A chamber for exerting an ultrasound beam on a sample solution containing particles to be concentrated, separated or arranged is provided with a view toward arbitrarily controlling the shape of a spatial distribution of potential energy created by the ultrasound beam and concentrating, separating or periodically arranging the particles. In contrast to the chamber, irradiation ultrasound sources for generating ultrasound beams are provided to create an ultrasonic intensity distribution for producing a position potential energy distribution used to exert a force forwarded in a predetermined direction or a force staying at a predetermined region to each particle. Thus, a specific spatial distribution of potential energy can be realized by ultrasound beams each having a specific intensity, a specific frequency and a specific phase or an ultrasound beam formed by superimposing these on one another. Further, at least one suction hole for recovering separated solvents or particles is defined in a wall surface of the tube, which is orthogonal to the flow of the sample solution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for concentrating, filtrating, separating and arranging particles and solutes in a fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is necessary to exert some force on cells levitated in a solution without making direct contact with the cells with a view toward concentrating biomaterials such as the cells, etc. in non-contact form. An ultracentrifugation is known which uses gravity as the force referred to above. However, since it is necessary to rotate a tube with a sample held therein for a predetermined time at high speed upon its use with a view toward generating the gravity, a predetermined processing time interval is required regardless of any amount of a sample to be separated.
As a technique for directly capturing a very small quantity of sample, a technique using a light radiation force has been proposed by A. Ashkin et al. and has been patented as an optical trap device (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,886). However, light is not permeable into a solution in which particles exist therein in large quantity and whose particle density is high, and hence the present solution is not appropriate to concentrate a sample.
It has been reported by, for example, Junru Wu, "Acoustical tweezers", Journal of Acoustical Society of America, pp. 2140-2143, 89(5), May, 1991, saying an acoustic radiation force subjected to each particle, that when the acoustic radiation force is exerted on each particle, a polystyrene sphere having a diameter of 270 .mu.m could be successfully captured at a focal point of a focused ultrasound beam. The principle of capturing of the particles by the acoustic radiation force has been described in the reference of "Acoustic radiation pressure on a compressible sphere", pp. 167-173 and "Acoustic radiation pressure on bubbles and their logarithmic decrement", pp. 173-178, ACUSTICA vol. 5 (1955) by Yoshioka et al. According to the reference, the magnitude of an acoustic radiation force in an ideal fluid, that each particle undergoes in a standing wave and a traveling wave, has been estimated.
As has been also disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-47259, a method of introducing at least one ultrasound beam into a tube in which a fluid has flowed, thereby continuously concentrating the particles on a certain range, or a method of recovering the focused particles has been also invented. Further, a particle separating device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-241977, for utilizing an acoustic radiation force and an electrostatic force together in combination to thereby separate and recover particles different in particle diameter from each other or particles different in material from each other, and a particle separating device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,682, for using an acoustic radiation force and gravity in combination to thereby separate and recover particles different in particle diameter or density from each other or particles different in material from each other have been also invented.
The principle of applying ultrasound beams of different frequencies in a superimposed state to thereby effectively generate bubbles at a focal point in a fluid has been also described in the "Ultrasonic symposium proceeding", pp.1843-1846 (1994), IEEE reported by Umemura et al.

Particle handling method by acoustic radiation force and apparatus therefore


A polypeptide (8F4 molecule) with a T-cell costimulating biological activity is disclosed, as well as monoclonal antibodies against said 8F4 molecule and hybridoma cells which produce the monoclonal antibodies, the use as medicaments of substances which inhibit the biological activity of the disclosed 8F4 polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, the use of said 8F4 molecule or cells containing said 8F4 molecule as medicaments, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, and the use of substances which specifically recognize the disclosed polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, for diagnosing diseases which involve the immune system.

The invention relates to a polypeptide (8F4 molecule) having the biological activity of costimulating T cells. The invention further relates to monoclonal antibodies against the 8F4 molecule and hybridoma cells which produce the monoclonal antibodies. The invention additionally relates to the use of substances which inhibit the biological activity of the polypeptide 8F4 according to the invention, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, as pharmaceuticals. In particular, the invention relates to the use of these substances for the prevention or therapy of disorders in which the immune system is involved, in particular for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and for the prevention of rejection reactions with organ transplants. The invention additionally relates to the use of the 8F4 molecule or of cells which contain the 8F4 molecule as pharmaceuticals, in particular for the prevention or therapy of disorders in which the immune system is involved, in particular for the treatment of cancers, Aids, asthmatic disorders or chronic viral diseases such as HCV or HBV infections. The invention further relates to the use of substances which specifically recognize the polypeptide according to the invention, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, for the diagnosis of disorders in which the immune system is involved. In particular, the invention relates to diagnosis by means of an ELISA detection, a flow cytometry or a Western blot, a radioimmunological detection, a nephelometry or a histochemical staining.
T lymphocytes recognize their antigen, which is presented by "antigen-presenting cells", for example dendritic cells, B cells and macrophages, through their T-cell receptor. Recognition of the antigen by the T-cell receptor alone is, however, in most cases insufficient for adequate activation of T lymphocytes. The latter makes additional simultaneous stimulation (also called "costimulation" hereinafter) by other receptor molecules on the surface of the T lymphocytes necessary. One of these receptor molecules is the so-called CD28 receptor which is stimulated by the costimulating molecule B7. If these "costimulatory" molecules, for example CD28, are effective, then the activation of the T cell reaches an adequate level after recognition of the antigen by the T-cell receptor. After such a complete activation, the T cell expresses additional molecules, for example CD25, CD69, CD71, on the surface and synthesizes numerous cytokines, for example IL-2 and IFN-γ, which function as messengers. Both these additional surface molecules and the cytokines serve for the T cell to exchange information with other cells in the immune system. The activated T cells direct the entire antigen-specific immune defences through the additional surface molecules and the cytokines. Both the generation of cytotoxic cells ("killer cells") and the generation of antigen-specific antibodies by B cells is controlled in this way. Cytotoxic cells, as well as the specifically formed antibodies, eliminate viral or bacterial pathogens which enter the body. In some cases, however, the immune response goes too far, and the immune system is directed against the body's own cells. This leads to the occurrence of "autoimmune diseases", for example to rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Sjögren's syndrome, ulcerative colitis inter alia. One of the essential sites of cooperation between antigen-activated T cells and other cells of the immune system are the secondary lymphatic organs, including the tonsils. This is where the T lymphocytes are activated by the antigen presented by dendritic cells, and this is where T lymphocytes interact with B cells. Through this interaction, B cells secrete, after several intermediate stages of differentiation, antigen-specific antibodies of the IgM and IgG types.
The costimulatory molecule which has been characterized best and is among the most effective to date is the CD28 surface molecule (called CD28 receptor or CD28 hereinafter) which is constitutively expressed on a large fraction of T cells. Costimulation by CD28 in vitro leads, after recognition of the antigen by the T-cell receptor, to a very large increase in cytokine secretion, for example of IL-2 and IFN-γ, and to a marked up-regulation of the expression of cell surface molecules such as CD25, CD69, CD71, which are necessary for interaction of T cells with other immune cells, for example B lymphocytes; cf. Chambers and Allison, Current Opinion in Immunology 9 (1997), 396–404. Costimulation via the CD28 receptor can also markedly increase the proliferation of T lymphocytes. In addition, costimulation via the CD28 receptor optimizes the T-cell control of B-lymphocyte function so that there is increased secretion of antibodies.
If the function of the CD28 receptor is abolished, there is a drastic loss of function in the immune defences. This has been shown by means of a transgenic mouse in which the CD28 gene was destroyed by homologous recombination (a so-called "CD28 knock-out"). The destruction in this way of activation of the antigen-specific T cells leads to lack of costimulation. This in turn leads to a disturbance of T-cell function, that is to say to a reduced proliferation of T cells and to a drastically reduced synthesis of various cytokines. The lack of costimulation eventually leads to a reduced function of the antigen-specific immune defences. Thus, inter alia, the formation of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies by B lymphocytes is reduced to 10% of the normal level through the lack of CD28; cf. Shahinian et al., Science 262 (1993), 609–612; Lucas et al. Journal of Immunology 154 (1995), 5757–5768. It is also possible in vitro to prevent the Aids virus entering T lymphocytes by costimulation by CD28; cf. Riley et al., Journal of Immunology 158 (1997), 5545–5553. Corresponding experiments in vivo have not yet been carried out. It is known that CD28 switches on many cytokine genes which may lead to considerable side effects in vivo. Blockade of CD28 receptors by a soluble CTLA-4 immunoglobulin molecule has been employed successfully in a monkey model to prevent the rejection of transplanted kidneys. In this case, CTLA-4 had been employed in combination with an antibody against the CD40 ligand molecule; cf. Kirk et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 (1997) 8789–8794. However, blockade of CD28 receptors affects all T lymphocytes and not just those already activated because CD28 is constitutively expressed on T lymphocytes.

