In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for calculating a distinct count value from data stored in a hierarchical database. A counting measure may be defined in the hierarchical database such that the counting measure is associated with members of a first category of data to be stored in the hierarchical database. A query may be received that identifies the counting measure. The hierarchical database may be queried to identify members of the first category of data that are presently in the hierarchical database. A data structure may be generated that includes the members of the first category of data that are stored in the hierarchical database. One or more distinct count values may be calculated for the members of the first category of data that are stored in the hierarchical database.

Measures for use in analyzing data in a hierarchical database, such as an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) database, are known in the art. One such measure is the distinct count function for the Multidimensional Expression (MDX) language, which may be used to query OLAP data to count the distinct, non-empty tuples in a set. For example, the distinct count function may be used to answer the question, "How many customers are buying each of my products?" However, the traditional distinct count function is processor intensive and may require a significant amount of processing time to process a reasonably sized data set. The processing requirements of a traditional distinct count function may be illustrated by the following example query:
with                member measures.prod_dcount as                    'distinctcount ({[products].[product].members})'
select                {customer.members} on rows,        {date.years.members} on columns
from prodcube
where measures.prod_dcount
Assume for the purposes of this example that the data set includes 8 year members and 176 customer members. A table showing results of the above query is set forth in FIG. 1. The query results in this example includes all of the members of the product level on which the distinct count function is performed. The distinct count function is traditionally processed in MDX by running separate queries to gather and accumulate the number of unique members out of all of the members of the product level for each of the 1408 crossings of the x and y axis. That is, 1408 separate queries are required to return a distinct count value.

Computer-implemented systems and methods for providing a counting measure


A recording target includes targeting information printed on a substrate offset from a visible target and masked from the weapon operator by a thermal clearing masking layer. The operator aims at the visible target and the simulated weapon applies a focussed pulse of intense visible light to the masked targeting information to reveal the relevant targeting information by being converted into infrared radiation, by the thermal clearing masking layer and/or a portion of the masked targeting information thereunder, which clears or renders transparent the portions of the thermal clearing masking layer illuminated by the focussed visible light.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of developing, printing and duplicating. More specifically, the invention relates to an imaging device and method for developing, printing and duplicating graphic media. In particular, the invention relates to techniques for determining and recording targeting information useful for weapon training and simulation as well as gaming.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, many different approaches have evolved for developing, printing and duplicating visible images on graphic media using ink, ribbons, recording paper and the like. Conventional recording papers include photographic papers in which light from an illuminated image is used in a single or multiple step process to create an image on the recording paper by chemical reaction.
Another type of recording paper is direct developing paper in which electrical, magnetic or thermal energy is used to create an image in a chemically pre-sensitized area. In thermal recording paper equipment such as facsimile devices, printers, and ink recorders, a heated wire is applied to thermally sensitive paper to form an image on the surface of the paper. The heat causes a chemical reaction in a coating on the paper, which produces a visible change.
There are also many approaches to thermographically reproducing images such as the use of non-drying inks dusted with a powdered compound and then fused by heating. Similarly, reflex or dual spectrum processes utilize an original copy of the image superimposed with a translucent sheet having a photosensitive coating not apparent to the unaided eye. Exposure to a brilliant light for several minutes causes the light to transmit through the translucent sheet, reflect off the original and alter the nature of the photosensitive coating. An opaque sheet having an infrared sensitive chemical coating is then positioned in contact with the translucent sheet. A second exposure, this time to infrared radiation, causes a chemical reaction in the infrared coating which reproduces the images on the opaque sheet.
Another thermographic reflex process utilizes an original superimposed first with a transfer sheet and then with a recording or copy sheet which is a transparent or translucent paper or plastic sheet. The recording sheet has an adhesive layer which is positioned on the transfer sheet. Direct exposure to infrared radiation softens the adhesive layer on the recording sheet. The radiation transmitted in large part through the recording sheet and completely by the transfer sheet, is absorbed by the images on the original sheet. The absorbed radiation on the original generates a heat pattern corresponding to the shape of the original images and the heat pattern is conducted back to the transfer sheet causing portions of the transfer layer to melt. The melted portions of the transfer layer are absorbed into the areas of the adhesive layer in contact with the transfer layer to form imaged areas in the adhesive layer which are legible as direct reading images.
Processes for determining and recording targeting information are used to determine and/or record the accuracy with which the weapon is aimed and fired at a target for training, simulation or gaming purposes. Targeting information processes may include compensation for field conditions such as wind, relative motion between the weapon and target as well as the projectile trajectory. In order to accurately include such compensation, targeting information processes for weapons have used actual or dummy projectiles fired at actual or dummy targets on actual or test firing ranges. Conventional processes for determining targeting information for simulated weapons, toys or other gaming purposes have used beams of light applied to light sensitive detectors or a raster scanning light producing image array, such as a video monitor, and a movable light sensor, such as a light pen.
Such conventional targeting information processes have used conventional approaches for developing, printing and duplicating visible images on graphic media to record the targeting information so determined.
A need exists for more convenient and cost effective targeting information techniques, including targets that may be illuminated during targeting or gaming with normal visible light and which provide convenient permanent or reversible targeting information records which may include compensation for predetermined variables, such as field or game conditions, without requiring expensive, complicated or multi-step processes.
These as well as other features of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows, considered together with the appended drawings.


A plurality of haptic actuators is disposed to form a high resolution haptic array. This array may be configured to provide haptic feedback to a user by activating one or more of the plurality of haptic actuators. A display, a touch sensor, and the haptic array may be integrated into a single low-profile multifunction stackup.

Users increasingly demand devices with multiple capabilities in ever smaller form factors (that is, the overall size of the device). These multiple capabilities may include a touch screen with haptic or tactile feedback. Traditionally, haptic output has been coarse and has low resolution. Low resolution haptic output, for example, includes vibration from an eccentrically-centered mass on a rotary motor. As a result, the user perceives the haptic output at locations other than the control, which conveys minimal information to the user and may also be distracting.


There is provided an electro-luminescence device in which a display base substrate including a display body layer having a switching element disposed in the shape of a matrix and a light emitting element having a light emitting state controlled by the switching element and a sealing layer having a gas barrier layer that is formed on the display body layer and has at least a function for blocking water vapor and a protection substrate made of a translucent material and having a surface on which at least two types of gap control layers made of different materials are stacked are bonded such that a gap control layer, disposed on the uppermost layer, of the gap control layers and the gas barrier layer are brought into contact with each other, wherein the gap control layer disposed on the uppermost layer has a Young's modulus lower than the gas barrier layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electro-luminescence device and a method of manufacturing the electro-luminescence device.
2. Related Art
As one of devices using an electro-luminescence phenomenon, there is an organic electro-luminescence device of an active matrix type. In the active matrix type, two or more TFTs including a switching TFT that controls a pixel, electrode that is an anode and a TFT for supplying a drive current are needed for each pixel. Accordingly, in order to achieve acquisition of a TFT forming area and improvement of an aperture ratio together, it is preferable to use a top emission type in which a function layer (a layer that is pinched by an anode and a cathode layer and includes at least an organic electro-luminescence emitting layer) can be formed on the upper surface of the TFT. In addition, when a color display is required, it is difficult to emit one color among three primary colors for each pixel by forming electrically independent function layers with high precision at low cost using different materials for each pixel. Accordingly, generally, a function layer for emitting white light is formed over the whole surface of the image display area, and then a color filter is bonded on the function layer through a cathode layer or the like, and thereby a color image can be displayed (see JP-A-2001-267070).
In the above-described electro-luminescence device, there are problems in a sealing property and a method of installing the color filter. Since the above-described function layer contains an organic material or metal that can be easily reacted with moisture, it is deteriorated due to the moisture (water vapor). Thus, means (configuration) for suppressing permeation of external air is needed. In addition, when a gap (hereinafter, referred to as a gap) between the function layer and the color filter is irregular in the display area, deterioration of the display quality such as a change in chromaticity depending on a viewing angle may occur. Accordingly, means (configuration) for suppressing the irregularity of the gap in the above-described bonding process and maintaining the state for a long time is needed. Thus, in the above-described electro-luminescence device, a thin film that is formed of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, or the like and transparent and has a superior water vapor blocking property, referred to as a gas barrier layer is formed on the function layer. In addition, a color filter is bonded to the top of the gas barrier layer using an adhesive in which a sphere-shaped gap control layer having an approximately same size as the color filter is mixed, and thereby the irregularity and variance of the gap is suppressed.
However, when the above-described bonding method using the sphere-shaped gap control layer is used, the gas barrier layer and the gap control layer are pressed in a state that they are brought into point contact with each other, and accordingly damage such as a local breakage may occur in the gas barrier layer. In addition, when the gap control layer is formed of a material having a low Young's modulus for avoiding the above-described situation, there is a problem that the irregularity of the gap may increase.

