A spacing member for a securing element (fixture) permanently anchored in the jawbone. The spacing member comprises a substantially sleeve-shaped spacing element to be fitted on the securing element and a separate spacing screw. The spacing screw has an elongate, unthreaded middle portion and a threaded portion at its tip for engaging with an internally threaded bore in an upper part of the securing element. The sleeve-shaped spacing element includes a passage extending longitudinally therethrough for receiving the spacing screw. The passage has an internally threaded portion for engaging with the spacing screw, so that the spacing screw, after it has been threaded through the threaded portion, is joined together with the spacing element, and a recess in an upper part of the passage. The recess has a non-circular geometry for facilitating application of a counter-holding instrument in order to prevent the tightening force from being transmitted down into the securing element when the sleeve-shaped spacing element is fitted on the securing element.

it is already known to anchor a tooth prosthesis permanently in the jaw with the aid of securing elements in the form of titanium screws, so-called fixtures, which are implanted in the jawbone. The screws are anchored in holes in the bone so that the upper part of the screw is situated to level with or just below the upper surface of the jawbone. The screw is then covered over with a flap of mucous membrane and is left unloaded for a rest period of 3-6 months in order for the bone to fix firmly to the implanted screw and form a unit therewith. After the rest period, the screw is exposed, and a spacing member, also preferably of titanium, is screwed into place, after which the tooth prosthesis is anchored on the spacing member. The tooth prosthesis must in this case be exactly matched to the appearance of the jaw with the titanium fixtures implanted.
In order to meet the individual requirements of different patients, there are a number of different types of spacing members on the market. The BRANEMARK SYSTEM, which is marketed by Nobelpharma AB, includes a number of standard spacers which consist of spacing cylinders of different lengths, from 3 to 10 mm, and separate spacing screws for securing the spacer on the fixture. The base portion of the spacing cylinders is adapted to the hexagon shape of the fixture, so that positive locking is achieved when this portion is applied to the fixture.
In order to improve the aesthetic result of a tooth reconstruction, other types of spacing members are also already known, see for example EP 0 291 103, EP 0 323 421 and ER 0 419 431. These spacing members also comprise an essentially cylinder-shaped spacer and a separate spacing screw.
In some cases it may be difficult to decide on the final type of spacing member which is to be used, or it may also be difficult to determine exactly the correct length of the spacer. In these cases, so-called healing spacers are used which are connected to the fixture temporarily while the final artificial crown is being made and tried out on the patient, but which are then replaced by the permanent spacer. Using a particular healing spacer improves the conditions for favorable incorporation of the mucous membrane, since the mucous membrane can be given a contour which is adapted to the contour of the permanent spacer. The healing spacers are similar to the standard spacers, but the sleeve and the screw are made in one piece. For thin reason, the healing spacers do not provide for positive locking to the upper part of the fixture.
Spacers which are made in this way, i.e. in which the screw and the actual spacing sleeve are in one piece, suffer from a number of disadvantages:
It is not possible to apply counterholding when the spacer is connected to the fixture, i.e. the entire tightening force is transmitted down to the fixture (the implant) which thereby runs a potential risk of becoming loose when the spacer is being tightened or loosened. PA1 On account of the large diameter of the screw head, a considerable torque is required in order to achieve proper tightening of the screw connection. PA1 Should the spacer become loose, the screw may be subjected to a rocking movement, which can lead to the spacer breaking. PA1 All spacers have had a circular symmetrical-shape. since the spacer cannot be positioned. PA1 It is not possible to use one material for the screw and another material for the actual spacer, although this may be desirable since the spacer must be made of a biocompatible material and the screw should be made of a material with high strength.
All these disadvantages can be overcome by using a spacing member which has a separate spacing screw, but this is at the expense of the components being more difficult to handle. Since the components are small, and since the space for handling them is also small, this represents a serious disadvantage in the case of those spacing members which are not made as one piece only. There is also a potential risk of dropping the small spacing screw and of the latter slipping down the patient's throat.
It is already known to arrange a spacing member with a separate screw in such a way that the screw and the spacer are made integral by means of the screw having been screwed through a threaded passage in the spacing sleeve, see EP 0 456 777. In this way it is possible to facilitate use of the spacing member and to reduce the risk of components being dropped. However, despite the fact that the spacing member has a separate spacing screw, it has the same disadvantages as regarding the risk of the tightening force being transmitted down to the fixture when the spacing member is fitted. The frictional force between the spacing sleeve 2 and the fixture 1 is in fact quite sufficient to be able to transmit the tightening force to the fixture.
Moreover, in the construction which is shown in EP 0 456 777, the spacing sleeve 2 is provided with an internal thread 23 at the far bottom of the continuous passage. This means that the threaded portion 34 of the spacing screw, after it has been screwed via the thread 23, comes to be situated completely outside the spacing sleeve 2. This makes it difficult to fit the spacing member to the fixture 1, since both the spacing sleeve and the screw have to be fitted simultaneously to the fixture. There is admittedly a free area (unthreaded part) 14 in the fixture which accommodates the threaded portion 34 of the spacing screw before the screw is screwed firmly into the threaded bore 13 of the fixture, but the majority of today's existing fixtures have a bore which is threaded right to the top, which makes it problematic to fit a spacing member, of the type which is shown in the European patent, in terms of getting the spacing screw into the correct position for threading-in, and at the same time the spacing sleeve cannot assume its final position in relation to the fixture. This position can be assumed only after the spacing screw has been screwed down a certain distance in the fixture.
A further disadvantage of the known construction is that the spacing screw, after it has been screwed via the thread 23 in the spacing sleeve, has its entire threaded portion 34 exposed, which increases the risk of damage to the thread upon handling, for example during transport.


A network terminal apparatus in a type of directly connecting to a packet communication network, with an interface for connecting to a circuit under an environment of an SIP terminal network, and a capability of carrying out facsimile transmission/reception, carries out a call control method according to SIP, transmits and receives an SDP added to a message body of an SIP, and carries out, in a same session, both a call control session transmitting and receiving an SIP message and an SDP and a T.38 session transmitting and receiving a T.38 signal.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network communication apparatus, a communication system and a communication method, and, in particular, to a network communication apparatus, a communication system and a communication method in which the network communication apparatus is in a packet network direct connectable type, has an interface for connecting to a LAN circuit under network environment for SIP terminals, and has a capability to carry out facsimile transmission/reception.
2. The Description of the Related Art
In general, in a network communication apparatus in a packet network direct connectable type having an interface for connecting to a local area network under environment of a network for SIP terminals and having a capability of carrying out facsimile transmission/reception, it is necessary to establish a data channel for each of both directions for carrying out data transfer for the purpose of mutual communication between network communication apparatuses (see Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2001-292267).

Network communication apparatus, communication system and communication method


A method and system for managing an embedded secure element (50) accessible as a slave of the resident applications (App1-3) of a host device of the eSE. The eSE includes an issuer security domain (51), ISD, with which cryptographic keys are associated. The method includes, in an application agent embedded in an OS of the host device: sending (420) the ISD a random value; receiving (435) a cryptogram corresponding to the random value encrypted using a key associated with the ISD; sending (440, 450) the random value and the cryptogram to a first extern entity entered in the application agent. The method includes: sending (455, 4555) the random value and the cryptogram from the first entity to a second external entity; verifying (4556) that the second entity possesses keys associated with the ISD from the cryptogram and the random value.

