Training data for a first training session is generated to include a first data unit, the first data unit having a field that specifies a first number of beamforming training data units that can be communicated during a second training session to occur after the first training session. The training data including the first data unit is transmitted to a second device during the first training session. A second data unit received from the second device is processed to determine whether a request for the second device to participate in the second training session was accepted by the second device based on a first field of the second data unit. In response to determining that the request to participate in the second training session was accepted by the second device, the first number of beamforming training data units are transmitted during the second training session.

An ever-increasing number of relatively inexpensive, low power wireless data communication services, networks and devices have been made available over the past number of years, promising near wire speed transmission and reliability. Various wireless technology is described in detail in the 802 IEEE Standards, including for example, the IEEE Standard 802.11a (1999) and its updates and amendments, the IEEE Standard 802.11n, and the IEEE draft standards 802.15.3, and 802.15.3c now in the process of being finalized, all of which are collectively incorporated herein fully by reference.
As one example, a type of a wireless network known as a wireless personal area network (WPAN) involves the interconnection of devices that are typically, but not necessarily, physically located closer together than wireless local area networks (WLANs) such as WLANs that conform to the IEEE Standard 802.11a or the IEEE Standard 802.11n. Recently, the interest and demand for particularly high data rates (e.g., in excess of 1 Gbps) in such networks has increased. One approach to realizing high data rates in a WPAN is to use hundreds of MHz, or even several GHz, of bandwidth. For example, the unlicensed 60 GHz band provides one such possible range of operation.
As is known, antennas and, accordingly, associated effective wireless channels are highly directional at frequencies near or above 60 GHz. When multiple antennas are available at a transmitter, a receiver, or both, it is therefore important to apply efficient beam patterns using the antennas to better exploit spatial selectivity of the corresponding wireless channel. Generally speaking, beamforming or beamsteering creates a spatial gain pattern having one or more high gain lobes or beams (as compared to the gain obtained by an omni-directional antenna) in one or more particular directions, with reduced gain in other directions. If the gain pattern for multiple transmit antennas, for example, is configured to produce a high gain lobe in the direction of a receiver, better transmission reliability can be obtained over that obtained with an omni-directional transmission.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/548,393, filed on Aug. 26, 2009, and entitled "Beamforming by Sector Sweeping," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/091,914 entitled "Beamforming by Sector Sweeping," filed Aug. 26, 2008, are both expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. These applications are generally related to a beamforming technique referred to as "beamforming by sector sweeping." In one implementation of beamforming by sector sweeping for determining a transmit beamforming pattern to be applied by a first device when transmitting data to a second device, the first device transmits a plurality of training packets to the second device, where the first device applies a different beamforming pattern when transmitting each training packet. The second device generally determines which of the training packets had the highest quality (e.g., had the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the lowest bit error rate (BER), etc.) and notifies the first device. The first device can then utilize the transmit beamforming pattern that yielded the highest quality packet. Similarly, to determine a receive beamforming pattern to be applied by the first device when receiving data from the second device, the second device transmits a plurality of training packets to the first device, and the first device applies a different beamforming pattern when receiving each training packet. The first device generally determines which of the training packets had the highest quality, and can then utilize the receive beamforming pattern that yielded the highest quality packet.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Techniques for flexible and efficient beamforming


An apparatus corrects a position coordinate measured by a GPS receiver. Road data representing a position coordinate of a constructed road is included. Locus data representing a plurality of position coordinates of the GPS receiver during a past specified period is generated based on a position coordinate acquired. A road section traveled by the GPS receiver during the past specified period is estimated based on road data stored and a position coordinate acquired. A bias error of a position coordinate measured by the GPS receiver is estimated based on position coordinates at a plurality of points in a road section estimated and position coordinates at a plurality of points represented by the locus data. A position coordinate measured by the GPS receiver is corrected based on a bias error estimated and outputted.

Conventionally, it is known that a positioning result from the GPS (Global Positioning System) positioning contains a bias error due to propagation delay, a positioning error due to multi-path, and the other random errors due to various factors.
The bias error occurs mainly due to a propagation delay when a GPS signal passes through an ionization layer between a GPS satellite and the earth. The bias error always occurs because the ionization layer mainly causes it. The degree of errors varies with ionization layer states every moment.
A conventional apparatus such as a car navigation system receives information about a bias error from an FM broadcast station (so-called DGPS station) in the form of broadcast waves. The apparatus corrects a position coordinate measured by a GPS receiver in accordance with the received bias error information (e.g., see Patent Document 1).                Patent Document 1: H10-2002-185600 A
However, the FM receiver needs to be mounted on the apparatus for the method that receives the bias error information from the FM broadcast station and corrects the position coordinate measured by the GPS receiver. Accordingly, the product cost increases.
When a measuring point is distant from an FM broadcast station, that method causes a difference between a bias error at the measuring point and that in the FM broadcast station due to surrounding environment differences. Even though receiving the bias error information from the FM broadcast station, a reception destination apparatus (navigation system) cannot accurately remove the bias error from the positioning result from the GPS receiver. The apparatus cannot accurately detect the position coordinate for the current position. Further, the conventional method corrects a positioning result from the GPS receiver based on less accurate bias error information received from the FM broadcast station. The positioning accuracy may be degraded.


A method for creating investment securities structured from interest-rate derivative and mortgage pool components is described. The method includes analyzing the risk elements of the derivative and mortgage pool components, structuring one or more classes of securities, at least one of which is backed by these components in combination, and issuing the structured securities. A computer program product and data processing system for practicing the method are also described. A novel investment security is disclosed which incorporates cash flows from mortgage pool components and cash flows coming from derivative components. Finally, a method of adding value to mortgage-backed securities is described.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for creating investment securities from pools of residential mortgages. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing system and method that (i) analyzes the risk elements of interest-rate derivatives and mortgage pools, (ii) structures floating-rate securities from interest-rate derivative and mortgage pool components and (iii) administers the resulting securities.
B. Description of the Related Art
A pool of fixed-rate mortgages, by itself, can be undesirable as an investment because of the possibility of prepayments. A borrower on a residential mortgage generally can pay the balance of the loan at any time ("prepay") without substantial penalty or with no penalty. If this happens, an investor in the mortgage pool must find an alternative investment for the amount prepaid. Moreover, mortgage borrowers are more likely to exercise their prepayment options at times when interest rates are low. Thus, the investor likely will have to reinvest the mortgage prepayments at rates of return less than the rate of return on the original investment.
The prepayment characteristic of a mortgage pool destabilizes its market value. A decline in interest rates causes an increase in the mortgage pool's prepayments, magnifying the reinvestment problem and negatively affecting the value of the mortgage pool. A rise in interest rates causes a decrease in prepayments, locking investors into a below market-rate investment. Moreover, this negative effect of prepayments on value is difficult to predict. As a result, some investment accounts have policies prohibiting or limiting the acquisition of mortgage pools.
The destabilizing effect of a mortgage pool's prepayments can be reduced by a variety of methods, including transforming part of the pool's cash flow into a floating-rate bond. A floating-rate bond is one with an interest rate that is reset periodically based on an index and that varies directly with changes in the index. When a floating-rate bond is carved out of a fixed-rate mortgage pool, the remaining cash flow has an interest rate that varies inversely with changes in the index. This remaining cash flow sometimes is called the companion inverse-rate bond. A commonly used index for floating-rate bonds and companion inverse-rate bonds is the arithmetic mean of the London interbank offered quotations for Eurodollar deposits with a maturity of one month ("LIBOR"). Typically, the rate is reset on a monthly basis.
The interest rate on a floating-rate bond usually has a minimum value or "margin" and a maximum value or "cap". The margin and cap are set so that the floating-rate bond sells at or close to a price equal to the bond's principal amount (a price of "par"). Since the interest rate on a floating-rate bond is reset monthly to current interest rates, the floating-rate bond maintains its par value in the secondary mortgage market, unless the rate is constrained by its cap. This market value stability makes a mortgage-backed floating-rate bond suitable as a money market investment. Institutions have substantial sums that may be invested for short periods of time, provided the sums can be invested in instruments that will retain their value and are easily liquidated. These sums ordinarily are not invested in mortgage pools for the reasons discussed earlier. However, they may be invested in mortgage-backed floating-rate bonds. By and large, investors in money market instruments are indifferent to prepayments on the underlying mortgage pool because the prepayments easily may be reinvested on terms comparable to those of the original investment.
Traditionally, mortgage-backed floating-rate bonds were issued entirely by Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits ("REMICs") formed under §§860A-860G of Title 26 of the United States Code (the "REMIC Rules"). Under the REMIC rules, fixed-rate mortgages were contributed to a REMIC pool as trustee and payments on these mortgages were allocated disproportionately to bonds issued by the REMIC, including floating-rate and companion inverse-rate bonds. As a practical matter, the kinds of disproportionate allocations required to transform fixed-rate mortgages into floating-rate bonds must be made under the REMIC Rules.
Although the traditional method of issuing floating-rate mortgage-backed securities adds value, the method is inefficient. The REMIC Rules focus on defining a tax methodology for the disproportionate allocation of mortgage payments. In accomplishing this, the REMIC Rules incidentally impose significant economic limitations on the creation of floating-rate bonds. In particular, the REMIC rules materially limit the use of interest-rate derivative instruments.

