A hair styling device for twirling locks of hair together including a main body, and at least two hair grabbers for respectively grabbing separate locks of hair. Each of the hair grabbers is connected to respective hair twisters, and each of the hair twisters rotates respective locks of hair to form twists of hair. The device further comprises a hair twist rotator body connected to each of the hair grabbers. The hair twist rotator body is connected to and rotatable relative to the main body. Rotation of the hair twist rotator body cables the twists of hair to form a cord of hair. The hair grabbers are substantially stationary relative to the hair twist rotator when the hair twist rotator rotates relative to the main body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for styling hair, and more particularly to an apparatus for twirling locks of hair together.
2. Description of Related Art
There are numerous methods of styling hair. One such method includes curling locks of hair. Devices for curling locks of hair are known in the art, including hand operated hair curlers, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,689 to Trabish and U.S. Pat. No. 2,118,920 to Gentile.
Another hair styling technique is braiding, which has traditionally been the process of interweaving three or more strands of hair in a diagonal overlapping pattern. The completed braid extends from a starting position near the scalp to the end of the hair, where it may be prevented from unraveling with a device such as a clip or a rubberband. Many attempts have been made to assist individuals in the braiding of hair. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,996 to Eronini, et al. discloses a portable hair braider which is motor operated and uses a plurality of foot members as hair parters for dividing hair over a predetermined width of the scalp. Hair grippers clamp the parted hair and rotate the strands, forming a braid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,795 to Hibbard discloses another hair braiding apparatus, in which a plurality of rings are utilized to interweave two strands of hair in between and through the plurality of rings to accomplish a braid.
While many devices are known in the prior art for styling hair, there is a need for an improved device for twisting locks of hair together without forming a braid. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention is to provide a hair styling device that assists with the twirling together of two or more locks of hair.
It is another object of the invention is to provide a hair styling device which will be suitable for use by hair stylists.
It is still a further object of the invention is to provide a hair styling device which will be suitable for use as a child""s toy.
A hair styling device for twirling locks of hair together, according to an embodiment of the invention, includes a main body and at least two hair grabbers for respectively grabbing separate locks of hair. Each of the hair grabbers can be connected to respective hair twisters, and each of the hair twisters rotates respective locks of hair to form twists of hair. The device further comprises a hair twist rotator body connected to each of the hair grabbers the hair twist rotator body can be connected to and rotatable relative to the main body. Rotation of the hair twist rotator body cables the twists of hair to form a cord of hair. The hair grabbers are substantially stationary relative to the hair twist rotator when the hair twist rotator rotates relative to the main body.
Each hair grabber can include a hook which is positionable between a release position and a grabbing position, and a retractor for moving the hook between the release position and the grabbing position. The retractor can be a spring. The device can also include a hair grabber body, and the hook can be recessed within a slot in the hair grabber body.
The hair twisters can synchronously rotate. The device can further include a shaft which is connected to each hair twister. Rotation of the shaft can impart motion to the hair twisters which, in turn, can cause the hair twisters to rotate the hair grabbers.
The device according to the invention can also include a main gear connected to the shaft and a grabber gear connected to each of the hair twisters. Rotation of the shaft can impart motion to the main gear, rotation of the main gear can impart motion to each grabber gear, and motion of each grabber gear can cause the hair twisters to rotate the hair grabbers. The device can also have a first clutch which prevents rotation of the main gear and the grabber gears while the hair twist rotator body rotates relative to the main body. Idler gears may be positioned between the main gear and the grabber gear.
The hair twist rotator body can hold the hair twisters. The device can also have an energy storage structure. Release of energy from the energy storage structure can rotate the hair twist rotator body relative to the main body. The energy storage structure can include an elastic loop having a first position coupled to the shaft. Additionally, the energy storage structure can have a reel mounted on the shaft, and a length of cord wound at least partially around the reel. In this arrangement, pulling the cord rotates the shaft, causing energy to be stored in the energy storage structure. Alternatively, the energy storage structure can be a motor. In either arrangement, the device can have a second clutch which prevents rotation of the hair twist rotator body while energy is being stored in the energy storage structure.
In another embodiment of the invention, a hair styling device for twirling locks of hair together includes a main body and hair grabbers for respectively grabbing separate locks of hair. Each of the hair grabbers can have a hair grabber body, a hook positionable between a release position and a grabbing position, and a retractor for moving the hook between the release position land the grabbing position. Each of the hair grabbers can be connected to respective hair twisters, and each hair twister can rotate the respective locks of hair to form twists of hair. The device further includes a shaft connected to each of the hair twisters. Rotation of the shaft imparts motion to the hair twisters, and this motion causes the hair twisters to rotate the hair grabbers. A hair twist rotator body is connected to each of the hair grabbers, and is connected to and rotatable relative to the main body. Rotation of the hair twist rotator body cables the twists of hair to form a cord of hair. The hair grabbers are substantially stationary relative to the hair twist rotator body when the hair twist rotator body rotates relative to the main body.
In this embodiment, the device can further include a main gear connected to the shaft and a grabber gear connected to each of the hair twisters, so that rotation of the shaft imparts motion to the main gear, rotation of the main gear imparts motion to each grabber gear, and motion of each grabber gear causes the hair twisters to rotate the grabbers. The device can also have a first clutch which prevents rotation of the main gear and the grabber gears while the hair twist rotator body rotates relative to the main body. The device can also include idler gears positioned between the main gear and each grabber gear.
A hair styling device for twirling locks of hair together, according to another embodiment of the invention, includes a main body and at least two hair grabbers for respectively grabbing separate locks of hair. Each of the hair grabbers has a hair grabber body, a hook positionable between a release position and a grabbing position, and a retractor for moving the hook between the release position and the grabbing position. In addition, each of the hair grabbers can be connected to respective hair twisters, and each hair twister rotates the respective locks of hair to form twists of hair. The device also has a shaft connected to each of the hair twisters. Rotation of the shaft imparts motion to the hair twisters, and this motion causes the hair twisters to rotate the hair grabbers. A hair twist rotator body holds the hair twisters, and is connected to and rotatable relative to the main body. Rotation of the hair twist rotator body cables the twists of hair to form a cord of hair. The device also has an energy storage structure. Release of energy from the energy storage structure rotates the hair twist rotator body relative to the main body. The hair grabbers are substantially stationary relative to the hair twist rotator body when the hair twist rotator body rotates relative to the main body.
According to another aspect of the invention, a hair styling device for twirling locks of hair together includes a main body, and at least two hair grabbers for respectively grabbing separate locks of hair. The hair grabbers are connected to respective hair twisters, and the hair twisters rotate respective locks of hair to form twists of hair. A shaft is connected to each of the hair twisters. Rotation of the shaft imparts motion to the hair twisters, and this motion causes the hair twisters to rotate the hair grabbers. A hair twist rotator body holds the hair twisters, and is connected to and rotatable relative to the main body. Rotation 6of the hair twist rotator body cables the twists of hair to form a cord of hair. The device can also include an energy storage structure. Release of energy from the energy storage structure rotates the hair twist rotator body relative to the main body. The hair grabbers are substantially stationary relative to the hair twist rotator body when the hair twist rotator body rotates relative to the main body.
According to this embodiment of the invention, the device can also include a main gear connected to the shaft and a grabber gear connected to each of the hair twisters. Rotation of the shaft imparts motion to the main gear, rotation of the main gear imparts motion to each grabber gear, and motion of each grabber gear causes the hair twisters to rotate the hair grabbers. The device can have a first clutch which prevents rotation of the main gear and the grabber gears while the hair twist rotator body rotates relative to the main body. Idler gears can be positioned between the main gear and each grabber gear.
The energy storage structure can be a reversible motor. Alternatively, the energy storage structure can include an elastic loop having a first portion coupled to the shaft, a reel mounted on the shaft, and a length of cord wound at least partially around the reel. Pulling the length of cord rotates the shaft, causing energy to be stored in the energy storage structure. In either arrangement, the device can also have a second clutch which prevents rotation of the hair twist rotator body while energy is being stored in the energy storage structure.


Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for performing tasks based on receiving content. When the content is received, it is determined whether the content meets one or more criteria. A determination is made that the content has been opened. If the content meets a criteria and has been opened, the content is analyzed to determine if the content matches information included in at least one of a plurality of data entries stored in a database, wherein each data entry includes an application type and data associated with the application type. In response to determining that the content contains information associated with the application type, a user interface element is provided on a display, whereby the user interface element enables the user to open, via a user operation on the display, the application type associated with the one of the plurality of data entries.

