Various embodiments are disclosed relating to the use of timing or timing-related information for handling aggregated frames in a wireless network. According to an example embodiment, a plurality of frames may be received. An aggregated frame may be generated based on the plurality of received frames. A transmission lifetime for the aggregated frame may be determined based on a transmission lifetime of one or more of the received frames. In another example embodiment, a transmit timer may be determined for the aggregated frame, for example, based on the transmit timer for one or more of the received frames.

The rapid diffusion of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access and the increasing demand for WLAN coverage is driving the installation of a very large number of Access Points (AP). A variety of other wireless networks have been installed, such as cellular and other wireless networks. Some wireless networks are based upon the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of industry specifications, such as specifications for IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and IEEE 802.11a, etc. A number of working groups are working to improve on this technology or family of specifications.
A High Throughput WLAN standard known as IEEE 802.11n has proposed a media access control (MAC) frame aggregation technique to aggregate multiple MAC service data units (MSDUs or MAC data frames). Multiple MAC frames or MSDUs, e.g., having a same destination address, may be aggregated together into a single MSDU (A-MSDU), with additional fields inserted into the resulting aggregated frame. In this manner, additional efficiency may be obtained by eliminating some duplicative overhead for the multiple MSDUs. The Enhanced Wireless Consortion (EWC) has proposed a similar MAC aggregation in the EWC High Throughput (HT) MAC Specification, V1.0, Sep. 12, 2005.
In addition, a draft specification from the IEEE 802.11e Task Group has proposed a set of QoS parameters to be used for traffic delivery between an Access Point (AP) and a station in a wireless network. Under the 802.11e draft specification, different channel access mechanisms are proposed, including a contention based channel access and a polled based channel access. According to the 802.11e draft specification, Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA), for example, provides a contention based channel access mechanism that differentiates between different traffic classes (Access Categories or AC). According to EDCA, a different set of parameters (such as a contention window size or CW and a minimum period of time to sense an idle medium before transmitting) may be provided for each AC. By using a different set of access and contention parameters for each access category (AC), this may change the probability of obtaining or contending for access to the channel to favor higher priority ACs (traffic classes).
Different types of traffic may have different delay requirements. For example, best-efforts traffic may not have strict delay requirements. However, other types of traffic, such as conversational services (e.g., voice over IP or VoIP) may have stricter delay requirements since frames may typically not be played after their playout or delay time.
The 802.11e draft specification also provides a transmit timer for each MAC frame (or MSDU). A wireless node (e.g., wireless station or access point) may maintain a transmit timer for each received MAC frame or MSDU. A parameter known as MSDULifetime (or Lifetime) may indicate a maximum transmission delay over air interface frame delivery, from wireless node 1 to wireless node 2, for a traffic stream or AC. The transmit timer may be set or started when a frame is received at the MAC. According to the 802.11e draft specification, if the value of the transmit timer for the frame or MSDU exceeds the Lifetime (or delay bound), then the frame is discarded without further attempt to deliver the frame.
However, current proposals do not specify how the frame aggregation mechanisms may relate to or operate with the Lifetime values or with different access categories (ACs).

Use of timing information for handling aggregated frames in a wireless network


A droplet discharge method includes performing a plurality of scans in which a discharge head and a substrate are scanned relative to each other, discharging droplets of a plurality of types of functional liquid from the discharge head onto a plurality of prescribed portions on the substrate that are arranged in a matrix while the discharge head and the substrate are scanned. The discharging of the droplets includes discharging the droplets onto the prescribed portions over the plurality of scans so that centers of newly discharged droplets are made to land at one of positions that overlap with centers of landing positions of the droplets already discharged to the prescribed portions and positions that are offset in a row direction and in a column direction of the matrix from the centers of the landing positions of the droplets already discharged to the prescribed portions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a droplet discharge method, an electro-optical device, and an electronic device.
2. Related Art
The droplet discharge head of an inkjet printer is able to discharge microscopic ink droplets in the form of dots, which affords extremely high precision in terms of the uniformity of the size and pitch of the ink droplets. This technology has been applied to the manufacture of many different products, such as electro-optical devices. For instance, it can be applied in the formation of a film for the light-emitting components of organic EL display devices or the color filter layers of liquid crystal devices.
More specifically, a droplet discharge head is filled with a special ink, a photosensitive resin liquid, or another such functional liquid, and droplets of this functional liquid are discharged onto prescribed portions provided on a substrate. The Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-267927 is an example of related art. A number of different colors are usually formed in the light-emitting components or color filters used in modern electro-optical devices, and a plurality of types of functional liquid are discharged onto the substrate, each by a different device, one at a time.
When the apparatus discussed in the above mentioned reference is used, however, since a plurality of types of functional liquid are discharged onto the substrate by different devices one at a time, the overall discharge ends up taking a long time. In view of this, the idea was conceived to discharge all types of functional liquid with a single device in order to shorten the discharge time.
Also, the prescribed portions disposed on the substrate usually have a larger volume than the droplets of functional liquid, and cannot be fully filled with functional liquid in a single scan, so scanning is performed a number of times. A known method employed in these multiple scans is to have newly arriving droplets land in regions in between the droplets of functional liquid that have landed on the prescribed portions, and thereby cover up the bottom surface of the prescribed portions.
However, precise control is necessary to adjust the landing positions in order to have the newly arriving droplets land accurately in between the droplets of functional liquid as discussed above, and in actual practice this is exceedingly difficult. Also, when the above method is employed, the landing position is limited to just a small portion of the discharge region, and the landed droplets do not spread out sufficiently, so the droplets end up being disposed unevenly. When this happens, the film of functional liquid that is formed is not uniform, and this leads to inconsistent display in an electro-optical device, for example.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved droplet discharge method, an improved electro-optical device, and an improved electronic device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

Droplet discharge method, electro-optical device, and electronic device


A paging indicator deciding method of a mobile communication terminal in which a threshold value for deciding a paging indicator is variably set according to a SNR of a pilot channel. If the SNR of the pilot channel is in a range that a false alarm rate (FAR) has a large value, the mobile terminal determines a threshold value so that it can have the greatest value in a range that a miss probability (MP) does not exceed the standard value. If the SNR of the pilot channel is not in the range that the SNR has the large value, the mobile terminal determines a threshold value to obtain the smallest MP in a range that the FAR is not further increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paging indicator deciding method of a mobile terminal, and more particularly to variably setting a threshold value used to determine whether or not a paging indicator indicates a page message exists.
2. Background of the Related Art
One method for reducing a standby time (battery usage time) of mobile terminals is referred to as a slotted mode. In this example, a base station transmits information to a corresponding mobile terminal at a predetermined time (a corresponding slot). The mobile terminal then switches from a sleep mode (sleep state) to an idle mode (idle state) at the corresponding slot time to determine and checks whether or not there is information being transmitted to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal operates in the sleep mode for times other than the slotted times.
Further, to page the mobile terminal, a mobile communication system transmits a page message in a corresponding slot of a paging channel. Also transmitted is a page indicator indicating the existence or non-existence of a page message. Accordingly, the mobile terminal periodically switches from the sleep mode to the idle mode to search for the paging indicator. If the paging indicator indicates the existence of the page message, the mobile terminal receives and demodulates the page message.
In addition, the mobile terminal does not immediately demodulate the page message at each corresponding time slot, but rather searches the paging indicator to determine if the page message needs to be demodulated. Thus, because the time slot for the page message has a length of, for example, 20 ms, and the paging indicator only has a length of, for example, 1 ms, processing of the page message is reduced.
Further, two paging indicators are generally transmitted in one slot and the mobile terminal demodulates one of the two paging indicators to decide whether the paging indicator is '0', '1', or 'erasure' (1). Turning now to FIG. 1, which illustrates a method for demodulating the page message.
The determination of a paging indicator to be '0' means that the paging indicator has not been transmitted. On the contrary, the determination of the paging indicator to be a '1' means that the paging indicator has been transmitted. In addition, a value of 'erasure' means determination cannot be made as to whether the paging indicator was transmitted.
Further, if the paging indicator is determined to be '0', the mobile terminal switches from the idle mode to the sleep mode (3). Meanwhile, if the paging indicator is determined to be '1' or 'erasure', the mobile terminal reads the second paging indicator (5). If the second paging indicator is determined to be '0', the mobile terminal switches to the sleep mode (3). If, however, the second paging indicator is determined to be a '1' or the 'erasure' value, the mobile terminal receives and demodulates the page message (7). In other words, if at least one of the two paging indicators is determined to '0', the mobile terminal switches to the sleep mode, and if both paging indicators are determined to be '1' or 'erasure', the mobile terminal receives and demodulates the page message from the paging channel.
Further, comparing the following paging indicator Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) estimate value (paging indicator Eb/No) and a pilot channel SNR estimate value (pilot channel Eb/No) to a threshold value may be used to determine the value of the paging indicator. The following equation illustrates such a comparison:
                                                                        1                "                            ,                                                if                                                                                PagingIndicator                                                                                E                          b                                                                          N                          o                                                                                PilotChannel                                                                                E                          b                                                                          N                          o                                                                                ≥                                  threshold                                                                                value                                                                                (                    ξ                    )                                                                                "                0                "                            ,              otherwise                                                          (        1        )
Namely, if the ratio between the paging indicator SNR estimate value and the pilot channel SNR estimate value is smaller than a threshold value (ξ), the mobile terminal determines the paging indicator to be a '0', or otherwise, the mobile terminal determines the paging indicator to be a '1'. FIG. 2 is a graph showing a relation between the above-noted threshold value, a false alarm rate (FAR) and a miss probability (MP) according to the threshold value. The FAR indicates a probability that the paging indicator is determined to be '1' or 'erasure' even though it is '0', and the MP indicates a probability that the paging indicator is determined to be '0' even through it is actually '1'.
Further, the threshold value ξ is set low to reduce the amount of MPs. However, a small threshold value ξ produces more FARs. Similarly, increasing the threshold value ξ reduces the amount of FARs, but increases the amount of MPs. In addition, receiving too many FARs results in the mobile terminal consuming more battery power by attempting to demodulate paging messages that are false alarms.

