A method of generating a value for a missing pixel “x” by determining a “least harmful” local edge direction between pixels, or sub-pixels, on substantially opposing sides of the missing pixel, and interpolating the difference to arrive at a value for pixel “x”. The method involves generating sub-pixel values for locations within neighboring pixels, the sub-pixels may comprise half-pixels, quarter-pixels, three-quarter pixels, and so forth, wherein any fractional pixel quantity may be created. Absolute difference values are calculated between neighboring pixels, or sub-pixel values, to determine a least harmful local edge direction along which a value is generated for pixel “x” by interpolation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the processing of image sequences, and more particularly to a method of edge-directed image interpolation utilizing sub-pixel directions.
2. Description of the Background Art
Digital image information is typically represented in a series of frames which each contain an array of pixels. Information about specific image characteristics are then maintained for each pixel within the frame. Typically, these image characteristics provide intensity, and/or color information. In one image format, each pixel is represented as a mixture of three colors that are each defined by eight-bit color values. A number of standards are available for representing images in a series of frames. In certain situations, a frame may contain one or more pixels for which no image information is available. To minimize image degradation within these frames, the information for the missing pixels is generated by interpolating the characteristics of adjacent pixels.
Pixel information within a frame may be missing for a variety of reasons, including losses or boundary conditions that may result when executing a video conversion process, such as the conversion between interlaced television field signals and progressive frame signals. The interlaced scanning format is widespread and provides transmission advantages, however, it suffers from a lack of vertical resolution and often produces image artifacts such as line flicker. Therefore, interlaced images are often converted to progressive frame signals by performing an interlaced-to-progressive conversion (IPC) method. Execution of an IPC method can improve vertical resolution while reducing line flicker and other image artifacts. The conversion of an interlaced video format to a progressive format typically creates one or more rows of missing pixel data, such as near the top or bottom of a frame. Maintaining high video picture quality requires that the image characteristics of the missing pixels be replaced with an approximation of the missing pixel information that is capable of properly blending with the image so that minimal adverse viewing effects are incurred. Although pixel interpolation is utilized in the process of converting interlaced streams to progressive scan streams, it should be appreciated that pixel interpolation is generally applicable to a number of situations in which pixel information is otherwise missing, or in error. The generation of missing pixel information is typically performed by executing a pixel interpolation method within a software routine that executes on an image processing device.
One conventional pixel interpolation method, referred to as edge-directed interpolation, seeks to generate a value for a missing pixel by extending the color patterns in selected directions, expressed as color edges which exist in the surrounding pixels of an image frame. A pixel "x" for which color information is not available is shown surrounded by neighboring pixels in FIG. 1, which illustrates candidate edge directions associated with conventional edge-directed interpolation. Each of the neighboring pixels is adjacent the missing pixel with a common edge or corner. The value assigned to pixel "x" is registered by determining and then following one of the local edges defined along one of the pixel paths (a−f), (b−e), or (c−d). It should be appreciated that the illustrated pixel paths may be rotated by ninety degrees if information was missing for a segment of vertical pixels instead of the more common horizontal pixels. The selection of which local edge to use for interpolation is performed by determining which is the "least harmful" local edge direction. The term "least harmful" may be characterized by the generated pixel being created in relation to the surrounding pixels so as to have the least harmful effect on the resultant image, wherein the peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) for the frames within a video stream is maximized, and thus less signal degradation from the original images occurs. The "least harmful" local edge is detected by finding the edge direction in which the difference between the neighboring pixel values on opposite sides of the missing pixel is at its lowest value, minimized. The interpolation is thereafter performed by finding the average of the neighboring pixels along the "least harmful" local edge. It should be appreciated that "averaging" or other normalizations described herein are performed according to the type of pixel image data being represented. For example, averaging a pixel whose color is expressed as an RGB value comprises averaging each of the separate color values of red, green, and blue to arrive at a result that is also expressed as an RGB value. Similarly, other image representations systems, such as CYMK and others, are averaged to create a resultant value whose displayed characteristics are substantially between that of the pixel values being averaged. The formula of Eq. (1) illustrates the conventional generation of a value for pixel "x" by interpolation along a "least harmful" edge as selected from three prospective edge directions.
                    x        =                  {                                                                                a                    +                    f                                    2                                                                              if                                                                                (                                                                  (                                                                                                                                        a                              -                              f                                                                                                            <                                                                                                                c                              -                              d                                                                                                                                  )                                            ⋀                                              (                                                                                                                                        a                              -                              f                                                                                                            <                                                                                                                b                              -                              e                                                                                                                                  )                                                              )                                                                                c                    +                    d                                    2                                                                              if                                                                                (                                                                  (                                                                                                                                        c                              -                              d                                                                                                            <                                                                                                                a                              -                              f                                                                                                                                  )                                            ⋀                                              (                                                                                                                                        c                              -                              d                                                                                                            <                                                                                                                b                              -                              e                                                                                                                                  )                                                              )                                                                                b                    +                    e                                    2                                                                              otherwise                                                                                }                                    (        1        )            The current method of performing edge-directed pixel interpolation can be executed readily with minor per-pixel computational overhead, however, the resultant images are generated with distortions that may be characterized, for example, by a signal-to-noise ratio that is often insufficient for the given application.
Therefore, a method is needed to enhance edge-directed pixel interpolation to increase image quality. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and overcomes the deficiencies of previously developed general image interpolation methods.

Method of performing sub-pixel based edge-directed image interpolation


An electronic device and method are disclosed herein. The electronic device includes a biometric sensor and at least one processor. The processor implements the method, including receiving biometric information through a biometric sensor electrically coupled with the electronic device, when the received biometric information is authenticated, detecting by a processor at least one content that correlates with the received biometric information, and outputting the detected at least one content that correlates with the biometric information.

With the developments of information communication technology and semi-conductor technology, electronic devices have evolved to become multimedia devices providing various multimedia services. For example, the multimedia services may include at least one of a voice call service, a text-messaging service, a broadcasting service, a wireless Internet service, a camera service, or a music-playing service.
A user of an electronic device may obtain permission to use a web page or an application, and may input user identification information (e.g., ID) and a password in order to access the web page or application. For example, the electronic device may attempt to access the web page or application based on the user identification information and password received through a login screen of the application or web page. When the electronic device successfully accessed the web page or application, it may then output a service screen (e.g., a graphic user interface) of the corresponding web page or application.

Method for managing contents and electronic device thereof


A telecommunications device comprises a communication alert system arranged to inform the user that a telecommunications signal has been received. The communication alert system uses one of a number of different indicators. The controller is arranged to control the selection of the one of a plurality of indicators such that the selection is affected by a user selectable component of the received telecommunications signal.

The present invention relates to the control of a telecommunications device and to apparatus therefor.
Human communication is an extremely complex process in which a variety of different factors influence success or failure. In conversation, for example, it is not only the specific words chosen by the contributors which affect the outcome; it is also tone of voice, facial expression and body language, and even 'ritual rights to address another' that might matter. Each, in varying degrees, greatly influence the receptiveness of each participant; each may even affect an individual's willingness to participate in conversation in the first place. In short, conversations are not easily commenced or ended nor are they merely about the exchange of words: tone, facial expressions, body language, rules related to who can talk to whom about what and when, as well as much else beside, all can be crucial from the initial salutation through to the farewell.
If this holds true for face to face conversation, then it is equally important with remote communications, such as enabled through voice or video telephony. Unfortunately, users of such technologies are at a particular disadvantage. They are provided with few, if any, methods for conveying some of the visual, auditory and bodily signals that define intended tone, for example. Moreover, though some of the social proprieties relating to 'who can call who' are facilitated by such things as caller line identification, this is not always available and, in any case, these proprieties are often undermined by lack of information about tone. This is a particularly noticeable deficiency at the start of a call when the person initiating the communication has no way of presenting themselves and setting the tone until the conversation is underway. This why so many telephone calls start with discussion of who is making the call, why it is being made, the frame of mind of the caller and so forth, all of which are in effect conversational topics acting as surrogates for other, non-verbal ways of communicating tone and deploying rights of contact.
For instance, when some one calls on a mobile phone, the ring tone and other properties of the receiving device actuated by the receipt of the call remain solely in the control of the owner of the receiving device. Hence a caller can not affect how they are presented to the person receiving the call: they cannot convey, through the ring tone, for example, urgency or anger, friendliness or confusion: all these tones are subsumed under one ring tone. Nor can they ensure that the recipient knows who is calling, unless that recipient has correctly entered a name in their mobile phone's address book associated with the caller line number. Hence, what is in effect a human summons of many different hues is transformed by mobile telecommunications technology into a single hue provided with one anonymous 'face' consisting of a ring tone and a telephone number. This makes mobile telecommunication, either voice or video, very unlike normal communication between people face to face. In a phrase, the one allows expression before words are spoken, the other does not.
The consequence is that though the technology might have been designed with the hope of bringing people closer together, in practice that very technology pulls them apart by diminishing what people can communicate. This was not the intention of those who designed the technology, of course. Nevertheless, in order to improve the ease and value of the technology, and so of remote communications, there is a need to enable the richness of expression and meaning described above, as there is too a need to associate this with social systems of propriety. Doing so will be of benefit at all stages of a communication, from commencement through to termination.