Studies show that a greater percentage of persons are working from their homes at least one day a week, as opposed to working only at their company's facilities. This is due to many reasons, including longer commute times, limited office space at company facilities, and improved technology capabilities (e.g., improved virtualization systems, faster Internet speeds), for example.
One way to make a person's work experience at their home as close as possible to a work experience at that person's company facility workspace is the use of "virtualization". Virtualization is a way in which a user's home computer has access to the same files and applications that the user has access to when operating his/her work computer at the company facility where the user normally does his/her work.
Citrix Systems, Inc. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (hereinafter referred to as "Citrix" or "Citrix Systems, Inc."), provides several products that establish a virtual computer environment for a person working at home or at some location away from the company facility workspace where that person normally works. One such Citrix product that enables a user to work efficiently from his/her home is XenDesktop, which is an application that a user may install on his/her home computer, desktop or smart phone, and which enables the user to access all of the applications and files that the user can access on a computer at his/her company facility workspace. The applications that the user may access on the user's home device are stored on a computer located in a data center or other secure computer location, for example, whereby the user has access to those applications without those applications being physically stored on the user's home device. As such, the user's home device operates as a virtual machine, which mimics the look and feel of the user's computer located at the user's company facility workspace.
Another such Citrix product that enables a user to work efficiently from his/her home is XenMobile, which is an application that a user may install on his/her smart phone or tablet computer, and which provides mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MDM) of the user's smart phone or tablet computer by an Information Technology (IT) administrator of the company that the user works for. For example, if a user happens to lose her smart phone or have it stolen, the XenMobile application, upon notification by the user that her smart phone is missing, may wipe clean all of the company-related information on the user's smart phone, to thereby protect any company proprietary information that may be stored on the lost or stolen smart phone.
A further Citrix product that enables a user to work efficiently from his/her home is Citrix Cloud, which provides for a way that a user can store information separate from her home computer memory. That information is stored in the "Cloud", which may be memory located in a secure data center accessible via the Internet, via a Wide Area Network (WAN), or via a Local Area Network (LAN). Access to and from the Cloud may be via secure network communication paths, whereby data that is securely stored in the Cloud is securely transferred between the Cloud and the user device. Put in another way, Citrix Cloud may be used to enable virtualization as a service (VaaS).
When a user is working at home on her home desktop, the user may receive emails or text messages related to projects that the user is tasked to perform.
There is a need to provide for a way to assist the user in performing tasks when the user is working from home.

Preloading of application on a user device based on content received by the user device


A flight plan revision device may include a first component that determines an auxiliary flight plan corresponding to a lateral revision of the current flight plan, at least over a low altitude flight section. A second component automatically determines at least one decision point indicating the last position of the aircraft along the current flight plan where the auxiliary flight plan can still be activated, so as to allow the aircraft to overfly the terrain in complete safety by following the auxiliary flight plan under the same flight conditions as those envisaged for the current flight plan. A third component automatically presents at least the decision point to a pilot of the aircraft. And a fourth actuatable component allows a pilot to activate the auxiliary flight plan, so as to carry out the lateral revision of the current flight plan.

It is known that a flight plan generally comprises waypoints that the aircraft must overfly, information (altitude, speed, etc.) pertaining to these waypoints, as well as information relating to legs between the various waypoints. Such a flight plan makes it possible to construct a flight trajectory comprising said legs, generally rectilinear, which join up laterally with said waypoints. Said flight trajectory comprises a lateral trajectory defined in the horizontal plane and a vertical trajectory (flight profile) defined in the vertical plane.
It is known moreover that the revision of a flight plan can consist in deleting or adding waypoints, in modifying the position of waypoints or of characteristics (time, speed, altitude) pertaining to these waypoints or to said legs.

Method and device for revising a flight plan of an aircraft


Systems and methods are provided for managing keep-alive messages remote to a wireless communication device. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving an application request from a wireless communication device for an application that transfers keep-alive messages and receiving a first keep-alive message from the application intended for delivery to the wireless communication device. The method further provides processing the first keep-alive message to determine whether a response to the keep-alive message is necessary. If a response to the keep alive message is necessary, transferring a keep-alive message response to the application.

The typical wireless communication device executes various software applications that obtain services for the user from remote servers. Some of these applications periodically send keep-alive messages to the remote servers to maintain their services. Examples of services that utilize keep-alive messaging include email, social networking, and video streaming—among others. The remote servers shut down the service for the user if they do not receive the expected keep-alive messages.
In some cases, multiple applications concurrently transfer several periodic keep-alive messages. If the timing of these numerous keep-alive messages is distributed, then the wireless communication device may continually transfer keep-alive messages, which drains the battery and leaves less time to handle other communication tasks. The numerous keep-alive messages also consume valuable bandwidth in the wireless communication network.
Overview
Systems and methods are provided for managing keep-alive messages remote to a wireless communication device. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving an application request from a wireless communication device for an application that transfers keep-alive messages and receiving a first keep-alive message from the application intended for delivery to the wireless communication device. The method further provides processing the first keep-alive message to determine whether a response to the keep-alive message is necessary. If a response to the keep alive message is necessary, the method further provides transferring a keep-alive message response to the application.

Remote keep-alive message management in a wireless communication network


A method of controlling an active air flap, includes detecting a location of a vehicle from a GPS signal received through a GPS receiver, and acquiring a road surface gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels from location information of the vehicle and map information stored in a data storage, by a controller, determining an opening degree setting value corresponding to the road surface gradient of the road, by the controller, outputting a control signal for controlling an opening degree of an air flap according to a setting value, by the controller, and controlling the opening degree of the air flap by operating an actuator according to the control signal.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling an active air flap. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling an active air flap, through which cooling performance and aerodynamic performance can be improved and fuel ratio can be maximized by reflecting information of a road.
Description of Related Art
In general, various heat exchangers such as a radiator, an intercooler, an evaporator, and condensers as well as components for driving an engine are provided in an engine room of the vehicle.
Heat exchange media circulate in the heat exchangers to be cooled or heat-dissipated as the heat exchange media in the heat exchangers exchange heat with exterior air.
Accordingly, exterior air should be smoothly supplied into an engine room to stably operate various heat exchangers in the engine room of the vehicle.
However, if a large amount of exterior air is introduced at a high speed when the vehicle travels at a high speed, air resistance becomes larger and fuel ratio of the vehicle deteriorates.
In order to solve the problems, an active air flap (AAF) apparatus which increases an amount of air introduced into an engine room by increasing an opening angle when the vehicle travels at a low speed and decreases an amount of introduced air by decreasing the opening angle when the vehicle travels at a high speed, thereby helping improve aerodynamic performance and enhance fuel ratio is being applied.
Such an active air flap is installed at a location of a vehicle where exterior air is introduced, and actively controls an amount of introduced air by varying an opening degree of an air inlet passage according to a driving condition of the vehicle.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the active air flap apparatus includes a duct 2 coupled to and installed in a front end module 1 of a vehicle, for guiding flow of air, a housing 3 coupled to and installed in the duct 2, an actuator 4 fixedly installed in the housing 3, and an air flap 6 rotatably installed in the housing 3 and rotated by power of the actuator 4, for opening and closing an air inlet passage 5 of the housing 3.
Here, the actuator 4 includes a motor and a plurality of gear members (reduction gears), and rotary shafts 7 which are rotatable with respect to the housing 3 are installed at opposite sides of the actuator 4.
The gear members are connected to the rotary shafts such that power may be transmitted to the rotary shafts and air flaps 6 are integrally coupled to the rotary shafts 7 such that if the actuator 4 is operated, the rotary shafts 7 are rotated and the air flaps 6 are rotated at the same time so that the air inlet passage 5 of the housing 3 can be opened and closed.
Meanwhile, in the active air flap apparatus according to the according to the related art, only an opening degree of the air flap is controlled according to a temperature of exterior air and a speed of a vehicle but parameters for controlling the opening degree are not classified, and in particular, because information of the driving road is not reflected, cooling performance, aerodynamic performance, and fuel ratio cannot be effectively improved.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Apparatus and method for controlling active air flap


A technique for correcting charge transfer inefficiencies in a Charge Coupled Device (CCD). The basic approach is to estimate the charge entering at a given stage in a CCD pipeline, and to then determine an estimate of the error introduced by the accumulated leftover charge that will be present at a second point, farther down the pipeline. The error is then corrected by injecting a correcting charge at a third point, farther still down the CCD pipeline. The invention is used, in one embodiment, to correct the output of a charge to digital converter, although principals of the invention may be used for other types of circuits.

The present invention relates to techniques for improving accuracy in charge transfer devices, especially those which use multiple pipelined stages.
Charge transfer devices, including but not limited to Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs), have long been used to implement important functions such as analog to digital conversion (ADC) and digital to analog conversion (DAC) in electronic systems. For example, ADCs and DACs are now an essential part of numerous consumer electronic devices, such as digital cameras, cellular telephones, wireless networking equipment, audio devices such as MP3 players, and video equipment such as Digital Video Disk (DVD) players, High Definition Digital Television (HDTV) equipment, and other products.
There are several ways to implement CCD based converters. One way is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,059 issued to Schlig, which is an early example of a successive approximation, Charge Coupled Device (CCD) based ADC. In that design, a set of charge storage stages is arranged as a serial pipeline register. An input source charge passes from stage to stage down the pipeline. A reference charge generator and a charge splitter at each stage generate reference signals. A first of the reference signals is compared to the source charge that is temporarily stored at the corresponding stage. The comparison generates a binary one, if the source charge is greater than or equal to the first reference charge, or a binary zero, if the source charge is less than the first reference charge. If a binary one is generated, only the stored contents of the stage are passed through to the next successive stage. However, if a binary zero is generated, the stored contents of the stage are passed to a next successive stage, together with a second reference charge, in such a way that the two charges are combined. Auxiliary buffer registers are provided to temporarily store the output bits of the comparators. The buffer registers thus provide a digital output word for each input source charge packet.
A further refinement in CCD-based converter design is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,007 issued to Paul. In that arrangement, the successive approximation pipeline is arranged to handle a serial stream of both positive and negative differential signal charges corresponding to a differential version of the input signal. The differential signal structure provides improved sensitivity in the charge to voltage translation process, and thus increased dynamic range. The structure also exhibits reduce sensitivity to mismatches, by suppression of common mode noise signals in the charge domain.
In order to provide high precision, even the differential successive approximation type CCD converter must often be trimmed or actively calibrated. The precision of the calibration apparatus must therefore be considerably better than the converter itself, making its design quite challenging. These techniques usually require precise, low noise, low DC-offset amplifiers and/or comparators. Unfortunately, thermal noise, low frequency (l/f) noise, and DC voltage offsets produced by these devices still provide limits on the accuracy of the converter.