Paging indicator deciding method of mobile communication terminal


An electrically operated thermally responsive valve having a bimetal operator arm heated by an electrical resistance heater for deflection to move a resilient poppet between an open and closed position on a valve seat for controlling flow to the valve outlet port. The base or active portion of the bimetal arm is formed of a first bimetal material with linear deflection properties up to 700.degree. F. for valve operation. The outboard end or compensator portion of the bimetal arm is formed of a second bimetal material having linear deflection properties up to 300.degree. F. for ambient compensation, but very low deflection properties at valve heater temperatures in the range 300.degree. F.-700.degree. F. for minimizing overcompensation from heating of the outboard portion due to heat transfer from the active portion.

The present invention relates to electrically operated thermally actuated valves, and particularly relates to such valves which are employed for controlling the flow of gaseous fluid to a fuel burner. Thermally actuated gas valves are commonly employed in residential heating furnaces and appliances such as cooking ovens, ranges, and clothes dryers.
Thermally actuated gas valves for fuel burners for the aforementioned applications typically employ a resilient poppet mounted on the end of an arm which is deflected to close the poppet against the valve seat for controlling flow to an outlet port. The more common design employed for valves of this type utilizes bimetal material for the deflectable arm; and, an electrical resistance heating coil is energized to heat a portion of the arm to cause the bimetal to deflect as desired for opening and closing the valve.
Heretofore, gas burner valves employing a bimetal arm for mounting the valve poppet have also been configured to have a portion of the poppet arm constructed with the bimetal material reversed to provide deflection in the opposite sense for a given temperature change to thereby neutralize the deflection caused by changes in ambient temperature. Typically, the root or anchored portion of the poppet arm is surrounded by the heating coil and comprises an "active" portion of the poppet arm. The outboard portion of the arm is however, not directly heated by the coil and is therefore capable of providing for ambient temperature compensation if reversed with respect to the active portion. When the heater coil is energized to open the valve, the heated "active" portion of the bimetal self-heats the compensating outboard portion of the bimetal arm and causes undesired overcompensation. If the undesired overcompensation is great enough, the valve can literally be prevented from opening or closed again after being opened while the heater coil remains energized.
Thus it has long been desired to find a way or means to provide ambient temperature compensation for an electrically actuated thermally responsive valve which is not adversely affected by the active heating for opening the valve which is easy to incorporate into the manufacture and assembly of the valve, while maintaining the overall low manufacturing costs commensurate with the bimetal construction of the valve poppet arm.

Thermally actuated valve with ambient temperature compensation


A method and apparatus for updating a wireless mobile device with mobility management entity (MME) identification information when the mobile device camps on a mobile relay node (RN), that supports group mobility, connected to a first base station (BS) supported by a first MME. In one embodiment, the mobile device receives an identity associated with a second MME when the mobile RN connects to a second BS served by a second MME without first sending a registration message. In another embodiment, the mobile device receives mobile RN specific MME identification information. Upon decamping from the mobile RN and camping on a new BS, the mobile device transmits the identity associated with the second MME or the mobile RN specific MME identification information for establishing a connection with the network.

The tracking area update (TAU) procedure helps a mobility management entity (MME) know where a mobile device is located in a wireless communication network so that the mobile device can be paged efficiently. When the mobile device enters the coverage area of a new MME, the mobile device sends a TAU request to the new MME to notify the new MME of its change in location. The new MME must retrieve context information about the mobile device from the MME previously serving the mobile device. Thus the mobile device includes information identifying the previous MME in the TAU request sent to the new MME. After the new MME retrieves the context information for the mobile device from the old MME, the new MME sends the mobile device a TAU accept with identification information for the new MME.
Relay technologies have been considered to improve high data rate area coverage and to enable group mobility in Third Generation Partnership (3GPP) Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS) Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-Advanced) networks. Such a network is also referred to as an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-TRAN). A relay node (RN) is wirelessly connected to radio-access network (RAN) via a base station (eNB in 3GPP E-UTRAN). In the group mobility architecture, one or more mobile devices are connected to a mobile RN, which each mobile device perceives as a base station. The mobile RN may be installed on a vehicle such as train, bus or water vessel, or some other mobile entity on which one or more mobile devices reside. The mobile devices served by the mobile RN thus connect to the network via the mobile RN.
When a mobile device remains in a vehicle that supports group mobility, the mobile device is constantly connected to/camped on the mobile RN even when the vehicle moves about. Since there is no mobility such as cell reselection or handover observed by the mobile device, there is no need for the mobile device to send TAU requests and the mobile device will not receive TAU accept messages. However, as the entity on which the mobile RN moves about the network, handover is performed for the mobile RN to change the eNB serving the RN. Thus the MME serving the mobile RN may change. When the mobile device is handed over from the mobile RN to a different serving base station, the mobile device will not be able to provide the new serving base station/MME with the identity of the MME previously serving the mobile device via the mobile RN.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon a careful consideration of the following Detailed Description thereof with the accompanying drawings described below. The drawings may have been simplified for clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Mobility management entity tracking for group mobility in wireless communication network


A device for transferring toner along a flow path extending sequentially through an upstream stirring chamber(s) and a downstream stirring chamber(s). Toner transfer control apparatus controls toner transfer into the flow path, and a transfer of a developer including toner and a carrier between and from the upstream stirring chamber(s) to and between the downstream stirring chamber(s) to the latent image carrier whereby toner density along the flow path is controlled such that (i) a weight percentage of toner relative to developer in the upstream stirring chamber(s) is equal to or less than a first threshold value governing a time required to uniformly charge the toner; and (ii) the weight percentage of the toner to developer in the downstream stirring chamber(s) is greater than the first threshold value and equal to or less than a second threshold value necessary for the avoidance of uncharged toner.