The invention relates to a rotation device (1) for rotating the center part (2) in an injection-molding device. The rotation device comprises a column (3) which is non-rotatably mounted in the interior of the center part (2) and a sleeve (4) surrounding the same which is mounted such as to rotate with the center part (2), said sleeve (4) and said column (3) being operatively interconnected via a drive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention lies within the realm of devices for the injection molding of materials, in particular plastic parts. The invention lies particularly with the realm of injection-molding devices having a rotation device for rotating one or more center blocks in an injection-molding device according to the pre-characterizing clause of the independent patent claim.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Injection-molding devices for injection molding having one or more rotating center parts which are rotated by 90° or 180° about an axis are known from the prior art. These are used, for example, for the efficient production of multi-component plastic parts. At least one rotatable center part (center block) is provided between two clamping plates for first and second mold halves which can be moved along tie bars in opposite directions. The center block is preferably movably mounted on the tie bars and/or with respect to a machine bed by means of a holding device, and is arranged so that it can be rotated about an axis of rotation by means of a rotation device. The rotatable center block has at least two side surfaces for accommodating third mold halves, which act together with the first and the second mold halves to form cavities. In certain embodiments, the rotatable center block can act together, at least on one side, with a further rotatable center part.
In order to guarantee operation, it is usually necessary for the rotatable center part to be continuously supplied with one or more media while the device is being operated. These can include water, air, oil and electrical power or data, e.g. in the form of measured values. One problem is that one or more media have to be transferred from the stationary holder to the rotatable center part. With the devices disclosed in the prior art, liquid or gaseous media are transferred by means of annular grooves which are arranged parallel and adjacent to one another on a shaft and/or in a correspondingly formed bore, and which are separated from one another by seals. In total, more than 20 circuits can be necessary in order to ensure an adequate supply of media.
One problem with the transfer devices disclosed in the prior art is that they are comparatively large and have a complex structure. Frequently, transfer devices, which project significantly over the rotatable center part and therefore take up a large amount of space, are arranged below and above the center part.
WO9928108 by the same applicant is concerned with a holding device for a rotatable center part. The holding device has two cross members which are supported on tie bars and each carry a rotation unit. A rotatable center part can be clamped between the rotation units. Media are transferred via the axis of rotation of at least one rotation unit which is arranged outside the rotatable center part.
WO08043641 A1 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,477) has been filed in the name of the company Sidel and describes a form of rotation device for a horizontal injection-molding machine. The rotation device comprises a base plate, on which is mounted a rotary table which can be rotated about a vertical axis, and drive means for rotating the rotary table. The rotation unit has a plurality of media lines which are arranged in the interior of the axis. An object is to reduce the size and volume of the rotation device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,201 has been filed in the name of the company Husky and describes an injection-molding machine. A center part is rotatably arranged about a horizontal axis. In FIG. 2, a rotatable multiple distributor is arranged at the side next to and outside the rotatable center part in the manner disclosed in the prior art.
EP0511564 has been filed in the name of the company Krupp Corpoplast and is concerned with a device for blow molding plastic. The device for blow molding a thermoplastic has a heating device for temperature-control of parisons and a blowing device for blow molding the parisons. A cam disc has grooves which are arranged substantially concentrically with respect to a center line. The grooves are used to feed in and also to discharge pressure.
WO2005035218 has been filed in the name of the company Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik AG and is concerned with a horizontal injection-molding machine with rotation device. The rotation device is mounted on a machine bed between the tie bars of an injection-molding machine. The rotation device is arranged in a stationary manner. Although the media feed to the rotatable center part is mentioned on Page 3, the person skilled in the art cannot derive any further relevant details with regard thereto.

Rotation device for an injection-molding device


An example fraud analysis platform may receive timing information associated with a user interaction during a transaction, wherein the user interaction is associated with a user engaging in a transaction using a transaction account and a transaction device to access the transaction account. The fraud analysis platform may generate, based on the timing information, a transaction interaction signature associated with the user interaction. The fraud analysis platform may compare the transaction interaction signature to a reference signature associated with an authorized user of a transaction account. The fraud analysis platform may determine, based on the transaction interaction signature being associated with the reference signature, that the user interaction was performed by the authorized user of the transaction account. The fraud analysis platform may perform, based on determining that the user interaction was performed by the authorized user, an action associated with the transaction or transaction account.

Fraud impacts numerous businesses and consumers, affecting millions of dollars in transactions. With the advancement of technology, many sophisticated methods are being used to commit fraud, while fraud detection and/or fraud analysis has been employed to combat fraud. In some cases, to prevent fraudulent transactions from occurring, a user may be authenticated (e.g., verified as an authorized user) when engaging in a transaction (e.g., by entering security information, such as a personal identification number for a transaction account, providing a signature to authenticate the transaction, and/or the like).