Several types of secure elements are known to be used in host devices such as mobile terminals, smartphones, digital tablets, etc.
A first type is known under the name UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card), set out in the standard ETSI SP 102 221 and includes conventional smartcards, SIM cards (or USIM—Universal Subscriber Identity Module), as well as security tokens.
A second type, which is of interest for the present invention, is known under the name "embedded secure element" or eSE and set out in the "GlobalPlatform Card Specification Version 2.2.1" standard relative to the GlobalPlatform technology.
These two types of secure elements have internal safety means or mechanisms to ensure the integrity and security of sensitive data and sensitive services that they host.
One essential difference between these two types of secure elements lies in the autonomy that they have to establish a connection with remote equipment, typically an OTA (Over-The-Air) server outside the host device.
The UICC card has master means in establishing such a connection. In other words, an application of the UICC card may take the initiative to create such an establishment, for example using available capacities in the host device (for example the SIM ToolKits tools). The UICC card is said to be a "connected" secure element.
A UICC card can, at its own initiative, send an SMS message to an OTA server to initiate such a connection. By way of example, publication EP 2,453,377 describes a UICC whereof an administrator can manage an OTA server using an HTTP connection.
The embedded secure element eSE is, meanwhile, a slave element of applications residing on the host device, i.e., a slave in a master-slave relationship in the upper layers of the OSI model, in particular in the application layer (layer 7), or in layers 5 and 6. Thus, establishing a connection with the outside requires an application residing on the host device, which is the only one to take the initiative in the establishment. It is that application that decides to connect the eSE to an external server.
As an example, the eSE can form the secure element necessary for many uses or services based on a NFC (Near Field Communication) implemented by a host mobile terminal. For example, an NFC payment service requires secret banking information from the user that is advantageously stored in the eSE, sheltered from any untimely access.
FIG. 1 illustrates a logic architecture of an eSE 50 and a host device 100 integrating it, according to the GlobalPlatform technology.
The eSE comprises an operating system OSeSE, a main security domain or "issuer" 51, denoted ISD for Issuer Security Domain, and applications App accessible via the ISD 51. Other security domains 52, 53 (supplementary security domains, SSD) with a lower priority than the ISD 51 may also be provided with their applications App.
The ISD 51 is necessary within the eSE to allow administration of the secure element eSE, and in particular management of the other security domains. This for example allows the holder/owner of the ISD 51 to sublet part of the eSE or to share the control thereof with other partners, for example business partners, by installing their own security domains for them.
Since the eSE is a slave device for applications residing on the host device 100 providing an end user with services (App1, App2, App3), the GlobalPlatform technology defines the interface between these resident applications and the eSE. It in particular defines the API (Application Programming Interface) provided in the host device to access the eSE via software controllers (drivers).
Examples of applications App1, App2, App3 include mobile payment applications, transport ticketing applications, access control applications, toll payment applications, etc. It should be noted that mechanisms inside the eSE (in particular the ACF—Access Control Functions) make it possible to associate the resident applications with each security domain of the eSE.
Each security domain holds a set of encryption keys, generally at least three keys, that are used to implement secure communications with the servers of an external infrastructure that also holds those keys or corresponding keys (case of asymmetrical keys), as well as for secure content management in the eSE for those external servers, for example the management of internal keys, encryption/decryption, controlling the ADPU command sequencing, etc. to secure access to data and services internal to the eSE.
Consequently, for each security domain of the eSE, an external infrastructure or entity exists that holds the keys associated with that security domain. These external entities thus provide end users with applications to be installed on the host terminal and that will interact with the eSE to provide services.
The ISD 51 is attached to the sender or holder or owner of the eSE, i.e., generally the manufacturer of the host device 100. The SSDs are attached to the business partners of the manufacturer, i.e., Entity1 and Entity2.
To provide secure management of the eSE, the sender or holder or owner (Issuer) has an application representative within the host device. This representative is implemented by an application agent residing on the host device allowing the establishment between administration servers of the Issuer and the ISD 51 of the eSE. This application agent is referred to as an "administrator agent" or "Admin agent" according to specification "GPD_SPE_008—Secure Element Remote Application Management" and is configured to connect to one or more administration servers managed by the Issuer. It is also commonly referred to as a "Proxy agent", as it connects (proxy function) these administration servers to the issuer security domain ISD 51 of the eSE. Subsequently, reference will essentially be made to an "Admin/Proxy Agent".

Method and system for managing an embedded secure element eSE


Methods, systems, and devices are described for communicating physical layer wireless parameters over an application programming interface. A wireless modem of a wireless device may measure at least one physical layer wireless parameter. The wireless modem may report the at least one physical layer wireless parameter to an application running on the wireless device over an application programming interface between the wireless modem and the application. A behavior of the application may be adapted to control wireless communications between the application and a network based on the at least one physical layer wireless parameter reported by the wireless modem. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple wireless devices. Base stations may communicate with wireless devices on downstream and upstream links. Each base station has a coverage range, which may be referred to as the coverage area of the cell. In cellular networks, both uplink and downlink channel conditions can vary unpredictably over time. These fluctuations may be influenced by channel fades, shadowing changes, sector load changes, interference, transmitter power, scheduler dynamics, and other factors. Such fluctuations may detrimentally affect the rate at which data can be transmitted over the channels.
Wireless device applications often rely on data transmitted to and from cellular networks, and changing channel conditions may affect the operations of the applications. While wireless device applications may implement different techniques to compensate for reduced rates of data transmission, often a wireless device application is unaware of deteriorating channel conditions until after the user experience of the mobile application has suffered. Thus, there is an ongoing need in the art to provide solutions for applications to quickly and efficiently obtain information about wireless channel conditions.

Communicating physical layer wireless parameters over an application programming interface


A rechargeable/portable multi-voltage DC power supply includes an Ni-Cd rechargeable battery set connected to a switching power supply converting circuit, a pulse width modulation circuit, and a filter circuit for providing a regulated output voltage from the filter circuit. A button switch cooperates with a selection circuit and a feedback ratio circuit for selecting a specific output voltage from a plurality of available output voltages. A plurality of light emitting diodes are connected to the selection circuit for indicating the value of the output voltage.

This invention relates to a rechargeable/portable multi-voltage DC power supply, especially to a rechargeable power supply charged by a car.
The rechargeable battery used at the present time is popular because people are traveling over greater distances more often than before. However, if a user brings a plurality of rechargeable batteries to travel, he still has to find at least a legal main source to recharge his batteries. This creates some trouble in finding the electricity main source.
If the user prepares some unchargeable batteries, he will create some garbage from the worn batteries which might even damage the environment. The user might utilize a storage battery to solve the above problems; however, the storage battery as used at the present time merely provides a single output voltage which is not suitable for different utilities, such as television sets, radios, electric pots, and so on.

Rechargeable/portable multi-voltage dc power supply


The present invention provides a method for the purification and characterization of MHC-peptide complexes useful in ameliorating immunological disorders, such as, for example, autoimmune diseases, allergic responses and transplant responses. The method disclosed is a one-step method based on the use of metal chelate affinity chromatography to separate the MHC-peptide complexes of interest from both uncomplexed MHC molecules and other endogenous MHC-peptide bound complexes.

Unwanted T cell activation is known to be associated with a number of pathological, immunological disorders such as, for example, autoimmune diseases, allergic responses and transplant rejections. Autoimmune diseases are a particularly important class of the diseases involving deleterious or unwanted immune responses. In autoimmune diseases, self-tolerance is lost and thus, the immune system attacks "self" tissue as if it were a foreign target. More than 30 autoimmune diseases are presently known to exist; myasthenia gravis (MG) and multiple sclerosis (MS), for example, are two autoimmune diseases which have received wide-spread public attention.
Moreover, a number of allergic diseases have been found to be associated with particular MHC alleles or have been suspected of having an autoimmune component. Additionally, other deleterious T cell-mediated responses include the destruction of foreign cells that are purposely introduced into the body as grafts or transplants from allogeneic hosts. This process, known as "allograft rejection," involves the interaction of host T cells with foreign MHC molecules. Quite frequently, a broad range of MHC alleles are involved in the response of the host T cell to an allograft.
The current model of immunity postulates that antigens mobilize an immune response, at least in part, by being ingested by an antigen-presenting cell (APC) which contains on its surface a MHC Class II glycoprotein encoded by a gene in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The antigen is then presented to a specific T helper cell in the context of the surface bound MHC glycoprotein. By interaction of the antigen specific T cell receptor with the antigen-MHC complex, the T helper cell is stimulated to mediate the antigen-specific immune response, including the induction of cytotoxic T cell function, the induction of B cell function, and the secretion of a number of factors aiding and abetting this response.
The involvement of the MHC Class II proteins in autoimmune diseases has been shown in animal models. Administration of antibodies either to the MHC Class II proteins themselves or to the agents that induce expression of the MHC Class II genes interferes with the development of the autoimmune condition in these model systems. The role of T helper cells has also been demonstrated in these models by counteracting the autoimmune system using anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies; CD4 is the characteristic T helper cell receptor (Shizuru, et al., Science 240:659-662 (1988)).
Recent experiments have shown that, under certain circumstances, anergy or nonresponsiveness can be induced in autoreactive lymphocytes (See, e.g., Schwartz, Cell 1073-1081 (1989), which is incorporated herein by reference). In vitro experiments suggest that antigen presentation by MHC Class II molecules in the absence of a co-stimulatory signal induces a state of proliferative non-responsiveness in syngeneic T cells (Quill, et al., J. Immunol. 138:3704-3712 (1987), which is incorporated herein by reference). These reports, however, provide no clear evidence that induction of anergy in vivo is possible or that autoimmune disease can be effectively treated in this manner.
More recently, complexes and methods have been described that are useful for identifying and inhibiting those aspects of the immune system that are responsible for undesirable immune responses, such as, for example, autoimmunity. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,130,297 and 5,194,425, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. These complexes and methods are designed to target T helper cells which recognize a particular antigen in association with a glycoprotein encoded by the MHC. The complexes effectively bind T cell receptors and cause non-responsiveness in target T-lymphocytes and other cells of the immune system.
These complexes, which are useful for modulating T cell function, consist of (1) an effective portion of the MHC-encoded antigen-presenting glycoprotein; and (2) a peptide representing a fragment of an autoantigen or other antigenic sequence associated with the disease state to be treated (i.e., an antigenic peptide). The association between the antigenic peptide and the MHC glycoprotein can be by covalent or noncovalent bonding. Evidence from both in vitro and in vivo experiments unequivocally establishes that such complexes induce clonal anergy in syngeneic T cells.
The MHC component of these complexes is typically prepared by purification from cell surfaces. However, purified MHC molecules isolated from cell surfaces usually contain prebound endogenous peptides. (See, Chicz, et al., Nature 358:764-768 (1992) which is incorporated herein by reference.) When using MHC-peptide complexes to modulate T-cell function, it is desirable to use a composition of homogeneous complexes of an MHC molecule and a defined antigenic peptide entity. A major limitation in obtaining such a composition lies in the inability of the previously used purification method to successfully separate the MHC-peptide complexes of interest from both uncomplexed MHC molecules and other endogenous MHC-peptide complexes.
To date, the only method used to separate the MHC class II-peptide complexes of interest from free MHC molecules or endogenous peptide bound-MHC complexes involves the use of a biotin-avidin system. (See, Demotz, et al., Proc. Nat'l Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88:8730-8734, which is incorporated herein by reference.) This method has limitations in the sense that it involves modification of the peptide component in order to prevent side reactions during biotinylation. Moreover, using this method, recovery of the purified product can vary significantly, and the purified complexes have been found to have some residual contaminations. To overcome this latter problem, another anti-hapten antibody affinity chromatography was added prior to the avidin column chromatography. This additional step, involving the addition of a DNP ligand to the peptide, reduces the recovery of the purified complexes even further to only about 0.4 to 4 percent of the starting complexes.
Thus, there still remains a need for purification methods that are easy to carry out, readily scalable and wherein the recovery of the purified MHC-peptide complexes is relatively high.

