A display unit includes a light source and at least one or more transparent display plates. Each transparent display plate has a plurality of fine dimples formed on at least one surface thereof Light rays from the light source are respectively made incident on the transparent display plates and are reflected by the plurality of fine dimples so that a pattern of at least one of characters, graphics, and symbols is made visually observed uniformly.

For example, a light dot type display unit (see Patent Document 1) has been known as a conventional display unit, in which a plurality of reflective dots, which are made of fine concave sections, and have a light transmitting property, are formed with a plurality of light guide plates each of which has a light source placed on its one side being placed in parallel therewith, so that a plurality of display members are displayed simultaneously or alternately.
Patent Document 1: Patent No. 3503608


A method for determining a temperature of a body by measuring emitted thermal noise includes measurement of thermal noise with a double radiofrequency signal amplification chain, one of whose branches continuously measures a thermal noise signal generated by a predetermined reference source. The heterodyne frequency transposition of the radiofrequency signal frequencies of the thermal noise processed in the two branches is changed with two converter circuits whose continuous signals are transmitted to a unit for control, processing and evaluation to determine in real time a temperature of a body.

The present invention relates to the field of the quantitative evaluation of energy or of power conveyed and imposed by radiofrequency radiations, particularly for the regulation and control of a process for treatment using heating by radiofrequency radiation, in particular microwaves, and has for its object a radiometer adapted to measure the thermal noise emitted by a body or a portion of a body so as to determine the mean temperature thereof, in a precise and continuous manner.
There already exist different types of radiometers based on the principle of the evaluation of the energy of the thermal noise emitted by a body to determine the temperature thereof.
This evaluation is always effected, in these known radiometers, by comparing the energy of the signal of thermal noise detected by an antenna disposed on or in the body whose temperature must be determined, with the energy of one or several signals of thermal noise delivered by at least one reference source, whose temperature or temperatures is or are known, as well as the energy of the signal reflected by a radiofrequency short circuits if desired.
However, the determination and evaluation of the different mentioned signals is done in an alternating and cyclical manner, which does not permit indicating in a continuous manner the instantaneous temperature of the body in question. Thus, these existing radiometers permit only displaying, with cooling, of the value at regular intervals of generally more than 5 seconds, a value of the temperature offset in time, which does not correspond to the actual value of the temperature at the moment of display, but at that which was taken several seconds previously.
These radiometers therefore do not permit precisely following in real time the temperature, as is necessary for example for the regulation of a process for treatment by hyperthermia or microwave thermotherapy and in which the occurrence of abnormal heating or the exceeding of a threshold value must be noted as quickly as possible, which is rendered relatively delicate because of the high thermal loss and dissipation of living tissue.
Moreover, these existing radiometers do not take into account as desired ranges of frequencies polluted by parasitic emissions (radars, microwave ovens, radiotelephones) which interfere or superpose themselves on the thermal noise signals to be measured and as a result render false the measurements of temperature based on the evaluation of the energy or the power of the signals detected by the measuring antenna.
Moreover, these existing radiometers require long and fastidious calibration phases, which it is often necessary to repeat several times for a single set of measurements.

Method for determining a temperature of a body by measuring emitted thermal noise


A sheet conveying apparatus includes a paper re-feeding path, a switching member, a reversing roller, a paper discharge roller, a motor, and a revolution control mechanism. The switching member can be switched between a first position and a second position. The reversing roller can reverse a revolving direction thereof between a first revolving direction and a second revolving direction. The paper discharge roller revolves in a third revolving direction for conveying the sheet in a third conveying direction. The motor reverses the revolving direction of the reversing roller and switches the position of switching member by reversing the revolving direction thereof. The revolution control mechanism revolves the paper discharge roller in the third revolving direction with the revolution of the motor, regardless of the reversing of the revolving direction of the motor.

In an image forming apparatus, a sheet conveying apparatus, such as an automatic duplexing unit (ADU), is used. Such a sheet conveying apparatus switches back a single-sided printed sheet, reverses the front and back of the sheet, and re-feeds the sheet to a printing unit. A sheet conveying apparatus is demanded to reduce a sheet conveying time.


Antigenic surface proteins expressed by Mycobacterium bovis under conditions that mimic the natural environment in a host are described. Use of the identified surface proteins in immunogenic compositions for immunization against M. bovis are also described. Nucleic acid molecules and plasmids encoding the M. bovis surface proteins are further described.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a significant zoonotic threat that not only leads to significant animal losses associated with substantial economic consequences, but also creates a high risk for humans. The impact of bTB is estimated at US $3 billion per year globally (Waters et al., Vaccine 30:2611-2622, 2012). Due to the fact that bovine tuberculosis is very challenging to diagnose and impractical to treat, vaccination is still the most feasible approach to control infection. Currently, there is no vaccine available for bTB. Although some countries still utilize the human Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine (bacillus Calmette-Guérin—BCG) to immunize cattle, current bTB incidences indicate that it does not protect animals from infection. In addition, BCG immunization prior to or following challenge with bTB shows poor protection and does not improve outcome (Buddle et al., Tuberculosis (Edinb) 99:120-127, 2016).
Mycobacterium bovis, the primary causative agent of bTB, is an intracellular bacterium and because of this, cellular mediated immunity plays a pivotal role in controlling the infection (Lyashchenko et al., Infect Immun 72:2462-2467, 2004). Although there is sufficient evidence on the protective role of humoral immunity against M. tuberculosis infection (Achkar and Casadevall, Cell Host Microbe 13:250-262, 2013), antibody responses have been ignored as a component in the protection against bTB. Antibodies generated against specific mycobacterial surface antigens, in addition to significant cell-mediated immunity, activate essential protective responses against intracellular mycobacterial pathogens (Kohama et al., Vaccine 26:924-932, 2008).
Infection with M. bovis primarily affects the respiratory tract, although gastrointestinal disease in both humans and animals is not uncommon. In most cases, the pathogen can be transmitted from an infected animal to a naïve host by aerosol. Once inhaled, M. bovis readily establishes infection in the alveolar space of the lung (Fulton et al., Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 22:333-343, 2000). Although macrophages are considered the primary host cells for M. tuberculosis infection, the chance that M. bovis will encounter the alveolar epithelial cells in the alveolus space is significantly greater than the chance the bacteria will encounter alveolar macrophages (Bermudez et al., Infect Immun 70:140-146, 2002). Alveolar epithelial cells are a critical first physiological barrier to prevent M. bovis entry into the bloodstream. Studies have demonstrated that lung mucosal cells play a significant role in the pathogenesis and immunity against tuberculosis infection (Nouailles et al., J Clin Invest 124:1268-1282, 2014; Harriff et al., PLoS One 9:e97515, 2014).