User authentication based on a user interaction associated with a transaction


An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a transfer member arranged so as to face the image carrier; and a non-transferred toner adhesion unit that causes a non-transferred toner to adhere to an inter-sheet area present on the image carrier during a period of continuous image formation in which images are continuously formed on the image carrier. The transfer member is a foam roller. The image forming apparatus further includes a contacting and separating unit that causes the foam roller and the image carrier to come into contact with and be separated from each other. The contacting and separating unit separates the image carrier and the transfer member when the inter-sheet area present on the image carrier passes through a transfer area in which the image carrier and the transfer member face each other in association with rotation of the image carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a facsimile, and a copier.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is important for image forming apparatuses to make it possible to stably provide desired image density. For this reason, many image forming apparatuses form a density detection pattern made of a non-transferred toner not to be transferred onto a sheet, on an image carrier. The image forming apparatuses detect the image density of the density detection pattern with an optical detecting unit. Based on the detection result, the image forming apparatuses adjust image forming conditions (specifically, toner density, LD power, a charging bias, and a developing bias, for example), thereby performing density adjustment control for adjusting the amount of adhering toner to a target amount.
An image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-305823 forms a density detection pattern in an inter-sheet area on an intermediate transfer belt serving as an image carrier. The inter-sheet area corresponds to a space between a trailing end of a preceding sheet and a leading end of a following sheet in continuous image formation. The image forming apparatus then detects the density detection pattern to perform density adjustment control. The image forming apparatus feeds a sheet into a secondary transfer area in which a secondary transfer member and the intermediate transfer belt face each other with the secondary transfer member brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt to transfer an image formed on the intermediate transfer belt onto the sheet.
To prevent the sheet from being stained with a toner forming the density detection pattern, the density detection pattern formed in the inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt is formed so as not to come into contact with the sheet in the secondary transfer area. Thus, no sheet is present in the secondary transfer area while the density detection pattern is passing through the secondary transfer area. As a result, the density detection pattern comes into contact with the secondary transfer member facing the intermediate transfer belt in the secondary transfer area. This causes the surface of the secondary transfer member to be stained with the toner forming the density detection pattern. If no countermeasure is taken, the toner adhering to the surface of the secondary transfer member adheres to the back of a sheet subsequently fed into the secondary transfer area, thereby causing a stain on the back of the sheet.
An image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-312154 is provided with a cleaning device that cleans the surface of a secondary transfer roller serving as a secondary transfer member. The cleaning device includes a brush member or a blade member provided to be in contact with the surface of the secondary transfer roller. The image forming apparatus scrapes off and removes a toner adhering to the surface of the secondary transfer roller with the brush member or the blade member, thereby preventing a stain on the back of the sheet.
The density adjustment control may be performed at a timing after the power is turned ON or a timing after a print job is finished and with a regular interval. To stabilize the image density in continuous printing, the density adjustment control may be performed during a continuous print job (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-312154). To perform the density adjustment control during a continuous print job, a density detection pattern is formed in an inter-sheet area on an intermediate transfer belt corresponding to a space between a trailing end of a preceding sheet and a leading end of a following sheet in the continuous printing.
In an image forming apparatus using an intermediate transfer method using an intermediate transfer belt, in order to improve the sheet adaptability and the accuracy of the image position, a density detection pattern formed on a photosensitive element is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt and then the density detection pattern on the intermediate transfer belt is detected to perform the density adjustment control.
The image forming apparatus using the intermediate transfer method feeds a sheet into a secondary transfer area between a secondary transfer roller serving as a secondary transfer member and the intermediate transfer belt to secondarily transfer an image formed on the intermediate transfer belt onto the sheet. To prevent the sheet on which the image is to be formed from being stained with a toner forming the density detection pattern, the density detection pattern formed in an inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt is formed so as not to come into contact with the sheet in the secondary transfer area. Thus, no sheet is present in the secondary transfer area while the density detection pattern is passing through the secondary transfer area. As a result, the density detection pattern comes into contact with the secondary transfer roller facing the intermediate transfer belt in the secondary transfer area. This causes the secondary transfer roller to be stained with the toner forming the density detection pattern. If no countermeasure is taken, the toner adhering to the secondary transfer roller adheres to the back of a sheet subsequently fed into the secondary transfer area, thereby causing a stain on the back of the sheet.
To improve the performance for separating the sheet that passes through the secondary transfer area from the secondary transfer roller, a roller member with a relatively small diameter may be used as the secondary transfer roller. It is difficult, however, to clean the surface of such a thin roller member with the brush member or the blade member. Because a large amount of toner of the density detection pattern adheres to the surface of the secondary transfer roller, the cleaning device may possibly fail to sufficiently remove the toner adhering to the surface of the secondary transfer roller. As a result, the stain on the back of the sheet may possibly be caused.
An image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-286176 separates a secondary transfer roller from an intermediate transfer belt while a density detection pattern formed in an inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt is passing through a secondary transfer area. This causes the secondary transfer roller to be separated from the intermediate transfer belt in the inter-sheet area in which no sheet enters the secondary transfer area. As a result, the density detection pattern formed in the inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt is prevented from adhering to the surface of the secondary transfer roller. This makes it possible to prevent a stain on the back of the sheet caused by the density detection pattern formed in the inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt.
The stain on the back of the sheet caused by adhesion of the toner to the surface of the secondary transfer roller is not necessarily attributed to the density detection pattern formed in the inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt. In recent years, there has been developed an image forming apparatus that performs what is called borderless printing for forming an image to an end of a sheet such that there is no margin at the edges of the entire perimeter of the sheet or any of the edges of the sheet (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-45457). To form an image to an end of a sheet in borderless printing, a toner image simply needs to be formed on an intermediate transfer belt so as to be aligned with the position of the end of the sheet fed into a secondary transfer area. However, the formation of the toner image is difficult to carry out because not a little deviation occurs in the conveyance position of the sheet entering the secondary transfer area. Thus, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-45457 forms an image on the intermediate transfer belt such that the image protrudes from the edge of the sheet.
Using a piece of thick paper as the sheet increases a shock of a collision of the sheet with the secondary transfer roller when the sheet is fed into the secondary transfer area in which the secondary transfer roller is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt compared with the case of using a piece of thin paper. The shock causes large vibration on the secondary transfer roller, and the vibration is transmitted to a photosensitive element in an image forming unit and an exposing device. As a result, a position at which the exposing device writes a latent image on the photosensitive element may possibly deviate from a normal position, resulting in deterioration in image quality.
The inventors of the present application conducted earnest research and found the following. Using a foam roller obtained by covering a cored bar with foam as the secondary transfer roller enables the foam to mitigate a shock of a collision of a sheet with the foam roller. This reduces vibration caused by the collision, thereby suppressing the deterioration in image quality.
However, a plurality of holes are formed on the surface of the foam roller, thereby making it difficult to physically remove a toner entering the holes with a brush or a blade. Thus, if the surface of the foam roller is stained with the toner forming the density detection pattern, the brush member or the blade member of the cleaning device fails to sufficiently remove the toner from the surface of the foam roller. As a result, the stain on the back of the sheet is caused.
While the explanation has been made of the stain on the back of the sheet made in the case where the density detection pattern is formed in the inter-sheet area on the intermediate transfer belt to perform density adjustment control, the non-transferred toner not to be transferred onto the sheet is not necessarily attributed to the density detection pattern. Examples of adhesion of the non-transferred toner to the inter-sheet area on the image carrier may include forcible ejection of a toner in a developing unit to the inter-sheet area on the image carrier to replace a deteriorated toner in the developing unit by a new toner. In this case as well, problems similar to those described above occur.
Forming an image so as to protrude from an edge of a sheet causes a toner protruding from the edge of the sheet to adhere to the intermediate transfer belt. The protruding toner adheres from the intermediate transfer belt to the surface of the secondary transfer roller when the image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt onto the sheet in the secondary transfer area. As a result, the toner adhering to the secondary transfer roller adheres to the back of a sheet subsequently fed into the secondary transfer area. Thus, the protruding toner causes a stain on the back of the sheet.
The problems similar to those described above may possibly occur in an image forming apparatus using a direct transfer method that directly transfers an image from a latent image carrier, such as a photosensitive element, onto a sheet not via an intermediate transfer body.
In view of the above, there is a need to provide an image forming apparatus that can prevent a stain on the back of a sheet caused by a non-transferred toner caused to adhere to an inter-sheet area on an image carrier.

Image forming apparatus that suppresses deterioration in image quality


‘SPRochoose’ is a new and distinct variety of rose plant of the floribunda class with flowers of a striking pink blend in an exhibition, hybrid tea form. These flowers are borne initially in clusters that become the center of large sprays of 10 to 40 blooms or more. It has a vigorous and continuous blooming habit, with very good resistance to downy mildew and other rose diseases.

This new and distinct variety of hardy, bush type rose plant of the floribunda class was developed by me, James A. Sproul, under conditions of careful and controlled observation, at my nursery in Bakersfield, Calif. It is the result of crossing two seedlings I had previously developed in my breeding program:                'Pearl Sanford', a miniature rose, not patented or registered, as the seed parent.        The pollen parent was an unnamed, unregistered and unintroduced floribunda.
The objective in making the cross that led to 'SPRochoose' was to produce an attractive and highly disease resistant rose plant with classic, hybrid tea formed flowers. To meet this objective, the parents were chosen for their disease resistance and attractive hybrid tea formed flowers. The objective was substantially achieved in this new rose variety with its fully double, exhibition, hybrid tea form blooms on a plant since proven to have above average resistance to disease by testing in several areas across the United States.
This current plant may be compared with its parents, as shown here in Table 1.
TABLE 1SEED PARENT:POLLENCURRENT PLANT:'PEARLPARENT:'SPROCHOOSE'SANFORD'SEEDLINGCLASSFloribundaMiniatureFloribundaBLOOMCreamy White andWhite and PinkDeep Coral PinkCOLORPink BlendBlendFLOWERFully DoubleDoubleDoubleBLOOMaverage:average:average:SIZE,3 inches in MA1½ inches3 inchesEXPANDED3½ inches in CA(only grown(only grownin CA)in CA)BLOOMTight clustersSmall clustersSmall clusters;HABITdevelop into large throughout therapid repeatsprays throughoutseasonthroughout thethe seasonseasonFRAGRANCESlight to moderateMildSlightPLANTUpright; 3 to 3½16 to 20 inchesUpright, to 3HABITfeet tall and widetall and wellfeet tall.roundedFOLIAGEGlossy toSemi-glossySemi-glossysemi-glossy
Subsequent to the origination of the cultivar, it was successfully reproduced by rooting cuttings in Bakersfield and Arroyo Grande, Calif., and by budding onto 'Dr. Huey' (not patented) rootstock in Wasco, Calif. Flowers of these reproductions were noted to run true in all aspects.

Floribunda rose plant named ‘SPRochoose’


Known burst signals exchanged between senders and receivers comprise either one syncronisation block followed by a data block or several equidistant synchronisation blocks separated by data blocks, with a synchronisation block including predefined synchronisation symbols and with a data block including data symbols. By adapting senders and receivers in such a way that said synchronisation blocks are located non-equidistantly, preferably with a centre of gravity of synchronisation symbols mainly corresponding with a centre of the burst signal, an improved synchronisation can be reached. Thereto, senders and receivers comprise locators for locating the non-equidistant synchronisation blocks, with the receivers preferably further comprising determinators for determining phases of synchronisation blocks, and synchronisers for synchronising detectors/demodulators in dependence of neighbouring as well as non-neighbouring non-equidistant synchronisation blocks, and processor systems for calculating frequencies in dependence of locations and/or phases. The processor systems preferably comprise estimators for estimating main frequencies.