Methods of modulating T lymphocyte costimulation with an antibody to an 8F4 polypeptide


A solar array integration system (AIS) and methods for mounting solar energy capture devices are provided. Such systems are useful for applications such as mounting photovoltaic (PV) modules to a suitable surface such as a rooftop. In one embodiment, the AIS includes a first row of tilted solar modules, a center spoiler coupled to the first row of tilted solar modules, the center spoiler is configured to deflect frontal airflow over the first row of tilted solar modules, and a second row of tilted solar modules, the second row of tilted solar modules being coupled to each other by an aerodynamic spar. The aerodynamic spar includes a deflector configured to deflect frontal airflow over the second row of tilted solar modules. The deflector may include a wedge-shaped profile. AIS can also include a third row of tilted solar modules, with an end spoiler coupled to the third row of tilted solar modules, and wherein the end spoiler is configured to deflect side airflow over the third row of tilted solar modules.

The present invention relates to mounting systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for mounting solar energy capture systems to an outdoor surface.
Solar energy capture systems, such as photovoltaic (PV) arrays, can be used to convert solar energy into electricity. For ease of manufacturing and assembly, these solar energy capture systems typically include framed modular solar panels. While the processes of solar-based electrical generation and conversion have undergone many innovative changes, the techniques for mounting the solar panels have not been as well understood or studied.
In most installations, the solar panels are mounted in a "tilted" configuration in order to capture more solar radiation, i.e., the solar panels are better aligned with the solar angle of incidence. In mounting these tilted solar panels, the cause and effect of loads on the mounting surface must be understood and resolved, and these loads include standing loads and variable loads, also commonly called dead loads and live loads, respectively.
Standing loads are the result of the combined weight of the solar panels and the mounting system. These standing loads are predictable and hence easier to accommodate for during the installation of solar panels and mounting system.
Variable loads on tilted solar panels are mainly caused by environmental conditions, such as wind, rain, snow, hail, etc. Other potential environmental hazards include seismic events, temperature extremes, debris, and mold. In order to be able to reliably predict and accommodate variable loads, these environmental problems have to be understood and resolved, the most common and problematic being wind-induced forces (including hurricanes and tornadoes), namely lift and drag forces generated by the wind conditions. A variety of mounting systems which are commercially available for mounting solar panels attempt to address the wind-induced forces. Most of these mounting systems can be divided into several general categories: non-tilted solar panels, enclosed tilted solar panels, and tilted solar panels with wind deflectors attached to every row.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,839 (Dinwoodie) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,084 (Dinwoodie), are examples of implementations involving non-tilted solar panels. While non-tilted solar panels do present a lower profile with respect to the wind forces, they are less efficient at converting solar energy to electrical energy when installed at locations with higher latitudes. Another disadvantage of a non-tilted system is the accumulation of dirt, dust, debris and snow on top of the solar panels which can further reduce the conversion efficiency of these solar panels.
Moulder et al., U.S. Patent application 2004/0128923, discloses an example of an enclosed tilted solar panel system. While such a design offers advantages such as improved rigidity, less debris accumulation, and better protection of electrical components, an enclosed solar panel system unnecessarily increases the cost and weight of the system, is likely to increase wind-induced drag forces and also significantly reduces beneficial cooling from natural airflow.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,996 (Takada), U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,251 (Dinwoodie) and U.S. Application 2004/0250491 (Diaz et al.), deflectors are installed on the north-facing back of every panel in order to reduce the wind-induced uplift forces, when installed in the northern hemisphere. Disadvantages of such systems include significantly increased cost and weight of the installed system. In addition, reduced cooling of the solar panels can also significantly reduce the solar conversion efficiency of the system.
In sum, the solar panel mounting systems described above all have significant disadvantages such as increased cost, increased weight, increased drag and propensity for reduced energy conversion efficiency. Hence there is a need for an improved system for mounting solar panels that is superior to these approaches while mitigating these drawbacks.

Solar array integration system and methods therefor


An ornithopter engine and method of generating an iterative flapping motion are disclosed. The engine includes a structural frame, having at least two swinging member mounting portions, a driving magnetic member shaft mounting portion and a driving magnetic members shaft. The driving magnetic members shaft is rotatable relatively to the structural frame. The engine includes at least two driving magnetic members, affixed to the driving magnetic member shaft and at least two swinging members, pivotally mounted onto the structural frame. The engine further includes at least one driven magnetic member, affixed to the swinging member and a motor coupled to the shaft.

It is believed that the pertinent state-of-the-art is represented by: U.S. patents Ser. No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,455, U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,473 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,671; GB patent Ser. No. GB851352; German patent or patent application Ser. No. DE932346 and DE19509774; Korean patent/application Ser. No. KR20040035659; Chinese patent/utility model Ser. No. CN1453185 and CN201415756Y as well as by international patent applications having Publication No. WO2011073659.
CN1453185 discloses a bionic electromagnetically driven flapping wing unit for a mini aircraft, consisting of planar wings, electromagnetic driver, control system and fuselage. Film is adhered onto planar netted skeleton to form the wing, and each planar netted skeleton has three relatively thick shafts with three parallel driving shafts perpendicular to the longitudinal central line of the aircraft.
In CN1453185 each planar wing has one vibration eliminating block adhered to the front edge, and corresponding to each driving shaft, there are two independent parallel electromagnetic drivers. The coil axle, the coil, the spring and the permanent magnet have their axes coincide each other and perpendicular to wing surface and driving shaft. Each unit has at least one pair of planar wings and electromagnetic drivers set symmetrically on the fuselage.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown merely by way of example in the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily complete and components are not essentially to scale; emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles underlying the present invention.


A chain tensioner includes a housing defining a cylinder chamber having a closed end. A cylindrical plunger having a closed front end is slidably received in the cylinder chamber. A nut member and a return spring are mounted in the cylinder chamber. The return spring biases the plunger outwardly of the housing to press its closed end against a pivotally supported chain guide. The nut member has a serration-shaped internal thread formed on the inner periphery thereof which is in threaded engagement with a serration-shaped external thread formed on the outer periphery of the screw rod. The screw rod is biased toward the closed end of the plunger by a rod spring. A damper is mounted between the front end of the screw rod and the closed front end of the plunger for damping, in cooperation with the return spring, a pushing force applied to the plunger, and for allowing the screw rod and the plunger to move relative to each other in a direction in which the distance between respective remote ends thereof decreases by an amount not less than an axial play present between the internal and external threads.

This invention relates to a chain tensioner for keeping constant the tension of mainly a chain or a toothed belt for driving camshafts.
Ordinarily, a chain transmission device comprising a sprocket mounted on one end of a crankshaft, sprockets mounted on ends of camshafts, and a chain trained around the sprockets to drive the camshafts further includes a chain guide pivotable toward a slack side of the chain, and a chain tensioner for applying an adjusting force to the chain guide to press the chain guide against the chain, thereby keeping constant the tension of the chain.
A chain tensioner used in such a chain transmission device is disclosed in JP Utility Model Publication 64-41755. This chain tensioner includes a body, a nut member having a rod at its front end and slidably inserted in the body, and a bolt member having a serration-shaped external thread formed on the outer periphery thereof and in threaded engagement with a serration-shaped internal thread formed on the inner periphery of the nut member. A return spring is mounted in the body to bias the nut member outwardly of the body. The serration-shaped threads have pressure flanks which receive a pushing force applied from the chain to the rod of the nut member through the chain guide, thereby preventing retraction of the nut member. While the pushing force is greater than the force of the return spring, the nut member retracts while rotating until the pushing force balances with the force of the return spring, thereby keeping constant the tension of the chain.
When the chain slackens, the nut member is pushed out while rotating under the force of the return spring, thereby re-tensioning the chain.
With this conventional chain tensioner, because the rod of the nut member has its front end in contact with the pivotable chain guide, when the chain guide pivots, turning moment acts on the nut member that tends to incline the nut member. Such turning moment directly acts on the portions of the internal and external threads that are in threaded engagement with each other.
Also, if, due e.g. to mounting errors, the front end of the rod is in contact with the chain guide at its point offset from its center, torque is applied to the nut member when the chain guide pivots.
Since the turning moment applied to the nut member directly acts on the serration-shaped threads, the serration-shaped threads may bite each other, thereby locking the nut member.
When torque is applied to the nut member, the nut member is moved axially while rotating. Thus, when such torque is applied while the tension of the chain is increasing, the resistance to vibration of the chain decreases. This impairs stable operation of the serration-shaped threads, thereby making it impossible to keep constant the tension of the chain.
If the chain vibrates with an amplitude larger than the axial play between the internal and external threads, because the nut member is prevented from retracting due to the contact between the pressure flanks of the internal and external threads, the nut member moves outwardly every time the chain slackens. Thus, the chain tends to be over-tensioned, so that its life is shortened.
An object of this invention is to provide a chain tensioner which operates stably at all times by preventing turning moment or torque applied from a pivotable chain guide from being transmitted to serration-shaped threads, and which can prevent over-tensioning of the chain.