Data processing systems and method for creating efficient floater classes


A refresh control circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a repair address processing unit configured to compare refresh addresses and repair information, activate a redundant enable signal, and convert the semiconductor apparatus into the same operation state as an initialization state of the repair information in response to activation of a repair initialization signal; a refresh counter configured to count the refresh addresses extended to a signal bit in response to activation of a redundant count enable signal; and a refresh control unit configured to activate the repair initialization signal and the redundant count enable signal when an additional refresh mode is set in response to a refresh command.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments relate to a semiconductor apparatus, and more particularly, to a refresh control circuit of a semiconductor apparatus and a refresh method using the same.
2. Related Art
In a semiconductor apparatus, in particular, a semiconductor apparatus using a volatile memory, a refresh operation is essential.
In a conventional semiconductor apparatus, in order to increase a refresh operation speed, refresh is performed by simultaneously activating two word lines WL corresponding to two addresses LAXC<0> and LAXC<1> by the unit of a predetermined memory region (for example, by the unit of a mat), in response to one refresh command, as shown in FIG. 1.
The semiconductor apparatus includes a redundant word line for repairing a word line corresponding to a failed memory cell. A normal word line in which a fail has occurred may be repaired by the redundant word line.
In the case where the normal word line in which the fail has occurred is repaired by the redundant word line as shown in FIG. 1, as two word lines which are adjacent to each other; and share a sense amplifier are simultaneously activated, a refresh error is likely to be caused, in that wrong data may be written.
In order to cope with this problem, a repair range should be limited. However, in this case, repair efficiency is apt to be degraded.

Refresh control circuit of semiconductor apparatus and refresh method using the same


A method of monitoring a point of sale (POS) transaction including: receiving non video data regarding the POS transaction; defining exceptional transaction rules based at least on predetermined non video POS data events; inferring a potentially exceptional transaction based on a corresponding exceptional transaction rule and the received POS non video data; and verifying the inferred potentially exceptional transaction with video data regarding a corresponding POS transaction.

The following relates to video surveillance and verification systems. It finds specific application in conjunction with the video surveillance and verification of point of sale transactions (POS) in the retail environments and would be described with a particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the following is also applicable to the video surveillance and verification of point of sale transactions and other transactions in health care facilities, restaurants, and the like.
Employee theft is one of the largest components of retail inventory shrink. Employee theft leads to losses of approximately $17.8 billion annually. For many of the retail stores operating today in the United States, such loss might mean the difference between being profitable and failure. Therefore, many retailers are trying to eliminate the inventory shrink to increase overall company profitability.
Most current technologies are either easily bypassed by a knowledgeable employee or require too much personnel time to review potential fraud. For example, passive electronic devices attached to the theft-prone items in retail stores to trigger an alarm might be deactivated by an employee before the item leaves the store. Moreover, the passive electronic devices are ineffective in detecting internal theft such as cash fraudulent activities.
One solution is to monitor and scrutinize every sales transaction. However, it is nearly impossible in large retail chains and puts a heavy load on managers, accountants, and loss prevention professionals.
Another solution is to provide employee training programs geared toward loss prevention to help employees to better understand transaction rules. For example, anonymous tip lines might help employees to report dishonest co-workers. However, this solution does not entirely eliminate retail theft. The loss might still occur and might be difficult to recover.
Another solution is to use an exception-based reporting software. Such software mines POS data from the cash registers for inconsistencies in associate transactions. A designated professional may run reports and queries from the mined data to detect potential fraudulent activity at the stores. Because evidence must be collected and reviewed to determine a fraudulent pattern, theft detection or intervention might take days or even weeks. In the meantime, a high number of the activities under investigation might be determined to be legitimate, making this method costly and time consuming. In addition, as exception-based reporting tools work with the data provided by the POS terminal, the POS data might be manipulated by an unauthorized person and, thus, might become inaccurate.
Another solution is to monitor the POS terminal with a video surveillance system to capture the activity around the POS terminal. This allows employers to keep a permanent visual record of the activities which might be used as evidence against stealing employees. One drawback of the video surveillance systems is the production of enormous volumes of data. It might be difficult to monitor the POS terminals in real-time to detect fraudulent activities. In addition, it might be impractical to transmit, store, and manage video data of multiple transactions at multiple stores.

Intelligent video verification of point of sale (POS) transactions


A portable artificial kidney in the form of a self-contained unit whose size and shape is such that it is light-weight and relatively small. It can be worn or attached to a patient in such a manner that it will not interfere with normal physical activities. The artificial kidney has a blood plasma separator unit that receives impure whole blood from the body of a patient and it separates a predetermined amount of plasma therefrom and returns the remainder of the blood back to the patients body. The separated plasma is then transmitted through a chemical treatment unit where the contaminated plasma is relieved of uric acid, creatinine, phosphate, and ammonium ions. The detoxified plasma is then transmitted to a water removal unit and then the detoxified plasma is returned to the patients circulatory system.

The invention relates to a blood detoxification system and more specifically to a structure in the form of a small, light-weight, wearable, artificial kidney.
There are a large number of people throughout the world who have kidneys that do not function properly. The standard treatment for people when they are under medical care is to use a dialysis machine for detoxification of their blood. Some of the major drawbacks of using dialysis machines is they are very expensive, they are very large and heavy, and a patient usually has to be detoxified several times a week. A standard treatment may take four or more hours to complete and it must be done at a medical facility. Also approximately 200 to 300 liters of dialyzing fluid is needed for each dialysis treatment. The dialyzing machines utilize specialized dialyzing membranes that filter out the impurities in the blood as the combined toxic blood and dialyzing fluid are passed therethrough.
More recent advances in the state of the art have been to build a structure in the form of an artificial kidney and these are basically modified versions of the dialyzing machines. Most of the research and development has been directed to the development of better dialyzing membranes, their packaging and sterilization. Some English commercial models automatically sterilize themselves after each dialyzing period. Other research and development work is concerned with a reduction of the 200-300 liters of dialyzing fluid needed for each dialysis. Although there has been much done in the development of blood compatible polymers for the membranes, as yet, none has been found that will transport impure whole blood through the membrane without some undesirable effects.
The goal in detoxifying impure whole blood is the removal of urea, uric acid, creatinine, middle molecular substances (MMS) which have a molecular weight of 1400-1550, water and phosphate from the blood. Urea is the final product of the decomposition and utilization of proteins in the body and it is eliminated through the urine. Uric acid is a substance that is the product of metabolism found normally in urine. Creatinine is a breakdown or waste product of creatine and it is a complex chemical substance, an amino acid, found in animal tissues, especially in muscles. Phosphate is a salt of phosphoric acid and this compound is formed by the replacement of one or more of the hydrogen atoms in phosphoric acid with an atom or atoms of a metal.
Blood clotting is also a major problem for several reasons; (1) ultra filtration for water removal requires a higher hydrostatic pressure than the blood normally encounters. This causes platelet damage with subsequent blood clotting. (2) calcium adheres to dialyzing membranes so that it has to be added to prevent heart damage. (3) Protein tends to adsorb to some polymer walls as well as dialyzing membranes, and this reduces membrane efficiency and aids clotting. (4) Other ions also adsorb on the membranes. Wearable units at this tine utilize dialysate and various means for scrubbing it so as to reduce the amount of dialyzing fluid. Unfortunately, the pumps, plumbing, and dialysate considerably increase the weight of the entire apparatus. At this time the smallest known artificial kidney weighs approximately 70 pounds and it was developed by Dr. Chang. With the use of dialysate almost everything is removed from the blood, thus there is a tendency toward the disequilibrium syndrome which can cause sudden death, anemia, hypertension, hyperkalemia, bone demineralization and calcification, neuro psychiatric problems with transitory psychosis, etc. This means close expensive technical aid for the patient who, of necessity must undergo dialysis. Dr. Chang admits two major problems with his artificial kidney, (1) blood clotting, and (2) water removal.
Because of the weight-volume limits, dialyzing fluid devices cannot be used for a wearable, portable, artificial kidney.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel artificial kidney that is portable and sufficiently light in weight so it can be worn or carried about by a user.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel artificial kidney that is more economical in price thereby reducing the medical cost for a person requiring constant detoxification of their blood.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel artificial kidney that can be worn by a patient during the day and which will not interfere with normal physical activities.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel artificial kidney that eliminates the need for dialyzing fluid which in state of the art devices require 200-300 liters of the dialyzing fluid for each dialysis.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel artificial kidney that will have small throw-away packets that are replaced daily.

Wearable, portable, light-weight artificial kidney


A method of OFDMA subcarrier allocation for stations in a wireless network includes determining a total downlink buffered traffic load for downlink traffic from a gateway device to the stations, and receiving a total uplink buffered traffic load for uplink traffic from the stations to the gateway device. The method further includes determining a first ratio of total downlink buffered traffic load for each station in relation to total downlink buffered traffic load for all stations, determining a second ratio of total uplink buffered traffic load for each station in relation to total uplink buffered traffic load for all stations, performing OFDMA subcarrier allocation for the downlink traffic by assigning available channel bandwidth proportional to the first ratio for each station, and performing OFDMA subcarrier allocation for the uplink traffic by assigning available channel bandwidth proportional to the second ratio for each station.