Two display panels constituted at least by having a plurality of scanning lines and signal lines with display pixels situated near each intersecting point of each scanning line and signal line besides a common electrode situated in common with each of the display pixels and the display panels having a predetermined numbers of the scanning lines respectively. While repeating alternately between each of the display panels in a display period within a one frame period, an operation sequentially selects a number of the scanning lines of each of these display panels corresponding to the ratio of the numbers of the scanning lines in each of these display panels at predetermined scan timing. Reversal control of the signal polarity of each common signal voltage is applied to the common electrode of each display panel so that reversal drive of each display panel is performed for every scanning line and frame period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and an electronic apparatus comprising the display device and drive control method for the display devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, for example a cellular telephone (cell-phone), portable telephone, etc. comprising a display device and associated display device comprising two or more display panels and a drive control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the last decade, proliferation of digital information equipment, such as personal computers, digital cameras, cellular telephones, DVD recorders, etc. has been unprecedented. In such digital information equipment, a display device is supplied for displaying various kinds of image information, the current operational state, etc.
For instance, at present the majority of cellular telephones have evolved into a foldable type case structure (clamshell-type) Also, many mainstream cellular telephone handsets of this style comprise two display panels installed back to back in the upper portion of the telephone: a relatively large main display formed in the primary operation functions surface side facing inwards (case inner surface) and a comparatively smaller sub-display that faces outwards (case outer surface).
Here, a conventional prior art display device comprised with two display panels will be explained.
FIG. 7 is an outline configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional prior art display device comprised with two display panels.
As seen in FIG. 7 and like the above-mentioned cellular telephone, this configuration is comprised with a relatively large main display and a comparatively smaller sub-display. Also, the configuration illustrates two display panels in which the display pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional array and applied to a liquid crystal display panel corresponding to an active-matrix driving method.
The conventional prior art display device, for example as shown in FIG. 7, has a configuration comprised with at least two varieties of display panels PNL1, PNL2 arranged in parallel with a different number of scanning lines; a gate driver GDR (scanning driver) which sequentially applies a scanning signal to each scanning line group SLm, SLs arranged in the row direction of each display panel PNL1, PNL2; a source driver SDR (data driver) which applies a display signal (for example, display signal voltage corresponding to a luminance signal) to the data line group DLm arranged in the column direction of the display panel PNL1; and common voltage generation sections COM1, COM2 (common electrode driver section) which apply a common signal voltage Vcom1, Vcom2 to a common electrode (omitted from diagram) provided in each display panel PNL1, PNL2.
Here, for example, the two display panels PNL1, PNL2 are different in panel size. In the configuration among the data line group DLm which extends from the source driver SDR in the display panel PNL1, a portion of the data line group DLs passes through the display panel PNL1 and leads to the display panel PNL2. Basically, in this arrangement the data line group DLs is shared by the two display panels PNL1, PNL2. For instance, an example is shown in FIG. 7. In the display panel PNL1 the number of scanning lines is 240 and the number of data lines is 528 (176×3 (RGB)). In the display panel PNL2 the number of scanning lines is 64 and the number of data lines is 264 (88×RGB). Among the data line group DL1˜DL528 which extend from the source driver SDR, the data line group DL1˜DL264 has a configuration shared by the two display panels PNL1, PNL2.
Also, in the display device shown in FIG. 7 for example even though a configuration in the case of two different panel sizes (the number of scanning lines) is illustrated, the display device may also be comprised of two display panels of the same panel size.
Furthermore, as seen in FIG. 7, the gate driver GDR has a single driver chip structure, but it can also have a distinct driver chip structure corresponding to each scanning line group SLm, SLs arranged in the display panels PNL1, PNL2. Specifically, the structure has to be able to apply a sequential scanning signal to all of the scanning lines in plural stages by way of the shift signal generation component provided in the gate driver GDR.
Moreover, the common voltage generation sections COM1, COM2 apply common signal voltages Vcom1, Vcom2 to the common electrode of each display panel PNL1, PNL2 and as seen in FIG. 7 may have a configuration formed separately so as to correspond to each of the display panels PNL1, PNL2. On the other hand, separate common signal voltages Vcom1, Vcom2 may also be applied to each display panel PNL1, PNL2 from a single common voltage generation section.
FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing an example of the display drive control method in a conventional prior art display device.
The display drive control method in the above-mentioned display device, for example as shown in FIG. 8 exemplifies 1vertical scanning period of 1 frame period. Initially, scanning drive for the scanning signals S1˜S64 is sequentially applied from the gate driver GDR to the scanning line group SLs (SL1˜SL64) of the display panel PNL2 used for the smaller panel size. As this timing synchronizes and after supplying the display signals D1˜D264 from the source driver SDR to the data line group DLs (DL1˜DL264) corresponding to each row of the display panel PNL2 and writing the display pixels of each row, subsequent scanning drive for the scanning signals S65˜S304 is sequentially applied to the scanning line group SLm (SL65˜SL304) of the display panel PNL1 used for the larger panel size. As this timing synchronizes and by supplying the display signals D1˜D528 from the source driver SDR to the data line group DLm (DL1˜DL528) corresponding to each row of the display panel PNL1 and writing the display pixels of each row, the desired image information is displayed on each of the display panels PNL1 and PNL2. Specifically, in the display drive control method shown in FIG. 8, after writing the display data to the display panel PNL2, a series of display drive control operations is sequentially performed which writes the display signal to the display panel PNL1 in 1 frame period as 1 cycle. Accordingly, within a 1 frame period, separate operation periods (individual display periods) perform the display drive of each display panel PNL1, PNL2 in chronological order (serial).
Furthermore, in the display drive control method shown in FIG. 8 the display signal is sequentially written to the display panels PNL2 and PNL1 in a 1 frame period of 1 cycle. This case example is implemented with a frame reversal drive method (also commonly known as a frame-inversion drive method) which performs reversal control of the signal polarity (polarity reversal) in the common signal voltage Vcom (Vcom1, Vcom2) for every 1 frame period. As is generally known in such a frame reversal drive method, the voltage polarity applied to the liquid crystal molecules (pixel capacitance) of the display pixel configuration readily produces degeneration of the liquid crystals or seizing, the display image quality tends to deteriorate by flickering, etc. as a result of being maintained at a specific polarity for a relatively lengthy interval of a 1 frame period. Therefore, as a display drive control method for controlling such phenomena in addition to the frame reversal drive method, a line (row) reversal drive method (also commonly known as row-inversion drive method) is applied in many cases which reverses (inverts) the signal polarity of the common signal voltage for each scanning line.
FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing a case of performing display drive with a conventional prior art display device by line reversal drive method and frame reversal drive method.
Here, with regard to the above comparative relationship with the embodiments of the present invention described later, a case will be explained in which after the display signal is written to the display panel PNL1, the display signal is written to the display panel PNL2 in a 1 frame period of the display device shown in FIG. 7. Also, while having 320 scanning lines for the display panel PNL1 and 160 scanning lines for the display panel PNL2, this instance consists of the same number of data lines.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 for example, first in the PNL1 display available period within a 1 frame period and by way of the gate driver GDR, after scanning from the 1st row thru the 320th row in the display panel PNL1, the PNL2 display available period from the 1st row thru the 160th row is scanned in the display panel PNL2. Also, while the display signal is simultaneously supplied via the data lines by way of the source driver SDR and synchronizing with the scan timing T1, T2, . . . , T480 (horizontal scanning period) of each row (scanning lines), reversal control of the signal polarity for the common signal voltages Vcom1, Vcom2 is carried out for each scan timing of each row. Furthermore, reversal control of the signal polarity (polarity reversal) in the relevant common signal voltages Vcom1, Vcom2 is performed for every 1 frame period. Accordingly, the number of scanning lines in the common signal voltages Vcom1, Vcom2 together constitute substantially 480 lines (=320 lines+160 lines) which represent the total number of scanning lines in each display panel PNL1, PNL2. The reversal drive performed in the display panels during driving cycles (frequency rate of repetition) is equivalent to the cases of line reversal drive and frame reversal drive. In addition as seen in FIG. 9, BP (back portion) is a non-display period from vertical synchronization timing (start timing of a 1 frame period) to a display available period of the display panel PNL1. MP (middle portion) is a non-display period from a display available period of the display panel PNL1 to a display available period of the display panel PNL2. FP (front portion) is a non-display period from a display available period of the display panel PNL2 to the next vertical synchronization timing and indicates what is known as a vertical retrace line period.
Parenthetically, in a cellular telephone which has two display panels, an image can only be viewed on one of the display panels (for example, the main display) at a time and nothing can be viewed on the other side display panel (for example, the sub-display) because the opposite side display panel is shifted to a non-display state. In this case, each display panel is set to a line reversal drive and a frame reversal drive method even though one of the display panels is actuated in a display state and the display panel on the opposite side is shifted to a non-display state. The reversal drive of the common signal voltage applied to the common electrode of the display panel in a non-display state cannot be discontinued. Thus, it is essential to maintain the reversal drive of the common signal voltage applied constantly to the common electrode of both display panels.
In order to lower power consumption in the display panel of the opposite direction in a non-display state, when reversal drive of the common signal voltage supplied to the common electrode of the relevant display panel is discontinued, the electric charge stored in the display pixels in the previous display state leaks gradually via an electrostatic protection device. As a result, streak-like "noise" may be generated in the display screen in proportion to the amount of variation of this leak and the display state becomes distorted (smeared). Also, based on the electric charge stored in the display pixels, the liquid crystals tend to deteriorate by continuously applying constant polarity voltage to the liquid crystal molecules for a relatively lengthy period.
Thus, in a display device which has two display panels, even if the display panel of one direction is actuated in a display state and the display panel of the opposite direction is shifted to a non-display state, common signal voltage is always applied to both display panels. Since it is necessary to perform reversal drive by predetermined cycles for reversal drive control of the common signal voltage, there is a drawback in that power consumption increases.

Electronic apparatus with display device


A control system includes a starter control module, a mode setting module, a fuel pressure control module, and a fuel control module. The starter control module initiates cranking of a spark ignition direct injection (SIDI) engine in response to user actuation of an ignition switch. The mode setting module sets a mode of operation to a cold start mode when an engine coolant temperature is less than a predetermined temperature during the cranking. The fuel pressure control module, in response to the setting of the mode to the cold start mode, determines a target fuel rail pressure. The fuel control module controls fueling during the cranking based on the target fuel rail pressure.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion (IC) engines combust air and fuel within cylinders to produce drive torque. Air flow into an engine may be regulated via a throttle valve. A fuel control system controls fuel injection amount and timing. Increasing the amount of air and fuel provided to the cylinders generally increases the torque output of the engine.
Spark ignition direct injection (SIDI) engines have improved fuel economy and increased power over port fuel-injected combustion engines. A fuel system of an SIDI engine may include a low-pressure fuel pump and a high-pressure fuel pump. The low-pressure fuel pump pumps fuel from a fuel tank to a low-pressure fuel line. The high-pressure fuel pump, which is mechanically driven by the engine, pumps fuel from the low-pressure fuel line to a high-pressure fuel line and/or fuel rail. Fuel injectors of the SIDI engine receive fuel from the fuel rail and inject fuel directly into cylinders of the SIDI engine.