Correcting charge transfer inefficiency in a charge coupled analog to digital converter


UV lamp modules for the ultraviolet irradiation of a substrate. The modules include multiple low-pressure mercury lamps, each having a longitudinal axis, located in a waterproof housing having a bottom, a top and a beam exit opening in the bottom which is closed by a beam exit window. To maintain hygiene, homogeneity and compactness, a first airflow zone for the supply of cooling air and a second, separate airflow zone for the discharge of heated cooling air are formed iii the housing. Viewed in a cross-section through the housing perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the lamps and in a viewing direction from the bottom to the top, the beam exit window, the lamps and the airflow zones are arranged one after the other. The first airflow zone comprises an air supply duct which is equipped with at least one air-guiding mechanism for supplying cooling air to the lamps.

The reduction of the microbial load depends on the radiation dose arriving at the substrate. This is determined by the irradiation power of the UV lamp module and the period during which the substrate is exposed to the UV radiation. In systems in which the substrate is moved along the UV lamp module, a prolongation of the irradiation period is obtained by the fact that multiple UV lamps are assembled in a UV lamp module to form a flat, planar arrangement.
An embodiment of a UV lamp module of this type, designed for use in a disinfection system with a disinfection station, is described in DE 20 2017 101 112 UL, from which a UV lamp module according to the type mentioned above is also known.
In a metal housing, a total of eight UV lamps in the form of low-pressure mercury lamps are arranged, each having a lamp casing tube with a circular cross-section. The longitudinal axes of the lamps extend in parallel and in a common lamp plane, so that overall they form a planar lamp arrangement.
The metal housing has an upwardly curving housing upper part, to which a housing lower part is screwed, in which a fused silica pane is held as a beam exit window. The fused silica pane rests on a peripheral shoulder by way of a sealing ring and is pressed on to the sealing ring by a mechanical holding-down device. This seal easily withstands cleaning cycles with strong jets of water, as is conventional, e.g., in food industry facilities, and so the lamp module is suitable for long-term use under the IP66 Hygiene Standard.


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses a visual tag to determine an angle. During operation, the system observes the visual tag from an observation point, wherein the visual tag includes an angle-sensitive image which changes in appearance when observed from different angles. Next, the system uses the appearance of the angle-sensitive image (as observed from the observation point) to determine the angle between the visual tag and the observation point. In a variation on this embodiment, the system uses the determined angle along with supplemental information to determine the physical location of the observation point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for using viewing-angle-sensitive visual tags to determine the angular orientation and/or physical location of an object.
2. Related Art
Recent technological developments have made Global Positioning System (GPS) transceivers significantly cheaper and more portable. This has led to a proliferation of devices that use such GPS transceivers to determine physical location. For example, such devices include automobile navigation systems and GPS-enabled running watches.
Unfortunately, because of attenuation problems for GPS signals within buildings, these GPS-enabled devices are typically ineffective at determining physical locations inside buildings. Physical locations inside of a building can be determined by placing radio-frequency "beacon nodes" throughout the building. However, such beacon nodes are relatively complicated and expensive to deploy. Furthermore, these beacon nodes are likely to include batteries, which creates maintenance problems because the batteries need to be replaced at regular intervals.
It is also possible to use existing WiFi access points to determine the physical locations of objects inside a building based on the attenuation characteristics of WiFi signals within the building. However, determining locations in this way is not very accurate and requires potentially significant amounts of calibration effort. Furthermore, if furniture, access points, or even people move within a building, the system may require recalibration to effectively determine locations.
Another shortcoming of GPS systems is that they are not able to determine the angular orientations of objects. Such angular-orientation information can be useful in determining, for example, which direction a camera is pointing, or which direction an object is facing.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for determining physical locations and/or angular orientations of objects without the limitations of the above-described techniques.

Using viewing-angle-sensitive visual tags to determine angular orientation and/or location


Hybrid controller 52 for a vehicular drive system is operable during a shifting control of step-variable transmission portion 20 for a stepping change of its speed ratio, for changing a speed ratio of continuously-variable transmission portion 11, such that total speed ratio γT of transmission mechanism 10 defined by the speed ratio of the continuously-variable transmission portion 11 and the speed ratio of the step-variable transmission portion 20 is continuously changed, irrespective of the stepping change of the speed ratio of the step-variable transmission portion 20, so that an amount of stepping change of engine speed NE before and after a shifting action of the step-variable transmission portion 20 is reduced, and a shifting shock of the step-variable transmission portion 20 is reduced. The hybrid controller 52 permits the transmission mechanism 10 to function as a continuously variable transmission, thereby improving fuel economy of the vehicular drive system.

There is known a drive system for a vehicle, which includes a differential mechanism functioning as a transmission having a differential function, and an automatic transmission operable in a step-variable shifting state, and which is arranged to transmit an output of a drive power source to drive wheels of the vehicle. Generally, the overall speed ratio of the vehicular drive system of this type is determined by the speed ratios of those two transmission mechanisms.
As an example of the differential mechanism functioning as a transmission having a differential function, there is known a drive system which includes a differential device operable to distribute an output of an engine to a first electric motor and an output shaft, and a second electric motor which disposed between the differential device and the drive wheels, and which is operable as a continuously controlled continuously variable transmission. Examples of this type of drive system include drive systems for a hybrid vehicle as disclosed in Patent Documents 1-6. In this hybrid vehicle drive system, the differential mechanism is constituted by a planetary gear set, for example, and a major portion of a drive force of the engine is mechanically transmitted to the drive wheels through the differential function of the differential mechanism, while the rest of the drive force is electrically transmitted from the first electric motor to the second electric motor, through an electric path therebetween, so that the differential mechanism functions as an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission the speed ratio of which is electrically variable, thereby making it possible to drive the vehicle under the control of a control device, with the engine kept in an optimum operating state with an improved fuel economy.
The overall speed ratio of vehicular drive system including the two transmissions indicated above is determined by the speed ratio of the differential device having the differential function, and the speed ratio of the automatic transmission. When the differential mechanism is placed in its continuously-variable shifting state, the drive system as a whole functions as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, like a drive system including only the differential device, and the vehicle is driven with the engine kept in its optimum operating state.                Patent Document 1: JP-2003-301731A        Patent Document 2: JP-2003-130203A        Patent Document 3: JP-2003-127681A        Patent Document 4: JP-2004-130202A        Patent Document 5: JP-11-198668A        Patent Document 6: JP-11-198668A

Control device for vehicular drive system


Esterified propoxylated glycerine (xe2x80x9cEPGxe2x80x9d) may replace up to 100% of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil content of an edible shortening product to produce a stable emulsion containing less trans-fatty acid content. A variety of shortenings may be produced, including those used for baking, frying, and as pan coatings (release agents). A butter-like product may be produced which exhibits spreading characteristics very similar to real butter.