Purification and characterization of MHC-peptide complexes useful in ameliorating autoimmunity


A reinforcing member according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a long member provided between a frame and a frame on the rear side of a solar cell module. The reinforcing member is provided with: a pair of leg parts respectively fixed to inner flanges and of the frames and; a pair of wall parts erected on the respective leg parts and arranged roughly vertical to the rear surface of a solar cell panel; and a top board part that connects upper ends of the wall parts and are arranged along the rear surface in a state of being close to or in contact with the rear surface of the solar cell panel.

A solar cell module generally includes a solar cell panel and a module frame installed along an edge of the panel. The solar cell panel has a structure in which a plurality of solar cells are sandwiched between protective members such as glass plates. When load is applied from a light receiving surface side, warping sometimes occurs in the solar cell panel due to the load. Particularly, in a case where the thicknesses of the protective members are reduced in order to reduce the weight of the module, warping of the solar cell panel is easily generated. In view of such a situation, there is developed a solar cell module in which a reinforcing member is disposed on a rear side of the module to reinforce a solar cell panel (for example, refer to International Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. WO 2011/090160).

Reinforcing member for solar cell modules, and solar cell module

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A semiconductor device includes a plurality of lower electrodes on a substrate, with each of the lower electrodes extending in a height direction from the substrate and including sidewalls, the lower electrodes being spaced apart from each other in a first direction and in a second direction, a plurality of first supporting layer patterns contacting the sidewalls of the lower electrodes, the first supporting layer patterns extending in the first direction between ones of the lower electrodes adjacent in the second direction, a plurality of second supporting layer patterns contacting the sidewalls of the lower electrodes, the second supporting layer pattern extending in the second direction between ones of the lower electrodes adjacent in the first direction, the plurality of second supporting layer patterns being spaced apart from the plurality of first supporting layer patterns in the height direction.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same. More particularly, example embodiments relate to semiconductor devices including capacitors and methods of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the integration degree of semiconductor device increases and the design rule of semiconductor devices decreases, a capacitor in the semiconductor device may have a high aspect ratio. Thus, a lower electrode of the capacitor may lean or collapse.

Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices


A wheel load adjusting apparatus used in a railcar, and the railcar includes: first and second air springs arranged between a carbody and a first bogie so as to be spaced apart from each other in a car width direction; third and fourth air springs arranged between the carbody and a second bogie so as to be spaced apart from each other in the car width direction; and first to fourth automatic level controlling valves provided upstream of the first four air springs and configured to adjust heights of the four air springs to maintain constant height of the air springs, wherein when the railcar passes through a curve, the wheel load adjusting apparatus limits an air supply/air discharge operation of at least one of the four automatic level controlling valves to suppress an increase in a pressure difference between at least two of the four air springs.

A railcar is equipped with an automatic level controlling valve configured to supply and discharge air to and from an air spring interposed between a carbody and a bogie. When the air spring expands in a vertical direction, the automatic level controlling valve discharges air from the air spring. When the air spring contracts in the vertical direction, the automatic level controlling valve supplies compressed air to the air spring.
As shown in FIG. 12, when a railcar passes through a transition curve (i.e., an entrance part) of a track curve having a cant C, the size of the cant C is different between the position of a front bogie T1 and the position of a rear bogie T2. Therefore, when a railcar in which an existing rigid carbody B is supported by the bogies T1 and T2 through typical air springs travels through the transition curve, torsional force acts on the carbody B. With this, load balance among the air springs is lost, and therefore, wheel load variation occurs. Then, the air in the air spring which has been expanded in the vertical direction by the torsion of the carbody is discharged by the automatic level controlling valve, and this further decreases the pressure of the air spring. Thus, a decrease of wheel load is promoted.
According to an apparatus of PTL 1, the torsional force acting on the carbody when the railcar travels through a curve is eased by adjusting the heights of the air springs, located at a rear side in a traveling direction, in accordance with the bogie located at a front side in the traveling direction and a tilt angle of the carbody in a car width direction.

Wheel load adjusting apparatus of railcar


An energy management device is provided in a first energy related system and manages transfer of energy between the first energy related system and a second energy related system remote from the first energy related system, each of the first and second energy related systems including, as an energy related element, at least one of an accumulation unit which accumulates energy, a consumption unit which consumes energy, and a generation unit which generates energy. In the energy management device, a communication unit exchanges information between the first energy related system and the second energy related system, the information related to at least one of the energy consumption, the energy accumulation and the energy generation in each of the first and second energy related systems. A supply control unit controls supplying of energy from one of the first and second energy related systems to the other based on contents of the exchanged information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an energy management technology of managing the transfer of energy between a plurality of energy related systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, the energy management technology of managing the transfer of energy between a plurality of energy related systems is known from Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-008380.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-008380 discloses a conventional system that is capable of transferring power of the electric vehicle to the residence.
Specifically, this conventional system carries out charging of the battery of the electric vehicle by the home power supply in the residence and supplying of power from the battery of the electric vehicle to the home power supply. According to the conventional system, the electric power supply from the electric vehicle to the residence is performed so that the electric energy required for the usual travel of the electric vehicle (i.e., the user's everyday life area) can be secured to the battery of the electric vehicle. Therefore, even if the use of the electric vehicle is needed unexpectedly, it is not necessary to cause the trouble to the use.
However, in the conventional system, the power supply from the electric vehicle to the residence is performed only in one direction, regardless of whether the residence needs the electric power supply from the outside. In other words, even when it is the case where the residence actually does not need the external power supply, it is impossible to avoid the supplying of the electric power of the electric vehicle to the residence.
Therefore, the conventional system has the difficulty in eliminating the possibility that the electric power of the electric vehicle is unnecessarily supplied to the residence.


Embodiments of the disclosure provide a test article for additive manufacture and related methods. A test article formed may include a body having a forward face and a rearward face horizontally opposite the forward face. A first surface extending between the forward face and the rearward face of the body may include a plurality of protrusions for removable coupling of the body to a build plate. A second surface on the body may extend between the forward face and the rearward face of the body, and may include a plurality of angled flat surface portions. Each of the plurality of angled flat surface portions may have a distinct angle with respect to a horizontal plane of the body. An angular difference between each adjacent angled flat surface portion in the plurality of angled flat surface portions is substantially uniform.

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to additive manufacturing techniques. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure provide a test article and related methods.
Conventional manufacture of metal components generally includes milling or cutting away regions from a slab of material before treating and modifying the cut material to yield a part, which may have been simulated using computer models, e.g., in drafting software. Manufactured components which may be formed from metal can include, e.g., airfoil components for installation in a turbomachine such as an aircraft engine or power generation system. Additive manufacturing (AM) includes a wide variety of processes of producing a component through the successive layering of material rather than the removal of material. As such, additive manufacturing can create complex geometries without the use of any sort of tools, molds or fixtures, and with little or no waste material. Instead of machining components from solid billets of material, much of which is cut away and discarded, the only material used in additive manufacturing is what is required to shape the component. Additive manufacturing techniques typically include taking a three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) file of the component to be formed, electronically slicing the component into layers, e.g., 18-102 micrometers thick, and creating a file with a two-dimensional image of each layer, including vectors, images or coordinates. The file may then be loaded into a preparation software system that interprets the file such that the component can be built by different types of additive manufacturing systems. In 3D printing, rapid prototyping (RP), and direct digital manufacturing (DDM) forms of additive manufacturing, material layers are selectively dispensed, sintered, melted, formed, deposited, etc., to create the component.
In metal powder additive manufacturing techniques, such as direct metal laser melting (DMLM) (also referred to as selective laser melting (SLM)), metal powder layers are sequentially melted together to form the component. More specifically, fine metal powder layers are sequentially melted after being uniformly distributed using an applicator on a metal powder bed. Each applicator includes an applicator element in the form of a lip, brush, blade or roller made of metal, plastic, ceramic, carbon fibers or rubber that spreads the metal powder evenly over the build plate. The metal powder bed can be moved in a vertical axis. The process takes place in a processing chamber having a precisely controlled atmosphere. Once each layer is created, each two dimensional slice of the component geometry can be fused by selectively melting the metal powder. The melting may be performed by a high power melting beam, such as a 100 Watt ytterbium laser, to fully weld (melt) the metal powder to form a solid metal. The melting beam is moved or deflected in the X-Y direction, and has an intensity sufficient to fully weld (melt) the metal powder to form a solid metal. The metal powder bed may be lowered for each subsequent two-dimensional layer, and the process repeats until the component is completely formed.
Additive manufacturing has proven to be an efficient and effective mechanism for producing highly variable components. However, flaws may arise from the design of a part itself, and/or underlying problems with the additive manufacturing equipment. In many cases, it can be difficult to discern whether defects on a part are caused by issues not pertaining to the original design of the part to be manufactured.