Fuel control systems and methods for cold starts of an engine


A heat recovery ventilator having a rotary wheel heat exchanger includes a unique configuration for driving both the rotary wheel heat exchanger and impellers to provide an inexpensive, compact and light-weight ventilator unit adaptable for use across a wide range of residential, commercial and industrial applications. A random matrix media is also used to provide high thermal efficiency in exchanging heat and moisture between inlet and exhaust air streams.

This invention relates to heat recovery ventilators used to obtain thermally efficient ventilation of buildings and dwellings, and in particular, to those ventilators including rotary wheel heat exchangers.
Heat exchangers are used in ventilation systems installed in residential, commercial and industrial buildings to extract and remove heat and/or moisture from one air stream and transfer the heat and/or moisture to a second air stream. In particular, rotary wheel heat exchangers are known wherein a wheel rotates in a housing through countervailing streams of exhaust and fresh air, in the winter extracting heat and/or moisture from the exhaust stream and transferring it to the fresh air stream. In the summer, rotary wheel heat exchangers extract heat and moisture from the fresh air stream and transfer it to the exhaust stream, preserving building air conditioning while providing desired ventilation.
Fans or blowers typically are used to create pressures necessary for the countervailing streams of exhaust and fresh air to pass through the rotary wheel heat exchanger. Some ventilators, however, are designed for use in existing heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems which have sufficient air pressure to drive the countervailing streams, and may or may not also include fans or blowers.
Various media have been developed for use in heat recovery ventilators to enhance heat and moisture transfer. Typically, heat exchangers in the prior art employ a plurality of parallel passages running in the direction of flow, such as shown in Marron et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,435 and Coellner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,860. Such passages must be sufficiently small to maximize the total surface area for heat transfer, yet sufficiently large relative to their length to minimize resistance to gas flow. These constraints have made the materials used as the heat exchanger media critical to the effectiveness of such rotary wheel heat exchangers. A continuing need exists for improved heat exchanger media and improved designs for rotary wheel heat exchangers which will increase the efficiency of heat transfer between the countervailing air streams, and will avoid the exacting material and design restrictions found in the prior art.
The pursuit of thermally efficient ventilation for rooms and buildings using rotary wheel heat exchangers has produced many heat recovery ventilators which are rather large, non-portable, and require fixed installation, such as the heat exchanger disclosed by Pennington, U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,258. A number of somewhat smaller, non-portable heat recovery ventilators have been developed using rotary drum-type heat exchangers, such as that of Munters, British Patent No. 738211. An even more compact window-mountable ventilator employing, however, a stationary heat exchanger, has been developed by Becker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,042. Nonetheless, the need continues to exist for compact, portable heat exchangers and heat recovery ventilators which can achieve thermally efficient ventilation, and which may be used without requiring modification of existing buildings or ductwork in residential, commercial and industrial environments.
Thermally efficient ventilation of residential, commercial and industrial buildings is of increasing importance. In addition to ordinary ventilation requirements, ventilation is needed to remove the hazardous build-up of radon, formaldehydes, carbon dioxide and other pollutants which otherwise accumulate in enclosed areas from various sources. Such ventilation requirements present a further need for inexpensive, portable, compact, and yet efficient heat recovery ventilators, which are capable of window-mounting or connection to existing systems. Because homes, as well as businesses, are affected by such pollutants, the need also exists for such heat recovery ventilators to be consumer-oriented and easy to maintain.


A progressive distributor including three or more control pistons (SA to SD), each of which can be displaced in a respective housing bore (A to D) of a distributor housing (G). The pistons are pushed alternately into their two final positions in the corresponding housing bore (A to D) by a lubricant which is supplied under pressure via a housing inlet (E), whereby a specific quantity of the lubricant (VSA to VSD) is delivered by means of an outlet (A1 to A8) on a respective front face. The outlet leads from one of two annular grooves (R) of the housing bore (A to D) of the respective preceding control pistons (SA to SD). The control pistons (SA to SD) are controlled sequentially by the lubricant as a result of the two respective annular grooves (R) in such a way that the following control piston (SA to SD) can only be displaced by the lubricant if the piston displacement of the preceding control piston (SA to SD) has been fully or almost fully completed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a progressive distributor with three or more control pistons each of which can be displaced in a housing bore of a distributor housing, which progressive distributor each time with delivery of a specific quantity of lubricant through a frontal outlet, which outlet leads from one of two annular grooves of the housing bore of the respective preceding control piston, from which lubricant fed in under pressure through a housing inlet is alternately pressed into its two final positions in the respective housing bore. The control pistons, through the two annual grooves, are sequentially controlled by the lubricant in such a manner that the next control piston cannot be displaced by the lubricant until the piston displacement of the preceding control piston has been completed or nearly completed. The housing bores are connected with the inlet through a central bore, whereby in each case a channel connects an annular groove of the respective housing bore of the preceding control piston with the front face of the particular housing bore of the next control piston and specifically, except for one control piston, with annular groove and front face on the same side, but in the case of the one control piston with annular groove and front face on opposite sides.
2. Description of Related Art
Such a progressive distributor is known from DE 34 05 690 C2. To design such a progressive distributor with additional functions and thereby make it suitable for novel applications, especially also in those cases where machines must be lubricated with very small quantities or where some lubricating points must be attended to frequently, but others, e.g. only daily, weekly or monthly, it is proposed that in each case a connecting channel connects the respective front faces of at least one housing bore although not of all housing bores with a front face of an additional piston whereby an additional piston is mounted so that it can be moved to and fro between two stops by the lubricant, whereby at least one piston must act against an outlet pressure that is higher than the outlet pressure against which the additional piston acts and whereby for the production of the higher outlet pressure the corresponding outlets feature an overflow valve or a non-return valve with counterpressure. In an alternative solution the arrangement with the overflow valves or non-return valves with counterpressure, the additional piston can have at least one circumferential groove which only releases an outlet of a piston in the two final positions of the additional piston. With such progressive distributors, when the respective piston to whose housing bore the additional cylinder is connected is moved from one side to the other through load on one front face, the outlet assigned to this piston not only delivers the quantity of lubricant displaced by the opposite front face of this piston, but also through displacement of the additional piston from its final position at one end to the opposite end an additional quantity of lubricant corresponding to the free volume of the additional cylinder.
With the one solution the displacement cylinder of the individual pistons pauses long enough until the entire contents of the additional cylinder are emptied, because at least one of these other pistons had to displace itself against an outlet pressure higher than the outlet pressure that the additional piston must overcome allowing for friction losses. With the other solution the additional piston blocks the required outlet for the continuation of the displacement cycle of the pistons long enough until the additional piston has been displaced from its one final position to the other and its circumferential groove releases the required outlet for the continuation of the displacement cycle. The first solution variant has the advantage that the piston can be varied without interrupting the stroke. The second solution variant has the advantage that it works reliably under all pressure conditions, because it does not depend on increased counterpressure at least two opposite outlets of a piston. In both cases the progressive distributor works with the one additional cylinder as a hydraulic timing element, whereby the delay for the continuation of the displacement cycle is determinable or determined by the volume of the additional cylinder.

Progressive distributor comprising displaceable pistons


Detecting emergent abnormal behavior in a computer network faster and more accurately allows for the security of the network against malicious parties to be improved. To detect abnormal behavior, outbound traffic is examined from across several devices and processes in the network to identify rarely communicated-with destinations that are associated with rarely-executed processes. As a given destination and process is used more frequently over time by the network, the level of suspicion associated with that destination and process is lowered as large groups of devices are expected to behave the same when operating properly and not under the control of a malicious party. Analysts are alerted in near real-time to the destinations associated with the activities deemed most suspicious.

Computer networks are under near constant attacks from malicious parties. These malicious parties, once they gain access to a network will generate outbound traffic to communicate outside of the compromised network for various purposes, such as when sending communications to a command and control center or exfiltrating data to another device outside of the network. Communications to known command and control centers may be blocked by blacklists (or outbound communications restricted to whitelists), but identifying new command and control centers is difficult and time consuming, allowing the malicious party unfettered access to compromised devices in the network until an exploit or intrusion is recognized so its outbound destination can be added to a blacklist.

