This is a method for managing and optimizing transaction processing that: (1) significantly expands the robustness of systems with respect to consistency, reliability, and recoverability; (2) provides multiple performance improvements over traditional methods; (3) enables transactions in a distributed business process to recover from errors without the cost of two-phase commit; (4) enables enhancements to resource management; and, (5) provides improved scheduling. The method further enables a high degree of collaborative and adaptive transaction management over traditional transaction managers.

A transaction can be defined as a set of actions on a set of resources or some subset thereof, said actions including changes to those resources. The initial state of a set of resources that will be changed by a transaction is defined as being consistent, and so either implicitly or explicitly satisfy a set of consistency conditions (a.k.a. constraints or integrity rules). Each particular transaction includes one or more operations that may alter the resources (e.g. addition, subtraction, selection, exchange, or transformation). Once defined, the transaction creates a delimitible set of changes from initial conditions. Each change to the resources (short of the final change) creates an intermediate state of those resources, which often are not intended to be accessible to other transactions.
Under such an implementation, each transaction operates on the set of resources in an initial state and, after any operations performed by the transaction, leaves the set of resources in a final state. Thus a transaction may be viewed as a means of transforming a set of resources from an initial consistent state to a final consistent state (possibly, but generally not the same as the initial).
Transaction processing is subject to multiple difficulties. A transaction may use resources inefficiently. Transactions may fail to complete operations as designed. Errors may cause the final state to be inconsistent. Transactions may execute too slowly. Such difficulties can be handled manually if the environment is simple enough. Automated or semi-automated means (as supplied, for example, by a transaction management facility) are required in more sophisticated situations.
An environment in which transactions operate is often subject to a transaction management facility, often referred to simply as a "transaction manager." The responsibility of a transaction manager is to ensure the initial and final states are consistent and that no harmful side effects occur in the event that concurrent transactions share resources (isolation). A transaction manager typically enforces the isolation of a specific transaction using a default concurrency control mechanism (e.g., pessimistic or optimistic). If a condition such as an error occurs before the final state is reached, it is often the responsibility of a transaction management facility to return the system to the initial state. This sort of automated transaction processing lies behind the greatest volume of financial and commercial transactions extant in modern society.
Automated transaction processing, both with and without transaction management facilities, has been designed traditionally with an unspoken assumption that errors are exceptional. The programming, both its design and coding, focuses on implementing transactions in a near-perfect world where it is permissible to simply start over and redo the work if anything goes wrong. Even if this were to model accurately the majority of automated commercial transactions, it would not reflect the entirety of any business's real world experience. In the real world, eighty percent or more of the management effort and expertise is about handling exceptions, mistakes, and imperfections. In automated transaction processing, error recovery mechanisms are usually seen as an afterthought, a final 'check-box' on the list of features and transactions that can be handled (if all goes perfectly).
A naïve approach to the implementation of complex automated transaction processing systems maintains that the system resulting from integrating (via transactional messaging) a set of applications that already have error recovery mechanisms will itself recover from errors. Experience and careful analysis have shown that nothing could be further from the truth. As more and more business functions are integrated, the problems of automated error recovery become increasingly important and complex. Errors can propagate just as rapidly as correct results, but the consequences can be devastating.
As more and more business functions are integrated, the problems of automated error recovery and resource management become increasingly important. It's only natural that many of the systems that a business automates first are deemed by that business to enable the execution of its core competencies, whose completion is 'mission critical'. Automation demands the reliability we associate with transaction management if error recovery is to be robust. With each success at automating a particular business transaction, the value of connecting and integrating disparate automated transactions increases. Separate transactions, each of them simple, when connected become a complex transaction. With each integrative step, the need for acceptable error recovery becomes ever more important.
Traditional approaches to automated transaction management emphasize means to guarantee the fundamental properties of a properly defined or 'formal' transaction, which are atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability. These properties are usually referred to by their acronym, ACID. Transactions, especially if complex, may share access to resources only under circumstances that do not violate these properties, although the degree to which transaction management facilities strictly enforce the isolation property is often at the discretion of the user.
It is not uncommon to refer to any group of operations on a set of resources (i.e., a unit of work) as a transaction, even if they do not completely preserve the ACID properties. In keeping with this practice, we will use the term transaction without a qualifying adjective or other modifier when referring a unit of work of any kind whether formal or not. We will use the qualified term pseudo-transaction when we want to refer specifically to a unit of work that does not preserve all of the ACID properties, although it may preserve some of them. Pseudo-transactions exist for a variety of reasons including the difficulty of proper transaction design and enforcement, incomplete knowledge of consistency rules, attempts to increase concurrency at the expense of decreased isolation, attempts to increase performance at the expense of atomicity, and so on.
The ACID properties lead to a very specific behavior when one or more of the elements that compose a transaction fail in a manner that cannot be transparently recovered (a so-called "unrecoverable error"): the atomicity property demands that the state of the resources involved be restored so that it is as though no changes whatsoever had been made by the transaction. Thus, an unrecoverable error always results in transitioning to the initial state (i.e., the initial state being restored), the typical process for achieving this being known as "rollback." An alternative method of restoring the initial state is to run an "undo" or "inverse" transformation known as a compensating transaction (discussed in more detail below). This of course presumes that for such mandated compensating transactions, for every error it is possible to first identify the class of error, then most suitable compensating transaction, and finally to implement that compensating transaction. A problem with the current approach to enforcing atomicity is that viable work is often wasted when the initial state is recovered. A second problem is that transactions dependent on a failed transaction cannot begin until the failed transaction is resubmitted and finally completes, thereby possibly resulting in excessive processing times and perhaps ultimately causing a failure to achieve the intended business purpose.
The consistency property guarantees the correctness of transactions by enforcing a set of consistency conditions on the final state of every transaction. Consistency conditions are usually computable, which means that a software test is often executed to determine whether or not a particular consistency condition is satisfied in the current state. Thus, a correctly written transaction becomes one which, when applied to resources in a first consistent state, transforms those resources into a second (possibly identical) consistent state. Intermediate states, created as the component operations of a transaction are applied to resources, may or may not satisfy a set of consistency conditions and so may or may not be a consistent state. A problem with this approach is that consistency must be either cumulative during the transaction, or else enforced at transaction completion. In most cases, transactions are assumed to be written correctly and the completion of a transaction is simply assumed to be sufficient to insure a consistent state. This leads to a further problem: the interactions among a collection of transactions that constitute a complex transaction may not result in a consistent state unless all consistency rules are enforced automatically at transaction completion.
For complex transactions that share resources, the isolation property further demands that concurrent or dependent transactions behave as though they were run in isolation (or were independent): that is, no other transaction can have seen any intermediate changes (there are no "side effects") because these might be inconsistent. The usual approach to ensuring the isolation property is to lock any resource that is touched by the transaction, thereby ensuring that other transactions cannot modify any such resource (a share lock) and cannot access modified resources (an exclusive lock). With regard to resource management, locking is used to implement a form of dynamic scheduling. The most commonly used means for ensuring this is implementing the rule known as "two-phase locking" wherein while a transaction is processing, locks on resources accessed by that transaction are acquired during phase one and are released only during phase two, with no overlap in these phases. Such an implementation guarantees that concurrent or dependent transactions can be interleaved while preserving the isolation property. A problem with this approach is that it necessarily increases the processing time of concurrent transactions that need to access the same resources, since once a resource is locked, it may not be modified by any other transaction until the locking transaction has completed. Another problem due to this approach is that it occasionally creates a deadly embrace or deadlock condition among a group of transactions. In the simplest case of the group consisting of only two transactions, each of the two transactions wait indefinitely for a resource locked by the other. Deadlock conditions can arise in complex ways among groups of more than two transactions. Other approaches to maintaining the isolation property include optimistic concurrency (such as time stamping) and lock or conflict avoidance (such as static scheduling via transaction classes or conflict graphs, nested transactions, and multi-versioning). Various caching schemes have been designed to improve concurrency by minimizing the time required to access a resource, while respecting a particular approach to enforcing the isolation property. Each of the existing approaches to enforcing isolation, and the associated techniques and implications for resource management, fails to meet the needs imposed by complex, possibly distributed, business transactions.
If no error occurs, the completion of the transaction guarantees not only a consistent state, but also a durable one (the durability property) through a process known as "commit." The step in a transaction at which a "commit" is processed is known as the commit point. The durability property is intended to guarantee that the specific result of a completed transaction can be recovered at a later time, and cannot be repudiated. Ordinarily, the durability property is interpreted as meaning that the final state of resources accessed by a transaction is, in effect, recorded in non-volatile storage before confirming the successful completion of the transaction. Usually, this is done by recording some combination of resource states, along with the operations that have been applied to the resources in question. The software that handles this recording is called a resource manager.
A variant of the commit point, in which a user (possibly via program code) asserts to the transaction manager that they wish to make the then current state recoverable and may subsequently wish to rollback work to that known state, is known as a savepoint. Because savepoints are arbitrarily defined, they need not represent a consistent state. Furthermore, the system will return to a specific savepoint only at the explicit request of the user. Typically, savepoints are not durable. Savepoints cannot be asserted automatically by the system except in the most rudimentary fashion as, for example, after every operation or periodically based on elapsed time or quantity of resources used. None of these approaches enable the system to determine to which savepoint it should rollback.
When the elements of a transaction are executed (whether concurrent or sequential) under multiple, independent resource managers, the rollback and commit processes can be coordinated so that the collection behaves as though it were a single transaction. In essence, the elements are implemented as transactions in their own right, but are logically coupled to maintain ACID properties to the desired degree for the collection overall. Such transactions are called distributed transactions. The usual method for achieving this coordination is called two-phase commit. Unfortunately, this is an inefficient process which tends to reduce concurrency and performance, and cannot guarantee coordination under all failure conditions. Under certain circumstances, a system failure during two-phase commit can result in a state that is incorrect and that then requires difficult, costly, and time-consuming manual correction during which the system is likely to be unavailable. As with single transactions, compensating transactions can sometimes be used to restore the initial state of a collection of logically coupled transactions. In such cases, it may be necessary to run special compensating transactions that apply to the entire collection of transactions (known as a compensation sphere whether or not the collection is a distributed transaction).
There are numerous optimizations and variations on these techniques, including split transactions, nested transactions, and the like. In practice, all these approaches have several disadvantages (and differ from the present invention):
poor concurrency due to locking is common;
the cost of rollback, followed by redoing the transaction, can be excessive;
the conditions of consistency, isolation, and durability are tightly bound together;