The invention relates to a receiver for receiving a burst signal comprising synchronisation blocks including predefined synchronisation symbols and comprising data blocks including data symbols.
Such a receiver is generally known and comprises an identifier for identifying said predefined synchronisation symbols and comprises a synchroniser coupled to said identifier for, in dependence of said identifying, estimating at least one frequency and/or at least one phase and/or at least one timing of the burst signal, and for synchronising a detector (like for example a demodulator) for detecting (like for example demodulating) said data symbols.
Known burst signals either comprise one synchronisation block or several equidistant synchronisation blocks.
In case of comprising one synchronisation block, the receiver has only this single block for synchronising purposes. In this case, a relatively small synchronisation block (compared to the size of the data block) results in a high information efficiency, but a low synchronisation accuracy, and a relatively large synchronisation block (compared to the size of the data block) results in a high synchronisation accuracy, but a low information efficiency.
In case of comprising several equidistant synchronisation blocks, the receiver has several blocks for synchronising purposes. Then, just small deviations in frequency can be synchronised, due to the large distance between some of the blocks which leads to ambiguities as the phase differences of widely separated blocks will exceed plus or minus 180 degrees, while the fixed distance between the synchronisation blocks does not provide the necessary information to resolve said ambiguities.
The known receiver is disadvantageous, inter alia, due to not being able to synchronise larger deviations in frequency and/or timing in combination with high information efficiencies and/or high synchronisation accuracies.

Receiver, sender, method and burst signal


The invention relates to a process of heat transformation to convert the low-temperature waste heat from cooling circuits of block-type thermal power station (BTPS) reciprocating-piston combustion engines into steam or other heating media of a temperature required for operation by adopting the principle of the high-temperature heat pump according to which the low-temperature heat produced by recooling the engine cooling circuits to their required inflow temperature required by construction is transferred to a liquid working medium, is absorbed by the working media vapors by partial evaporation, and is brought, by compressing and condensing the working medium vapors, to the temperature of the in-plant heating media and is transferred to them. It is an object of the invention to provide a heat transformation process and devices for realizing the process according to the principle of the high-temperature heat pump using mechanical vapor compression by means of which the waste heat not only of the hot exhaust gas, but also the one of a proproportion as large as possible of the low-temperature waste heat from the cooling circuits for the cylinders, the lubricating oil, and the charging air/fuel mix may be used up to a lower temperature limit to be fixed for each project by conversion into the in-plant common heating medium in a technically reliable manner and at an economical relationship between the investment and operating expenditures to the output from the recuperated energy in reciprocating-piston engine BTPS for the heat supply to commercial and industrial enterprises. This is attained by the fact that inventive connections and devices prevent a drop below the ambient pressure in the critical low-temperature range and in all of the operating conditions of the heat transformer and the energy required for vapour compression is reduced to a minimum and, using steam expansion or hot-air prime movers, is gained completely or in part from the exhaust gas content of the BTPS engine (FIG. 1).

This invention relates to a process of heat transformation to convert the low-temperature waste heat from cooling circuits of block-type thermal power station (BTPS) reciprocating-piston combustion engines into steam or other heating media having a temperature required for operation by adopting the principle of the high-temperature heat pump according to the preamble of claim 1, and devices for realizing the process according to claims 17 to 24.
According to the state of the art, it is known to equip block-type thermal power stations with gas turbine or reciprocating-piston combustion engine drives the waste heat of which is coupled out in heat exchangers and is used for heating purposes. As far as this waste heat is produced in the exhaust gas it may be utilized in a waste-heat boiler to generate heating media at a pressure and a temperature as are required for operation. The low-temperature circuits to cool the charging air, oil, and cylinders of reciprocating-piston industrial combustion engines are designed for an inflow temperature of the cooling water of 70 to 80xc2x0 C. in the normal case and 110 to 125xc2x0 C. in special designs and for its heat-up rate by 5 to 10xc2x0 C. This low-temperature proportion, which comes up to 35 to 50% of the waste heat depending on the fuel and the construction of the engine, constitutes the limiting factor for the use of engine-powered BTPS in technical process industrial plants in many cases because it cannot be utilized to a sufficient degree in the plant. Although reciprocating-piston engines have a better mechanical/electrical efficiency factor, a more favourable behaviour under part-load and, because of the lower air surplus, a lower loss in the chimney of the waste-heat boiler industrial power/heat coupling plants are predominantly equipped with gas turbines the whole usable waste heat produced at a high temperature in the exhaust gas may be universally employed to heat the in-plant processes. Since gas turbines will present a good price-performance ratio only when in larger units and are dependent on high, uniform heat release because of their bad behaviour under part-load using them in small-size or medium-size plants is mostly uneconomical so that their power/heat coupling potentials which are downright interesting both economically and ecologically still are not fully exploited in many cases. Engine-powered BTPS which are used, in spite of the problems shown, in a few industrial enterprises exhibiting a particular ecological engagement are predominantly connected in such a way that low-temperature waste heat is used, as far as possible, to heat buildings or, if absorption cold-water units are connected therebetween, also to cool and air condition buildings where heating water of 70/90 or 110/125xc2x0 C. can be managed with as a maximum. The technical and organizational expenditure for the direct use of the low-temperature waste heat as a second heating medium in partial regions of commercial establishments and industrial enterprises, however, is so considerable and synchronizing the production and consumption by the various thermal energy carriers is so difficult that the xe2x80x9cemergency coolingxe2x80x9d of the energine needs to be turned on and the utilization of the xe2x80x9clower-valuexe2x80x9d low-temperature waste heat has to be dispensed with relatively often in the superior interest of meeting the steam and current demand in spite of careful works management.
In view of the problems depicted, efforts are made on the side of some engine producers to step up the admissible cooling-water inflow temperatures to the range of from 110 to 125xc2x0 C., on one hand, but a great number of authors have reported on researches and attempts to raise the low-temperature waste heat to an in-plant utilizable temperature level by means of high-temperature heat pumps using mechanical vapour compression or heat transformers according to the principle of absorption technology, on the other. However, success has passed hitherto beyond some single applications only in a few fields the common denominator of which is a relatively low raise in temperature because simple no-oil compressors which are not too expensive are available for pressure differentials of max. 1 bar and the ratio between recuperated energy and the one required for driving (calorific value, efficiency factor) is attractive economically.
Such applications are found, for example, on the xe2x80x9cwort coppersxe2x80x9d in brewing houses where large volumes of water evaporate at an ambient pressure or pressure slightly above it, are compressed by about 0.5 bar by means of compressors which mostly are mechanical or occasionally are even steam-jet vapour compressors, and are re-used immediately and via the shortest way possible, in very largely dimensioned heat exchangers just to fire the wort copper from which they were evaporated a few instants before. A report was made about this as early as in 1981 by W. STRUCK in his article xe2x80x9cMxc3x6glichkeiten und Grenzen von Hochtemperatur-Wxc3xa4rmepumpenxe2x80x9d, published in volume VII of the series xe2x80x9cWxc3xa4rmepumpentechnologiexe2x80x9d of the Vulkan Verlag, Essen, rating the degree of primary energy utilization of the gas engine driven plant therein at the considerable factor 5.3. It is from the same source that the description of a BTPS may be taken, which uses recooling of the engine cooling water to 75xc2x0 C. by partial evaporation at a saturation pressure of 0.4 bar and vapour compression to 2.7 bar, which corresponds to a temperature of 130xc2x0 C. of the heating medium (which is steam in this case). Such plants which already come very close to the subject matter of the present application for a protective right, however, have not pushed their way in practice because the relationship between the mechanical energy to be employed to the recuperable thermal energy is not correct either ecologically or economically and the water/steam range of the plants which is open to the engine cooling circuit, and even at a negative pressure, on one hand, and to the heating circuits of the plant, on the other, poses serious sealing and maintenance problems.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,958, a process to xe2x80x9cpumpxe2x80x9d the waste heat from the cooling circuit of a combustion engine into steam of a higher temperature by means of a high-temperature heat pump powered by the heat content of the combustion engine exhaust gases has become known wherein the working medium withdrawn from the cooling circuit (water) is evaporated directly. The heat pump is configured as an absorption heat pump in this application and causes the working medium vapours to be compressed by absorption in an absorber, pumping of the solution to the desorber pressure, and desorption in a desorber by means of the heat content of the exhaust gases of the combustion motor.
On the basis of the depicted state of the art, it is an object of the invention to provide a heat transformation process and devices for realizing the process according to the principle of the high-temperature heat pump by means of which the waste heat not only of the hot exhaust gas, but also the one of a proportion as large as possible of the low-temperature waste heat from the cooling circuits for cylinders, the lubricating oil, and the charging air/fuel mix may be used up to a lower temperature limit to be fixed for each project by conversion into the in-plant common heating medium in a technically reliable manner and at an economical relationship between the investment and operating expenditures to the output from the recuperated energy in reciprocating-piston engine BTPS for the heat supply to commercial and industrial enterprises.
Specifically, it is the processes and devices according to the teachings of claims 3, 5, 6, and 7 which meet the requirement of technical reliability by avoiding designs affected by high risks of operation, maintenance, and repair such as a negative pressure in the low-pressure area of the heat transformer or direct supply of the engine cooling water to the in-plant heating medium.
According to the invention, an economical relationship of the investment and operating expenditures to the yield and output of the heat transformer is aimed at by the fact that
according to the teachings of claims 3 and 7 to 13, the waste heat produced in the low-temperature range is treated and selected in such a way that its recuperation may be performed to the largest extent possible (heat volume) and in the best quality possible (temperature), which is aimed at achieving an optimum thermal efficiency factor without recurring to the mechanical/electrical efficiency factor or by recurring to it as little as possible,
according to the teaching of claim 12, the power demand for vapour compression is minimized by an extensive utilization of the low-temperature waste heat in the non-treated condition of its production, and
according to the teachings of claims 1 and 14 to 23, the energy for the heat transformation of the low-temperature waste heat is provided, to an available extent, from the higher-value engine waste and at least a recourse to high-quality mechanical and/or electrical energy fir vapour compression and the concomitant reduction of the BTPS mechanical/electrical efficiency factor are avoided.
Hence, the invention has the following substantial advantages:
1. Reciprocating-piston engine BTPS with their mechanical/electrical efficiency factor superior to that of the gas turbine BTPS and with their more favourable behaviour under part-load may also be used, while permanently and completely utilizing the waste heat for power/heat coupling, upon installation of the proposed heat transformer, also in those plants, which do not have a sufficient demand (i.e. no demand equivalent or time-synchronized to their power and steam consumption or, generally stating, their high-temperature heating medium consumption) for the low-temperature waste heat produced in the BTPS cooling circuits.
2. As a result of driving the heat transformer which is fully or partly effected by utilizing the energy of the engine exhaust gas according to the proposed processes and devices, the mechanical/electrical efficiency factor of a power/heat coupling plant is not diminished at all or is diminished far less than if electrically or mechanically driven high-temperature heat pumps are used according to known processes and devices.
3. The protection against the penetration of air and/or oil resulting from leakages in the low-temperature range from the engine cooling circuits to the vapour compressor of the thermal transformer, which is brought about by measures to avoid any negative pressure in the high-temperature heat pump and the in-plant heating system remedy the serious process and construction-related reliability lacks of the high-temperature heat pump BTPS which have been known hitherto according to the state of the art.
4. The technical advantages of the reciprocating-piston combustion engine BTPS including the proposed heat transformer make it economically useful to employ the ecologically worthwhile power/heat coupling in a multiplicity of preponderantly small-sized and medium-sized commercial establishments and industrial enterprises the heating power demand of which for gas turbine BTPS is too low and/or too non-uniform and which, apart from their steam demand for the low-temperature waste heat of common reciprocating-piston BTPS, have no sufficient and time-synchronized use therefor.
Aspects of the invention relate, amongst other things
1. a process of low-temperature heat recuperation which makes it possible to gain the waste heat from a proportion as large as possible of the BTPS engine cooling circuits at a temperature which is so far above the boiling-point of the heat transformer working medium that there is no drop below the ambient pressure in any point of vapour evaporation and compression. This ensures that leakages due to media exiting to the outside are signaled and suction of air or oil into the working medium are prevented and that a high suction pressure advantageous for the power demand for vapour compression and a low suction volume of the working-medium steam favourable for the construction expenditure of the compressor are achieved and an expensive sealing against a negative pressure are avoided;
2. a process of vapour compression and heating power provision in the high-pressure region of the heat transformer according to the criteria of para 1 such that the energy required for vapour compression from the saturation pressure of low-temperature heat recuperation to the saturation pressure of the in-plant heating medium is gained as far as possible from the heat content of the engine exhaust gas by converting it into superheated high-pressure motive steam and expanding it to the pressure of the in-plant heating medium while being deprived of compression work or by using it for driving a hot-air prime mover according to the Stirling principle.
Embodiments of the invention for realizing the process according to the invention are shown in the drawing and are described below.

