make-up of the connection in conjunction with the moving of complementary stab and load flanks into engagement upon make-up of the connection.
The pin member 11 or the box member 12 defines the longitudinal axis 13 of the made-up connection 10. The roots and crests of the box and pin members are flat and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the connection and have sufficient width to prevent any permanent deformation of the threads when the connection is made up.
FIG. 2 shows a profile of the wedge thread on box member 12. The dimension A represents the location of the thread start and dimension B represents the thread depth. The stab flank and load flank leads are denoted C and D respectively.
FIG. 3 shows a profile of the wedge thread on box member 12, for example formed in a two-step configuration. The dimension W represents the basic wedge width and dimension R represents the wedge ratio.
When trying to incorporate a wedge thread with a conical metal-to-metal seal in the prior art, it was necessary to have a very shallow seal angle to compensate for the linear variability of the wedge thread torque stop.

Differential wedge thread for threaded connector


This invention is directed to the use of triglycerides containing fatty ester moieties that include arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in enteral nutritionals or nutritional supplements. These triglycerides are derived from lipid mixtures which have high levels of sterols and phosphorous. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an infant or enteral nutritional, or nutritional supplement, that comprises a lipid source derived from egg yolk. The lipid source derived from egg yolk is prepared by transesterification or hydrolysis, subjecting the mixture to distillation, and esterification with glycerin to result in a triglyceride containing the desired fatty acids of AA and DHA and little or no sterols and phosphorus.