Electro-luminescence device for improved display quality by suppressing irregularity of the gap and method of manufacturing electro-luminescence device


Technologies are described herein for executing business logic extensions on a client computing system. A server platform exposes server-hosted application services to client applications. Calls to the server-hosted application services may be executed along with custom business logic extensions. A client platform is also provided that exposes client-hosted application services to a client application. The same business logic extensions that execute on the server platform can be utilized by the client platform. When a client application is online and connected to the server platform, the client application utilizes the server-hosted application services in the manner described above. When the client application is offline, the client application utilizes the client-hosted application services. The server platform synchronizes the business logic extensions to the client platform.

In many client-server business applications, a smart client application is utilized that is capable of functioning both when it is connected to a server computer (referred to herein as being "online") and when it is disconnected from the server computer (referred to herein as being "offline"). Often, however, the functionality provided by the client application when offline is very limited as compared to the functionality provided by the application when online. This is generally due to the fact that the complete functionality provided by the server computer and a complete data set are not available to the client application when offline.
The functionality provided by a server application in a client-server environment may be extended through the use of business logic extensions. Business logic extensions allow the developer of the server application and independent software vendors ("ISVs") to add additional functionality to a business application. Because business logic extensions are implemented on the server computer, the functionality provided by such server-side extensions is not available to a client application operating offline.
Some efforts have been made to allow the use of custom business logic extensions by an offline client application through the execution of scripts by the client application. Scripts, however, severely limit the functionality available when the client application is offline due to their limited capabilities and the difficulty in properly integrating their execution with the operation of the client application. In this regard, it can also be difficult to deploy these types of business logic extensions to multiple client applications. In many cases, ISVs are responsible for deploying the extensions and for managing the versioning and maintenance of the extensions. This process can be complicated, expensive, and time-consuming.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure made herein is provided.

Executing business logic extensions on a client computing system


With a device for removing urine and/or feces, for example in connection with sick and infirm people, simple and safe removal is accomplished with a bag (1) with a face-side insertion opening for the genital organ or feces, such opening being tightly connected with a tube line (7, 7'), whereby the tube line (7, 7') is connected with the end facing away from the bag (1) with the suction side of a motor-driven, self-aspirating fluid pump (9), the latter feeding with the pressure side via tube line (7") into the drain pipe (13) of a washbowl (14) or the like.

Devices for urinal care are known, in which the urine is removed by means of a condom and discharged into a leg pouch via a hose section. Apart from the fact that the leg pouch has to be emptied periodically in a troublesome way, empyying of the leg pouch is often not manageable in a hygienically clean and safe way, so that annoyance caused by bad odor is unavoidable. Further, emptying of the leg pouch often requires additional assistance. Moreover, the known devices do not permit removal of feces due to poor flowability of the latter.
The problem of the invention is to create measures for simple and safe removal of urine and feces.
According to the invention, said problem is solved by a quiver-like bag with an inlet opening on the face side for inserting the genital organ or feces, such bag being tightly connected with a tube line which, with the end facing away from the bag, rests against the suction line of a motor-driven, self-aspirating fluid pump feeding with the pressure side into a drain pipe of a washbowl or the like. Preferably, the pressure side of the fluid pump feeds into the drain pipe of the washbowl via a T-shaped piece of pipe. The flexible pipeline may be usefully formed in this connection by a hose or the like, the latter being detachably fixed on the bag or engaging the latter by means of a disconnectable coupling element. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the hose has a disconnectable separation point disposed with a spacing from the bag and the fluid pump, such separation point being lackable and releasable by a coupling element, whereby the coupling elements are designed in the form of quick-action couplings. In this way, a closed conduit system is formed, and it is assured that urine or feces are continuously discharged, whereby transport operations for transporting collection containers or the like are dispensed with. Urine or feces are removed by suction in a clean way by means of the vacuum adjusted in the hose, whereby no unintended or undesirable discharge of urine or feces via the inlet opening to the outside will occur. Finally, the closed conduit system, furthermore, will not cause any annoyance due to bad odor, and spilling of urine or the like is impossible.
For developing the device further, provision is made that the bag or the adjacent hose section has a manually actuated ON/OFF-switch for the driving motor of the fluid pump. In this way, the device can be put into operation by the person using it at any desired time for discharging urine or feces. In addition, it is possible to equip the bag with a pulse transmitter responding to fluid or moisture, whereby the pulses of such transmitter are used for automatically switching the driving motor of the fluid pump on or off. Moreover, it is conceivable that the driving motor of the fluid pump is periodically automatically switched on or off depending on time, using a time-switch, whereby discharge of urine and feces is made possible also for disabled and helpless persons. Furthermore, it is proposed to make the driving motor of the fluid pump remotely controllable, e.g. by actuating it by infrared pulses for switching the device on and off.
For developing the device further, provision is made that the vacuum in the part of the hose on the suction side is manually or automatically changeable or controllable, so that the vacuum can be adapted to the substances such as urine or feces to be discharged.
Furthermore, provision is made that a flexible flushing conduit connected with the pressure water mains, for example a hose is freely or rigidly and substantially tightly attached to the open side of the bag in order to keep the latter, the hose and the fluid pump clean and odorless. The flushing conduit can be connected with the pressure water mains in any desired way. Preferably, the flushing conduit is particularly connectable with the pressure water pipeline leading to the washbowl or the like via a valve, for example an angle valve. So as to avoid complications caused by pressure of the water mains or failure of the fluid pump, the flushing conduit and/or the hose are equipped with a reflux stop valve. Furthermore, it is conceivable to associate a reservoir for disinfectants or fragrances with the flushing conduit, or to arrange such reservoir in said conduit, such reservoir continuously or periodically dispensing disinfectant into the flushing water, by manual control or continuously or automatically at periodic intervals.
Furthermore, provision is made that the bag has a circular insertion opening and a circuit cross section over its entire length. It is advantageous if the bag has a circular insertion opening adjoined by the remaining part of the bag in a flattened form. In this way, the bag can be secured on the leg of the user without causing pieces of garment or the like to bulge, so that using the bag remains invisible from the outside. Furthermore, it is possible to detachably secure the bag and/or the hose and/or the flushing conduit on parts of the body, for example on the leg of the user by means of at least one belt, band or the like fitted with a closing buckle. It is understood that the bag can be supported on parts of the body of the user also in other ways, for example via shoulder belts.
So as to assure safe transfer of urine or feces into the bag, the latter is fitted within the zone of its insertion opening on the inside with a sleeve-lie sealing gasket, which is rigidly or exchangeably toghtly fixed in the bag and has sealing lips all around the inner circumferential surface, such lips extending circumferentially one on top of the other with axial spacings, whereas annular sealing beads are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the gasket. The sealing lips preferably extend slanted inwardly and downwardly and, together with an O-ring secured in the bag, prevent urine or feces from running out of the bag. The bag itself can be formed by a rigid or a flexible material, for example a plastic material, rubber or the like.
It was found that it is particularly advantageous if the hose and the flushing conduit, in particular, however the latter, jointly feed with the ends facing the bag into a housing-like station, whereby the station is connectable with the bag and has a spraying device or the like connected with the flushing conduit, such device particularly being tightly attachable to or insertable in the insertion opening of the bag.
The insertion opening of the bag usefully has a sealing gasket inserted therein, whereby the clear width of such gasket can be changed for obtaining diameters of different sizes by pushing at least one additional gasket onto it.
Furthermore, removal of feces can be safely facilitated by a tubular adapter tightly fixable on or insertable in the insertion opening, with at least one hollow cylinder insertable with part of its length in the intestine of the user, and with a water tube centrally arranged in the adapter and fitted with a nozzle, such water tube being connectable with the pressure water mains. Centrally, the nozzle has an axial outlet and a number of outlet openings in the circumferential zone for water, the latter outlets being slanted outwardly against the water feed. It was found that the water exiting from the central nozzle softens and crushes the feces, whereas the water exiting from the slanted nozzles effects transport of the feces in the adapter and on into the bad. So as to prevent feces from leaking out, the adapter and/or the cylinder are/is fitted on the outside with annular sealing lips. According to a further development, the adapter, which is advantageously Exchangeably fixed on the bag especially for cleaning purposes, for example by friction grip, can be designed also in such a way that it and the bag form one piece.
With the bag, furthermore, provision is made for a bowl-shaped receiving container for removing feces, such container being attachable or insertable by plugging, and its receiving space being connected with the interior space of the adapter, whereby the latter also a water tube fitted with a nozzle and attachable to the pressure water mains.
Finally, it is conforming to the idea of the invention if, according to another modified embodiment of the device, the fluid pump is omitted, so that urine or feces are transported by action of gravity from the bag via the hose line directly into the drain tube of the washbowl. Precondition for this is that the bag or adapter is disposed or kept higher than the point of inflow on the drain pipe of the washbowl, and that urine or feces can be discharged in accordance with the design of the communicating tube.
The exemplified embodiments with the features important to the invention show how the latter can be realized. In the drawing,