Near real-time detection of suspicious outbound traffic


An improved process for the preparation of N-amino nitrogen heterocyclic compounds is disclosed and claimed. In an embodiment of this invention, a compound of the formula (VI) is prepared starting from the corresponding indole derivative by way of N-amination and subsequently forming an hydrazone by the reaction with a keto compound in a single step. Further reduction of the hydrazone and subsequent coupling with a pyridine compound affords the compound of formula VI or a suitable salt thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process of N-aminating a series of nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of N-amino-indoles by the N-amination of indoles. This invention also relates to an improved process for the preparation of N-(n-propyl)-N-(3-fluoro-4-pyridinyl)-1H-3-methyl-indol-1-amine and the product derived therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various N-amino substituted nitrogen heterocyclic compounds have been used as intermediates in the manufacture of a variety of organic compounds, which are primarily used in pharmaceutical applications among many other uses. A class of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds of particular importance is N-amino indoles. It has been reported in the literature that the N-amination of indoles and other nitrogen heterocycles, such as carbazoles and pyrroles, can typically be performed by the portionwise addition of hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid (HOSA) to the indole in the presence of an excess of potassium hydroxide in a solvent such as dimethylformamide (DMF), see for example, Somei, M.; Natsume, M. Tetrahedron Letters 1974, 461. A similar N-amination procedure, for example, of indoles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,274, both of these references are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
However, the above mentioned method has several limitations and is not advantageous for the preparation of several of the N-aminoindoles especially with respect to the large scale and commercial synthesis of N-aminoindoles. For instance, the portionwise addition of the hygroscopic HOSA as a solid poses problems and is not practical. Additionally, the reaction has to be carried out under heterogeneous conditions resulting in unacceptably low yields of the product. Actually, the product yields are typically in the low levels of around 40 percent, and are often variable depending upon the surface area and quality of potassium hydroxide employed and the agitation efficiency of the reaction medium. Thus, this process is not suitable for a scale-up operation. Most importantly, generally, a large excess of the base is used thus necessitating undue waste disposal problems after neutralization and work-up of the product, thus rendering this process uneconomical for a commercial operation.
It has also been disclosed in the literature that N-amination of hexamethyleneimine can be carried out using HOSA in the presence of an aqueous solvent and an inorganic base, see for example EP Patent Application No. 0 249 452, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The inorganic bases disclosed therein include hydroxides of alkali metals and hydroxides of alkaline earth metals. Specifically, in this process, it is disclosed that N-amination can be carried out by simultaneous feeding of an aqueous solution of HOSA and an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to an aqueous solution of hexamethyleneimine. However, this process is similarly ridden with all of the disadvantages discussed hereinabove and in addition this process is specific to hexamethyleneimine, which is a stronger base than various other nitrogen heterocyclic compounds such as indoles, carbazoles, pyrroles, etc. In spite of this, the reported product yields are very low. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved process for the N-amination of nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds.
As noted above, the N-amino nitrogen heterocyclic compounds so formed serve as useful intermediates for the formation of N-alkylamino nitrogen containing compounds, for example, N-alkylamino indoles. Generally, N-alkylation of the amino group can be carried out using an alkylating agent such as haloalkane in the presence of a base. However, such alkylation reactions often result in considerable amounts of side products resulting from the competing alkylation of the heterocyclic ring, and therefore, are not desirable, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,274. In addition, such alkylation processes also generate undue side products such as alkali halides that need to be disposed of rendering them unsuitable for an industrial scale-up operation.
Thus it is an object of this invention to provide a new homogeneous process for the N-amination of a variety of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a process for the N-amination of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds involving an organic base whereby the N-amino-heterocyclic compounds are prepared in high yields and in high purity.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a new N-alkylation process which does not result in any side products thus offering high purity N-alkylamino heterocyclic compounds.
Other objects and further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow.

Process for the preparation of N-amino substituted heterocyclic compounds


Purified insecticidal toxins and biologically active fragments thereof, and polynucleotide molecules encoding same, from the bacteria Xenorhabdus nematophilus are described.

Insect pathogenic nematodes of the family Steinernematidae are known to be symbiotically associated with bacteria of the genus Xenorhabdus. It has been observed that these bacteria have the ability to kill a wide range of different insects without the aid of their nematode partners.
The present inventors have identified a new class of toxins. A DNA fragment encoding one of these toxins has been isolated from Xenorhabdus nematophilus stain A24 and characterised by sequencing. As will be recogised by persons skilled in the art, DNA fragments encoding members of this new class of toxins may be usefully introduced into viral agents, including entomopox and nuclear polyhedrosis viruses; bacteria (including Gracilicutes, Firmicutes, Tenericutes and Mendosicutes); fungi; protozoa; and plants.

Toxin gene from Xenorhabdus nematophilus

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation


A navigation system for a vehicle including a mobile navigation computer, a vehicle-based central control unit, a GPS receiver, a communication link between the mobile navigation computer and the central control unit, wherein position data for the vehicle is processed in a navigation unit in the mobile navigation computer to form information relevant to the navigation. The navigation information is transmitted from the navigation computer to the control unit for a respective maneuver which is to be performed, and this information is output in at least one of visual and audible forms via the central control unit. The position data for the vehicle is determined by the position-finding unit of the central control unit, and is transmitted to the mobile navigation computer, wherein the vehicle is navigated on the basis of data calculated in the navigation unit of the mobile navigation computer.

WO 2004/113842 A1 discloses a navigation system in which a mobile reception unit, such as a mobile telephone or a PDA, receives position data and forwards the position data to a central control unit arranged in the vehicle, wherein the navigation is performed on the basis of the position data from the mobile reception unit in the central control unit. A drawback of such a two-part navigation system is the high level of technical complexity for the central control unit, which makes the unit expensive, since, apart from the GPS receiver, it comprises all the components which are required for the navigation.

Navigation system and control unit for navigation system


A refrigerator has an open front, an air curtain system having at least one upper air egress having an outer edge and at least one lower air-recovery ingress. The air curtain system is adapted to produce a substantially vertical air curtain over at least part of the open front of the refrigerator. The refrigerator has a plurality of shelves between the egress and the ingress a plurality of shelves between the egress and the ingress including a first shelf that has an aerofoil positioned in front of it, the first shelf being located in the upper half of the open front of refrigerator. The refrigerator also includes a second shelf that does not have an aerofoil positioned in front of it, the second shelf being located below the first shelf.

The use of aerofoils to stabilise air curtains on open-fronted refrigerators using aerofoils was first proposed in International patent application no. PCT/GB2014/051102.
In that patent document it is described how aerofoils positioned in front of each shelf of the refrigerator may stabilise the air curtain and thereby lower the cost of running the refrigerator and lead to an energy saving.
However, the attaching of aerofoils to shelves can be problematic in a retail environment in that they can block the view that shoppers have of display products.


A diagnostic system comprises a spectral image pickup means that picks up a spectral image in a predetermined wavelength region in a body cavity and obtains spectral image data, an image processing means that obtains, from the spectral image data, an index-value for discriminating between a diseased portion and a healthy portion, and generates and outputs an indicator image based on the index-value, and a monitor on which the indicator image is displayed, wherein, for each pixel of the spectral image, the image processing means defines β obtained by a predetermined expression as the index-value, while using the spectral image data P1 at a first wavelength which is around a wavelength of 542 nm, the spectral image data P2 at a second wavelength which is around a wavelength of 558 nm and the spectral image data P3 at a third wavelength which is around a wavelength of 578 nm.

Recently, an electronic endoscope having a function as a spectrometer has been proposed as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. JP2007-135989A. By using such an electronic endoscope, it is possible to obtain the spectral property (the distribution of light absorption property for each frequency) of a living tissue such as a mucous membrane of a digestive organ, e.g., a stomach or a rectum. It is known that the spectral property of a substance reflects information concerning the types or densities of components contained in the vicinity of a surface layer of a living tissue being an observation target, which is established in a field belonging to academic frameworks of analytical chemistry. It is also known in this field that the spectral property of a substance consisting of a composite is information obtained by superimposing the spectral properties of essential components constituting the composite.
A diseased portion in a living tissue may contain a substance having a chemical configuration that is rarely contained in a healthy living tissue. Therefore, a spectral property of a living tissue containing a diseased portion is different from a spectral property of a living tissue containing only a healthy portion. Since the spectral properties of the healthy portion and the diseased portion are different from each other as described above, it becomes possible to judge whether or not a living tissue contains a diseased portion by comparing the spectral property of the healthy portion with that of the diseased portion.


A real-time approach to detecting aberrant modes of system behavior induced by abnormal and unauthorized system activities indicative of abnormal activity of a software system is based on behavioral information obtained from a suitably instrumented computer program as it is executing. The theoretical foundation is founded on a study of the internal behavior of the software system. As a software system is executing, it expresses a set of its many functionalities as sequential events. Each of these functionalities has a characteristic set of modules that is executed to implement the functionality. These module sets execute with defined and measurable execution profiles among the program modules and within the execution paths of the individual modules, which change as the executed functionalities change. Over time, the normal behavior of the system will be defined by the boundary of the profiles. Abnormal activity of the system will result in behavior that is outside the normal activity of the system and thus result in a perturbation of the system in a manner outside the scope of the normal profiles. Such anomalies are detected by analysis and comparison of the profiles generated from an instrumented software system against a set of nominal execution profiles. Moreover, a method for reducing the amount of information necessary to understand the functional characteristics of an executing software system identifies the common sources of variation among the program instrumentation point frequencies and builds execution profiles based on a reduced set of virtual execution domains.