In order to address exhaustion of the available spectrum capacity in the 5 GHz band, unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band (5.925 GHz-7.125 GHz) for Wi-Fi has been approved by the FCC in April 2020. Opening up a contiguous 1200 MHz chunk of spectrum above the 5 GHz band will enable a substantial amount of new bandwidth over multiple wideband channels. Introduction of the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi use will provide enough spectrum to safely deploy 80 MHz and 160 MHz wide channels, with high throughput rates (higher data speeds, lower latency) and congestion-free network access with less interference from legacy devices. The 6 GHz band will accommodate up to 14 additional 80 MHz channels and 7 additional 160 MHz channels.
Residential Wi-Fi networks are now being built with Access Points (APs) that support IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) high efficiency standard. This wireless communications protocol applies to residential gateways (RGs) and wireless extenders that provide Internet access and other services to client stations in a local area network (LAN). 802.11ax introduces Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), which allows multiple clients to concurrently share transmit/receive opportunities via individual subcarrier allocation of a given channel bandwidth. This promises to provide considerable benefit to Wi-Fi network throughput, particularly relative to the inefficiencies of having each client compete for transmit opportunities via Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA).
Wireless devices that are capable of 6 GHz operation (Wi-Fi over 6 GHz radios) are referred to as Wi-Fi 6E devices, and will provide the benefits of the IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) standard (higher performance in terms of faster data rates and lower latency) in the 6 GHz band. Wi-Fi 6E devices can make use of the wider channels and additional capacity to provide better performance and support denser deployments. Thus, Wi-Fi 6E devices will be able to provide clean uncongested bandwidth and enable multi-gigabit data speeds. The 6 GHz Wi-Fi technology allows new high bandwidth, low latency, and high quality-of-service (QoS) services to be built on it. Developing technology for Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band will be essential for residential multi-access point and mesh network, multiple dwelling unit (MDU) single-access point networks, high-density enterprise networks, indoor public venues, industrial Internet of Things (IoT), etc.
The choice of OFDMA subcarrier allocation to clients is not specified by the IEEE 802.11ax standard, but rather is left to vendors to determine how they will implement the allocation of channel bandwidth. This has led device manufacturers to consider what varying levels of flexibility may be needed for OFDMA subcarrier allocation in gateways, APs, extenders, and the like.
In a residential gateway, AP, extender, etc., 6 GHz radios could be used as both a Wide Area Network (WAN) interface and a local area network (LAN) interface. Typically, the physical WAN interface is a different technology from the physical LAN interface. Common WAN interfaces include DOCSIS over coax, xDSL, fiber, and LTE, for example. These are interfaces to the service provider network that user equipment (e.g., phones, laptops, set-top boxes, etc.) do not usually have. Common LAN interfaces include Ethernet and Wi-Fi, with one or both interfaces being commonly supported in the user equipment. Thus, physically separate interfaces between the WAN and the LAN are required in the existing related technology (with the exception of Ethernet, which is common as both a WAN and LAN technology). An Ethernet WAN is often used when the router is connected to another access device, such as a DSL modem, cable modem, or ONT, for example.
Until recently, the LAN interface speeds have not been fast enough to handle both WAN traffic and LAN traffic simultaneously. With the anticipated availability of the 6 GHz spectrum for Wi-Fi and the higher speeds supported by IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E), as well as 10G Ethernet now starting to be considered as a LAN interface, these interfaces are becoming fast enough to support both LAN traffic and WAN traffic at the same time. A main attraction of the 6 GHz spectrum is that it is new clean spectrum without very much interference to reduce throughput (at least not until widely implemented after some time), and there is a lot of bandwidth available as compared to the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz spectrums. However, implementing an RG, AP, or wireless extender with a first 6 GHz Wi-Fi radio for the WAN interface and a second 6 GHz Wi-Fi radio for the LAN interface is expensive. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a solution in which a single 6 GHz Wi-Fi radio can be used as both the WAN interface and the LAN interface.

Method and apparatus for optimized OFDMA subcarrier allocation


A medical pressure transducer includes a reusable component with channels to either side of a reusable diaphragm, and a disposable dome with mounting wings to either side of a disposable diaphragm and slidably receivable in the channels to mount the dome with the diaphragms in confronting relationship. Stand-off bumps are provided on the wings which cooperate with support surfaces on the reusable component in the channel to keep the dome and reusable diaphragms sufficiently spaced apart as to minimize deleterious wear thereon when the dome and reusable component are put together and/or taken apart. Dimples may be provided in the support surface to receive the bumps when the diaphragms are in confronting relationship and no longer need to be spaced sufficiently apart. Camming ramps are provided in the channels and on the wings by which to drive the dome diaphragm into the reusable diaphragm.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical pressure transducers and, more particularly, to such transducers in which a disposable fluid path component such as a dome is selectively attachable to a reusable sensor component with respective fluid pressure communicating diaphragms of the components in confronting, pressure communicating relationship.
II. Description of Prior Art
In hospital environments, for example, many procedures involve monitoring bodily fluid pressures such as blood pressure. Typically, such pressure is monitored with a medical pressure transducer outside the patient's body and coupled hydraulically to the patient's circulatory system, by way of example, via a catheter introduced into the body. The catheter is coupled via a tube to a fluid path inside the transducer and the tube is filled with saline to hydraulically communicate pressure within the patient's body to the transducer.
The transducer includes a sensor in pressure communication with the fluid path by which to convert the pressure therein to electrical signals corresponding to the pressure. The electrical signals are coupled via a cable to a monitor which provides a visual display of the pressure.
One particularly successful form of such a transducer is provided by a two-component system in which one component with the expensive sensor is reusable, and the other component with the patient-contacting fluid path is disposable. Each component is provided with a diaphragm closing off access to the sensor or the fluid path, respectively. To measure pressure in the fluid path, the disposable component is screwed onto the reusable component with the diaphragms in confronting, pressure communicating relationship to thereby communicate pressure from the fluid path to the sensor. After use, the disposable component is unscrewed from the reusable part and discarded, and replaced with a new, sterile unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,972, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, shows an example of a two-component transducer in which the disposable fluid path component, referred to as a fluid dome, is rotatably coupled to the reusable sensor portion. The components are secured together by threaded interaction to bring the diaphragms into confronting, pressure communication relationship by relative rotation between the dome and reusable component and the diaphragms thereof.
While there has been success with such screw-on types of transducers they can be difficult to manipulate and can present other impediments to their use. For example, the diaphragms tend to rub together over a significant part of the rotational travel of the dome and reusable component. This rubbing causes a wearing effect on the diaphragms, and especially the reusable diaphragm which must remain intact for multiple uses. The wearing of the reusable diaphragm is thus of particular concern as there can be a noticeable shortening in the useful life of the reusable component and its performance may be adversely affected as the wear becomes pronounced.

Two-part medical pressure transducer with diaphragm stand-offs


Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for encoding image data for one or more images. In one embodiment, a method includes the steps of downscaling the one or more images, and encoding the one or more downscaled images using an image codec. Another embodiment concerns a computer-implemented method of decoding encoded image data, and a computer-implemented method of encoding and decoding image data.

Over the last three decades, advances in image and video coding algorithms have led to ever improving compression rates. Nevertheless, with video in particular projected to occupy more than 80% of all IP traffic by 2021, bitrate saving continues to be required, as improvements in network capacity are quickly overcome by increasing demand for content.
Various video coding standards are available, with new codec generations generally aiming at 30-50% increase in compression efficiency, at the expense of increasing complexity. The latter aspect means that new standards are adopted very slowly: for instance, MPEG HEVC was standardized in 2013, but its high licensing fees and complexity (especially for HD and 4K content) have meant is has not yet been widely adopted.
The present invention seeks to solve or mitigate some or all of these above-mentioned problems. Alternatively and/or additionally, aspects of the invention seek to provide improved image and video encoding and decoding methods, and in particular methods that can be used in combination with existing image and video codec frameworks.
In addition, both in image and video processing and in other domains such as face recognition and ethnicity/gender recognition, to give just two examples, artificial neural networks, particularly deep neural networks (DNNs), can be effectively used. However, system-level resource-precision scalability is still at a nascent stage for DNNs. Particularly given the use of DNNs in different environments, such as embedded processors to custom hardware and virtual machines in the cloud, the complexity of training, fine-tuning and testing of new or existing DNN designs for each such system and application deployment can be problematic. This is particularly the case in the context of image or video frame (IoVF) super resolution (SR) algorithms, which aim at recovering high resolution (HR) IoVFs from a given low resolution (LR) IoVF stream. State-of-the-art SR algorithms comprise DNN-based approaches that map LR IoVFs to their equivalent HR spaces [16]-[18]. In particular, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been the most widely adopted approach in SR problems due to their simple network structure and excellent restoration quality [16]-[18]. However, the deployment of real time upscaling for larger resolutions (HD and 4K) on consumer grade hardware remains the biggest hurdle for adoption as currently only professional grade GPUs can handle the memory and performance requirements. The main reason is that the complexity of SR CNNs grows quadratically with the spatial dimension of the HR IoVFs [18]. More recently, linear growth of complexity has been achieved by learning directly from LR IoVFs and further speed improvements have been achieved by reducing network depth and complexity and effectively trading off speed for quality [19]-[21]. In addition, pruning of DNNs and compression techniques have been proposed as the means for efficient DNN realizations in custom hardware [23]-[25].
Current research in DNN implementations can be broadly grouped in the following categories:
Hardware-based approaches, e.g., mixed-signal circuit design for the execution of multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations [31], implementing the entire convolution layer (including cony, max-pooling, and soft-max in the analogue domain or via spiking neural network architectures) [32], spatial architectures to bring memory elements closer to the actual computation [33][34], and GPU customization for deep learning libraries, such as NVIDIA®'s DGX product line, TPUs, and ARM® NPUs [38].
Programmable approaches, whereby: compiler optimizations are used to accelerate the offloading of computations to the available CPUs and GPUs [35]; FFTs are used to reduce the realization cost of large convolutions after unrolling a number of filtering operations into a large array [36]; grouping of convolutions into a smaller number of cony or generic matrix-multiply calls with very large dimensions, such that high-performance libraries like Intel MKL, cuBLAS, cuDNN, or Eigen can achieve above-70% of the peak-performance of a utilized computing cluster.
Algorithmic acceleration, where library components are customized in order to detect sparsity in the inputs and exploit it to avoid unnecessary filtering operations [37], software-based compression techniques are used to reduce the overhead of large data transfers between off-chip memories (e.g., when reading new batches of data) [39][40], and approximations of the inputs to fixed-point, integer or binary computations are performed in order to reduce the bitwidth of computations [23]-[25][41].
While the hardware and compiler-specific customizations of the first two approaches can be beneficial, they are constrained to the specific platform they are targeted on [29]-[35]. The third approach requires customization of library components, which can be inflexible and often unable to achieve effective results.
The present invention also seeks to solve or mitigate some or all of these above-mentioned problems. Alternatively and/or additionally, other aspects of the invention seek to provide improved methods of optimizing artificial neural networks.