An instrument for delivering a pre-tied suture assembly, having a needle carrying a thread with a noose thereon, into a body cavity. The needle has a pointed free end to puncture a tissue and guide movement of the needle and thread therethrough. The instrument has an elongate body with proximal and distal ends. Structure is provided on the body for holding the needle in a transfer position with the pointed free end of the needle shielded to prevent inadvertent puncture of a tissue as the suture assembly is introduced into a body cavity through the instrument. The body has a noose receiving portion to be surrounded by the noose with the needle in its transfer position to prevent the noose from closing upon itself. There is first structure on the elongate body for a) preventing a noose on the noose receiving portion from sliding from the noose receiving portion off of the distal free end of the body with the first structure in a first position and b) allowing a noose to slide from the noose receiving portion off of the distal free end of the body with the first structure in a second position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical suturing procedures and, more particularly, to a device for delivering a pre-tied suture assembly into a body cavity, as during a laparoscopic procedure. The device can also be utilized to assist needle transfer and repositioning during suturing. The invention is further directed to a method of a) delivering a suture into a cavity using the inventive structure and b) assisting the suture tying process.
2. Background Art
Various techniques are known for delivering sutures into a body cavity during laparoscopy. By one method, a conventional forceps is utilized. If the user grabs the needle on the suture with the forceps jaws and draws the suture in a trailing direction, there is a risk that the exposed part of the needle may snag as it is being introduced to the body cavity or, alternatively, that the rigidly held needle may puncture an organ within the cavity, once introduced thereinto.
Alternatively, the user can grip the suture thread and pull the needle through in a trailing direction. While this obviates the problem of organ puncture, it introduces an additional problem. A substantial force must be applied by the jaws of the forceps on the thread to draw the needle into the cavity without fear of the suture's dislodging from the forceps. The gripping action of the jaws on the suture may cause fraying of the suture or a localized weakening which could result in a failure of the suture during the tying process.
It is also known to pre-tie a loop in a suture before the suture and needle are introduced into a body cavity. This loop acts as a noose to facilitate the tying of the first knot by the user. The loop/noose diameter is diminished by drawing on the suture thread while holding any part of the noose/loop stationary. If the pre-tied suture is introduced to a body cavity by grasping the suture, other than at the loop/noose and by drawing the suture structure into the cavity, as with a forceps, there is a tendency of the loop/noose diameter to diminish and possibly completely close, which is obviously undesirable.
The above problems would still be encountered if one were to surround the trailing body of a forceps with the loop/noose and grasp the thread and/or needle with the forceps forwardly thereof in directing the suture into the body cavity. If the loop/noose is drawn too tightly around the forceps body, the user would have to work the loop/noose loose to free the suture from the instrument once the same is in the body cavity. If the loop/noose is too large, it could slide uncontrollably along the forceps body and over the jaws thereon during introduction to prematurely separate entirely from the instrument.
A still further problem encountered in suturing during laparoscopy is that of manipulating the suturing needle once the suture is within the cavity. Various instruments have been devised for positively gripping a needle and for allowing the needle to be driven through adjacent tissue edges to initiate a knot, which is cinched to close an incision. Once the first instrument drives the needle through the tissue, the needle must be released, repositioned and resituated in that same instrument. In the transition between the gripping and re-gripping of the needle, the needle may dangle freely from the suture protruding from the tissue. By one technique, the user can use the same instrument to try to re-grip the needle. The difficulties with this are aggravated by the lack of suitable instruments available to readily accomplish this. One known instrument, for example, has a slot on one side thereof in which the needle must be located to effect holding thereof. The user must often blindly try to guide the dangling needle into that opening, which can be very inconvenient and time consuming.
Alternatively, a forceps-type instrument can be introduced into the body cavity solely for the purpose of holding the needle in a transition position and assisting the relocation of the needle in the device which is used to drive it through the tissue. The difficulty with this is that proper orientation of the needle is seldom achieved with the use of existing instruments, which often require gripping and regripping of the needle several times until proper orientation of the needle in the needle driver is obtained. Further, the user may be required to constantly remove and insert different instruments as various procedures are being performed.

Apparatus for delivering a suture into a body cavity and method of using the apparatus


A frequency dependent resistor in which the length of the current path across the resistor varies as a function of the frequency of the electrical signals being passed therethrough. The resistor uses the principal known as skin effect to direct relatively higher frequency signals through a longer path through the resistor than is experienced by signals having a relatively low frequency.

The present invention is directed generally to circuits and elements for managing electrical signals and, in particular, to circuits and elements for applying a variable resistance to electrical signals passing therethrough.
In managing and operating electrical signals (which may include radio frequency ("RF") signals), it is frequently desirable to vary the resistance applied to such signals based upon the frequency of the signals. To provide for such varying resistance, the prior art is replete with circuits for varying the resistance of a portion of a circuit in response to a detected frequency of a signal being carried. For example, it is known in the prior art to utilize a subcircuit in which plural resistors are interconnected by switches so that electrical signals can be passed from one end of the subcircuit to the other end while experiencing different amounts of resistance, depending upon the switch settings which, in turn, change the amount of resistance placed in the path between the ends of the subcircuit. The resistors can be switched into and out of the subcircuit in a parallel or serial fashion to provide a wide variety of resistance choices for the differing signals passing therethrough. As is known in the art, the operation of the switches may be made dependent on the frequency of the passing signal as detected by a conventional frequency detector. The use of such frequency varying resistance devices is relatively complex, given the number of switches which may be involved and the complexity of a reliable frequency determination circuit. Such devices, therefor, add both to the complexity and cost of a circuit wherein they are used. In addition, such devices may diminish the overall reliability of the circuit in which they are used.
There are also many different devices and circuits in the prior art in which the resistance of the device/circuit varies as a function of the frequency of signals being passed therethrough. Many of such devices use inductive and/or capacitive elements which permit the circuit to respond variably to frequency but which often place a lag in the signal being passed therethrough and may generate harmonic or similar undesired signals.
In one prior art circuit, a filter in a bridge configuration utilized a Whetstone bridge in which the resistive elements were composed of a metal conductor coated with a second metal. As the frequency of the signals being passed through the resistive elements was increased, the "skin effect" caused the current to change the path of its flow from the central conductor to the second metal coating on the "skin" of the element. Thus, as the frequency of the current increased, the current experienced a variation in the resistance experienced as the current flowed first through one type of metal (the metal of the conductor) and then to a second type of metal (the metal of the coating). See, for example, the Schlachter U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,434, issued Nov. 28, 1972.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel element and circuit in which the resistance of the element or circuit varies with the frequency of the signal being passed therethrough.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel element and circuit having a frequency dependent resistance which does not require an active frequency determination.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel element and circuit having a frequency dependent resistance which does not require the switching among different elements.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel element and circuit having a frequency dependant resistance which does not require different materials be used in the current carrying portions of the element.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel element and circuit having a frequency varying resistance in which the shape of the element determines its varying resistance characteristics.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.


A light emitting panel and a display device are provided. The light emitting panel includes a first substrate, an adhesive layer, a second substrate, and a convex portion. The first substrate includes a light emitting region and a peripheral region surrounding the light emitting region. The adhesive layer is disposed on the peripheral region of the first substrate and surrounds the light emitting region. The second substrate is disposed on the adhesive layer. The convex portion surrounds the adhesive layer and is disposed on a first sidewall of the adhesive layer away from the light emitting region. This can avoid cutting the adhesive layer, thereby avoiding poor peeling and improving product yield.

In recent years, thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs) generally include a thin film transistor substrate (array substrate) and a color filter substrate (CF substrate). The array substrate and the CF substrate are sealed by a seal. With the market's pursuit of simple and beautiful displays, narrow borders have become a trend of high-end displays. Narrow border technologies require that a width of a sealant can be greatly reduced, and precision requirements are higher.
In the related art, in order to improve a screen ratio of a display screen, an excess adhesive layer and an upper array substrate and a lower CF substrate are generally cut off by means of cutting the adhesive layer of a sealant. However, this process is easy to cause issues of poor peeling of a colloid which is not needed when peeling off.
Therefore, the prior art has drawbacks and is in urgent need of improvement.

