A touch panel according to the embodiment includes a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate in a first direction and including a plurality of sensor parts and connection parts connecting the sensor parts with each other; and a second electrode formed in a second direction crossing the first direction while being insulated from the first electrode and including a plurality of sensor parts and connection parts connecting the sensor parts with each other. The sensor parts and the connection parts include transparent conductive materials, and the connection parts have resistance lower than resistance of the sensor parts in at least one of the first and second electrodes.

Recently, touch panels are employed in various electronic appliances to allow a user to input data by touching an image displayed on a display device using an input device, such as a finger or a stylus.
Such touch panels are mainly classified into resistive touch panels and capacitive touch panels. According to the resistive touch panel, an electrode is shorted as pressure is applied thereto from an input device so that a position is detected. According to the capacitive touch panel, capacitance between electrodes is varied as a finger touches the touch panel and a position is detected based on the capacitance variation.
The performance of the resistive touch panel may be degraded if the resistive touch panel is repeatedly used for a long time, and scratch may be generated. For this reason, the capacitive touch panel has been spotlighted due to the superior durability and long life span.

Touch panel and method for manufacturing the same


A packaging case which can store a plurality of stored items, enables the stored items to be individually removed, and prevents the occurrence of formation failures. First broken cut lines (perforations) extend from a first flat plate (a side plate) over one flat plate (side plate) neighboring the first flat plate (side plate), and form openings through which the stored items (cartridge containers) can be taken out individually. A second broken cut line (perforation) is formed at a joining portion between the first flat plate (side plate) and the one flat plate (side plate) neighboring the first flat plate (side plate).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging case which collects and packages a plurality of stored items such as, for example, containers which accommodate cartridges incorporating photographic films, or the like.
The present invention further relates to a packaging case having a header which enables pendent display from a suspending hanger at a time of sales display at a store front of stored items such as, for example, containers which accommodate cartridges incorporating photographic films or the like, the header being formed by a protruding piece in which a suspension opening is formed, into which opening the suspending hanger is inserted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior Art 1
Heretofore, there have been numerous packaging cases that package collected pluralities of stored items. Many of these packaging cases are convenient in that the plurality of stored items stored in the packaging case can be taken out one at a time rather than having to be taken out all together. Photographic films are a representative example of such stored items.
Conventionally, a format for packaging photographic films or the like has been to accommodate cartridges which store photographic films in roll form in containers made of synthetic resin (below referred to as "cartridge containers"), individually accommodate the cartridge containers in boxes for packaging, and sell the same. However, in recent years, as usage volumes of photographic film have increased, formats in which cartridge containers are plurally collected and sold have become more abundant.
A plurality of cartridge containers are taken out from such a packaging case at one time, but it is very unusual for all of the plurality of photographic films that are taken out from the packaging case to be required during an ordinary photographic shoot. Cartridge containers that store photographic films that are not immediately required are difficult to completely distinguish from cartridge containers that store used photographic films by visual appearance. Thus, confusion of these two types of cartridge containers may occur.
Accordingly, of cartridge containers that store photographic films, cartridge containers that are taken out from a packaging case individually are convenient with regard to avoiding situations in which used photographic films and unused photographic films are mixed up.
With a view to solving this problem, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (JP-Y) No. 6-43800 discloses a packaging case (a carton for packaging) having perforations which form openings that enable stored items to be taken out individually. This packaging case (carton for packaging) enables the stored items to be taken out as required, and is extremely convenient. However, when faces in which the perforations are formed and faces adjacent to those faces are formed by folding at a time of assembly of this packaging case, reaction forces are concentrated at the perforations, and formation failures in which steps are formed at the perforations and/or the perforations are broken occur often.
Prior Art 2
Heretofore, in order to use display space efficiently for selling packaging cases accommodating stored items such as, for example, containers which accommodate cartridges incorporating photographic films or the like, pendent display of the packaging cases storing the stored items has been carried out at a display stand. In order for stored items to be displayed for sale at a store front in this manner, the packaging cases are provided with protruding pieces (headers) in which are formed suspension openings through which a suspending hanger is inserted.
When products are produced in a factory and these products are to be packed in packaging cases and shipped to intermediaries such as retailers, distributors and the like, the packaging cases may be collected and aggregated in a packaging format known as shrink film packaging. Shrink film packaging is a packaging format in which goods are packed imprecisely in a plastic film known as shrink film, which is heat-shrinkable to a thin film form by pressure-forming or the like, the shrink film is shrunk by hot air, and the goods are tightly contacted with one another in this wrapped state.
Generally, because the headers which are provided with suspension openings protrude from the packaging cases, the shrink film packaging is carried out such that the protruding pieces (headers) are folded so as to abut against faces of the packaging cases.
However, even when the headers are packed so as to closely contact the packaging cases by shrink film wrapping, the headers may interfere with the packaging case faces and end up sticking up. This is a problem in that appearance is poor. In these circumstances, packaging cases whose headers fold up easily are being called for.
Prior Art 3
A packaging case for accommodating containers that store cartridges or the like is produced by assembling a development sheet, from an unfolded state formed by die-cutting, into a cuboid shape with a folding assembly machine known as a sack machine or the like. Generally, first, a quadrilateral tube is formed from the development sheet. Besides the aforementioned protruding piece (header), portions referred to as flaps are respectively provided continuously at both of opening ends of the quadrilateral tube. These flaps are folded in, and thus the cuboid packaging case is produced.
However, when the quadrilateral tube is to be formed from the development sheet in the unfolded state, or when the flaps are to be folded orthogonally, problems often occur in which side edges of the protruding piece (header) abut against and catch onto side edges of flaps that are adjacent to the protruding piece: formation of the quadrilateral tube becomes impossible, and/or the flaps cannot be folded. In particular, such problems are remarkably evident in cases in which a width of the protruding piece (header) is large, and improvements are being called for.


The present invention relates to a rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill. Each end of the U-shaped handrail is provided with a rope wheel whose shaft is pivotably mounted on the extension part at the top of each of the supporting arms. Thereafter, a strong rope is fixed at one side of the rope wheel and pulled downward to the bottom of the frame. When the U-shaped handrail is raised and turned around the shaft, the rope wheel is also rotated to pull the strong rope upward. Thereafter, the frame is raised up to the top by means that the rear roller is turned around the first pivot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill, and more particularly, an exercise treadmill whose frame can be folded or unfolded by moving the handrail. Therefore, the convenience in use is achieved and the safety is ensured.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The frame of the conventional treadmills (for example, the disclosed U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,674,453, and 6,033,347) is designed to be foldable in order to reduce the occupied space and to facilitate the movement thereof. However, these products have to include an auxiliary lifting member (like pneumatic or oil-pressurized cylinder) behind the frame in order to prevent the frame from an unexpected collapse endangering the operator or the other around. Accordingly, the whole design and use show much inconvenience.
Moreover, this conventional design doesn""t fit the old or the disable in waist or lower limbs because they have much difficulty in bending down to perform the folding movement.
It is a primary object of the present invention to remove the abovementioned drawbacks and to provide a folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill through which the operator doesn""t need to bend down to perform the folding movement of the frame. Furthermore, the frame can be folded to the top at an automatic locking position by means of rope wheels, strong ropes and corresponding pivots for achieving a full safety for operators and people around.

Rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill

No. 1, Lane 233, Sec. 2, Charng Long Rd.


In a fault waveform recording device, a first storage stores data detected in a power system, the data being up-to-date and indicating an electrical quantity during a first period, and halts the updating of the data stored in the first storage after a second period has elapsed since an abnormality detection time at which an abnormality in the power system is detected. The second period is shorter than the first period. First operation unit stores data in a first interval as is into a second storage, among the data of the first period stored in the first storage after the updating of the data stored in the first storage is halted, the first interval including the abnormality detection time, and decimates data in a second interval different from the first interval.

One of functions of the protection relay device is recording of waveforms of current/voltage in the event of a fault in power system. The waveforms are recorded to analyze the situations of the fault. The requirements specification of a user, such as power companies, in recording the fault waveforms is as follows.
First, in order to, for example, accurately analyze a fault, a sampling rate at which fault waveforms are recorded is required to be kept high. Second, a waveform recording time of about a few seconds to about a few tens of seconds is required because: a series of operations, including output of a re-trip signal after reclosing, needs to be recorded; and depending on a subject to be protected, a delay trip signal is output after the expiration of a timer, or a trip signal for backup protection is output after a certain period of time has elapsed. Third, several dozen waveform records may be required to be saved in the protection relay device because, in recent years, with increasing unattended substations and unattended switching stations, etc., it is becoming difficult to frequently retrieve recorded waveforms from the protection relay device.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2009-289204 is a prior art document related to the present disclosure. Specifically, the document discloses an onboard data recording system having multiple record modes in which different types of data are recorded at different sampling rates, the multiple record modes being switchable.