Circuitry includes an amplifier circuit having a first transistor, an inductor, and a second transistor, and a distortion compensation circuit having a third transistor, a forth transistor, and a first capacitor. The first transistor is applied input signal. The inductor is connected to a source of the first transistor and grounded on another side. The second transistor has a source connected to a drain of the first transistor, a grounded gate and a drain connected to a power supply, and outputs an amplified signal. The third transistor has a drain and a gate connected to the drain, and is connected to the power supply on the drain. The fourth transistor has a drain and a gate connected to a source of the third transistor, and is grounded on a source. The first capacitor connects nodes between the drain of the first transistor and the source of the third transistor.

For a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), generally, a SiGe bipolar process is used, and the one made by a CMOS process on a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) substrate increases recently. This is because a high functional circuit can be realized by incorporating a high-frequency switch FET in the LNA. In recent years, Carrier Aggregation (CA) is introduced to speed up the radio communication. To cope with the carrier aggregation, there is a growing demand for Third Order Input Intercept Point (IIP3) recently.

High-frequency amplifier circuitry and semiconductor device

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation


A blood clotting time measurement cartridge includes: an inlet on one end of a measurement flow channel and through which blood is introduced; a communication opening on the other end of the measurement flow channel and through which air suction or air pressure application or the blood introduced from the inlet is performed; a moving body arranged in the measurement flow channel moves; a clotting accelerator applied on at least one of a flow channel wall surface, which defines the measurement flow channel, and the moving body; and a detection area through which light is transmitted to a predetermined part in the measurement flow channel, and where it is possible to detect with light whether there is the moving body or the blood making a reciprocating motion in the measurement flow channel in association with air suction or air pressure application or the blood from the communication opening.

In a case where extracorporeal circulation such as dialysis or an artificial heart-lung machine used in a surgery of a circulatory system is performed, or a case where treatment of a cardiac catheter is performed, anticoagulant such as heparin is used to prevent clotting of blood. It is important to use an appropriate amount of such anticoagulant since there is a case where an extracorporeal circulation path is occluded when a dosage amount thereof is not enough, and stopping bleeding becomes difficult when a dosage amount thereof is too much. Conventionally, in such a case, for example, a method of determining a dosage amount or time of dosing of a clotting accelerator by accelerating clotting of blood by mixing of a clotting accelerator into the blood, and measuring time of determination that a predetermined percentage of the blood is clotted (clotting time of blood) is employed, and various technologies for that have been proposed.
For example, in Patent Literature 1, a technology in which a measurement cartridge including a forked capillary tube having a narrowed part, and a measuring device including an air pump are included, the air pump is connected to each capillary tube by setting of the cartridge to the measuring device, clotting of blood put into the capillary tube is accelerated in a narrowed part by a reciprocating motion with the air pump, and clotting time of the blood is measured from a variation in time necessary for this reciprocating motion is disclosed.
Also, in Patent Literature 2, a technology in which a measurement cartridge in which a spherical object is arranged in a measurement flow channel, and a measuring device that can oscillate the set measurement cartridge are included, the spherical object is made to make a reciprocating motion in the measurement flow channel along with blood in association with oscillation of the cartridge, anticoagulant previously applied on the measurement flow channel is dissolved and clotting is accelerated thereby, and clotting time of the blood is measured from a variation in time that is necessary for the reciprocating motion of the blood and that is measured at the time is disclosed.

Blood clotting time measurement cartridge and blood clotting time measuring device


An electrode in which a silicon layer is provided over a current collector, a thin film layer having a thickness within a certain range is provided on a surface of the silicon layer, and the thin film layer contains fluorine, is used for a power storage device. The thickness of the thin film layer containing fluorine is greater than 0 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 4 nm and less than or equal to 9 nm. The fluorine concentration of the thin film layer containing fluorine is preferably as high as possible, and the nitrogen concentration, the oxygen concentration, and the hydrogen concentration thereof are preferably as low as possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active material, an electrode including the active material and a manufacturing method thereof, and a secondary battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the advance of environmental technology, development of power generation devices (e.g., solar power generation devices) which pose less burden on the environment than conventional power generation methods has been actively conducted. Concurrently with the development of power generation devices, development of power storage devices has also been underway.
As an example of a power storage device, a lithium ion battery can be given. Lithium ion batteries have been widely used because they have high energy density and are thus suitable for reduction in size. As a negative electrode material of a lithium ion battery, a material in/from which lithium ions can be inserted and extracted is preferably used. Although graphite, silicon, and the like can be given as examples of such a material, silicon is especially preferred. This is because silicon has about ten times as high theoretical capacity as graphite and thus is expected to be a host material of lithium (e.g., Patent Document 1).

Active material, electrode including the active material and manufacturing method thereof, and secondary battery

SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.


A photo-electric device including a photoelectric conversion layer and a plurality of electrodes is provided. The photoelectric conversion layer includes a plurality of inversed pyramid shaped recesses and a plurality of a pyramids, wherein each of the inversed pyramid shaped recesses has at least three first reflection sidewalls, each of the pyramids is located in one of the inversed pyramid shaped recesses respectively, each of the pyramids has at least three second reflection sidewalls, and none of the first reflection sidewall and the second reflection sidewall is located in a same plane. The electrodes are electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer.

1. Field of the Application
The present application relates to a multi-reflection structure and a photo-electric device. More particularly, the present application relates to a multi-reflection structure that reduces surface reflection and a photo-electric device having the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, photo-electric industries (display industry, solid-state illumination device industry, solar cell industry, and so on) grow rapidly and continuously change living habits of human beings. However, during research and development of the aforesaid photo-electric industries, surface reflection issue resulted from difference of refractive indices is inevitable. In displays, overall brightness thereof is reduced by surface reflection. In solid-state illumination devices (e.g., light-emitting diodes or organic electro-luminescent devices), illumination performance thereof is reduced by surface reflection. According to some researches, in organic electro-luminescent devices, about 70% to 80% optical loss is resulted from surface reflection.
Similarly, in the solar cells, photoelectric conversion efficiency thereof is reduced by surface reflection also. Specifically, solar cells are kinds of photo-electric devices that convert light into electric power. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar cells is related to photo current and voltage generated therefrom. In order to increase photo current of solar cells, light absorption of solar cells is required to be increased. Since the conventional mono-crystalline silicon solar cells have sufficient thickness, light absorption of mono-crystalline silicon solar cells is not a problem. Accordingly, it is imperative to reduce optical loss resulted from surface reflection of mono-crystalline silicon solar cells.
According to the Fresnel's Law, when light propagates through an interface of two mediums having different refractive indices, reflectivity of the propagated light is proportional to difference of refractive indices. Specifically, the smaller the difference of the refractive indices of the two mediums is, the lower the reflectivity of the propagated light can be obtained. On the contrary, the greater the difference of the refractive indices of the two mediums is, the higher the reflectivity of the propagated light can be obtained. Take silicon substrates that are often used in semiconductor devices as an example, refractive index thereof is about 3 to 4. When light propagates the interface of air and the silicon substrate having a flat surface, reflectivity of the propagated light is considerably high (e.g., reflectivity is about 36%).
In the conventional solar cells, a hydrogen containing amorphous silicon nitride serving as an anti-reflection coating is suggested to be formed on the solar cells to reduce surface reflection issue and enhance photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar cells. However, the anti-reflection coating cannot significantly enhance photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar cells. According, some prior arts (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,049, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,725, US 2009/071536, TWM 354858, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,368,655) have proposed. In the aforesaid prior arts, Optical micro-structures are suggested to be formed on a light-incident surface of solar cells, such that light incident from the light-incident surface of solar cells can be reflected twice and optical loss resulted from surface reflection can be reduced. However, in the aforesaid prior arts (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,049, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,725, US 2009/071536, TWM 354858, U.S. Pat. No. 7,368,655), since almost light is reflected by the optical micro-structures twice, optical loss resulted from surface reflection cannot be reduced significantly.
As such, it is imperative to further reduce optical loss resulted from surface reflection.