TCL CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A polisher nozzle includes a body extending between a proximal portion for connection to a handpiece and a distal portion, the body having a first channel for delivering a polishing powder and a second channel for delivering a fluid. The distal portion includes a chamber disposed in the vicinity of the free end of said distal portion, with the first and second channels opening out into said chamber. The chamber includes two lateral openings each extending in a plane forming an angle with the vertical axial plane of the proximal portion.

The present invention relates to the field of polishers for delivering simultaneously a fluid such as water and a mixture of air and powder, such polishers being constituted mainly by a handpiece connected to a fluid feed pump and to a compressed air delivery turbine serving to entrain a treatment powder, the handpiece also being provided with an outlet orifice for delivering the fluid and an air and powder mixture.
The invention relates more particularly, but not exclusively, to the polishers used in the field of dentistry for treating periodontal pockets by delivering a fluid and/or an air/powder mixture between the jaw and the tooth in register with the periodontal pocket(s).
The presently available polishers that enable simultaneous delivery of a fluid such as water and a mixture of air and dental powder are fitted with an outlet nozzle that has two distinct ducts, one for delivering the fluid and the other for delivering the air/powder mixture. One such nozzle is described in particular in document US 2007/042316.
In addition, periodontal pockets may be present all around the periphery of a tooth or they may be located at any location around said periphery. Present nozzles do not make it easy to deliver a fluid and an air/powder mixture along the entire periphery of a tooth. With a molar, for example, the practitioner is hindered by the patient's cheek and needs to incline the handpiece of the polisher steeply in order to be able to treat certain portions around a molar. In spite of that, certain pockets can remain inaccessible.

SOCIETE POUR LA CONCEPTION DES APPLICATIONS DES TECHNIQUES ELECTRONIQUE


The invention relates to a brake disk having axial friction surfaces, preferably for land vehicles, in particular, an internally ventilated brake disk having two friction rings that are joined via connecting elements, whereby one of the axial outer surfaces of the brake disk is provided with a metallic non-ceramic coating. The injection molded coating is preferably formed during a flame spraying, arc spraying or plasma spraying coating method.

The invention relates to a brake disk, preferably for land vehicles, having axial friction surfaces, particularly an internally ventilated brake disk having two friction rings connected by way of webs, and to a method for its production.
A brake disk of the above-mentioned type is known from German Patent document DE G 298 13 236. The brake disk illustrated in that document is particularly suitable for the high stress occurring in the case of commercial vehicles and was also found to be resistant to wear. For everyday use, a service life of 300,000 km or more in trucks is not unusual. Nevertheless, a basic demand exists for a further increase of the brake disk's resistance to wear while the manufacturing costs of the brake disk should remain economically justifiable.
Although, more recently, the use of ceramic brake disks has been discussed which, in the sports car field, are already being installed in small series, the manufacturing costs of such brake disks are within the range of several thousand Deutsche Mark. Particularly in the field of commercial vehicles, the use of such brake disks therefore seems uneconomical. There is, on the contrary, a demand for a significant increase of the resistance to wear while the manufacturing costs of the brake disk remain justifiable.
However, it is not simply possible to increase the resistance to wear of the brake disk only by increasing the hardness of the brake disk material because the brake disk should not only be resistant to wear but must also meet additional marginal conditions.
By means of the alloyed types of gray cast iron disclosed in German Patent Document DE G 298 13 236, particularly the demands on the heat crack resistance could be improved while the dissipation of heat is simultaneously good and the efficiency is therefore high. In the case of these materials, the wear behavior is also improved in comparison to conventional brake disks made of gray cast iron by the formation of secondary carbides in the structure. These requirements are satisfactorily met for most demands in the vehicle construction by gray cast iron materials. Nevertheless, there is a demand for another significant increase of the wear resistance of the brake disk. However, such an increase of the wear resistance cannot simply be achieved in that the hardness of the gray cast iron is increased by a variation of the alloying additions because other characteristics of the brake disk may deteriorate with an increasing hardness, such as its tendency to form cracks or its thermal conductivity. In the event of an extreme stressing, brake disks with an improved design and selection of material may still have an unacceptable heat crack formation. Another remaining problem with brake disks made of gray cast iron materials is a non-uniformity of the braking torque ("brake judder"), which occurs under certain operating conditions.
Brake disk materials therefore have to meet very different demands, which partly require opposing characteristics for the materials.
Thus, they are used for transmitting the braking torque. For this purpose, they should have a high stability, a high breaking elongation capacity and a high modulus of elasticity.
As a result of the heat occurring during braking, these brake disk materials should also permit high or good heat dissipation. For this purpose, they should have a high thermal conductivity and a high degree of emission.
A high heat crack resistance should also be demanded. For this purpose, the brake disks should have a high thermal conductivity, a low modulus of elasticity and a low thermal expansion.
A low wear of the disk brake is also desirable. For this purpose, a high hardness, a high strength and a high oxidation stability are advantageous.
Frictional characteristics which are as uniform as possible also require a high homogeneity of the material even in the case of high thermal stress, as well as the avoidance of fluctuations in wall thickness as a result of a non-uniform wear.
As in the case of all unsprung masses at the vehicle axle, a weight which is as low as possible, and manufacturing costs which are as low as possible, are also desirable.
The gray cast iron used in the case of the brake disk of the above-mentioned type—particularly with a C-content of from 3.8 to 4%, an Mo-content between 0.6 and 0.8%, and preferably a Cr-content of from 0.2 to 0.3%, as well as preferably other additions, such as Mn, P, S, Cu and/or Ni—is already quite resistant to wear while the manufacturing costs are relatively low.
However, in the field of commercial vehicles, where a disk change may require relatively high expenditures, particularly an increase of the wear resistance to such an extent that, during the service life of the vehicle, a disk change can be eliminated, would be desirable. In this case, the brake disk costs may definitely also increase, but only such that an economic advantage still remains in comparison to the costs of a disk change.
In view of the above problems, the invention is based on the object of providing a brake disk, preferably a gray cast iron brake disk which, while its manufacturing is easy, is as wear-resistant as possible. Preferably, the other characteristics of the brake disk should thereby be impaired as little as possible in comparison to the pertaining state of the art. An advantageous manufacturing method for brake disks according to the invention should also be provided.
The invention achieves this object by providing a brake disk with axial friction surfaces, preferably for land vehicles, particularly an internally ventilated brake disk having two friction rings connected by way of webs. The brake disk is provided on at least one of its axial friction surfaces, in sections or entirely, with a metallic, non-ceramic coating, and a method of making the same.
The invention accordingly provides a brake disk with axial friction surfaces, preferably for land vehicles, which brake disk may also be internally ventilated and is provided at least on one of its axial friction surfaces, in sections or entirely, with a metallic non-ceramic coating.
Since, instead of a ceramic coating, a metallic coating is used, the adherence of the coating is optimized in a simple manner in comparison to brake disks with ceramic coatings. This brake disk is particularly suitable for trucks, but can also be used in passenger cars.
Particularly preferably, the brake disk has a disk-type core made of a cast iron material which, at least on one of its axial outer surfaces, is provided with a metallic injection-molded coating or an explosion coating.
Although coatings which protect against wear on friction surfaces of brake disks are known per se (European Patent Document EP 0 674 114 B1), these coatings on a ceramic bases have favorable wear characteristic but present adhesion problems because of different characteristics compared to the base material of the gray cast iron brake disks and because of the thermal shock stressing that occurs during coating.
In contrast, the invention provides, in a simple manner, a cost-effective coating of brake disks which protects against wear and is compatible with brake disk materials made of cast iron—particularly gray cast iron materials. Here, it is surprisingly possible, while retaining the favorable characteristics of these materials optimized for the use in brake disks, to increase the service life with respect to wear such that the brake disks have to be exchanged even less often; thus, for example, in rarely occurring, particularly wear-intensive applications because of reaching the wear limit.
Furthermore, the coating permits a reduction of the heat crack formation of the brake disk, the effect of the brake judder because of thickness fluctuations of the brake disk arising during the operation also being avoidable.
In the case of the invention, the coatings are preferably applied to the brake body made of gray cast iron by a thermal spray coating method, which brake body thereby forms a type of core.
Although thermal spray coating methods are known per se, thus, for example, when coating piston rings (see, for example, K. Kirner, "Application of Layers to Technical Parts by Means of Thermal Spraying Methods"; from: Kunst et al "Wear-Inhibiting Layers", Volume 436, Kontakt & Studium, Werkstoffe, Expert Publishers). Their use in the field of coatings of brake disks for producing a metallic brake disk coating, however, has not yet been considered because it was believed that the metallic injection molded coatings would impair the other desired characteristics of the ferrous material core.
When such thermal sprayed layers are used on gray cast iron brake disks, however, it was now surprisingly recognized that, because of the occurring metallurgical reaction with the material of the brake disk as well as the solidification course of the sprayed layer influenced by the high heat storing capacity of the brake disk, these thermal sprayed layers affect not only the wear behavior of the brake disk in a surprisingly positive manner even at high temperatures, but also reduce the heat crack formation and the braking torque fluctuations.
Alternative manufacturing methods to the preferred and proven arc welding are flame spraying, plasma spraying and explosion coating.
The invention therefore creates a protective layer for brake disks made of cast iron materials, which is applied to the friction surfaces of the brake disk by thermal spraying, in which case the sprayed-on material is a metal. In particular, the sprayed-on material is selected such that, in addition to the protection against wear, a protection against oxidation and against undesired metallurgical changes of the friction surface is achieved.
The injection molded coating preferably consists of a metal which is harder than the core, particularly unalloyed or alloyed steel. The injection molded coating preferably consists of a steel alloy containing Cr. In particular, the Cr content of the coating is between 10 and 20%, between 13 and 19%, between 15 and 17% or particularly preferably at 16%.
A brake disk has been particularly successful in the case of which the alloyed steel forming the coating contains the following additions: 16% Cr, 0.44% Ni, 0.43% Mn, 0.01% Mo, and 0.36% C.
It also proved to be useful that the core consists of a cost-effective gray cast iron. The gray cast iron forming the core is preferably a highly carburized gray cast iron which has a carbon content of from 3.7 to 4.0% and contains Mo and/or Cr. In particular, the Mo content of the core is at 6 to 8% and the Cr content is at less than 5%.
Axial coating thicknesses of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm, preferably 0.5 to 1.2 mm, particularly 0.6 to 0.9 mm, have also been successful. By means of a coating thickness of 0.7 mm, using a injection molded coating with a high Cr content, a doubling of the service life of the brake disk can often be achieved.
The invention is preferably used in the case of commercial vehicle brake disks with a disk thickness of from 38 to 45 mm and an air channel width of 12 mm.
The ratio between the disk thickness D1 and the air channel width D preferably meets the condition 3.2<=D1/D2<=4.
Reciprocally engaging contours, preferably a groove structure and/or a knob structure, are preferably constructed in the transition area between the core and the injection molded coating.
The friction rings expediently have at least one axial collar on the inner and/or outer circumferential edge, the height of this collar corresponding preferably to the axial dimension of the coating.
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.