A slip control system is so adapted as to start the control of the braking force from a state in which the braking force is reduced when a magnitude of deceleration of the wheel becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value or when a slip value of the wheel becomes a value in the direction in which the wheel is likely to be locked and as to start the control of the braking force from a state in which the braking force is sustained when the deviation obtained by subtracting the wheel speed from the vehicle speed becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value. This arrangement satisfies requirements for both preventing the wheel from being locked and shortening the braking distance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slip control system for an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an increasing number of automotive vehicles are loaded with a slip control system, as usually called "ABS system", which is arranged to prevent the wheels from being locked at the moment of braking (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 57-130,754).
In order to implement the control of the ABS system, i.e. to control the braking force, there may be at least two modes for controlling the braking force, a first mode being so adapted as to control the activity to reduce the braking force, and a second mode being so adapted as to control the activity to elevate the braking force. In addition, a mode may added as a third mode which is so adapted as to control the activity to sustain the braking force.
It is noted herein that whether the wheel is locked can usually be determined on the basis of a slip value determined from an assumed vehicle speed to be given theoretically and an actual wheel speed. Hence, the determination if the control of the braking force should be started can be implemented by determining if the slip value exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
Further, it can be noted that the magnitude of deceleration indicates a behavior of the wheels with considerable accuracy and that the magnitude of deceleration can be determined with ease and with accuracy by differentiating the wheel speeds detected by wheel speed sensors. Hence, if the ABS control should be started can be determined by determining if the magnitude of deceleration of the wheel exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (kokai) No. 61-24,220 discloses an example that takes advantage of the magnitude of deceleration of the wheel for the ABS control. This publication proposes that if the control of the activity to reduce the braking force has been finished is decided by determining if the magnitude of deceleration of the wheel exceeds the predetermined threshold value.
On the other hand, strong demands in the ABS control have recently been made to shorten a distance required upon braking the wheels, i.e. a braking distance. In order to shorten the braking distance, it is disadvantageous to cause the braking force to be reduced to an unnecessary extent by the ABS control. Hence, it is considered to start the ABS control from the state in which the braking force is sustained.
It can be noted, however, that, if the ABS control would be always started from the state in which the braking force is sustained, the wheels are caused to be locked more or less when the wheels are brought into a state in which they are very likely to be locked, for example, at the time of rapid braking.

Slip control system for an automotive vehicle


An audio signal processing apparatus has a plurality of nodes which include a node in operation and a node on standby for redundancy. Both the node in operation and the node on standby execute the same signal processing on input same audio signals in accordance with supplied same control signals, respectively. Only the node in operation is permitted to output the frame in which the processed audio signals are contained, and the node on standby is prohibited from outputting the frame to the audio bus. In response to a switch instruction, in a sampling cycle, the node in operation turns to be on standby and the node on standby turns to be in operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio signal processing apparatus which enables transmission and reception of audio signals through a bus for transmitting audio signals among a plurality of nodes connected to the bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a conventional musical tone synthesizer is shown in FIG. 17 as well as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-102131, the musical tone synthesizer allowing transmission and reception of audio signals through a bus for transmitting audio signals among a plurality of nodes connected to the bus.
In the musical tone synthesizer shown in FIG. 17, a MIDI I/O (Input/Output) portion 202 inputs and outputs MIDI signals between an external MIDI apparatus. Through the MIDI I/O portion 202, more specifically, MIDI performance information transmitted from a MIDI keyboard or a MIDI performance operator, for example, is input to the musical tone synthesizer. An additional I/O (Input/Output) portion 204 inputs and outputs various kinds of signals other than MIDI signals. A panel switch portion 206 includes various kinds of tone color setting operators manipulated by a user. A tone generator 250, which includes tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254, synthesizes musical tone signals. A display unit 208 displays various kinds of information such as settings of the tone generator 250 for the user. An external storage device 210 is configured by a hard disk and the like. A CPU 212 executes control programs to control various portions of the musical tone synthesizer through a CPU bus 218. A ROM 214 stores the control programs executed by the CPU 212. A RAM 216 is used as a working memory of the CPU 212.
The tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254 which configure the tone generator 250 generate waveform data on the basis of performance information, parameters for emitting tones and the like, the performance information and parameters being supplied through the CPU bus 218. The tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254 also add various kinds of effects to the waveform data on the basis of similarly supplied effect parameters and the like. Add-on boards 256, 258, 260 of the tone generator 250, which carry out various kinds of processing such as synthesizing waveform data, adding effects, and keeping logs according to the type of the add-on boards, help the tone generator 250 achieve certain functions along with the tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254. A bus for transmitting waveform data (hereinafter referred to as "A bus") 262 is a bus which allows transmission of waveform data among the tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254 and the add-on boards 256, 258, 260. The A bus 262 allows transmission of only waveform data having no information on destination address and the like, broadening the transmission band of waveform data.
Because the amount of waveform data transmitted between the tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254 is large, part of the waveform data is transmitted through a line which directly connects the tone generator LSI circuit 252 with the tone generator LSI circuit 254. A DA converter 264 converts waveform data of two channels of output channels of the tone generator LSI circuit 252 into analog signals to emit tones from a sound system 220 on the basis of the converted analog signals for two channels. A word clock generator 251 generates word clock WCK which is pulled up at each sampling cycle. The word clock WCK is supplied to the respective portions of the tone generator 250. A word clock external input terminal 268 is a terminal provided in order to receive externally provided word clock WCK instead of the word clock WCK generated by the word clock generator 251. The word clock external input terminal 268 is used in a case where the tone generator 250 synchronizes the sampling cycle with that of an external apparatus. The add-on boards 256, 258, 260 are detachable from the tone generator 250.
The tone generator LSI circuits 252, 254 and the add-on boards 256, 258, 260 which input/output waveform data via the A bus 262 configure nodes, which are node A, node B and node C. To/from the respective nodes, a data signal ADAT, a direction signals ADIR and a clock signal ACLK are input/output to/from the A bus 262. These nodes are wired-OR connected to the A bus 262 to input/output these signals. While any node outputs a signal to the A bus 262, the input/output terminals of the other nodes are set at high impedance to receive signals transmitted through the A bus 262 as needed. The data signal ADAT is a signal such as waveform data to be transmitted between the nodes, while the clock signal ACLK is a clock signal which synchronizes with the data signal ADAT.
Periods during which the data signal ADAT and the clock signal ACLK are to be output are determined by the CPU 212 so as to avoid overlap among the nodes. The period is referred to as "frame". During the frame period, the direction signal ADIR is set at "L" to prohibit the other nodes from outputting signals. The respective nodes also output a frame signal AFRM pulled up a clock of the clock signal ACLK earlier than pulling up to "H" of the direction signal ADIR. Each frame assigned to each node is defined on the basis of the ordinal position of the frame counted from pulling up of a word clock WCK. Therefore, each of the nodes detects a timing at which a frame of the node starts by counting the number of generated frames since the pulling up of a word clock WCK.
FIG. 18 shows a diagram indicative of timings of a case where node A is assigned frame #2 which is the third frame as a transmission frame, node B is assigned frame #0 which is the first frame, and node C is assigned frame #1 which is the second frame. At time t0 shown in FIG. 18, the word clock WCK is pulled up. The pulling up of the word clock WCK is detected by the respective nodes A, B and C. Node B to which frame #0 is assigned pulls down a direction signal ADIR and a frame signal AFRM to "L" at time t1 when a certain time period has passed since time t0 to output a clock signal ACLK and a data signal ADAT which synchronizes with the clock signal ACLK.
At time t2 when the output of data from node B is completed, the direction signal ADIR of node B is pulled up to "H". Due to pulling up of the frame signal AFRM to "H" a cycle of clock signal ACLK earlier than time t2, node C recognizes that the next frame is frame #1 which is assigned to node C. At time t3 when a certain margin time has elapsed after pulling up of the direction signal ADIR, node C operates similarly to the above description about node B. More specifically, node C pulls down the direction signal ADIR and the frame signal AFRM of node C to "L" to output the clock signal ACLK, and also outputs the data signal ADAT in synchronization with the clock signal ACLK. The margin times between frames are provided in order to prevent collision of data. If the frame signal AFRM of node C is pulled up to "H", node A determines that the next frame is frame #2 which is assigned to node A. After the direction signal ADIR of node C has been pulled up to "H" at time t4, node A executes output processing similar to that described above at time t5 when the certain margin time has elapsed.