A two-component development system is provided in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier or a printer so as to develop, with the use of a developer made up mainly of toner and magnetic particles (carrier), an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier. The two-component development system is widely used for a large printing machine capable of high-speed printing.
FIG. 5 shows a typical two-component developing device. According to the developing device in FIG. 5, a developer stirring chamber 80 provided in a developer tank 70 contains a two-component developer made up of nonmagnetic toner and a carrier. The nonmagnetic toner is made up mainly of a polyester resin, and the carrier is in the form of magnetic particles.
Provided in the developer stirring chamber 80 containing the aforementioned developer are: a developing sleeve 91, which is provided adjacent to a photoreceptor drum 94; a stirring screw 81, which is located directly below a toner hopper 60; and the like.
The developing sleeve 91 contains a magnet 92 made up of a plurality of magnetic poles. The developing sleeve 91 (i) regulates, with the use of a blade 93 provided near the developing sleeve 91, an amount of two-component developer to be conveyed, (ii) carries the developer layered on a surface thereof, and (iii) conveys the developer to a developing area of the developing sleeve 91 facing the photoreceptor drum 94. In the developing area, only the toner of the developer is attracted by an electric field generated by electrostatic charges on a surface of the photoreceptor drum 94, and is transferred from the developer.
Rotation of the stirring screw 81 by a rolling mechanism (not shown) (i) stirs the developer entirely in an axial direction and (ii) causes the toner to carry a desired amount of charge while causing the toner and the carrier together constituting the developer to rub against each other. When a toner density sensor 82 detects a decrease in toner density in the developer stirring chamber 80, an operation is carried out such that the toner is dropped from a toner feed opening 61 provided at a lower end of the toner hopper 60. The dropped toner is stirred into and mixed with a residual developer by the rotation of the stirring screw 81.
The toner density in the developer stirring chamber 80 is always monitored by the toner density sensor 82. When the toner density reaches a specified value, the supply of the toner from the toner feed opening 61 is stopped.
In this way, the developer stirred by the stirring screw 81 maintains a constant toner density, and the toner is caused to carry a certain amount of charge.
A developing process carried out at a higher speed requires stirring the toner and the carrier together constituting the developer in a shorter period of time. For this reason, the stirring and mixing of the developer and application of the charge in a desired amount to the toner must be carried out more quickly than in a normal process. Therefore, some sort of effort needs to be made so that the developing device can be used without problems in a high-speed developing process.
According to an electrophotography-use developer disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 102865/1992 (Tokukaihei 4-102865; published on Apr. 3, 1992), microparticles of an inorganic oxide having a specific volume resistance are added to toner and a carrier, so that (i) charge exchangeability between the toner and the carrier and (ii) a charging speed are improved. As a result, uncharged toner additionally supplied from a toner hopper into the developer is successfully inhibited from (a) becoming weakly charged and (b) becoming inversely charged, although such uncharged toner is likely to (a′) become weakly charged and (b′) become inversely charged. Addition of the additive to the developer instead of altering a developing process carried out in a developer tank makes it possible to be compliant with a high-speed developing process.
According to a developing device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 333700/1993 (Tokukaihei 5-333700; published on Dec. 17, 1993), attention is paid to a toner density of toner contained in a developer, which toner density is strongly correlated with a saturated charging amount of the toner. A technique of highly accurately controlling the toner density realizes stabilization of the charging amount of the toner.
Concerning the relationship between (i) the saturated charging amount of the toner and (ii) the toner density of the toner contained in the developer, the Kondo theory advocated by Professor Kondo of the Nippon Institute of Technology is widely known. The Kondo theory corresponds to an experimental result with high reproducibility. (See Kondo, A. A Mechanism for Frictional Charging Using Powder Toner, "Society for Electrophotography 43rd Research Symposium", pp. 26-30 (1979))
(i) a specific charge amount of toner (value of the amount of an electric charge q relative to the mass of toner m, q/m[C/g]) and (ii) a toner covering rate θ (*2) calculated from the number of toner particles (*1) sticking to one carrier particle has a relationship expressed by the following formula:q/m=(aθ+b)−1
*1 Number of Toner Particles Sticking to One Carrier Particle=(Number of Toner Particles Contained in Developer)/(Number of Carrier Particles Contained in Developer)
*2 Toner Covering Rate θ=(Number of Toner Particles Sticking to One Carrier Particle)×(Projected Area of One Toner Particle)/(Surface Area of One Carrier Particle)
Both *1 and *2 assume that each of the particles is a spherical particle.
Note that the constants a and b are determined depending on physical properties of the toner and the carrier, respectively. The specific charge amount of toner is inversely proportional to the toner covering rate θ, and is a value uniquely decided by the toner covering rate, i.e., by the toner density of the toner contained in the developer. Controlling the charging amount of toner to be stable is equivalent to controlling the toner covering rate to be constant, and is nothing but managing the mass of toner relative to the mass of the developer.
According to a developing device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 172879/1989 (Tokukaihei 1-172879; published on Jul. 7, 1989), a toner replenishing roller for controlling an amount of toner to be supplied from a toner hopper is provided with a frictional charging function, so that toner charging rise-up properties obtained when the toner is supplied is improved. According to the toner replenishing roller provided with the charging function, the toner to be supplied is sandwiched between the toner replenishing roller and a metal or resin blade so as to be rubbed, and is given an electrical charge in advance. Since the toner supplied to a developer is always charged toner, no defect occurs in a developed image even if the supplied toner reaches a developing area without having been stirred into a carrier in a stirring chamber.
As described above, a developer of a two-component developing method has an arrangement such that toner and a carrier are quickly stirred and the toner carries electric charge in a desired amount. This realizes (i) improvement in toner charging rise-up performance and (ii) stabilization of the amount of an electric charge.
However, also in each of the aforementioned conventional examples, an arrangement of a developer tank designed for high-speed development has a problem described below.
As described above, according to the developing device disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Tokukaihei 5-333700), the stabilization of the charging amount of the toner is realized by highly accurately controlling the toner density of the toner contained in the developer. Here, attention must be paid to the fact that this function is effective only in cases where the saturated charging amount of the toner is evaluated. Generally, the saturation of the charging amount of toner requires charging time that depends on the physical property of the toner. There is no problem under a process condition where a sufficient amount of charging time is secured. However, in cases where the process is carried out at a higher speed and it is therefore impossible to secure sufficient stirring time for the developing device or the like, the toner falling short of the saturated charging amount reaches a developing area, and taints a developed image.
Further, according to the developing device disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Tokukaihei 1-172879), the toner is rubbed between the toner replenishing roller and the metal or resin blade. In such a developing device, the problem of toner fusion with a blade cannot be avoided, as with the case of a toner layer forming blade using a one-component developing method. The toner is put under great stress when the toner is rubbed, and it impossible to guarantee long-term stability of toner charging.
When the blade is tainted due to the toner fusion, the toner to be supplied cannot be given a sufficient amount of electric charge, so that uncharged toner remains in the developer. This causes toner fogging or smudges on a sheet of paper. The problem of toner fusion appears more remarkably in case where toner designed for a high-speed developing process and made up of a soft material slightly shifted toward a low molecular weight is used. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures against the problem.
A high-end ultrahigh-speed copier (model having a copying speed of 70 or more copies per minute in monochrome copying and a copying speed of 50 or more copies per minute in color copying) recently launched on the market by each company is approaching the limit of toner charging rise-up performance. Since the stirring performance of a developer is determined depending upon respective diameters of a stirring screw and a developing sleeve, it is possible to satisfy a desired property by enlarging those components. However, since there have been strong consumer needs for a small copier, there is a limit on the maximum size of the components.
For example, assume a developing process (i) in which a developing device which outputs 70 sheets of A4-size paper per minutes in a landscape orientation is used, (ii) in which a developing sleeve has a diameter of 30 mm, and (iii) in which the developing sleeve rotates so that a surface of the developing sleeve moves 1.5 times faster than a surface of a photoreceptor body carrying an electrostatic latent image. In such a developing process, the surface of the developing sleeve has a circumferential velocity of 36.6 cm/sec, and the rotational velocity reaches 233 rpm. The increase in the rotational velocity of the developing sleeve causes a stirring screw to rotate at a higher velocity. The increase in the rotational velocity of the stirring screw causes the toner to stay in a stirring chamber for a shorter period of time. As a result, it becomes inevitable that a developer is stirred in a shorter period of time. In cases where such a stirring mechanism as described above is adopted, toner charging failure, particularly a high proportion of uncharged toner, is likely to occur under such conditions that the circumferential velocity of the surface of the developing sleeve exceeds approximately 36 cm/sec.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device (i) which solves the foregoing problems caused when a two-component developer is used in a high-speed developing process, (ii) which is capable of causing uncharged toner to carry a desired amount of charge, by quickly mixing the uncharged toner with a carrier and stirring the mixture even when the uncharged toner is continuously supplied from a toner hopper, (iii) which realizes (a) further improvement in toner charging rise-up performance and (b) further stabilization of the amount of electric charge for charging, and (iv) which is always capable of developing a high-quality image.

Developing device, image forming apparatus and developing method


To facilitate production of “regenerative medicine products” using a quality by design (QbD) approach.

In Japan, it is often necessary to conduct mass and long-term non-clinical and clinical trials (clinical trials) in order to receive pharmaceuticals approval. Therefore, even when an effective pharmaceuticals is invented, patients often have to wait for approval.
In 2014, Japanese Pharmaceutical Affairs Law was revised. As a result of the revision, a new category of "regenerative medicine products" was established in the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law. For "regenerative medicine products" newly introduced, if safety is confirmed and efficacy is estimated, a conditional approval system that can be approved early has been introduced. As a result, it is highly likely to provide new therapeutic agents for various diseases at an early stage.
Among the "regenerative medicine products", products using microorganism-derived cells or tissues as starting materials are largely classified into "autologous products" and "allogeneic products". The "autologous products" are those that are produced by processing the starting material collected from a patient and used by the same patient. The "allogeneic products" are those that are produced by processing a starting material collected from a healthy person (different from a patient) and are used by the patient. There are individual differences in cells or tissues, and performance and quality of the cells or tissues can change over time, change due to external forces such as oscillation accompanying during transport, or change from changes in surrounding environment. Therefore, it is impossible or extremely difficult to prepare a large amount of starting material with uniform performance and quality. In addition, when the starting material is not uniform, it is difficult to set appropriate production conditions. Thus, when a process (for example, cell cultivation) that showed good results at the research stage (small or proprietary production) is diverted to a commercial stage (mass or general-purpose production), similarly, good results are not always shown. In the worst case, the performance and quality of the cells or tissues may deviate during the process, and thus there is a possibility that the "regenerative medicine products" cannot be produced.
In order to establish a production process of the "regenerative medicine products", there has been proposed a quality-by-design (QbD) approach (see Non Patent Literature 1). The QbD approach is a pharmaceuticals quality management approach based on scientific knowledge and risk management (see operation guideline Q8 (formulation development), Q9 (quality risk management), and Q10 (pharmaceuticals quality system) for maintaining safety and quality defined in International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use: ICH).
In short, in the QbD approach, the production process is systematically managed in the following order.
(I) Set quality target product profile (QTPP) of a final product and critical quality attribute (CQA) of the final product that has a strong influence on the QTPP.
(II) Specify critical process parameter (CPP) that affect the performance and quality of the final product based on risk assessment and multivariate experiment.
(III) Define the range (hereinafter, referred to as "design space") of the CQA and the CPP required to secure QTPP.
In this specification, the QTPP is a product design standard. That is, the QTPP means a summary of the expected quality characteristics of formulation that should be achieved to ensure the required quality when considering the safety and effectiveness of the formulation. In addition, the CQA means physical, chemical, biological, microbiological characteristics or properties that should be within appropriate limits, ranges, and distributions to ensure the required product quality. In addition, the CPP means parameters whose variations affect the CQA and therefore parameters that should be monitored or managed to ensure that the quality required in the process is obtained, among the process parameters.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a production device which produces a medical product and analyzes a starting material and a central management device which determines processing conditions in the production device are provided separately. In addition, by transmitting and receiving data and the like pertaining to the starting material between the production device and central management device data, the medical product is produced while production conditions therefor are continuously optimized. Thus, it is easy to produce a medical product while reducing or eliminating effects from changes in cells and tissues over time, from oscillation during transport, and from changes in surrounding environment such as changes in temperature, and to produce the desired medical product even when there are individual differences in the starting material.