The composition of human milk serves as a valuable reference for improving infant formula. Much effort has been directed at producing a milk based infant formula which is similar to human milk.
One component of human milk that is receiving more investigation is the fat composition. Human milk fat contains long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids which may play a role in infant development. Many infant formulas do not contain lipids having long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (C20:4w6) (also referred to herein as AA), ecosapentaenoic acid (also referred to herein as EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6w3) (also referred to herein as DHA). Acceptable ingredient sources for these fatty acids are limited, thus the lack of such acids in infant formula and adult nutritionals.
Polyunsaturated acids, in particular the longer chain acids such as AA, DHA, and EPA are natural constituents of many foodstuffs. However these acids are either intimately combined with undesirable components such as cholesterol, phosphorus compounds, or are unsuitable for food applications in their functional form.
The n-6 family of polyunsaturated fatty acids, based on the parent linoleic acid and higher derivatives such as AA, have long been established as essential in human and animal nutrition. More recently, evidence has accumulated for the nutritional importance of the n-3 family of polyunsaturated fatty acids, based on the parent linolenic acid and higher derivatives such as ecosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These polyunsaturated acids are the precursors for prostaglandins and eicosanoids, a powerful group of compounds which produce diverse physiological actions at low concentrations. The prostaglandins are known to influence blood clotting, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory response, cholesterol absorption, bronchial function, hypertension, visual acuity and brain development in infants, and gastric secretions, among other effects.
Egg yolk lipids contain AA (arachidonic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and are widely consumed in diets of both children and adults. Lipids isolated from egg yolks could be deemed unacceptable for use in infant formula due to high levels of cholesterol which suffers from negative public opinion, and the troublesome levels of phosphorus. The AA and DHA are present in egg yolk lipids primarily as phospholipids. Thus, infant formulas fortified with egg yolk lipids exhibit levels of cholesterol and phospholipids which far exceed the level of such nutrients found in breast milk.
Typically, the amount of lipids in egg yolk is about 65% by weight (wt %) of the dry matter. In such lipids, about 66 wt % of the lipid is triglycerides, of which about 30 wt % is phospholipids, and about 4 wt % is cholesterol. The phosphorus content of the lipids is about 1 wt % to 2 wt %.
Several commercial egg lipid ingredients are presently available. The first, OVOTHIN 120, is a total egg yolk lipid extract supplied by Lucas Meyer of 765 East Pythian Ave., Decatur, Ill. 62526. OVOTHIN 120 contains triglyceride, phospholipid and cholesterol. A second ingredient, supplied by Psanstiehl Laboratories, Inc. of 1219 Glen Rock Ave., Waukegan, Ill. 60085 is an egg yolk extract which is 90% phospholipids. Also, purified egg phospholipid is available from Genzyme Corporation of One Kendill Square, Cambridge, Mass. 02139. Unfortunately, all the above ingredients negatively impact the phosphorus levels of infant formula when used at the proper fortification level to achieve AA and DHA target levels approximating the content of AA and DHA in human milk. The proper fortification would require that about 7-9 wt % of the fat in the infant formula be composed of phospholipid. Human milk fat contains 1-3 wt % phospholipid. Furthermore, the use of OVOTHIN 120 increases cholesterol in infant formula above the levels found in human milk.
There are numerous methods in the literature for recovering phospholipids from lipid mixtures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,185 discloses a method of separating phospholipids from crude vegetable triglyceride mixtures. The method involves the addition of water in a mass ratio about equal to the mass of phospholipids present in the lipid mixture, with or without heating, and with or without co-addition of citric or phosphoric acid, to cause the phospholipids to hydrate and separate into a second phase.
Such degumming methods, however, were designed for the removal of 1 to 2 weight percent of phospholipids from crude vegetable triglycerides and are not directly applicable to the purification of other natural lipid mixtures, such as egg yolk lipids because of the higher levels of phospholipids (30-40 wt %) in egg yolk lipids. Addition of a 1:1 mass ratio of water to phospholipid with large amounts of phospholipids present causes the formation of a stable emulsion which prevents phase separation. Moreover, sterols tend to partition between both the phospholipid and triglyceride phases.
It is desirable to provide a process by which cholesterol and other sterol compounds (many of which can be metabolized to cholesterol or its derivatives) can be extracted from various foodstuffs, thereby producing low-cholesterol versions of such foodstuffs. However, the process must not introduce into the foodstuff any material which is not generally recognized as safe for use in foodstuffs. In addition, the process should remove from the foodstuff not only cholesterol itself but also cholesterol derivatives and other sterol compounds which can be metabolized in the body to cholesterol or derivatives thereof, and which thus affect cholesterol levels in the body. Furthermore, the process should leave the foodstuff in a form which is as close as possible to that of the original, high cholesterol foodstuff. Finally, the cholesterol-removal process should not remove vitamins and other important nutrients of the foodstuff.
Numerous attempts have previously been made to provide a cholesterol-removal process which meets these exacting criteria. U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,280, discloses a process for the purification of fish oils in which the oil is extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide to remove cholesterol, together with odoriferous and volatile impurities. Such carbon dioxide extraction processes, however, suffer from the disadvantage that they must be operated under pressure to keep the carbon dioxide in the supercritical phase, which increases the cost of the apparatus required. In addition, such carbon dioxide extraction processes are not very selective in the removal of cholesterol, and thus remove valuable constituents of the foodstuff. In addition, the properties of some foodstuffs may be altered disadvantageously by contact with supercritical carbon dioxide; for example, in some cases the carbon dioxide removes flavoring and odoriferous components which affect the taste and smell of the treated foodstuff.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,117 discloses a process for removing at least one sterol compound and at least one saturated fatty acid from a fluid mixture by contacting the fluid mixture with an activated charcoal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,117 states however, in column 12, lines 4-19, that the process should not be used for removing cholesterol from materials, such as egg yolks which contain a combination of cholesterol and proteins, since a significant adsorption of proteins and their constituent amino acids occurs on the charcoal.