logically dependent transactions must either (a) be run sequentially with the possibility that an intervening transaction will alter the final state of the first transaction before the second transaction can take over, or (b) be run together as a distributed transaction, thereby locking resources for a much longer time and introducing two-phase commit performance and concurrency penalties;
there is significant overhead in memory and processing costs on already complex transactions;
the errors which are encountered and identified are not recorded (which can complicate systematic improvement of a system);
it is often undesirable in a business scenario to return a set of resources to some prior state, especially when a partially ordered set of interdependent transactions (i.e., a business process) has been run;
it is not always possible to define a compensating transaction for a given transaction, and the best compensating transaction often depends on context;
business transactions may result in very long times from start to completion, and may involve many logically coupled transactions, possibly each running under separate transaction or resource managers; and, finally,
the transaction manager will not be able to compensate for or recover from certain context-dependent, external actions that affect resources external to the resource manager.
Transactions can be classified broadly into three types, with corresponding qualifiers or adjectives: physical, logical, and business. A physical transaction is a unit of recovery; that is, a group of related operations on a set of resources that can be recovered to an initial state as a unit. The beginning (and end) of a physical transaction is thus a point of recovery. A physical transaction should have the atomicity and durability properties. A logical transaction is a unit of consistency; that is, a group of related operations on a set of resources that together meet a set of consistency conditions and consisting of one or more coordinated physical transactions. The beginning (and end) of a logical transaction is a point of consistency. In principle, logical transactions should have the ACID properties. A business transaction is a unit of audit; that is, a group of related operations on a set of resources that together result in an auditable change and consisting of one or more coordinated transactions. If, as is the ideal construction, each of these component transactions are logical transactions, business transactions combine to form a predictable, well-behaved system. The beginning and end of a business transaction are thus audit points, by which we mean that an auditor can verify the transaction's identity and execution. Audit information obtained might include identifying the operations performed, in what order (to the degree it matters), by whom, when, with what resources, that precisely which possible decision alternatives were taken in compliance with which rules, and that the audit system was not circumvented. Business transactions can be composed of other business transactions. Time spans of a business transaction can be as short as microseconds or span decades (e.g., life insurance premium payments and eventual disbursement which must meet the consistency conditions imposed by law and policy).
The efficiency, correctness, and auditability of automated business transactions have a tremendous influence on a business' profitability. As transaction complexity increases, the impact of inefficiencies and errors increases combinatorially.
There are at least four general classes of ways that transactions can be complex. First, a transaction may involve a great deal of detail in its definition, each step of which may be either complex or simple, and may inherently require considerable time to process. Even if each individual step or operation is simple, the totality of the transaction may exceed the average human capacity to understand it in detail—for example, adding the total sum of money paid to a business on a given day, when the number of inputs are in the millions. This sort of complexity is inherently addressed (to the degree possible) by automation, and by following the well-known principles of good transaction design.
Second, a transaction may be distributed amongst multiple, separate environments, each such environment handling a sub-set of the total transaction. The set of resources may be divisible or necessarily shared, just as the processing may be either sequential or concurrent, and may be dependent or independent. Distributed transactions inherently impose complexity in maintaining the ACID properties and on error recovery.
Third, a transaction may be comprised of multiple, linked transactions—for example, adding all of the monies paid in together, adding all of the monies paid out together, and summing the two, to establish a daily net cashflow balance for a company. Such joined transactions may include as a sub-transaction any of the three complex transactions (including other joined transactions, in recursive iteration). And, of course, linked transactions may then be further joined, theoretically ad infinitum. Each sub transaction is addressed as its own transaction, and thus is handled using the same means and definitiveness. Linked transactions can become extremely complex due to the many ways they can be interdependent, thus making their design, maintenance, and error management costly and their use risky. Tremendous care must be taken to keep complexity under control.
Fourth, and last, a transaction may run concurrently in a mix of transactions (physical, logical, business, and pseudo). As the number of concurrent transactions, the number of inter-dependencies, or the speed of processing increase, or as the available resources decrease, the behavior of the transaction becomes more complex. Transaction managers, careful transaction design, and workload scheduling to avoid concurrency are among the methods that are used to manage this type of complexity, and provide only limited relief. Part of the problem is that the group behavior of the mix becomes increasingly unpredictable, and therefore unmanageable, with increasing complexity.
A business process may be understood as consisting of a set of partially-ordered inter-dependent or linked transactions (physical, logical, business, and pseudo), sometimes relatively simple and sometimes enormously complex, itself implementing a business transaction. The flow of a business process may branch or merge, can involve concurrent activities or transactions, and can involve either synchronous or asynchronous flows. Automated business process management is rapidly becoming the principal means of enabling business integration and business-to-business exchanges (e.g., supply chains and trading hubs).
Knowledge of both the internal logical structure of transactions and the interrelationships among a group of transactions is often represented in terms of an interconnected set of dependencies. Two types of dependency are important here: semantic and resource. If completion of an operation (or transaction) A is a necessary condition for the correct completion of some operation (or transaction) B, B is said to have semantic dependency on A. If completion of an operation (or transaction) T requires some resource R, transaction T is said to have a resource dependency on the resource R. Resource dependencies become extremely important to the efficiency of transaction processing, especially if the resource cannot be shared (that is, if a principle of mutual exclusion is either inherent or enforced). In such cases, transactions (or operations) that depend on the resource become serialized on that resource, and thus, transactions that require the resource depend on (and wait for) the completion of transaction that has the resource.
Dependencies are generally depicted via a directed graph, in which the nodes represent either transactions or resources and arrows represent the dependency relationship. The graph that represents transactions that wait for some resource held by another transaction, for example, is called a "wait graph." Dependency graphs may be as simple as a dependency chain or even a dependency tree, or may be a very complex, and non-flat network.
The value of successfully managing complexity through automated means grows as the transactions being managed become more complex, as this uses computerization's principal strength: the capacity for managing tremendous amounts of detail, detail that would certainly overwhelm any single human worker, and threaten to overwhelm a human organization not equipped with computer tools.
Unfortunately, the cost of any error that may propagate, for example, down a dependency chain of simple transactions, or affect a net of distributed transactions, also increases. Moreover, the cost of identifying possible sources of error increases as the contextual background for a complex transaction broadens, as all elements, assumptions, and consequences of particular transition states that may be visited while the transaction is processing must be examined for error. One certainty is that the law of unintended consequences operates with harsh and potentially devastating impact on program designers and users who blithely assume that their processes will always operate exactly as they are intended, rather than exactly according to what they are told (and sometimes more telling, not told) to do.
Error-handling for complex transactions currently operates with a bias towards rescinding a flawed transaction and restoring the original starting state. Under this approach, only when a transaction has successfully and correctly completed is the computer program granted permission to commit itself to the results and permanently accept them. If an error occurs, then the transaction is rolled back to the starting point and the data and control restored. This "either commit or rollback" approach imposes a heavy overhead load on complex transaction processing. If the complex transaction is composed of a chain of single, simpler transactions, then the entire chain must be rolled back to the designated prior commit point. All of the work done between the prior commit point and the error is discarded, even though it may have been valid and correct. If the complex transaction is a distributed one, then all resources used or affected by the transaction must be tracked and blocked from other uses until a transaction has successfully attained the next commit point; and when a single part of the entire distributed transaction encounters an error, all parts (and the resources used) must be restored to the values established at the prior commit point. Again, the work that has been successfully performed, even that which is not affected by the error, must be discarded. With linked transactions or any mix involving possibly interdependent pseudo-transactions, no general solution to the problem of automated error recovery has heretofore been presented.
Furthermore, the standard approach treats all transactional operations as identical. Operations, however, differ as to their reversibility, particularly in computer operations. Addition of zero may be reversible by subtracting zero. But multiplication by zero, even though the result is boring, is not exactly reversible by division by zero. Non-commutable transactions are not differentiated from commutable ones, nor do they have more stringent controls placed around their inputs and operation.
A second method currently used for error-handling in complex transactions is the application, after an error, of a pre-established compensatory mechanism, also called (collectively) compensating transactions as noted above. This presumes that all errors experienced can be predetermined, fit into particular categories, and a proper method of correction devised for each category. Using compensating transactions introduces an inherent risk of unrecoverable error: compensating transaction may themselves fail. Dependence entirely on compensating transactions risks the imposition of a Procrustean solution on a correct transaction that has been mistakenly identified as erroneous, or even on an erroneous transaction where the correction asserted becomes worse than the error.
Inherent in the use of compensating transactions is an assumption that each individually defined transaction has a matching transaction (the "compensating transaction") that will "undo" any work that the original transaction did. When transactions are treated in isolation or are applied sequentially, it is pretty easy to come up with compensating transactions. All that is needed is the state of the system saved from the beginning of the transaction and a function to restore that state. (In essence, this is how one recovers a file using a backup copy. All that is lost is the intermediate correct stages between preparation of the backup and the occurrence of the error.) When transactions become interleaved, this simplistic notion of a compensating transaction no longer works and the implementation a bit trickier. In fact, a compensating transaction may not even exist for certain transactions. The compensating transaction may be selected and applied automatically by the transaction manager. Still, the process is much the same: the system is ultimately returned to an earlier state or its equivalent.
Automated support for compensating transactions requires that, for each transaction, a corresponding compensating transaction be registered with an error management system so that recovery can take place automatically and consistently. The rules for using compensating transactions become more complex as the transaction model departs further from the familiar "flat" model. Formally, compensating transactions should always return a system to a prior state. If multiple systems are recovered, they are all recovered to prior states that share a common point in time. If the atomic actions that make up a transaction can be done in any order, and if each of these has an undo operation, then such a compensating transaction can always be defined. Three guidelines have been published (McGoveran, 2000): (1) Try to keep the overall transaction model as close as possible to the traditional "flat" model or else a simple hierarchy of strictly nested transactions. (2) Design the atomic actions so that order of application within a transaction does not matter. (3) Make certain that compensating transactions are applied in the right order.
A transaction logically consists of a begin transaction request, a set of steps or operations, each typically (though not necessarily) processed in sequential order of request and performing some manipulation of identified resources, and a transaction end request (which may be, for example, a commit, an abort, a rollback to named savepoint, and the like). Because the state of the art typically processes each step in the order received, the management of affected resources is largely cumulative rather than either predetermined or predictive, even when the entire transaction is submitted at one time. Resource management, and in particular the scheduling of both concurrent transactions and the operations of which they are composed, may be either static or dynamic. Static scheduling uses various techniques such as conflict graphs to determine in advance of execution which transactions and operations may be interleaved or run concurrently. Dynamic scheduling uses various techniques such as locking protocols to determine at execution time which transactions and operations may be interleaved or run concurrently.