METHOD OF HEAT TRANSFORMATION FOR GENERATING HEATING MEDIA WITH OPERATIONALLY NECESSARY TEMPERATURE FROM PARTLY COLD AND PARTLY HOT HEAT LOSS OF LIQUID-COOLED INTERNAL COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES AND DEVICE FOR EXECUTING THE METHOD


The mounting of an electric enclosure (1) for electric connector and switch embeddable in a piece of masonry work requires the connecting of electric wires (25) to an electrically conductive region or terminal inside the enclosure. The connection requires screwing in the enclosure wires by means of an intermediate part. To facilitate the mounting of these electric enclosures for electrical connectors and switches, the invention provides for the mounting of these enclosures by embedding by simple sliding of a sleeve (3) inside a housing (2) in such a way that the female terminals directly linked to the electric wires of the enclosure are in contact with the male terminals of the sleeve. The electric enclosure is dismantled by simply pulling from the sleeve towards the outside of the enclosure.

An electric enclosure has a housing and an electric device, provided especially with a cover. The housing is designed to be inserted into a wall. A wall may be vertical or horizontal. It may be constituted every material used in the building industry (such as concrete, building blocks, stone and other rigid complex materials forming partition walls, formed especially by plaster partition slabs with cardboard ties). The housing is drilled with holes within which electric wires coming from the wall can be inserted. The electric device has a first side and a second side. The first side is placed facing the housing. It is intended that the electric wires will get connected to this first side. In a first example, it is intended that three electric wires will get connected to this first side. The second side is placed outside the housing. In the case of a housing designed to receive an electric connector, this second side of the electric device and hence of the cover may comprise two conductive holes used to receive two plugs of an electric connector. These two holes are directly connected to the electric wires. The contact of the two plugs with a wall of the two holes of the electric device directly connected with the electric wires is enough to set up the electric connection. Or else the second side may comprise a handle if it is a switch. In this case, the electric connection is set up by pressing on the handle so as to connect the electric wires.
In the case of an electric enclosure, designed to receive plugs of an electric connector, the holes of the electrical device correspond to female terminals and the plugs of an electric connector are male terminals that must fit into the female terminals. Such electric enclosures usually have two female terminals. The third male terminal is designed to serve as a ground connector.
In the case of the mounting of an enclosure designed to receive an electric connector, three electric wires coming from the wall are first of all placed inside the enclosure in passing through holes of the housing. Then the wires are fixed to the three female or male terminals of the electric device. To fix the three wires to the electric device of the switch and/or of the electric connector, it is necessary to grip the wires in the electric device by means of an intermediate part. For example, the intermediate part may be a screw connector, comprising especially a metal plate. The metal plate is electrically conductive. The screw is itself connected to a female or male terminal. To get the wire gripped in the electric device, the screw is screwed in.
In the case of the mounting of such an electric enclosure, electric bridges can be made in connecting another wire from the screw so as to form an electric series connection.
However, the connection of the electric wires to the electric device as well as the connection of another electric wire necessitate the use of small intermediate parts that are difficult to handle and liable to escape from their housing during mounting. Their handling as well as the use of the screwdriver makes the mounting of such electric enclosures a delicate and difficult task.
Furthermore, an electric enclosure thus made is not compatible with any type of electric connector. For example, an electric enclosure designed to receive an European type of electric connector cannot be used for the insertion of an American rectangular electric connector. To accept an American connector of this kind, it is necessary to use a bulky adapter or change the enclosure completely.