The present invention is particularly suited for, but by no means limited to, application in the field of computer system security. The background of the invention will therefore be described in the context of computer system security.
The literature and media abound with reports of successful violations of computer system security by both external attackers and internal users. These breaches occur through physical attacks, social engineering attacks, and attacks on the system software. In a system software attack, the intruder subverts or bypasses the security mechanisms of the system in order to gain unauthorized access to the system or to increase current access privileges. These attacks are successful when the attacker is able to cause the system software to execute in a manner that is typically inconsistent with the software specification and thus leads to a breach in security.
Intrusion detection systems monitor some traces of user activity to determine if an intrusion has occurred. The traces of activity c an be collated from audit trails or logs, network monitoring or a combination of both. Once the data regarding a relevant aspect of the behavior of the system are collected, the classification stage starts. Intrusion detection classification techniques can be broadly catalogued in the two main groups: misuse intrusion detection, and anomaly intrusion detection. The first type of classification technique searches for occurrences of known attacks with a particular "signature," and the second type searches for a departure from normality. Some of the newest intrusion detection tools incorporate both approaches.
One known system for detecting an intrusion is the EMERALD™ program. EMERALD defines the architecture of independent monitors that are distributed about a network to detect intrusions. Each monitor performs a signature or profile analysis of a "target event stream" to detect intrusions and communicates such detection to other monitors on the system. The analysis is performed on event logs, but the structure of the logs is not prescribed and the timeliness of the analysis and detection of an intrusion depends on the analyzed system and how it chooses to provide such log data. By monitoring these logs, EMERALD can thus determine that at some point in the event stream recorded in the log, an intrusion occurred. However, the detection is generally not implemented in real time, but instead occurs at some interval of time after the intrusion. Also, this system does not allow monitoring of all types of software activity, since it is limited to operating system kernel events. It would be desirable to provide a real time intrusion detection paradigm that is applicable to monitoring almost any type of program.
A more general case of the intrusion detection problem is the problem of anomalous behavior detection. It is possible to detect anomalous behavior based on the measurement of program activity as control is passed among program control structures. As a system executes its customary activities, the behavior monitoring scheme should estimate a nominal system behavior. Departures from the nominal system profile will likely represent potential anomalous activity on the system. Since unwanted activity may be detected by comparison of the current system activity to that occurring during previous assaults on the system, it would be desirable to store profiles for recognizing these activities from historical data. Historical data, however, cannot be used to recognize new kinds of behavior. An effective security tool would be one designed to recognize assaults as they occur through the understanding and comparison of the current behavior against nominal system activity. The subject matter disclosed herein and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/309,755, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,331, addresses these issues.
A modern software system is composed of a plurality of subcomponents called modules. Each program module generally implements a specific functional requirement. As the program executes, each module may call another module. Through a specific sequence of calls from one module to another, a higher level of functional granularity is achieved. Many times there is a very tight binding between the sequences of calls to program modules. That is, one module may always call another module. If this is the case, there is a high correlation between the activities of the two modules. They are bound so closely together that they interact as one functional unit. One goal of the present invention is to provide improved profiling techniques for use in analyzing interactions between and among program modules to identify anomalous behavior, e.g., in the field of computer security.
At a finer level of granularity, each program module has internal structure as represented by a flowgraph. There are many potential execution paths through each program module. By instrumenting the paths associated with the decision points within each module, not only can the observation of the interaction of program modules be made but the interactions within the program modules may be observed as well.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for simplifying the structure of dynamic execution profiles


A pressure regulator that regulates the pressure at which carbon dioxide is introduced to water in a carbonated beverage system based on the temperature of the water. The regulator may be capable of operating in a first mode in which the carbon dioxide pressure varies substantially linearly over a first water temperature range, and a second mode in which the carbon dioxide pressure is substantially constant over a second water temperature range. A first flow path having a relatively small gas flow capacity may serve as a pilot to control the gas flow through a second flow path having a larger gas flow capacity.

1. Field
This application relates to the field of carbonated beverage systems, and more particularly to pressure regulators for controlling the pressure at which carbon dioxide is introduced into water in carbonated beverage systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the process of mixing carbon dioxide (CO2) gas with water to make carbonated water for post-mix dispensing of soft drinks, the efficiency of dispersion of CO2 gas into water is related to water temperature and pressure. It is desirable to achieve a consistent and repeatable level of CO2 dispersion into the water as this system affects various aspects of a post-mix carbonated beverage such as cup carbonation, foam height, stratification, and taste. Carbonation levels that are too high create excessive foaming in the cup so that when a customer pours a drink, there is a less than optimal amount of drink in the cup after the foam settles. Carbonation levels that are too low cause a "flat" drink, and in many cases low carbonation causes inconsistent or "off" taste drinks.
Currently, there are two carbonation schemes commercially available:
(1) Ambient carbonation—typically utilized with ice-cooled dispensers.
Ice-cooled dispensers have an ice bin with an aluminum cold plate as the bottom of the bin. Syrup and water lines are cast into the aluminum plate. The ice in the ice bin keeps the aluminum plate cold, hence chilling the syrup concentrate and carbonated water passing through the cold plate lines. Historically, this type of dispenser has been designed as a cooling engine and dispense point only. Carbonation has historically been remote from the dispenser and ambient.
(2) Cold carbonation—typically utilized with counter-electric dispensers.
Counter-electric dispensers have a mechanical vapor-compression refrigeration unit with the evaporator coil immersed in a water bath. The vapor-compression refrigeration unit creates an ice bank within the water bath to grow on the evaporator coils. Syrup lines and water lines are routed within the water bath adjacent to the ice bank. Typically, a carbonation tank is also immersed in the water bath which is kept at a constant temperature by virtue of the presence of the adjacent ice.
Cold carbonation is currently the preferred process, because of the fact that the temperature controlled carbonation tank will give consistent carbonation levels because CO2 pressure and water temperature can remain constant and repeatable.
The positive aspect of ambient (room temperature) carbonation is that it is not space constrained. Contrary to cold carbonation, which must currently fit within a counter electric dispenser package envelope, ambient carbonation is accomplished remote from the dispenser and can therefore be easily configured, as necessary, for a particular venue (in terms of peak period usage, total throughput, etc.). However, ambient carbonators typically installed in post-mix soft drink dispensing units are placed in varying locations, which means water temperature and ambient temperatures can vary from the extreme cold of northern states in winter time to the extreme heat of southern states in the summer. In the United States, between the major national soft drink companies and smaller regional soft drink companies, there are in excess of one million post-mix dispenser installations.
The current configuration of a standard ambient carbonator includes a tank, liquid level probe, electric motor driven pump, gas regulator and check valves. The gas regulator is a typical unit including a set screw, spring, diaphragm and valve seat. The regulator accepts input gas in the form of pressurized CO2 and delivers it at a specified pressure to the tank. Typically, the regulated gas setting is somewhere in the range of about 105 psi to 120 psi. The regulator has the capability of one discrete output pressure setting. In order to change the setting, it is necessary for a technician to turn the adjustment screw either in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner which acts to increase or decrease spring compression, hence varying the force on the inlet gas valve seat.
With a discrete pressure regulator and a large network of service technicians, it is ineffective for a large company to effectively vary CO2 pressure specifications based on water temperature because the temperature can change significantly either during the course of a day or also during the span of a year. With 400,000 or more dispenser locations for one large soft drink manufacturer alone, the task of assuring proper carbonation levels by way of discrete pressure settings is financially unfeasible. Therefore, the large soft drink companies elect to simply specify one CO2 pressure which gives the best performance in an average location. This leaves installations with higher than average water temperature and lower than average water temperature slightly out of the optimal CO2 to water ratio specification.
In the post-mix soft drink dispensing industry, it is desirable to vary the CO2 pressure on an ambient carbonation tank so that carbonation level in the dispensed drink is consistent. The level at which CO2 gas will disperse into solution in water is a function of the water temperature and the CO2 gas pressure. Increased water temperature requires increased CO2 pressure to maintain the same level of dissolved CO2 gas in solution. In the soft drink industry, it is generally desirable to have approximately 5.25 volumes of CO2 dissolved into 1 volume of water in the carbonation tank. With CO2 gas pressure set at a constant pressure on the carbonation tank (which is the case with a standard pressure regulator), and considering the ranges of ambient water temperature typically encountered (from about 50° F. to 90° F., for example), it is possible to have a fluctuation of more than 2 volumes of CO2 gas within that ambient water temperature range.
It is important for a soft drink company to achieve consistent performance in its post-mix dispensers. Carbonation level in the dispenser affects cup performance measures such as cup carbonation, foam height and stratification. Consistent quality of post-mix dispensed drinks is key to satisfying customers and gaining repeat business. Previous attempts to achieve such consistency have failed.