A miniature single monolithic chip is to be used to create a viewscreen for Computers, Television or Video applications. Magnifying this display would produce an inexpensive screen capable of being mounted on face goggles, or alternate stand alone apparatus. Using an optic system, the eye could perceive an image of various size screens. The chip being so close to the eye would require very little illumination. Advantages of this apparatus are numerous especially due to low power consumption and light weight. Ideally this would be suitable for portable lap top Computer and Video systems. Dual chips could also be used to produce true Three Dimensional images capable of large screen viewing. The device can be back lit and projected onto large screens using transparent components. A heat sensitive coating on this chip changes appearance with temperature changes for each pixel on the display.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing a display device from a single miniature high resolution monolithic chip. In particular, the apparatus uses a chip with an array of heating elements in an orderly grid pattern with a thermochromic die coating which changes from its room temperature color to colorless, with a temperature increment to a specified temperature based on the thermal properties of the die. Viewed through a lens magnification system, this high resolution image could appear in sizes ranging from computer monitors to cinema screens.
Display screens of very high resolution have numerous applications, ideally suited for a variety of portable applications. The cost of this invention makes it quite feasible as a miniature display device compared to the cost of prior art, with additional advantages of low power consumption, compact design, and light weight.

Apparatus and method for producing a viewscreen from a miniature high resolution chip


A system may generally comprise a tracking device, an ultrasound device and a processing unit. A position and orientation of the ultrasound device may be traceable by the tracking device. The processing unit may be configured (i) to receive 3D information of a region of interest in relation to a marker, with both the region of interest and the marker being located within a body, (ii) to determine the position of the marker relative to the ultrasound device based on an ultrasound image of the body including the marker, and (iii) to determine the position and orientation of the ultrasound device relative to the tracking device. The system may further comprise a visualization device and the processing unit may further be configured to generate a visualization of the region of interest in relation to an outer surface of the body.

For example, surgical removal of breast tumours (e.g. lumpectomy) is one of the most frequently performed surgical resections with significant rate increase, due to the leading incidence and prevalence of the breast neoplasms. The clinical goal of the breast surgery is to remove the tumorous tissue entirely without leaving behind more than focally positive margins. Any trace of tumorous tissue left behind would potentially cause tumour recurrence and subsequent revision surgery. Radiotherapy is another treatment option where small microscopic portions left behind are treated by ionizing radiation.
A typical workflow for breast tumour resection starts with the inspection of the 2D images to make the excision plan. In case of non-palpable tumours or when patients are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy a marker is placed in the tumour for guidance during surgery. During surgery blue dye is injected to locate nearby lymph nodes that are inspected for the presence of tumour cells. The breast tumour is resected and visually inspected whether the resection is complete. The gold standard whether the resection is complete is by pathological analysis which takes typically 2 days.
Even though various pre-operative data sets are acquired (mammography, CT, MR, US), the surgeon has no reference from the imaging data when performing surgical tumour excision, apart from mental mapping based on the diagnostic scans and the anatomy being exposed to surgeon eyes. Once the patient is in the operating room the possibilities for imaging are limited, while the available pre-operative anatomical imaging often remains unemployed. During surgery, the surgeon must rely on visual and tactile feedback and tumour margins can often poorly be defined. Lack of the required real-time feedback leads to significant percentage of positive margins that require additional surgeries in later stage.

Systems providing images guiding surgery


A display system may include a camera configured to capture an image of a calibration reference associated with an automobile, a display, and a controller in communication with the camera and the display. The controller may be configured to selectively adjust a color temperature of the display based on the image of the calibration reference.

Color balance (a.k.a., neutral balance, gray balance, or white balance) is the process of adjusting colors of an electronically captured image, such that the captured image appears to have the same colors viewed by a human eye. In particular, a scene may appear to the human eye to have different colors depending on the given lighting conditions. And in order for a camera to accurately capture an image of the scene, the camera must account for the given lighting conditions. This is commonly done by way of a calibration process, during which the camera is pointed at a gray card, a white card, or another neutrally colored object. This allows the camera to capture an image representative of the given lighting condition, which commercially available software can then use to adjust the color of future images taken by the same camera under the same lighting conditions.
Electronic displays may also appear different, depending on given lighting conditions. For example, the colors of an instrument cluster, a display screen, interior and/or exterior lighting, and other display devices associated with an automobile may have a different color temperature when the automobile is exposed to low-intensity light, high-intensity light, artificial light, natural light, diffused light, direct light, reflected light, etc. In most instances, these display devices are configured to display at fixed color temperatures, which have been previously determined by the automobile manufacturer to be optimally aesthetically pleasing to occupants of the automobile when exposed to a standard light source. However, when the automobile is exposed to a different light source, the corresponding color temperatures of the displays may appear less than optimally aesthetically pleasing to the occupants.
The disclosed control system is directed to mitigating or overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the prior art.

System for providing color balance in automotive display


For pressing the contact elements of multipolar plug-in connectors into boreholes on printed circuit boards, the contact elements are pressed-in in several steps, so that only some contact elements are pressed in during each step, while the remaining contact elements are pressed-in in other steps, such that the pressing-in force does not become excessively large and can be performed with conventional presses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for pressing press-fit sections of contact elements of multipolar plug-in connectors into boreholes of a printed circuit board, as well as a tool for carrying out this method.
Specifically, the present invention is directed to such a method in which the contact elements are disposed in rows and columns in a carrier of insulating material, with the contact elements being held initially in recesses in the insulator by means of frictional resistance. The contact elements are pressed by means of a comb-like tool into the boreholes of the printed circuit board, and the pressing-in force of the tool is transferred by appropriate shoulders on the tool which engage shoulders on the contact elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
The pressing of the contact elements of a multipolar plug-in connector by a comb-like tool into the boreholes of a printed circuit board is well known. Such a tool has recesses for temporarily accommodating the upper ends of the contact elements, as well as shoulder-like stops, which interact with corresponding shoulders on the contact elements and transfer the pressing-in force.
The force which must be applied to press in the tool is determined by the number of press-fit sections of the contact elements which must be pressed in simultaneously and assumes considerable values as the number of contact elements increases. For example, when pressing in known 96-pole plug-in connectors, forces of the order of 5,000 to 10,000N have to be applied.
Recent developments have been in the direction of providing plug-in connector strips with up to 500 contact elements. The force which must be applied to simultaneously press in the contact elements is of the order of 25,000 to 75,000N. If at all, such forces can be applied for the installation of plug-in connector strips only with enormously large presses and not with presses available for the installation of plug-in connector strips.

Method and apparatus for pressing contact elements of multipolar plug-in connectors into printed circuit board


Disclosed are compliant variable tension risers (106) to connect deep-water subsea wellheads (102) to a single floating platform (104) in wet tree or dry try systems. The variable tension risers (106) allow several subsea wellheads (102), in water depths from 1220 to 3050 meters, at lateral offsets from one-tenth to twice the depth or more, to tie back to a single floating platform (104). Also disclosed are methods to counter buoyancy and install variable tension risers using a weighted chain ballast line (228, 230).