Adaptive transaction manager for complex transactions and business process


Softener actives provide color maintenance benefits for fabrics. In order to inform the consumer, the compositions containing fabric softener actives are placed in packages in association with information that advises the consumer of the benefit. Highly unsaturated fabric softener active compounds, preferably containing ester linkages, are used at levels of at least about 3 grams of fabric softener active per kilogram of fabric deposited on said fabric to provide improved softening, anti-static benefits, wear benefits, color maintenance, etc., without unacceptable oily/greasy feel and/or unacceptable rewettability.

The use of fabric softening compounds to treat fabrics for the purposes of static control and providing softness benefits is known. However, it has not been recognized that fabric softeners can provide some color maintenance for colored fabrics.
Concentrated clear compositions containing ester and/or amide linked fabric softening actives are disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 08/679,694, filed Jul. 11, 1996 in the names of E. H. Wahl, T. Trinh, E. P. Gosselink, J. C. Letton, and M. R. Sivik, for Fabric Softening Compound/Composition, said application being incorporated herein by reference. The preferred fabric softener actives in said applications are all biodegradable ester-linked materials, containing, as long hydrophobic groups, unsaturated and/or branched chains.

High usage of fabric softener compositions for improved benefits


A wiper is disclosed. The wiper comprises an elastic plate being elongated and having two ends with side edge provided with symmetrical notches; two securing seats provided with a substantially U-shaped slot and a grip section provided below the slot having a plurality of horizontal sectional slits; two rubber covers which are pointed and the bottom edge of the side edge of the cover being an inward hook section; and a bottom edge mounted with a buttoning rod seat with an engaging hook and a rubber stripe, whereby the elastic plate is mounted at the slot and is then engaged at the rubber cover, the grip is mounted with the rubber stripe and the center of the elastic plate and the two ends thereof are respectively securing to the buttoning rot seat and a protective cover, forming into the wiper.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wiper, and in particular, to wiper which is easily mounted and provides excellent wiping on the surface of windscreen of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional wiper comprising a large frame 91, a middle frame 92 and a small frame 93. A fastening rod 911 is provided on the large frame 91 for mounting onto the wiper arm of a vehicle. The drawback of the conventional wiper is the numerous parts which are combined by riveting method. This is laborious and cost-ineffective and the entire manufacturing process is complicated and the yield is low. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wiper which mitigates the above-drawbacks.


A tool used in the construction of frames includes multiple clamps that are used to secure frame members at precise angles and orientations for welding. The tool includes a vertical support post upon which is mounted a table. First and second clamps are pivotably mounted to the table and allow two frame members to be secured in contact with one another and parallel to the table at a precise angle. A column extends upwardly from the table. At the upper end of this column is a support arm which is held parallel to the table by the column. A third clamp is mounted on the distal end of this support arm. This third clamp can be used to position a vertical or diagonal member in contact with the frame members held by the first and second clamps for welding. Additionally, the tool includes first and second attachments which can be used to secure vertical or diagonal members to the frame.

The present invention relates to a tool that is used in the construction of frames.
For purposes of this description, a frame is a structure having multiple members that are fitted together and united. In constructing frames, attachment of the individual members to one another, by welding or similar means, often requires the use of clamps or vises. Even when using such clamps, it is often difficult to secure adjacent members at precise angles.
For example, in manufacturing awnings, a fabric cover is fit over a frame typically formed by a segments of metal tubing. These frames may define a simple rectangular volume or a complex geometric volume. In constructing such a frame, each individual member is ordinarily attached to adjacent members by a weld. Clamps are commonly used to secure adjacent members at the proper angle and orientation for welding. However it is still difficult to secure adjacent members at precise angles using clamps. When more than two members meet at a joint, it becomes even more difficult to secure the members at the proper angle and orientation for welding. A series of welds is often needed to secure a joint uniting more than two members. In short, construction of these awning frames is often difficult and time-consuming.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a tool that facilitates the securing and welding of frame members at precise angles and orientations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool that allows a single weld to be used to secure three or more members at a joint.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a tool that is easy to use, even in construction of complex frame structures, such as those used in the manufacture of awnings.