A demountable multiple platform cart includes a lead cart module having a horizontal load-supporting platform and a trailing cart module having a horizontal load-supporting trailing platform. A releasable interconnection mechanism couples the rear end of the lead cart module demountably to the front end of the trailing cart module. The interconnection mechanism comprises an upstanding flange carried by the rear end of the lead cart platform at a spaced distance therefrom to provide an upwardly open continuous side to side slit and further comprises a downwardly extending flange carried on the front end of the trailing cart platform to be received within the slit. A longitudinally extending lock mechanism can be carried beneath a cart platform to receive a lock latch mounted on a handle which is pivotally and slideably mounted to move from an upstanding position to a generally horizontal position and telescopes longitudinally to locked stowed position.

This invention relates to hand propelled carts having multiple detachable platforms for transporting multiple heavy loads to point of sale and other locations. Such carts are useful, for example, for supporting stacked beverage cartons and may be referred to as merchandising trucks. While convertible hand trucks of the character disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,669, 5,536,034, and 6,019,381, for example, are well known, they do not offer multiple detachable load bearing platforms. Such convertible hand trucks find utility in four-wheel as well as two-wheel configuration, but do not provide the versatility, or load carrying capacity, which characterizes the present merchandising truck.
It is a prime object of the present invention to provide a merchandising truck which can, for example, carry loads of as much as 1,500 pounds on platforms or load beds which each are capable of supporting loads of as much as 750 pounds.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a rugged, durable truck of the character mentioned which can be readily manufactured of lightweight materials such as aluminum.
Another object of the invention is to provide a merchandising truck which, while having the advantage of being readily demountable and foldable so that storage is convenient, has the required size and weight capacity.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a flatbed merchandising truck supported on a wheel system which is readily steerable when either pushed or pulled.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight portable truck that is readily transportable in compact demounted condition.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a very maneuverable cart of the type described which can be relatively economically manufactured and marketed.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings and the accompanying descriptive matter.

Rapidly demountable multiple platform utility cart assembly and methods of making and operating it


A single or double dephlegmator is used to transfer heat between condensing nitrogen and rich liquid in a single column nitrogen generator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a process and an apparatus for the production of nitrogen by cryogenic distillation.
2. Related Art
The production of nitrogen by cryogenic distillation is well known and is described in numerous patent publications (J53-122861; U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,809; U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,773; U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,024; U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,441; U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,996; U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,519; U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,893; U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,742; U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,167; U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,218; U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,034; U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,647; U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,519; U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,025, WO/PCT/IB96/00323), and "Production of Medium Pressure Nitrogen by Cryogenic Air Separation" Gas Separation & Purification, 1991 Vol. 5, December, pp. 203-209.
Over the years numerous efforts have been devoted to the improvement of this production technique to lower the nitrogen cost which consists mainly of the power consumption and the equipment cost. As a general rule, an efficient process usually requires an additional degree of complexity of the equipment and the resulting cost will be increased. Therefore there is a constant need to come up with an efficient and simple process to assure a good trade-off between power cost and equipment cost.
The new invention described below utilizes the dephlegmation technique in a sub-section of the process cycle to combine distillation column and heat exchanger into simple and compact plate-fin exchanger equipment. Significant cost reduction can be achieved and at the same time good efficiency of the overall process can be maintained.
Dephlegmation is used to promote simultaneous heat and mass transfers so that a heat exchange function and a distillation effect can be conducted simultaneously in a single heat exchanger. Reflux condensation is an application of dephlegmation where a gaseous mixture being separated by rectification is simultaneously heat exchanged with a fluid stream that is raised in temperature or is vaporized by the heat exchange and thereby condenses fluid being rectified to create a countercurrent reflux flow for the rectified stream. In similar fashion, stripping reboil is another aspect of dephlegmation where a liquid flowing down inside a heat exchanger exchanges heat with another stream resulting in a partial vaporization and a formation of a rising vapor. This rising vapor being in direct contact with the down flowing liquid provides the stripping effect.
Several dephlegmator processes in cryogenics are described in previous patents and text books:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,432; U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,872; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,832; U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,790; U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,339; U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,809; U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,065; U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,855; U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,836; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,832; U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,883; "The Physical Principles of Gas Liquefaction and Low Temperature Rectification" by Mansel Davies published 1949 pp. 137-139, "Zerlegung der Luft" by H. Hausen published 1957 p. 164 and "Separation of Gases" by Ruheman, 2.sup.nd Edition, pp. 70, 174, 279-83, 291, 292. PA1 a) feed air is compressed, purified to remove contaminants which freeze out at cryogenic temperatures and cooled; PA1 b) cooled, compressed air is introduced into a distillation column wherein it separates into a fluid enriched in oxygen and a fluid enriched in nitrogen; PA1 c) a first liquid enriched in oxygen is removed from the bottom of the column, expanded and sent to a stripping dephlegmator; PA1 d) removing a second liquid enriched in oxygen and a third stream from said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 e) at least partially vaporizing at least part of said second liquid in a vaporizer to produce a further stream; PA1 f) sending said nitrogen enriched fluid from the column to a rectifying dephlegmator to produce a nitrogen product and a liquid, said rectifying dephlegmator exchanging heat with said stripping dephlegmator; and PA1 g) returning at least part of said liquid to the column as reflux. PA1 sending at least part of said third stream back to the column; PA1 mixing said third stream with feed air; PA1 mixing said third stream with feed air upstream of said purification step; PA1 sending said second liquid to a separator and sending liquid constituting at least part of said second liquid from said separator to said vaporizer; PA1 sending fluid from said vaporizer to said separator; and PA1 removing gas from said separator and expanding said gas. PA1 a) feed air is compressed, purified to remove contaminants which freeze out at cryogenic temperatures and cooled; PA1 b) cooled compressed air is introduced into a distillation column wherein it separates into a fluid enriched in oxygen and a fluid enriched in nitrogen; PA1 c) a first liquid enriched in oxygen is removed from the bottom of the column expanded and sent to a stripping dephlegmator; PA1 d) removing a second liquid enriched in oxygen and a third stream from said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 e) at least partially vaporizing at least part of said second liquid in a vaporizer to produce a further stream; PA1 f) sending said nitrogen enriched fluid from the column to a condenser to produce a nitrogen product and a liquid, said condenser exchanging heat with said stripping dephlegmator; and PA1 g) returning at least part of said liquid to the column as reflux. PA1 sending at least part of said third stream back to the column; PA1 mixing said third stream with feed air; PA1 mixing said third stream with feed air upstream of said purification step; PA1 sending said second liquid to a separator and sending liquid constituting at least part of said second liquid from said separator to said vaporizer; PA1 sending fluid from said vaporizer to said separator; and PA1 removing gas from said separator and expanding said gas. PA1 a) a distillation column; PA1 b) a heat exchanger; PA1 c) means for compressing feed air and sending said feed air to said heat exchanger and subsequently to said column; PA1 d) means for removing a first oxygen-enriched liquid from the bottom of said column; PA1 e) a stripping dephlegmator; PA1 f) a rectifying dephlegmator in thermal connection with said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 g) a vaporizer in thermal connection with said rectifying dephlegmator; PA1 h) means for sending said first liquid to said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 i) means for removing a second oxygen enriched liquid and a third gas from said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 j) means for sending at least part of said second oxygen enriched liquid to said vaporizer; PA1 k) means for removing a fluid from said vaporizer; PA1 l) means for sending a nitrogen enriched gas to said rectifying dephlegmator; and PA1 m) means for sending a liquid from said rectifying dephlegmator to said column and means for removing a nitrogen enriched product gas from said rectifying dephlegmator. PA1 a) a distillation column; PA1 b) a heat exchanger; PA1 c) means for compressing feed air and sending said feed air to said heat exchanger and subsequently to said column; PA1 d) means for removing a first oxygen-enriched liquid from the bottom of said column; PA1 e) a stripping dephlegmator; PA1 f) a condenser in thermal connection with said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 g) a vaporizer in thermal connection with said condenser; PA1 h) means for sending said first liquid to said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 i) means for removing a second oxygen enriched liquid and a third gas from said stripping dephlegmator; PA1 j) means for sending at least part of said second oxygen enriched liquid to said vaporizer; PA1 k) means for removing a fluid from said vaporizer; PA1 l) means for sending a nitrogen enriched gas to said condenser; and PA1 m) means for sending a liquid from said condenser to said column and means for removing a nitrogen enriched product gas from said condenser.
The above publications address the application of dephlegmators in the production of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium etc.
Nitrogen is widely used in the industry for inerting, blanketing, ammonia production and electronics. The required purity of nitrogen is usually in the ppm's of oxygen for most applications and in the sub-ppb's for electronics. In some cases lower purity (1% to 2% O.sub.2 or 99% to 98% nitrogen) can be used.
The basic process for nitrogen production is shown in FIG. 1. This process is also called the classical process.
Air is compressed in a main air compressor 1 and then purified in 3 to remove water and carbon dioxide. It is cooled in heat exchanger 5 and sent to the bottom of column 9 where it separates into an oxygen enriched bottom fraction 12 and a nitrogen enriched top fraction. Part of the nitrogen enriched fraction is removed as liquid 19 at the top of the column. Nitrogen enriched gas is condensed in condenser 11 by heat exchange with expanded oxygen enriched liquid 12 (rich liquid) removed from the bottom of the column. The vaporized rich liquid 15 is warmed in the heat exchanger, expanded in turbine 7 to provide refrigeration for the process and is removed as waste after further warming. Gaseous nitrogen 17 is removed from the top of the column and is warmed in the heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,809 describes a process for nitrogen production wherein the column and exchangers are combined into a single plate fin exchanger. A portion of the medium air stream is subjected to dephlegmation to yield medium purity N2 (98-99%). This process provides low cost equipment but is limited to applications where the required purity is not stringent. Its power consumption is relatively high.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,773 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,002 describe a process similar to the classical process but a portion of the vaporized rich liquid extracted at the bottom of the distillation column is recompressed and recycled back to the distillation column or to the air stream feeding the distillation column. This arrangement allows some improvement over the classical process in terms of power consumption.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,996 adds a short column above the rich liquid vaporizer of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,867,773/4,966,002 process to yield a gaseous stream with similar composition to air (synthetic air). This stream is then recycled back to the air stream at an interstage of the air compressor to eliminate a separate recycle compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,519 describes an improvement over the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,867,773/4,966,002 process by partially vaporizing the rich liquid, recycling the resulting gaseous stream and expanding to lower pressure and vaporizing it in another exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,441 describes an improvement process over the U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,519 process by adding a short distillation column and distilling the bottom rich liquid of the high pressure column into a gaseous stream at lower pressure having a composition similar to air and a second liquid stream. The new gaseous "air" stream is recycled to an interstage of the main air compressor and recombined with the main air stream feeding the distillation column. This distillation column separates the feed into a nitrogen product stream at the top and a bottom rich liquid (rich in O.sub.2). The second liquid stream is expanded to lower pressure and subsequently vaporized to yield the waste nitrogen stream. A portion of gaseous nitrogen stream at the top of the column is split into two portions: The first portion is condensed in an exchanger located at the bottom of the short column to provide necessary reboil for this column. The second portion of gaseous nitrogen is condensed in another exchanger to provide the required duty for the vaporization of second liquid stream.
As previously mentioned and illustrated in the above description of the evolution of the process cycle, an improvement of the efficiency of the process results in an additional complexity of the process and consequently an increase in capital cost.