The present invention generally relates to the production of hydrocarbons from subsea wellheads located in deep to ultra-deep water depths. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatuses and methods to produce hydrocarbons from a floating platform, supporting a dry tree connected to subsea wellheads located in deep water depths, and/or connected to a deep water wet tree at the subsea wellhead. More particularly still, the present invention relates to apparatuses and methods using compliant variable tension risers to hydraulically connect widely dispersed deep-water subsea wellheads to a floating platform.
A variety of designs exist for the production of hydrocarbons in deep to ultra-deep waters, i.e. depths greater than 1220 meters (4,000 feet). Generally, the preexisting designs fall within one of two types, namely, wet tree or dry tree systems. These systems are primarily distinguished by the location of pressure and reservoir fluid flow control devices. A wet tree system is characterized by locating the trees atop a wellhead on the seafloor whereas a dry tree system locates the trees on the platform in a dry location. These control devices are used to shut in a producing well as part of a routine operation or, in the event of an abnormal circumstance, as part of an emergency procedure.
In wet tree systems, these control devices are located proximate to a subsea wellhead and are therefore submerged. The primary function of the tree is to shut-in the well, in either an emergency or routine operation, in preparation for workover or other major operations.
Dry tree systems, in contrast, place the control devices on a floating platform out of the water, and are therefore relatively dry in nature. Having the production tree constructed as a dry system allows operational and emergency work to be performed with minimal, if any, ROV assistance and with reduced costs and lead-time. The ability to have direct access to a subsea well from a dry tree is highly economically advantageous. The elimination of the need for a separate support vessel for maintenance operations and the potential for increased well productivity through the frequent performance of such operations are beneficial to well operators. Furthermore, the elimination of a dedicated workover riser and the associated deployment costs will also result in a substantial savings to the operator.
Historically, dry tree systems have been installed in conjunction with tension leg platforms or spar-type platforms that float on the surface over the wellhead and have minimal heave motion impact upon the risers. Generically, a riser extending from a tension leg or spar platform is referred to as a top tensioned riser (TTR) as it is either supported directly by the host platform or hull support, or independently by air cans that supply tension to the upper portion. In the case of hull supported TTRs, top tension is supplied via a system of tensioning devices, wherein sufficient tension is applied such that the top tensioned risers remain in tension for all loading conditions. The relative motion between TTRs and the platform in a hull support arrangement is typically accommodated through a stroke biasing action of the tension devices themselves. Therefore, on a spar or tension leg platform, relative movements of the floating platform will be transmitted only minimally through the riser systems because equipment aboard the platform will give and take to accommodate those movements. Particularly, with TTRs, the tension is applied at the top and the tension decreases in a substantially linear profile with depth to the subsea wellhead.
In contrast, vertical riser loads for air can supported TTRs are not carried by the hull of a platform. Instead, the air can supported TTRs ascend from subsea wellheads through an aperture in the work deck known as a moonpool. The TTRs extend through the moonpool and connect to dry trees located on the tops of air cans in the bay area of the platform. Using this construction, each air can supported TTR is permitted to move vertically relative to the hull of the platform through the moonpool. This vertical movement of the TTR relative to the platform is a function of the magnitude of platform offset and set-down, first-order vessel motions, air can area and friction forces between the hull structure and the air cans. The fluid path between the dry tree on the air can and the processing facility on the vessel is usually accomplished by means of a non-bonded flexible jumper.
Regardless of particular configuration, the tension within a TTR system creates a characteristic shape that is substantially linear and in a near vertical configuration. Since TTR curvatures and capabilities for compliance are relatively small, multiple subsea wells connected to a single tension leg or spar platform by TTRs are required to be closely spaced to one another on the ocean floor. Typically, the maximum distance between the most remote subsea wells in a cluster to be serviced by a single platform via TTRs is 90 meters (300 feet). Therefore, dry tree platforms, as deployed with currently available technology, require relatively closely spaced subsea wells in order to be feasible. Unfortunately, the placement of subsea wellheads within 90 meters (300 feet) of each other is not always feasible or economically desirable. Changes in locations and types of undersea geological formations often dictate that wellheads be spaced apart at distances greatly exceeding 90 meters (300 feet). In these instances, it is often less economically feasible to employ dry tree strategies to service these wells as their spacing would require the installation of several tension leg or spar platforms. In these circumstances, wet tree schemes have typically been used.
A wet tree system or dry tree platform system capable of servicing clusters of subsea wellheads at greater spacing distances would offer practical, economic and other advantages. Furthermore, alternatives to tension leg and spar platforms would also be desirable to those in the field of offshore well servicing. Tension leg and spar platforms are relatively expensive endeavors, particularly because of the amount of anchoring and mooring required to maintain them in a relatively static position in rough waters. A platform system having a wet or dry tree arrangement and utilizing a less restrictive and less costly mooring system would be well received by the industry. The present invention addresses these and other inadequacies of the prior art.

Subsea well communications apparatus and method using variable tension large offset risers


The vehicle mobile microgrid is a vehicle on-board electrical grid dedicated to supplying all supplemental electrical needs for the vehicle utilizing recovered energy from internal combustion engine heat, vehicle motion and auxiliary electrical power generator, chemical and mechanical storage systems and electrical power from incident light energy. Unlike electrical grids that serve wide population areas, the vehicle on-board electrical grid is not meant to serve electrical demand beyond that utilized by the vehicle. This on-board electrical grid is therefore very small by comparison, and the term microgrid is meant to convey this comparative size. The microgrid utilizes a common-mode bidirectional microgrid to efficiently capture, store and distribute electrical power depending on the vehicle's demand for electrical power.

As motor vehicle configuration transitions from internal combustion engine to hybrid combinations of internal combustion engine and electric motor to all electric motor drive vehicles, a greater dependence on electric power generation and storage must evolve to match the demands placed on the vehicle's performance.
There are many sources of energy available for conversion to electricity to be used as generated or for storage on board the vehicle until needed to meet demand. These known sources and undeveloped sources will generate electricity as alternating current or direct current. Alternating current generation will vary by power and frequency while direct current will vary by power output.
As with the major power grids, these varying output systems must be made to link to a common grid in order to make generated power available for distribution to systems that require electricity to function.
To this end, it is appropriate to propose a methodology for creating the means to capture these various sources of electrical power, establish a common-denominator means to condition these various sources to a common mode so that a practical bidirectional grid may be efficiently used to capture electrical power generated and distributed for use or storage depending on the mobile vehicle's demand.
To be clear: this is not a vehicle-based mobile electric power system; i.e., a power system transported to a site by a vehicle where no power is available from a utility or stationary generator. It is an onboard power generating use and storage system whose primary mission is to provide electrical power to the vehicle. It is an onboard electrical power station or energy center or plant. By its size, it can be described as a microgrid.
Historically, the demand for electrical power for internal combustion engine motor vehicles has increased steadily. From 1950 to 1980, for example, required generator/alternator output increased by about 500%. For the foreseeable future, this demand will continue to increase due to the growing amount of onboard electrical equipment that has become an integral part of every new vehicle design for safety, comfort and convenience.
For current internal combustion engine motor vehicles, with the engine stopped, the battery is the vehicle's energy store and, with the engine running, the alternator becomes the onboard electrical generating plant. For trouble-free generation, it is necessary that alternator output, battery capacity, starter power requirements and electricity consuming loads are matched and optimized.
In a normal driving cycle, the battery must always have sufficient charge so that the motor vehicle can be restarted, despite the needs for critical safety and security systems continuous functionality. With the vehicle parked, electrically consuming loads should continue to operate for a reasonable period without discharging the battery to the extent that the vehicle cannot be restarted.
The conventional lead-acid storage battery used in motor vehicles led to the development of the direct current (DC) generator. A DC generator was required in order to recharge the battery, a DC device. Because the early motor vehicles depended on DC batteries, any electrical equipment for these early motor vehicles operated off DC supplies.
Until the middle of the seventies, most vehicles were equipped with DC generators. Today, DC generators have been replaced by alternators that internally generate alternating current (AC) power that is then rectified into DC output. It was the development of cost effective diodes in the sixties that allowed their adoption for use in alternators that replaced DC generators.
DC generators were not as reliable as alternators and were not able to meet continuous charge and electrical accessory requirements over the variable engine speeds from engine idling to highway speeds. Alternators are much more able to provide stable output over the operating range with a much longer vehicle service life, low weight, higher compactness and high electrical efficiency. As the demand for onboard electrical energy increases, manufacturers can increase the size and output characteristics of alternators. Within physical limits, aftermarket upgraded alternators can be installed to help address additional electrical power demands.
Motor vehicle electrical consuming loads have differing duty cycles. The types of loads are divided between continuous loads, long duty cycle loads and short duty cycle loads. As motor vehicles transition from full internal combustion engine through hybrid combinations to full electric, the ability to sustain operation with the reduced reliance on onboard batteries that add significant weight to the vehicle, particularly lead-acid types, becomes problematical.
As the internal combustion engine motor vehicle gives way to hybrid electric and fully electric motor vehicles, the storage of power and power generating systems will have to incorporate more sources of power generation and storage to replace the energy sources commonly used with internal combustion engine motor vehicles. Current onboard electrical power systems or subsystems are insufficient to sustain long-distance travel for full electric vehicles or internal combustion engine hybrid vehicles with supplemental direct drive traction motor.
The microgrid electrical system described here envisions multiple onboard electrical power generating and energy storage systems that must be able to be joined to a motor vehicle mobile micro grid that redistributes this generated and stored power to vehicle electrical consuming devices and systems. Each of these devices or subsystems must be controlled through a controller network that is parallel to the device and subsystems network.
It is envisioned that all sources of electrical power, whether AC or DC, be conditioned to a high voltage DC buss. The interconnect distribution wiring infrastructure can be designed for economic benefit without significant sacrifice of efficiency. An electrical transmission grid is a network of power sources, transmission conditioners, transmission busses, storage devices and electromechanical devices that require electricity to function. DC transmission does not result in reactive losses as with AC transmission. Transfers of energy from renewable sources on the vehicle are intermittent and, by nature, have wide dynamic ranges, so that the interface must be DC.
For example, solar photovoltaic panels or small wind turbines depend on climatic conditions to operate and produce electrical energy. When operating alone, they can be poor sources of power. However, systems that merge sources, such as wind, sun and other renewable sources, produce more effective energy. The system proposed here constitutes a distributive source of power, distributed by DC busses to a distributed group of electrical consuming or storage devices and systems. Each device or subsystem represents a node on the microgrid buss.
Electrical power is always subject to losses in transmission whether for short distances between components on a printed circuit board or over long distance high voltage lines. The major contributor to power loss in transmission is I2R losses (Joule losses):Ploss=I2R
Since the power, P, is the product of current, I, and voltage, V,I=P/V Therefore,Ploss=(P/V)2R=(P2/V2)R
Power loss is proportional to transmission line resistance and inversely proportional to the square of the transmission voltage. Therefore, power loss is minimized by low resistance and high voltage.
For intrastate and interstate grids, high voltage direct current transmission is not uncommon.