Built-in electric contact enclosure and mounting method


A storage controller including a processor, wherein the processor: performs a copy process in which a destination virtual volume is created by copying a source virtual volume in accordance with a copy instruction, performs a release process in which allocation of a destination storage area to a corresponding area of the destination virtual volume that corresponds to an unallocated area to which a source storage area is not allocated, among areas of the source virtual volume at a time point when the copy instruction is received is released in the copy process, specifies a corresponding area that is an unallocated area including one or more update areas updated before the copy process and the release process after the copy instruction among one or more unallocated areas of the source virtual volume, and suppresses the release relating to the corresponding area that corresponds to the specified unallocated area.

In a storage product such as a disk array system or a storage system such as a computer, in order to back up data stored in a storage device (a storage or a memory device), various techniques are used. For example, an "advanced copy function" is known in which a storage controller such as a controller module (hereinafter, referred to as a CM) performs backup of data stored in a storage using firmware of the storage controller without using resources of a host apparatus (high-level apparatus).
Data backup techniques supported in the advanced copy function include a one point copy (OPC) function and a quick OPC (hereinafter, referred to as QOPC) function.
FIGS. 18 and 19 respectively illustrate the appearances of copy processes according to the OPC and the QOPC.
According to the OPC, a storage controller generates a snapshot of the data of a backup target at a copy start time point. As illustrated in FIG. 18, when an OPC start instruction (copy instruction) is received, the storage controller generates a snapshot of the copy source volume and issues a logical copy completion response to the host apparatus, thereby showing that the copy has been completed to the host apparatus. Then, the storage controller actually copies (physical copy) all the data of the copy source volume at a time point when the instruction is received on the background, thereby generating a copy destination volume.
In the OPC, in a case where there is an update instruction for an area of the copy source volume for which the background copy has not been completed, the storage controller performs the process of copying the data of the area to the copy destination volume before the update. In addition, in a case where there is a reference/update instruction for an area of the copy destination volume for which the background copy has not been completed, the storage controller performs a copy process of the area before the reference/update.
According to the OPC, the storage controller can generate a snapshot of a certain time point at high speed. Accordingly, after a response to the OPC start instruction is received, the host apparatus can perform reference/update of both the copy source volume and the copy destination volume.
In addition, as an extension function of such an OPC, there is the QOPC that realizes a differential copy.
As illustrated in FIG. 19, according to the QOPC, similar to the OPC, a copy destination volume of a copy source volume at a certain time point is generated. In addition, in the QOPC, different from the OPC, after a background copy is started, an update place at which data has been updated is stored. Therefore, in the QOPC, the storage controller can perform generation of a copy destination volume of the second time and after that, in other words, restarting by only making a copy on the background.
In addition, in the storage system, as a technique for efficiently using the resources available inside the storage device, there are cases where a storage virtualization function such as thin provisioning for decreasing the physical capacity of the storage by virtualization of resources of the storage is used.
FIGS. 20A and 20B are diagrams that illustrate an example of the storage virtualization function. FIG. 20A is a diagram that illustrates an example of a storage allocating process, and FIG. 20B is a diagram that illustrates an example of a storage releasing process.
Hereinafter, the storage virtualization function will be described to be the thin provisioning, and a logical volume (virtual volume) in the thin provisioning will be referred to as a thin provisioning volume (TPV).
In the thin provisioning, when a logical volume is to be generated, the storage controller allows the host apparatus to recognize a virtual volume (TPV) without mapping with a physical disk arranged inside a storage pool. Then, when a request for a data writing process (write input output (I/O)) for writing data into the TPV or the like is issued from the host apparatus, the storage controller, as illustrated in FIG. 20A, allocates actual storage resources (physical capacity) from the storage pool to the TPV as is requested.
As illustrated in FIG. 20B, when there is the issuance of an UNMAP command or a physical area release instruction such as a format instruction of a volume from a host apparatus, the storage controller can release the allocation of the physical resources of an area that is in the unused state after the allocation of the physical resources.
Meanwhile, when data backup is operated using a storage virtualization function such as the TPV for a copy source and a copy destination, there may be an area of the copy source to which physical resources are not allocated. In such a case, in order to maintain the consistency of the copy source and the copy destination, there are cases where an area of the copy source to which physical resources are not allocated is regarded as an area in which "0" data is written, and the process of copying "0" data to a physical area of the copy destination.
However, such a process of copying "0" data is for making a backup of actually meaningless data. In other words, in the storage system, a data copy process that is originally unnecessary is performed, and there is a possibility that the process of copying data (data of an area of the copy source to which physical resources are allocated) desired to be backed up may be delayed. In addition, by copying "0" data of the area of the copy source to which physical resources are not allocated, a TPV of the copy destination is in a state in which physical resources are allocated thereto, whereby the physical resources are unnecessarily used.
In order to resolve such inconvenience, technologies are known in which, for example, when a virtual volume of the thin provisioning is copied, in a case where a storage area is not allocated to a copy source area, a storage area of a copy destination area corresponding thereto is released (for example, see Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 2011-76572 and Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 2010-271808).
As described above, according to the technologies for releasing a storage area of a copy destination that corresponds to a copy source area to which a storage area is not allocated, the delay of the copy process can be suppressed, and the amount of used physical resources can be reduced.
However, according to such technologies, there are cases where an inconvenience occurs such as the occurrence of the release of a TPV of a copy destination even when data is written into the TPV to which physical resources are allocated.
This is not limited to the OPC and the QOPC but is similarly applied to various backup techniques capable of updating data of the copy destination for making a backup of a virtual volume to which a physical area is variably allocated in accordance with the volume use status.

Storage controller, system, and method to control the copy and release processes of virtual volumes


An apparatus of conducting electrophoresis experiments including a container for receiving an electrophoresis buffer and a buffer core assembly for holding gel-containing cassettes that are immersed in the buffer for molecular separation of an electrophoresis sample. The buffer core assembly defines a flow path for the electrophoresis buffer which can be circulated by means of a heat exchanger and a pump to effect controlled heat exchange between the buffer and the cassette surfaces thereby maintaining the gel and the electrophoresis process at a desirable temperature uniformly over the surfaces of the gel cassette. The buffer core assembly also has upper well for receiving a second electrically chargeable buffer in contact with the gel so as to impose an electric field on the gel for the electrophoresis in conjunction with the first buffer. The well is isolated from the first buffer to prevent mixing of the buffers and to reduce the risk of an electrical short.