Temperature sensitive pressure regulator for carbonated beverage systems


A connector has a housing (10) is formed with mount grooves (15) into which board fixing portions (30) made of a metal plate are mountable. Each board fixing portion (30) has main plate (31) and a soldering leg (32) projecting laterally from a bottom portion (35) of the main plate (31). The board fixing portions (30) can be fixed to a circuit board (K) by placing the housing (10) on the circuit board (K) and soldering the soldering portions (32) of the board fixing portions (30) with the board fixing portions (30) mounted in the mount grooves (15).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a circuit board connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H05-326049 and FIG. 13 herein disclose a circuit board connector. With reference to FIG. 16, the connector has terminal fittings 1 accommodated in a housing 2 that is fixed to a circuit board 3. Board fixing portions 4 are formed integrally at the bottom ends of the opposite side surfaces of the housing 2 and bulge out sideways. Screw holes 5 are formed in the board fixing portions 4 and receive screws 6 for fixing the housing 2 to the circuit board 3. However, the screws 6 bite into the edges of the screw holes 5. As a result, the board fixing portions 4 must be sufficiently large to maintain strength, and hence, there is a tendency to enlarge the entire circuit board connector.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H06-325826 discloses another circuit board connector with a housing and a plurality of terminal fittings. Each terminal fitting has a base that is inserted and held in the housing so that the terminal fittings are arranged side-by-side along a width direction of the housing. Portions of the terminal fittings project back from the housing and are bent down. Board connecting portions are defined at bottom ends of the bent portions and are soldered into electrical connection with a circuit board.
A demand exists for a miniature circuit board connector. The connector disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H06-325826 could be miniaturized by narrowing the intervals between the terminal fittings along the widthwise direction. This design option would also narrow the intervals between the board connecting portions and would make it difficult to solder the board connecting portions individually to the circuit board.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problems and an object thereof is to miniaturize a circuit board connector.


In a slide fastener in which the row of coupling elements is woven into the tape, the warp yarns are formed in part with binding warp yarns in two or three groups. The warp yarns of the first group pass under double weft insertions between coupling members then over two or three coupling members and then under a coupling member and a double weft of the ground weft yarn underlying same. The binding warp yarns of the second group or arrangement pass over the double wefts between the coupling members and then under the coupling members and the double weft underlying same. A third group or arrangement can also be provided in which the double weft between the coupling members is lifted thereby into a loop and the coupling members are overshot by the binding warp of the third group.

It is known in the art to provide a slide fastener in which the two slide-fastener halves for the coupling heads of the coupling elements formed by continuous monofilament coupling coils, are woven into the support tapes which themselves are woven. There are certain structures which characterize this class of slide fasteners. For example, the coupling heads may be formed by bends of the coupling coils, the shanks extending rearwardly from the heads may be superimposed in projection on the slide-fastener plane, the shanks can be formed as double wefts and the tape can be formed from double wefts formed by a continuous weft filament or yarn providing the ground weft, and warp yarns can be interwoven with the double wefts and can form binding warp yarns retaining the coupling weft or coil on the tape.
The German Patents 30 09 276 and 30 22 032 describe such systems; various configurations of the binding warp yarns and different ratios of the warp insertion to the length of the slide fastener are used, but the arrangement is always such that two coupling elements are contained in a warp yarn pocket.
This system has been found to be effective, but the stiffness with respect to bending in the slide-fastener plane and out of the slide-fastener plane can be improved upon. Also the connection between the coupling coil and the web, its resistance to deterioration in use and the like can be improved upon.
In DE 28 55 370, a different type of slide-fastener stringer is described, in which the binding warp yarns may have a similar pattern to those of the instant invention but it will be recognized that the binding warp yarns of the first groups here do not, following the overshoot of the coupling elements, engage below the next double weft of the ground weft yarn. In addition, the coupling elements are not formed as synthetic resin monofilament double-weft insertions and thus cannot be fabricated by a weaving process involving one or two weft insertion needles as can be the stringer of the invention. The coupling element must be formed in this earlier system by a machine which is alien to the tape fabrication machines utilizing such insertion needles, namely, with the aid of a coiling machine having a coiling mandrel so that the coils can be woven into the tape only within the weaving shed.
These systems are more expensive and have low productivity and the nature of the binding of the coupling coil in place does not enhance bendability. Indeed, the bending characteristics are determined by the presence of a filler yarn. The resistance to raveling and change of shape at the junction between the coil and the tape is not equivalent to that which can be obtained with the present invention however. The double wefts of the ground weft yarns pass over the connecting bights of the coupling elements, come into contact with the flanks of the slider and are relatively rapidly deteriorated.

Slide fastener with continuous coupling coil woven into the support tape

Opti Patent-, Forschungs- und Fabrikations-AG


A variable area valve and pressure regulator for providing fuel vapor purge control in an evaporative emission control system of an automotive vehicle. A solenoid valve assembly selectively controls fluid communication between a fuel vapor source and an intake manifold by varying the area of an orifice associated with the solenoid valve assembly. A pressure regulator assembly is responsive to pressure differentials between an inlet cavity and an outlet cavity to further control the flow through the purge regulator. In operation, the purge regulator assembly is operable to generate nonlinear output flow characteristics which are independent of changes in the intake manifold vacuum, as well as the inlet pressure, and which further provides the desired nonlinear response.

The present invention relates generally to fuel vapor purge control for automotive vehicles equipped with computer control evaporative emission systems and more particularly to an electronically controlled variable area purge regulator.
Virtually all new automotive vehicles manufactured in the United States are equipped with emission control systems that are operable for limiting the emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. One aspect of these emission control systems typically involves an evaporative emission control system which traps fuel vapors emitted from the fuel tank in a carbon-filled canister. The evaporative emission control system is periodically purged by drawing the fuel vapors from the canister into the engine intake system. In this manner, fuel vapors from the fuel tank are delivered to the engine for subsequent combustion.
Conventional evaporative emission control systems are equipped with a fixed area purge valve for regulating the flow rate of fuel vapors introduced into the intake system in response to the pressure difference between the intake manifold and atmosphere. These purge valves utilize a pulse width modulated (PWM) solenoid valve which is responsive to a duty cycle control signal from an engine controller unit (ECU) for selectively establishing and terminating communication between the canister and the intake system. However, these purge valves provide uneven flow characteristics, particularly at low engine speeds, and also do not provide consistent flow control independent of variations in manifold vacuum and inlet pressure.
More recent developments in this area include a vapor management valve which uses a diaphragm vacuum regulator in combination with an electric vacuum regulator (EVR) valve that regulates a vacuum signal in accordance with the current signal supplied thereto by the ECU. In operation, the vapor management valve is able to generate substantially linear output flow characteristics between two calibration points as a function of the solenoid current in a manner that is independent of changes in manifold vacuum of the engine intake system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,167, which is commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention and expressly incorporated by reference herein, discloses a vapor management valve which represents a significant improvement over the conventional PWM solenoid valves.
While the vapor management valve provides an advancement over a wide range of operating conditions, in this technology continuous improvements have been sought particularly with respect to extreme operating conditions. More specifically, the vapor management valve, which is referenced to atmospheric pressure, is designed to withstand relatively high canister pressures without leaking when the engine is off. However, the vacuum generated by the EVR may bias the diaphragm to a near open condition such that relatively low canister pressures (cracking pressure) can possibly open the valve and cause uncommanded purge flow. The vapor management valve also requires a continuous flow of air through the EVR into the intake manifold to operate. Accordingly, certain engine operating conditions, particularly in low friction engines having several devices that operate on engine vacuum, can result in a cumulative bleed flow which can exceed the desired idle air flow requirements of the engine resulting in excessive and/or fluctuating engine RPM. Likewise, the flow of air into the EVR can be restricted when the intake air filter of the vapor management valve becomes clogged, for example with snow, dust or dirt, or alternately when water is ingested therethrough. If the flow of air is sufficiently restricted, the vapor management valve will not perform as desired.
In view of increasingly stringent emission regulations, the demands on evaporative emission control systems have increased dramatically. In particular, in order to satisfy current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission requirements, the purge flow through the canister must be increased. To achieve this result within the EPA city test cycle, it is therefore necessary to provide purge flow at engine idle speeds. Moreover, purge flow control must also be accurately regulated across the entire engine operating range so as not to cause unacceptable exhaust emissions.
To provide such enhanced flow control, it is desirable to have the output flow characteristics of the purge valve be continuous and proportional to the duty cycle of the electric control signal applied to the valve, even at low engine speeds, and yet be independent of variations to the inlet pressure and outlet manifold vacuum applied across the valve. Accordingly, the output flow of the valve should be substantially continuous at a given duty cycle control signal and be controllable in response to regulated changes in the duty cycle regardless of these pressure variations. Moreover, it is also desirable that the output flow of the purge regulator vary nonlinearly over the duty cycle range.
While the above-described flow regulators have been generally successful in providing substantially linear output flow between a given range of duty cycle, they have been unable to achieve the desirable non-linear output flow characteristics of the above-noted performance specifications. Accordingly, there is a continuing need to develop alternatives which meet these performance specifications and which can be manufactured and calibrated in a more efficient and cost effective manner.