A system for cataract surgery on an eye of a patient is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first laser source configured to deliver a first laser beam in a pulsed form at a first pulse energy; a second laser source configured to deliver a second laser beam in a pulsed form at a second pulse energy greater than the first pulse energy; an scanning optical system, configured to: receive the first and second laser beams; and adjust a first focus position of the first laser beam, and a second focus position of the second laser beam, in up to three dimensions to direct the first and second laser beams onto one or more targeted tissue structure portions of the eye of the patient; a controller operatively coupled to the scanning optical system and configured to cause the scanning optical system to adjust the first focus position to photodisrupt a first tissue structure portion with the first laser beam, and subsequently adjust the second focus position to further photodisrupt the first tissue structure portion with the second laser beam.

Cataract extraction is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world with estimated 2.5 million cases performed annually in the United States and 9.1 million cases worldwide in 2000. This was expected to increase to approximately 13.3 million estimated global cases in 2006. This market is composed of various segments including intraocular lenses for implantation, viscoelastic polymers to facilitate surgical maneuvers, disposable instrumentation including ultrasonic phacoemulsification tips, tubing, and various knives and forceps. Modern cataract surgery is typically performed using a technique termed phacoemulsification in which an ultrasonic tip with an associated water stream for cooling purposes is used to sculpt the relatively hard nucleus of the lens after performance of an opening in the anterior lens capsule termed anterior capsulotomy or more recently capsulorhexis. Following these steps as well as removal of residual softer lens cortex by aspiration methods without fragmentation, a synthetic foldable intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted into the eye through a small incision.
One of the earliest and most critical steps in the procedure is the performance of capsulorhexis. This step evolved from an earlier technique termed can-opener capsulotomy in which a sharp needle was used to perforate the anterior lens capsule in a circular fashion followed by the removal of a circular fragment of lens capsule typically in the range of 5-8 mm in diameter. This facilitated the next step of nuclear sculpting by phacoemulsification. Due to a variety of complications associated with the initial can-opener technique, attempts were made by leading experts in the field to develop a better technique for removal of the anterior lens capsule preceding the emulsification step. The concept of the Continuous Curvilinear Capsulorhexis (CCC) is to provide a smooth continuous circular opening through which not only the phacoemulsification of the nucleus can be performed safely and easily, but also for easy insertion of the intraocular lens. It provides both a clear central access for insertion, a permanent aperture for transmission of the image to the retina by the patient, and also a support of the IOL inside the remaining capsule that would limit the potential for dislocation. Subsequent to the step of anterior CCC, and prior to IOL insertion the steps of hydrodissection, hydrodilineation and phaco emulsification occur. These are intended to identify and soften the nucleus for the purposes of removal from the eye. These are the longest and thought to be the most dangerous step in the procedure due to the mechanical manipulation and the use of pulses of ultrasound that may lead to inadvertent ruptures of the posterior lens capsule, posterior dislocation of lens fragments, and potential damage anteriorly to the corneal endothelium and/or iris and other delicate intraocular structures. The central nucleus of the lens, which undergoes the most opacification and thereby the most visual impairment, is structurally the hardest and requires special techniques. A variety of surgical maneuvers employing ultrasonic fragmentation and also requiring considerable technical dexterity on the part of the surgeon have evolved, including sculpting, cracking and chopping of the lens, the so-called "divide and conquer technique" and a whole host of similarly creatively named techniques, such as phaco chop, etc. These are all subject to the usual complications associated with delicate intraocular maneuvers. Similar limitations exist in other ophthalmic procedures for which the present invention is particularly suited.
What is needed are ophthalmic methods, techniques and apparatus to advance the standard of care of cataract and other ophthalmic pathologies.

System and method for plasma-mediated modification of tissue


An apparatus for coating stents and a method of using the same is provided.

Blood vessel occlusions are commonly treated by mechanically enhancing blood flow in the affected vessels, such as by employing a stent. Stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the wall of affected vessels. Typically stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small lumens via catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in the patent literature disclosing stents include U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional stent 10 formed from a plurality of struts 12. The plurality of struts 12 are radially expandable and interconnected by connecting elements 14 that are disposed between adjacent struts 12, leaving lateral openings or gaps 16 between adjacent struts 12. Struts 12 and connecting elements 14 define a tubular stent body having an outer, tissue-contacting surface and an inner surface.
Stents are used not only for mechanical intervention but also as vehicles for providing biological therapy. Biological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. Local delivery of a therapeutic substance is a preferred method of treatment because the substance is concentrated at a specific site and thus smaller total levels of medication can be administered in comparison to systemic dosages that often produce adverse or even toxic side effects for the patient.
One method of medicating a stent involves the use of a polymeric carrier coated onto the surface of the stent. A composition including a solvent, a polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend is applied to the stent by immersing the stent in the composition or by spraying the composition onto the stent. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving on the stent strut surfaces a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer.
During the coating process, the therapeutic substance may be exposed to light, thereby damaging the therapeutic substance should the substance be photosensitive. Accordingly, a new apparatus and method for coating stents is needed for protection of the therapeutic substance. Additionally, it is also desirable that the apparatus be able to coat a large number of stents at one time, thereby increasing the manufacturing time of drug-eluting stents.


A dual mold spacer for use with a dual mold assembly is provided that includes a first side portion configured to engage a first side rail of the dual mold assembly. A second side portion is configured to engage a second side rail of the dual mold assembly. A body portion extends from the first side portion to the second side portion and is configured to be located between a press of the dual mold assembly and first and second molds of the dual mold assembly. The body portion is configured for being spaced from and free from engagement with the first and second molds.

Retreaded tires are those that have a new tread section placed onto a carcass of the tire after the tread section currently on the tire is worn down. To make this replacement, the tread currently on the tire may be removed, and the outer surface of the carcass treated for acceptance of the new tread. A layer of cushion gum can be applied to the surface of the carcass and the new tread section may be applied to this cushion gum layer. The cushion cum layer can be cured in order to cause the new tread section to be attached to the carcass.
The new tread section can be a cured piece of rubber that is formed by a mold and a press. The mold is a retread tire mold and can be made from a plurality of mold sectors that are arranged against one another into a linear arrangement. Uncured rubber can be placed on top of the mold sectors and a press may be moved in the vertical direction to press the rubber into the mold sectors. The press engages a flat underside of the tread strip, and tread element features are molded into the rubber via corresponding features of the mold sectors. The mold can be heated, and this combination of heat and pressure may cure the rubber into the desired shape.
The mold may be arranged as a dual mold in that two strips of retread tire tread are formed at the same time by the mold. The mold sectors for each of the two strips are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the mold, and a center rib that likewise extends in the longitudinal direction separates the mold sectors for these two strips. If the press is closed, and rubber is not present in the mold, the press will engage and damage the center rib. This damage may be immediate and severe and requires repair of the center rib before additional molding is conducted. Although the operators are trained not to close the dual mold press when rubber is not located within the mold, in the course of production mistakes are made and these mistakes lead to destruction of mold components, and to downtime with the loss of dual mold capacity. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.

CompagnieGenerale Des Etablissements Michelin


A method for site-selective acyl transfer in amidation of folded polypeptides and proteins based on the use of a chemical structure element comprising an imidazole function, such as histidine, in position i flanked by at least one functional group to be amidated, such as lysinc, in position i+3+4k. where K is an integer equal to or higher than −1, or in position i−4−4n, wherein n is an integer equal to or higher than 0, and at least one activating group, such as serine, in position i+4+4n or i−3−4n, respectively.

So-called acyl transfer reactions involve the transfer of an acyl group (the residue of an organic acid after removal of the carboxyl hydroxy group) either internally within a chemical species or from one chemical species to another. Examples are amide formation, transesterification and hydrolysis.
It is well known that acyl transfer reactions can be catalyzed by imidazole in aqueous solution, the imidazole, which is a strong nucleophile, forming an intermediary reactive complex with the acyl group. Also polymer-supported imidazoles have been used as acyl transfer catalysts (see e.g. Skjujins, A., et al., Latv. PSR Zinat. Akad. Vestis, Kim. Ser. 1988 (6), 720–5).
It has further been shown that small peptides containing a histidine (His) residue (an amino acid which contains an imidazolyl group) can have hydrolytic activity.
Recent progress in designing structural proteins and peptides has resulted in the preparation of several peptides with substantial catalytic activity (W. F. DeGrado, Nature, 365, 488 (1993). For example, K. Johnsson et al., Nature, 365, 530 (1993) disclose a short self-associating Leu-Lys-rich helical peptide that accelerates the rate of decarboxylation by means of a Schiff's base intermediate between a substrate of oxaloacetate and an amine with an electrostatically depressed acid constant (Ka). It is mentioned that the secondary structure is important for the activity.
Nature's enzymes form powerful catalysts by combining residues that are by themselves only modestly reactive. It is therefore not surprising to find that sites other than those responsible for catalysis also show chemical reactivity and that unexpected reactions can occur on the protein surface. The combination of His with Lys, for example, in a helix forms a simple two-residue site where the Lys activates the His residue in its reactions with active esters and the His activates the Lys1,2. The overall amidation rate of the lysine is at least three orders of magnitude larger than that in the direct reaction between the lysine and the esters1.