Test article for additive manufacture and related methods


Methods and compositions are disclosed utilizing optically pure R-(-)-casodex for the treatment of androgen-dependent prostate cancer, while substantially reducing the concomitant liability of adverse effects associated with the racemic mixture of casodex. R-(-)-casodex is an antiandrogen and is therefore useful in the treatment of other conditions supported by androgen or caused by elevated androgen levels. Such conditions include benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia, acne and hirsutism.

This invention relates to novel compositions of matter containing optically pure R-(-)-casodex. These compositions possess potent activity in treating prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia, acne and hirsutism and other diseases including those that would benefit from a selective androgen antagonist. Optically pure R-(-)-casodex provides this treatment while substantially reducing adverse effects including, but not limited to, gynecomastia, breast tenderness, hot flushes, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea and bone pain, which are associated with the administration of the racemic mixture of casodex. Also disclosed are methods for treating the above described conditions in a human while substantially reducing the adverse effects that are associated with the racemic mixture of casodex by administering the R-(-) isomer of casodex to said human.
The active compound of these compositions and methods is an optical isomer of casodex. The preparation of racemic casodex is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,505. Chemically, the active compound is the (-) isomer of N-[4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl]-3-[(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanamide, also known as 4'-cyano-3-[(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3'-(trifluorometh yl)propionanilide, hereinafter referred to as casodex. The absolute stereochemistry of the (-) isomer is believed to be R as shown in formula I: ##STR1##
R-(-)-casodex, which is the subject of the present invention, is not presently commercially available. All of the clinical studies that have been reported have utilized the racemic mixture.
Many organic compounds exist in optically active forms, i.e., they have the ability to rotate the plane of plane-polarized light. In describing an optically active compound, the prefixes D and L or R and S are used to denote the absolute configuration of the molecule about its chiral center(s). The prefixes d and 1 or (+) and (-) are employed to designate the sign of rotation of plane-polarized light by the compound, with (-) or 1 meaning that the compound is levorotatory. A compound prefixed with (+) or d is dextrorotatory. There is no correlation between nomenclature for the absolute stereochemistry and for the rotation of an enantiomer. Thus, D-lactic acid is the same as (-) lactic acid, and L-lactic acid is (+). For a given chemical structure, these chiral compounds exist as a pair of enantiomers which are identical except that they are non-superimposable mirror images of one another. A specific stereoisomer may also be referred to as an enantiomer, and a mixture of such isomers is often called an enantiomeric or racemic mixture.
Stereochemical purity is of importance in the field of pharmaceuticals, where 12 of the 20 most prescribed drugs exhibit chirality. A case in point is provided by the L-form of the beta-adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, which is known to be 100 times more potent than the D-enantiomer.
Furthermore, optical purity is important since certain isomers may actually be deleterious rather than simply inert. For example, it has been suggested that the D-enantiomer of thalidomide was a safe and effective sedative when prescribed for the control of morning sickness during pregnancy, while the corresponding L-enantiomer has been believed to be a potent teratogen.
The chromatographic separation of a diastereomeric pair of R-camphanoyl esters of racemic casodex and their hydrolysis and oxidation to (+)-casodex and (-)-casodex on a milligram scale is described by Tucker and Chesterson, J. Med. Chem. 31, 885-887 (1988). The ED.sub.50 of R-(-)-casodex in inhibiting androgen in rats was reported to be 0.5 mg/kg in vivo.
Racemic casodex is presently in clinical trials for use in prostate cancer. [See Kennealey and Furr, Urol. Clin. North Am. 18, 99-110 (1991), Mahler and Denis, J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol. 37, 921-924 (1990); and Newling, Eur. Urol. 18 (Suppl), 18-21 (1990)]. The results of the preliminary clinical studies indicate that racemic casodex may be clinically useful in treating prostate cancer and other androgen-dependent diseases because of its antagonist activity at peripheral androgen receptors.
Androgens have been implicated in the progression of several diseases, including human prostate cancer, where they appear to provide the major hormonal support for cancer cells. It is generally accepted that antiandrogens can play an important role in the endocrine treatment strategy for patients with prostate cancer. Racemic casodex has been found to be a very selective antagonist at peripheral androgen receptors with little if any agonist component and no progestational or glucocorticoid activity.
In human volunteers doses of 10-50 mg p.o. per day resulted in a 50 to 60% reduction in prostatic acid phosphatase levels. Over half the patients receiving racemic casodex at 30 or 50 mg reported gynecomastia and breast tenderness, about 20% reported hot flushes, and less than 10% reported nausea and vomiting, bone pain, confusion, constipation, headache, diarrhea, dyspepsia, fatigue, dizziness or rash. Significant but mild elevations of serum testosterone, estradiol and LH were observed at all doses.
The average half life for racemic casodex, estimated from oral studies, was about 8 days. While clinical trials have so far been limited to prostate cancer, it is believed that as a result of its antiandrogen activity, racemic casodex may also be useful to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia, acne and hirsutism and other androgen-dependent diseases.
Thus it would be particularly desirable to find a compound with the advantages of the racemic mixture of casodex which would not have the aforementioned disadvantages

Methods and compositions for treating androgen-dependant diseases using optically pure R-(-) casodex


Disclosed is a test cell and a method for detection of a preselected ligand in a liquid sample such as a body fluid. The test cell includes an elongate outer casing which houses an interior permeable material capable of transporting an aqueous solution and defining a sample inlet, a test volume, and a reservoir volume. The reservoir volume is disposed in a section of the test cell spaced apart from the inlet and is filled with sorbent material. The reservoir acts to receive liquid transported along a flow path defined by the permeable material and extending from the inlet and through the test volume. In the test volume is a test site which includes a first protein having a binding site specific to a first epitope of the ligand immobilized in fluid communication with the flow path. The test site can be observed through a window of the casing.