Photo-electric device with inverse pyramid shaped recesses

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An engine controller includes various sensors for detecting a degree of throttle opening .theta. and a degree of accelerator opening .alpha. and a control unit 5 for determining the control amount .theta.c of a throttle actuator 1 from operating states, the control unit includes an A/D converter 70 for A/D converting respective degrees of opening at a predetermined resolving power, means 71 for calculating a target degree of throttle opening .theta.1 at a resolving power higher than the predetermined resolving power, means 72 for calculating a target degree of throttle opening .theta.2 at the predetermined resolving power in accordance with the target degree of throttle opening .theta.1 and means 73 for calculating a control amount in accordance with the target degree of throttle opening .theta.2, the target degree of throttle opening .theta.2 includes two points which are determined by the predetermined resolving power and control amount calculation means repeatedly controls the throttle actuator at a predetermined cycle using the target degree of throttle opening .theta.2 as the control amount under predetermined operating conditions. With this arrangement, the engine controller having a high speed and a pinpoint accuracy can be provided at a less expensive cost without using an expensive A/D converter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine controller for carrying out throttle control at a high speed with a pinpoint accuracy using a throttle actuator, and more specifically, to an engine controller for improving a substantial throttle control resolving power using a less expensive A/D converter having a low resolving power without particularly using an expensive A/D converter having a high resolving power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a throttle valve acting as an output regulating restricter is mechanically associated with an accelerator in ordinary automobile engines and the degree of opening of the throttle valve is controlled by linking it with the accelerator through a wire or the like.
On the other hand, recently, attention is paid to electronic throttle actuators for driving a throttle valve by a motor. Devices using the throttle actuator detect an amount of depression of an accelerator pedal (degree of accelerator opening) as an electric signal by a degree of accelerator opening sensor, determine a target degree of throttle opening from the degree of accelerator opening through predetermined calculation and supply a control amount corresponding to the target degree of throttle opening to the throttle actuator to thereby control the opening/closing of the throttle valve.
Since this type of the electronic throttle actuators can realize a high engine control capability as well as improve the safety of automobiles, they are used to automobile traction control, constant speed traveling control, idle speed control (generally, referred to as ISC) and so on.
For example, the ISC (idle speed control) which is typical in engine control is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-49112. In this case, an idle rotation speed is controlled to a predetermined speed in accordance with a water temperature and an electric load by regulating an amount of air flowing through a bypass.
That is, the apparatus disclosed in the publication disposes the bypass which bypasses a throttle valve to a throttle chamber and regulates the area of the bypass by an actuator to thereby regulate the amount of air flowing through the bypass. The apparatus also realizes a first idle function by disposing an air regulator to the bypass.
However, a cost is increased in this type of the apparatus because auxiliary devices such as the bypass, its flow amount control means and so on are required.
To cope with the above problem, there is proposed a method of realizing the ISC and first idle control functions by improving a control resolving power in idle operation as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-101550.
The apparatus disclosed in the publication feeds back a degree of throttle opening by comparing it with a target degree of throttle opening by amplifying the gain of a degree of throttle opening sensor in the low opening region thereof which detects the degree of opening of a throttle actuator.
Conventionally, when the ISC is carried out using the electronic throttle actuator, since it is required to control an engine speed with a pinpoint accuracy, a resolving power in the control of the degree of throttle opening is a problem. This is because that since the throttle valve is designed to cause an automobile engine to generate a maximum output when it is entirely opened (a passage area is maximized), a control amount corresponding to a maximum flow amount when the throttle valve is entirely opened must be calculated as well as a control amount corresponding to a fine degree of throttle opening must be also calculated when a small amount of air flow is controlled in the ISC.
Therefore, the ISC having a pinpoint accuracy can be realized by the throttle actuator based on a control amount calculated by amplifying the gain of a signal detected by the degree of throttle opening sensor in a low opening region and improving a calculation control accuracy in a region where an amount of air flow is small in the ISC.
In this case, however, since the throttle control accuracy is improved using the degree of throttle opening sensor which has the high gain only in the SIC region as described above, the high accuracy region is narrow and a special electronic device must be added to amplify the gain, by which a cost is also increased a circuit is made complex.
Further, recently, although a high accuracy is required not only in the region where an amount of air flow is small but also in an entire region as the use of the throttle actuator, controllability in the region where an amount of air flow is large cannot be improved in, for example, the traction control, the constant speed control and the like.
As described above, conventional engine controllers have a problem that a cost is increased because the apparatus disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-49112 must be provided with the bypass, the flow control means thereof and the like across the throttle valve.
Further, the apparatus disclosed, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-101550 also has a problem that a cost is also increased because the circuit device for amplifying the low level signal from the degree of throttle opening sensor to realize the control and calculation of the high resolving power in the region where the degree of throttle opening is small.
An object of the present invention made to solve the above problems is to provide a high speed engine controller having a pinpoint accuracy at a low cost without using an expensive A/D converter having a high resolving power in the control of a throttle actuator which does not use a bypass.


An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet ink capable of suppressing bleeding and excellent in color developability, a method of producing the ink with an aid of a unit preferable in terms of economy and environmental protection, and an ink jet recording method providing an image which can suppress the occurrence of bleeding and which is excellent in color developability. The ink jet ink comprises water, coloring materials, and a water-soluble organic solvent, in which the coloring materials comprise at least one dye selected from the group consisting of C.I. Direct Yellow 86, C.I. Acid Yellow 23, C.I. Direct Yellow 173, C.I. Direct Yellow 132, and C.I. Direct Yellow 59, and C.I. Pigment Yellow 74; the water-soluble organic solvent comprises a poor medium for C.I. Pigment Yellow 74; and a surface tension of the ink is 34.0 mN/m or more.

An ink jet recording method is a recording method involving applying an ink droplet to any one of recording media such as plain paper and glossy media to form an image, and had become rapidly widespread owing to a reduction in its cost and an improvement in its recording rate. With the rapid spread of a digital camera in addition to an improvement in quality of an image recorded by the method, the method has been generally used as a method of outputting an image comparable to silver salt photography. Under the circumstances, in order to provide a recorded matter meeting the needs of the times, ideas have been proposed for not only, of course, the properties of ink for use in the ink jet recording method but also the properties of a coloring material.
A coloring material for use in an ink jet yellow ink is expected to migrate hardly, that is, to cause a change in color tone of an image and the color fading of the image hardly. There has been proposed the use of C.I. Direct Yellow 86 or C.I. Direct Yellow 173 as a dye having such property (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H02-233781 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H04-233975).
In addition, a pigment inferior to a dye in color developability but excellent in, for example, the water resistance of an image has been used as a coloring material. In particular, the color developability of C.I. Pigment Yellow 74 is excellent as compared to that of any other pigment having a yellow hue. Therefore, there have been a large number of proposals concerning the use of C.I. Pigment Yellow 74 as a coloring material for the yellow ink (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-199811 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-281952). Furthermore, there has been proposed the combined use of a dye and a pigment as coloring materials for the purpose of improving the storage stability and color developability of ink (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S60-45667).

Ink jet ink, method of producing ink jet ink, ink jet recording method, ink cartridge, and yellow ink


A mowing machine with a self propelled carriage for riding with steering front and powered rear wheels with a mowing cutter structure with three mower decks transversely distributed and suspended from the carriage between front and rear wheels, each deck with a vertical spindle carrying a cutter blade. The center deck is suspended from the carriage for vertical lift and adjustment with an outboard deck supported by hinges on each of its sides for up and down pivoting to follow ground contour, for individual power tilting for brush trimming, clearing of obstacles, and to narrow the plan form for transport. A transverse rear axle has a differential with a forwardly extending housing carrying, in series, a carriage drive speed change transmission, a carriage drive clutch, an input drive gear driven from an overhead engine, a mower control clutch, and a triple power head with three gear connected projecting power take-off shafts. The three mower spindles are each carried by a right angle gear head connected by flexible, telescoping, drive shafts, each connected to one of the power take-off shafts.