Disclosed is a multilayer packaging material which is suitable for use as a container for malt beverages and which is tinted so as to block at least 90% of light with wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation ranging from 300 nm to 500 nm. The tinted multilayer packaging materials of the present invention includes: (a) at least one layer of a carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2)-permeable polymeric packaging material, and (b) at least one layer of a CO.sub.2 -treated gas barrier coating, which has an oxygen permeability constant not more than 0.05 cubic centimeter-mil/100 square inches/atmosphere/day. The CO.sub.2 -permeable packaging material can be any polymeric material through which CO.sub.2 can pass and which can be used as a packaging material for food or beverages. The gas barrier coating has an oxygen permeability constant, before CO.sub.2 treatment, of less than 0.3. This gas barrier coating includes the reaction product of a polyamine (A) and a polyepoxide (B). The polyamine (A) can be an initial polyamine or an ungelled polyamine adduct having active amine hydrogens. Polyepoxide (B) can be a polyepoxide having a plurality of glycidyl groups linked to an aromatic member.

The technical field of the present invention relates to packaging materials, and more specifically to multilayer packaging materials having at least one layer of a gas-permeable substrate and at least one layer of a gas barrier coating.
Plastics have found increasing use as replacements for glass and metal containers in packaging. Advantages of such plastic packaging over glass packaging include lighter weight, decreased breakage and potentially lower costs. Moreover, an advantage of plastic packaging over metal packaging is that the former can more easily be designed as re-closable. Notwithstanding the above, shortcomings in the gas barrier properties of common plastic packaging materials (e.g., polyesters, polyolefins and polycarbonates) present major problems to those in the packaging industry when such materials are used to package oxygen-sensitive items and/or carbonated beverages.
Specifically, gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide can readily permeate through most of the plastic materials commonly used by the packaging industry. The oxygen permeability constant (herein referred to as "OPC") of such plastic materials quantifies the amount of oxygen which can pass through a film or coating under a specific set of circumstances and is generally expressed in units of cubic centimeter-mil/100 square inches/atmosphere/day. This is a standard unit of permeation measured as cubic centimeters of oxygen permeating through 1 mil (25.4 micron) thickness of a sample, 100 square inches (645 square centimeters) in area, over a 24-hour period, under a partial pressure differential of one atmosphere at specific temperature and relative humidity (R.H.) conditions. As used herein, OPC values are reported at 30.degree. C. and 50% R.H. unless otherwise stated.
Since many foods, beverages, chemicals, medicines, medical supplies and the like are sensitive to oxidation, they typically must be protected from the ingress of oxygen into the container in which they are stored so as to prevent their discoloration and/or spoilage. Moreover, carbonated beverages should also be stored in sealed containers which prevent the egress of carbon dioxide therefrom so as to prevent the beverage from going flat. As used herein, the term "flat" refers to a carbonated beverage losing at least about 10% of its carbonation, typically at least about 15% of its carbonation, and more typically at least about 20% of its carbonation. Accordingly, since oxygen and carbon dioxide can readily permeate through most plastic materials used by the packaging industry, the shelf-life of items stored in conventional plastic containers is reduced when compared to their shelf-life when stored in glass or metal containers.
Some examples of oxygen sensitive items whose shelf-life would be greatly reduced if stored in conventional plastic containers are perishable foods and beverages such as tomato-based products (e.g., ketchup, tomato sauces and tomato pastes), juices (e.g., fruit and vegetable juices) and carbonated alcoholic beverages (e.g., beer, ale, malt beverages, sparkling wines, champagnes, and the like). In these instances, exposure to minute amounts of oxygen over a relatively short period of time can adversely affect their taste. Some examples of carbonated beverages whose shelf-life would be greatly reduced if stored in conventional plastic containers are soft drinks, malt beverages, sparkling water, sparkling wines, champagne, and the like.
One of the common packing materials used today by the food and beverage industry is poly(ethylene teraphthalate) ("PET"). Notwithstanding its widespread use, PET has a relatively high OPC value (i.e., about 6.0). As such, the food and beverage packaging industry has sought ways to improve the OPC value of such packaging materials. It should be noted that, typically, oxygen permeates through a film and/or coating more readily than does carbon dioxide. Accordingly, although OPC values pertain to the permeability of oxygen through a film and/or coating, lowering a coating's OPC value improves not only its oxygen barrier properties, but also its carbon dioxide barrier properties.
One of the methods disclosed in the literature as a means of improving a plastic packaging material's OPC value pertains to chemically and/or physically modifying the plastic. This method is typically expensive and can create recycleability problems. Another method disclosed in the literature as a means of improving a plastic packaging material's OPC value pertains to coating the plastic material with a gas barrier material (e.g., a gas barrier coating composition or a gas-barrier film). This method is typically less expensive than that set out above and creates fewer, if any, recycleability problems.
Numerous gas barrier coating compositions have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, polyepoxide-polyamine based gas barrier coating compositions having very low OPC values are the subject of commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,006,381; 5,008,137 and 5,300,541 and WO 95/26997. These coatings have found commercial acceptance as barrier coatings for application over conventional polymeric containers. However, further improvements are still desirable by certain segments in the packaging industry. An example of such an improvement would include the development of gas barrier coatings that have OPC values of less than 0.06 and a smooth and glossy appearance.
For example, the malt beverage industry has established very strict quality standards for small beverage containers (e.g., 12 ounce (355 milliliter) bottles made out of PET having an average wall thickness of 15 mils (381 microns)). According to this shelf-life standard, typically not more than 5 ppm of oxygen should pass through the walls of the sealed container over a 90-day storage period at ambient temperatures and 50% R.H. Parts per million of oxygen is based upon the weight of oxygen to the weight of the beverage (1 cubic centimeter of oxygen weighs 0.0014 gram). For example, one cubic centimeter of oxygen in 12 ounces of beverage would be 4.0 ppm ((0.0014 grams per cubic centimeter of oxygen/355 cubic centimeters in a 12 ounce bottle).times.10.sup.6). Preferred levels of performance for the malt beverage industry would entail that, over the 90-day storage period at ambient temperatures and 50% R.H., not more than 4 ppm oxygen, more preferably not more than 3 ppm oxygen, and even more preferably not more than 2 ppm of oxygen pass through the walls of the sealed container.
One way in which a polymeric packaging material comprising PET can meet the aforementioned malt beverage industry shelf-life standard of allowing not more than 5 ppm of oxygen from passing through its walls over a 90-day period when stored at ambient temperatures and 50% R.H., is to coat the packaging material with a gas barrier coating which has an OPC value of not more than 0.05. Moreover, a way in which a polymeric packaging material comprising PET can meet the preferred malt beverage industry standard of allowing not more than 4 ppm of oxygen, more preferably not more than 3 ppm of oxygen, and the even more preferably not more than 2 ppm of oxygen from passing through the gas barrier coating over a 90-day period when stored at ambient temperatures and 50% R.H., is to coat the packaging material with a gas barrier coating which has an OPC value of not more than 0.04, more preferably of not more than 0.03, and even more preferably of not more than 0.02, respectively. Notwithstanding the advantages associated with using polymeric materials for making malt beverage containers, for reasons such as high cost, insufficient OPC values, and/or poor appearance of conventional gas barrier coatings, the malt beverage industry continues to make malt beverage containers out of glass and/or metal.
It is known that malt beverages are not stable in light with wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation ranging from 300 nanometers (nm) to 500 nm (hereinafter referred to as "product damaging light"). It is also known that brown or dark amber-tinted glass substantially blocks most of this product damaging light. As used herein, the term "substantially blocks" means that less than about 10%, preferably less than about 7%, more preferably less than about 5% and even more preferably less than about 3% of this product damaging light passes there through.

Multilayer packaging material having aminoepoxy gas barrier coating


This invention relates to a transmissive liquid crystal display including a light source (BL), a reflective linearly-polarizing layer (Pr1), a birefringent layer (A) having specific optical properties and specific retardation properties, a light source-side absorptive linearly-polarizing layer (P1), a liquid crystal cell (LC), and a viewer-side linearly-polarizing layer (P2) which are arranged in this order. In the transmissive liquid crystal display of the invention, light leakage is suppressed in oblique directions so that black brightness can be reduced. A reduction in contrast in the normal direction can also be suppressed, which is caused by the distribution of light to the normal direction.