This invention relates to assays for ligands, e.g., antigens, in a liquid sample such as a body fluid. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for the detection of a ligand in a body fluid such as urine using a conjugate comprising colored particles and a novel flow-through test cell.
Many types of ligand-receptor assays have been used to detect the presence of various substances, often generally called ligands, in body fluids such as urine. These assays involve antigen antibody reactions, synthetic conjugates comprising radioactive, enzymatic, fluorescent, or visually observable metal sol tags, and specially designed reactor chambers. In all these assays, there is a receptor, e.g., an antibody, which is specific for the selected ligand or antigen, and a means for detecting the presence, and often the amount, of the ligand-receptor reaction product. Most current tests are designed to make a quantitative determination, but in many circumstances all that is required is a positive/negative indication. Examples of such qualitative assays include blood typing and most types of urinalysis. For these tests, visually observable indicia such as the presence of agglutination or a color change are preferred.
Even the positive/negative assays must be very sensitive because of the often small concentration of the ligand of interest in the test fluid. False positives can also be troublesome, particularly with agglutination and other rapid detection methods such as dipstick and color change tests. Because of these problems, sandwich assays and other sensitive detection methods which use metal sols or other types of colored particles have been developed. These techniques have not solved all of the problems encountered in these rapid detection methods.
It is an object of this invention to provide a rapid, sensitive method for detecting ligands in body fluids. Another object is to provide an assay which has high sensitivity and fewer false positives than conventional assays. A further object is to provide a test cell for detection of low levels of ligands in body fluids. Another object is to provide an assay system which involves a minimal number of procedural steps, and yields reliable results even when used by untrained persons.
These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, drawings, and claims.
The invention features a method and test cell for the detection of a preselected ligand in a liquid sample such as a body fluid.
The test cell useful in the practice of the invention has an elongate outer casing which houses an interior permeable material, e.g., glass fiber, capable of transporting an aqueous solution by capillary action, wicking, or simple wetting. The casing defines a sample inlet, and interior regions which, for ease of description, can be designated as a test volume and a reservoir volume. The reservoir volume is disposed in a section of the test cell spaced apart from the inlet, and preferably is filled with sorbent material. The reservoir acts to receive liquid transported along a flow path defined by the permeable material and extending from the inlet and through the test volume. In the test volume is a test site comprising a first protein having a binding site specific to a first epitope of the ligand immobilized in fluid communication with the flow path, e.g., bound to the permeable material or to latex particles entrapped in or bonded to the permeable material. A window such as a hole or transparent section of the casing permits observations of the test site through the casing wall.
In a preferred embodiment, the flow path is restricted or narrowed in the test area, thereby channeling and concentrating fluid flow into contact with the test site. It is also preferred that the test cell include a solution filtering means disposed in the flow path between the sample inlet and the test site. The filtration means can comprise a separate, conventional filter element disposed within the casing of the test cell in fluid communication with the permeable material defining the flow path, but preferably is defined simply by a portion of the permeable material itself. The provision of such a filtration means in the test cell has the effect of removing by entrapment from impure samples, such as urine samples, a portion of the particulates and nonspecific interfering factors which sometimes cause false positive readings.
The method of the invention requires the use of a conjugate comprising a second protein bound to colored particles such as a metal sol or colloid, preferably gold. The conjugate can take two distinct forms, depending on whether the assay is designed to exploit the xe2x80x9csandwichxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccompetitivexe2x80x9d technique.
In the case of the sandwich technique, the second protein comprises a site which binds to a second epitope on the ligand. This type of conjugate reacts with the ligand to form a complex in the liquid sample. The complex is detected by visual observation of color development at the test site in the test cell. At the test site, the ligand bound with the conjugate reacts with the immobilized first binding protein to form a xe2x80x9csandwichxe2x80x9d of the first protein, ligand, second protein, and colored particles. This sandwich complex is progressively produced at the test site as sample continuously passes by, filling the reservoir. As more and more conjugate is immobilized, the colored particles aggregate at the test site and become visible through the window, indicating the presence of ligand in the liquid sample.
In the case of the competitive technique, the second protein binds with the first protein in competition with the ligand. The second protein comprises, for example, an authentic sample of the ligand or a fraction thereof which has comparable affinity for the first protein. As the liquid sample is transported in contact with the test site, ligand, if any, and the conjugate compete for sites of attachment to the first protein. If no ligand is present, colored particles aggregate at the test site, and the presence of color indicate the absence of detectable levels of ligand in the sample. If ligand is present, the amount of conjugate which binds at the test site is reduced, and no color, or a paler color, develops.
In one embodiment of the invention, the test liquid is mixed with the conjugate outside the test cell. In another embodiment, the conjugate is disposed in freeze-dried or other preserved form on the permeable material between the inlet and the test site, and the sample liquid resolubilizes the conjugate as it passes along the flow path.
Color development at the test site may be compared with the color of one or more standards or internal controls to determine whether the development of color is a true indication of the presence or absence of the ligand, or an artifact caused by nonspecific sorption.
In one embodiment employing the sandwich technique, the standard consists of a negative control site, preferably disposed adjacent the test site, and visible through a second window proximate the first. The negative control site preferably is prepared identically to the test site, except immobilization of the first binding protein is omitted. Therefore, although the conjugate will reach the control site, it aggregates due only to non-specific binding. If the test site is not appreciably more intense in color than the control site, the assay is considered negative.
In another embodiment, the assay and test cell may include a positive control. Thus, when exploiting the sandwich technique, the cell may have an authentic sample of the ligand immobilized at a control site. If no color develops at this control site, the assay is considered inconclusive. When exploiting the competitive technique, the development of color at the positive control site means the assay results are inconclusive.
Broadly, the method of the invention involves the use of a test cell of the type described above to achieve an easily readable, sensitive, reproducible indication of the presence of a ligand, e.g., human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), in a test sample such as a human urine sample. The method involves the step of transporting the sample and a conjugate comprising a protein bound to a metal sol or other colored particle along a flow path and in contact with a test site comprising immobilized binding protein specific to an epitope of the ligand, and preferably also in contact with a control site. Preferably, the colored particle comprises a gold sol; the flow path in the region of the test site is reduced in cross-section relative to other parts of the flow path; the sample is passed through a filtration means after it enters the test cell but before it contacts the test site; and the test site comprises latex particles entrapped or otherwise fixed in the flow path having the immobilized protein on their surface. In the practice of the process, either the conjugate is premixed with the sample, or the conjugate is disposed in preserved form, e.g., lyophilized, in the flow path between the inlet and the test site. In either case, placement of the test cell in the sample, or application of the sample to the inlet, initiates flow, and the result is read by observing color development as the test site, or by comparing the color of the test site and control site.
The use of the colored particle detection system in combination with the filtration means, the concentrating effect of flow of the sample, and the ease of comparison between the colors of the test and control sites, together enable construction of a family of extremely sensitive assay systems which minimize false positives and can be used effectively by untrained persons.

Test device and method for colored particle immunoassay


In an NHRP (NBMA Next Hop Resolution Protocol) address resolution system for transforming a network layer address to a data link layer address in an NBMA (Non-Broadcast, Multi-Access) network not sharing media, an NHRP processing section provides a function of resolving an address while an ATMARP (Asynchronous Transfer Mode Address Resolution Protocol) processing section provides a function of resolving an address on the basis of the ATMARP. A holding section is selectively accessed by the NHRP processing section or ATMARP processing section for holding address information registered by the NHRP or address information registered by the ATMARP. When the NHRP processing section receives an NHRP resolution request packet requesting for a resolution of the address of a given ATMARP terminal's address, the processing section sends, if the ATMARP terminal and a terminal sent the NHRP resolution request packet do not belong to the same subnetwork, a reply representative of the address information of an interface received the request packet.

The present invention relates to an address resolution system for an NBMA (Non-Broadcast, Multi-Access) network and using an NHRP (NBMA Next Hop Resolution Protocol) and, more particularly, to an address resolution system in which the NHRP and a conventional ATMARP (Asynchronous Transfer Mode Address Resolution Protocol) are interoperable.
The NHRP is discussed in IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) as an address resolution protocol for the NBMA network. The specifications of the NHRP are described in, e.g., draft-ietf-rolc-nhrp-08.txt. In the following description, the NBMA network and its upper protocol are respectively assumed to be, but not limited to, an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network and an IP (Internet Protocol).
Generally, to hold IP communication on the ATM network, means for obtaining an ATM address from the IP address of the other terminal is necessary. For this purpose, the NHRP scheme assigns the control of the IP address and ATM Address pairs of ATM terminals connected to the ATM network to distributed NHRP servers (NHSs) each being located at a particular area, e.g., LIS (Logical IP Subnetwork).
Assume that an ATM terminal intends to solve an ATM address for the EP address of another ATM terminal to communicate with, it sends an NHRP resolution request packet to a preselected NHS. If the NHS which received the request packet can resolve the address, it returns an NHRP resolution reply packet to the above ATM terminal. If otherwise, the NHS transfers the request packet to another NHS which seems to be controlling the IP address to be resolved. As a result, the request packet is sequentially transferred between a plurality of NHSs until it reaches an NHS capable of resolving the address.
Therefore, even if the other ATM terminal belongs to an LIS different from the LIS of the ATM terminal intending to solve the ATM address, the ATM address can be solved so long as the other ATM terminal is directly connected to the ATM network. If the other ATM terminal is not directly connected to the ATM network, there can be resolved the ATM address of a router (gateway) located at the outlet of the ATM network.
The ATMARP is another address resolution protocol for the ATM network and already standardized by IETF Requests for Comments (RFC). In the case of the ATMARP, address resolution is limited to the same LIS, and an ATMARP request packet is not transferred between different ATMARP servers.
The NHRP and ATMARP are entirely different protocols and have not heretofore been provided with interoperability.
When an LIS implemented with ATMARP adopts the NHRP as a new address resolution protocol, all the terminals belonging to the LIS must be replaced with terminals adaptive to the NHRP because the conventional NHRP servers cannot deal with the ATMARP. This prevents existing terminals using the ATMARP and terminals newly using the NHRP from existing together in the same LIS.
A simple solution to the above problem may be to have an NHRP server to play the role of an ATMARP server at the same time, i.e., causing an NHRP server and an ATMARP server to share the address information of NHRP terminals and ATMARP terminals. This, however, brings about the following problems. Even when a given NHRP terminal intends to resolve the address of an ATMARP terminal belonging to an LIS different from the LIS of the NHRP terminal, the ATM address of the ATMARP terminal itself can be resolved. Then, the NHRP terminals sets up SVC (Switched Virtual Connection) to the ATMARP terminal and then sends an IP packet via the SVC. At this instant, assume that the ATMARP terminal whose address should be resolved intends to send an IP packet to the NHRP terminal. Then, the ATMARP terminal resolves the ATM address of a router, or IP Next Hop, on the route to the NHRP terminal, sets up SVC to the router, and then sends an IP packet. That is, a different SVC is set up for each of transmission and receipt between the ATMARP terminal and the NHRP terminal, simply wasting the SVC set up by the NHRP terminal.
Moreover, the ATMARP terminal may expect that an IP packet from a different LIS arrives at the ATMARP terminal by way of the packet filtering function of a router belonging to the same LIS. However, because the NHRP terminal directly sets up an SVC to the ATMARP terminal, as stated above, the filtering function at the IP level available with the router cannot be used.