In a computer system, an apparatus for handling lock conditions wherein a first instruction executed by a first processor processes data that is common to a second processor while the second processor is locked from simultaneously executing a second instruction that also processes this same data. A lock bit is set when the first processor begins execution of the first instruction. Thereupon, the second processor is prevented from executing its instruction until the first processor has completed its processing of the shared data. Hence, the second processor queues its request in a buffer. The lock bit is cleared after the first processor has completed execution of its instruction. The first processor then checks the buffer for any outstanding requests. In response to the second processor's queued request, the first processor transmits a signal to the second processor indicating that the data is now not locked.

A computer system can be broken into three basic blocks: a central processing unit (CPU), memory, and input/output (I/O) units. These blocks are interconnected by means of a bus. An input device such as a keyboard, mouse, disk drive, analog-to-digital converter, etc., is used to input instructions and data to the computer system via the I/O unit. These instructions and data can be stored in memory. The CPU retrieves the data stored in the memory and processes the data as directed by the stored instructions. The results can be stored back into memory or outputted via the I/O unit to an output device such as a printer, cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, digital-to-analog converter, LCD, etc.
In one instance, the CPU consisted of a single semiconductor chip known as a microprocessor. This microprocessor executed the programs stored in the main memory by fetching their instructions, examining them, and then executing them one after another. Due to rapid advances in semiconductor technology, faster, more powerful and flexible microprocessors were developed to meet the demands imposed by ever more sophisticated and complex software.
In some applications multiple processors are utilized. A singularly complex task can be broken into sub-tasks. Each sub-task is processed individually by a separate processor. For example, in a multiprocessor computer system, word processing can be performed as follows. One processor can be used to handle the background task of printing a document, while a different processor handles the foreground task of interfacing with a user typing on another document. Thereby, both tasks are handled in a fast, efficient manner. This use of multiple processors allows various tasks or functions to be handled by other than a single CPU so that the computing power of the overall system is enhanced. And depending on the complexity of a particular job, additional processors may be added. Furthermore, utilizing multiple processors has the added advantage that two or more processors may share the same data stored within the system.
These processors often contain a small amount of dedicated memory, known as a cache. Caches are used to increase the speed of operation. In a processor having a cache, as information is called from main memory and used, it is also stored, along with its address, in a small portion of especially fast memory, usually in static random access memory (SRAM). As each new read or write command is issued, the system looks to the fast SRAM (cache) to see if the information exists. A comparison of the desired address and the addresses in the cache memory is made. If an address in the cache memory matches the address sought, then there is a hit (i.e., the information is available in the cache). The information is then accessed in the cache so that access to main memory is not required. Thereby, the command is processed much more rapidly. If the information is not available in the cache, the new data is copied from the main memory and stored in the cache for future use.
Because these caches are typically localized, these multiple memory elements in a multiprocessor computer system can (and usually do) contain multiple copies of a given data item. It is important that any processor or other agent accessing any copy of this data receives a valid data value. In other words, cache coherency in hardware must be maintained. For example, given an initial account containing $100 and a financial computer program that instructs a first processor to add $50 to an account while a second processor is subsequently instructed to subtract $30 from that same account, the correct balance should be $100+$50-$30=$120. However, without any mechanism to synchronize or coordinate the instructions between these two processors, the first processor would output a value of $100+$50=$150, while the second processor would output a value of $100-$30=$70. Neither of these two results are correct.
One prior art method for handling this coherency problem involves locking the bus. When a processor encounters a critical section of the computer program, it "locks" the bus so that other processors are denied access until after those critical operations have been performed. Once those critical operations have executed, the bus is unlocked, and other processors are then granted access to the bus. Thus, in the above example, the first processor would first lock the bus and add $50 to the account. In the meantime, the second processor is prevented from carrying out its operation because of the locked condition. Once the first processor completes its execution, the bus is unlocked, and the second processor is assured of receiving the updated account balance of $150, from which the second processor subtracts $30, thereby yielding the correct balance of $120.
However, this prior art mechanism for locking the bus suffers from several drawbacks. Namely, it is very inefficient. Locking the bus reduces the throughput of that bus, which slows down the overall speed of the system. Furthermore, the caches are also essentially locked out. This results in a poor use of cache resources.
Thus, there is a need in the prior art for a lock handling mechanism that provides for a highly effective bus utilization and efficient use of cache resources without adding expensive hardware. It would be preferable if such a lock handling mechanism could readily be adapted to a pipelined bus structure and that it follows a cache coherence protocol.

Apparatus and method for caching lock conditions in a multi-processor system


A radiation image storage panel which is provided with a stimulable phosphor substance layer containing a stimulable phosphor substance formed by a gas phase accumulation method on a support, wherein said stimulable phosphor substance layer is constituted of a columnar crystal structure, and slopes D1 and D2 satisfy 0°≦|D1−D2|≦40°, when acute angles formed by said radiation image storage panel surface and axial lines passing through the center of said columnar crystals, with respect to columnar crystals at arbitrary two points in the radiation image storage panel plane, are designated as slopes of columnar crystals, D1 and D2.

Heretofore, a so-called radiation method which applies a silver salt to obtain a radiation image has been utilized, while a method to convert a radiation image into a visual image without using a silver salt has been developed. That is, developed has been a method in which radiation, which passed through a photographic object, is absorbed by a stimulable phosphor substance, thereafter this stimulable phosphor substance is excited with a certain type of energy to make radiation energy accumulated in this stimulable phosphor substance be emitted as fluorescent light, which is detected to be made into an visual image.
As a specific method, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,527, known is a radiation image storage method in which a panel provided with a stimulable phosphor substance layer is utilized and either one of or both of visual rays and infrared rays are employed as excitation energy.
In recent years, as a radiation image storage method utilizing a stimulable phosphor substance provided with high luminance, high sensitivity and high sharpness, proposed has been a radiation image storage panel utilizing a stimulable phosphor substance comprising an alkali halogenide such as CsBr as a mother material being activated by Eu. It is said that improvement of an efficiency of an X-ray conversion ratio, which has been conventionally impossible, becomes possible.
Further, a radiation image storage panel having a higher sharpness has been required in analysis of diagnostic images, and as a means to improve sharpness, for example, an attempt to improve sensitivity and sharpness by controlling a configuration of a stimulable phosphor substance itself, has been made.
As one of these attempts, for example, as described in JP-A No. 2-58000 (hereinafter, JP-A refers to Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection), proposed has been a radiation image conversion panel which is provided with a stimulable phosphor substance layer comprising slender columnar crystals having a certain slope against the normal direction of a support.

Radiation image conversion panel and manufacturing method thereof


A light emitting apparatus includes a housing having a transparent portion, at least one LED positioned within the housing to emit light through the transparent portion, and a fan positioned within the housing to cool said at least one LED.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are attractive candidates for replacing conventional light sources such as incandescent and fluorescent lamps. LEDs have substantially higher light conversion efficiencies than incandescent lamps and longer lifetimes than both types of conventional light sources. In addition, some types of LEDs now have higher conversion efficiencies than fluorescent light sources and still higher conversion efficiencies have been demonstrated in the laboratory. Finally, LEDs require lower voltages than fluorescent lamps, and therefore, provide various power saving benefits.
Despite the advantages of using LEDs as light sources, consumer acceptance will depend largely on the adaptability of these sources into existing lighting fixtures using conventional light sources (e.g., incandescent or fluorescent lamps). LED light sources designed for direct replacement of conventional light sources could be instrumental in accelerating consumer acceptance, and thereby, revolutionize the lighting industry. Unfortunately, there exists significant challenges in designing LED light sources that directly replace existing light sources, such as the incandescent light bulb for example.


The exemplary embodiments of the invention include inputting, at a device, a voucher having a plurality of data fields, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device, sending at least some of the voucher data fields to a network operator, based on the sent information, receiving a software based subscriber identity module, and using the software based subscriber identity module to authenticate the device. Further, the exemplary embodiments include receiving a voucher having a plurality of data fields from a device, where the voucher provides provisional subscriber identification for the device, in response to the voucher code, sending to the device a request for additional information, in response to the request, receiving an additional data field of the voucher and a security identifier of the device, and based on validating the additional information using the security identifier, sending a software based subscriber identity module to the device.