Transmissive liquid crystal display has a structure including two polarizing plates with their absorption axes perpendicular to each other (namely arranged in cross Nicol) and a liquid crystal cell interposed between the two polarizing plates. Such liquid crystal displays have a problem in which when viewed from oblique directions, they produce light leakage so that they cannot produce black display, because the apparent angle between the absorption axes of the two polarizing plates is larger than 90° when viewed from oblique direction. Particularly when the screen is obliquely viewed at an azimuth angle of 45° with respect to the absorption axes of the polarizing plates arranged in cross-Nicol, light leakage is significant.
A known method to solve such a problem includes placing an optical compensation layer of a retardation plate or the like between the two orthogonal polarizing plates to change the polarization state, thereby reducing light leakage in oblique directions (see for example Patent Documents 1 and 2). Even when using such an optical compensation layer, however, it has been difficult to completely prevent light leakage in oblique view. There is also another problem in which even though light leakage is reduced using the optical compensation layer, light obliquely incident on the liquid crystal cell can be refracted, reflected, diffracted, or scattered at the interface between various materials such as TFT materials and antiglare layers constituting the liquid crystal display, and part of the light can also be distributed to the normal direction, so that contrast can be reduced not only in oblique directions but also the normal direction.
Another method may also be applied which includes using a diffusing plate or the like in order to distribute leaked light in oblique directions over a wide angle range (see for example Patent Document 3). However, such a method also distributes light to the normal direction where the contrast is originally high, so that the contrast in the normal direction can be reduced. Therefore, such a method has little practical value.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 04-305602    Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 04-371903    Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 2000-187205

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Liquid crystal display, laminated polarizing plate and polarized light source device


An engine identifying segments or portions of one source material or source file common to or found in another source material or file. The engine may receive a first data stream in binary form as well as a second stream in binary form. The engine may include a data stream processor or pre-processor programmed to translate the first and second data streams to generate respective first and second processed data streams. The commonality between the first and second processed data streams may be greater than the commonality between the first and second data streams themselves. Also, a comparator may be programmed to compare the first and second process data streams and identify binary segments found in both the first and second processed data streams.

1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computerized detection and enforcement tools for protection of intellectual property rights and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for detecting unauthorized copying of intellectual property.
2. The Background Art
In certain situations, it is a relatively simple endeavor to determine when another is copying or otherwise infringing on one's intellectual property rights. For example, if one were an owner of a patent, one might find in the market place and purchase the product of a potential infringer. That product may then be compared at the convenience of the patent owner against the patent owner's claims. Similarly, if one has a copyrighted work one may often purchase the works or publications of another and compare them to determine whether copyright infringement has occurred.
However, certain materials may not lend themselves to a simple determination of patent infringement, copyright infringement, or other intellectual property violation. For example, a particular software package completed and provided in an executable form will typically not identify the source code from which the executable was derived. Such source code is typically only obtained after litigation has been initiated and the source material or source code has been produced in discovery. Discovery proceedings often occur later as opposed to earlier in a lawsuit, and virtually never before. Accordingly, one may not discover whether or not a new issue of copyright infringement of intellectual property has occurred until much effort (read: money) has been expended in the suit.
Similarly, for other digital media such as sound recordings, different sampling techniques and modifications may mask the fact that one recording originates in another recording or other work protected by copyright registrations or the like. Also, in certain applications, the sheer volume of electronic applications being transferred does not lend itself to ready examination or comparison to identify the details of the content of that traffic. A prodigious effort would be required to determine whether that content represents a misappropriation or other violation of some intellectual property right. As a result, significant violations of intellectual property rights may pass undetected.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system providing rapid analysis of digital traffic or data streams to provide information regarding mathematically recognizable patterns in the content thereof. In particular, one needs automated review for assessing violations of the intellectual property rights of others. Additionally, what is needed is a method of reducing or translating digital content to a common dominator or simplified structural form so that it may be readily compared to other similarly reduced, transformed, or translated material. Such a system may enable and improve online detection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in the digital area where massive volumes of data pass through servers, undetectable except in the most blatant and obvious cases.