An adjustable book cover (10) consisting of a unitary hexagonal sheet of stretchable fabric (16) that is preferably coated with an elastomeric polyurethane resin (15). Interstices (19) of the fabric (16) are filled with at least a single layer of polyurethane resin (15), creating an impermeable waterproof barrier while maintaining the elastic functionality of the book cover (10). The hexagonal sheet has flap portions defined by fold lines (44,46,48) that delineate a laterally formed rectangle within the fabric polygon. Extended edges of the upper and lower shaped flap portions are each bisected by a slot (41) of predetermined depth, thus forming an access aperture (21) for the covers of a book when selected flap portions of the hexagon are secured together.

Numerous book covers have been devised to protect schoolbooks and other hard covered texts from moisture or grime. Many of these covers utilize Kraft paper wrappings or have been fabricated from more durable plastic materials. The application of such book covers require the time consuming steps of trimming the cover to size, fashioning and folding flaps, then inserting the front and back panels of a bound book into lateral envelopes formed by the flaps. Adhesive tape may also be required to secure the protective cover into position, which typically will mar a text when removed.
Some conventional book covers have been similarly available with transparent or printed plastic laminates that are coated with a layer of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive. Although intended to removably adhere to the exposed surfaces of a book, such covers are difficult to remove after long-term usage. Alternatively, stretchable fabric book covers—which have attempted to remedy the problems of paper covers and self-adhesive plastic sleeves—do not provide a uniform waterproof barrier and accordingly fall short of protecting the vulnerable surfaces of a book.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents or industry literature that read on the claims of the instant application. However the following U.S. patents are considered related:
PATENT NO.INVENTORISSUED5,158,325Landis et al27 Oct. 19925,470,109Grande28 Nov. 19956,257,622Peker10 Jul. 2003
U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,325 issued to Landis et al. discloses an adjustable book cover wherein a single piece of elastic sheet-like material is folded in half and sewn along selected peripheral edges. The resulting interior pockets are mutually defined by a sinusoidal stitched seam and are divided by an integral, non-removable, book marker. This arrangement causes the sewn periphery seams of the book cover to come into direct contact with the paperboard edges of an inserted text, thereby resulting in undue wear and cyclical stress along the lines of stitching. In addition, the invention offers no provisions for waterproofing the fabric cover to repel moisture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,109 issued to Grande discloses an adjustable book cover made from an elastic fabric material which is cut in a diamond shaped pattern. Six triangular shaped sections converge inward and are sewn along specified lines to form interior left and right hand pockets for the covers of books of various sizes. The sewn fabric construction provides a seamless adjustable book jacket along the external surfaces of hard covered books. The spine locking feature of this design, however, does not work effectively and the porous weave of the fabric fails to impede dampness.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,622 issued to Peker discloses a cloth book cover, preferably of spandex. The cover has lateral pockets to receive the front and back paperboard panels of a book. The peripheral top and bottom edges of the cover are sewn by means of overlock stitching, the protruding portions of which tend to promote local wear on the seam construction. Further, the fabric, although preferably water resistant, is not impermeable to moisture, and requires either a natural or chemical treatment to achieve water resistance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Stretchable elastomeric coated fabric book cover and method


A method, and associated circuitry, for testing operation of computer software of a computer system, such as a telephonic switch system. The computer system may be installed and optionally on-line while the computer software is being tested. Multiple portions of the computer software are executed while the computer software is under test. Selected portions of the computer software are tested in interpreted form. Remaining portions are executed more quickly in compiled form. Therefore, line-by-line execution of only portions of the computer software is required during testing of the entire computer software. The selected portions may be selected, for example, either manually during run-time or automatically based on commands within the code of the computer software. In another embodiment of the invention, the line-by-line interpreted testing of portions of the computer software is conducted with a computerized emulator.

Advancements in digital technologies have permitted the widespread usage of processor-based products and services. Products and services heretofore unavailable have been made possible through the use of such digital technologies. And, many existing products and services have been made more efficient and affordable as a result of such digital technologies.
With the increasing affordability of increasingly-complex, processor-based circuitry, ever-more complex circuitry shall likely be increasingly used in additional systems and services.
The processor-based circuitry includes software which is executed during operation of the processor-based circuitry. With advancements in the hardware components of the processor-based circuitry, increasingly-complex software can be speedily executed to permit increasingly complex tasks to be performed by the processor-based circuitry.
When developing the software to be executed during operation of the processor-based circuitry, subsequent to creation of the software program and the coding thereof, the software must be tested to ensure that, when executed, the software is operable in manners in which it was intended.
Frequently, during testing of the computer software, unanticipated problems or "bugs" are sometimes discovered. Once discovered, appropriate alteration of the software program is necessitated to correct, or "debug" the software. Subsequent testing of the software is typically also necessitated to ensure that the program alterations made during debugging operations do not introduce additional bugs into the software.
During developmental testing, the software program is typically executed line-by-line in interpreted form. Trace programs or commands are sometimes inserted between lines of the interpreted code of the computer software undergoing testing. Such tracing provides the tester with indications of program execution at any point in the program. As the steps of the program formed of the computer software are iteratively performed, a tracing step can be inserted as an additional line to be executed at any location. While time-consuming, such testing provides an indication of the location in the code of the computer software at which point the software becomes operative in manners other than intended.
While developmental testing of the computer software is usually effective in detecting software bugs, sometimes the software bugs remain unnoticed and, hence, uncorrected. Sometimes, the presence of a software bug becomes evident only after the processor-based circuitry is placed into service. Debugging of the computer software is necessitated to determine the location of the bug. As noted above, conventional debugging operations require that the computer software be executed by the processor of the processor-based circuitry in interpreted form. Line-by-line execution of interpreted code is therefore required.
Because such program execution is time-consuming, the processor-based circuitry must typically be taken out of service and placed off-line in order to perform the testing operations upon the computer software. Such requirement to place the circuitry off-line requires the substitution of working circuitry in its place or necessitates the interruption of usage of the circuitry.
A telecommunications switching system is exemplary of processor-based circuitry having computer software executable by a processor during operation of the switching system. Analogous to the development and testing procedures discussed above, once the software for the telecommunications switching system has been developed, testing of the software is performed to ensure that the switching system operates properly once installed in a telecommunications network. Again, however, in some instances, initial testing does not detect the software bugs. Such software bugs may become evident only after installation of the telecommunications switching system in a telephonic network. If a software bug thereafter becomes evident, testing operations are required to be performed to correct the software bug. As existing software testing methods and systems require that the entire software code be executed in interpreted form in a line-by-line manner, testing operations require significant amounts of time to be performed.
Emulators which emulate operation of a telecommunications switching system are sometimes utilized in the design of the switching systems. The emulators are sometimes used, in this regard, also to test the software during the development of the switching system. Such emulators emulate operation of an actual switching system. When testing the operation of the software of a switching system at such an emulator, the software must again, in the existing art, be executed in interpreted form in a line-by-line manner. Such a requirement is again time-consuming.
A manner by which the computer software of a computer system, such as a telecommunications switching system, may be more expeditiously tested would therefore be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to the testing of computer software of a computer system, such as a telecommunications switching system, that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Method and system for testing computer system software


A differential signal via structure for a printed circuit board having a pair of signal vias extending vertically from a surface of the board to an interior region of the board to contact signal conductors disposed horizontally within the interior region of the board and a pair of ground vias extending vertically from a surface of the circuit board to an interior region of the board to contact ground conductors disposed horizontally within the interior region of the board.