Process and apparatus for the production of nitrogen by cryogenic distillation

Air Liquide Process and Construction, Inc.


The present invention relates to a bituminous composition, comprising a bituminous component and a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer comprises at least two terminal poly(vinyl aromatic) blocks and at least one poly(conjugated diene) central block, wherein said poly(conjugated diene) central block(s) is (are) obtained by substantially random copolymerization of butadiene and isoprene a molar ratio between butadiene and isoprene in the range or from 1:2 to 9:1; wherein the poly(vinyl aromatic) content (PSC) is in the range of from 20 to 30 wt %, wherein the content of a possibly accompanying diblock comprising a poly(vinyl aromatic) block and a poly(butadiene/isoprene) block is at most 25 mole %, wherein the 1,2-addition (vinyl content) of the polymerized conjugated dienes is in the range of from 10 to 80%, and wherein the apparent molecular weight of the complete block copolymer is in the range of 310,000 to 380,000.

The block copolymers up to now applied in general in bituminous compositions for road applications, were composed of terminal poly(vinyl aromatic) blocks and poly(butadiene) and/or poly(isoprene) central blocks. Said block copolymers had a linear structure e.g. S—B—S or S—I—S, or a radial structure e.g. (SB)nX or (SI)nX, wherein S represented a poly(vinyl aromatic) block, B represented a poly(butadiene) block and I represented a poly(isoprene block, wherein X was the residue of a coupling agent and wherein n was an integer having a value of at least 3 and in particular in the range from 3 to 10.
Although said block copolymers, containing poly(butadiene) or poly(isoprene) central blocks have shown attractive high low temperature properties in bituminous blends which were maintained over time, providing an acceptable estimated service life, an experienced disadvantage of said block copolymers in bituminous compositions, was a significant viscosity increase after storage at high temperatures e.g. 180–200° C., which made the bituminous compositions difficult manageable after hot storage.
Moreover gel formation was encountered in bituminous compositions, composed in particular of S—B—S, after 70 hours or more storage at said higher temperatures. It will be appreciated that there is a clear need to eliminate or diminish such viscosity increase and gel formation, which deteriorate an efficient end-use processing of the bituminous blends. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide better processable bituminous compositions, comprising block copolymers, after storage at higher operation temperatures.


The invention relates to aliphatic carboxylate esters of long-chain inulin, to methods for synthesizing them and to their use as surface-active substances.

Carbohydrates and their compounds have long been used in different areas. However, there continues to be a need to develop new carbohydrate-based compounds, which are distinguished by improved properties such as an increased surface activity.
The linear polydisperse carbohydrate, inulin, consists of a chain of .beta.-2-1-linked furanoid fructose units, which is terminated at the reducing end by an .alpha.-D glucose molecule. It occurs in composites, such as chicories, Jerusalem artichoke, dahlias and artichokes as well as in other types of plants, in which it serves as a storage material. It is isolated in economically significant amounts from chicories and Jerusalem artichokes. Depending on the type of plant and on the harvesting time, inulin has different molecular weight distributions and different average chain lengths between 8 and 25. The size of individual molecules ranges, in general, from 5 to 50 monosaccharide units per chain. There are, however, native inulins having an average chain length greater than 25 and correspondingly longer individual chains. Industrially, inulin is used primarily in the food sector for such purposes as the production of diabetic bread and fructose syrup.
Of the known carbohydrate esters based on polysaccharides, only starch and cellulose esters are used industrially. Starch esters, particularly the acetates, are used as sizing agents in the textile area, as surface glue in the paper industry, as thickeners in the film and fiber industry as well as in the food area and for molding. Of the cellulose esters, the synthesis of which is very costly because of the difficulty of dissolving the starting material, the acetates and their mixed esters with propionate and butyrate are of industrial interest. Of the low molecular weight carbohydrate esters, sucrose esters are particularly used, especially the acetates and the mono-fatty acid and di-fatty acid esters. Sucrose acetates and mixed esters with a high degree of substitution are used as bleaching agent activators and as plasticizers or softeners. Monoesters of sucrose and fatty acids are used as surfactants in detergents and as emulsifiers.
Carbohydrate esters can be synthesized in various ways. In solvent methods, the carbohydrate, in the presence of a basic catalyst in a solvent such as dimethylformamide or dimethyl sulfoxide, is reacted with methyl esters of fatty acids. In microemulsion methods, the fatty acid ester is dispersed in a solution of the carbohydrate by means of an emulsifier, for example, using the corresponding alkali salt of the fatty acid. The solvent is removed before the actual reaction. Finally, transesterification can take place directly in the melt of the carbohydrate and the fatty acid ester employing basic catalysis. Conducting the reaction of these known methods and working up the compounds is expensive. The reaction parameters of pressure and temperature must frequently be varied. In order to isolate the product, several extraction and distillation steps are required. Furthermore, in view of the high thermal stress on the products, there is danger of discoloration.
Little is known about the synthesis and use of inulin esters. Japanese patent No. 63,287,710 describes the peracetylation of the inulin chain in dimethylformamide/pyridine. Pringsheim et al., Chem. Ber. (1921), 54, 1281, describe the peracetylation of the inulin chain in pyridine. The peracetate shows adhesive properties, is water resistant and is therefore proposed for use in the cosmetics area. Schacht et al., Journal of Controlled Release, (1985), 2, 245, describe the use of succinoylated inulin as a carrier material for pharmaceutical products.
The compounds described are distinguished in that they possess only a slight surface activity or are difficult to synthesize. Surfactants, synthesized from petrochemicals, have the disadvantage of limited availability, and their synthesis, moreover, is environmentally compatible only to a limited extent.
The technical problem for which the present invention provides a solution is to make available surface active carbohydrate compounds which overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and, in particular, are easily synthesized and environmentally compatible and, furthermore, because of their surface active properties, are suitable for a plurality of uses.


A method for localizing and quantitating a target substance in a biological sample is disclosed. The method utilizes an enzyme-linked probe that binds to the target substance and generates a depositable chromogenic or fluorogenic substance which detects position and a soluble chromogenic or fluorogenic substance which allows quantitation in the medium bathing the sample.