Brake disk and method for the production thereof

Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH


In a method for controlling congestion within a cell of a wireless network providing mobile HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS), a mobile HAS client in the cell delays a request for a next HAS segment of a HAS media stream for a delay time interval in response to a notification of congestion within the cell. The mobile HAS client calculates a reduced bitrate for the next HAS segment, and requests the next HAS segment at the reduced bitrate after expiration of the delay time interval. The reduced bitrate is reduced relative to a bitrate for a previous HAS segment of the HAS media stream.

Hyper-text-transfer-protocol (HTTP) adaptive streaming (HAS) is emerging as a popular approach to streaming video-on-demand and real-time content. With regard to video-on-demand, for example, HAS is adaptive in the sense that the video quality can be adjusted based on the bandwidth or data rate available between the HAS server and a respective HAS client. However, each HAS client individually adapts its video quality independent of other HAS clients sharing the same resources.
Mobile HAS is rapidly becoming the preferred technology for watching video-on-demand and real-time multimedia content on mobile devices. As the use of mobile HAS increases, handling congestion for mobile HAS related traffic has become increasingly important for wireless service providers. Similar to wireline HAS, mobile HAS is also adaptive in the sense that the video quality can be adjusted based on the bandwidth or data rate available between the HAS server and a respective mobile HAS client.
For the most part, mobile HAS currently utilizes wireless Best Effort (BE) data connections. However, this is problematic when a wireless access network becomes congested because the HAS adaptation cannot timely identify access network congestion conditions, and thus, the prohibitively high data load on the wireless network caused by mobile HAS traffic persists, which results in delays, packet loss, escalation of congestion conditions, etc. This is especially true for 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) networks that allow individual clients to receive about 2-4 Mb/sec data streams, in which case about 8-10 mobile HAS clients can easily overload a serving eNode B or cell. Greedy non-cooperating client behavior where each mobile HAS client attempts to obtain maximal available cell throughput further contributes to the congestion problem, while adding unfairness in video quality distribution.
From the end user perspective, the congestion problem manifests itself in oscillating video quality with video freezes. From the wireless service provider's perspective, over-the-top HAS traffic is considered one of the main contributors to the network congestion itself.

Methods and apparatuses for congestion management in wireless networks with mobile HTPP adaptive streaming


An industrial robot comprises a column 1 fixed to an installation base BS, a first axis J1, which is a linear movement axis, a second axis J2 and a third axis J3, which are rotational axes, and a fourth axis J4 in the form of a driving axis (rotational axis) of a working tool. A food grade lubricating oil is used for the linear guide (2), ball screw (5), bearing (6), speed reducers (9, 19) and gears (10, 20, 30) of these axes. Oil seals (15, 25, 35) for sealing the food grade lubricating oil are made from a material which is harmless to human bodies, for example, a fluorine resin material, in consideration of their wear.

The present invention relates to an industrial robot, and more particularly, to an industrial robot which is employed in workplaces involved in processing, manufacture, transfer, packaging, dispatch, or the like, of products relating to foodstuffs, medical care or hygiene.
An industrial robot (hereinafter, simply referred to as xe2x80x9crobotxe2x80x9d) involves in its structure a large number of mechanical elements, such as speed reducers, gears, ball screws, bearings, linear guides, and the like, in its moving parts. In order to maintain smooth movement of the mechanical elements used in these moving parts, it is common to use a mineral lubricating oil. This lubricating oil is introduced and held in a sealed structure provided in the robot mechanisms, and it is necessary to change the lubricating oil when it deteriorates, even if it is supposed that the oil is sealed and held in a complete manner, and the lubricating oil is liable to leak or scatter outside while being discharged and replenished. Moreover, the same possibility arises when parts in the vicinity of the region where the lubricating oil is held are serviced, inspected, changed, or the like.
Therefore, when a conventional robot is used in a workplace involved in processing, manufacturing, transferring, packaging, shipping, or the like, relating to foodstuffs, medical care or hygiene, it is extremely difficult to eliminate completely the possibility of mineral-type lubricating oil adhering to or infiltrating the foodstuff, medical or hygiene-related products handled by the robot, or the wrapping or packaging thereof.
Furthermore, a large number of seals, such as oil seals, and the like, are used in the moving parts of robots, for the purpose of preventing leakage of lubricating oil or infiltration of dust, and with their wearing and deterioration, leaking of lubricating oil is also liable to occur.
Moreover, in general, rubber materials are used for seals, and it is not possible to avoid generation of powder from the rubber as the seals wear. However, generally used rubber-based materials contain a considerable amount of harmful substances, and there is a risk that the powder of rubber material due to wearing, which is discharged from externally exposed seals, may adhere to or infiltrate the foodstuff, medical or hygiene-related products being handled, or their wrapping or packaging, and the like, thereby causing their contamination.
Since the aforementioned mineral lubricating oil and the powder of rubber material caused by wearing, which may possibly be discharged or leak outside, contain substances which are harmful to human bodies when absorbed, then in cases where a conventional robot is used in tasks of handling products relating to foodstuffs, medical care or hygiene, it is difficult to guarantee safety. and a large burden is involved in servicing and inspection tasks. Consequently, this has been a major drawback to the introduction of robots into the fields where it is required that any substances discharged are entirely harmless, such as the field of manufacturing and processing food products.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot which is suited to tasks which require that any substances discharged are entirely harmless, such as the tasks of manufacturing, transferring, wrapping, packaging and the like of products related to foodstuffs, medical care, hygiene, and the like.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the industrial robot according to the present invention is an industrial robot to be employed in a workplace involved in processing or manufacturing of foodstuffs, comprising a sealed structure in the robot mechanism, wherein a harmless lubricating oil, such as polyurethane-base lubricating oil, is used in the mechanical elements contained inside the sealed structure.
Further, a material which is not harmful to human bodies, such as nitrile rubber, fluorine resin or the like, is used for the seals included in moving parts.
Since the robot according to the present invention uses lubricating oil and seals which are safe for human bodies in the mechanical elements incorporated into the moving parts thereof, it is possible to avoid the danger of causing a discharge of lubricating oil or powder produced by wearing of the seals that are harmful to human bodies, even if the robot is used in the tasks of processing, manufacturing, transferring, wrapping, packaging, etc. of products relating to foodstuffs, medical care or hygiene. Moreover, according to the present invention, by making a robot harmless in terms of the substances discharged thereby, a factor impeding the introduction of robots into the aforementioned tasks can be removed.