As is known in the art, a typical differential signal via structure used in a PCB is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3; it is noted that in FIG. 1, the solid dielectric used in the antipad is not shown to see the inner region of the via structure. The structure is used to couple differential signals fed to, or coupled from the PCB and transmission lines within the PCB. The vias structure includes a pair of vertically extending signal vias separated from each other and from ground plane conductors by dielectric material of the PCB. The vertically extending signal vias connect to signal conductors disposed within the PCB and the ground vias connect to the ground plane conductors within the PCB and to ground plane conductors on the outer surfaces of the PCB. There are a pair of ground plane conductors in the PCB for each signal conductor within the PCB, each signal conductor having a ground plane above it and one below it to thereby form a transmission line within the PCB. Also, as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the pair of signal vias is dielectrically separated from the ground vias by an oval shaped, vertically extending void formed in the PCB, such void sometimes being referred to as an anti-pad.
Referring to FIG. 2, it is noted that the pair of signal conductors and the pair of ground plane conductors are disposed in a common, vertically extending plane perpendicular to the planar surface of the PCB. It is also noted that the signal vias are aligned in the same plane as the ground vias.
It would be desirable to provide a smaller via structure having improved signal impedance matching and electromagnetic field characteristics between differential signals fed to, or coupled from the PCB and the transmission lines within the PCB.

Compact differential signal via structure


The present invention provides method and apparatus that improve processing of acoustic signals by reducing acoustic feedback in an acoustic system. An aspect of the invention is a multi-channel digital feedback reducer (DFR) system that comprises a plurality of channel elements. Each channel element comprises a notch filter configuration having an adaptive notch filter and an operative notch filter. The operative notch filter processes a signal received from an acoustic input device and provides the processed signal to an acoustic output device, in which acoustic feedback between the acoustic input device and the acoustic output device is ameliorated. If acoustic feedback is detected by a channel element, the channel element informs other channel elements of the multi-channel DFR system about the detected feedback to ensure that all channel elements may incorporate the same notch filters. During the notification, the other channel elements may continue searching for feedback on the associated channels.

Notch filters are often used to reduce acoustic feedback in sound amplification systems, including public address systems and music delivery systems in which microphones and speakers are deployed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,236 (Chen, issued May 23, 1978) describes an analog notch filter for an audio signal to suppress acoustic feedback. The apparatus receives an audio signal that is substantially non-periodic in the absence of acoustic feedback and substantially periodic with an instantaneous dominant frequency in the presence of such feedback.
The duration of successive periods are monitored and compared by an up/down counter to determine whether the audio input signal is substantially periodic and to determine the instantaneous dominant frequency of the audio signal. Upon detection of an audio signal that is substantially periodic, the notch filter is tuned to the instantaneous dominant frequency so as to suppress the acoustic feedback.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,192 (Beex, issued Nov. 4, 1980) describes an integrator/detector that determines when an audio signal has exceeded a threshold for a selected number of cycles. If the threshold is exceeded for the selected number of cycles, a sampler circuit samples a voltage corresponding to the frequency that has exceeded the threshold. The sampled voltage is used by a voltage frequency converter in order to adjust the notch of a notch filter implemented in hardware.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,665 (Lewis et al., issued Sep. 14, 1993) describes a device for suppressing feedback in which a Fast Fourier Transform is conducted on samples of digitized signals to produce corresponding frequency spectrums. The magnitudes of the spectrum at various frequencies are analyzed to determine one or more peak frequencies that are 33 decibels greater than harmonics or sub-harmonics of the frequency in an attempt to detect resonating feedback frequencies. Two processors are required. A primary processor periodically collects a series of the passing digital signals and conducts a Fast Fourier Transform on each collected series of digital signals. The frequency spectrums produced by the Fast Fourier Transform are examined by the primary processor to discover the presence of any resonating feedback frequency. Filter control signals are passed by the primary processor, along with the digital sound signals, to a secondary processor which operates a digital filtering algorithm in accordance with the filter control signals to attenuate resonating feedback frequencies in the stream of digital signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,631 (Porayath, et al., issued Dec. 7, 1999) employs an algorithm defining a digital filter with a notch adjustable to a plurality of notch values for a single acoustic channel. Feedback is located by comparing values resulting from the processing with the notch adjusted to different notch values. Notch filter coefficients are generated directly by the feedback detector, in which feedback is detected if a first harmonic component is sufficiently small relative to a fundamental component. The notch values are adjusted until the signals processed by the notch filter algorithm result in a minimum mean squared value over a time window. After the feedback has been located using the notch filter algorithm, digital output signals are generated by executing the algorithm with the notch adjusted to the notch value at which the minimum mean squared value results. The digital output signals then are converted to corresponding analog signals that are transmitted to a speaker.
The approaches of the prior art, as described heretofore, reduce acoustic feedback on an individual channel basis. However, public address systems and music delivery systems may utilize a plurality of channels, such as a stereophonic (2-channel) acoustic system. A listener is typically very sensitive to any differences of operation between channels (often referred as "stereo image"), even though the differences may seem insignificant in an absolute sense. Furthermore, a notch filter may be deployed on one channel and not the other. Such an occurrence would cause a higher degradation of the stereo image. Thus, it would be an advancement of the art to provide apparatuses and methods that assist in balancing a plurality of acoustic channels for an acoustic delivery system.

Multi-channel digital feedback reducer system


A method and device for filling packages with a bulk cushioning material, in particular foam peanuts, where the cushioning material is conveyed to the package by a feed unit. In order to be able to easily fill the packages in an automated fashion, according to this invention, a measuring device is used to determine a volume of the package to be filled, a variable quantity of cushioning material is poured into a receiving container of the feed unit by a quantity-varying unit, and the poured quantity is poured into a package.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and device for filling packages with a bulk cushioning material, particularly foam peanuts, where the cushioning material is conveyed to the package by a feed unit. This invention also relates to a device that can be used to execute the method of this invention.
Discussion of Related Art
Particularly at mail-order companies, packages are usually individually filled according to customer orders at a fully automated high bay warehouse. The articles ordered by the customer are placed into the package. Different package sizes are used depending on the number of articles to be placed in them. In order to prevent the articles inside from being damaged during postal transport, the remainder of the package is then filled with bulk cushioning material. Particularly, foam peanuts are used. These foam peanuts are composed of a biodegradable material and are poured into the package. The excess quantity is swept off so that the top surface is level with the top of the package. The package is then closed, labeled, and shipped. The swept-off cushioning elements are collected and prepared for filling subsequent packages. This manually executed packaging process is time-consuming and involves a significant amount of effort for collecting the excess foam peanuts.
Also, this known method requires the cardboard flaps forming the cover to be folded outward. In this position, however, they cannot be grasped by an automated cover closer, thus requiring further effort.

Method and device for filling packets with padding in the form of bulk material


A method for determining water-filled porosity and water salinity in a well includes obtaining complex dielectric permittivity of earth formations, either from dielectric measurements representative of well cores, or from dielectric well logs; selecting a dielectric mixing law for the index number m; plotting a m-th root of complex dielectric permittivity at a specified frequency in the complex domain, wherein m is an index number; determining a matrix permittivity, a water salinity, and a water-filled porosity based on the complex dielectric permittivity and the dielectric mixing law; and displaying the water salinity and the water-filled porosity.

The oil and gas industry provides important sources of energy needed for the world's economic growth, by exploring and producing petroleum liquid and gas from subsurface reservoirs. Reservoir quality may be quantified by the total volume of hydrocarbon stored in a reservoir prior to production, also known as original hydrocarbon in place (OHIP). Recoverable reserve may also be used as a reservoir quality indicator. Recoverable reserve is the portion of reserve that can be profitably produced with existing extraction technology. Accurate estimations of reserve (original oil in place OOIP/original gas in place OGIP) and recovery reserve may be used to optimize reservoir management and achieve the most favorable economic outcome.
Formation evaluation supplies the parameters needed for reserve estimation, such as pay thickness (fraction of a given fluid within the total pore volume occupied by all fluids), porosity, saturation, and permeability. Saturation is the volume of petroleum fluids in relative to the total pore volume available in reservoir rocks, in which petroleum fluid can be water, oil, or gas. A number of downhole well logging and laboratory characterization techniques have been developed and implemented to quantify water saturation, with the rest of pore volume occupied by hydrocarbons.

System and method for determining water-filled porosity and water salinity in well cores and logs


Light having little color inconsistency is effectively emitted with a simple structure achieving favorable productivity. A plurality of multi-color light emitting diodes comprising a plurality of LED chips having different light emission colors is disposed on the same surface such that the light emitted by the plurality of the multi-color light emitting diodes is mixed and emitted in a illumination device, wherein at least one multi-color light emitting diode from among the plurality of multi-color light emitting diodes is disposed while being rotated by a prescribed angle with reference to one other multi-color light emitting diode in such a manner that when translating the one multi-color light emitting diode so as to overlap with the one other multi-color light emitting diode, LED chips having the same light emission color do not overlap with each other.