In general, the present invention provides a computer apparatus, power supply control method and program for reducing the standby power requirements in a computer supporting a wake-up function. The present invention reduces standby power requirements on power off by three types of control: a wake-up function being set by a user, existence of a device actually capable of realizing the wake-up function, and supplying the power from the auxiliary source only to the device capable of realizing the wake-up function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a computer apparatus, power supply control method and program, and more particularly, to a computer apparatus, method and program having a wake-up function.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been an increasing demand, particularly from an environmentally-oriented viewpoint, to provide for the capability to reduce powering needs with respect to the powering on and powering off of computer-related devices, and more particularly, there is appears to be an increase in the interest of using stand-by power requirements, such as where the power is supplied from a power supply apparatus (such as an AC adapter for instance). According to the powering criteria set forth by Eco Mark™ (trademark of Japan Environment Association) since 2000, the powering on powering off is 1 W or less for a typical computer-related model including the AC adapter with no wake-up function, and 3 W or less for a typical computer-related model with a wake-up function.
As used herein, the term "wake-up function" is a function of starting up a distant computer by turning on the power thereof by remote operation, thereby powering on the computer by an instruction from a network based on an operation at a remote location instead of being turned on manually by an operator locally. WAKE-ON-LAN is a representative instruction set thereof, and such a function allows powered-off computers to be collectively managed at the center.
On the other hand, although power saving strategies for computer apparatuses have been of interest in recent years, emphasis has been placed primarily on power saving options related to battery operation and battery capacity holding time thus far. As a result, the focus has been primarily related to developments that are directly related to functions and apparatuses having AC power supplied from an AC adapter, such that the savings has not necessarily been pursued in terms of the electric power.
For the present invention, the system includes active logic which consumes power during the instantiation of a wake-up even if the power is off. As a result thereof, the models for realizing the wake-up function has the power on the power off increased compared to the cases of having no wake-up function as seen in the criteria of the Eco Mark. More specifically, as for a factor of power consumption on the wake-up, it can be pointed out that a power source for wake-up VAUX of a subject Ethernet adapter is turned on in the case of WAKE-ON-LAN in order to start up a PC by recognizing a specific packet from a network.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining current control of standby power source. The current control has an OS (Operating System) 201 which is basic software, a PM BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) 202, a core chip 204, a system ASIC 207 which is an integrated circuit, and a switch 210 turning on and off a main source VCCM and an auxiliary source VCCAUX1. In addition, it is arranged so that a plurality of devices 211 (DEV1 to DEVn) are connectable as the devices to which the main source VCCM and auxiliary source VCCAUX1 are supplied. The core chip 204 has a CMOS 206 which is a memory changeable by a setup program of a power management control register 205 and PM BIOS 202 for managing a power supply state of a computer system. In addition, the system ASIC 207 has a gate array 208 for performing switch control. The system in FIG. 5 can perform control so as to have the switch 210 switched by the gate array 208 and supply the auxiliary source VCCAUX1 as the standby power to the devices 211.
Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the system configuration related to the current power supply adopts a common power source design for the purpose of simplifying the design even in the case where there are a plurality of devices 211. For that reason, even in the case where it is configured to have the auxiliary source VCCAUX1 supplied for the sake of power consumption, 30 the auxiliary source VCCAUX1 is simultaneously supplied to all the devices 211 by switching the switch 210. As a result thereof, it requires unnecessary standby power requirement for the devices having no wake-up function so that the overall standby power requirement increases and so a sufficient power saving effect is not obtained.
In addition, power control during battery operation is currently performed by the system. However, the power for wake-up on the power off is not controlled in a state of being connected to the AC power in particular. As a result thereof, the standby power is supplied to the system regardless of whether or not a device being able to realize the wake-up function is included and whether or not the wake-up function is set up, and so wasteful power has been consumed.
The present invention has been achieved in order to solve the above technical problems, and an object thereof is to reduce the standby power requirement in the computer apparatus supporting the wake-up function.

Computer apparatus, power supply control method and program for reducing the standby power requirement in a computer supporting a wake-up function


A wall mounting support includes a shell fastened to a wall by an anchor and a screw, the shell comprising a front guard spaced from a front wall thereof with a receiving chamber defined therebetween for receiving the object to be supported. The front wall includes two resilient corrugated locating plates bilaterally obliquely disposed in an elongated opening of the front wall with a narrow sliding hole defined therebetween for permitting the screw head of the screw to be located at different symmetrical pairs of depressions on the corrugated locating plates.

The present invention relates to a wall mounting support, and more particularly the present invention relates to a wall mounting support to he fastened to a flat wall in supporting a picture frame or the like.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art wall mounting support to be used in supporting a picture frame or the like on a wall. This wall mounting support is generally comprised of a base which has two pin holes and a through hole, an intermediate plate which has a bolt hole aligned with the through hole on the base and two pins respectively inserted into the two pin holes on the base, and a cover covering the intermediate plate. By fastening an anchor in a hole on a wall and threading a screw into the bolt hole on the intermediate plate, the through hole on the base and a hole on the anchor, the base and the intermediate plate are fastened to the wall. When fastened, a groove is defined between the base and the intermediate plate, which receives the object to be supported. This structure of a wall mounting support is consisted of three separate parts, and therefore it is relatively expensive to manufacture and complicated to assemble. Another disadvantage of this structure of a wall mounting support is that the anchor must be fastened into the wall at a precise location, any small error may cause the object, which is supported on the wall mounting support, to become unstable.
The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wall mounting support which is simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture. It is another object of the present invention to provide a wall mounting support which can be adjusted after having fastened to a wall, so as to tightly hold the object supported thereon.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a wall mounting support comprises a shell fastened to a wall by an anchor and a screw. The shell comprises a front guard spaced from a front wall thereof with a receiving chamber defined therebetween for receiving the object to be supported, which front wall comprises two resilient corrugated locating plates bilaterally obliquely disposed in an elongated opening thereof with a narrow sliding hole defined therebetween for sliding the screw. This permits the screw head of the screw to be located at either symmetrical pairs of hollows or depression on the corrugated locating plates. Locating the screw head of the screw at the hollows or depressions on the locating plates at one end causes the shell to be firmly secured to the wall; locating the screw head of the screw at the hollows or depressions on the locating plates at an opposite end causes the shell to be loosely secured to the wall, permitting the shell to be rotated for changing the angle position of the receiving chamber.


Apparatus and method for separating product containing pouches from a travelling web of adhered films carried on a film support surface includes a rotary blade drum assembly having blade configurations with blade portions arranged to form the entire perimeter edge of the flange of the pouch which rotate in synchronous registration with grooves in the film support surface. In one form, at least one blade portion and associated groove portion are non-linear and other than longitudinal or transverse to the film support surface of the forming drum or travelling web of films. The blade portions may be heated and the rotary blade drum assembly may include insulating guides for the pouches.

This disclosure relates to flexible, composition containing pouches formed of polymeric film and the apparatus and method of making them. More particularly, it is related to a mechanism for separating completed pouches from a travelling web of adhered film material, the method of doing so and the resultant pouches.
Flexible pouches made of polymeric film and filled with a consumable product are commonly produced on equipment having an array of pouch forming mold configurations. These pouch forming mold configurations are often incorporated into a rotating drum, or axially movable platen. Examples of such forming, filling and sealing systems include U.S. Pat. No. 3,218,776, issued Nov. 23, 1965 to Charles E. Cloud, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,162,413, issued to Cloud Packaging Solutions, LLC, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.
Machines or systems are known for forming flexible sealed pouches or packages containing a consumable product. Such pouches may be made from two continuous films in which a first or base film is vacuum formed into mold configurations on a rotating forming drum to define pockets to be filled with one or more products or materials and subsequently closed by a second or lid film. Some more recent configurations include multiple compartment pouches, and pouches in which more than two films are employed.
A known two-layer pouch may be made of PVA or similar soft, deformable polymeric material. It includes a central product containing chamber having a perimeter seal defined by the edge of the mold configuration of a forming drum. Typically, the process for separation of the completed pouches from the web of adhered films results in creation of a perimeter flange that has a rectangular or square perimeter edge configuration. On release of a completed pouch from its mold cavity, the known shrinkage of the base film and complementary stretch or expansion of the lid film cause the resultant shape of a completed pouch.
Traditionally, the formed and filled pouches are cut from the continuous web of adhered films using stationary slitting blades that cut the moving web into longitudinal strips. Thereafter, rotating transverse blades cut the strips between rows of pouches to separate the strips into individual pouches. The result is a filled pouch with a perimeter flange of surrounding material comprising adhered layers of film having a rectangular or square perimeter edge.
A modern example of such a machine and process for forming such pouches is disclosed in previously identified U.S. Pat. No. 9,162,413.
The foregoing process is particularly suitable for producing flexible packages from water soluble film, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). A highly successful application involves manufacture of individual dosage pouches of liquid laundry detergent and/or liquid dish washing detergent, though other commercial applications are also known.
The industry has, for some time, contemplated production of formed filled and sealed pouches with a more cost effective, or attractive shape, particularly, a pouch with a unique rectangular surrounding perimeter flange. This disclosure provides mechanism and method for separating pouches that attain those goals. In particular, it provides the capability to produce pouch shapes having non-rectangular perimeter edges resulting in unique and attractive pouch shapes that were heretofore unobtainable.

Machine for cutting pouches with shaped perimeter edge, and method


A modular, insulated framing beam assembly is adapted for residing at a head of a door or window frame. The beam assembly includes an elongate top framing member having first and second opposed ends, first and second opposed sides, and top and bottom major surfaces. The top framing member includes a pair of laterally-spaced and longitudinally-extending grooves formed in its bottom major surface. An elongate bottom framing member resides in spaced, vertical registration with the top framing member. The bottom framing members has first and second opposed ends, first and second opposed sides, and top and bottom major surfaces. The bottom framing member includes a pair of laterally-spaced and longitudinally-extending grooves formed in its top major surface. First and second laterally-spaced side framing members are positioned in respective pairs of laterally-spaced grooves formed in the top and bottom framing members. A core insulating member is sandwiched between the first and second side framing members and the top and bottom framing members for insulating the framing beam assembly.