(1) Field of The Invention
This invention relates to the fields of detection of substances in biological samples and, more particularly to the localization and the quantitative analysis of substances in the same biological sample.
(2) Description of The Related Art
Diagnostic laboratories have used antibodies, lectins, nucleotide probes and the like for many years to localize target substances in cells and tissues. The binding of such probes to the target substance is typically detected microscopically by the use of direct labeled probes such as fluorophores, enzyme conjugates, gold particles and the like or by conjugated "secondary" probes that recognize the "primary" probe. This basic protocol continues to be used in numerous clinical and research laboratories. Recent advances in detection systems have improved the sensitivity and resolution of the probe localization and include such methods as immunogold with silver intensification, peroxidase-anti-peroxidase, avidin-biotin complex, and tyramide signal amplification. Although these methods provide excellent spatial resolution of antigen distribution, they do not provide any direct quantitative information about the target substance. One method for obtaining such quantitative information has been by the use of image analysis, however, this approach requires a significant amount of time and expense.
Numerous techniques exist for the quantitation of substances in cells and tissues including Western, Southern and Northern blots, radioimmunoassays, ELISA assays and dot blot assays. While these techniques can provide useful quantitative information, they typically provide no information at all about the localization of the target substance within the cells or tissues. Furthermore, the methods often require tissue extraction and/or disruption which precludes localization of the target substance. Nevertheless, it is often essential in the clinical laboratory setting to obtain information on both the distribution of a substance within a cell or tissue as well as the quantitative amount of the substance present in the tissue.
Although some approaches have reported on attempts to obtain information in addition to the histochemical localization or in addition to the quantitative amount of the substance present, few reports have been published on approaches other than image analysis achieving both localization and quantitation of a substance in a biological sample. In some studies, the quantitation of a substance present in a cell suspension has been coupled with a determination of the number of positive cells, i.e. a cell count (for example see, Makler et al, Transfusion21:303-312, 1981). Such studies, however, provide no information on the localization of a target substance within the cell suspension.
In another report, quantitative detection has been performed that uses an immunohistochemical technique used earlier for antigen localization. (Leuven et al., J Immunol Meth23:109-116, 1978). The method reported in this study, however, disrupted the cells prior to quantitative determination of the antigen. Thus, in both the Leuven et al. and Makler et al. methods, to perform both quantitation and localization, duplicate preparations were indicated to be required.
Another group reported on an assay system in which both quantitation and localization was determined in the same sample (U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,830). This method utilized a fluorescent antibody to detect the localization of the target substance and an enzyme-linked antibody to quantitate the presence of the target substance or, alternatively, a fluorescent antibody conjugated to an enzyme. However, fluorescent antibodies provide minimal signal amplification and require microscopes with epifluorescence attachments for visualization of signal which are not routinely available in clinical laboratories.
In another report a probe labeled with a chemiluminescent or bioluminescent substance was used that reacted with other substrate molecules to produce light (U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,817). Localization was by visual inspection and quantitation could be obtained from the total of light emitted from the sample using, for example a photo multiplier tube. Such quantitation is difficult to perform and time consuming and requires equipment not routinely found in clinical laboratories. Furthermore, none of the above cited references describe procedures for multi-probe detection. Thus, variance in tissue or cell amounts can not be determined on single samples using these techniques.
Thus it would be desirable to have a simple and inexpensive method for detecting both the localization and quantitation of a substance in cells or tissues that can be used in virtually any clinical laboratory and that does not require fluorescent microscopy or image analysis.

Method for localization and quantitation of a substance in a biological sample


This disclosure relates to compositions including formulated sucralfate or other aluminum-crosslinked sulfated agents for delivery of agents to biological surfaces and/or the modulation of nutrient absorption through the intestinal lining as well as methods for the manufacture of and the use of these compositions for treating disorders including diabetes type II and clinical obesity that require a modulation of certain nutrients to the body.

Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects about 11.3% of the U.S. adult population with 35% of the U.S. adults having pre-diabetic symptoms. U.S. healthcare costs due to diabetes exceed $174 billion annually. The incidence of T2DM continues to increase in parallel with the obesity epidemic, and the present treatment algorithm for T2DM consists of a regimen of medication that is suboptimal for many patients. Current strategies for T2DM management and treatment range from commercial diets and drugs to surgical approaches. Although each of these strategies may have merit, considerable limitations exist. While diets carry limited risk, they are often unsuccessful. Drugs that lower blood glucose level (e.g., metformin) are also available, but the use and success of these drugs are limited due to side effects, poor compliance, and low efficacy. Patients also have options of bariatric surgeries, which include laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), bilio-pancreatic diversion (BPD), laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), and Roux-en-Y bypass (RYGB) (W. J. Pories et al., Ann. Surg., 222, 339-350 (1995); F. Rubino et al., Ann. Surg., 236, 554-559, (2002); J. Couzin, Science, 320, 438-440 (2008); D. E. Cummings and D. R. Flum, J. Am. Med. Assoc. 299, 341-343 (2008)).
Originally developed for weight loss, RYGB and similar surgeries have been recognized as the gold standard bariatric operation to treat obesity-related T2DM. Multiple reports have confirmed that obese T2DM patients who undergo RYGB surgery immediately experience significant improvement or complete resolution of their T2DM prior to any significant weight loss. Accordingly, many have classified RYGB as a "metabolic" operation and a "cure" for T2DM. However, due to potential surgical complications (e.g., leaks at the surgical site and infections) over 70% of patients, although overweight or mildly obese, do not meet the NIH criteria for weight loss surgery and struggle with sub-optimal medical treatments (American Diabetes Association. V. Diabetes Care. Diabetes Care, 35 (2012)).
This result highlights the need for less invasive alternatives that replicate the metabolic success of RYGB and other bariatric surgeries that can be offered to a wider patient population. The success of RYGB in remitting T2DM has inspired significant research into mechanisms underlying this observation with significant interest in the role of duodenal isolation. As a less invasive implantable alternative to RYGB, a duodeno-jejunal bypass sleeve (DJBS) was developed to prevent contact between food and duodenal mucosa, and has shown promising results in remitting T2DM. However, the sleeve implant requires placements using endoscopy and is associated with a high rate of bleeding or obstruction. In addition, this technique requires annual device removal (R. Schouten et al., Ann. Surg., 251(2), 236-243 (2010); K. S. Gersin et al., Gastrointest. Endosc. (2010)). Therefore, there is a clear and urgent need for a less invasive T2DM treatment option that is easy to administer and does not present risks associated with surgical procedures.

Water-activated mucoadhesive compositions to reduce intestinal absorption of nutrients


The present disclosure relates to a battery. The battery includes an encapsulation casing, a battery cell and a sealing cover. The encapsulation casing has an opening in an end thereof. The battery cell is arranged in the encapsulation casing. The sealing cover is bonded with the end of the encapsulation casing to seal the opening.

A secondary battery such as a pouch lithium ion battery is widely adopted in an electronic device, as it has advantages of recyclability, high energy density, long service life, low self-discharge, no memory effect and etc. Currently, an encapsulation of the battery mainly adopts an aluminum-plastic-membrane heat seal. Specific procedures of the encapsulation are described as follows. A groove is molded in an aluminum-plastic membrane, a battery cell is put into in the groove, then the aluminum-plastic membrane is folded to cover the battery cell, and finally, edges of the two layers of the folded aluminum-plastic membrane are hot-pressed to get together, so as to form two side seal edges and one top seal edge. The formation of the seal edges causes an increased volume of the battery and a decreased volumetric energy density. The luminum-plastic membrane may have a heat-seal edge due to the heat seal. In addition, during the heat seal, as the aluminum-plastic-membrane is stretched when being subjected to heat, sharp corners are formed in portions adjacent to the heat-seal edge.