Self propelled, engine driven, riding mowers have been in use for several decades. In the last twenty .years evolution has stabilized to provide the domestic lawn mower, mowers with the cutters forward of carriage wheels, cutters trailing carriage wheels, and specialized mowers such as those on booms extending from wheeled carriages. Domestic lawn mowers are ideally suited to small tracts having gradual grade changes but they cannot negotiate rough terrain to gain access to areas suitable for their operation. Mowers with the cutters ahead of the carriage wheels have no peers for maneuverability and work well around trees in parkways and the like. They do require constant operator attention to terrain changes. They do not negotiate rough terrain very well, especially with cutters suspended rather than riding on limiter skids that prevent scalping turf, Mowers with the cutters trailing the carriage are awkward for the operator to observe and they will negotiate rough terrain for access to operational areas, they endanger operators and observers that the operator cannot constantly monitor, Additionally, they have evolved around the common agricultural tractor which is commonly quite heavy compared with a carriage required to manage the mowing machinery. Further, the massiveness of the tractor requires a robust cutter frame to withstand the inevitable impact involving the tractor inertia, Specialized mowers serve a purpose in mowing areas no carriage can access and, if there, could not operate because of congestion and severe grade change. They are small area necessities.
The mower construction art has evolved to usually define mower structure with at least one vertical spindle carrying a cutter blade in a rigid housing as a mower deck, therefore, that definition will be used herein and the mower assembly hingedly connecting three rigid, blade carrying, cutter decks will be regarded as an assembly of three independent decks. The upper plane of a deck is generally above and parallel to the mowed plane.
There is a need for a mowing machine that will negotiate terrain too rough for mowing operation yet work efficiently on large areas once accessed. For overall economic reasons the, entire machine needs a balanced concept providing self-propelled transport with cutter and carriage ruggedized only to the extent the purpose requires. Additionally, the drive system for all powered components needs simplification rather than adaptation of existing systems not ideally suiting the purpose.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mowing machine with a carriage suitable for on-road and off-road self transport, with a high lift cutter system that will fold to legal width for road transport.
It is another object of this invention to provide a mowing machine with a simplified drive system for both mowing machinery and the carriage, with easy maintainability, that is usable on reasonably rough terrain.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide hinged assembly of mower decks to permit a wide cutting swath to generally follow rolling terrain.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a mowing machine with a hinged assembly of mower decks that will tilt at the hinges while keeping the cutter blades above the cutting plane of a selected deck.
It is still another object of this invention to provide mower cutting blades with the tips upturned with a radius that originates at the center of rotation of hinges that control the tilting movement of the tilted deck structure.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of this specification, including the attached claims and appended drawings


A video application executing on a client device allows a user to modify video data captured by the client device. The video application allows the user to transmit the video data to a viewing client device for presentation to a viewing user. For example, the video application transmits the video data to an online system, which transmits the video data to the viewing client device. The viewing user provides a request to modify the video data to the viewing client device, which transmits the request to the online system. Based on the request from the viewing client device, the online system identifies a modification to the video data to the client device, which modifies the captured video data accordingly. The modified video data is provided from the client device to the viewing client device via the online system.

This disclosure relates generally to obtaining video data by a client device, and more specifically to an augmenting video data obtained by the client device with additional content when a viewing client device renders the video data.
Users of client devices increasingly capture video data via image capture devices included in various client devices and share the captured video with other users. For example, through an application associated with an online system executing on a client device, a user of the client device distributes video data captured via the client device, or otherwise obtained via the client device, to other users of the online system. To encourage user engagement, many applications allow a user of the client device to modify video data obtained by the client device and subsequently present the modified video data.
For example, various applications allow users to apply filters to video data obtained by a client device or to overlay text or images onto portions of video data obtained by the client device. However, conventional applications for modifying video data receive modifications to the video data from a user of the client device from which the video was obtained. This limits modification of the obtained video data to a particular user, namely the user of the client device capturing the video. If the obtained video data is presented to other users, the other users are unable to modify the video data, and are limited to viewing modifications of the video data initiated by the user who captured the video data.

Modifying video data captured by a client device based on a request received by a different client device receiving the captured video data


A nondestructive noninvasive device and method for testing printed circuit boards (PCBs) through the utilization of a liquid crystal material which visually images the electric fields of the PCBs. Circuit faults resulting in a change of current flow in a PCB produce recognizable changes in observed electric fields. The present invention may be used in a stand-alone mode or as a supplement to other testing techniques.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of testing electronic devices and more particularly, to a system and method for fault detection of printed circuit boards (PCB's) by imaging their electric field distribution.
2. Description of Prior Art
The testing and repairing of PCBs has become an increasingly complex task. To test and repair circuits, fault isolation measurements must often be made at interior points on a PCB, inaccessible from the PCB's edge connectors or other standard circuit connection points. Direct contact (bed of nails) testers have classically been used to test these internal points, however, such testers impose large localized stresses on boards adversely affecting their lifetime. Additionally, customized nail beds are required for each size and shape of PCB tested. In the case of PCBs with protective layers of plastic, the coating must be destroyed before direct contact testing can be carried out.
As the circuit density and number of printed circuit layers of PCBs increase, the efficiency and practical use of direct contact testers for fault isolation diminishes.
Various methods are known for noninvasive nondestructive technique for PCB testing. One method involves scanning the PCB with an infrared camera. By this method thermal images of working circuit boards may be generated and faults resulting in changes to power distribution are clearly visible. A problem with this method is that any failure which does not result in a change in component temperature cannot be seen. Open signal lines and digital circuit gate failures generally do not change the power dissipation and thus are not detectable by this method.
Another method of noninvasive nondestructive testing, limited to the testing of individual components, utilizes liquid crystals. A single integrated chip is coated with a surfactant solution. A drop of liquid crystal material is placed on the chip. A thin glass cover plate is treated with surfactant solution and lowered onto the drop. Operation of the integrated circuit in the chip causes electric field induced birefringence in the liquid crystal. As a result, a refractive index pattern is produced in the liquid crystal which mirrors the pattern of the electric fields and temperatures at the surface of the integrated circuit. This testing method is described in D. J. Channin, "Liquid-Crystal Technique for Observing Integrated Circuit Operation," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. ED-21, pp. 650-652, October 1974, which is incorporated herein.
An apparatus and method is needed for testing an entire PCB which has the benefits of the visualization of component operation provided by the use of liquid crystals and the speed of operation provided by direct contact testers.

Liquid crystal electric field tester for circuit boards


Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: obtaining a set of compute nodes, a set of data nodes, and a set of edges between compute nodes and data nodes; determining an assignment objective to be achieved in assigning compute nodes from the set of compute nodes to data nodes from the set of data nodes; applying an algorithm associated with the assignment objective to obtain a set of assignments based on a plurality of costs associated with the set of edges; and assigning a compute node of the set of compute nodes to a data node of the set of data nodes based on the set of assignments.

Many cloud operators currently host cloud services using a few large data centers, providing a relatively centralized operation. In such systems, a requestor may request the use of one or more resources from a cloud controller which may, in turn, allocate the requested resources from the data center for use by the requestor. This centralized operation, however, may not be well suited for hosting various types of applications, such as those with strict delay or reliability requirements.
Distributed data center architectures, on the other hand, provide a larger number of smaller data centers that may be geographically distributed. The data centers may remain under the control of one or more cloud controllers through a network such as the Internet or carrier networks. Under such a distributed system, the effects of network propagation delay may be reduced by providing cloud resources that are closer to a requestor in terms of geographic or network distance than a centralized cloud may be able to provide.
In various applications, a cloud may provision compute nodes, such as virtual machines, to process data stored by data nodes within the cloud. It may not always be possible, however, to guarantee that such data nodes will be local to the compute nodes processing the data. For example, a compute node may be located on a different server or rack in the data center of the data node, or may be located in a different data center from the data node. In such a case, issues such as propagation delay and bandwidth may further impact the communication latency between data nodes and compute nodes or between multiple computer nodes cooperating to perform a processing task.

Optimizing latencies in cloud systems by intelligent compute node placement


An image processing apparatus that is capable of being instructed to power off, by a power switch or a command from an external apparatus, and is capable of executing the restart thereof under appropriate conditions. When power-off is instructed, shutdown is started. Upon completion of the shutdown, if the power switch is on, and at the same time the power-off has been instructed by the power switch of the apparatus, the restart of the apparatus is executed, whereas upon completion of the shutdown, if the power-off has been instructed by a command from the external apparatus, the restart of the apparatus is not executed.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that is capable of being instructed to power off by a command from an external apparatus, and a method of controlling the same.
Description of the Related Art
Some information processing apparatuses execute shutdown thereof upon turn-off of a power switch thereof, to thereby stop supply of electric power thereto.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-073220 discloses a shutdown control method of starting shutdown upon turn-off of a power switch, and checking a state of the power switch upon completion of the shutdown process. In the shutdown control method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-073220, as a result of the check, if the power switch is off, the supply of electric power to the information processing apparatus is stopped, whereas if the power switch is on, the restart of the information processing apparatus is executed.
On the other hand, there has been disclosed a technique for turning off the power of the information processing apparatus by a command from an external apparatus connected thereto e.g. via a network.
However, when the above-mentioned technique is applied to the shutdown control method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-073220, the following problem occurs: When the power of the information processing apparatus is turned off by a command from the external apparatus, since the power switch remains on, the restart of the information processing apparatus is executed against an operator's will.