This invention relates to a modular insulated framing beam assembly. The invention is especially applicable for use in stick-built residential construction as a header for door and window frames. The invention provides a preformed, modular structural component which is readily and conveniently incorporated into the framing assembly.
Standard load-bearing headers are typically formed of two 2.times.10 wood segments and two 2.times.4 wood segments of equal lengths. The 2.times.10s are arranged side-by-side and nailed together to define the body of the header. The 2.times.4 wood segments are nailed, respectively, to opposed longitudinal side edges of the attached 2.times.10s to form the top and bottom of the header. The header is generally constructed on-site, and does not include insulating material. The resulting R-value of the header is therefore minimal.
The term "R-value" as used herein refers to the measure of the ability of an insulating structure to retard the flow of heat. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation. Standard building codes in southeastern States typically require an R-value of 13 for exterior walls in residential construction.
The present invention overcomes many disadvantages of standard, site-constructed headers by providing a framing beam assembly which is preformed and insulated. The invention further has sufficient structural integrity to provide a load-bearing capacity comparable to standard headers without insulation.


A method of printing a holographic 3D image is provided. The method includes forming sub-voxels on a hologram recording material, the sub-voxels including one or more colors.

1. Field
The following description relates to methods of printing holographic 3D images.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, interest with respect to 3-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic images has been growing. As a result, development of display apparatuses configured to embody 3D stereoscopic images has increased. Research is being conducted regarding embodiment of real and natural stereoscopic images based on multi-view images. For example, when a number of view points increases, stereoscopic images become more natural, but deteriorate in quality. Therefore, since a hologram recording material has the ability to embody high-quality, real, and natural stereoscopic images, the printing of holographic 3D images is being researched.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an example of a general holographic 3D image printer. Referring to the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the general holographic 3D image printer includes a light source 10, an optical system, a printer head, and a hologram recording material 50. Here, the optical system includes a beam splitter 40, reflection mirrors 12 and 22, and lenses 23 and 24. The printer head includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) 30 and an object lens 25. Here, the light source 10 includes red, green, and blue laser light sources 10R, 10G, and 10B.
In an example, light of a predetermined color from the light source 10 is split into a reference light 11 and a material light 21 by the beam splitter 40. The reference light 11 is incident to a predetermined location on the hologram recording material 50 via the reflection mirror 12. Further, the material light 21 is incident to the SLM 30, on which color data regarding a predetermined color is displayed, via the reflection mirror 22 and the lenses 23 and 24. The material light 21 modulated by the SLM 30 passes through the object lens 25 and is incident to the hologram recording material 50. Here, an interference pattern between the reference light 11 and the material light 21 is printed on the location at which the reference light 11 and the material light 21 are incident to the hologram recording material 50. Accordingly, when respective interference patterns for three colors, e.g., red light, green light, and blue light, are printed on the hologram recording material 50, a voxel 60, which is a unit of a 3D stereoscopic image, is formed.
The voxel 60 is a pixel in 3D space, or a volume pixel including graphic data that defines unit volume in 3D space. When the hologram recording material 50 is moved in the x-axis direction or the y-axis direction to print the interference patterns on the hologram recording material 50 in correspondence to all locations of an actual 3D image, a voxel 2-dimensional (2D) array configuration, in which a plurality of voxels 60 is 2-dimensionally arranged, is formed on the hologram recording material 50.
As described above, the general holographic 3D image printer forms the plurality of voxels 60, including graphic data regarding an actual 3D image, on the hologram recording material 50. Here, the voxels 60 include graphic data corresponding to different locations of an actual 3D image, respectively. In an example, each of the voxels 60 generally includes color data of three or more colors.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a person recognizing a 3D image from a hologram recording material 50 printed by the general holographic 3D image printer illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to the example illustrated in FIG. 2, a reference light used to record a hologram to the hologram recording material 50 is irradiated to recover a 3D stereoscopic image from the hologram recording material 50 at which a voxel 2D array configuration consisting of the plurality of voxels 60 is formed.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a general voxel 2D array configuration formed on a hologram recording material 50. Referring to the example illustrated in FIG. 3, while not limited thereto, each of the voxels 60 include red R, green G, and blue B color data. Here, the voxels 60 of the general voxel 2D array configuration include different pieces of location data.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method of forming the voxel 2D array configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, after color data regarding red color of a predetermined location of an actual 3D image is displayed (71) on the SLM 30, the red laser light source 10R emits red light that passes through the SLM 30, and records (72) color data regarding red color on the hologram recording material 50. After color data regarding green color of a predetermined location of an actual 3D image is displayed (73) on the SLM 30, the green laser light source 10G emits green light that passes through the SLM 30, and records (74) color data regarding green color on the hologram recording material 50. Next, after color data regarding blue color of a predetermined location of an actual 3D image is displayed (75) on the SLM 30, the blue laser light source 10B emits blue light that passes through the SLM 30, and records (76) color data regarding blue color on the hologram recording material 50. Therefore, the voxel 60, including red, green, and blue color data regarding a predetermined location of an actual 3D image, is formed on the hologram recording material 50.
Next, after the hologram recording material 50 is moved in the x-axis direction or the y-axis direction by the size of a voxel, the voxel formation as described above is performed. According to the example illustrated in FIG. 3, by repeating the voxel formation and the movement of the hologram recording material 50, the voxel 2D array configuration, in which the plurality of voxels 60 is 2-dimensionally arranged, is formed on the hologram recording material 50. Here, the voxels 60 include color data regarding three colors corresponding to different locations of an actual 3D image.
As described above, in a general method of printing a 3D image based on a holographic 3D image printer, a red light, a green light, and a blue light are sequentially emitted, and the SLM 30 displays respective data corresponding to the colors. As a result, color data regarding the three colors is recorded to a same voxel 60 of the hologram recording material 50 in the form of a hologram.
However, the recording process may be lengthy to complete and a brightness of a 3D image is reduced due to deterioration of diffraction efficiency (DE) of a hologram. For example, a modulated refractive index of the hologram recording material 50 is from about 10−3 to about 10−1, where the modulated refractive index is closely related to DE. In a general voxel 2D array configuration, the modulated refractive index is recorded to the voxel 60 of FIG. 3 for each of the colors. As such, modulated refractive index per color of the general voxel 2D array configuration decreases.