Method and apparatus in which a pump is used with a sanative protector of the type having a flexible envelope which wraps around and seals a cast, bandage or dressing on an arm, leg or other appendage of a person responsive to vacuum established in an interface region beneath the envelope. The pump comprises a bulb having a wall which encloses a pumping chamber. The wall is formed of a material and wall thickness which provides elasticity sufficient to enable inward deformation from a distended shape toward a collapsed shape, and further having an elastic memory which causes the wall to produce an elastic pressure sufficient to urge the wall outwardly from the collapsed shape toward the distended shape. A flow control mechanism enables fluid flow from within the interface region through an inlet in the bulb into the pumping chamber for reducing the vacuum level as the bulb expands toward its distended shape, and the mechanism further establishes a second path for discharging fluid from the pumping chamber to ambient atmosphere when the bulb is squeezed toward its collapsed shape.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to sanative protective coverings in the medical field, and in particular relates to vacuum sealing protectors for covering casts, bandages and other dressings on a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,501 for Method of Waterproof Sealing of Casts and Dressings, issued to the inventor of the present invention, discloses and claims methods for the waterproof sealing of a cast or dressing on a patient using a water-and-air-impervious flexible membrane by creating a vacuum beneath the portion of the membrane which overlies the cast or dressing as well as portions of the patient's skin lying along the perimeter edge of the cast or dressing. The vacuum is established either through the use of a tube having one end inserted through the interface between the membrane and skin with the other end connected to a vacuum source, or in another embodiment through an air valve in the membrane which is connected to the vacuum source.
In the prior art sanative protectors of the type described oral evacuation of air from the interface region beneath the membrane has been used by the patient or health care professional sucking air through the distal end of the tube. While this method has the advantage of simplicity, some patients feel squeamish about inhaling air from their injured area, especially after some weeks without bathing it. In addition, the inhalation of air through a vinyl hose from a rubber sanative protector is of questionable sterility from the beginning, and this is especially so after the cast or dressing protector has been in use for several weeks.
There is a growing market for the sanative protector in hospital care, rest home care, home care and physical therapy where the person applying and evacuating the sanative protector is not the patient but rather is a health care professional or other person. In these cases the person would find it undesirable to inhale air from the patient's injured area, especially if the injury, rather than being a simple fracture in a cast, has a sepsis problem. For example, the injury could be an open, infected ulcer, or the sanative protector could be covering the lower abdomen and inguinal area. Also, under these conditions even the patient should not inhale air from an infected area directly into the lungs. Therefore, for antiseptic reasons, these prior art methods for creating the vacuum in such a sanative protector are undesirable. Another disadvantage from these prior art methods is that the health care provider oftentimes cannot expend the effort of going from patient to patient for repeatedly evacuating such a sanative protector. Where the users are infirm or geriatric patients, they often are so weak they cannot expend the effort of inhaling to evacuate the sanative protectors.
In the prior art sanative protectors it is difficult to operate the vacuum source to achieve a consistent "target" level of vacuum which is adequate to maintain the waterproof seal about the protector and without being excessive and unsafe. The need has therefore been recognized for a sanative protector of the type described which obviates the foregoing and other limitations and disadvantages of the prior art sanative protectors. There has heretofore not been provided a suitable and attractive solution to these problems.

Intrinsic pump for vaccum sealing cast protectors


An improved tool for tensioning and severing a cable tie used in connection with a remote pneumatic power supply is disclosed. The tool comprises a housing having a gripping portion and a barrel portion, with barrel portion having a front section and a rear section. A nosepiece is located on the front section of the barrel portion, and the nosepiece has a cable tie entrance having a lower edge and an upper edge having a predetermined sharpness that assists in severing a cable tie. A blade located in the nosepiece cooperates with the sharpened edge to sever the cable tie. The cable tie tensioning tool may have an overhead or underside fitting for communication with the pneumatic power supply. An improved hook that interacts with a spring-loaded pin helps in hanging an orientating the tool. An oversized flange located on the nosepiece assists in feeding a cable tie into the tool.

The present invention relates generally to tools for installing cable ties and, more particularly, to handheld pneumatic tools that provide tension to the cable ties and cut off excess portions of the ties while under tension.
Flexible cable ties and tools for installing flexible cable ties are well known. Cable ties are used to bundle and secure wires, cables, and tubes, and similar items. As an example, cable ties may be used on an automobile assembly line to secure fluid and electrical lines to a vehicles chassis. Generally, installation tools are designed so that the cable ties will bundle such items in a tight, secure bundle. Typically, flexible cable ties include a head portion and a tail portion extending from the head. The tail is looped around the items to be secured and passed through the head portion. A locking or ratcheting mechanism in the head holds the tail in place and secures the tie around the bundled items. Once a predetermined tension has been reached, the excess portion of the tie is clipped near the head portion.
A variety of tools have been developed to enable workers to install flexible cable ties quickly, efficiently, and uniformly. These tools generally grip the tail portion of the tie after the tie has been looped around a bundle and the tail is passed through the head portion of the tie. The tool uses a pawl or similar device to grip and tension the tie to a predetermined tension, and a blade will sever the excess portion of the tail, thereby providing a tidy bundle of items.
Specifically, various handheld tools have been developed to assist in the installation of cable ties. Commonly, these devices have a pistol or gun-like shape, with a squeezable trigger that allows the tail to be pulled until a predetermined tension is achieved, after which a cutting blade adjacent the nose of the tool cuts off the excess portion of the tie. An example of such a tool may be found in Dyer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,290. The tension at which cutoff occurs may be adjusted by the operator. Such tools may be manually operated, or powered in other ways, such as pneumatically.
There have been improvements in these handheld tools. For instance, Hillegonds, U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2004/0079436, describes a pneumatic cable tie tools for delivering a more uniform tensioning arrangement. Nilsson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,425, also describes a handheld tool that allows the operator to more accurately adjust the tension on the tool. Dyer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,133, describes a lightweight cable tie-tensioning tool that is remotely powered.
However, cable tie tools may still be improved. For instance, it would be advantageous to have a tool that will be easily adaptable and usable in different settings, rather than trying to adapt environment or surroundings of the tool for specific tool arrangements. One assembly line is not necessarily uniform with another assembly line. For example, pneumatic supply hoses may not be located at the same level or place on different assembly lines. Some supply hoses may hang down from a ceiling, while others may come up from the floor or be located at ground level. There exists a need for a tool that would adapt to different arrangements.
Also, there exists a need for a more facile cutting and feeding process of the cable ties into these handheld tools. Proper alignment of a cable tie before severing can expedite the severing process, and a more efficient cutting blade or blades would also improve the overall process. Thus, an improved device is contemplated.


A system for bus communication includes a first port coupled to a bus, comprising a first engine configured to respond to bus signals on the bus, according to a predetermined protocol. A second port couples to the bus, comprising a second engine configured to respond to bus signals according to the predetermined protocol. A control module couples to the second port and is configured to receive a port state signal, and to disable the second port based on the received port state signal.

Modern electronic devices, such as computers, often attach peripheral devices to a primary or main computing system in a standardized protocol. For example, many computing systems couple peripheral devices, such as hard disk drives, to the system using the well-known Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) protocol.
In some systems, an enclosure houses one or more peripheral devices in a protective case or rack that often includes intelligent services. For example, some enclosures can operate to monitor temperature, cooling, power, component identification, and other useful device characteristics. SCSI Enclosure Services (SES) is one protocol that supports tracking these non-data characteristics of peripheral devices.
In some SES systems, called "virtual SES" (VSES) systems, a firmware or software engine replaces SES functionality that in non-virtual SES systems typically resides on a physical adapter in either the SES backplane or the host system SCSI adapter. Some VSES systems employ the well-known I2C (Inter IC) protocol to communicate between the virtual SES engine and the SES backplane. Generally, I2C permits multiple bus masters on a single bus. I2C is a trademark of Philips Corp.
In certain VSES designs, the VSES system includes two I2C ports, each of which is enabled or disabled based on certain dynamic system states. This dynamic power up/power down timing frequently causes the I2C ports to stall or "hang up," a costly and difficult to predict failure condition. Some attempted solutions exist, but the current solutions offered to address this problem suffer from disadvantages.
For example, one solution couples one I2C port to a standby power domain and another I2C port to a main power domain. This approach, however, typically requires two separate I2C modules with distinct I2C engines, as current I2C chips do not support multiple power domain operation. Adding an additional I2C chip increases costs and reduces the circuit board space available to other system components.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and/or method for bus communications, particularly, virtual SES bus communications, that addresses at least some of the problems and disadvantages associated with conventional systems and methods.

System and method for improved bus communication

International Business Machines Corporation


A pliers comprises a pair of elongated members having jaw portions, handle portions, and neck portions therebetween with the neck portions overlying each other and the jaw portions thereof having opposed clamping faces. One of the elongated members has a slot in its neck portion angled toward the handle portion from an imaginary line extending between the clamping faces, and a boss on the rear surface of its neck portion adjacent the imaginary line which abuts a shoulder on the rear surface of the neck portion of the other elongated member. The elongated members of the pliers may be fabricated as laminates of sheet metal elements. The boss/shoulder abutment provides a first pivot, and a pivot pin is movable from the end of the slot adjacent the imaginary line during opening of the jaws to abut the other end of the slot to provide a second pivot.

The present invention relates to pliers in which the two elongated elements of the pliers are pivotable about a pair of pivot points to provide improved clamping action.
Pliers are conventionally comprised of a pair of elongated members with jaws at one end and handle portions at the other end. In some instances, the pivot for the two jaws is fixed and in other instances, a pivot pin is slidable in a slot to allow some translation of the members relative to each other in an effort to improve the gripping orientation of the jaw portions of the pliers in what is known as a slip-joint structure. Exemplary of a slip-joint pliers is Patrick U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,647. More recently, there have been substantial efforts to provide self-adjusting pliers such as illustrated in Warheit U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,662,252 and 5,060,543.
In Jore et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,048 there is proposed a pliers construction in which there is not only a first pivot point but also a cam surface in which a second pivot pin is moved to effect parallel movement of the jaw faces.
It is conventional to employ offsetting of the neck portions to allow the neck portions to pivot and slide relative to one another while maintaining the jaws in opposing relationship for gripping of workpieces therebetween. To avoid the necessity for producing such offset jaw portions, some patents propose the construction of pliers with laminated jaw portions to provide opposing clamping faces such as, for example, Warheit U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,662,252 and 5,351,584.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel pliers employing a pair of spaced pivots about which the jaw portions pivot to enable rapid adjustment and application of high clamping force to a gripped workpiece.
It is also an object to provide such a pliers which can be quickly and readily fabricated.
Another object is to provide such pliers in which the elongated elements are laminates of multiple sheet metal parts.