Conventionally, as an illumination device there is a type of lighting equipment called "wall washer", which radiates a lot of light onto a wall or the like (for example, see patent literature 1). Further, a spotlight is included in the illumination device, which is to illuminate a specific area (spot) in a focused manner to attract an audience's attention in a theater and so forth.
Conventionally, a halogen lamp has been often used as a light source for such illumination devices. However, in recent years, an LED is increasingly used in accordance with the request for long operating life, energy saving and so forth. In particular, in an illumination device employing as a light source a multi-color light emitting diode (full color light emitting diode included), which is constituted by a plurality of LED chips with mutually different light emitting colors, various colors can be created and further, for example color temperature and color tone can be changed as well by changing the output of each LED chip.
However, since the multi-color light emitting diode generally includes LED chips such as R (red) chip, G (green) chip, and B (blue) chip, which are housed in a single package to form a resin molded structure as a whole (for example, see patent literature 2), even when white light emission is intended to be created by using RGB color mixing, the RGB color light cannot be well mixed and may be individually seen as respective colors of R, G and B. Further, due to the separation of the light emission colors as described above, color inconsistency may unfavorably occur in the light irradiated onto an object to be irradiated.
Further in a conventional spotlight, a plurality of light emitting diodes is obliquely disposed on a curved surface and irradiation light from each light emitting diode is concentrated on one point to form a virtual single point light source unit, and the light emitted from the light source unit is guided to pass through an aperture to radiate (for example, see patent literatures 3 and 4).
In such a spotlight, although undiffused light is preferably created by using an aperture having the smallest possible size of hole in order to effectively irradiate a certain area (spot) with the light emitted from a light source, if there is less diffusion, the mixture of light becomes insufficient, which may cause color inconsistency to occur more easily. As such, although a lens can be provided to facilitate mixture, the configuration is inefficient.
Specifically, in the aforementioned spotlight, in order to focus on one point the irradiation light from the plurality of light emitting diodes, each light emitting diode is obliquely fixed so as to incline the optical axis of the irradiation light from each light emitting diode. For this purpose, an inclined plane or a curved surface needs to be formed for a substrate for attaching a light emitting diode thereto and a heat sink for dissipating heat from a light emitting diode, and the process is not easy.
Further, such as when irradiating pictures exhibited in a museum, depending on pictures vertically long or horizontally long, in order to efficiently irradiate an object to be irradiated in the longitudinal direction thereof with light having little color inconsistency, it is desired to make changeable a degree of light diffusion in the vertical and horizontal directions in accordance with an object to be irradiated.


Diagnostic system for bulk well material handling plants that includes multiple fluid flow pathways to transport well materials. The bulk well material handling system includes multiple connections, each connected to a fluid flow pathway. The system also includes a control system connected to the multiple connections and adapted to automatically operate one or more connections of the multiple connections to a fluid flow pathway to analyze a pneumatic integrity of the fluid flow pathway in the bulk material handling system.

Bulk well material handling plants include equipment for handling, e.g., storing, transferring, blending, dry materials used in constructing wells, treating wells and subterranean formations, and for other well activities. For example, bulk well material handling plants handle dry cement and additives for cementing casing, dry fracturing fluid components, for fracturing treatments, dehydrated or dry treatment chemicals, and the like. Such plants typically include tanks to store the dry well materials as well as equipment to transport the well materials between the tanks, for example, conveyor belts, screw conveyors, stackers, reclaimers, and other similar equipment. In some situations, dry materials can be pneumatically transported through the bulk well material plant via fluid flow pathways, e.g., air flow pathways. For example, dry well material stored in a first tank in the plant can be transported to a second tank in the plant through conduits and a sequence of valves that connects the two tanks. Multiple such conduits and valves can be implemented throughout the bulk well material plant to connect the tanks and equipment, and to transport dry well materials throughout the plant. Over time, the various manifolds, valves, and other equipment in the bulk well material handling plant can result in physical degradation of the system. Examples include stuck or leaking valves, restricted or plugged manifolds, plugged, torn, or otherwise compromised dust collection filters, and other equipment wear. This can result not only in inefficiencies in the operation of the bulk well material plant but also untimely and costly system failures and incorrectly blended material resulting in job failures.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.


An analytical test strip has mutually-insulated first and second electrodes arranged to define a sample-receiving chamber. Electrically-insulating layers are disposed over respective electrodes. First and second electrical contact pads are electrically connected to the first electrode, and a third pad to the second electrode. A first side of the test strip has a first electrically-insulating layer and the third pad, and a second side has the second electrically-insulating layer and the first and second pads. The third pad extends longitudinally from the sample-receiving chamber farther than does the first electrically-insulating layer. Methods for determining an analyte in a bodily-fluid sample and analytical test systems for use in the determination of an analyte in a bodily-fluid sample are also described.

The determination (e.g., detection or concentration measurement) of an analyte in a fluid sample is of particular interest in the medical field. For example, it can be desirable to determine glucose, ketone bodies, cholesterol, lipoproteins, triglycerides, acetaminophen or HbAlc concentrations in a sample of a bodily fluid such as urine, blood, plasma or interstitial fluid. Such determinations can be achieved using an analytical test strip and test meter combination.


A fiber distribution system includes one or more fiber distribution hubs (FDHs) that provide interface at a splice panel and/or a termination panel between incoming fibers routed from a central office and outgoing fibers routed to network subscribers. Splice trays, termination modules, splitter modules, and storage modules can be incrementally added to the FDH. The termination modules, optical splitters, and storage modules can be provided on a swing frame chassis within the FDH cabinet.

Passive optical networks are becoming prevalent in part because service providers want to deliver high bandwidth communication capabilities to customers. Passive optical networks are a desirable choice for delivering high-speed communication data because they may not employ active electronic devices, such as amplifiers and repeaters, between a central office and a subscriber termination. The absence of active electronic devices may decrease network complexity and/or cost and may increase network reliability.
FIG. 1 illustrates a network 100 deploying passive fiber optic lines. As shown, the network 100 can include a central office 101 that connects a number of end subscribers 105 (also called end users 105 herein) in a network. The central office 101 can additionally connect to a larger network such as the Internet (not shown) and/or a public switched telephone network (PSTN). The network 100 also can include fiber distribution hubs (FDHs) 103 that may accept a feeder cable F1 having a number of fibers and may split or optically couple those incoming fibers to individual distribution fibers that may be associated with a like number of end user locations 105.
The portion of the network 100 that is closest to the central office 101 is generally referred to as the F1 region, where F1 is the "feeder fiber" from the central office 101. The portion of the network 100 closest to the end users 105 can be referred to as an F2 portion of network 100. The network 100 includes multiple break-out locations 102 at which branch cables are separated out from the main cable lines. Branch cables are often connected to drop terminals 104 that include connector interfaces for facilitating coupling of the fibers of the branch cables to multiple different subscriber locations 105.
In the case of shielded/armored cables, the cables are preferably grounded for safety. In a typical configuration, a grounding plate having grounding pins is provided within the interior of a fiber distribution hub cabinet. The shields of the F1 and F2 cables are electrically connected to the pins of the grounding plate by wires. One of the pins is electrically connected to ground (e.g., a metal rod, post or other member driven into the ground).


The disclosed exemplary embodiments include computer-implemented apparatuses and methods that validate confidential data based privacy-preserving homomorphic computations involving encrypted data. For example, an apparatus may receive, from a first computing system, encrypted data that includes a first encrypted value representative of at least one of first account data or an element of cryptographic data. Based on the first encrypted value and on second encrypted values, the apparatus may generate encrypted residual values representative of second account data associated with one or more reference accounts, and the apparatus may request and receive a decrypted residual value associated with each of the encrypted residual values from a second computing system. The apparatus may transmit the decrypted residual values to the first computing system, which may validate the first account data based on at least the decrypted residual values and perform operations associated with the validated first account data.

Today, financial institutions offer a variety of financial products or services to their customers. For example, financial institutions may issue, to corresponding ones of their customers, one or more accounts capable of funding, or receiving proceeds from, payment transactions initiated by or involving these customers. In some instances, and subsequent to their issuance by the financial institutions, one or more of these accounts become, or may be rendered, unavailable to fund or to receive proceeds from corresponding payment transactions.

Validating confidential data using homomorphic computations


An electronic device includes a first battery, a first charging unit, a first voltage adjustment unit, a power detection module, and a first control module. The first charging unit charges the first battery according to a supply voltage and a first charging enable signal. The first voltage adjustment unit outputs a first output voltage according to the supply voltage and a first battery voltage of the first battery. The power detection module generates a power consumption information according to the first output voltage. The first control module sets a charging time according to the supply voltage and the power consumption information, in which the first control module generates the first charging enable signal to control the first charging unit to charge the first battery according to the charging time.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to electronic devices and charging methods, and more particularly, relates to charging methods for detachable electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid progress of science and technology, electronic devices are becoming increasingly diverse. With the popularity of tablets growing, more and more laptops are offering detachable functions.
However, when the display and the body of a laptop are detachable, charging of the separate parts becomes a challenge. Assuming that it takes 23 hours to charge a battery, because both the display and the body of a laptop must comprise a battery, the amount of time for charging both, undetached, would take 46 hours. To make sure both batteries are fully charged, a software method is usually applied, wherein a safety timer is set to 48 hours, such that charging is automatically stopped after 48 hours. However, the method is dangerous, when the battery being charged malfunctions, and charging is not stopped.