The present invention is directed to an electronic device for sensing and indicating the presence of electromagnetic interference in the vicinity of a electronic thermometer and preventing the display of a core body temperature reading when the electromagnetic interference exceeds a predetermined threshold. Disclosed is a tympanic thermometer comprising circuitry and a microprocessor that takes a a plurality of voltage readings from the null input of an operational amplifier in the circuitry. After taking into account ambient temperature conditions into the temperature calculations, the microprocessor compares the average value of the voltage readings taken from the null input against a predetermined threshold in the memory of the microprocessor. If the value exceeds the predetermined threshold, then the microprocessor prevents the display of the core body temperature and directs a display to write an error message. However, if the value does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the microprocessor directs the displays the core body temperature taken by the tympanic thermometer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an electronic device for indicating the presence of electromagnetic interference (EMI). More specifically, the present invention relates to a stability indicator in a electronic device for detecting and indicating the presence of a high electromagnetic field in the immediate vicinity of the device. In particular, the present invention relates to a fail-safe detection circuit embodied in a tympanic thermometer that prevents the taking of a temperature reading in the presence of high EMI event and displays a warning.
2. Prior Art
The diagnosis and treatment of many body ailments depends upon an accurate reading of the internal or core temperature of a patient's body, and in some instances, upon comparison to a previous body temperature reading. For many years, the most common way of taking a patient's temperature involved utilization of Mercury thermometers. However, such thermometers are susceptible to breaking and must be inserted and maintained in the rectum, axilla or mouth for several minutes, often causing discomfort to the patient.
Because of the drawbacks of conventional Mercury thermometers, electronic thermometers were developed and are now in widespread use. Typically, such electronic thermometers have a probe connected by wires to a remote unit containing electronic circuitry. The probe is sheathed in a protective, disposable cover before being inserted into a patient's mouth, axilla or rectum. Using predictive techniques, the patient's temperature reading is taking a significantly shorter time period, for example thirty seconds, compared to several minutes required for conventional Mercury thermometers. Also, the electronic thermometer in some instances provide more accurate temperature readings than Mercury thermometers.
Although electronic thermometers provide relatively more accurate temperature readings than Mercury thermometers, they nevertheless share many of the same drawbacks. For example, even though electronic thermometers provide faster readings, a half minute must still pass before an accurate reading can be taken. Finally, electronic thermometers must still be inserted into the patient's mouth or rectum which can cause patient discomfort or adversely affect temperature reading accuracy if the probe is moved during the course of measurement.
Tympanic thermometers provide nearly instantaneous and accurate reading of core temperature without the undue delay attendant with other thermometers. The tympanic membrane is generally considered by the medical community to be superior to oral, rectal or axillary sites for taking a patient's temperature. This is because the tympanic membrane is more representative of the body's internal or core temperature and more responsive to changes in core temperature. Tympanic thermometers, those thermometers that sense the infrared emissions from the tympanic membrane, offer significant advantages over Mercury or conventional electronic thermometers.
Recent efforts to provide a method and apparatus for measuring body temperature inside the tympanic membrane have produced several excellent tympanic thermometers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,877 to O'Hara et al. provides for a tympanic thermometer that measures internal body temperature utilizing the infrared emissions from the tympanic membrane and within the ear canal itself, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The tympanic thermometer of O'Hara et al. is comprised of a probe unit that has a handle and a probe head body terminated in a probe tip which is inserted into the external ear canal. The handle houses a circuit board that controls the operation of the thermometer and a display that displays temperature readings and other information. The probe head body is attached to the distal end of the circuit board and houses a seal assembly, optical waveguide tube, infrared filter and thermopile detector. The probe head body further includes a first bore in communication with a second narrower second bore. The distal end of the first bore forms a tip with an opening thereto for passing infrared emissions from the tympanic membrane into the probe head body. The infrared filter is mounted in the opening and rejects unwanted emissions while the optical waveguide tube conducts the infrared emissions to the thermopile detector located at the proximal end of the tube. In order to prevent contamination from entering the probe head body, a seal assembly is also provided that furnishes a watertight barrier against liquid and debris from entering through the interface between the probe tip and the infrared filter.
The user operates the thermometer by inserting the probe tip into the patient's ear canal and depressing the SCAN button once the probe tip is properly seated inside the ear canal. At this point, infrared emissions from the tympanic membrane are filtered through the infrared filter and conducted by the optical waveguide tube until detected by the thermopile detector. Actuating the SCAN button also alerts the microcomputer that the tympanic comparative computation algorithm should commence. Once the microcomputer is alerted, it starts acquiring the thermopile output level at a rate of approximately seven times per second and stores the maximum temperature reading for display to the user. However, being electronic devices tympanic thermometers still suffer from the effects of nearby sources of electromagnetic interference.
It is well known in the electronic art that circuits and other electronic devices, like tympanic thermometers, may be adversely affected by the presence of electromagnetic interference. By definition, electromagnetic interference is an unwanted electromagnetic signal which may degrade the performance of an electronic device by creating undesirable voltages or currents in the device's circuitry. The cause of an electromagnetic interference problem is usually an unplanned coupling between an electromagnetic source and a receptor by means of a transmission path. Such a transmission path may be conducted or radiated. Conducted interference occurs by means of metallic path wherein an electrical device is connected to a power source while radiated interference occurs by means of near- and far-field electromagnetic field coupling. It is the latter type of interference that poses the most trouble to medical devices in hospitals.
Sources of radiated interference usually originate from transmitters and other similar types of communication equipment, especially cellular phones. In a hospital or clinical environment, almost all electronic medical devices are designed to sufficiently suppress or reduce most interference generated by an electromagnetic signal in that particular environment. However, mobile radio transmitters and cellular phones radiate particularly high levels of electromagnetic interference, especially where in close proximity to an electronic medical device. In addition, many common medical devices emit EMI and can themselves pose a threat to other medical equipment. These potential sources of EMI include diathermy units, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, lasers and cauterizers.
In particular, the front-end circuitry of tympanic thermometers which senses the core body temperature of a patient is especially susceptible to EMI radiated by these aforementioned sources. A doctor, for example, operating a cauterizer next to a nurse who is taking a temperature reading using a tympanic thermometer will generate sufficient EMI from the cauterizer to adversely influence the accuracy of the temperature reading taken by the thermometer's probe. The problem faced by medical practitioners in using tympanic thermometers is that the practitioner does not know when an inaccurate temperature reading has been taken in the presence of a high electromagnetic environment because there is usually no outward indication from the tympanic thermometer that the temperature reading is in error. Further, conventional methods of suppressing electromagnetic interference, like shielding and filtering, are insufficient in addressing the problem because the thermometer's circuitry cannot be properly shielded from a close EMI source since shielding merely attenuates, but does not eliminate the interference.
As of yet, nothing in the prior art has addressed the problem of developing an electromagnetic interference detector that gives an outward indication that a tympanic thermometer is being operated in a high electromagnetic environment and prevents the thermometer from taking a temperature reading.
Therefore, there exists a need in the medical device art for a stability indicator that detects and warns the practitioner of the presence of high EMI while disabling the apparatus from taking a temperature until the EMI event has passed.

EMI stability indicator for tympanic thermometer


The invention provides a process for the preparation of a carboxylic acid of formula (IV) (which is useful as a safener for herbicides): wherein R1 is hydrogen or chlorine, comprising the steps of: (i) subjecting a compound of formula (V) wherein: R1 is as defined above; and R2 is C1-C18 alkyl; C1-C6 alkoxyC1-C8 alkyl-; optionally substituted phenyl; or optionally substituted benzyl; to hydrolysis under acidic conditions to give a solution of a quinolinium salt; and (ii) adding base to the solution obtained in step (i) to give the free carboxylic acid (IV). The invention also provides a solid (e.g. particulate) form of one quinoline carboxylic acid compound within formula (IV) defined by R1 being chlorine; and novel intermediates useable in the above process.

Quinoline derivatives useful for protecting cultivated plants from the phytotoxic action of herbicides (i.e. useful as "safeners") are known, for example, from EP-A-0 094 349, U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,445 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,922.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,445, such quinoline derivatives, in particular an alkyl (8-quinolinoxy)-acetate or an alkyl 2-(8-quinolinoxy)-propionate or a ring-substituted derivative of either of these, can be prepared inter alia by reacting 8-hydroxyquinoline or a ring-substituted derivative thereof with a haloacetic acid derivative (such as an alkyl haloacetate, e.g. an alkyl chloroacetate) or a 2-halo-propionic acid derivative (such as an alkyl 2-halo-propionate, e.g. methyl 2-bromo-propionate), typically in the presence of a base (e.g. potassium carbonate) in an inert solvent (e.g. butan-2-one) at elevated temperature, preferably in the presence of a catalytic amount of alkali metal iodide. See columns 2, 17, 21, 22 and 23-24 (Example 1) in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,445. The yields obtained are often not very satisfactory, especially for the large-scale preparation of those compounds. Furthermore, undesirable by-products, e.g. alcohols, which can significantly reduce product quality, can be formed in that process.
Cloquintocet-mexyl is commercially used as a safener of herbicides (specifically, the grass-active herbicides clodinafop-propargyl or pinoxaden, or the herbicide pyroxsulam, or the herbicide flucarbazone or a salt (e.g. sodium salt) thereof) in small grain cereal crops such as wheat (see, e.g., The Pesticide Manual, 15th edition, 2009, British Crop Production Council, entry 174, pages 226-227). It accelerates the detoxification process of clodinafop-propargyl in cereals e.g. wheat (Kreuz et al., Z. Naturforsch., 1991, 46c, pp. 901-905). The IUPAC chemical name of cloquintocet-mexyl is 1-methylhexyl (5-chloroquinolin-8-yloxy)acetate, and its chemical structure is:

The free acid (ester-free) derivative of cloquintocet-mexyl, (5-chloroquinolin-8-yloxy)acetic acid ("cloquintocet acid"), is also thought to be useful as a herbicide safener, e.g. as a safener for clodinafop-propargyl, pinoxaden, flucarbazone or a salt (e.g. sodium salt) thereof, or, in particular, pyroxsulam. Cloquintocet acid has the following structure:

WO 02/00625 A discloses a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I)
wherein R1 is hydrogen or chlorine, and R2 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, or C1-C8 alkyl substituted by C1-C6 alkoxy or by C3-C6 alkenyloxy, which process comprises a) introducing the major portion of the amount to be reacted of a compound of formula (II)
into a solvent mixture comprising at least one organic solvent capable of forming an azeotrope with water, and at least one aprotic-dipolar solvent; b) metering in an aqueous strong base (preferably an alkali metal hydroxide, e.g. NaOH or KOH, or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide) in an amount equivalent to that major portion of the total amount of the compound of formula (II); c) adding the remaining portion of the amount to be reacted of the compound of formula (II); d) adding a weak base (preferably an alkali metal carbonate, e.g. Na2CO3 or K2CO3, or an alkaline earth metal carbonate) in an amount that is at least equivalent to that remaining portion; e) removing the water from the reaction mixture by azeotropic distillation; f) adding a compound of formula (III)
wherein R2 is as defined for formula (I); and g) isolating the resulting compound of formula (I) from the reaction mixture.
This WO 02/00625 A process is good, but is not perfect for preparation of compounds of formula (I) wherein R2 is hydrogen, as the chloroacetic acid starting material (III, R2═H) forms a salt under the basic reaction conditions used.
The aim of the present invention is accordingly to provide a process for the preparation of non-ester quinoline carboxylic acids, specifically (5-chloroquinolin-8-yloxy)acetic acid ("cloquintocet acid", which is useful as a herbicide safener) or (quinolin-8-yloxy)acetic acid, that is distinguished by high yields and/or good product quality and/or that avoids one or more possible disadvantages of alternative processes.