An individual water vehicle is disclosed for propelling an operator through or across the surface of water. The individual water vehicle includes a case having a foot platform upon which an operator may stand. In operation, the operator is suspended in the water in a semi-submerged position. A propeller at the base of the water vehicle creates a thrust toward the center of gravity of the operator. The operator may be propelled through or across the surface of the water in a chosen direction by shifting the operator's center of gravity toward the chosen direction.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the area of water sports and recreation and, more particularly, to a device for supporting an individual near the surface of the water and propelling an individual through the water.
Background Information
Throughout this country and around the world millions of people enjoy playing water related sports and water related recreation. Over the years hundreds of devices have been invented and produced which enhance or promote water sports and recreation. These devices run the gamut from simple air mattresses to water slides. A large number or water sports and recreation devices are directed toward propelling people through or across the water. For example, motor boats which tow water skiers and one or two person jet skis are very popular.
Other devices for propelling individuals through or across the water have been patented. The patent to Lee, (U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,345, Feb. 14, 1989) discloses an example of such a patent. This patent includes a pair of skis which have sufficient buoyancy to support an operator on the surface of the water. The operator stands on the skis and propels himself forward by pushing downward and rearward against the surface of the water with two poles which are provided. The operation of this invention appears somewhat similar to cross country skiing on snow.
The instant invention is an individual water vehicle which is unique, original, and fills the need for a new and improved device for water sports and recreation by providing a vehicle which supports an individual at the surface of the water and propels the individual through the water.
The ideal individual water vehicle should have sufficient thrust to support an operator at the surface of the water. The ideal individual water vehicle should also be able to propel the operator through the water in a controllable manner. The ideal individual water vehicle should be simple to operate. The ideal individual water vehicle should also be fun and safe. The ideal individual water vehicle should also be durable and require little or no maintenance. The ideal individual water vehicle should also be simple to use, uncomplicated, compact, and inexpensive.


Disclosed is detecting screenshot images and protecting against loss of sensitive screenshot image data. The method collects examples of screenshot images and non-screenshot images, creates labelled ground-truth data for the examples, and applies re-rendering of collected images to represent variations that may contain sensitive information. The method includes training a DL stack by forward inference and back propagation using labelled ground truth data for the screenshots, storing parameters of the trained DL stack for inference from production images, and using a production DL stack with the stored parameters to classify at least one production image by inference as containing a screenshot image. Further, DL stack includes a first set of layers closer to an input layer being pre-trained to perform image recognition before exposing a second set of layers further from the input layer of DL stack to the labelled ground truth data for the screenshot images and non-screenshot images.

The subject matter discussed in this section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in this section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in this section or associated with the subject matter provided as background should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in this section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves can also correspond to implementations of the claimed technology.
Data loss prevention (DLP) technologies have been widely used in the security industry to prevent leaking of sensitive information such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), Intellectual Property (IP), etc. Both large enterprises and small-to-medium organizations use DLP products. Such sensitive information exists in different sources, including documents and images. For any DLP products, it is crucial to be able to detect the sensitive information in documents and images with high accuracy and computing efficiency.
For text documents, DLP products use string and regular expression based pattern matching to identify sensitive information. For images, optical character recognition (OCR) technologies have been used to extract text characters first. Then the extracted characters are sent to the same pattern matching process to detect sensitive information. Historically OCR does not perform very well due to its high demand on computation resources and unsatisfactory accuracy, especially when the images are not in the ideal condition, such as when blurred, dirty, rotated or flipped.
While training can be automated, there remains the problem of assembling training data in the right formats and sending data to a central node of computation with sufficient storage and compute power. In many fields, sending personally identifiable, private data to any central authority causes worries about data privacy, including data security, data ownership, privacy protection and proper authorization and use of data.
Deep learning applies multi-layered networks to data. Recently deep learning technologies have been increasingly used in image classification. Deep learning can detect images with sensitive information without going through an expensive OCR process. A significant challenge for the deep learning approach is its need for a large number of high-quality labeled images that represent real-world distribution. In the case of DLP, unfortunately the high-quality labeled images typically utilize real images with sensitive information, such as real passport images and real driver's license images. These data sources by nature are challenging to acquire at scale. This limitation hinders the adoption of deep learning based image classification in DLP products.
An opportunity arises to detect identification documents in images with efficiency and threat detection efficacy improvement of as much as twenty to twenty-five percent, and to protect against loss of sensitive data in the image-borne identification documents Additionally an opportunity is present for detecting screenshot images and protecting against loss of sensitive screenshot-borne data, with a resulting potential consequence of cost and time savings in the security systems utilized by customers who use SaaS.

Detecting screenshot images for protecting against loss of sensitive screenshot-borne data


A crew overboard retrieval system for retrieving an object in the water including a flotation device, a net connected to the flotation device and a line connected to the net. A method of retrieving an object in the water, including the steps of: providing a crew overboard retrieval system including a flotation device, a net connected to the flotation device and a line connected to the net; connecting the line to a marine structure; deploying the crew overboard retrieval system in the water by casting off the flotation device and the net; at least partially encircling the object in the water with the net; capturing the flotation device; and retrieving the object in the water with the net.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to marine safety devices, and, more particularly, to marine crew overboard retrieval systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Marine crew overboard situations are potentially a matter of life or death. Even if the overboard person has on a flotation device, an injury may have occurred before, as, or after the crew goes overboard which renders the overboard crew unconscious and/or unable to assist in their own recovery. When the temperature of the air (in ° F.) and the temperature of the water (in ° F.) add up to less than 100, the risk of hypothermia for an overboard person is likely. The average person in the water in such conditions and without a survival suit may only have about fifteen minutes or less prior to the onset of severe hypothermia progressing quickly to unconsciousness and death. If the overboard crew is injured, the injury itself may pose a severe risk to the overboard person if not treated quickly, thereby further necessitating a quick recovery of the overboard crew.
The phenomena of "dry drowning" is known where cold water inadvertently swallowed by an overboard person can cause their esophagus to spasm making it difficult or impossible for the overboard person to breathe. A person can suffocate and drown under such conditions even though their head is out of the water. Obviously, in wave conditions particularly, the longer a person is in the water the more likely they are to swallow water.
It is quite common for recreational boaters to not have on a flotation device even though the flotation devices are at hand on the boat. Additionally, many such boaters have limited or effectively no swimming skills. If such a person goes overboard, even in the calmest of conditions, the threat of drowning is immediate.
Unlike driving a land vehicle, there are no licensing and/or training required of a recreational boat operator. While excellent training is available for recreational boaters, much of it is in a classroom setting and therefore does not include hands on exercises. The hands on training available to boaters is taken by relatively few recreational boaters. Exacerbating the limited training on the part of the crew and/or skipper is the conditions under which a person is likely to go overboard. High winds and waves can challenge any movement or action on a boat and make the boat difficult to handle even for a captain and crew well seasoned. For example, typical hands on sailing classes, and standard sailing texts, teach a overboard crew drill where, a crew yells "man overboard" at the onset of a crew overboard, spots and points to the overboard crew; the spotter or another person throws the overboard crew additional flotation; the helmsman maneuvers the boat through a FIG. 8 to a downwind location near the overboard crew, being careful not to run over the overboard crew, and stops the boat; a line is thrown to the overboard crew; hopefully the overboard crew can get to the line and somehow stay connected therewith; the crew is hauled close to the boat; and finally, the overboard crew is hauled into the boat.
However, in the Great Lakes for example, expediently executing a typical man overboard drill in 3–5 foot waves and 20 knots of wind is close to impossible without risking further injury to the overboard crew by contact with the boat. Any boat has effectively no steerage if not underway. The combination of wind and waves, and the windage of the boat and rigging, make a boat difficult to stop at a precise location relative to the overboard crew. The difference in drift between the boat and overboard crew can be substantial, given the fact that even a relatively small boat may have hundreds of square feet of surface area impacted by the wind, even with no sail up, whereas an overboard crew will typically have less than one square foot impacted by the wind, given the fact that only their head will be above water. Additionally, the wind velocity increases as a function of distance above the water, so that the taller structure of the boat will have a greater wind impacting it compared to the close-to-the-water head of the overboard crew, thereby further increasing the difference in drift between the overboard crew and the boat. It is surprising how quickly the distance between a boat and an overboard crew can increase even with a 1–2 knot differential in drift between the boat and overboard crew. For example, for a 1 knot differential in drift between the boat and overboard crew, the distance between the boat and overboard crew will be increasing at about 100 feet per minute. Therefore, in a minute or less the overboard crew can quickly be out of reach of a throwing line, or if connected to the line, can be towed at 1–2 knots thereby making if difficult to breathe and stay connected to the throwing line.
The head of an overboard crew is a relatively small target to track in calm water, and in even small waves, can quickly disappear from sight behind a wave. If the waves start to cap, the overboard crew becomes even more difficult to see and can be continuously dunked by the capping waves. Capping waves with spray can obliterate the surface of the water thereby rendering visual contact with the head of the overboard crew very difficult.
Skipper and crew experience and training vary widely, but the skipper of a boat will typically have the most experience and training. Even so, the skipper may have not prepared the crew adequately for a crew overboard emergency. A typical scenario is that a boat is taken out for a leisurely cruise on an idyllic midsummer day, the cruisers are not paying close attention to the weather conditions, and a summer storm picks up quickly and overtakes the boat. Storm fronts can move as rapidly as 30–40 knots and can have winds in excess of 60 knots, which winds can quickly change the sea state, and the leisurely cruise is now a potential emergency situation. Conditions are rapidly changing, and in a worse case scenario, the skipper goes on deck without proper safety gear, such as personal flotation and a harness connected to a jackline, to adjust some rigging and a strong gust heals the boat sharply, and the combination of the force of the wind, the healing boat, and possibly a wave simultaneously hitting the boat, causes the skipper to lose balance and be knocked overboard. Now a crew which is not prepared for gale conditions finds itself in an emergency crew overboard rescue under storm conditions. It is easy to imagine how this crew would find it difficult to execute the multi-step crew overboard process described above, even if they knew what to do.
Another complicating factor can be a shorthanded crew. A skipper and single crew well trained in crew overboard drill can execute a single handed crew overboard in the event that the other person has gone overboard, however with increasing difficulty as conditions worsen. In difficult conditions the skipper, being the most experienced, may elect to leave the cockpit and go on the cabin top, for example, to adjust or secure rigging. The skipper is then more likely to be thrown overboard leaving the single handed crew to not only handle the boat in potentially difficult conditions, but also conduct an emergency rescue. If a crew finds themselves in such a scenario the single handed crew may develop a feeling of panic thereby adding difficulty to any rescue.
Slings are known for crew overboard rescue. The sling may be a flotation device in the shape of a closed horseshoe, for example, and attached to a line which is attached to the boat. The sling is thrown in the vicinity of the overboard crew, or thrown in the water and then maneuvered toward the overboard crew. Given that the sling has a lower profile than the head of the crew, it is easy to loose track of the sling and/or overboard crew while maneuvering the boat and attached sling toward the overboard crew while also maintaining a safe distance between the boat and overboard crew. In addition to the difficulty of maneuvering the sling to the reachable vicinity of the overboard crew, the overboard crew must be able to position the sling under their arms, which can be difficult for a fully conscious and uninjured overboard crew in high winds and/or a difficult sea state, and even more so difficult or impossible for an unconscious or injured overboard crew. For example, if an overboard crew is able to get hold of the sling, and then lifts the sling out of the water and over their head in order to place the sling around their upper body, a strong wind can tear the sling from their grip and push the sling substantially away from the overboard crew thereby necessitating further maneuvering of the boat and sling to reposition the sling near the overboard crew. Obviously, for an unconscious or injured overboard crew, the sling system holds little or no advantage in the retrieval of the crew. Such a scenario may require putting a rescue swimmer in the water to assist the unconscious or injured overboard crew with the sling. Even a strong swimmer with rescue training will find such a task difficult, particularly in difficult seas. Further, placing a rescue swimmer in the water may be the most dangerous option for typical recreational boating amateurs, relative to the safety of the crew and boat, particularly when there is only one crew onboard to begin with.
Another option is to radio in a mayday for a rescue operation executed by the Coast Guard, for example, but this option can be very costly. Calling in rescue professionals can also take some time to implement, depending on how far the nearest Coast Guard facility is from the rescue site, and what mode of transportation (sea and/or air) that the Coast Guard uses to convey itself to the rescue site. A person in the water may not be able to survive even a very prompt Coast Guard response, depending on how far away the rescue location is from the Coast Guard station.
What is needed in the art is a crew overboard retrieval system which can be used to safely and quickly retrieve an overboard crew in difficult conditions, even when shorthanded, and with a minimum of retrieving crew training and expertise, and which is affordable.