The present invention pertains to edible shortening products such as margarine, which have a reduced trans-fatty acid content.
Edible shortenings were proposed many years ago as substitutes for natural products such as lard and butter. These shortenings may have a consistency ranging from creamy to hard and butter-like. Large quantities of such shortenings are sold for use in baking and as a substitute for butter. In order to be economical, edible shortenings are made from naturally occurring vegetable oils. By partially hydrogenating vegetable oils to a semi-solid or solid product, a range of xe2x80x9chardnessxe2x80x9d may be produced. Alternatively, non-hydrogenated vegetable oils may be blended with more fully hydrogenated, solid oils. Shortening intended as a butter substitute is a soft solid at room temperature, behavior termed xe2x80x9cplasticxe2x80x9d by those skilled in the art. Consumers easily discern relatively minor differences between butter and margarine, with respect to their consistency when cold and when warm, their spreadability, etc.
Hydrogenation of vegetable oils causes isomeration of non-hydrogenated cis-double bonds of unsaturated vegetable oil into their trans form. For example, oleic acid residues in triglycerides are converted into elaidic acid. Recently, trans-fatty acids have been implicated in raising the risk of heart disease by adversely affecting blood lipid levels.
The substitution of fat mimetics such as polyol fatty acid polyesters for partially hydrogenated oils has not proven totally successful. First, such mimetics frequently cause bowel discomfort. Second, the different structure of the mimetics causes difficulties in formulating shortening and margarine products which perform acceptably, and which will pass consumer scrutiny. These shortcomings are attested to in U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,281, where very specific combinations of fatty acids are employed in esterifying sucrose to form polyol fatty acid polyesters in order to produce acceptable products, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,516, wherein complex formulations are necessary to prepare a product containing polyester fat mimetics.
It would be desirable to provide a substitute for all or part of the xe2x80x9chardxe2x80x9d hydrogenated vegetable oil fraction of semi-solid to plastic shortening and thus lower the trans-fatty acid content of the shortening, while maintaining the desirable baking characteristics and consumer-desired consistency. It would further be desirable to offer a margarine-like product with the spreadability and other physical and organoleptic characteristics of butter, and to produce a range of products in terms of hardness, etc.
It has now been unexpectedly discovered that up to 100% of hydrogenated vegetable oils in shortening formulations may be replaced by esterified propoxylated glycerine (xe2x80x9cEPGxe2x80x9d). The products thus obtained have properties acceptable to the consumer. The replacement of the xe2x80x9chard fractionxe2x80x9d of partially hydrogenated oil allows significant reduction of the trans-fatty acid content in vegetable oil-based shortening products.
By the term xe2x80x9cshorteningxe2x80x9d as used herein is meant an edible mixture of solid and liquid fats and fat mimetics, a substantial portion of the liquid fat being derived from natural sources such as corn oil, soybean oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, canola oil, cotton seed oil, etc. The xe2x80x9cshorteningsxe2x80x9d are edible, any may take the form of fluffy, low density, air and water-containing soft products of the consistency of whipped butter or margarine; semi-solid xe2x80x9cgreasyxe2x80x9d products having higher density but little or no air or moisture, such as are used for butter or lard substitution in baking or for frying; or products with the consistency of margarine or butter, having considerable water content but little air content, and ranging in consistency from soft and spreadable at room temperature or below, e.g., xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d margarine, to solid and crumbly at room temperature, often exhibiting a xe2x80x9cfracturexe2x80x9d upon spreading as is observed with butter. In other words, the edible shortenings of the present invention may take all the forms and physical, chemical, and organoleptic characteristics of butter, lard, and their vegetable oil-based replacement products now commonly available in the marketplace.
By the term xe2x80x9cfat contentxe2x80x9d is meant the total, in weight percent based on total shortening weight, of the fat constituents, including fat mimetics, of the shortening product. In margarines, for example, total fat is usually about 80% by weight of the product weight, the remaining 20% being mostly water, but also including, where necessary, emulsifiers, antioxidants, anti-spatter agents, coloring agents, flavorants, sugar, salt, proteins; odorants, nutraceuticals such as stanol fatty acid esters and/or sterol fatty acid esters, etc. Other ingredients are well known to one skilled in the art of shortening formulation. Oily antioxidants such as xcex1-tocopherol and xcex1-tocopherol acetate are not considered as part of the fat content of the shortening product.
By the term xe2x80x9cpartially hydrogenated vegetable oilxe2x80x9d is meant a partially hydrogenated vegetable oil containing trans-unsaturated fatty acids. Such semisolid and solid products typically have iodine numbers above 10 and below the iodine number of the vegetable oil from which they are derived, typically below 60 and more typically in the range of 15 to 50. The greater the degree of hydrogenation, the lower the iodine number. Iodine number may be measured conventionally, i.e., by the xe2x80x9cWijs methodxe2x80x9d set forth in AOCS Official Method Col. 1-25.
By the term xe2x80x9chardstockxe2x80x9d is meant a fully hydrogenated vegetable oil characterized by a low iodine value, and hence substantially no remaining unsaturation. Iodine values lower than 10, and in particular about 2 or less are typical. Hardstock contains few trans-unsaturated fatty acids since there is very little if any unsaturation remaining.
By xe2x80x9cEPGxe2x80x9d is meant esterified propoxylated glycerine. Such products have the chemical structure
where R is
wherein R2 and R3 are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl and one of R2 or R3 is methyl, and R1 is the hydrocarbon residue of a saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acid substantially free of trans-unsaturation. Thus, R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, preferably unsaturated, hydrocarbon radical having 7-23 carbon atoms, preferably 12-23 carbon atoms, and more preferably 14-23 carbon atoms. Each R1 may be individually selected, i.e., mixtures of fatty acid residues may be found in the same molecule, or some molecules may have all one type of fatty acid residue while others have all another type of fatty acid residue. Most preferably, the fatty acids are obtained from natural sources, i.e., by hydrolysis of naturally occurring fats and oils, e.g., glycerine fatty esters. Sources include animal fat, vegetable oil, etc. Some of the
groups may be replaced by hydrogen, i.e., the EPG may have less than three acyl groups on average. A minor portion of the acyl groups may have R1 which contain from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
The degree of alkoxylation is defined as the sum of a, b, and c, where a, b, and c individually are integers from 0 to 20. In general, a, b, and c need not be equal. It has been found, for example, that when oxypropylating glycerine, a 3:1 propylene oxide/glycerine ratio (stoichiometric) will result in oxypropylation (xe2x80x9coxypropylationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpropoxylationxe2x80x9d are used synonymously) of approximately 63% of the available glycerine hydroxyl groups. Thus, the majority of molecules will have one free hydroxyl group. By employing larger amounts of propylene oxide, the number of free hydroxyls decreases. At a 4:1 propylene oxide/glycerine ratio, 82% of the hydroxyl groups are propoxylated, and at 5:1, propoxylation is complete. Preferably, the degree of propoxylation is minimally 2, more preferably at least 2.2, and most preferably in the range of 3 to 8. If the degree of propoxylation is 2.2 or more, the products will be edible but only partially digestible. For example as compared to olive oil, only 18% of the fatty acids of lower propoxylated (n=2.2) products will be liberated by pancreatic lipase. At degrees of propoxylation between 5 and 8, substantially no fatty acids will be liberated under these conditions.
Although not shown in the EPG structural formula, a most minor portion, i.e., less than 20 mol percent of the oxypropylene groups may be replaced by oxyethylene groups (e.g. both R2 and R3 are H). For simplicity of language, these oxyethylene group-containing alkoxylated glycerine species are also within the scope of the terms xe2x80x9cEPGxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cesterified propoxylated glycerinexe2x80x9d unless indicated to the contrary. The presence of oxyethylene groups changes the hydrophile/lipophile balance of the molecule, and may be present in all or part of the total EPG to adjust emulsion stability. In a similar vein, up to about 33% of the oxypropylene groups may be replaced by other oxyalkylene groups having greater hydrophobicity, i.e., 1,2-butylene oxide and 2,3-butylene oxide. The term xe2x80x9cpropoxylatedxe2x80x9d as used herein includes oxyalkylation with mixtures containing propylene oxide and minor portions, i.e., less than 50% by weight, of other alkylene oxides.
Following propoxylation, the propoxylated glycerine is esterified by conventional methods. Transesterification of propoxylated glycerine with fatty acid triglycerides may also be used. Suitable methods are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,983,329, 5,175,323, and 5,986,117, which are incorporated herein by reference. Catalyst removal is accomplished by standard techniques, when necessary, or may be neutralized.
A typical vegetable oil margarine is produced by forming a homogenous mixture of vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and/or hardstock at elevated temperature, along with the desired amounts of water, emulsifiers, flavorants, and other additives. Typically, total fat content is about 80%. The liquid mixture is cooled rapidly with thorough agitation to form the desired, solid product. Large crystals, which tend to make the product grainy, are avoided. The actual degree of smoothness may be varied by altering the cooling rate or the rate of agitation or both. Changes in the solid/liquid fat ratio, water content, and emulsifier content may also affect the smoothness/graininess characteristics. Incorporation of air during this stage or at a later stage results in a less dense and generally softer product. Baking shortening is prepared similarly, but generally with lesser amounts of water, preferably substantially no water.
In a typical margarine formulation, the total fat will be comprised of about 50 parts vegetable oil and about 50 parts partially hydrogenated vegetable oil per 100 parts total fat. It has now been unexpectedly discovered that margarine and butter substitutes may be produced by substituting EPG for a portion, preferably at least 50% of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Up to 100% preferably more than 20%, more preferably more than 30%, yet more preferably greater than 50%, and most preferably 60-90% of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is substituted by EPG. Hardstock may be retained in such formulations if desired, as hardstock contains substantially no trans unsaturated fatty acids. The substitution of EPG for all or a major amount of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil also allows for a greater proportion of less expensive liquid vegetable oil to be used. Surprisingly, despite the totally different chemical structure due to the presence of oxyalkylene and polyoxyalkylene ether-linked moieties, the EPG of the present invention have been found to be compatible with vegetable oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil. Even more surprisingly, substitution of a portion of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil content has allowed a product with a butter-like consistency to be produced. Preparation of products with butter-like consistency has been very problematic in the past, and minor differences tend to be noticed by consumers.
Typical margarine and/or shortening ingredients other than those essential to these products (fats and oils, water) are well known. In general, the formulations contain relatively low amounts of emulsifiers and compatibilizers, e.g., lecithin and Dimodan Emulsifier, oil based vitamins, e.g. vitamin A and xcex2-carotene, and both oil soluble and water soluble flavorants. The aqueous phase may be partially composed of milk or may contain milk solids, and generally contains salt and preservative, e.g. sodium ascorbate or sodium benzoate. The oil phase ingredients and water phase ingredients are typically blended separately, then mixed together with cooling to form the product. With water-free products such as frying oils or shortenings, the additional water phase ingredients are generally omitted, but antioxidants and flavorings may still be added. Oil soluble antioxidants such as BHT are preferred in such cases.
The products may also contain nutraceuticals or pharmaceuticals, for example ingredients believed to lower cholesterol or be otherwise beneficial, such as the fatty acid esters of phytosterols or plant sterols, e.g., stanol or sterol fatty acid esters. The composition may also contain esters of xcfx89-3 and xcfx89-6 fatty acids, and other products believed to be xe2x80x9chealth smart.xe2x80x9d
Edible shortening compositions were prepared using conventional equipment. The fatty shortening ingredients were heated and stirred to a liquid, homogenous composition. The liquid composition was cooled with agitation in a portable Armfield votator. Past experience has shown a positive correlation between laboratory results using the Armfield votator and larger, pilot plant quantities. The control, Comparative Example C-1, contained no EPG, but instead was derived from soybean oil (L-soy) and partially hydrogenated soybean oil (H-soy). The formulations tested are presented in Table 1. The EPG is a 5 mol propoxylate of glycerin, esterified with fatty acids derived from rapeseed, soya, and/or canola oils.