British Pat. No. 1,559,064 discloses a process for removing cholesterol from butter triglycerides by distillation. However, Lanzani et al [J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 71, (1994) 609] determined that only 90% of the cholesterol could be removed using the process disclosed in British Pat. No. 1,559,064 without seriously affecting the quality of the end product. Excessive time at the high temperatures needed for more complete cholesterol removal was found to cause cis-trans isomerization of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. The trans form of polyunsaturated fatty acids are considered undesirable in food products.
Egg yolk is an example of a lipid mixture rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids including AA and (all-cis)-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in which the polyunsaturated fatty acids are predominantly bound in the phospholipids and which contain high levels of cholesterol. It is desirable to provide a process for the manufacture of egg-derived fatty acids and fatty acid esters high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which removes cholesterol and phosphorus residues without degrading or causing cis-trans isomerization of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids contained therein or the taste and flavor of foods prepared using such fatty acid and ester mixtures. Moreover, the process for the manufacture of the fatty acid and ester mixtures should use materials which are on the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) list of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in order for the final product to be used in foods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,285 to M. Clandinin of Jun. 2, 1987 discloses the use of lipid extracted from egg yolk in infant formula. The lipids of the Clandinin reference include polyunsaturated lipids found in human milk such as C:20 or C:22 w6 and C:20 or C22 w3 fatty acids. The lipids of Clandinin contain the unacceptable levels of cholesterol and phosphorus of the original egg yolk material.
Abstract of JP 62198351 of Sep. 2, 1987 to Morinaga Milk discloses a substitute mothers' milk composition which contains egg yolk lipid extracted from egg yolk with ethanol. The lipid is preferably combined so that a 100 g milk composition contains 68 mg of cholesterol. However, the 68 mg of cholesterol translates to about 680 mg/L (liter) or greater than four times that found in average composition human milk.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,956 of May 12, 1992 to P. Tang, et al. discloses a method for the removal of lipids and cholesterol from protein material such as that in egg yolk by treating the protein with an extraction mixture comprising a lower alcohol, water, and an acid in concentrations selected to extract cholesterol and lipids from the protein. The preferred lower alcohol of this reference is ethanol and a primary object is obtaining protein suitable for human consumption.
PTC publication WO 89/11521 of Nov. 30, 1989 discloses a process for preparing EPA and DHA and their esters from oils of animal and/or vegetable origin by subjecting the raw oil to alkaline hydrolysis, acidifying the soap so formed with a mineral acid in aqueous solution, extracting the resulting mixture with petroleum ether and after washing and concentration, the combined extracts are submitted to one or more distillation steps with the pressure and temperature parameters being suitably changed in order to obtain a whole range of desired products.
Abstract of JP 1160989 (application) of Jun. 23, 1989 to NIOF. Fresh fish eggs are extracted with solvent of distilled water, methanol/chloroform, acetone, ether, under oxygen-free conditions to extract lipids and eventually isolate a docosahexaenoic acid- containing phosphatidylcholine.
Abstract of Han'guk Ch'uksan Hakhoechi, 1991, 33(8), 602-6 by Han, C. K., et al. Egg yolk was ground with trichloromethane and methanol. Lipid extract was converted to methyl esters by transesterification with boron trifluoride and methanol. The methyl esters were analyzed for various fatty acids. C20-22 polyunsaturated acids accounted for 4.3% of the total.
In the present invention, egg yolk derived glyceride compositions, also simply referred to herein as Processed Natural Ingredients, are prepared which typically contain about 4 wt % of AA and about 1.5 wt % of DHA based on the weight of the Processed Natural Ingredients and wherein the amount of phosphorus can be reduced to less than about 0.002 wt % (20 ppm) and the amount of cholesterol reduced to less than about 0.1 wt % of the processed Natural Ingredients. Preferably at least 95% and particularly at least 98% of the cholesterol and other sterols, and phosphorus compounds are removed from the lipid mixture staring material, e.g. egg yolks in the process of this invention, and such highly purified fatty acids or esters thereof are referred to herein as being "essentially free of cholesterol, sterols and phosphorus compounds". The Processed Natural Ingredients can be that of mono-, di-, or triglycerides as well as mixtures thereof.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meaning:
"AA" is arachidonic acid (C20:4w6);
"alkaline metal" is an alkaline earth metal or alkali metal such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, or potassium;
"DHA" is docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6w3);
"egg derived triglycerides" are one of the Processed Natural Ingredients (as defined below) wherein a major portion, preferably at least 75% by weight of the glycerides and particularly at least 90% of the glycerides are triglycerides derived from egg yolk;
"ester route" is the process which comprises the preparation of fatty acid esters by transesterifying fatty acids of lipids to lower alkyl esters of the fatty acids;
"essentially free of cholesterol, sterols, and phosphorus compounds" means that at least 95%, preferably at least 98%, of the cholesterol and other sterols, and phosphorus compounds are removed from a lipid starting material by the process of the present invention;
"FAP" is fatty acid profile;
"FAME" is fatty acid methyl esters;
"free fatty acid route" is the process which comprises the production of free fatty acids and/or esters thereof by hydrolysis of naturally occurring lipids to free fatty acids;
"GC" is gas chromatography;
"lower alkane" is an alkane having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
"lower alkyl" is an alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
"lower alkanol" is a monohydric alcohol having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
"lower alkoxide" is an alkyl oxide group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms such as in sodium methoxide;
"mL" means milliliter;
"N/AP" means not applicable;
"N/D" means not detectable;
"N/R" means not reported; and
"Processed Natural Ingredients" are the compositions containing glycerides prepared by reacting glycerol with the free fatty acids or lower alkyl esters thereof in the process of this invention;
"TLC" is thin layer chromatography.