A complex objective lens composed of a hologram and an objective lens, capable of realizing stable and high-precision compatible reproducing/recording of a BD with a base thickness of about 0.1 mm for a blue light beam (wavelength λ1) and a DVD with a base thickness of about 0.6 mm for a red light beam (wavelength λ2). In an inner circumferential portion of the hologram, a grating is formed. The hologram transmits a blue light beam as 0th-order diffracted light without diffracting it, and disperses a red light beam passing through an inner circumferential portion as +1st-order diffracted light and allows it to be condensed by an objective lens. Because of this, the focal length of the red light beam becomes longer than that of the blue light beam, whereby a working distance is enlarged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a complex objective lens in which an objective lens is combined with a hologram that is a diffraction element; an optical head for condensing light beams having a plurality of wavelengths onto an optical disk via the complex objective lens to record, reproduce, or delete information; an optical information apparatus in which the optical head is mounted; and a computer, an optical disk player, a car navigation system, an optical disk recorder and an optical disk server to which the optical information apparatus is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical memory technique using an optical disk having a pit-shaped pattern as a storage medium with a high density and a large capacity is being put to practical use while extending the range of uses to a digital audio disk, a video disk, a document file disk, and a data file. A function of recording/reproducing information with respect to an optical disk satisfactorily with high reliability, using a minutely condensed light beam, is roughly classified into a condensing function of forming a minute spot of a diffraction limit, focal point control (focus servo) and tracking control of an optical system, and detection of a pit signal (information signal).
Recently, because of the advancement of an optical system design technique and a decrease in wavelength of a semiconductor laser that is a light source, a high-density optical disk having a storage capacity larger than that of the prior art is being developed. As an approach to larger densities, an increase in a numerical aperture (NA) on an optical disk side of a condensing optical system that condenses a light beam minutely onto an optical disk is being studied. In this case, there is a problem that the amount of aberration caused by the inclination (i.e., tilt) of an optical axis is increased. When a NA is increased, the amount of aberration occurring with respect to a tilt also is increased. In order to prevent this, the thickness (base thickness) of a substrate of an optical disk should be made thinner.
A compact disk (CD) that may be a first generation optical disk uses infrared light (wavelength λ3: 780 nm to 820 nm) and an objective lens with a NA of 0.45, and has a base thickness of 1.2 mm. A DVD that is a second generation optical disk uses red light (wavelength λ2: 630 nm to 680 nm; standard wavelength: 660 nm) and an objective lens with a NA of 0.6, and has a base thickness of 0.6 mm. Furthermore, a third generation optical disk (hereinafter, referred to as a BD (Blue-ray Disk) uses blue light (wavelength λ1: 390 nm to 415 nm; standard wavelength: 405 nm) and an objective lens with a NA of 0.85, and has a base thickness of 0.1 mm. In the present specification, the base thickness refers to a thickness from a surface of an optical disk (or an information medium) upon which a light beam is incident to an information recording surface.
Thus, the base thickness of an optical disk is decreased with an increase in density. In terms of economical points and a space occupied by an apparatus, there is a demand for an optical information apparatus capable of recording/reproducing information with respect to optical disks having different base thicknesses and recording densities. In order to achieve this, an optical head is required that is provided with a condensing optical system capable of condensing a light beam to a diffraction limit onto optical disks having different base thicknesses.
Furthermore, in the case where information is recorded/reproduced with respect to an optical disk having a thick base material, it is necessary to condense a light beam onto a recording surface that is positioned on a deeper side of the disk surface. Therefore, a focal length needs to be made larger.
JP 7(1995)-98431 A discloses a configuration intended to realize an optical head that records/reproduces information with respect to optical disks having different base thicknesses. This configuration will be described as a first conventional example with reference to FIGS. 25A and 25B.
In FIGS. 25A and 25B, reference numerals 40 and 41 denote an objective lens and a hologram, respectively. The hologram 41 is provided with a concentric grating pattern on a substrate transparent to an incident light beam 44.
The objective lens 40 has an numerical aperture NA of 0.6 or more, and as shown in FIG. 25A, is designed so as to allow 0th-order diffracted light 42 that passes through the hologram 41 without being diffracted to form a condensed spot of a diffraction limit on an optical disk 10, for example, having a base thickness (t2) of 0.6 mm. Furthermore, FIG. 25B shows that a condensed light spot of a diffraction limit can be formed on an optical disk 11 having a larger base thickness (t1) (i.e., 1.2 mm). In FIG. 25B, +1st-order diffracted light 43 diffracted by the hologram 41 is condensed onto the optical disk 11 by the objective lens 40. Herein, the +1st-order diffracted light 43 is subjected to aberration correction so as to be condensed to a diffraction limit through a substrate with a thickness t1.
Thus, by combining the hologram 41 that diffracts incident light with the objective lens 40, a 2-focal point lens is realized, which is capable of forming a condensed light spot that is condensed to a diffraction limit on the optical disks 10, 11 having different base thicknesses (t1 and t2), using diffracted light of different orders. Furthermore, it also is disclosed that, conversely to the above, the hologram 41 is designed so as to have a convex lens action, and 0th-order diffracted light is used for the optical disk 11 with the base thickness t1, and +1st-order diffracted light is used with respect to the optical disk 10 with the base thickness t2, whereby a fluctuation in a focal point position can be reduced with respect to a wavelength fluctuation during recording/reproducing of information with respect to the optical disk having the base thickness t2.
There also is a disclosure of a configuration intended for compatible reproducing of information with respect to optical disks having different kinds, using light beams having a plurality of wavelengths. As a second conventional example, a configuration in which a wavelength selection phase plate is combined with an objective lens is disclosed by JP 10(1998)-334504 A and Session We-C-05 of ISOM2001 (page 30 of the preprints). The configuration disclosed by Session We-C-05 of ISOM2001 (Page 30 of the preprints) will be described with reference to FIGS. 26, 27A and 27B.
FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an optical head as the second conventional example. In FIG. 26, parallel light output from a blue light optical system 51 having a blue light source (not shown) with a wavelength λ1 of 405 nm passes through a beam splitter 161 and a wavelength selection phase plate 205 and is condensed onto an information recording surface of an optical disk 9 (third generation optical disk: BD) with a base thickness of 0.1 mm by an objective lens 50. The light reflected from the optical disk 9 follows a reverse path and is detected by a detector (not shown) of the blue light optical system 51. On the other hand, divergent light output from a red light optical system 52 having a red light source (not shown) with a wavelength λ2 of 660 nm is reflected by the beam splitter 161, passes through the wavelength selection phase plate 205, and is condensed onto the information recording surface of an optical disk 10 (second generation optical disk: DVD) with a base thickness of 0.6 mm by the objective lens 50. Light reflected from the optical disk 10 follows a reverse path and is detected by a detector (not shown) of the red light optical system 52.
The objective lens 50 is designed so as to allow parallel light to pass through the optical disk 9 with the base thickness of 0.1 mm to be condensed. Therefore, for recording/reproducing of information with respect to the DVD with the base thickness of 0.6 mm, spherical aberration is caused by the difference in base thickness. In order to correct the spherical aberration, a light beam output from the red light optical system 52 is formed into dispersed light, and the wavelength selection phase plate 205 is used. When dispersed light is incident upon the objective lens 50, new spherical aberration occurs. Therefore, the spherical aberration caused by the difference in base thickness is cancelled by the new spherical aberration, and a wavefront is corrected by the wavelength selection phase plate 205.