Plastic and semisolid edible shortening products with reduced trans-fatty acid content


An ink and solvent supply consists of a dual-chambered container. The lower chamber is provided with make-up solvent, while the upper chamber is provided with ink concentrate. When solvent is required, it is removed directly from the lower chamber. When fresh ink is required, vacuum is applied to the upper chamber causing solvent to pass from the lower chamber to the upper chamber via a conduit, to dilute the ink concentrate to form fresh ink which is then provided to the printing system.

This invention relates to ink jet printing in general and, in particular, to continuous jet printers. Such devices are used for high speed marking of alpha-numeric characters on a variety of substrates including consumer products which require date codes, for example. Continuous jet systems operate by deflecting selected drops of ink onto the substrate to be marked while returning the unused drops to the print system for reuse. As the ink is consumed, it is necessary to provide fresh ink to the printer. In addition, it is periodically required to provide replacement solvent to compensate for losses due to evaporation thereby to keep the ink composition relatively stable.
Accordingly, in most ink jet systems, there is provided a solvent container from which the system draws solvent when required and a separate ink container from which fresh ink is drawn as needed. The printing system itself typically contains a micro-processor based controller which employs various techniques to measure ink composition, quantity, viscosity and/or temperature to determine when solvent and/or fresh ink needs to be added. When the need is detected, valves are operated to draw solvent or ink or both from the containers into the ink operating system.
One example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,712 to Arway assigned to the present assignee. In this patent, as shown in FIG. 2, there is a solvent container 58 and a fresh ink container 56 operated by an electronic controller 34 to add supplies to the ink jet system. A greatly simplified illustration of such a printer system according to the prior art is shown in FIG. 1 of the present application.
While the two container system works quite well in practice, there are certain disadvantages. Maintenance activities are frequent because the ink and solvent are typically consumed at different rates and thereby require replenishment at different times. A related problem is the need for users to stock and handle two different supply products for the same machine. In that connection, because the containers typically are physically the same but labeled differently, it is possible to inadvertently interchange the connections to the printer system so that solvent is drawn into the system when ink has been requested and vice versa. Such a mix-up causes faulty operation and down time for servicing of the printer. Another problem with a two container supply system is the potential spilling of liquid ink during installation. The present invention is an improvement over prior art systems which use two supply containers in that a single volume of solvent is used to create fresh ink and for solvent replenishment.
It has been suggested in the prior art to provide a single supply system for drop-on-demand ink jet printing. Such a system is disclosed in European Patent application No. 941 068 14.0 to Due published Mar. 15, 1995 (Publication Number 0642924A2). The Due application discloses, at FIGS. 1 and 2, a housing having a collapsible ink concentrate container provided therein. Fluid, preferably water from a water supply, is introduced into the housing to apply pressure to the ink concentrate container. Concentrate is forced from the container to a mixing manifold forming a portion of the housing. At the manifold, the water and ink concentrate are mixed and thereafter supplied to an ink jet printer. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 of Due, a switchable system is illustrated in which an empty system can be replaced without interrupting printing.
The present invention is an improvement over Due in several important respects. Due appears to be limited to installations employing a pressurized fluid supply, i.e., a water supply. Further, this device provides only fresh ink, not a separate supply of solvent because it is intended for a drop-on-demand printing system not a continuous jet system. Thus, it lacks any provision for solvent to make up for evaporative solvent losses.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to overcome these and related problems and to simplify the method of providing solvent and fresh ink to the printer system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system whereby an ink jet printer can be operated over extended periods of time by periodic replacement of a single, integrated supply containing both solvent and fresh ink.
It is a further object of the invention to produce fresh ink on demand to avoid ink spills or spoiling or contamination before use. These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the remaining portion of the specification.

Ink and solvent container for ink jet printers


The invention relates to an immunogenic composition, characterized in that it comprises an adenyl cyclase-hemolysin (AC-Hly) protein, or an immunogenic portion of this AC-Hly, of a strain of Bordetella chosen from B. pertussis, B. parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica, and in that it comprises, in addition, a bacterial extract containing the expression products of the vrg genes of a strain of Bordetella chosen from B. pertussis, B. parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica, or a portion of these expression products which is sufficient to induce an immune response in a host to which the extract might be administered.