A catalytic process and apparatus therefor for the manufacture of hydrogen cyanide. In the process an oxygen rich oxidant stream and at least one oxidant-free feed stream containing methane and ammonia are separately preheated and rapidly mixed to form a detonable mixed stream at a temperature which is at least 50xc2x0 C. below the autoignition temperature of the mixed stream. The mixed stream is then conveyed to a catalyst capable of catalyzing the formation of hydrogen cyanide at such a velocity that detonation is avoided. The process is more energy efficient and gives rise to an effluent stream containing more hydrogen than the conventional Andrussow process.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and apparatus for use in such a process.
Conventionally, HCN is produced by the so-called Andrussow process, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,934,838, 4,107,278 and 4,128,622, and in which process ammonia and methane are combusted in air over a platinum-group metal catalyst to produce an effluent stream containing HCN. As a consequence of using air as the source of oxygen, the combustion is inevitably performed in the presence of a large volume of inert nitrogen. This large volume of nitrogen necessitates the use of appropriately sized air compressors and downstream equipment. Additionally, because of the presence of the inert nitrogen, more methane is required to be combusted than that needed merely to raise the temperature of the reactants to a temperature at which the HCN reaction can be sustained over the catalyst. Furthermore, the effluent gas which contains the HCN also contains by-product hydrogen and water, and residual ammonia. However, after separation of the HCN and recoverable ammonia from the other gaseous components, the presence of the inert nitrogen renders the residual gaseous stream of such low fuel value that it is requires its own dedicated burner.
For optimum conditions, the Andrussow process is operated within the flammable limits of the ammonia and methane mixture. The use of oxygen enriched air moves the process closer to the detonable region which makes operation extremely hazardous and as such is conventionally prohibitively difficult to control.
In the present invention, the process is operated such that potentially detonable mixtures of reactants are formed but in such a manner that detonation is avoided. This gives rise to improvements in the energy efficiency of the process and provides an effluent gas stream which has a significantly higher hydrogen content than that obtained from conventional Andrussow processes.
Accordingly, in a first aspect the present invention provides a catalytic process for the manufacture of hydrogen cyanide, which process comprises
(a) forming
(i) an oxygen rich oxidant stream
(ii) at least one oxidant-free feed stream supplying methane and ammonia;
(b) separately preheating by indirect heat exchange at least one of said oxidant and feed streams to a respective oxidant and feed preheat temperature;
(c) rapidly mixing sufficient of the oxidant and feed streams at their respective preheat temperatures in a mixing zone to form a detonable mixed stream at a mixed temperature and which mixed temperature is at least 50xc2x0 C. below the autoignition temperature of the mixed stream;
(d) conveying the mixed stream through the mixing zone at a mixing velocity such that detonation of the mixed stream is avoided; and thereafter
(e) feeding the mixed stream to a catalyst capable of catalysing the formation of hydrogen cyanide from the mixed stream at the mixed temperature to form an effluent stream containing hydrogen cyanide.
In a second aspect the present invention provides an apparatus for use in the process of the first aspect of the invention, which apparatus comprises
(a) a first inlet for an oxygen rich oxidant stream;
(b) at least one second inlet for at least one oxidant-free feed stream supplying methane and ammonia;
(c) a first conduit connected to said first inlet and along which the oxidant stream is able to flow from said first inlet to a discharge end of the first conduit;
(d) at least one second conduit connected to said at least one second inlet and along which the at least one feed stream is able to flow from the at least one second inlet to a discharge end of said at least one second conduit and which discharge end is approximately coterminous with the discharge end of said first conduit;
(e) a mixing zone located at the discharge end of the first conduit for receiving the oxidant and feed streams;
(f) a mixing means located in the mixing zone for effecting rapid mixing of the oxidant and feed streams to form a detonable mixed stream and for conveying the mixed stream through the mixing zone at a mixing velocity such that detonation of the mixed stream is avoided;
(g) a discharge orifice providing a flow connecting means between the mixing zone and a deflagration arrestor and through which the mixed stream is able to flow, the deflagration arrestor capable of inhibiting the propagation of a deflagration of the mixed stream back through the discharge orifice into the mixing zone; and
(h) a reaction zone for receiving the mixed stream from the deflagration arrestor and for directing the mixed stream to a supported catalyst located in the reaction zone for promoting the formation of hydrogen cyanide from the detonable mixed stream;
(i) indirect heat exchange means for preheating at least one of said oxidant and feed streams prior to mixing.
The oxygen rich oxidant stream typically contains from 30 to 100% by volume of oxygen. Preferably, the oxidant stream contains from 50 to 100% by volume of oxygen and in particular from 80 to 100% by volume.
The at least one oxygen-free feed stream may provide the methane and ammonia as separate feed streams which are then separately mixed with the oxygen rich oxidant stream. Preferably, the oxidant free feed stream is a premixed stream containing a mixture of methane and ammonia. Suitably, the volume (and hence molar) ratio of ammonia to methane used in the present process is from 1:1 to 1:1.5, preferably from 1:1 to 1:1.3 and particularly from 1:1 to 1:1.2.
The oxidant and feed streams may contain other components, for example a feed stream containing methane and ammonia may also contain a small proportion of oxygen provided that the composition of the feed stream is outside the detonable region.
In addition to the use of an oxygen rich oxidant stream, the need to use a significant excess of methane is further avoided in the present invention by indirectly preheating at least one of the oxidant and feed streams to a preheat temperature such that when the streams are mixed and passed over a catalyst capable of catalysing the formation of hydrogen cyanide the reaction is sustained and proceeds at a desired catalyst temperature. Where the oxidant stream is preheated it is advisable to avoid such temperatures that could give rise to metallurgical problems. Preferably, the oxidant stream is preheated to a temperature in the range from 200 to 300xc2x0 C. and the at least one feed stream is preheated to a temperature in the range from 300 to 450xc2x0 C. The preheat temperatures are preferably chosen such that the mixed temperature from 200 to 400xc2x0 C., preferably from 300 to 430xc2x0 C. and particularly from 330 to 430xc2x0 C. is achieved. Use of such reaction temperatures normally results in a catalyst temperature of from 1000 to 1250xc2x0 C.
The effluent stream exit the catalyst is approximately at the catalyst temperature and thus represents a valuable source of high grade energy. Consequently, it is preferred that the effluent stream on exiting the catalyst is used in indirect heat exchange to raise useful high pressure steam and hence to provide a partially cooled effluent stream, typically at a temperature from 500 to 700xc2x0 C., e.g. about 600xc2x0 C. The partially cooled effluent stream may also be usefully employed in other indirect heat exchange stages and in particular may be used to preheat at least one of the oxidant and feed streams and hence to provide a cooled effluent stream, typically at a temperature from 200 to 400xc2x0 C., e.g. 300xc2x0 C.
Typically, the effluent stream contains from 15 to 20% by volume of HCN and from 30 to 40% by volume of hydrogen.
The preheating of at least one of the oxidant and feed streams may be performed by one or more separate preheating stages such that the streams are at least partially preheated on entry to the respective first and second conduits. Additionally or alternatively, the preheating may be performed whilst the streams flow along the conduits. Preferably, the preheating is performed by indirect heat exchange with the partially cooled effluent stream whilst the streams are flowing along the conduits.
Preferably, when each of the at least one oxidant free feed streams contain ammonia and methane, each first conduit is associated with and located within a second conduit. This simplifies the construction of the apparatus including the selection of the materials of construction. Particularly preferred is where each first conduit is associated with and located within a second conduit and the partially cooled effluent stream is in indirect heat exchange with the feed stream as the feed stream flows along the second conduit. In this particularly preferred situation the length of the second conduit is dependent on the required preheat temperature to be achieved; in the case where the feed stream is preheated prior to entry into the second conduit then the length of the second conduit may be shorter than in the case where the same preheat temperature is achieved solely within the second conduit. However, in any event, the maximum temperature to which the feed stream is preheated should be less than the autoignition temperature of the methane and ammonia mixture.
The supported catalyst bed may be formed from materials conventionally used to promote the formation of hydrogen cyanide from oxygen, methane and ammonia, e.g. platinum-group metal catalysts. Preferably, a sintered metal or ceramic flame trap is positioned before the catalyst bed in order to inhibit the propagation of any undesirable flame fronts from the catalyst bed to the deflagration arrestors.