Information processing apparatus capable of being instructed to power off by a command from external apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium


A semiconductor memory system includes: a semiconductor memory device to store a codeword; and a low-density parity check (LDPC) decoder to decode the codeword, based on a parity check matrix, to generate a decoded codeword, wherein the LDPC decoder includes: a selector to select one or more sub-matrices that share the same layer index of the parity check matrix, and select variable nodes corresponding to columns included in the selected one or more sub-matrices based on a threshold value and a number of unsatisfied check nodes (UCNs) connected to the selected variable nodes; a variable node updater to update decision values of variable nodes corresponding to all columns included in the parity check matrix; a syndrome checker to determine whether decoding the codeword has been performed successfully or not; and a check node updater to update a backup syndrome, the threshold value, and a size of a processing unit.

In general, semiconductor memory devices are classified into volatile memory devices (e.g., Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and Static RAM (SRAM)) and non-volatile memory devices (e.g., Read Only Memory (ROM), Mask ROM (MROM), Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable PROM (EPROM), Electrically EPROM (EEPROM), Ferromagnetic RAM (FRAM), Phase change RAM (PRAM), Magnetic RAM (MRAM), Resistive RAM (RRAM) and flash memory.)
A volatile memory device loses the data stored therein when power supply thereto is interrupted, whereas a non-volatile memory device retains data stored therein even when power supply thereto is interrupted. Flash memory devices are widely used as a storage medium in a computer system because of its high program speed, low power consumption and large data storage capacity.

LDPC decoder, semiconductor memory system, and operating method thereof


A method and apparatus for improved control of ice-crystal formation in solid and semi-solid organic materials during freezing in a bath containing a cruciferous-oil slush is disclosed. Ribbon racks are used both to separate the items being frozen from each other and to efficiently distribute the items across the bath. This separation and distribution of the items in a ribbon improves control of the rate of freezing by preventing brine shock when the items are immersed in the brine and preventing cumulative localized thermal exhaustion during the freezing process. The ribbon rack freezing apparatus is adjustable to accommodate the variations in dwell times and flow rates required by different materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly directed to systems for the preservation of organic material by freezing. More particularly, the present invention pertains to systems using fluids for freezing organic materials that have solid or semi-solid components.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Fish and meat products are conventionally frozen by direct contact with chilled surfaces or immersion in brines containing calcium chloride and/or ethylene or propylene glycols, or immersion in the more expensive liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide. These processes result a in loss of taste and texture in these products, through improper ice crystal formation during freezing. This produces an undesirable concentration of salts in the flesh, as water crystallizes out of the flesh during freezing, and a subsequent loss of naturally-occurring flavored juices that have crystallized with the ice, upon thawing.
Portions of frozen foods that are shipped in heat-sealed plastic bags are well-known in the food industry. The portions in these bags may be scaled for commercial restaurant use as well as for use by individual families or family members. In many instances the food stuffs are vacuum-packed and ready to be heated in the bag, either in a microwave or in boiling water, and served immediately. They are very convenient because they are then ready-to-eat after heating without further preparation.
However, all conventional frozen foods are subject to some structural breakdown, breakdown caused by improper ice crystal formation in the original freezing or improper maintenance of its frozen condition while in storage. This structural breakdown is particularly objectionable in heat-sealed plastic bags containing pre-cooked, ready-to-eat foods. For example: a frozen casserole of cooked, tender stew meat and vegetables rapidly turns to mush, if improperly maintained in the frozen state. Furthermore the result of this is particularly objectionable when it occurs in individual ready-to eat portions. The ice crystals that break up the solid structure of meat and vegetables, when the item partially thaws and then is refrozen, may affect the food uniformly throughout the bag, damaging the entire portion because of the relatively small volume of each portion.
Ready-to-cook meat, vegetable and fish portions, whether raw or pre-treated by superficial searing, broiling or deepfrying are even more sensitive. They are subject to particularly serious quality degradation in the initial freezing process, as well as to the hazards of refreezing, because a greater firmness and definition of texture is expected from filets and steaks, than from pre-cooked, heat-and-eat frozen foods such as stews or sauces.
In the fisheries industry, it was discovered that the addition of cruciferous oils to conventional brines both increased the freezing rate and resulted in an increased thawing rate for fish frozen directly in brine, as discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,654,217; 4,657,768 and 4,840,035. A rapid freezing rate causes materials to freeze as a block, preventing the growth of a destructive multiplicity of ice crystals that macerates the texture of vegetable foodstuffs as well as flesh. The formation of multiple ice crystals extending radially from the center of a solid item is also believed by some to accelerate drip-related flavor losses during thawing. The rapid thawing rate exhibited by foods frozen in such brines may also prevent a subsequent damage by preventing the formation of new, potentially destructive ice-crystal structures during the intervening half-frozen/half-thawed state.
The operating range mentioned in disclosures of freezing methods using cruciferous-oil brines, -22.degree. and -48.degree. F. (-30.degree. and -44.4.degree. C.), represents the range within which various cruciferous-oil brine formulations can be maintained in the semi-liquid "slush" state. Above that range the brine lacks the necessary ice-crystal content and below that range the brines begin to become nearly solid, too stiff to transfer heat efficiently. However, we have observed that the taste as well as the texture of flesh and other organic tissues is best preserved when the brine cooling it is maintained within a rather narrow range, a range about 4.degree. F. (2.2.degree. C.) wide, during the entire freezing process. The proper set point for this narrow operating range depends on the flow rate of the brine, the volume and cross-sectional dimensions of the item and the quantity of heat stored in each, among other things. A too-fast flow or a too-cold brine is wasteful.
Control of brine-flow dynamics, as well as control of brine cooling and the temperature variations within the bath 6 that are produced by the tendency to thermal layering in laminar brine flows are critically important to maintaining the brine at the surface of the food being frozen within this narrow range to assure that the desired type of ice-crystal formation takes place. For example, 1-inch (2.54-cm) thick salmon steaks should be frozen in a cruciferous-oil brine flowing at 3 feet/minute (0.91 meters) and maintained between -37.degree. and -41.degree. F. (-38.33.degree. and -40.56.degree. C.). In contrast, 2-inch (5.08-cm) thick tuna steaks are oilier as well as thicker, so that the brine needs to be a bit colder, between -38.degree. and -42.degree. F. (-38.9.degree. and -41.1.degree. C.), but need flow only about half as fast through the bath, 1.5 to 2 feet/minute (0.46 to 0.61 meters/minute)
Basically, the interior of each block of tissue must pass must very rapidly through the -0.5.degree. to -5.0.degree. C. range where the damaging ice crystals are most likely to form. The cruciferous oil brines are advantageous for this purpose because, between -33.degree. and -46.degree. F. (-36.11.degree. and -43.33.degree. C.), they produce a conveniently fluid slush that has a relatively high specific heat, so that they are able to transfer more heat per unit volume than other brines used for this purpose. The high specific heat of this slush, representing a negative quantity of heat stored up during the formation of the slush ice crystals in the brine, allows these brines to resist the "shock" effect produced by the initial immersion of large quantities of product in the brine, which results in a localized heating that temporarily "exhausts" of the brine's ability to chill products.
On the other hand, it is also important to avoid the deterioration of cellular structure that occurs when tissues are kept at an excessively low temperature. The cross-linking of molecules and loss of hydration that occurs in the frozen state, problems often referred to collectively as "freezer burn", must be minimized. Because this also tends to limit how low the temperature of the brine can be reduced to prevent brine-shock and brine-exhaustion, it further emphasizes the importance of the high specific heat of cruciferous-oil brines.
In immersion batch-freezing systems conventionally used to freeze whole fish and cuts of raw meat, as well as vacuum-sealed ready-to-eat food portions, ice-crystal formation is poorly controlled. Individual fish or chops, or individual food bags 2, are stacked into freezer bins or piled into an ordinary basket 4 and dunked into a tank 5 holding a liquid nitrogen or brine bath 6, as shown in FIG. 1a. However, in these piles, the inner items freeze slower and, even in single-layer stacks, all items 2 freeze more slowly than they would if they were less closely packed. Furthermore, items in a pile or stack tend to freeze together, requiring separation steps that may either damage the bag or partially defrost the product, risking further damage to its texture and flavor.
The batch-processing basket 4, shown in FIG. 1, is conventionally 3.5-feet high, 3.5-feet thick and 4-feet wide (1.07 m.times.1.07 m.times.1.22 m). Adding shelves to the baskets 4 so as to lay out one layer on each shelf, provides space for a total of 288 lbs (130.64 kg.) of 12-ounce (34-gram) portions of food. Single layers provide a better-controlled rate of freezing by allowing the brine in the bath 6 to flow both over and under each item in the basket 4. However, these portions must still be loaded, unloaded and then rinsed and dried individually. This is labor-intensive and risks damage to the integrity of the bag and to the condition of the food item itself. Also, the shelf-type separators are awkward to carry during loading and unloading, but unfrozen portions may be difficult to load into slot-type separators and ice may form between the slot and the portion during the unloading process, if the ambient air is humid, sticking the portion to the slot.
Conventional brine freezing operations dump the basket 4 of frozen items into a rinse sink, to remove brine residues,and then pulls the items out one-by-one to drain and dry before packaging. In each batch, all the handling required for these processes must be completed very quickly, or under refrigeration, to prevent thawing and consequential recrystallisation. The greater amount of handling required to process small individual portions merely adds to the need for speed. Moreover, the rinse and drying time of each item must be strictly controlled, which is impossible when using a rinse sink.
Fluid-convection and surface-conduction continuous-conveyor freezing systems are used for longer runs of frozen products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,227 discloses conveyor-belt system on which each item is first carried into a freezing brine and then drained as the item emerges from the brine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,373 discloses a contact-cooling belt that eliminates the draining step. U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,914, and the '183 patent use dual-conduction in contacts between the moving items and two surfaces cooled by brine, brine contained in both a lower steel tank and an upper flexible plastic tank and each tank provides one of the contact surfaces.
In either batch or continuous processes, whenever brines are used, brine residues and brine drip are both problematic. The continuous processes in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,534,183 the ('183 patent) and 5,168,712 addressed this drip and residue problem by using a steel or plastic web interposed between the brines and material being frozen and then merely separating the web from the frozen item to avoid inconvenient, time-consuming rinsing 8a and drying 8b operations, used in the batch process shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b.


