The present invention relates to a refuse collection system for use in association with a transport vehicle. The system comprises a container having multiple internal compartments and a refuse-receiving trough divided into a plurality of trough-shaped receptacles, each communicating with an internal compartment. The system further comprises an actuation system which engages a packer to displace refuse from the trough to the container.

Rear loading refuse vehicles are well known and are widely employed to transport municipal waste, for example. Generally, such vehicles employ an internal compartment, integral with a tailgate assembly, into which waste is deposited. The waste is then transferred into a main storage compartment and is compressed to economize on space. The system is typically integral with a purpose-built vehicle, although it may also be independently mounted to a truck chassis. The systems as described in some patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,746,192, 3,777,917 and 4,029,224 (each of Herpich et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,739 (Smith et al.), have improved upon the efficiency and durability of packing mechanisms by altering the placement of the hydraulic cylinders that mobilize the packing blade. Other improvements to rear loading refuse vehicles include positioning of the packing blade to avoid obstruction of the refuse deposited in the hopper, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,307 (Durant et al.) and improved safety features such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,008 (Ratledge).
With the advent of recycling of municipal waste, it has become important to separate the waste stream, for example into "dry" and "wet" waste.
It is thus known to separate the refuse storage area of the main compartment into multiple sub-compartments to hold different waste materials. For example, each of U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,953 (St. Gelais), U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,125 (Schiller) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,801 (O'Daniel) disclose refuse vehicles with more than one storage compartment, with the compartments being aligned side by side. St. Gelais' truck has two compartments, one of which is served by a scraper blade, the other of which is packed by a press panel or ram. Schiller's refuse collecting system contemplates a separate feed or loading shovel for each separate chamber. Finally, O'Daniel's vehicle employs multiple scraper blades that empty the multiple buckets that receive refuse.
Multiple compartments may also aligned so that one compartment is above the other. U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,049 (McNeilus et al.) depicts a multiple compartment refuse vehicle in which one compartment is above the second compartment. The hopper has a lower and upper portion each of which is served by a separate packing mechanism.
Vehicles that employ multiple compartments for storing refuse have some limitations. For example, the viability of such vehicles is contingent upon the waste collection programmes and methods of public authorities. Different jurisdictions may have different waste separation and collection regimes such that a multi-compartmented vehicle may be suitable for one jurisdiction but not for its neighbour. Furthermore, the use of a separate packing mechanism to compress refuse in each separate compartment presents numerous disadvantages. First, if there are multiple tailgates and packing mechanisms, it is necessary to employ multiple power sources and components to operate those mechanisms. This increases the mass of the vehicle and thus diminishes its fuel efficiency. It also causes imbalance, since the packing components are located behind the rear wheels of the vehicle. Furthermore, the addition of more packers necessitates more frequent maintenance and thus makes the vehicle more expensive to build and operate. Finally, the individual packing mechanisms have less compaction capacity when there are multiple compacting means. Multiple packers are less efficient and thus the vehicles have less compaction capacity than traditional refuse transporting vehicles, known as "single stream" vehicles. As a result, such vehicles haul less trash than single stream vehicles with vehicle bodies having identical volumes.
Finally, the provision of a separate storage compartment to hold "wet" waste leads to other requirements. For example, as the compostable waste is compacted, it loses its water, thus creating liquid waste. This waste frequently escapes the refuse vehicle and presents an environmental hazard.
Once a number of loads of refuse have been transferred from the waste collection sub-compartments into the waste storage sub-compartments, the waste storage sub-compartments must have waste ejected from them. This can be achieved using rams or reciprocating slat-type conveyors.
Reciprocating slat-type conveyors are also known in the art for discharging refuse from a garbage truck. This type of conveyor system provides a convenient method of discharging refuse (or other loads) rearwardly from a trailer or container without tilting the trailer or utilizing rams with hydraulic extensions. The system typically includes a plurality of moveable slats extending lengthwise at the base of the trash compartment. The slats are independently driven with three or more drive means in a forward and rearward direction such that at any given moment either all slats or every third slat is in movement. Thus, a relatively short reciprocating movement will displace over time the entire load out of the trailer in a stepwise movement. Examples of such conveyors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,760 (Hallstrom), U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,587 (Hallstrom), U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,819 (Hallstrom), U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,805 (Foster) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,445 (Foster et al.).
When the loads transported by a vehicle contain a liquid component, liquid may seep onto conveyor slats, between conveyor slats onto the drive means and out of the trailer or vehicle onto the road. This is especially problematic when the load is refuse such that the liquid may be toxic and its escape from the trailer or vehicle contravenes environmental regulations. Various solutions have been proposed in response to the seepage of toxic liquids from the load. U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,585 (Foster et al.) describes a method for manufacturing conveyor slats that are chemical resistant and non-corrosive. Each of U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,525 (Quaeck), U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,641 (Hallstrom, Jr.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,067 (Foster) disclose base members to which the conveyor slats are attached. The base members may be attached, configured or sealed in such a manner so as to prevent the leakage of liquid beneath them. U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,595 and RE35,156 each disclose a liquid receptacle that collects liquid. The liquid receptacle extends beneath a portion of each base member.
Reciprocating conveyors may be attached to frameless trailers, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,267 (Quaeck et al.). Frameless trailers minimize the total mass of the load by eliminating components of the conventional framework assembly that normally supports the load. One drawback associated with the use of a frameless trailer is the damage sustained by the piston rods, which are components of the drive means, when loads are dropped on the conveyor slats above the piston rods. U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,267 adds fixtures to the drive means assembly, which fixtures bear the loads that are dropped upon the conveyor slats.
A further limitation that has been identified in prior art reciprocating conveyors is the position of the drive means. When such reciprocating conveyors are not fitted with base members, liquid waste seeps onto the drive means located beneath the conveyor slats, thus hampering movement of the conveyor slats. In liquid impermeable conveyor systems, it is expensive and labour intensive to mount a drive means below the conveyor slats. This is because an extensive hose and tubing system is necessary to connect the hydraulic fluid supply that is frequently a component of such drive means to drive units such as pistons. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,590 (Quaeck) discloses a configuration in which the drive means is positioned outside of the container in which the load is transported.
There are a number of limitations associated with prior art reciprocating conveyors, including improved reciprocating conveyors adapted to transport loads having a liquid component. Adding seals to each base member increases the costs of manufacture. Using base members to prevent the leakage of liquid beneath them is undesirable because such base members are susceptible to damage from the impact that they sustain when loads are dropped upon them. Replacing such base members is more costly and time-consuming when they are sealed. Furthermore, changing the configuration of the slats when they have a complicated base member structure, whether or not such structure includes seals, is also costly and time-consuming. Moreover, such seals trap moisture amongst the base member structure, thus making it susceptible to damage from the freezing of such moisture in cold temperatures. Finally, previous means for preventing leakage through the conveyor could not be attached to the conveyors of more than one manufacturer, since the width of the conveyor slats varies depending on who manufactures them.