Hydrogen cyanide process and apparatus therefor


Basic tone waveform corresponding to a designated tone color and pitch is generated in each of a plurality of channels. Effect is imparted to the basic tone waveform in accordance with an algorithm for providing a predetermined effect, independently for each of the channels. The effect to be imparted is controlled in accordance with the designated tone pitch, separately for each of the channels. The effect impartment may be conducted using a processor, such as a DSP, executing a predetermined program containing a predetermined effect-imparting algorithm. In one example of the effect-imparting algorithm, a delay loop is employed through which an input exciting signal is circulated while being delayed, and an effect specific to an electromagnetic pickup of an electric guitar can be approximated by controlling the delay amount in the delay loop. In another example of the effect-imparting algorithm, a ransom signal is generated to control a cutoff frequency on the basis of the random signal, the basic tone waveform is filtered in accordance with the thus-controlled cutoff frequency, and the resultant filtered tone waveform is circulated through a delay loop whose delay amount is controlled in accordance with the designated tone pitch.

The present invention generally relates to a tone synthesizing device and method which execute a program containing an effect algorithm and thereby synthesize a tone waveform having imparted thereto a particular effect as defined by the algorithm, as well as to a recording medium containing such a program.
To impart effects to polyphonically-generated tones, the conventional tone synthesizing devices first generate tone waveforms corresponding to respective notes of the desired tones and then mix together these tone waveforms to thereby provide a polyphonic tone waveform. Thereafter, the polyphonic tone waveform is fed to an effect circuit including a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), where a program containing a predetermined effect algorithm is executed to impart the polyphonically-generated tones an effect as defined by the algorithm.
The conventional tone synthesizing devices, however, could not separately or independently impart an effect to each of a plurality of tones that are to be generated in response to simultaneous depression of a plurality of keys, i.e., to each of notes constituting polyphonically-generated tones, on the basis of tonal characteristic (e.g., pitch and color) information specific to the note. Thus, with the conventional tone synthesizing devices, it was difficult, if not impossible, to achieve elaborate tone color creation or tone color control.

Tone synthesizing device and method capable of individually imparting effect to each tone to be generated


An actuating unit of a motor vehicle seat comprises an actuating element, a base part, a pivot axis, and a spring. The pivot axis is disposed between the base part and the actuating element and enables a pivoting movement of the actuating element relative to the base part. The spring is disposed between the actuating element and the base part and elastically biases the actuating element into a rest position relative to the base part.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,285,616 discloses an actuating unit of a motor vehicle seat. In this case, the base part is formed as a beam which is rigidly connected to the seat rail. The actuating element is a locking lever comprising a locking member engaging into a latching strip connected in the floor rail. A pivot axis is disposed parallel to the longitudinal adjustment direction of the rails, it reaches through bearing openings of the base part and the actuating element. Finally, a spring is provided, which is fitted onto the pivot axis, is supported by the base part on the one hand and by the actuating element on the other hand, and which elastically biases the actuating element into a rest position relative to the base part, wherein this rest position is the engaging position into the latching strip.
Such actuating units have proved themselves in principle; they have been used for a long time. Nevertheless, they have drawbacks. For example, the installation effort is considerable. Though the pivot axis is easy to install, it must, however, be secured against axial movement by additional means. Additional room is required on the pivot axis for accommodating the spring. The spring must be hooked in separately after it has been pushed onto the pivot axis. The known actuating unit has many separate parts.


A method for restretching artist's canvases which have relaxed and lost tension through time and environmental effects includes application of a liquid material, preferably a water based adhesive, to the back surface of the relaxed canvas, which may or may not have a painting on its front surface. The wetting of the canvas tightens the fibers, and when the water based adhesive material dries in the canvas, the canvas remains tight. Several methods of application are disclosed.

This invention generally is concerned with artist's materials, and more specifically the invention is addressed at the problem of artist's fabrics or canvases becoming loosened on their frames over time.
Due primarily to environmental factors and also due to the nature of fibers used in artist's fabrics, stretched on a frame, these fabrics tend to lose tension over time. Environmental factors can include variations in humidity or temperature, as well as varying exposure to light or other conditions.
The term "artist's fabrics" is intended to include the traditional canvas as well as other fabrics sometimes used by artists, stretched on a frame. The term is not limited to art works painted on canvas and also includes fabrics used for "canvas transfers", a process of transferring an image on paper to a traditional artist canvas to give the look of an original. The fabrics include (but are not limited to) cotton fabrics, linen fabrics, poly-cotton fabrics and burlap.
There have been attempts to correct the problem of relaxed, sagging canvases or fabrics. When a painting (or other art work) has been applied to the front surface of the artist's fabric, care must be taken not to damage the art work. In the past, wedges have been used at the edges of the frame, in the inside corners of the stretcher bar frame, to restretch the canvas by expanding the size of the frame. This strictly mechanical approach is somewhat time consuming and has the potential to damage the art work such as by cracking the paints on the surface. Moreover, the wedges have traditionally been supplied with every artist canvas, and they have been misused to expand canvases or fabrics which were not loose. Still further, the expanded frame may no longer fit a decorative outer frame. In addition, a canvas which has become loose may have only one area or zone which is loose or rippled, and the technique of expanding the whole frame will not address such local ripples but will require stretching the entire canvas or fabric in order to retension the subject zone.
Another technique used to retension canvas has been to remove the canvas from the stretcher bar frame and re-stretch it. This is very time consuming; however, many artist canvases today lack the capability of expanding because the wood frame is cut with miter joints that when joined together remain fixed with fasteners of various types. In that case the only technique available for retensioning the canvas has been to remove the canvas from the frame and restretch it.
The following U.S. patents show methods and techniques involving treatment of fabrics: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,092,888 (Mizell), 3,280,143 (Hayes), 3,831,200 (Weiss) and 4,286,955 (Lewis).
It is among the objects of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive technique for tensioning an artist's fabric on a frame.


A digital rights management architecture for securely delivering content to authorized consumers. The architecture includes a content provider and a consumer system for requesting content from the content provider. The content provider generates a session rights object having purchase options selected by the consumer. A KDC thereafter provides authorization data to the consumer system. Also, a caching server is provided for comparing the purchase options with the authorization data. The caching server forwards the requested content to the consumer system if the purchase options match the authorization data. Note that the caching server employs real time streaming for securely forwarding the encrypted content, and the requested content is encrypted for forwarding to the consumer system. Further, the caching server and the consumer system exchange encrypted control messages (and authenticated) for supporting transfer of the requested content. In this manner, all interfaces between components are protected by encryption and/authenticated.