This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention that is recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Certain abbreviations that may be found in the description and/or in the Figures are herewith defined as follows:    AAA authentication authorization accounting center    AUC authentication center    AUTN authentication token    CK confidential key    I-CSCF interrogating call session control function    IK integrity key    IMSI international mobile subscriber identity    HLR home location register    HSS home subscriber server    MAP mobile application part    MCC mobile country code    MCN mobile network code    MNO mobile network operator    OMA_DM open mobile alliance device management    OTA over-the-air    RAN radio access network    RAND random challenge in authentication    SIM subscriber identity module    SMS short message service    SW-SIM software subscriber identity module    VLR visitor location register    VNO visiting network operator    XRES expected response in authentication
The use of mobile equipment in a specific type of mobile network generally requires that the user of the mobile equipment has a subscription. The mobile equipment may be any type of machine enabled to utilize a mobile network provided it has sufficient access credentials. The subscription identifies, among other things, the mobile network, in which the mobile equipment is to be used and the individual settings relating to the subscription. These setting can include a network operator setting and the subscriber identifier of an end user. The user might be an individual user, but may also be a corporation.
According to conventional methods, the subscription data may be recorded on a small chip on which at least memory areas are arranged for protecting the sensitive parts of the aforementioned settings and loading them into the mobile equipment being used. In addition, this subscription data may be encoded on a microcontroller operating as the processor unit for a device. Such a device is generally called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). The SIM is usually placed in a compact package generally referred to as a SIM card. The form factor of the SIM may be an embedded chip, a platform mounted chip, a logical unit on a larger processor, a protected memory card or a smart card. The chip may hold one or more sets of subscriptions or applications.
A generally compatible location is arranged for the SIM card in a device, such as mobile equipment, in which contacts studs are arranged to connect the card electrically to the mobile equipment. The general construction of the SIM card includes not only a possible microcontroller, as indicated above, but also various memory devices and auxiliary circuits, which relate to things such controlling data transfer and the power supply.
However, at least one problem exists in the conventional system in that a SIM may not be provided with newly acquired mobile equipment. In this case, a user will have to separately obtain the access credentials for the acquired mobile equipment. This can cause an inconvenience to the user for at least the reason that obtaining either the SIM card or the SIM download may require that the user bring the mobile equipment to a dealer who is associated with an operator of the user's choice. In addition, for costs reasons, design reasons or to reduce a risk of theft, mobile equipment may not be equipped with a card slot. In this case, in order to obtain a the access credentials they would need to be downloaded directly from the preferred operator or else by bringing the mobile equipment to a dealer that is directly connected to that operator. The word SIM data or access credentials can be understood as referring to not only the cryptographic secret but also to the related cryptographic data like an algorithm, and also operator specific settings such as for network access.


A biodegradable container baked from a waffle material is composed of a pair of half shells each of which has a pair of lugs for flaps engaging in recesses of the other half shell and formed with ribs along generatrices of the respective side wall having detent recesses engageable by bulges or beads of the recesses of the other half shell. Additional ribs can be provided for stiffening purposes. The container is useful for foods distributed at fast-food restaurants or the like.

It is known to provide a container having two half shells which are joined together to receive a product. The half shells may be connected by a flap arrangement with one half shell interfitting with another.
Such receptacles are used as packaging for foodstuffs, e.g. in fast-food establishments. In the past such containers have been largely composed of foamed synthetic resin material and environmental concerns have been increasingly directed to such materials to the point that there is considerable interest in the development of more readily biodegradable packaging materials for such uses.
In particular, it has been suggested to use baked waffle-like starchy compositions as the material for such containers. However, such containers must be capable of retaining their shape, must be resistant to heat and must be reliably closable.
Furthermore, the container must be a mass-producible product of relatively low cost, easily manipulated, and capable of being utilized in the fast-food environment.
In a known device for accommodating meat products, a one-piece container has been provided with two half shells interconnected by a bent strip elastically. In another earlier construction, two separate half shells are provided with hook systems interengageable with one another and capable of being snapped together. When the half shells are, however, transported empty and are subjected to repeated opening and closing, the forms utilized for locking the half shells together tend to break off. As a consequence, these earlier systems were not fully satisfactory.
Austrian Patent 392 243 shows a two-shell container of readily biodegradable material which can be formed from densely baked waffle compositions predominantly of a starch base. The container halves are provided with locking elements along their edges to form a snap closure. This system cannot, however, withstand substantial loading.

Container of readily biodegradable material

Franz Haas Waffelmaschinen Industriegesellschaft m.b.H.


A high-frequency incision device includes a high-frequency treating wire 9, which forms a curved portion 11 so that a wire loop 10 formed by the wire 9 may be laterally tilted in a plane parallel to the center axis 7a of an actuating wire 7 when the wire 9 extends from the forward end of a flexible sheath 2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-frequency incision device for excising tissues in a lumen of a body by being used together with an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
A high-frequency snare has been known as a device to be introduced into a lumen of a body by the use of an endoscope for excising tissues in the lumen. As disclosed, for example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 6-217985, the high-frequency snare includes a conductive wire whose leading end is bent to form an elliptical snare loop, by means of which the tissue in a lumen is bound up tightly, while high-frequency current is passed through the conductive wire, thereby excising or removing the tissue. In such a high-frequency snare, the snare loop has a length in the longitudinal direction longer than the opening width in the transverse direction and its loop surface is positioned on an extension of a center axis of the device.
High-frequency snares have been disclosed in the above Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-85230. In such disclosed devices, in order to facilitate the operation of grasping the tissue present in a zone in front of an endoscope and the incision device, an operation for raising the snare wire is performed to bring the loop plane into a position where the loop plane is intersected by the center line of the endoscope and the incision device.
In recent years, there have been very many clinical reports relevant to lesions spreading transversely to the axial direction of the lumen and lateral spreading tumor (LST) in the field of medical treatment of large intestine.


A piston ring which is provided with a carbon-based coating which has a low friction property and wear resistance, that is, a piston ring which has a carbon-based coating formed over its sliding surface, in which piston ring, the coating is a multilayer coating comprised of two types of layers having different hardnesses laminated in at least two layers, a hardness difference between the two types of layers is 500 to 1700 HV, a high hardness layer has the same or greater thickness than a low hardness layer, and the coating as a whole has a thickness of 5.0 μm or more. The high hardness layer has a thickness of 5 to 90 nm. The surface on which the coating is formed has a base material roughness of 1.0 μmRz or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piston ring for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A carbon-based coating is known as a coating which has a low coefficient of friction, but the coating stress is high and self fracture occurs, so increasing the thickness is difficult. Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2006-008853 proposes a carbon-based coating with a low coefficient of friction which is made a multilayer structure with a surface-most layer comprised of a soft layer and with soft layers and hard layers alternately laminated and which enables a smooth surface to be easily obtained.
See the above Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2006-008853 for the related art.
Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2006-008853 does not define the hardness difference between the hard layer and the soft layer. However, in Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2006-008853, the soft layer is meant as a fitting layer, while the hard layer is meant as a wear resistance layer, so the hardnesses are, in Example 1, soft layer: 18 GPa and hard layer: 42 GPa and, in Example 2, soft layer: 20 GPa and hard layer: 41 GPa. The hardness difference between the soft layer and hard layer was large.


A system for generating power includes an environmental engine operating on one or more computing devices that determines a wind flowing over a blade of a wind turbine, wherein the wind flowing over the blade of the wind turbine varies based on environmental conditions and operating parameters of the wind turbine. The system also includes an artificial intelligence (AI) ensemble engine operating on the one or more computing devices that generates a plurality of different models for the wind turbine. Each model characterizes a relationship between at least two of a rotor speed, a blade pitch, the wind flowing over the blade, a wind speed and a turbulence intensity for the wind turbine. The AI ensemble engine selects a model with a highest efficiency metric, and simulates execution of the selected model to determine recommended operating parameters.

A wind turbine is a device that converts the wind's kinetic energy into electrical energy. Wind turbines are manufactured in a wide range of vertical and horizontal axes. The smallest wind turbines are used for applications such as battery charging for auxiliary power for boats or caravans or to power traffic warning signs. Slightly larger turbines can be used for making contributions to a domestic power supply while selling unused power back to the utility supplier via the electrical grid. Arrays of large turbines, known as windfarms, are used by many countries as part of a strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
A windfarm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. A large windfarm may have several hundred individual wind turbines and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, and the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other purposes.
Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence in the field of computer science that employs statistical techniques to give computers the ability to "learn" (e.g., progressively improve performance on a specific task) with data, without being explicitly programmed.
A Reynolds number (Re) is an dimensionless quantity in fluid mechanics used to help predict flow patterns in different fluid flow situations. At low Reynolds numbers, flows tend to be dominated by laminar (sheet-like) flow, and at high Reynolds numbers turbulence results from differences in the fluid's speed and direction, which may sometimes intersect or even move counter to the overall direction of the flow (eddy currents). Such eddy currents begin to churn the flow, using up energy in the process, which for liquids increases the chances of cavitation.

Wind turbine control system including an artificial intelligence ensemble engine