Enteral formula or nutritional supplement containing arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids


A receiver has a receiving unit to receive a radio signal, a signal detector to detect a reception signal in each of a plurality of set periods shifted in time to be overlapped in a partial period, and a demodulating unit to perform demodulation processing based on the reception signal. The signal detector has a smoothing unit to smooth the output signal of the receiving unit in each of the plurality of set periods, a comparing unit to output a signal obtained by comparing a level of the smoothed signal, with a threshold value, and an initializing unit to initialize the signal smoothed by the smoothing processing unit, every time the comparing unit compares the smoothed signal with the threshold value, and the demodulating unit performs the demodulation processing based on the smoothed signal determined to be the threshold value or more by the comparing unit.

A most typical method of detecting whether a radio signal is present is envelop detection. In a typical method of implementing the envelop detection, an input signal is squared or calculates the absolute value of the input signal, and then filtered by a low pass filter. When the time constant of the low pass filter is sufficiently large, most of the high-frequency component of the input signal can be removed and an output signal that has been smoothed can be acquired. Therefore, the signal that has been smoothed and an arbitrary reference signal are compared in intensity so that whether the signal is present can be determined.
However, when the amplitude of the input signal considerably varies, the envelop detection is performed with the low pass filter having a time constant sufficiently large so that the output signal level of the low pass filter decreases and the detection accuracy of a reception signal degrades.


A method and system for monitoring video assets provided by a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) includes an expert test monitoring platform (ETMP) configured to emulate MCDN client systems at a facility of an MCDN service provider. The ETMP may be used to obtain remote control response metrics, along with internal performance data, for client systems in the ETMP. Historical metrics and historical data may be logged along with the release version for the client systems, which may then be used to correlate operational performance when analyzing client system characteristics.

Users of a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) may be provided a wide range of video assets to select from. A service provider operating the MCDN may be faced with various quality control issues related to the video assets and the performance of MCDN equipment. In a conventional MCDN architecture, feedback about MCDN performance is typically gleaned from user support requests and/or support visits to user locations.

Method and system for performance metric analysis of video assets


The present invention aims to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell having high capacity and capable of preventing elution of cobalt and decomposition of the electrolyte. This aim can be accomplished by providing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprising a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material, an negative electrode having an negative electrode active material, and non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode active material comprises lithium cobalt oxide to which at least one material selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ti, and Zr was added, and the positive electrode comprises lithium phosphate.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell designed for the purpose of improving preservation characteristics and cycle characteristics.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There has been a rapid reduction in size and weight of mobile information terminals such as mobile phones and notebook personal. As the driving power sources for the terminals, non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cells, which have a high energy density and capacity, are widely used.
In recent years, higher capacity is required of the cells. In view of this, such a positive electrode active material is used that is charged to a higher potential than usual in an attempt to increase the use efficiency of the positive electrode active material.
However, when lithium cobalt oxide, generally used as the positive electrode active material, is charged to a potential higher than 4.3V with the respect to lithium, in particular, cobalt is eluted to the non-aqueous electrolyte in a high-temperature condition, and the eluted cobalt is deposited on a surface of the negative electrode, so that the deposited cobalt exerts a negative effect on the preservation characteristics and cycle characteristics. Also, in a higher potential condition (higher than 4.3V with the respect to lithium), the non-aqueous electrolyte is decomposed easily than in a conventional potential condition. The decomposition of the non-aqueous electrolyte causes generation of gas and then the generated gas hinders a smooth discharge and charge reaction, causing further deterioration in preservation characteristics and cycle characteristics.
In this connection, the techniques intended to contain lithium phosphate in the non-aqueous electrolyte cell for the purpose of improving the cell characteristics are proposed in Patent Documents 1-4 listed below:
Patent Document 1: JP unexamined patent publication No. 2003-308842,
Patent Document 2: JP unexamined patent publication No. 2005-71641,
Patent Document 3: JP unexamined patent publication No. 10-154532, and
Patent Document 4: JP unexamined patent publication No. 9-306547.
However, these techniques have a problem that when the positive electrode is charged to a potential higher than 4.3V with the respect to lithium, the elution of the cobalt and the decomposition of the electrolytic solution cannot be prevented sufficiently.