Charging methods of detachable electronic devices


This invention provides a method for thermally converting volatile fatty acid (VFA) salts to ketones by mixing dry calcium salts of VFAs with hot heat transfer agent in an evacuated container, thereby causing thermal decomposition of the calcium salts of VFAs to form ketone-containing vapor and calcium carbonate; and separating the ketone-containing vapor from the calcium carbonate and heat transfer agent by condensing a mixture of ketones from the ketone-containing vapor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides an improved process for thermally converting volatile fatty acid (VFA) salts (e.g. calcium acetate, propionate, butyrate) to ketones.
2. Review of Related Art
There are two useful methods for producing ketones from fatty acids (Conant and Blatt, "The Chemistry of Organic Compounds," Macmillan Co., New York, 1947). In one method, ketones may be prepared from fatty acids directly by passing them over a catalyst (e.g. MnO or ThO.sub.2) at 300.degree. C., according to Equation (1): EQU 2RCOOH(g).fwdarw.R.sub.2 CO(g)+H.sub.2 O(g)+CO.sub.2 (g) (1)
According to this reaction, pure acetic acid yields only acetone, but a mixture of acids will yield mixed ketones. For example, if acetic acid and propionic acid were fed to such a reactor, the products will be acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and diethyl ketone.
In an alternative method, ketones are produced from VFA salts, and no catalyst is necessary. Calcium or sodium salts of VFAs decompose at temperatures of 300-400.degree. C., according to exemplary Equation (2): EQU [RCOO].sub.2 Ca(s).fwdarw.R.sub.2 CO(g)+CaCO.sub.3 (s) (2)
This reaction has a "fairly high" yield, as long as the ketone decomposition temperature is not exceeded (Hurd, "The Pyrolysis of Carbon Compounds, "The Chemical Catalog Co., New York, 1929).
In 1834, Peligot heated calcium acetate and obtained acetone (see Mellan, "Ketones," Chemical Publishing Co., New York, 1968). In the latter half of the 19th century, the process was applied industrially to produce acetone, using calcium acetate obtained from the distillation of wood.
Ardagh and his coworkers produced some of the best experimental data available for the decomposition of calcium acetate (Ardagh et al., Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 16:1133-1139, 1924). They found that the contemporary literature cited a variety of temperatures for decomposition, from 290 to 500.degree. C.; Ardagh, et al., concluded that a temperature of "between 430 and 490.degree. C. is satisfactory," although they found that the reaction actually commences as low as 160.degree. C. They also calculated the yield of acetone from calcium acetate to be 99.5% of the theoretical yield after a 7-hour reaction at 430.degree. C.; after only one hour at this temperature, the yield was 96%. The reaction was somewhat unpredictable, with yields varying by as much as 15% in seemingly duplicate runs. Two primary factors apparently contribute to low yields: presence of oxygen in the reaction vessel and removing the acetone from the hot vessel too slowly.
A French corporation developed an "improved process" for producing 4-heptanone (dipropyl ketone) by pyrolyzing calcium butyrate (Brit. Pat. 216120, Societe Lefranc et Cie, 1925). Their process enabled a recovery of ketone "almost equal to the theoretical yield" given by Equation (2) above. The butyrate salt melts at 360.degree. C., and becomes a "pasty, porous and spongy mass" that conducts heat poorly, and may trap ketone vapors within its pores. To prevent this, the investigators mixed the salt with an inert substance, such as clay or sand, in even proportions, and used a high-speed agitator in the reaction vessel. They found that the reaction began at 300-350.degree. C., and that at 390-400.degree. C., the rate of decomposition was adequate for significant ketone condensation. Whereas a pure salt decomposes to form a single ketone species, a mixture of different fatty acid salts yields a mixture of ketones (Lefranc, Actualites Scientifique et Industrielles, 936:3-27, 1943).
During World War II, a French company constructed a pilot-scale operation using 640 kg/h of acid salts (Depasse, Bull. Assoc. Chim. Sucr. Distill. Fr., 62:317-339, 1945). They found that the reaction must take place in an anhydrous environment, because even the water dislodged from hydrated salts will dissolve some of the lighter ketones, creating a difficult and expensive separation problem. Thorough drying is therefore necessary before commencing with pyrolysis. Another phenomenon is that the mixed-ketone vapor is a complex azeotrope at temperatures below the condensation point of the most volatile ketone (Lefranc, 1943; Depasse, 1945).
Schultz and Sichels (J. Chem. Ed., 38:300-301, 1961) pointed out substantial inconsistency in the body of knowledge on this process. Although many contemporary organic chemistry texts mentioned pyrolytic decomposition of fatty acid salts, indicating that the reaction gives high yields, the text cited relevant literature that gave little specific information about yields and composition of the product.
Because heat transfer from the reactor wall to adjacent solids is very slow, externally firing the reactor to provide reaction heat through the reactor wall is unsuitable for a large industrial process. In addition to requiring a very large reactor, uneven heating and long reaction times result in low yields due to production of side products by degradation of the ketones. Although it is possible to pass hot nitrogen gas through a bed of VFA salt in order to heat the salt for thermally converting a volatile fatty acid salt to a ketone, this approach requires very large heat exchangers to preheat the gas. Similarly, large heat exchangers are required to cool the gas and condense the ketone product. Thus, existing processes for pyrolytic conversion of organic acid salts to ketones are unsatisfactory, and there remains a need for improved processes.

Thermal conversion of volatile fatty acid salts to ketones


In a device and method for programming an industrial robot using a simulation program, control commands are issued by a handheld programming device and these commands are visualized on an image surface as movement and/or processing operations by the robot on the basis of data of the robot. An object to be processed is also displayed on the image surface and a three-dimensional image of the robot and the object is presented.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for programming an industrial robot. In particular, a three-dimensional movement path with respect to a three-dimensional object to be machined is generated and stored using this program.
Robot programs may be created offline and online.
It is known that in offline programming so-called simulation software is used as follows: the geometry and kinematics of the robot, the workplace of the robot and the object, e.g., a vehicle body, are stored in a computer as a mathematical model and/or as CAD data, and from this data a two-dimensional image on a display screen is obtained by using a graphics program. The existence of an actual object or even a robot is not necessary for this process. The CAD data and/or the mathematical model contains all the kinematic functionalities, including a prototype of an actual vehicle body and a robot in a robot system, for example. Using this simulation software, all movement paths of the robot may also be displayed on the display screen. The movement paths may be stored and then practiced on a real object using a real robot.
The operation of the simulation software requires a high level of education and ongoing training to achieve efficient use. One example of such simulation software is available commercially under the brand name "eM-Workplace" from the company Tecnomatix GmbH. However, there is the advantage that a concrete object need not be produced.
In online programming, also referred to as real programming, there is a real object, e.g., a vehicle body and a real robot. A control panel is provided for path control. Programming may be performed only when there is an actual design model of the components. The robot can be positioned at various points in space by using a handheld programming device. These points are assigned properties with respect to their approach (linear, circular, etc.) and a definition with regard to their orientation in space.
The points saved as a whole here again yield a robot program. This represents each operation of the robot and may be reproduced as often as desired. Operation of a handheld programming device can be mastered quickly by an experienced robot programmer and can even be learned quickly by an unskilled operator. This advantage must be seen against the disadvantage of having to produce a concrete object, which is expensive in terms of both time and money.
The object of the present invention is to create a method and a device with which the programming process may be carried out quickly and easily.
This object is achieved for the process using a method and a device for programming an industrial robot using a simulation program.
With the present invention, the efficiency of operation of a handheld programming device is combined with the functionality of the robot simulation software. The high functionality of the robot simulation and its lack of dependence on real hardware are associated with efficient and easily learned operation of real robots.
Through three-dimensional visualization of the robot and the object, a spatial impression is given even in the case of complex geometries, and programming of the robot control is facilitated. The advantages of robot simulation, including ease of handling and learnability, are thus made accessible to the user of conventional programming systems.
The core of the present invention is a link between real programming of robots and programming using robot simulations. This coupling takes over the traditional functionalities of a real handheld programming device and supplements them with additional functionalities of simulation.
An advantageous refinement of the present invention consists of wirelessly connecting the handheld programming device to the robot control unit in which the robot simulation program is contained and activated. By three-dimensional display of the (virtual) robot and (virtual) object, it is possible to program the movement paths and working steps of the robot rapidly and reliably by using the information for programming real robots without any particular training.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Device and method for programming an industrial robot