The present invention relates generally to the field of data communication and more specifically to digital rights management functions for securely communicating content between components of a network.
Conventional digital rights management systems for securing content transmitted through communication networks, such as the Internet, are becoming well known. Rights management systems are needed because a fundamental problem facing content providers is how to prevent the unauthorized use and distribution of digital content. Content providers are concerned with getting compensated for their content and depriving authorized consumers of such content.
Many digital right management schemes are typically implemented using "encryption/decryption" of the digital content. Encryption is the conversion of data into an unintelligible form, e.g., ciphertext, that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized clients. Decryption is the process of converting encrypted content back into its original form such that it becomes intelligible. Simple ciphers include the rotation of letters in the alphabet, the substitution of letters for numbers, and the "scrambling" of voice signals by inverting the side-band frequencies. More complex ciphers work according to sophisticated computer algorithms that rearrange the data bits in digital information content.
In order to easily recover the encrypted information content, the correct decryption key is required. The key is a parameter to both the encryption and decryption algorithms, where a different value of a key produces an unpredictably different result during both the encryption and decryption processes. The larger the key size, the more difficult it becomes to correctly guess the value of the key and thus decode the communications without the knowledge of the key. Generally, there are two types of key schemes for encryption/decryption systems, namely (1) PKS (public key systems) or asymmetric systems which utilize two different keys, one for encryption, or signing, and one for decryption, or verifying; and (2) nonpublic key systems that are known as symmetric, or secret key, systems in which typically the encryption and decryption keys are the same. With both public and secret keys systems, key management is employed to distribute keys and properly authenticate parties for receiving the keys.
One related art key management system developed at MIT is known as the Kerberos protocol. Kerberos is a key management protocol, allowing a party to establish shared session keys with different network services by using a KDC (key distribution center) and the concept of tickets. A ticket is used to securely pass to a server a session key along with the identity of the client for whom the ticket was issued. A ticket is tamperproof and can be safely stored by the clients, allowing servers to remain stateless (a server can re-learn the session key each time that the client passes it the ticket). Thus, the concept of tickets improves scalability of servers in terms of the number of clients that they can support. Disadvantageously, Kerberos is relatively complex and includes many different options, which are not always applicable to particular applications. Moreover, modifying such a complex system is no option because such modifications to an unfamiliar system adds the risk of introducing additional errors. Another disadvantage of Kerberos is that it does not specify the details of performing key management between a client and a server once a ticket is obtained (only some basic building blocks are provided).
A growing interest in streaming distribution of multimedia content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks has resulted in a growing need for key management systems. One such streaming distribution system is the Aerocast Network™ developed by Aerocast, Inc. of San Diego, Calif. As discussed with reference to FIG. 1, although the existing phase 1 Aerocast Network facilitates delivery of content, it lacks security and key management for the network.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network 100 (by Aerocast) for facilitating streaming of content over a communication network. Among other components, network 100 includes a content provider 102 for generating content intended for a consumer 116, Internet 114 through which content is streamed, and a central server 104 to which content provider 102 publishes its contents. Central server 104 contains a database 108 for storing content information, and a search engine 110 for searching database 108. Network 100 further comprises a provisioning center 106, and caching servers 112, 113 and 115.
In operation, consumer 116 wishing to access content by content provider 102, streams the content from the closest caching server, in this case, caching server 115. In conventional systems without caching servers, consumer 116 desiring such content streams obtains content directly from content provider 102. Not only does this result in poor content quality, delays associated with inadequate bandwidth may result. By using the caching servers, network 100 avoids disadvantages associated with direct streaming of digital content from content provider 202. Caching servers 112, 113 and 115 may be local DSL (digital subscriber line) providers, for example.
Network 100 provides a further advantage. When searching for content, consumer 116 need not search any and all databases on Internet 114. All content providers (including content provider 102) on network 100 publish descriptions of their content to a single central database 108. For video content for example, such descriptions may include the movie name, actors, etc. In this manner, when content is desired, consumer 116 uses search engine 110 to search database 108. When the content is found, database 108 thereafter provides a link to content provider 202 having the desired content. Content provider 102 is then accessed by consumer 116 to view a more detailed description and other metadata that is associated with the content.
A mechanism is provided whereby consumer 116 provides a list of caching servers closest to it to content provider 102. In response to consumer 116's request, content provider 102 selects the appropriate caching server closest to consumer 116 for streaming the content. It should be observed, however, that in today's Aerocast network content is streamed in the clear by network 100. Disadvantageously, because it is unprotected, the content may be intercepted by an unauthorized consumer resulting in substantial losses to content providers and consumers.
Other disadvantages of network 100 include a lack of authentication, privacy, message integrity and persistent protection.
Therefore, there is a need to resolve the aforementioned problems and the present invention meets this need.

Key management protocol and authentication system for secure internet protocol rights management architecture


A medical device capable of adjusting, while a rotating expandable portion breaks an object, a breaking force of the expandable portion. The medical device for breaking a thrombus in a blood vessel includes a shaft portion, an expandable portion that is provided to the shaft portion, a fixing portion that fixes the expandable portion and the shaft portion, a slide portion that is fixed to the expandable portion and is slidable with the shaft portion, and an outer tube that houses therein the shaft portion, in which the slide portion is movable by being indirectly pressed by the outer tube, and the slide portion is relatively rotatable relative to the outer tube.

A thrombus generated in a body lumen needs to be promptly removed. A known method for treating a thrombus involves breaking and removing the thrombus by an inflation portion provided at a distal side of an elongated shaft portion. The inflation portion changes an inflated diameter thereof depending on a change in length in an axial direction.
For example, JP-T 2003-504090 describes a device that cuts a thrombus in a coronary artery. This device is provided with a rotating body at a distal portion of a catheter, wherein an abradant is adhered to the outer surface of the rotating body. This device rotates the rotating body in the coronary artery, thereby cutting a stenosis substance by the abradant. The rotating body of this device is provided with four bars that are arranged in a circumferential direction. The rotating body is capable of inflating in accordance with a diameter of a blood vessel by bending and protruding the bars radially outward.


In an exemplary embodiment, a sliding component includes a pair of sliding parts 4 and 7 sliding relatively to each other and having sliding faces S formed radially for sealing a liquid or a misty fluid as a sealed fluid against leakage. One sliding part is a stationary-side seal ring 7, and the other sliding part is a rotating-side seal ring 4. At least one of the sliding faces S is provided with positive pressure generation mechanisms 11 having positive pressure generation grooves 12 configured to communicate with a circumferential edge of the sliding face S on the sealed-fluid side and not to communicate with a circumferential edge on the leakage side, and discharge grooves 10 disposed at an angle such that upstream ends are located on the leakage side and downstream ends are located on the sealed-fluid side.

Mechanical seals, which are an example of sliding components, are evaluated for their performance based on the leakage rate, the wear rate, and torque. Conventional arts have optimized the sliding material and the sliding face roughness of mechanical seals, thereby enhancing performance and achieving low leakage, long life, and low torque. However, due to growing awareness of environmental problems in recent years, a further improvement in the performance of mechanical seals has been required, and technical development beyond the limits of the conventional arts has been necessary.
Under such circumstances, as one used in an oil seal device of a rotating component such as a turbocharger, for example, known is one including a rotating shaft rotatably accommodated in a housing, a disk-shaped rotating body that rotates with the rotating shaft, and a disk-shaped stationary body that is fixed to the housing, and is brought into contact with an end face of the rotating body to prevent leakage of oil from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side, in which an annular groove for generating positive pressure by the centrifugal force of fluid is provided on a contacting face of the stationary body to prevent leakage of oil from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side (see Patent Document 1, for example).
Also known is one in a shaft seal device of a rotating shaft for sealing a toxic fluid, for example, including a rotating ring together with the rotating shaft and a stationary ring mounted to a casing, in which spiral grooves that draw in liquid on the low-pressure side toward the high-pressure side by the rotation of the rotating ring are provided on a sliding face of one of the rotating ring and the stationary ring, with their ends on the high-pressure side being of a dead-end shape, to prevent a sealed fluid on the high-pressure side from leaking to the low-pressure side (see Patent Document 2, for example).
Also, as a face seal structure suitable for sealing a drive shaft of a turbocharger against a compressor housing, for example, known is one with a pair of seal rings working together, in which one seal ring is provided at a rotating component, the other seal ring is provided at a stationary component, the seal rings have sealing faces formed substantially radially during operation, a seal gap is formed between the sealing faces for sealing an outside area on the sealing faces against an inside area on the sealing faces, a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses effective for supplying gas is provided on at least one of the sealing faces, the recesses extend from one circumferential edge toward the other circumferential edge of the sealing face, and the inner ends of the recesses are provided at a radial distance from the other circumferential edge of the sealing face, so that a non-gas component in a gas medium containing the non-gas component is sealed (see Patent Document 3, for example).


Fusion proteins comprising a single strand DNA binding protein and a nucleic acid polymerase (e.g. DNA polymerase or reverse transcriptase). These high fidelity proteins are suitable for use in nucleic acid amplification methods, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Field of the Invention
The present invention provides fusion proteins comprising a single strand DNA binding protein (SSB) and a nucleic acid polymerase, and methods for using such fusion proteins in nucleic acid synthesis reactions.
Background of the Invention
DNA polymerases synthesize DNA molecules that are complementary to all or a portion of a nucleic acid template, typically a DNA template. Upon hybridization of a primer to a DNA template to form a primed template, DNA polymerases can add nucleotides to the 3′ hydroxyl end sequence of nucleotides of the primer in a template-directed (i.e. depending upon the sequence of nucleotides in the template). Thus, in the presence of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) and a primer, a new DNA molecule, complementary to all or a portion of one or more nucleic acid templates, can be synthesized.
DNA polymerases that exhibit increased yield and/or enhanced fidelity (i.e., more accurate template-directed polymerization) are useful in nucleic acid synthesis, amplification and sequencing reaction. The compositions and methods described herein provide such DNA polymerases.