Gel electrophoresis is a common procedure for the separation of biological molecules, such as DNA, RNA, and proteins. In gel electrophoresis, the molecules are separated into bands according to the rate at which an imposed electric field causes them to migrate through a filtering gel.
The basic apparatus used in this technique consists of a gel enclosed in a glass tube or sandwiched as a slab between glass or plastic plates. The gel has an open molecular network structure, defining pores which are saturated with an electrically conductive buffered solution of a salt. These pores through the gel are large enough to admit passage of the migrating molecules.
The gel is placed in contact with buffer solutions which make electrical contact between the gel and the cathode or anode of an electrical power supply. A sample containing the macromolecules and a tracking dye is placed on top of the gel. An electric potential is applied to the gel causing the sample macromolecules and tracking dye to migrate toward the bottom of the gel. The locations of the bands of separated macromolecules are then determined. By comparing the distance moved by particular bands in comparison to the tracking dye and macromolecules of known mobility, the mobility of sample macromolecules can be determined. Once the mobility of the sample macromolecules is determined, the size of the macromolecule can be calculated.
As more electrophoretic applications are used in quality control labs and forensic and clinical diagnoses, it is critical to be able to replicate all experimental conditions in multiple locations and labs, a very important variable being temperature. The application of an electrical field to a gel results in the generation of heat. In general, higher temperatures increase the molecular kinetics, which results in faster migration of macromolecules through the separating gel.
However, without temperature control, gels often exhibit uneven temperatures across the width of the gel resulting in "smile" distortions. Smile distortions occur when bands migrate faster in the middle of the gel than on the sides.
Often, even a small temperature differential between the front and rear plates of the gel, if not mitigated, can cause the resulting bands to slant front to back, depending on the thickness of the gel and the heat transfer properties of the cassette plates. This challenge is particularly acute in test runs where the molecular migration rates exhibit overly temperature sensitive characteristics, as in DNA sequencing. For such runs, even a slight temperature differential, e.g. of 0.1.degree. C. can cause the slanted bands to appear overlapping.
Additionally, overheating of the gel (>60.degree. C.) can result in deleterious effects such as breakdown of the gel matrix resulting in poor resolution and band shape, alteration of the macromolecules including denaturation, alkylation or oxidation, and/or damage to the electrophoresis apparatus itself.
In DNA sequencing, electrophoresis is conducted at high voltage (1200-3000 volts, 55 watts) to maintain a gel temperature of 45.degree.-50.degree. C. for maximum resolution of the denatured DNA strands. The temperature is controlled by the amount of power applied to the gel. Gels run too cool (<40.degree. C.) will have bands that are blurred, perhaps due to incomplete denaturation. Gels run too warm (>60.degree. C.) will lose resolution, perhaps due to the breakdown of the polyacrylamide.
Precise temperature control is particularly critical in Single Stranded Conformational Polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of DNA, where bands are extremely close together. The relative temperature differential between the front and the back surfaces of the gel therefore can have a critical effect on the resolution of the DNA bands. For reliable, reproducible results, the gel temperature must be consistent for the duration of the run and in all areas of the gel, and variations of less than 0.1.degree. C. temperature differential between the front and the back surfaces of the gel are required.
Various means have been used to attempt to control the temperature of the gel during electrophoresis. These include applying active or passive heat sinks to one side of the gel, regulating power to the gel, employing an enclosed heat exchanger internal one of the buffer chambers, immersing the gels in a buffer-filled tank containing a heater/circulator, circulating the buffer through tubing immersed in an ice water bath, and circulating the buffer through an external metal heat exchanger.
These means are limited in their ability to provide compact apparatus for maintaining consistent and uniform thermal control across the area encompassing the front and back of the electrophoresis gels. The heat sinks exchange heat on only one side of the gel; the regulation of power to the gels cannot control regional hot spots and obviously limits the application of high wattage to the gels; the internal heat exchanger again exchanges heat on only one side of the gel and does not actively circulate buffer, resulting in vertical thermal gradients within the buffer chamber; immersing the gels in a heater tank is cumbersome, in that it requires a large volume of buffer and cannot cool the gels; and circulating the buffer through tubing immersed in an ice water bath is also cumbersome, and makes difficult fine control of temperature. Circulating the buffer through an external metal heat exchanger provides the most satisfactory temperature control. However, with the current electrophoresis systems, two pumps and heat exchangers would be required to assure uniformity of temperature and separation of the buffer fluids between the cathode and anode chambers. Further, with current electrophoresis systems, circulation of buffer within the chambers and across the gels is random and undirected, which may result in vertical and horizontal thermal gradients.
In view of the afore-mentioned deficiencies within the prior art, it is desirable to provide a compact system which requires only one heat exchanger, maintaining separation of the cathode and anode buffers while assuring consistency and uniformity of temperature across the front and the back of the electrophoresis gel.
It is also desirable for an electrophoresis system to provide the means for circulating a single buffer at any selected temperature (3.degree.-80.degree. C.) over multiple gels simultaneously in order to dissipate heat generated by the electrophoresis process and maintain a consistent thermal environment over a substantial portion of the gel surfaces using a single pump and heat exchanger.
It will be further desirable to allow the user to operate multiple temperature controlled electrophoresis units off of a single thermostatted circulating water bath due to the heat exchangers being located external to the bath.

Apparatus for conducting electrophoresis experiments


An exemplary chip card holder (100) used in a portable electronic device for holding a chip card (50) is provided. The chip card holder includes a housing member (10), a holding member (20), and a driving member (30). The holding member is fixed to the housing member for receiving and holding the chip card. The driving member is movable relative to the housing member and the holding member for moving the chip card from either of a released position and a holding position to the other of the holding position and released position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present embodiment relates to a chip card holder for a portable electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones typically have chip cards (e.g., SIM card) for storing usable information. It is necessary to provide chip card holders for holding/securing the chip card within the portable electronic device.
The chip card holder usually defines a receiving space and a holding member. The chip card can be partially received and held in the receiving space by the holding member. Accordingly, the chip card has an exposed portion which is not received in the receiving space. The exposed portion is used for the removal (e.g., to be pulled by users) of the chip card out of the receiving space. However, the exposed portion is usually too small and therefore difficult for a user to grasp in removing the chip card from the holder.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Chip card holder and portable electronic device using same

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


A system includes a device that is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field; and a position transducer. The position transducer includes a magnetic detector detecting a magnetic filed, a magnetic field extractor extracting the constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator by removing a noise magnetic field component from the magnetic field detected by the magnetic detector, and a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on an intensity of the constant magnetic field extracted by the magnetic field extractor.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for detecting a position of a device such as a capsule endoscope, which is swallowed and passes naturally through the digestive tract of the subject, by a position transducer that is disposed on the outside of the subject and obtains information of the position of the device in the subject.
2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in the field of endoscopes, a swallowable capsule endoscope has been proposed. The capsule endoscope has an image capturing function and a radio communication function. The capsule endoscope has the function of traveling in the body cavity, for example, in the organs such as the stomach and the small intestine with peristalsis of the organs and sequentially capturing images for a period of time since the capsule endoscope is swallowed from the mouth of a subject for inspection (examination) until it is naturally excreted.
Image data captured in the body by the capsule endoscope as the capsule endoscope travels in the body cavity is sequentially transmitted by radio communication to the outside and stored into a memory provided on the outside. The subject can freely move throughout the period after he/she swallows the capsule endoscope until it is excreted by carrying a receiver having a radio communication function and a storing function. After the capsule endoscope is excreted, a doctor or nurse can display the images of the organs on a display based on the image data stored in the memory and make a check.
A capsule endoscope has been proposed in which the receiver has the function of detecting the position of the capsule endoscope in the subject to capture, for example, an endoscope image of a specific organ in the subject. As an example of a capsule endoscope system having the position detecting function, a capsule endoscope system using the radio communication function provided in the capsule endoscope is known. Specifically, the system has a configuration that a receiver provided on the outside of a subject has a plurality of antenna elements, and has the function of receiving a radio signal transmitted from the capsule endoscope by the plurality of antenna elements and, based on intensities received by the antenna elements, detecting the position of the capsule endoscope in the subject (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-19111, for example).

System for detecting position of capsule endoscope in subject


An antenna assembly includes a base board having upper and lower surfaces, each of which defines a grounding domain and a dielectric domain, a first metal layer disposed on the grounding domain of the lower surface and a second metal layer disposed on the grounding domain of the upper surface, an antenna unit fabricated on the dielectric domain of the upper surface of the base board, and having an antenna body; and a plurality of conductive through holes formed through the base board for connecting electrically the first and second metal layers, thereby permitting coupled current flow generated in the second metal layer to flow into the first metal layer. A slot of predetermined length is formed through the first metal layer for enhancing effective coupled current flowing into the first metal layer.

Due to rapid innovation in the electronic communication technology, the welcome and preference of a cellular-phone handset depend on its outward appearance, size, and computing functions thereof. As for a wireless communication apparatus (such as a mobile phone), high reliability in the transmitting and receiving-signals, the quality and functionality of the antenna assembly play a major role in the mobile phone. The customer generally takes great consideration of the functionality and quality of the antenna assembly, when deciding in purchase of a mobile phone. It is therefore the prime object of the phone manufactures to improve the functionality and quality of the antenna assembly in the mobile phone.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional mobile phone, includes a base board 10 (a top planar view) and an antenna assembly mounted on the base board 10. The base board 10 includes multiple layers. The antenna assembly includes an antenna unit 12 and a plurality of conductive through holes 14. The antenna unit 12 includes an antenna body 120, a connector seat 122, and a feeding line 124. The antenna body 120, for example being helical-shaped, is seated on the connector seat 122. The feeding line 124 is coupled to a signal-processing module (not shown) of the conventional mobile phone. A ground layer (not visible) is disposed on a lower surface of the base board 10 while a radiating layer (not visible) is disposed on the upper surface of the base board 10. The conductive through holes 14 are used for guiding the coupled current generated in the ground layer to flow into the radiating layer so as to permit transmitting and receiving the radio signals.
FIG. 2 illustrates the flow direction of the coupled current in the base board 10, wherein the coupled current flows from the ground layer into the radiating layer via the conductive through holes 14. The ground layer is a full complete sheet (i.e. no opening or slot is formed therethrough), the coupled current flowing thereinto encounters no electrical impedance, thereby distributing the coupled current flow uniformly over the entire area of the ground layer. Under this condition, concentration of the coupled current flow into a specific portion of the ground layer cannot be achieved, which, in turn, shorten the effective current flow thereof, thereby restricting the transmission and receiving frequency bandwidth of the antenna assembly used in the conventional mobile phone.