FIGS. 27A and 27B respectively are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the wavelength selection phase plate 205 in FIG. 26. The wavelength selection phase plate 205 is configured with a level difference 205a between heights h and 3h, assuming that the refractive index at a wavelength λ1 is n1, and h=λ1/(n1−1). The optical path difference caused by the level difference of the height h is a use wavelength λ1, which corresponds to a phase difference 2π. This case is the same as the phase difference of 0. Therefore, the level difference of the height h does not influence the phase distribution of a light beam with a wavelength λ1, and does not influence recording and reproducing of information with respect to the optical disk 9 (FIG. 26). On the other hand, assuming that the refractive index of the wavelength selection phase plate 205 at a wavelength λ2 is n2, h×(n2−1)/λ2≈0.6, i.e., an optical path difference that is not an integral multiple of a wavelength occurs. The above-mentioned aberration correction is performed by using a phase difference caused by the optical path difference.
Furthermore, as a third conventional example, JP 11(1999)-296890 A and the like disclose a configuration in which a plurality of objective lenses are switched mechanically.
Furthermore, as a fourth conventional example, JP 11(1999)-339307 A discloses a configuration in which a mirror having a reflective surface with different radii of curvature also functions as a rising mirror (changing the direction of light from a horizontal direction to a vertical direction so that the light is incident upon an optical disk) that bends an optical axis.
As a fifth conventional example, JP 2000-81566 A discloses a configuration in which a refraction type objective lens is combined with a hologram in the same way as in the first conventional example, and the difference in base thickness is corrected by using chromatic aberration caused by diffracted light of the same order as that of light having a different wavelength
As a sixth conventional example, as shown in FIG. 28, a configuration in which a refraction type objective lens 281 is combined with a hologram 282 having a diffraction surface and a refraction surface is described in "BD/DVD/CD Compatible Optical Pickup Technique" by Sumito Nishioka (Extended Abstracts (50th Spring Meeting); The Japan Society of Applied Physics, 27p-ZW-10 (Kanagawa University, March 2003)) (published after filing of the priority application of the present application). In the sixth conventional example, the hologram 282 is allowed to generate +2nd-order diffracted light with respect to a blue light beam and +1st-order diffracted light with respect to a red light beam, whereby chromatic aberration correction is performed. Furthermore, dispersed light is allowed to be incident upon the hologram 282 and the objective lens 281 with respect to a blue light beam, and converged light is allowed to be incident upon them with respect to a red light beam, whereby spherical aberration caused by a difference in base thickness is corrected.
The above-mentioned first conventional example proposes at least the following three technical ideas. First, the compatibility of optical disks having different base thicknesses is realized by using the diffraction of a hologram. Second, the design of an inner/outer periphery is changed to form condensed light spots having different NAs. Third, a focal point position of a condensed light spot is changed with respect to optical disks having different base thicknesses by using the diffraction of a hologram. These technical ideas do not limit the wavelength of light to be emitted by a light source.
Herein, a DVD that is the second generation optical disk includes a two-layer disk having two recording surfaces. The recording surface (first recording surface) on a side closer to an objective lens needs to allow light to pass through to a surface away from the objective lens, so that its reflectivity is set at about 30%. However, this reflectivity is guaranteed only with respect to red light, and is not guaranteed at the other wavelengths. Therefore, in order to exactly reproduce information from a DVD, it is required to use red (wavelength λ2=630 nm to 680 nm) light. Furthermore, in recording/reproducing of information with respect to a BD that is the third-generation optical disk, it is required to use blue (wavelength λ1=390 nm to 415 nm) light so as to decrease the diameter of a condensed light spot sufficiently. Thus, the first conventional example does not disclose the configuration in which a light use efficiency is enhanced further when different kinds of optical disks are made compatible using, in particular, red light and blue light.
Furthermore, the first conventional example discloses an example in which a hologram is formed in a convex lens type, and +1st-order diffracted light is used, whereby the movement of a focal point position due to a change in wavelength is reduced with respect to one kind of optical disk. However, the first conventional example does not disclose a scheme of reducing simultaneously the movement of a focal point position caused by a change in wavelength with respect to each of at least two kinds of optical disks.
The second conventional example uses a wavelength selection phase plate as a compatible element. When information is recorded/reproduced with respect to a disk having a large base thickness, a recording surface is positioned away from an objective lens by the base thickness. Therefore, it is required to increase a focal length. The focal length can be increased by providing the compatible element with a lens power. However, the wavelength selection phase plate does not have a lens power. Furthermore, as in the second conventional example, when it is attempted to realize all the lens powers with respect to dispersed red light, a large aberration occurs while an objective lens is moved (e.g., follows a track), resulting in degradation of recording/reproducing characteristics.
In the third conventional example, since objective lenses are switched, it is required to use a plurality of objective lenses, which increases the number of parts, and makes it difficult to miniaturize an optical head. Furthermore, the requirement of a switching mechanism also makes it difficult to miniaturize an apparatus.
In the fourth conventional example, an objective lens is driven independently of a mirror (see FIGS. 4 to 6 in JP 11(1999)-339307 A). However, a light beam is converted from parallel light by a mirror having the above-mentioned radius of curvature. Therefore, when the objective lens is moved by track control or the like, the relative position of the objective lens with respect to an incident light wavefront is changed, aberration occurs, and condensing characteristics are degraded. Furthermore, the reflective surface of a mirror is composed of a surface having a radius of curvature (i.e., a spherical surface); however, the spherical surface is not sufficient for correcting the difference in base thickness and the difference in wavelength, and high-order aberration (5th-order or higher) cannot be reduced sufficiently.
When the fifth conventional example is applied directly to a red light beam and a blue light beam, diffraction efficiencies of the same order cannot be enhanced simultaneously because of a large difference in wavelength, and consequently, the use efficiency of light is decreased.
In the sixth conventional example, dispersed light is allowed to be incident upon a hologram and an objective lens with respect to a blue light beam and converged light to be incident upon them with respect to a red light beam. Therefore, under the condition of focusing i.e., under the condition that a condensed light spot of a diffraction limit is formed on an information recording surface of an optical disk), a light beam reflected to be returned from an optical disk also becomes different in a parallel degree between a blue light beam and a red light beam, and a photodetector for detecting a servo signal cannot be shared between a blue light beam and a red light beam. More specifically, at least two photodetectors are required, which increase the number of parts, leading to an increase in cost.

Complex objective lens compatible with information media of different thicknesses

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


This disclosure is directed to vehicle fuel systems capable of isolating the energy within a fuel tank from the vehicle user. An exemplary fuel system may include a first valve located within a fuel inlet conduit and a second valve located within a vapor recovery recirculation line of the fuel system. The first and second valves may be controlled based on the pressure inside a fuel tank of the fuel system. Fuel may only be transferred into the fuel tank when the fuel tank is within a predefined threshold pressure range. A depressurization sequence of the fuel tank may be automatically initiated when a fuel door of the fuel system is moved to an open position. The positioning of the fuel door may be monitored by a fuel door position monitoring device.

Many automotive vehicles include pressurized fuel systems. The pressurized fuel systems of some vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), typically must be depressurized before beginning a refueling event to prevent fuel from being expelled from the system through an inlet of a fuel fill conduit.

Refueling control systems and methods for pressurized vehicle fuel systems