Upper and lower pairs of horizontally spaced L-shaped brackets made of steel are secured via fasteners to the rear sides of spaced apart vertical studs during the framing stage of building construction. During subsequent drywall installation the pointed ends of the perpendicularly extending strap attachment portions of each bracket penetrate the drywall and project outwardly from the studs and drywall. Upper and lower sheet metal straps, each having a sequence of equally spaced holes, are cut to length so that they can partially encircle the upper and lower third of a water heater. The terminal ends of the straps are connected to corresponding ones of the strap attachment portions of the brackets and placed under tension with bolt assemblies.

The present invention relates to plumbing in general, and more particularly, to devices used to restrain residential water heaters.
States which have a high earthquake risk require that residential water heaters be secured so that they will not tip over as a result of seismic disturbances. This prevents serious injury that a person might incur if hit by a heavy water heater falling off a raised platform. Also, if the water heater tips over, the gas line will rupture, creating a severe danger of fire and/or explosion. Hawaii has a similar requirement to secure water heaters from tipping over due to high winds.
For example, by law in California (Section 19211(a) of the Health and Safety Code) all new and replacement water heaters sold in California on or after Jul. 1, 1991, and all existing water heaters shall be braced, anchored, or strapped to resist falling or horizontal displacement due to motion induced by earthquake.
Section 510.5(e) of the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) requires that in seismic zones three and four, water heaters shall be anchored or strapped to resist horizontal displacement due to earthquake motion. According to this section, strapping shall be at points within the upper one-third and lower one-third of its vertical dimensions, and a minimum of four inches above the controls shall be maintained relative to the lower strapping.
Even before laws were enacted that mandate the anchoring of water heaters, plumbers tape has been wrapped around the top third and bottom third of a residential water heaters. The tape is then nailed to the wall studs. The studs are difficult to locate and the tensile strength of such attachments is dubious, at best.
Various products have been specially developed and commercialized for more securely anchoring residential water heaters. The QUICK STRAP 50 (Trademark) water heater restraint manufactured by HoldRite, Inc. of San Marcos, Calif. comprises upper and lower metal straps that surround the water heater. Each strap has its opposite ends connected via lag bolts through dry wall into adjacent wall studs. Each strap has two segments which have vertical slots into which are fitted U-shaped metal brackets. The brackets are pulled together by a nut and bolt assembly. The packaging for this product indicates "patent pending". A similar product with straps and tensioning buckles is sold under the trademark SPACEMAKER TS-E-25.
While the aforementioned commercial products may appear to provide some degree of restraint, they are often improperly installed and do not achieve their ultimate goal. Both products are installed after the drywall has been hung. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately locate the studs. Tapping the wall for sound or using a stud finder is tedious and prone to error. Frequently, the installer does not locate the center of the stud and/or drills the wrong size pilot hole. The lag bolt screwed into the pilot hole may thus not provide the desired tensile strength. Worse yet, a building inspector cannot check for correct anchoring with these devices. Frequently, the installer drills a number of test holes, requiring subsequent spackling and painting. In addition, both the aforementioned commercial products include up to sixteen feet of strap to accommodate various mounting configurations, and much of this strap ends up being wasted.

System and method for restraining water heaters from tipping over due to earthquake or severe winds


The present invention discloses a method and control system for monitoring plurality of equipment in industrial plant connected over SNMP based network. Each of plurality of equipment is associated with a server which is communicatively connected with client. One or more equipment which are capable of reporting monitoring objects are identified using a configuration file. Further, polling for monitoring objects based on capability data associated with one or more equipment is performed. Secure configuration of plurality of equipment in SNMP based network is achieved. Management of network traffic is performed. Unauthorized extraction of monitoring objects is reduced in the network.

Industrial plants such as power plants, cement plants, refineries and so on, include plurality of process equipment used for physical or chemical methods for mechanical or thermal treatment or for processing raw material or product in the industrial plant. The plurality of process equipment may include, but is not limited to, turbines, pumps, motors, fans, compressors, boilers, heat exchangers and so on.
In an internet domain, SNMP may be most widely used network monitoring protocol for monitoring health of network equipment or devices. For example, IEC 62351-7, an international standard also recommends SNMP to perform health monitoring of power system. The SNMP based health monitoring requires initialization and configuration of equipment in the network. Such initialization and configuration may impact embedded equipment of the network and their commissioning process. It is required that the SNMP configuration process must be secure in the network.
The SNMP is based on a client-server model where the server of the SNMP based network typically resides on the equipment and the client of the SNMP based network is part of an SNMP monitoring application. The client polls and acquires status values of data that is to be monitored from the equipment. The data may be status values of different types of equipment in the network and may include information such as incoming network traffic, CPU load and so on. In the SNMP based network, the data to be monitored is represented as monitoring objects, and the SNMP monitoring application polls and obtains the status values of such monitoring objects. For example, consider first equipment and second equipment in a network need to report status of a digital certificate serial number used for a secure communication and number of redundant power supplies in the SNMP based network, for the monitoring. The first equipment is enabled to communicate using a secure communication such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. However, consider the second equipment is not configured to communicate in the secure communication. Such second equipment may not use a digital certificate. As a result, the second equipment only has capability to report the number of redundant power supplies. Therefore, if the client of the SNMP keeps polling the digital certificate serial number from both the first equipment and the second equipment, the client may not receive monitoring object from the second equipment. For large number of equipment like the second equipment, such pooling may result in a large number of network messages yielding no monitoring values. This unnecessary traffic is inefficient and may consume network bandwidth in an industrial domain. Since any industrial system is a heterogeneous environment composed of legacy (non-SNMP) and future (SNMP enabled) equipment. Such unnecessary network traffic load can also occur if the client starts polling an equipment which is a non-SNMP supported equipment.
Further, configuration of SNMP User-based Security Model (USM) in the SNMP based network requires each and every SNMP supported equipment to be configured manually with USM security credentials. Each equipment in the network may be associated with their respective username and password. Manual configuration of each of the equipment may lead to errors and may be cumbersome when fleets of such SNMP supported equipment grow in number. Most importantly, whoever is configuring the SNMP supported equipment with their security credentials must be a trusted entity. If a rogue entity configures the equipment, an attacker may be able to monitor all health information of that equipment. This information may be very useful when preparing for subsequent attacks.

Method and control system for monitoring plurality of equipment in SNMP based network


A system for monitoring one or more patients has: i) a number of temperature sensors for attachment to the outer surface of an absorbent article at spaced locations for generating a number of signals indicative of the temperature measurements at such locations; ii) a transmitter for communicating the signals to a processor; iii) wherein the processor is provided with computer code which, when executed, determines whether a urination or defecation event has occurred in the absorbent article based on the temperature measurements; and iv) a display for displaying the urination or defecation event to a care-giver. An accelerometer can also be used to provide additional information of use to the caregiver in combination with incontinence information.