Antenna assembly and method for fabricating the same


A method of online charging in a communication network. The method includes receiving a service request from a user, determining whether the service request is an access network session, a media network session or a service network session, determining if a type of charging model the user wants to use to provide the service request is an event based model, a volume based model, a time based model, an event based model or a combination of the models, determining which network element corresponding to the access network session, the media network session and the service network session in the communication network is responsible for providing the service request from the user, and provisioning identification rules for providing the service request to the network element that is determined to be responsible for providing the service request from the user. Further, the step of provisioning the identification rules comprises updating the rules when the access network session, the media network session and the service network session interact with each other in a charging transaction requested in the service request from the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and corresponding method for managing online charging in a communications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Online charging methods are used, for example, for charging the non-voice services of prepaid customers, coordinating charging for a multimedia session between a mobile terminal and a remote host on both an application/media level and on an IP/access bearer level, and for minimizing credit losses caused by subscribers, while at the same time maintaining good performance of the system.
The traditional IN-based Prepaid Systems have been designed for charging the voice calls of prepaid customers. Today, prepaid subscribers form the majority of the total worldwide customer base and they want to be able to use the same services as the postpaid users. Until now, the lack of open, real-time charging solution has been slowing down the service deployment in prepaid environment.
Patent publication WO 02/37870 discloses one mechanism for coordinating charging for a multimedia session between a mobile terminal and a remote host on both an application/media level and on an IP/access bearer level. A token associated with the multimedia session is generated and used to correlate session charges for operations performed in the packet-switched access network and for operations performed in the multimedia system. However, the actual charging, and especially controlling the availability of services among the user session, is not described in the publication. Actually, the publication describes how to correlate different kind of events together in multimedia environment. These functions have been done equivalently for many years in conventional networks such as GSM networks.
Patent publication WO 02/67156 describes another method for control of billing in a communications network. The objective is to accomplish a mechanism for minimizing credit losses caused by subscribers, while at the same time maintaining good performance of the system. A gateway receives service requests and filters out the requests for which the analysis performed indicates that a credit loss risk is involved. For these service requests an in-advance credit check is initiated. If the credit check indicates that the delivery is permissible, a reservation is made for the amount of money corresponding to the service price, i.e. the said sum is reserved in the subscriber account so that said sum cannot be used by another service request in the meantime. When the service has been delivered successfully, the reservation is confirmed and the said sum is debited from the balance of the subscriber account. Otherwise, the reservation is cancelled. This publication concentrates to check the credit of subscriber and reserving money from the account of the subscriber when needed.
Drawbacks appear in the state of art when faster end user session management, especially charging, is required or desired. Operations requiring faster end user session charging can not be performed and operations desiring faster end user charging are performed inconveniently. An example of operations that require faster end user session charging is online service offered to an unknown client. An example of operation that is performed inconveniently is practical necessity to give one's credit card number to unreliable host for charging Internet purchases.

Method, means and a computer program product for managing online charging in a communications network


The sling of the instant invention is carried or supported by an abdominal belt, such that the weight of the leg of the user is carried by the hips and/or back of the user. The foot is supported in a portion along the vertical line of the body or forward of the vertical line of the body, relative to the body line when the user is not walking. In use, the person will support the body on the good leg, swing the crutches forward and the move the upper body forward until the body is supported by the crutches. The sling is essentially, a U-shaped member, with the bottom of the U forming a cradle for the foot. The upper ends of the sling, that is, the elongated legs of the U, are attached to the abdominal belt. The attachment mechanism can also consist of looping the free ends of the sling over the abdominal belt and securing the ends of the sling to a midsection or lower section of the sling legs, by fastening means, such as VELCRO brand hook and loop fasteners.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sling for use in support of a leg, and more particularly, to a leg support sling which is suspended from an abdominal support belt. The abdominal support belt can be of the type which includes an elongated flat waist band and one or more supplemental elastic tensioning straps which overlie the waist band, and a pair of braces which extend over the shoulders of the user.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
While arm slings come in a variety of forms, styles, shapes and uses, leg slings are all but unknown. U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,847, disclosing a leg sling acknowledges that for certain types of unilateral leg diseases, for example the disease known as Legg-Perthes disease, it is extremely important that, during the convalescent period, the ambulatory patient's afflicted leg be freed from bearing any weight. According to the patent, if the leg is not so freed from weight bearing, the disease will be prolonged and the bones of the leg, in particular the femur, will not become properly mended. This lack of proper healing frequently results in a considerable shortening of the afflicted leg. The patent further indicates that plaster casts do not effectively relieve the afflicted leg from weight bearing. The use of crutches, with the patient holding the foot of the afflicted leg off the floor can prove helpful, but notwithstanding all care and conscientiousness on the part of the patient and careful observation by others, the patient will inevitably apply some weight to the afflicted leg. The patent goes on to disclose a sling which eliminates all weight bearing by the afflicted leg, by supporting the leg in a rearwardly directed, elevated position. The sling is used in conjunction with crutches, thereby enabling the user to walk on one leg and two crutches. The sling is formed of an elongated flexible strap of webbing or other suitable material, one loop end of which is around the leg of the user, and the other loop end is over the patient's shoulder. The sling of U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,847 has two major shortcomings. A primary shortcoming is that the pressure on the shoulder is so severe that the user is unable to use the sling for more than minutes, let alone during an entire day. The other problem is that the rearward support of the leg causes the sling to interfere with the chair when the user attempts to sit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,703 discloses a device which is a soft tissue correction aide. According to the patent an assembly (2) provides a length adjustable belt (4) and to which is secured a pair of length adjustable suspenders assembly (6) and a plurality of tensioning strap assemblies (8). In normal use, the belt (4) is fit to the waist of the user and the suspenders (6) are secured about the user's shoulders. Appropriate length adjustments are made to properly fit the belt (4) to the waist and the suspenders (6) to the shoulders.
The '703 patent further states that extending from the belt (4) are individual tension control straps (8). The straps (8) can be affixed at a single or multiple locations along the belt (4) and may either be permanently or removably mounted to the belt (4). For the arrangement shown, the straps (8) extend from the belt (4) and behind the waist and hips of the user to wrap over the forward surfaces of the shins and clip to outside fasteners mounted to a pair of shoes (12) (reference FIGS. 3 and 4). A corresponding external, torsional pressure is thus applied about the legs of the user to induce the feet to point inward and correct for an out-toeing condition. Alternatively, the straps (8) can be trained about the front surfaces of the thighs and attach to inside fasteners (10) provided at each shoe. An internal torsional adjustment is thereby provided to correct for an in-toeing condition. Numerous other strap mountings can be effected as necessary to correct for other soft tissue misalignment. Depending upon the condition, the straps (8) may be secured to different locations of the shoe.
The specific torsional tension is determined from the relative length established for each strap (8) and the elasticity of each strap. Provided the user maintains an erect posture, a substantially constant force induces an opposite, sustained corrective force to realign the related body part to which the ends of the straps (8) are secured. The elasticity of the straps (8) not only accommodate the required torsional correction but also normal body movements of the affected limbs, such as during walking. The assembly (2) may also be worn during sleep.
With attention to FIG. 2 of the '703 patent, the belt (4) particularly comprises a length of a durable and/or corded material, such as heavy canvas, having a web width in the range of two to four inches. The cut ends or edges of the material are hemmed to prevent fraying. Provided along inner and outer mating surfaces of the belt (4) are pieces (16) and (17) of mating hook and loop Velcro fastener material and whereby the length of the belt (4) can be adjusted, depending upon the amount of overlap.
Permanently hemmed along the upper periphery of the belt (4) are the suspenders (6). Secured along each suspender (6) are looped adjusters (18), whereby the suspender length may be tailored to the body trunk. Alternatively, the suspenders (8) may either be deleted from the belt (4) or detachably secured thereto in the fashion of the assembly (34) of FIG. 6.
Anchored at common hem points along the sides of the lower edges of the belt (4) are pairs of tension control straps (8). The mounting position of the straps may be varied as desired relative to the condition to be treated. The straps (8) may also all be hemmed to a common location, such as the center of the belt (4). The straps (8) can also include length adjusters (18) (reference FIGS. 5 and 6) or not (reference FIGS. 1 and 2).
The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,703 does not support the injured leg off of the ground through the use of either the belt or shoulder straps. Accordingly, the device of the '703 patent is not applicable for use with medical problems which require removal of weight bearing from the injured leg.