The genus Bordetella comprises four species Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, Bordetella bronchiseptica and Bordetella avium.
The bordetellae are Gram-negative coccobacilli responsible for respiratory infections. Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis, agents of whooping cough, are strictly human pathogens. Bordetella bronchiseptica is pathogenic for various mammals, and more rarely for man, and, in distinction to B. pertussis and B. parapertussis, is capable of surviving outside the host. Bordetella avium is pathogenic only for birds.
Since the introduction of whooping cough vaccination in countries where vaccine cover is greater than 80%, it has been possible to observe a dramatic fall in morbidity and mortality. This fall is indeed attributable to vaccination since, in several countries (Great Britain, Sweden, Japan, etc.), deadly epidemics of whooping cough have taken place in the years following the cessation of vaccination.
The invention affords immunogenic compositions which can participate in the making of whooping cough vaccines, these compositions being at least partly of the "acellular" type and displaying an efficacy at least identical to that of the known vaccine.
The invention relates, on the one hand to vaccines which can be used in veterinary medicine, and on the other hand to vaccines which can be used in human medicine.
The whooping cough vaccine in current use is a cellular vaccine composed of heat-inactivated bacterial suspensions of B. pertussis (mixture of two strains differing in the expression of agglutinogens). This vaccine is generally used in combined form with purified diphtheria and tetanus fractions, the hemophilus and the inactivated polio viral component. Vaccination consists of three injections at one-month intervals from the age of two months and an injection at 18 months. No other booster injection is performed thereafter.
This vaccine is sometimes poorly tolerated, both locally and generally. It has, in particular, been blamed for giving rise to serious neurological complications of the acute encephalitis type; however, very recent studies appear to conclude that there is no statistical proof of a relationship between the cellular vaccine and the severe neurological complications (Griffiths AH. Vaccine 1989; 7:199-210).
It remains nonetheless true that the cellular vaccine is poorly tolerated and is responsible for reversible, but undesirable, effects. For these reasons, a new vaccine lacking these effects is desirable. In order to envisage the defining of a new vaccine, it appeared necessary to characterize certain factors involved in the virulence of the bacterium and, where appropriate, in the regulation of the virulence. When purified, each and every one of these different factors is a theoretical candidate for the making of a whooping cough vaccine termed "acellular" as opposed to the traditional vaccine. This new type of vaccine should provide, in addition to better tolerance, an efficacy at least equal to that of the traditional vaccine.
The factors involved in the virulence of B. pertussis have been identified as follows: whooping cough may be defined in broad outline by the association of an infectious syndrome, involving the adhesion of the bacteria to the target cells (ciliated cells of the respiratory apparatus), without invasion or dissemination in the host's body, and of a secondary toxin-induced syndrome including the local cytopathogenic effects which are elective for the ciliated respiratory epithelium (destruction and removal of ciliated cells, accumulation of mucus, inflammatory reaction) and systemic effects, the most obvious of which is hyperleucocytosis with hyperlymphocytosis.
As a result of recent techniques in molecular biology, a number of factors involved in the virulence of B. pertussis have been characterized and the regulation of their expression understood. These factors may be classified in two categories, those participating in the infectious syndrome (adhesins) and those playing a part in the toxin-induced syndrome (toxins).
The adhesins:
filamentous hemagglutinin or FHA is considered to play a major part in the adhesion of the bacterium to the ciliated epithelium (Locht C., Bertin P., Menozzi F. D. and Renaud G. Mol. Microbiol. 1993, 9:653-66). FHA is always expressed by the virulent strains and is secreted. Its structural gene has been cloned and sequenced (Relman D. et al., 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86:2637-2641). It codes for a protein of 360 kDa, but only a 220-kDa fragment can be purified. This protein binds to the glycoproteins of ciliated cells and possesses binding sites for the integrins of lymphocytes and macrophages. It has just been shown recently that FHA displays a homology with certain proteins of the host's endothelial cells (Tuomanen E., Prasad S. M., George J. S., Hoepelman A. I. M., Ibsen P., Heron I., and Starzyk R. M. 1993. Proc. Natl. Sci. USA. 90:7824-7828). PA1 The two agglutinogens or AGGs of B. pertussis enable strains to be classified in serotypes. Two AGGs have been characterized. These proteins are secreted and play a part in the adhesion of the bacterium to the epithelial cells (Mooi F. Van der Heide H. G. D., Ter Avest A. R., Welinder K. G., Livey I., Van der Zeijst B. A. M., and Gaastra, W. 1987. Microb. Pathog. 2:473-484). PA1 Pertactin or PRN is a protein of 93 kDa, but only a 69-kDa fragment can be purified. This protein possesses two binding sites for the integrins of macrophages and of lymphocytes (Charles I, Dougan G., Pickard D., Chattfield S. Smith M. Novotny P., Morissey P. and Fairweather N. F. 1989 Proc Natl Acad Sci. 86: 3554-3558). PA1 Pertussis toxin or PTX, a secreted type A-B toxin which, besides its cytopathogenic effects, participates in adhesion via its B subunit. The B oligomer is capable of binding to the receptors of ciliated cells, but not necessarily to the same receptors as those for FHA. The binding of PTX to leukocytes would appear to prevent their migration to the site of the inflammatory reaction. This binding appears to induce an increase in the number of functional integrin molecules to leukocytes, thereby promoting binding of the bacterium via FHA (Rozindski E., Burnette W. N., Jones T., Mar V., and Tuomanen E. 1993 J. Exp. Med. 178:917-924). PA1 Pertussis toxin or PTX is secreted and considered to be the major toxin of B. pertussis. Its A subunit possesses ADP-ribosyl transferase activity. After binding of the B portion of the toxin to the target cell, this A subunit is capable of entering the cell, of inactivating the regulatory G proteins and thus of causing interference with all cellular functions. It is this factor which appears to be responsible for the generalized biological effects observed during the disease, such as hyperlymphocytosis, hyperinsulinemia and sensitivity to histamine. PA1 Dermonecrotic toxin or DNT, which has not yet been well characterized, and tracheal cytotoxin or TCT, a secreted small glycoprotein of the muramyl peptide family, derived from the peptidoglycan of the bacterium, appear to act in concert to destroy the ciliated cells of the host's respiratory apparatus. TCT prevents, in addition, the regeneration of the respiratory epithelium (Luker K., Collier J. L., Kolodziej E. W., Marshall G. R., and Goldman W. E. 1993. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 90:2365-2369). PA1 Adenyl cyclase-hemolysin or Ac-Hly is a bifunctional protein possessing adenyl cyclase activity and hemolytic activity. It is secreted by the bacterium. Its structural gene has been cloned and sequenced (Glaser P. et al., 1988, Molec. Microb. 2, 19-20). This protein has been found to belong to the family of toxins termed "RTX" for "repeats in toxins", and displays homologies with the hemolysin of Escherichia coli and of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and the leukotoxins of Pasteurella haemolytica and of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. This protein, like PTX, is capable of entering eukaryotic cells such as macrophages, of being activated by calmodulin, of synthesizing large amounts of cAMP and of interfering with the cellular functions (Coote J. 1992. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 88:137-162).
The toxins:
Similarly, the factors involved in the virulence of B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica have been identified.
B. pertussis, B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica infections are indistinguishable from a clinical standpoint. These bacteria have more than 75% homology in respect of the DNA. They have been classified in species only on the basis of phenotypic and biochemical characters. B. paraertussis and B. bronchiseptica synthesize virulence factors functionally and immunologically very close to B. pertussis, with the exception of PTX.
A vaccine composed of bacterial suspensions of inactivated B. pertussis protects against a B. pertussis infection, but also against a B. parapertussis and a B. bronchiseptica infection in the mouse model. Although there are no epidemiological data on B. parapertussis infections in France, it should be noted that few strains of this species are isolated in this country, a country which has been vaccinated for 25 years with a "pertussis vaccine", whereas they are isolated in unvaccinated or poorly vaccinated countries.
Besides the presence of these different adhesins and toxins, the bordetellae are characterized by a regulation of the expression of the factors involved in their virulence. In other words, the bordetellae undergo phase variations and modulations.
The bordetellae, depending on their environment, may become "avirulent", that is to say incapable of inducing lethality, an inflammatory reaction and pulmonary lesions in the mouse model of respiratory infection. They undergo either a phase modulation or a phase variation. The phase variation is observed at a frequency ranging from 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-6 and is almost irreversible. It manifests itself in a cessation of the expression of the toxins and adhesins described above and in the expression of other factors which have not yet been well characterized (change of Phase I "virulent" bacteria to Phase IV "avirulent" bacteria). The Phase I and Phase IV bacteria have been described by Lacey B. 1960, J. Hyg. 58:57-93. The phase modulation, phenotypically similar to the phase variation, is completely reversible and manifests itself in a cessation of the synthesis of the adhesins and the toxins when there are environmental changes (composition of the culture medium, temperature, etc.).
The phase variation and phase modulation observed in Bordetella are under the control of two regulatory genes bvg A and bvg S (Arico B. et al., 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 86: 6671-6675).
The bvg S gene codes for a protein sensitive to external conditions. This protein modulates by phosphorylation the activity of the protein encoded by the bvgA gene, which is, on the one hand a positive activator of the transcription of the genes coding for the virulence factors (vag genes for "vir activated genes") mentioned above (Uhl M. A. and Miller J. 1994. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 91:1163-1167), and on the other hand a repressor of the transcription of certain genes (Beattie D. T. et al., J. of Bacteriology, Jan 93, p. 159-527). The genes whose expression is repressed are referred to as vrg genes for "vir repressed genes", and are still poorly characterized. It has, however, been shown that the vrg 6 gene of B. pertussis codes for a protein having a role in the peristance of the bacterium in the host (Beatties D. et al., 1992, Infect. Imm. 60:571-577). In B. bronchiseptica, two proteins encoded by the vrg genes have been characterized: they are proteins of the flagella type (Phase I B. bronchiseptica is an immobile bacterium which does not synthesize flagella but synthesizes adhesins and toxins, and Phase IV B. bronchiseptica is a mobile bacterium which synthesizes flagella).
In order to measure the virulence of the bacteria and to evaluate the local and general toxinic effects, a mouse model of respiratory infection has been developed (Guiso N. et al., 1991, Microb. Pathogen 11, 423-431). Using this mouse model, it has been possible to show that chemically or genetically inactivated PTX is a good immunogen. This anatoxin has a protective activity against lethal B. pertussis infections, but does not appear to induce the synthesis of effective antibodies against the persistance of the bacterium (Khelef. N. Danve B. Quentin-Millet M. J. and Guiso N. 1993 Infect Immun. 64:486-490).
These results relating to the virulence of bordetellae and to the regulation of this virulence show that whooping cough is a multifactorial disease and that the vaccine must not only protect against lethal infections but also against the persistance of the bacterium. Similar conclusions apply to the infections due to B. parapertussis or to B. bronchiseptica.
Attempts to develop an acellular vaccine from the isolated components of the adhesin or toxin family have been performed. Thus, acellular compositions containing either purified B. pertussis toxin (PTX) or this toxin combined with purified filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) have been prepared.
The first trials of tolerance of these acellular compositions (PTX or PTX-FIA) in man show a marked decrease in both local complications (pain, swelling) and general complications (fever, convulsions, etc.) in comparison with the traditional cellular vaccine (Edward K., J. Infect. Dis. 1993, 168, 15-20).
These new preparations (PTX or PTX-FHA) have good immunogenicity and induce a high level of antibodies. However, the test for vaccinal antibodies is an imperfect method, since seroconversion is not synonymous with protection against the disease, and no demonstration has been made of the protective character of the antibodies obtained, or of the possible level of protection.
The results of clinical trials of different cellular and acellular vaccines have been published (International Symposium on Pertussis Vaccine trials, Rome 30.10.95-1.11.95). These results show that not all the cellular vaccines are equivalent, some are very effective and induce few side effects and others are of very low efficacy and induce greater side effects.
The published results show that the acellular vaccines tested, monovalent (PTX), bivalent (PTX, FHA), trivalent (PTX, FHA, PRN) or pentavalent (PTX, FHA, PRN, AGG2, AGG3) induce very few side effects, are all immunogenic and all have an efficacy against the disease (according to WHO definition) which is greater than or equal to 70%. However, the efficacy of an acellular PTX-FHA vaccine is always less, irrespective of the particular definition which may be used, than that of an effective cellular vaccine.


An attachment for an oral hygiene device is disclosed. The attachment includes a housing; a shaft element movably arranged within the housing and arranged for being coupled to a drive shaft of a handle of the oral hygiene device; and a flexible sealing element attached to the shaft element. The flexible sealing element is arranged to seal a cavity within the attachment intended for accommodating at least a part of the drive shaft in an attached state.