Computerized, copy detection and discrimination apparatus and method


A subtractive time of flight technique for MR angiography and quantitative blood flow measurement. Proton spins of water in the arterial supply to a tissue or organ are inverted in a steady-state fashion by applying constant amplitude off-resonance radio frequency pulses in the presence of a constant linear magnetic field gradient to effect adiabatic fast passage transport-induced inversion of spins which move in the direction of the gradient. An angiogram is formed by subtracting an image acquired with the arterial inversion pulse from a control image acquired with no arterial inversion. By inverting the spins in a steady-state manner, no cardiac gating is necessary for imaging organs. However, cardiac gating is desirable when imaging the heart so that spins of blood passing through the coronary arteries can be inverted during systole, when most of the blood is in the left ventricle, and imaged at end diastole, when most of the blood is in the coronary arteries. A coronary angiogram is then formed by subtracting images acquired with and without the inversion pulse. Also, by applying several inverting and imaging pulses during a cardiac cycle in accordance with the technique of the invention, a characteristic banding pattern may be formed in the fluid whereby each band corresponds to a population of spins that experienced inversion due to a single RF pulse. Since the width of the inversion band is proportional to the duration of the RF pulse and the velocity of the spin, measurement of the thickness of the inverted and uninverted bands allows for calculation of flow velocity. By gating such a pulse sequence to the cardiac cycle, time resolved in vivo velocity measurements may be made.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for MR angiography and quantitative blood flow measurement, and more particularly, to techniques for MR angiography using steadystate transport-induced adiabatic fast passage and for quantitative MR flow measurement using pulsed adiabatic inversion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The measurement of tissue perfusion, i.e., the flow of fluid in tissue, and of quantitative blood flow in arteries is important for the functional assessment of organs in vivo. Although the terms perfusion and flow are sometimes used interchangeably, perfusion as used herein is a quantifiable measurement of capillary blood flow which is generally measured indirectly in humans, while flow refers to the quantitative volume of blood passing through an artery in a given period of time. Angiograms, on the other hand, provide a qualitative view of arteries, tissues and the like which is useful for diagnostic purposes. Numerous techniques have been developed in the prior art for providing angiograms as well as measurements of perfusion and blood flow using magnetic resonance imaging.
For example, in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 746,771, filed Aug. 16, 1991, and in an article entitled "Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Perfusion Using Spin Inversion of Arterial Water", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., Vol. 89, pp. 212--216 (1992), one of the present inventors disclosed a method for measuring perfusion by labeling proton spins of inflowing water in the arterial blood using magnetic resonance. Continuous saturation or continuous inversion using an adiabatic excitation was then performed proximal to the tissue or organ of interest. In particular, perfusion was measured by labeling atoms in the blood at a base point, generating a steady state in the tissue or organ by continuing to label atoms until the effect caused by labeled atoms perfusing into the tissue or organ reaches a steady state, generating imaging information for the tissue or organ, and processing the imaging information to determine perfusion. In a particular embodiment of that invention, by continuously applying a radio-frequency (RF) field, spins associated with the atoms were inverted continuously by adiabatic fast passage. This technique was disclosed for determining perfusion in the brain as well as other tissues or organs having well defined arterial supplies such as the kidney, the liver and the heart.
Spin inversion was preferred for perturbing the magnetization of the arterial water in accordance with the technique of the above-identified application because it maximized the observed effect. In order to invert the arterial spins continuously as described therein, an RF signal was applied in the presence of a magnetic field gradient in the direction of the flow so that the movement of the spins through the magnetic field gradient leads to a change in the magnetic field through resonance. As described therein, this approach has lead to greatly improved images of tissue perfusion in the brain and other organs.
However, since the contribution from the arterial intravascular volume must be eliminated in order to get accurate measurements of tissue perfusion, the technique described in the aforementioned patent application is not suitable for quantitatively measuring blood flow or for acquiring an MR angiogram. On the contrary, the technique described in the aforementioned patent application requires symmetrical spoiler gradient pulses to be used in the imaging sequence around the 180.degree. pulse to eliminate arterial intravascular signals in both the proximal and the control saturation images. This minimizes the affects on intravascular spins of proximal saturation, which otherwise causes the difference image to include a contribution from the arterial intravascular volume in addition to a contribution caused by the exchange of labeled vascular water with tissue water during the perfusion measurement. In other words, spoiler gradients have been used when obtaining images of tissue perfusion in order to eliminate signal contribution from the moving spins. For this reason, while providing an excellent technique for measuring perfusion, the technique described in the aforementioned patent application cannot be used for MR angiography and quantitative blood flow measurement.
Recently, several subtractive time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) techniques have been described in the art. For example, such techniques are described by Dixon et al. in an article entitled "Projection Angiograms of Blood Labeled by Adiabatic Fast Passage", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 3, pp. 454-462 (1986); by Nishimura et al. in articles entitled "MR Angiography By Selective Inversion Recovery", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 4, pp. 193-202 (1987), "Considerations of Magnetic Resonance Angiography By Selective Inversion Recovery", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 7, pp. 472-484 (1988), and "Magnetic Resonance Angiography By Selective Inversion Recovery Using A Compact Gradient Echo Sequence", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 8, pp 96-103 (1988); by Sardashti et al. in an article entitled "Spin-Labeling Angiography of the Carotids By Presaturation and Simplified Adiabatic Inversion", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 15, pp. 192-200 (1990); and by Wang et al. in an article entitled "Fast Angiography using Selective Inversion Recovery", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 23, pp. 109-121 (1992). The techniques described in those articles complement conventional phase-contrast techniques such as those described by Dumoulin et al. in an article entitled "Magnetic Resonance Angiography", Radiology, Vol. 161, pp. 717-720 (1986); by Wedeen et al. in an article entitled "Projective MRI Angiography and Quantitative Flow-Volume Densitometry", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 3, pp. 226-241 (1986); and by Nayler et al. in an article entitled "Blood Flow Imaging by Cine Magnetic Resonance", Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, Vol. 10, pp. 715-722 (1986), and conventional time-of-flight MRA techniques such as those described by Gullberg et al. in an article entitled "MR Vascular Imaging With a Fast Gradient Refocusing Pulse Sequence and Reformatted Images From Transaxial Sections", Radiology, Vol. 165, pp. 241-246 (1987).
Dixon et al. describe an approach to MR angiography in which a constant RF pulse is transmitted through a separate surface coil in the presence of a constant magnetic gradient so that moving spins undergo adiabatic fast passage inversion. By turning the inversion RF on and off during alternate gated acquisitions, Dixon et al. generated images with and without labeled blood. An angiogram was then formed by simple subtraction for visualizing, for example, the carotid bifurcation.
In accordance with the Dixon et al. technique, all the blood passing the RF surface coil while the RF signal is being applied is labeled and then allowed to flow for a period of time so that it can enter the imaging volume. The longest possible labeling time is used which is consistent with the number of cardiac cycles chosen for TR. It is thus important in using the Dixon et al. technique that the RF signal be turned on and off slowly to prevent saturation of stationary tissue near the RF surface coil. It is also important that little power be used so as to prevent heating of the tissue of the patient in the vicinity of the RF surface coil. Moreover, in accordance with the technique of Dixon et al., since the phase encodings are interleaved and the labeled blood must be given time to propagate into the imaging volume before acquiring the image, only one phase encoding per cardiac cycle is possible. Furthermore, since this process is synchronized to the cardiac cycle by cardiac gating so as to phase encode every cardiac cycle with 90.degree. and 180.degree. pulses, the appropriate propagation time delay must also be selected to allow the labeled column of blood enough time to fill the arteries that are being imaged. Accordingly, Dixon et al. must estimate how far the spins travel in a selected period of time in order to maintain synchronization. An improved approach is desired which does not require synchronization to the cardiac cycle and which allows for fast scan imaging.
Another approach to MRA, referred to as selective inversion recovery (SIR) (as described in the aforementioned articles to Nishimura et al., Sardashti et al. and Wang et al.), uses spatially selective inversion pulses to label a column of arterial blood which then flows into an organ in the imaging region. Selective 180.degree. excitation inverts different regions between measurements to isolate arterial and/or venous blood so that high-resolution carotid artery angiograms and the like may be obtained. A 90.degree. presaturation pulse may also be applied to suppress the background intensity from static tissue in the angiogram, which is formed by subtracting an image acquired with inversion from an image acquired without inversion. As an inversion technique, SIR of the arterial inflow to an organ has been found to offer excellent angiographic contrast and penetration due to the fact that blood is inverted, not just saturated. As a subtractive technique, SIR also provides excellent background suppression, similar to that of phase contrast techniques.
However, there are also some problems associated with SIR techniques which use spatially selective inversion pulses to label blood flow. In general, these techniques must be gated to the cardiac cycle so that complete labeling of the inflowing blood occurs. In addition, the inversion pulses used to label blood flow should have precisely defined passbands in order for complete inversion to occur. This typically involves the use of complicated RF pulse shapes. Another drawback of SIR is the fact that spins in the more distal parts of the labeled column of blood undergo T1-relaxation as they traverse the slab thickness. The spins therefore lose part of the label before entering the imaging volume, leading to a loss of angiographic contrast. An improved angiographic technique is desired which overcomes such problems.
Various time-of-flight (TOF) methods have also been described in the prior art for quantitative NMR flow measurement. For example, Saloner et al. disclose in an article entitled "Flow Velocity Quantitation Using Inversion Tagging", Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 16, pp. 269-279 (1990) and Edelman et al. disclose in an article entitled "Quantification of Blood Flow With Dynamic MR Imaging and Presaturation Bolus Tracking", Radiology, Vol. 171, pp. 551-556 (1989) methods employing spatially localized saturation or inversion RF pulses for labeling moving spins. In these approaches, a column of fluid is subjected to a series of spatially-selective RF pulses in a steady-state imaging experiment. This results in a banding pattern in the fluid from which the velocity may be determined. However, these methods are subject to errors arising from motion of the spins during application of the spatially selective RF pulses. In addition, the accuracy of these methods also depends on the characteristics of the spatially-selective inversion pulses used to tag the fluid. In general, optimized RF pulses must be used in order for accurate velocity measurements to be made. Unfortunately, due to the fact that each group of "tagged" spins experiences multiple RF pulses during transit through the inverted slab, contrast between bands decreases as the flow moves downstream. This effect makes it more difficult to observe the evolution of the banding pattern as the fluid flows distal to the inversion plane.
Lee et al. describe another flow measurement technique in an article entitled "Spatially Resolved Flow Velocity Measurements and Projection Angiography by Adiabatic Passage", Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Vol. 9, pp. 115-127 (1991), which provides direct assessment of in-plane and oblique directional flow velocities and visualization of flow velocity profiles as well as flow angiography based on the time-of-flight technique. In particular, Lee et al. generate a band in the liquid which may be used for measuring flow velocity by applying a fast adiabatic passage pulse after a cardiac gated sequence and then applying a spin echo sequence for acquiring the image. A 180.degree. RF pulse is also applied for stationary spin suppression prior to the adiabatic fast passage pulse and a 90.degree. RF pulse is applied prior to phase encoding. Unfortunately, Lee et al. do not sequence fast enough to see plural bands in a single cardiac cycle, and since the 90.degree. and 180.degree. gradient pulses are used, fast scanning techniques cannot be used. Hence, the system of Lee et al. does not provide optimized time resolution of the images taken during the cardiac cycle. An improved MR flow measurement technique is desired which will allow for fast scanning of the slab so as to improve time resolution.
The present invention has been designed to overcome the aforementioned limitations in the prior art by providing a comprehensive system for MR angiography and MR blood flow measurement for different regions of the body. As will be clear from the following description, the present inventors have found that improved MR images of arteries, veins and tissues may be produced using a steady-state adiabatic inversion technique and that blood flow may be measured by adiabatically inverting spins in the direction of the magnetic gradient. The present invention is thus believed to meet long felt needs in the prior art in that it provides for the first time a methodology which allows for MR angiography as well as quantitative blood flow and tissue perfusion measurement of any tissue or organ having a well defined arterial supply.

MR angiography using steady-state transport-induced adiabatic fast passage


A method for over-the-air (OTA) provisioning a non-Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) type secure element (SE) of a mobile device, including receiving a request to initialize an OTA proxy of a mobile device; initializing the OTA proxy; receiving provisioning data through the OTA proxy; and provisioning the received data into the SE, in which the SE is a non-UICC type SE. A mobile device to provision secure data OTA in a non-UICC type SE including an OTA proxy to connect to a Trusted Service Manager (TSM) system, and to receive provisioning data from the TSM system; a near-field-communication (NFC) enabled chip to conduct a contactless transaction; and a SE to store information provisioned through OTA proxy, in which the SE is a non-UICC type SE.