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A new and distinct Malus domestica apple tree variety named ‘FUJIKO’ particularly characterized by having intense red color on most of the skin surface; red coloration on the unexposed side of the fruit; and good overcolor of the fruits underexposed to the sun light.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of apple tree, botanically known as Malus domestica Mill. of the family Rosaceae, and hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination 'FUJIKO'.
The new Malus 'FUJIKO' was discovered by the inventors, Michelangelo Leis and Carlo Mazzola, in the summer of 2002 in a block of Fuji apple tree designated as 'NAGAFU 12' (unpatented), growing in a cultivated area of an orchard in Migliaro, Ferrara, Italy. These trees of the new variety 'FUJIKO' were selected based on the distinctly different appearance of the fruits of 'FUJIKO' (more intense and diffused red skin surface color) from the fruit of the adjacent Fuji 'NAGAFU 12' trees.
The new Malus 'FUJIKO' was first selected from propagation and further testing by the inventors in 2002 in a controlled environment in Comacchio, Ferrara, Italy. Asexual reproduction of the new Malus 'FUJIKO' trees started by grafting onto M9 rootstock unpatented in February 2003 in a testing orchard near Comacchio, Ferrara, Italy. Some trees of Fuji 'NAGAFU 12' (unpatented), Fuji 'Raku Raku', Fuji, 'NAGAFU 6' (unpatented) and Fuji 'T.A.C. #114' (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,032) were grafted on M9 roostocks in the same row and at the same time as 'FUJIKO' was first grafted on M9 rootstocks. First fruiting of the 'FUJIKO' trees occurred in 2004, and revealed that first produced from the 'FUJIKO' trees possessed characteristics which clearly distinguished 'FUJIKO' from other known Fuji varieties. Asexual reproduction of 'FUJIKO' has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new variety are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new variety reproduces true to type.


A process for recovering sodium bicarbonate and ammonium sulfate from a sodium sulfate solution. The sodium sulfate solution can be pure or contain other compounds such as sodium sulfite, carbonate, chloride, fluoride, nitrate and nitrite as would be the case if the sodium sulfate solution were derived from a sodium bicarbonate flue gas purification process. Carbon dioxide and ammonia gases or solid ammonium bicarbonate are added to the sodium sulfate solution to precipitate sodium bicarbonate which is removed from solution. The remaining solution is treated in a unique series of precipitation steps in which reactants are first recycled back to the sodium bicarbonate crystallizer and then the amount of sodium in the solution is adjusted to an amount that allows high grade ammonium sulfate fertilizer product to be produced. The process is accomplished using evaporation and precipitation unit operations in a unique sequence that results in 100% conversion of the sodium salt feed stock to sodium bicarbonate and ammonium sulfate in a commercially viable manner.

The preparation of sodium bicarbonate and ammonium sulfate has been discussed at length in the prior art. One of the most recent patents regarding this technology is U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,796, issued to Phinney, Aug. 22, 2000. This patent effectively demonstrates the fact that in all of the prior art, the ability to produce a non contaminated ammonium sulfate product does not exist. This patent is effective for synthesizing high quality ammonium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate by progressive precipitation. This sequencing of precipitations results in "partitioned decontamination" by continuously removing contamination from a predecessor solution which has already been exposed to purification.
Canadian Patent No. 2,032,627, issued Jan. 14, 1997 to Thompson et. al., teaches yet another process for producing sodium carbonate and ammonium sulfate from naturally occurring sodium sulfate. The reference is concerned with the preparation of a double salt of sodium and ammonium sulfate. This is a source of contamination when one is trying to form reasonably pure ammonium sulfate and the presence of any double salt and sodium in an ammonium sulfate product does nothing other than reduce the value of the ammonium sulfate to a non-commercial product. In the methodology, it is clearly stated on page 13, beginning at line 8:                " . . . the brine remaining after screening off the solid sodium bicarbonate contains a mixture of unreacted sodium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium bicarbonate and minor amounts of sodium bicarbonate. This brine is transferred by a pump 36 into a gas recovery boiler 31 where it is heated to a temperature of 95° to 100° C. Under these conditions, the ammonium bicarbonate breaks down and sodium bicarbonate dissolved in the brine reacts with ammonium sulfate to produce sodium sulfate, carbon dioxide and ammonia. Carbon dioxide and ammonia dissolved in the brine boil off, leaving in the solution a mixture composed mostly of sodium and ammonium sulfate The carbon dioxide and ammonia so regenerated are cooled in a gas cooler 32 and returned to the reactor 21 by a blower 33 after being further cooled in a gas cooler 34. This regeneration step minimizes the amount of carbon dioxide and ammonia used in the process."
It is clear that the brine is evaporated and that the ammonium sulfate is reacted with the brine to produce sodium sulfate inter alia. The phase equilibria relationship between the elements present in the system was not recognized.
The teachings of this reference provide for a closed loop system for a sodium sulfate and ammonium sulfate saturated solution system. This system results in the formation of double salt. The teachings are limited in that it was believed that the solubility difference could yield an ammonium sulfate product. This is incorrect; the result is an ammonium sulfate contaminated system.
In Stiers et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,329, the teachings are directed to the preparation of sodium bicarbonate and hydrochloric acid. This goal is consistent with the teachings of Stiers et al. at column 11 of the disclosure beginning at line 23 through line 43, wherein the following is indicated:                "If, instead of precipitating the double salt in the first stage of the process, it is preferred to precipitate ammonium sulfate, the following procedure may be adopted.        Referring now to FIG. 10, it will be seen that each of the three curves which divide this figure into three parts corresponds to the simultaneous precipitation of two salts.        At any given temperature, the point representing a system may be vertically displaced by removing some of the water from the solution. In order to precipitate ammonium sulfate instead of the double salt, it is necessary to operate at a temperature greater than that at the triple point, i.e., about 59° C.        The point A, which corresponds to about 63° C. is suitable, since it is sufficiently distant from the triple point to avoid unwanted precipitation of the double salt without requiring too much heat.        It is clear that at the point A, there is simultaneous precipitation of sodium sulfate and ammonium sulfate, but this is in the form of a mixture of the two salts rather than as a double salt."
The teachings of the Stiers et al. reference not only are insufficient to direct one to formulate ammonium sulfate in a purity of greater than 75%, but the disclosure is further completely absent of any teaching on how to obtain ammonium sulfate singly. The Stiers et al. reference does not and can not result in the generation of ammonium sulfate as a single product as is clearly possible by the teachings of the present invention.
By following the Stiers et al. methodology, one cannot generate a pure ammonium sulfate product, since the reference does not recognize the limitations of the phase equilibria of the salt system and the combination of steps necessary to overcome the inherent contaminating steps associated with this salt system. Although there is a reference to point A in FIG. 10 of Stiers et al. for the preparation of the product, it is clear that although no double salt is indicated to be in the mixture, there is no indication that the product does not include mixed salt. This is reflected in the disclosure where Stiers et al. indicates that there is simultaneous precipitation of sodium sulfate and ammonium sulfate. This is consistent with the data that Stiers et al. provides as indicated at column 12 beginning at line 21. There is no data presented where the quantity of ammonium sulfate, standing on its own, is set forth. In each case, the data presented is expressed as a proportion precipitated in a compound, i.e, combined salt inter alia. Finally, from the text set forth beginning at line 32, Stiers et al. indicates that:                " . . . From the foregoing it will be seen that the process according to the invention may be carried out by precipitating the ammonium sulfate in the form of the double salt, or as (NH4)2SO4 simultaneously with sodium sulfate, or by precipitating it simultaneously in the form of ammonium sulfate and in the form of the double salt."
From a review of FIGS. 10 and 11 (in Stiers et. al.), the fact that no ammonium sulfate is generated singly becomes evident. No data is presented for ammonium sulfate generation; the results from practicing this methodology are only a mixed salt and a double salt. Nothing else is obtainable by practicing this method.
Finally, Kresnyak et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,442, issued Nov. 3, 1998, teach an improved process for producing ammonium sulfate. This process is attractive where energy consumption and conversion efficiency are not of primary concern. In this process, sodium sulfate is removed by significant energy input to the evaporators with subsequent cooling. The result is a 2:1 ratio of double salt to solution which then must be evaporated in order to recover ammonium sulfate.
In view of the limitations of the prior art, it is evident that a need remains for a process whereby ammonium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate can be formulated in high yield at a high purity using commercially viable, energy efficient unit operations in the proper sequence. The present invention fulfills these objectives in an elegant manner.

Method for recovering purified sodium bicarbonate and ammonium sulfate


A method may include obtaining a task-specific state of a robotic device associated with performing a task by the robotic device. The method may also include mapping the task-specific state to a general state of the robotic device, where the general state may applicable to multiple tasks and may include a variable number of elements. The method may additionally include obtaining a set of generic actions represented by a set of parameters, where the set of generic actions may be used to perform the multiple tasks. The method may also include processing the general state of the robotic device to solve for the set of parameters and to predict a next action in performing the task, where the next action may be selected from the set of generic actions, and performing the next action using the set of parameters solved for.

Robotic devices have found usage in a variety of fields, such as manufacturing, scientific experiments, or any other field in which consistent, repetitive actions are used. Robotic devices may also be used in contexts that are unsafe for humans, such as diffusing bombs or working in a toxic environment. However, programming robotic devices can be a time-intensive process.
The subject matter claimed in the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described in the present disclosure may be practiced.