Process for the preparation of a quinoline carboxylic acid


Coating compositions for producing sol-gel coatings that include:    a) one or more alkoxysilyl-containing oxalamides of the general formula (II),

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to coatings on a sol-gel basis, formed from silane-functional oxalamides which have been hydrophilicized by way of alkoxyalkyl radicals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sol-gel condensates are frequently employed for coatings. They are prepared by mixing suitable compounds of low molecular mass with crosslinkable groups in a solvent, then adding water and catalysts if desired to initiate the hydrolysis and/or condensation reaction. The conduct of such sol-gel operations is known in principle to the skilled worker and described for example in Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 48 (1982) 11-16. A drawback of the prior art systems, however, is that in general it is necessary to add organic solvents, since the low molecular mass compounds used are not, or not fully, miscible with water. Frequently, however, for many applications, the use of organic solvents is specifically unwanted.
An object which therefore existed was that of finding water-soluble compounds which react by hydrolysis and condensation to form crosslinked sol-gel materials and can be used to coat substrates.
Oxalamides of the general formula (I)(R1O)3-nR2nSi—CH2—CH2—CH2—NH—CO—CO—HN—CH2—CH2—CH2—Si(OR1)3-nR2n  (I)are known in principle. EP-A 729 963 and CA-A 2 087 227 describe them as polymer additives and antioxidants, but without giving any indications whatsoever of their possible use for producing water-based sol-gel coatings.

Sol-gel coating from water-soluble oxalamides

Abstract: where        R″ is hydrogen or an organic C1-C10 radical,        R′ radicals are organic, optionally oxygen-attached C1-C10 radicals,        R is an oxygen-attached radical optionally containing one or more ether groups and having 1 to 30 carbon atoms and        n is an integer between 0 and 2,             b) optionally further crosslinkers,    c) one or more catalysts and    d) water. The sol-gel coatings are produced by a method that includes combining a silica sol and one or more alkoxysilyl-containing oxalamides. The sol-gel coatings obtained from the above-described coating compositions can be used to coat substrates.


A data process system including a unit receiving a mail data including an output data or a target output data via a network, a unit identifying a user-identification data to be associated with the output data based on an address data of a transmission source of the mail data by referring to first and second units, the first unit storing a first address data in correspondence with each user-identification data, the second unit storing a second address data in correspondence with each user-identification data, a unit storing data-identification data in correspondence with the output data in a unit in a case where the user-identification data is identified by referring to the second unit instead of by the first unit, a unit notifying the data-identification data via the network, and a unit transmitting the output data corresponding to the user-identification data or the data-identification data received via the network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, a method, and an apparatus for data processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a case where a printing instruction is input from a user by way of, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), there is a system that associates print data in association with a user name of the user and stores the print data in a predetermined server or a storage device of an image forming apparatus instead of immediately printing the print data in response to the printing instruction. In this system, when the user inputs a user name and password to the image forming apparatus via an operation panel, the image forming apparatus performs an authentication process on the user name and the password. Among the print data stored in the storage device of the image forming apparatus, print data associated to the user is displayed as a list on the operation panel by the image forming apparatus when the authentication is a success. When print data is selected from the list of print data, the image forming apparatus obtains the selected print data from the storage device and prints the print data.
With this system, printed material is output when the user is nearby the image forming apparatus. Therefore, problems such as leaving the printed material on the image forming apparatus or inadvertently taking someone else's printed material can be prevented. As a result, security of printed information can be ensured.

System, method, and apparatus for data processing


An electric power steering control unit is provided which is capable of detecting a motor current stably irrespective of a temperature variation to improve steering feelings. In this control unit, a temperature detecting circuit located in the vicinity of a motor current detecting circuit detects the motor current detecting circuit, and a CPU makes reference to output characteristic data on motor current detection output to temperature detection output stored in an EEPROM to correct the motor current detection output on the basis of the temperature detection output so that the motor current detection output corrected reaches a target current value to a motor driving circuit, thus driving an electric motor which operates a steering mechanism secondarily.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control unit for an electric power steering apparatus for use in a vehicle which accomplishes the reduction of driver's steering effort and the improvement of steering feelings.
2) Description of the Related Art
In an electric power steering apparatus, a rotating direction or rotational torque of an electric motor is controlled in accordance with an assist signal calculated on the basis of an output signal of a torsional torque sensor made to detect a torsional torque in a steering system, thereby reducing a steering load imposed on a vehicle driver. For example, for a high-response electric power steering apparatus, there has been proposed a technique in which, for generating a rotational torque needed, an actual motor current to be detected through the use of a motor current detecting circuit is controlled to reach a predetermined current value (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-238652).
However, the motor current detecting circuit shows a characteristic in which its output varies with temperature stemming from the temperature characteristic of an operational amplifier. Accordingly, there is a problem in which, if an electric motor is controlled on the basis of an output of such a motor current detecting circuit, the steering torque varies in accordance with a variation of temperature. In particular, in recent years, since the gain of the current detecting circuit has been higher than before, a minute variation of a current detection output stemming from a temperature variation can exert adverse influence on driver's steering feelings.

Control unit for electric power steering


A novel polypeptide functions as the .beta. chain of an oncostatin M receptor and is thus designated OSM-R.beta.. Heterodimeric receptor proteins comprising OSM-R.beta. and gp130 bind oncostatin M and find use in inhibiting biological activities mediated by oncostatin M.

Oncostatin M is a secreted single-chain polypeptide cytokine that regulates the growth of certain tumor-derived and normal cell lines. A number of cell types have been found to bind the oncostatin M protein. See, for example, Linsley et al., J. Biol. Chem., 264: 4282 (1989). Oncostatin M has been shown to inhibit proliferation of a number of tumor cell types (Linsley et al. supra). In contrast, however, this protein has been implicated in stimulating proliferation of Kaposi's sarcoma cells (Nair et al., Science 255:1430, 1992; Miles et al., Science 255:1432, 1992; and Cai et al., Am. J. Pathol. 145:74, 1994).
Identifying and isolating oncostatin M-binding proteins, such as cell surface oncostatin M receptors, is desirable for such reasons as enabling study of the biological signal transduced via the receptor. Such receptors in soluble form also could be used to competitively inhibit a biological activity of oncostatin M in various in vitro assays or in vivo procedures. A soluble form of the receptor could be administered to bind oncostatin M in vivo, thus inhibiting the binding of oncostatin M to endogenous cell surface receptors, for example.
A protein known as gp130 has been found to bind oncostatin M, but with relatively low affinity (Gearing et al., Science 255:1434, 1992). Heterodimeric receptors comprising a leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) receptor and gp130 bind oncostatin M with higher affinity than does gp130 alone, but also bind LIF with high affinity (Gearing et al., supra). For certain applications, a receptor that binds oncostatin M with high affinity, but that does not function as a high affinity LIF receptor, would be advantageous. Prior to the present invention, no such receptor had been identified or isolated.


A belt pumping device using an endless belt driven between two perforated drums. One drum is submerged in a liquid to be pumped with the other drum positioned outside of the liquid to be pumped. At least a portion of the endless belt is constructed of absorbing material. The belt passes over the drum submerged in the liquid and the belt absorbs the liquid, which is then expressed from the belt on the other drum and collected in a collection pan for transportation to another location.