It is known that oral hygiene devices such as electric toothbrushes are sealed against water entering the interior part of the handle of the electric toothbrush. Nevertheless, some parts such as the drive shaft that extends from an end of the handle may not be sealed when the oral hygiene is used; further the handle itself is also not sealed. This may lead to contamination of the drive shaft and the handle with liquids containing germs such as saliva (mixed with debris removed from the oral cavity) and with bacteria present on the skin of a user.
It is a desire to provide an attachment for an oral hygiene device and an oral hygiene device that are improved over the known attachments and oral hygiene devices.


Disclosed herein is a technique that compares a first series of bits associated with a configuration file with a second series of bits associated with computer readable instructions so as to determine whether the configuration file is compatible with the instructions.

Configuration files may be used to influence the execution of computer readable instructions. This allows a user to affect the execution of executable instructions by simply editing relevant entries in the configuration file. Without such configuration files, the source code of the computer readable instructions would need to be updated and recompiled, which may take a considerable amount of time. Often, only few people have access to the source code. Therefore, computer readable instructions may contain commands that search for certain entries contained in the configuration file. Such entries may govern certain functions of the program. For example, an entry in the configuration file may be "DATABASE=C:/system/database." This may instruct a program to retrieve records from a database located in a folder "C:/system/database." The computer readable instructions may contain commands therein that searches specifically for the variable "DATABASE." The instructions may then detect the value associated with the variable "DATABASE" and search for a database located in the folder "C:/system/database."
As new versions of the program develop, a new version may be configured to search for entries that are different than those they were configured for previously. For example, an older version of the program may have been configured to search for the entry containing the variable "DATABASE," but a newer version of the program may be configured to search for the entry containing the variable "DATABASE_LOCATION" in lieu of "DATABASE." A configuration file containing the older variable may be deemed incompatible with the new version of the program. Configuration files may include a version number associated with a particular release of a program to indicate the version with which the configuration file is compatible. If the version number detected in the configuration file is different than the version associated with a new release, the new version may contain modules therein that alter the entries so as to make the configuration file compatible therewith. Once the configuration file is updated, the program may proceed without encountering incompatible configuration file entries.

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


A circuit arrangement, method, and program product for compressing and decompressing data in a node of a system including a plurality of nodes interconnected via an on-chip network. Compressed data may be received and stored at an input buffer of a node, and in parallel with moving the compressed data to an execution register of the node, decompression logic of the node may decompress the data to generate uncompressed data, such that uncompressed data is stored in the execution register for utilization by an execution unit of the node. Uncompressed data may be output by the execution unit into the execution register, and in parallel with moving the uncompressed data to an output buffer of the node connected to the on-chip network, compression logic may compress the uncompressed data to generate compressed data, such that compressed data is stored at the output buffer.

A Network on a Chip (NOC) is a novel integrated circuit that applies a network architecture to a single chip to create a unique processing unit. Rather than utilizing a standard single von Neumann architecture, which has a control unit that coordinates data flowing between an arithmetic logic unit and memory, and between the arithmetic logic unit and input/output buffers along system input/output (I/O) busses, a NOC passes data between a plurality of integrated processor blocks (each of which may utilize a von Neumann-type processor) using packets. Each packet includes a header, which addresses the processor block that is to receive and process the packet, and a payload generally including one or more data words. In order to increase data transmission speeds between processor blocks, the data to be transmitted is generally packed into the packets prior to transmission and unpacked prior to execution at a logic node. In conventional systems data words are packed for transmission by removing spaces between the data words in the packet so that the data packets include "unaligned" data words, and prior to execution, the data words are re-aligned, i.e., the removed spaces are re-inserted in the appropriate locations. However, in conventional systems the packing and unpacking of the packets generally decreases efficiency of the processor blocks.
Therefore, a significant need continues to exist in the art for improving the performance of transferring and processing data packets.

Direct interthread communication dataport pack/unpack and load/save

International Business Machines Corporation


A number of command processing devices, architectures, and methods are described. One example of a command processing device is disclosed to include a classification engine configured to classify input commands, a sequencer in communication with the classification engine, one or more thread managers in communication with the sequencer, and one or more sub-processing engines in communication with each of the one or more thread managers. The sequencer may control staging of work across multiple threads and processing elements within threads. Each of the one or more thread managers are configured to delegate work to different sub-processing engines. Each of the one or more sub-processing engines are configured to perform sub-tasks in connection with completing processing of an input command received at the classification engine based on particular sub-tasks assigned to the one or more sub-processing engines by the one or more thread managers.

In conventional designs, complex functions like Fibre Channel and Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) Protocol Processing are implemented in software running on embedded Central Processing Units (CPUs). These solutions are not easily scalable to current performance requirements, namely higher throughput, lower latency, lower power, and lower cost.
Furthermore, storage protocol (e.g., Fibre Channel) processing is often performed by firmware via embedded CPUs. These embedded CPUs are often referred to as Upper Layer Protocol engines (ULPs). Typically, the processing performance is scaled by increasing the number of ULPs or increasing the operating clock frequency of ULPs. Problematically, increasing the ULP clock frequency may or may not be possible, which is constrained by the current semiconductor process. Additionally problematic is the fact that increasing the number of ULPs will increase the die size and chip cost. In any event, either solution will increase power consumption of the chip.
In addition to the above-noted issues, complex Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designs involve logic that is mostly hardcoded. Other than simple controls via configuration bits, the designs are not very flexible. Thus, after the ASIC is manufactured, it is not amenable to complex changes, for example, changes in functional requirements, or to fix design bugs, or to allow processing by multiple processing elements. In traditional approaches, the flexibility is provided by implementing functions in software running on General Purpose CPUs, which are not very performant.

Multi-threaded command processing system

AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED


An electrode tip dresser is disclosed which can dress a pair of electrode tips to a usable state while achieving a desired accuracy of a tip surface of each electrode tip including an angular portion at a peripheral edge of the tip surface, without separating each electrode tip from a welding gun. The electrode tip dresser includes a holder which is rotatable about a common axis of electrode tips, a pair of support shafts which are held by the holder, are arranged in parallel in an approach direction of the electrode tips, and extend in a direction orthogonal to the approach direction, and a pair of dressing rollers which are rotatably supported by the support shafts, respectively, to dress the electrode tips to a usable state. Each dressing roller includes a groove which has a cross-section conforming to the outline of the tip section of the associated electrode tip when the cross-section is taken in a direction orthogonal to the associated support shaft, and the outline is taken after the dressing of the electrode tip. Each dressing roller includes two axially-divided roller bodies. The dividing plane of the divided roller bodies is arranged at the center of the tip surface of the associated electrode tip in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the associated electrode tip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode tip dresser which dresses a pair of electrode tips held in a welding gun for spot welding while minimizing a grinding task inevitably involving formation of swarf.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There are conventional electrode tip dressers which can dress electrode tips for spot welding while minimizing a grinding task involving formation of swarf. In such conventional electrode tip dressers, a die is used on which a deformed electrode tip is pressed so that the electrode tip is dressed (as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication Nos. 2004-167535 and 2001-138065).
When an electrode tip is dressed using such an electrode tip dresser, it is possible to reduce the loss of the material of the electrode tip, as compared to traditional methods in which the electrode tip is dressed using a polishing or grinding process. For this reason, such an electrode tip dresser has been advantageously used for an electrode tip, which is used in a spot welding task, in that it is possible to reduce the loss of the material of the electrode tip, and thus, to use the electrode tip for a prolonged period of time.
The electrode tip, which is used in a spot welding task, has a tip section, and a cylindrical shank section. The tip section of the electrode tip has a circular tip surface that contacts a work piece to be welded, and an enlarged diameter portion having a diameter increasing as it extends from the peripheral edge of the tip surface to the shank section. In such an electrode tip, it is important to secure the shape of an angular portion formed at the peripheral edge of the circular tip surface, namely, at the boundary between the tip surface and the enlarged diameter portion, in order to secure the shape and area of the tip surface required for a spot welding task.
For this reason, the electrode tip, which has been deformed after being used in a certain number of welding processes, is pressed on a die at a high pressure in the above-mentioned conventional electrode tip dresser, to plastically deform the tip portion of the electrode tip, and thus, to dress (regenerate) the electrode tip.
However, when dressing of an electrode tip is carried out using the conventional electrode tip dresser, it is necessary to separate the electrode tip from a welding gun. In other words, it is impossible to dress the electrode tip in a state in which the electrode tip is held in the welding gun.


The present invention is a hydrophilic polymer, which can be hydrated to form a hydrated hydrophilic polymer having a water content of at least 65%, wherein water content is defined as [(mass of the hydrated hydrophilic polymer−mass of the dry hydrophilic polymer)/mass of the hydrated hydrophilic polymer]×100. The hydrophilic polymer may be hydrated to form a hydrated hydrophilic polymer having a water content of at least 65%. The present invention also 10 provides MEAs and electrochemical cells and methods of forming same.