It is important in many situations for medical staff, parents or attendants to be able to monitor the bodily conditions of a patient, infant or elderly person. For example, a nurse will want to know if a patient has stopped breathing or moving, or has fallen down. The cause of that condition could be an accident or an internal condition such as stroke, heart attack, diabetic condition etc. which could be fatal if there is no immediate care. It may also be important to know if there is wetness in the patient's diaper and whether it has been soiled, whether a patient with wounds has been regularly turned, whether the patient's body temperature exceeds a certain value and if the environmental temperature is in a normal comfortable range. The position or orientation of the patient or infant in bed, if he or she stands up, or lays down, how much he or she moved in bed or standing up, how many steps were taken and how long they were, what is the oxygen concentration in his or her blood, pulse and blood pressure—these are all factors which may be significant to the health care attendant. The problem of an elderly patient or infant wandering is similarly of high significance. In that case it is important for the care-giver to know where infant or patient is at any moment, when he/she stood up and started walking or running, and through which door the patient passed. If the patient went out of the facility it is important to know his/her global position.
Existing monitoring systems do not permit a nurse, care-giver or attendant to monitor all of these factors through one interface. Separate diaper wetness monitors which detect wetness, separate temperature monitors or oxygen and pulse monitors or blood pressure monitors are known but not integrated. Existing systems generally do not monitor patient positions nor issue an alarm and record if the patient does not move at all, falls, arouses, if the patient sits or moves, when that happened and how much movement there was. Nor do existing systems monitor how many times a patient or infant urinates or defecates. They do not monitor and record how many steps and what speed or direction a patient took and distance walked, nor detection of the doors a patient went through, or exact location in a building or global positioning. There is therefore also a need for a monitoring system which can detect, monitor and report multiple events and conditions such as the foregoing to a single interface.
Various systems are known for monitoring the diapers of infants or incontinent patients in health care facilities to detect urination or defecation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,222 to Kawarizadeh et al. discloses a detector for detecting wetness conditions in diapers using a capacitive sensor in a housing attached to the exterior surface of the garment being monitored. If a wetness condition is detected a signal is transmitted to a central monitoring station. U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,053 to Roe et al. discloses a diaper which has an electrical sensor to detect signals that correlate to an impending elimination of bodily waste. U.S. Pat. No. 7,977,529 to Bergman et al. discloses an incontinence management system for monitoring wetness events in the diapers of multiple patients. The sensors in such system are located within the diaper so the diapers in such system are designed for use for only a few days as the sensors only last for one incontinent event. The present inventor has also disclosed in United States published patent application Publication no. 2005/0195085 a wireless monitoring system having a number of sensors which attach to a diaper.
A problem with previous systems is that their useful life is limited to detecting only one urination or defecation event. Since typically such monitors use sensors that are inside the diaper, once the diaper is wet or soiled, for example, subsequent events cannot be detected. There is therefore a need for a monitoring system in which the diaper is useful for more than one incontinence event. There is also a need for a monitoring system which can detect, monitor and report multiple events of urination or defecation without the diaper or other garment having been changed. There is a further need for a system in which the attendant can determine how many incontinence events have occurred in the diaper, the volume of such events, how long since the last event and how frequent the events are. There is a further need for systems for monitoring incontinence which can be used in wound management.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Multifunctional medical monitoring system


In a saddle-type vehicle, a first mudguard member is made from resin, and a second mudguard member, made from resin, is a separate component from the first mudguard member. The second mudguard member is attached to the first mudguard member below the first mudguard member. A head of a bolt is sandwiched between the first mudguard member and the second mudguard member. A male screw of the bolt protrudes upward from the first mudguard member. A plurality of nuts, each mutually separate components, include a locking mechanism. The plurality of nuts are tightened onto the male screws of the bolts above an attaching portion to secure a mudguard unit to the attaching portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to saddle type vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are saddle-type vehicles equipped with mudguards. For example, the motorcycle described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-54335 is equipped with a second rear fender, which acts as a mudguard, and the second rear fender is attached at the rear of the vehicle.
There is a concern that a mudguard has less rigidity when the mudguard is made of resin. However, a highly rigid mudguard is preferable because the mudguard is cantilevered when installed on the vehicle body.
The rigidity of the mudguard may be improved by constructing the mudguard from a plurality of segments. However, there is a concern that the ease of assembly declines when the mudguard is divided into a plurality of segments. Thus, in terms of ease of assembly, the mudguard is preferably attached to or removed from the vehicle body in one piece even if the mudguard is constructed from a plurality of segments.
Moreover, nuts and bolts are generally used to attach a mudguard to a vehicle body. In a nut-and-bolt configuration, a plurality of nuts may be welded to a stay or the like, and the combined assembly is attached to the mudguard. When this kind of combined assembly is used, a bolt is threaded into a nut using a tool. Furthermore, a nut with a locking mechanism is desired to attach the mudguard to the vehicle body. However, the locking mechanism cannot be used in the above-described configuration where the plurality of nuts are welded to a stay because the locking mechanism would be affected by heat during welding, thus the nuts would need to be attached separately. If the nuts are attached separately beneath the vehicle body, a tool used to hold or turn the nuts needs to have access to the nuts from below. However, the rear wheel situated beneath the mudguard blocks access to the nuts.


A wire winding and tying machine useful in the winding of steel wire strands or the like includes a tie stock dispenser that delivers a pre cut length of tie stock to a platform. A hanking unit picks up the tie stock and delivers it to a position above pre wound strands. The hanking unit includes rockable arms that press the tie stock ends about the wound strands to a position to engage a twister that winds the tie stock about the strands.

The present invention, relates to improvements in wire winding and tying machines, wherein electrical wire strands and other similar materials are automatically wound or reeled into hanks and individually tied.
Various types of tying and hanking apparatus have enjoyed commercial success. Compressing a wound hank for subsequent tying is seen in Hanscom U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,264 and McIntyre U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,701. Tying devices are seen in Hanscom U.S. Pat Nos. 3,480,220 and 4,466,227. Of critical importance is the reliability of such devices and the speed that they operate.
A primary goal of the present invention is to provide the gripping clamp of the wound hanks close to the hanking device which is provided with magnets to hold the tying wires, and clamping arms that grip the hank and displace the ends of the tying wires to engage a twister located below the winding plate into which are fitted winding fingers.

Wire winding and tying machine with magnetized hanking head


The present application discloses electric field measurement device for measuring electric field of a target. Electric field measurement device includes optical waveguide which transmits transmission light, electrode portion, which gives optical characteristics of optical waveguide periodic variation, antenna for setting first state, in which electric field is coupled to optical waveguide, and second state, in which electric field is disconnected from optical waveguide, detector which detects light intensity of emission light emitted from optical waveguide, and applicator which applies voltage to electrode portion to give periodic variation. Applicator includes setting portion, which sets reference voltage in correspondence to light intensity under the second state, and output portion, which outputs voltage in correspondence to difference between reference voltage and induced voltage happening to electrode portion under first state.

An electric field measurement device detects an electric field and generates electrical signals representing intensity of the electric field. The electric field measurement device may be used for various applications. For example, an electric field measurement device may be utilized as a human body communication device which performs data communication between wearable computers. An electric field measurement device may be utilized as a basic element of an electroencephalograph, which measures brain activity of a subject such as a human or animal, or another measurement device, which detects biological processes. The electric field measurement device utilized as an electroencephalograph may be situated outside the body of a subject to detect a resultant variation in an electric field from brain activity. It may be important qualities for these applications that the electric field measurement device has high sensitivity, a small size and high resistance to impact.
An electric field measurement device may include an electro-optic crystal. The electric field measurement device applies an electric field to the electro-optic crystal to induce an electro-optic (EO) effect. The electric field measurement device may use the electro-optic effect to detect an electric field in a non-contact manner.
As a result of the electro-optic effect, there is a change in optical characteristics of the electro-optic crystal such as a refractive index. A user using the electric field measurement device changes the refractive index of the electro-optic crystal and causes light to enter the electro-optic crystal. A phase of the light is changed in the electro-optic crystal. A change in intensity or phase of emission light emitted from the electro-optic crystal is electrically detected.
The electric field measurement device utilizing the electro-optic effect optically transmits detection signals representing a detected electric field. Therefore, the detection signals are less susceptible to induction or electrical noise. Since the electro-optic effect of the electro-optic crystal is utilized, the electric field measurement device may be responsive. In addition, the electric field measurement device may transmit the detection signals with little loss.
A resultant change in refractive index from the electro-optic effect is slight. Therefore, some of conventional electric field measurement devices, which use the electro-optic effect, utilize a phase change in light entering a non-linear optical crystal with the electro-optic effect. Other conventional electric field measurement devices may utilize an interferometer to improve sensitivity (c.f. Patent Documents 1 to 3).
Conventional electric field measurement devices are likely to be susceptible to environmental changes. Or, it is required that complex structures are incorporated into a conventional electric field measurement device in order to make the conventional electric field measurement device less susceptible to environmental changes.
Patent Document 1: JP 2003-98205 A
Patent Document 2: JP H07-151804 A
Patent Document 3: JP H11-194146 A

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