A variety of technologies have been employed for pumping liquids from one location to another. The most commonly used are mechanical devices. The mechanical pumps broadly fall into two categories, centrifugal pumps and displacement pumps. Centrifugal pumps employ the centrifugal force created by rotary motion to move water from one location to another. Typically, these pumps must be primed. They ordinarily do not operate well with fluids that have high viscosity. At higher speeds, cavitation effects may develop which destroy the efficiency of the pump. Additionally, these pumps require their moving parts to fit with reasonably close tolerances. If the tolerances are too large, so that there is backflow or leakage of the fluid around the driving moving parts, then there is loss of efficiency of the pump or the pump might stop operating altogether.
Displacement pumps take a variety of forms, including reciprocating pistons or rotary devices. Not all forms of these pumps require priming and certain forms of these pumps can operate, at least at low speeds, with liquids having a high degree of viscosity. Ordinarily, the inlets of these pumps must be submerged completely within the liquid to be pumped or the pump will not operate at acceptable efficiency or operate at all. Additionally, displacement rotary pumps require very close tolerances to effectively operate. The displacement reciprocating piston pumps do not require tolerances as close as the rotary pumps, but reasonably close tolerances are required if the reciprocating pump is to operate at expected efficiencies.
These types of mechanical pumps are particularly subject to fouling by suspended particles or solid matter in the liquid to be pumped. Any kind of floating debris that is pulled into the pump inlet can foul or destroy the pump. For these reasons, these pumps ordinarily require some degree of attention from an operator. This is especially true where water levels may rise and fall or where the condition of the liquid to be pumped varies widely.
Endless belts or hose like collectors have been employed in specialized applications usually involving high viscosity hydrocarbons. Here, an endless belt or tube rotates on the surface of a liquid usually contaminated by hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon materials, which are floating on the surface of water, adhere to the belt as the belt moves out off the surface of the liquid containing the high viscosity hydrocarbons. The belt moves to a collector where the belt is scraped to remove the hydrocarbons adhering to the surface of the belt, which are then collected for subsequent disposal. The belt, after being scraped, returns to the water to begin the process over again. An example of this type of technology is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,663, issued to Brill on Aug. 28, 1970. Similar technology is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,552, issued to Will and Grutsch on Nov. 2, 1971, which uses a revolving polyurethane foam belt to collect both water and hydrocarbons. The belt is squeezed twice to first remove the water and then again to remove the hydrocarbons. U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,781, issued to Evins on Jun. 14, 1992 discloses an endless absorption belt which collects low viscosity hydrocarbons from a well. This invention is ordinarily placed into a well bore so that the hydrocarbons are first removed from the water then pumped to the surface where they are collected for use. The above devices have been designed primarily for removal of hydrocarbons and separating them from water. Their applications are usually in pollution clean ups, hydrocarbons monitoring wells, and the like.
There are many application where no conventional pump technology meets all of the needs of the applications. In agricultural applications, frequently muddy water or water with particulate matter must be pumped. The degree of particulate matter suspended in the water may vary widely from time to time. Additionally, bits of debris, small fish or other aquatic life may also be present in the water. This type of foreign material can easily foul or destroy conventional mechanical pumps. Additionally, the water level may vary widely. The close mechanical tolerances required by many pump types require that the fluid pumped be relatively free of foreign bodies or other material that may affect the required tolerances. It may be inappropriate to pump when a water level is below a certain level. While floats and other sensors may be employed to control the pump, these sensors are subject to fouling or malfunction. In many types of mechanical pumps if the inlet is exposed to air, the pump will cease operating and will not operate again until the pump is again primed. Therefore, if the water level falls below the inlet while the pump is operating, the pump cannot operate again without operator intervention. Thus, a self-priming pump is a desirable feature. In agricultural applications and in environmental wastewater management applications, it may be desirable not only to move water from one place to another, but also to aerate the water that is being pumped as well as the water that is located within the vicinity of the pump inlet. A pump that aerates the liquid pumped as well as aerates around the pump inlet is desirable in many applications.
Consequently, it would be an advance in the technology to devise an endless belt pump that could not only pump high and low viscosity hydrocarbons, but also pump water. The pumping device should be mechanically simple. It should require no close tolerances and a minimum of moving parts. It should be resistent to fouling from particulate matter or other foreign bodies in the liquid pumped. The pump should operate without priming. Exposing the pump inlet to air should not harm the pump or impair its efficiency. The pump should be resistent to changes in environmental temperatures, including freezing temperatures. The pump should pump a roughly linearly increasing volume at its speed is linearly increased. The pump should be durable and require little, if any, operator control other than turning the pump on and off. The pump should require little energy to operate. The pump should aerate as well as pump.


A system, method and computer program product for steering a time-of-day (TOD) clock for a computer system having a physical clock providing a time base for executing operations that is stepped to a common oscillator. The method includes computing a TOD-clock offset value (d) to be added to a physical-clock value (Tr) value to obtain a logical TOD-clock value (Tb), where the logical TOD-clock value is adjustable without adjusting a stepping rate of the oscillator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to timing signals in computer systems, and particularly, to a system and method for adjusting the Time-Of-Day (TOD) clock in computer systems for enhanced timing precision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To provide for system integrity and data recovery in computer systems, mainframe server devices such as the zSeries® eServer®, available from assignee International Business Machines, Inc., uses the concept of a universal timestamp. Each time a data base record is updated, a recovery record is also created. The recovery record includes a timestamp obtained while the data-base record was locked. The remaining information in the recovery record is sufficient to recover the data-base record, provided the recovery records from all recovery-record data sets for all threads are sorted in sequence using the timestamps. This requires that all TOD clocks in the sysplex must have the same time.
In the past, the TOD clocks in the timing network were synchronized by means of an external box, the 9037 sysplex timer. Each Central Processing Complex (CPC) in the 9037 timing network stepped its TOD clock to the signals from the 9037. The stepping signals broadcast by the 9037 required special point-to-point links (called External Time Reference (ETR) links) from the 9037 to each CPC. Accurate communication of the stepping signals on the ETR links required a special protocol at the logical and physical signal levels that was different from any other communication protocol. A representative system implementing ETR offset values for synchronizing logical partitions of a logically partitioned machine is described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,106.
Current clock synchronization solutions address synchronization of clocks (usually separated by a significant distance) that are stepping at slightly different rates (each clock has a local oscillator). These solutions for synchronization of clocks require a two part action: 1) detecting the difference (or error) between the clocks; and, 2) making an adjustment to the oscillator frequency or stepping rate as a function of the error.
For systems that implement a timing solution that does not include a stepping signal, i.e., timing information is communicated by means of messages with time stamps and other timing information, each CPC must keep its TOD clock in step with the rest of the other CPCs by computing offsets and taking action to adjust TOD clock. This is similar to the action performed by NTP (Network Timing Protocol), the difference being that NTP is normally implemented in a software layer where time stamps can be generated by the control program. The eServer zSeries® architecture however, has very stringent requirements on the TOD clock; it can be viewed by any problem program, all timestamps must be different, timestamps must never appear to step backwards, and timestamps must appear to be increasing, even when viewed by programs running on different CPUs in the CPC. To make the adjustments to the TOD clock required by the new timing solution, the stepping rate of the TOD clock must be speeded up or slowed down by very fine adjustments, and these adjustments must by observed simultaneously by all CPUs in the CPC. This is critical due to the fact that the time between stepping pulses to the rightmost bit of the TOD clock is comparable to the cache-to-cache transfer time between CPUs. Thus, changing the TOD as viewed by one CPU by the smallest value possible can result in the TOD clock no longer meeting the architecture requirements for the TOD clock as viewed by other CPUs in the CPC.
An alternative solution is to adjust the rate of the physical oscillator driving the TOD stepping pulse. However, there are several problems with this: 1) this solution could not be retrofitted to older machines; 2) no technology is available to provide the accuracy required (e.g., better than 2 parts per million (ppm)); 3) testing of such a circuit is very difficult; 4) it does not address the problem of coordinated discontinuities (re-synchronizing the clock after errors); and 5) it does not provide a good interface to platforms other than z/OS and TPF (Transaction Processing Facility).
It would thus be highly desirable to provide a system and method for adjusting a TOD clock in for a tightly coupled shared storage multiprocessing environment comprising multiple CPC's where all physical clocks are already synchronized by means of a common oscillator stepping pulse.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and computer program product for TOD-clock steering

International Business Machines Corporation


An extractor for placement adjacent to a rotor having processing positions in a circumferential area thereof extracts contaminants arising during container processing. The extractor has a hood forming an interior, an extractor channel, baffles, flow channels, and a joint suction channel. In operation, the hood, which does not move with the rotor, extends over part of the circumferential area. The hood's interior opens radially towards the rotor and is connected by the extractor channel to a suction device. The baffles, which are formed by wall elements in the hood interior, define the flow channels. The flow channels are open on a side of the hood that faces the rotor, and open inside the extractor hood into the joint suction channel.

Devices for processing containers by printing thereon are known, for example as described in DE 10 2006 001 223.
Also known are devices in which the containers are moved on a processing section formed by a plurality of rotors connected to each other for transport of containers, with the rotors being driven to rotate around a vertical machine axis. At processing positions of each rotor, a processing stage of a process having a plurality of processing steps takes place. Examples include application of a color set for color printing, the pre-processing of the containers for printing or hardening and/or cross-linking of the printing ink, e.g. by the input of energy, i.e. by heat and/or UV radiation and/or microwave radiation and/or beta radiation. It is also known, in connection with printing on containers, to use liquid or largely liquid printing colors or printing inks that are ejected by electronically controlled inkjet print heads or their nozzles.
It is also known, as described in DE 10 2009 043 497 A1, to suspend containers from container carriers or pucks during processing, each of which is moved through the entire processing section with the container held on it.
DE 10 2009 013 477 A1 describes an extractor device in which each individual container is held in an extractor bushing provided with an opening unit.
During the processing, and in particular, during the printing of the containers, it is quite difficult to prevent foreign or harmful substances or contaminants from being released into the environment. Examples of such contaminants include printing ink sprayed or released during printing, solvent that evaporates as a result of input of energy during the drying of the printing ink, ozone arising during drying of printing ink with UV light, and spilled solvents. With processing or printing devices working at a high output, with which for example up to 36,000 multi-color printed images are produced per hour, these contaminants lead to unhealthy pollution of the environment, and to an uncontrolled contamination of machine or device elements if no extractor device is provided for the foreign matter or contaminants.