Hydrophilic polymers for use in membrane electrode assemblies are disclosed in WO2003/023890. That publication describes how hydrophilic polymers can be obtained from the polymerisation of a hydrophobic monomer, a hydrophilic monomer, a monomer including a strongly ionic group and water.
The polymers disclosed in WO2003/023890 have excellent ionic properties, and are less susceptible to dehydration, in use, than non-hydrophilic membranes such as Nafion®. That publication describes, as a preferred embodiment, that the hydrophilic polymer should have a water uptake of no more than 85%. This is equivalent to a water content of approximately 35%. This is because it was believed that polymers with a higher water uptake than this, would be too unstable for use in an MEA. Water uptake is defined therein as [(hydrated mass−dry mass)/dry mass]×100.
The Examples in WO2003/023890 disclose MEAs (Membrane Electrode Assemblies), wherein the polymer has been further expanded by soaking in water. Due to the composition of those polymers, and also because they are polymerised onto a reinforcing material none of the final polymers in the MEAs have a water content of greater than 60%.
The water uptake of a hydrophilic polymer membrane is often restricted by polymerising the membrane onto a porous support structure, such as polythene. This prohibits the polymer from expanding too much, and therefore becoming too unstable. It also ensures that the anionic/cationic sites are dense, i.e. that the membrane has an intrinsically high acid site concentration, [H+]. This was believed to be necessary for the ionic performance of the membrane.


In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for connecting a plurality of bit lines to sense circuitry includes providing a plurality of bit lines extending from a memory array in a first metal layer. The plurality of bit lines are separated from each other by an average spacing x in a first region of the first metal layer. The method further includes elevating a portion of the plurality of bit lines into a second metal layer overlying the first metal layer. The elevated bit lines are separated from each other by an average spacing y in the second metal layer, with y>x. The method further comprises extending a portion of the plurality of bit lines into a second region of the first metal layer. The extended bit lines are separated from each other by an average spacing z in the second region of the first metal layer, with z>x. The method further comprises connecting a bit line in the second metal layer and a bit line in the first metal layer to the sense circuitry.

Integrated circuits are continually being made smaller as demand for portability, computing power, memory capacity and energy efficiency in modern electronics grows. Therefore, the size of the integrated circuit constituent features, such as electrical devices and interconnect line widths; is also decreasing continually. The trend of decreasing feature size is evident in memory circuits and memory devices such as dynamic random access memory ("DRAM"), static random access memory ("SRAM"), ferroelectric ("FE") memory, electrically erasable programmable read only memory ("EEPROM"), and so forth.
For example, flash memory is a type of EEPROM that typically comprises millions of individual circuit elements, known as memory cells, arranged into a densely-packed array. A flash memory cell typically comprises a transistor, a floating gate, and a control gate stacked above the floating gate. The floating gate, typically composed of polycrystalline silicon, is electrically isolated from the underlying semiconductor substrate by a thin dielectric layer which is typically formed of an insulating oxide such as silicon oxide. Because charge is transferred across the dielectric layer by quantum mechanical tunneling, this dielectric layer is often referred to as a "tunnel oxide" layer. Such tunnel oxide layers are typically approximately 100 Å thick. Properties of the tunnel oxide are controlled to enable the ability to read and write by tunneling, while avoiding data loss through charge trapping or leakage. The control gate is positioned above the floating gate, and is electrically isolated from the floating gate by a storage dielectric layer, such as oxide-nitride-oxide ("ONO"). Electrical access to the floating gate is therefore through capacitors. By decreasing the size of the transistor devices that form the individual memory cells, the size of a flash memory array can likewise be decreased. Thus, storage capacities can be increased by fitting more memory cells into a given circuit volume. Generally, flash memory arrays have a higher density of memory cells than DRAM arrays.
The distance between an identical point on two features in neighboring integrated circuit patterns, such as two features in a pattern of word lines or bit lines, is commonly referred to the "pitch" of the pattern. Integrated circuit features are typically defined by openings in, and are spaced apart from each other by, a material such as an insulator or a conductor. Thus, the concept of pitch can be understood as the sum of the width of a feature and the width of the space separating that feature from a neighboring feature.


An agricultural baler including a base unit, a plurality of ground engaging devices supporting the base unit and at least one tie system mounted to the base unit. The at least one tie system including a tucker finger and a cap. The tucker finger being rotatable about an axis relative to the base unit. The cap covering a portion of the tucker finger being proximate to the axis.

A cut and raked crop that has been dried or otherwise prepared in a field, such as hay, straw or other agricultural material is often gathered, compressed and shaped by an agricultural baler. There are several types of balers that are commonly used, each resulting in different types of bales. Some are rectangular and some are cylindrical of various sizes. Bales can be bound with netting, strapping, wire or traditionally twine using a tie system to connect ends of the twine. Large square balers often use a double tie knotting system. The double tie knotter ties two knots, one to complete the previous bale, and another to start the next or current bale. Twine is then directly fed out of the twine galls during bale formation. A typical large square bale weighs between 800 and 1,600 pounds and is often dropped in the field by the baler, for later retrieval, as the baling system proceeds though the field.
A baler that produces small rectangular bales, often also called square bales, produce bales that are typically wrapped with two strands of knotted twine. The bales are light enough for easy handling and typically weigh from 40 to 80 pounds each. A bale is formed by a series of processes performed by the square baler including lifting the windrowed material, hereinafter referred to as hay, by way of the pickup portion of the baler. The hay is then moved by way or an auger into a chamber that has a feeding fork. The feeding fork moves the hay in front of a sliding plunger with a cutting edge that cuts the hay and moves the hay in the chamber into previously packed hay therein causing the hay to be compressed. Once a predetermined amount of hay has been gathered in the chamber, as measured by the amount being extruded through the opening at the rear of the chamber, a mechanism is triggered causing the twine to be threaded through the hay, cut and then knotted thereby forming the hale and one portion of the twine is retained to start to receive hay for the next bale. As the bales are moved through the compression channel out to the rear of the baler, the baled hay is then either loaded onto a wagon or dropped into the field for later retrieval.
To operate properly the tie system of either a large or small square baler requires the twine to move properly without snagging on parts of the baler so that the twine is positioned for proper knotting by the tie system. The tie system itself carries out a choreographed sequence of operations, which is subject to malfunction if the twine is snagged or it debris from the baling process interferes with any one of the tie system elements.
What is needed in the art is a baler that configures the tucker finger of the tie system to preclude the compromising of the tucker finger by debris.

Agricultural baler tucker finger protection


The problem of sharing session information across client contexts is addressed by binding initial session information to a persistent, short-lived and one-time use temporary identifier. This identifier is persisted on a client side (e.g., through a cookie jar) that is shared among the different client contexts that can share the original session. This temporary identifier, in turn, allows one or more other sessions to use the original session information by acting as an index into that session information, which is stored on the server side. Preferably, this temporary identifier contains a unique identifier (ID) that is generated as a sufficiently-complex random number. A mapping back to the real session identifier is maintained on the server side for this short-lived ID.

Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to web application security and in particular to a method and system for enabling different client contexts to share the same session information.
Background of the Related Art
It is known in the prior art to provide so-called Web portals, which are web-based mechanisms that centralize access to information, applications, and services for employees, customers, or partners. A Web portal delivers a consolidated view that lets users access electronic resources of the organization using a standard technology (a web browser), simply and efficiently. Within a Web portal or like environment, typically a proxy or web server acts as a front-end "point of contact" to a set of back-end applications or application components. In this type of environment, it is desirable that the mechanism used to provide authentication and session management at the web portal layer should also provide these functions for any back-end applications that are included in a consolidated view.
In this type of environment, approaches to session management typically have each back end application or application component requiring its own session state management, and each such application or component may implement its own session management technique. Where an end user is accessing multiple applications within a single enterprise, his or her browser ends up managing independent session management items (often as many as a different item per application). Typically, in this environment, these items are HTTP cookies, as the behavior of such cookies (although not intended for session management) provides reasonable session management. HTTP cookies (see IETF RFC 2109) provide a way of managing sessions and state between web browsers and web servers using the HTTP protocol. These cookies typically are stored in the web browser's session cache, sometimes called a cookie jar.
In web-based session management systems, currently there exists no mechanism to share session information between different user agent contexts in a secure way. A "context" is a client-server operating state with respect to a particular user agent application, on the one hand, and a designation application, on the other hand, following authentication of the client to the server. Typically, if a user, after establishing session A in one context A, then switches to context B, the previous session information A is no longer available to the client user agent. This can lead to multiple authentication requests for the same user.
The most common existing solutions to this problem are based on URL rewriting or embedding the original session information in a cookie, but each such approach has its own disadvantage. Thus, for example, in the URL rewriting technique, the original session identifier is passed from the client to the web application in a URL string, e.g., as a URL parameter. In the cookie approach, the original session identifier is written to a persistent jar on the client side and then passed to every context. In both cases, however, because the original session information is transmitted with the response, it is vulnerable to security attacks such as unauthorized session identifier manipulation, or stealing of user credentials. In an alternative approach, the real session information is transformed into a different format, and each new client request includes this transformed information to use the original session information. The transformed entity typically is long-lived on the server. Still other approaches require special client-side software.
There remains a need in the art to provide for session sharing across multiple client contexts.

Enabling different client contexts to share session information