1. Field
The following description relates to over-the-air provisioning of virtual cards on a mobile device, such as a mobile communication terminal, with a non-Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) type secure element.
2. Discussion of the Background
With the advent of advancing mobile technology, more features have been integrated into the mobile devices. From GPS applications to mobile office products, mobile device, such as a mobile communication terminal, has become a necessity for everyday needs. In order to further utilize mobile technology to better cater to consumer's daily requirements, attempts have been made to provide for a mobile financial management system to replace conventional physical wallets. Specifically, this mobile wallet functionality was sought to be realized through provisioning of card issuer's account information directly into a secure element (SE) of the mobile device equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) chipset. Provisioning may refer to a process of preparing and equipping an apparatus with information (e.g., financial information) to allow it to provide one or more services to its users. The SE may be a smart card chip capable of storing multiple applications, including of account specific information that may not be easily accessed by external parties. The model mobile wallet application may have the same composition as a conventional wallet, which may contain payment cards, member cards, transportation cards, and loyalty cards.
Mobile wallet functionality may be further enhanced by provisioning the user financial credential onto mobile devices equipped with Near Field Communication chipset (NFC enabled). Once the user financial credentials have been provisioned onto the NFC enabled is mobile device, the provisioned NFC enabled device may transfer information or make payments to another NFC compatible device by coming near within a few centimeters of one another without physically contacting each other. This type of technology is conventionally referred to as "contactless" technology and a payment made with this technology is referred to as "contactless" payment. Despite the numerous benefits that are available utilizing the described technology, there has been no practical solution to provision sensitive user information to the NFC enabled mobile devices.
One possible solution for provisioning mobile wallet cards is to perform the provisioning at a secure facility controlled by the mobile wallet card issuer. However, this solution may require users to bring their mobile device to the physical mobile wallet card issuer for provisioning. This process has to be repeated for every mobile wallet card the user seeks to provision at different card issuer facility, making the concept of utilizing mobile wallet application impractical.
In light of this limitation, a new system and method has been developed providing for over-the-air (OTA) provisioning. Rather than relying on provisioning at physical locations, a method for provisioning financial account information via OTA has been sought. Through technological advancement, OTA provisioning has been provided for mobile device with the SE types of UICC, Services Identity Module (SIM), Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) to (herein referred collectively as UICC) cards via industry standard Short Message Service Point to Point (SMS-PP) and Bearer Independent Protocol (BIP) protocols. However, while SMS-PP protocol and Bearer Independent Protocol BIP allow OTA provisioning for UICC cards and their equivalents, it does not allow for OTA provisioning of MicroSD's and Embedded SEs (i.e. non-UICC SEs), which may not support conventional Subscriber Identity Module Application is Toolkit (SAT)/Universal Subscriber Identity Module Application Toolkit (USAT)/Card Application Toolkit (CAT) framework. As such, any mobile device with SE types MicroSD, Embedded SE, or other non-UICC SE type that does not support SMS-PP or BIP protocol may not be provisioned OTA with the conventional technology.
FIG. 1 illustrates a system diagram of a conventional OTA provisioning process through SMS PP protocol. FIG. 2 is a corresponding flow diagram illustrating a conventional method for OTA provisioning to mobile device using SMS PP protocol. Specifically, the referenced figures will provide for OTA provisioning via SMS PP protocol.
Typically, before the request is made to provision a mobile device, it is assumed that that the MNO has already registered all of its information including OTA key information in step 201 in an offline batch process. Once MNO registers all of the necessary information, mobile device may be ready for provisioning.
To begin the provisioning process, a user makes a request to a financial institution 18 to provision a mobile wallet card, in step 202. Then, the financial institution 18 will process the request and send the request along with necessary identifiers, such as Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN) along with provisioning data to MNO OTA server 16 in step 203. MNO OTA Server 16 will then transmit the provisioning command to the mobile device 11 directly via SMS-PP protocol in step 204. MNO OTA Server 16 and MNO 19 may be owned by the same entity but illustrated as two different entities to show the different functions performed by the individual elements. More specifically, MNO 19 is shown only in step 201 to illustrate the pre-registration step that is performed by the MNO 19. Once registered, MNO OTA server primarily interacts with the mobile device 11 to provision the information provided by financial institution 18. Lastly, in step 205, mobile device 11 receives is the message and performs the provisioning process into its SE (e.g., USIM, SIM, UICC).

System and method for provisioning over the air of confidential information on mobile communicative devices with non-UICC secure elements


Graphical objects presented by a computer system are captured by monitoring execution of an application on the computer system, and capturing one or more graphical objects of a graphical user image presented by the computer system and associated with the application. The one or more graphical objects are captured automatically in accordance with a pre-defined set of rules for the application.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to capturing images of a graphical user interface (GUI) for an application based upon a pre-defined set of rules (e.g., rules that include Boolean logic) during operation of the application.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Supporting software applications in the field is time-consuming and costly. Many software applications provide inadequate or no logging facilities to address potential issues during use of the applications. Supporting customers that use these applications can be greatly enhanced when graphical image captures (e.g., screen shots) of portions of the applications showing user activity leading up to a bug is available to a support engineer, particularly for applications that are mainly graphical in nature. Manually captured graphical images provided by customers in such a scenario are often unsatisfactory, often due to a vital step not having been captured by the customer to tell the complete story relating to the processing steps in the application leading up to the bug.
Applications exist that allow remote logging into a user's machine to monitor application use (e.g., to capture activities leading up to a bug in an application). However, this is not always feasible, due to a number of issues (e.g., different time zones and security concerns for customers). Applications also exist that capture screen shots during use of applications at fixed time intervals. However, such applications are also problematic since they typically require significant amounts of memory to save the captured information in order to ensure user activity is not missed. Such applications are therefore less suitable to transmission over a network (e.g., via the Internet).

Automatic rules based capturing of graphical objects for specified applications

International Business Machines Corporation


In a normal operating mode, a motor controller provides motor drive current to windings of a motor based on sensor signals to drive the windings in a normal commutation sequence, and monitors for occurrence of a motor stall condition. Upon detecting the motor stall condition in a given commutation state, then in a first driving step, the windings are momentarily driven according to an advanced commutation state, and during the first driving step, a reverse transition of the sensor signals to a state corresponding to a preceding commutation state is detected. Upon completion of the first driving step when such a reverse transition of the sensor signals is detected, then in a second driving step the windings are driven according to the preceding commutation state until a forward transition of the sensor signals is detected, and in a third driving step the windings are momentarily continued to be driven according to the same commutation state notwithstanding the forward transition of the sensor signals before normal operation is resumed.

In so-called brushless direct-current (BLDC) motors, motor rotation is caused by electronic switching or "commutation" of drive current among a plurality of motor windings. The commutation induces a rotating component to the overall magnetic field associated with the windings, and the interaction of this rotating magnetic field component with the rotor's permanent magnets causes rotation of the rotor. In one example, one common BLDC configuration employs three windings offset from each other by 120 degrees of electrical phase.
Commutation can be performed in many different ways. A set of motor position sensors such as Hall-effect magnetic sensors are arranged about the motor rotational axis with a precise spacing. As the rotor rotates, the permanent magnets rotate, causing the output of each Hall-effect sensor switches in a binary fashion. The collective outputs of the sensors are used to control commutation. In one simple arrangement, three sensors offset from each other by nominally 120 electrical degrees are used. Each of six distinct sets of the three binary outputs of the sensors maps directly to a corresponding commutation state in which a particular pair of the motor windings is driven with current with a particular polarity. Thus commutation occurs precisely at the time that the binary output from one of the sensors switches from one binary state to the other. Ideally, the sensors are located such that this transition occurs exactly midway between two successive peaks of a torque characteristic of the motor, so that the value of the torque at this "valley" location is as high as possible. This ideal configuration provides the highest minimum torque value which may be especially needed to maintain proper operation under high load conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,564 of Boe et al. discloses a motor controller that senses an impending motor stall accompanied by magnetic saturation of the energized windings and advances the commutation state to the next succeeding state in advance of the corresponding transition of the Hall-effect sensors. Boe et al. describe this operation as increasing the torque to the motor to enable it to stay out of the stall condition.

Motor controller with hall sensor output misalignment compensation using delayed or shifted commutation


An electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing a flash of light having a wavelength spectrum in the visible wavelength range and the infrared wavelength range uses a fluorescent material to convert at least some of the original light emitted from one or more light sources of the electronic flash to longer wavelength light to produce the flash of light. The light sources may be configured to generate light having a peak wavelength in an ultraviolet-and-visible wavelength range. The fluorescent material may include any combination of red, green, blue and yellow phosphors.

Electronic flashes provide supplemental light for photography to enhance images captured by a camera or other imaging devices. Traditional electronic flashes utilize a bulb filled with gas, such as argon, krypton, neon and xenon, or vapor, such as mercury vapor. When a high voltage is applied to the bulb, the gas or vapor is ionized, allowing electrons to flow through the gas or vapor. These electrons excite the atoms of the gas or vapor, which emit light. The wavelength characteristics of the emitted light depends on the gas or vapor in the bulb. In the case of mercury vapor, the emitted light is ultraviolet light, which is usually converted to visible light using fluorescent material since ultraviolet light is typically not desired.
Recently, light emitting diode ("LEDs") have been improved to a point with respect to operating efficiency where LEDs are now replacing conventional light sources, even bulbs in electronic flashes. Existing LEDs can emit light in the ultraviolet ("UV"), visible or infrared ("IR") wavelength range. These LEDs generally have narrow emission spectrum (approximately +/−10 nm). As an example, a blue InGaN LED may generate light with wavelength of 470 nm+/−10 nm. As another example, a green InGaN LED may generate light with wavelength of 510 nm+/−10 nm. As another example, a red AlInGaP LED may generate light with wavelength of 630 nm+/−10 nm. However, since electronic flashes typically need to produce white light for color rendering purposes, different color LEDs such as red, blue and green LEDs are used together in an electronic flash to produce white light. Alternatively, a fluorescent material is introduced into one or more UV, blue or green LEDs in an electronic flash to produce with light using fluorescence.
For different photographic applications, different wavelength characteristics are desired from the supplemental light provided by the electronic flash. Thus, there is a need for an electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing a flash of light in which the color characteristics of the light can be adjusted.

Electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing a flash of light having a wavelength spectrum in the visible range and the infrared range using a fluorescent material

Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.