Multiple compartment waste collection container


A transcutaneous device dressing and method for its use with a transcutaneous medical device, such as an intravascular catheter, which punctures the skin of a patient and which has a portion of the medical device protruding from the skin which can lead to infection. The dressing includes a top and a bottom dressing, both being formed from a flexible material and having upper and lower surfaces, with the lower surface being the skin facing surface in use. The bottom dressing has a slit formed therein extending from one edge inwardly to a termination point within the confines of the bottom dressing. An anti-microbial material is provided without the use of adhesives at the upper and lower surfaces of the bottom dressing, and at least at the lower surface of the top dressing. In use, the bottom dressing is placed next to the skin, the slit allowing the bottom dressing to surround the puncture site such that the lower surface of the bottom dressing is in contact with the skin while the upper surface of the bottom dressing is in contact with a portion of the medical device protruding from the skin. The top dressing is placed above the puncture site such that its lower surface is in contact with a portion of the medical device protruding from the skin. In this way, there is exposure of the portion of the medical device protruding from the skin to the anti-microbial activity of the anti-microbial material.

Transcutaneous medical devices are catheters, pins, implants and the like which pass through the skin and are indwelling for some considerable time. Exemplary of transcutaneous medical devices are central venous catheters, peripheral venous catheters, Swan-Gaus pulmonary catheters, central nervous system implants (ex. external ventricular drainage and ventricular reservoirs), peritoneal dialysis catheters, such as for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis catheters, transvenous pacemaker leads and temporary orthopedic pins. All of these transcutaneous medical devices, when in place, have a portion of the device which is external, that is which is left protruding from the skin, and which can be the cause of infection.
The risk of acquiring infections from transcutaneous infections is very high. For instance, the risk of acquiring catheter-related bloodstream infection ranges from 0.9 to 8%. This nosocomial bloodstream infections cause a case fatality of more than 20%, and account for an increase of thousands of dollars in hospital costs per infection, or tens of thousands of dollars per survivor in ICU needing an extra week of hospital stay. As for peritoneal dialysis, a very experienced center today still has a peritonitis rate of one episode per 15 to 25 patient months. The major sources of bacteria in these infections are from surrounding skin.
To prevent infections associated with transcutaneous medical devices antiseptic preparation of insertion sites, including the initial application of topical anti-microbial solutions such as alcohol or iodine to the insertion sites is known. A further topical ointment after insertion of the device, such as an ointment containing neomycin, polymyxin and bactracin, has been shown to prevent catheter colonization/infection, but it may increase the risk of fungal infection. Ointments are also inconvenient, requiring multiple replacements. There have also been attempts to attach a cuff to the catheters, with an anti-microbial agent impregnated in the cuff. Efforts to coat the catheters with anti-microbial agents are known. However, none of these efforts has been completely successful in clinical trials. Presently, the most common catheter dressing used in hospitals comprises sterile gauze or polyurethane film, which have limited infection control properties.
Recent efforts to replace gauze with a transparent film dressing to allow a visual check on the insertion site is known, see for instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,589, issued Dec. 13, 1994 to Davis. No anti-microbial control is taught with such a dressing. Johnson & Johnson Medical Inc. markets a product under the trade mark BIOPATCH, which is a chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated catheter patch. An Iodophor transparent dressing has also been suggested. However, to date, no completely effective anti-microbial device for use with transcutaneous medical devices is known.
A securement device is taught for securing an intravenous device to the body in U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,446, issued Nov. 11, 1975 to Buttaravoli. The device has an upper and a lower pad, between which the intravenous device is fixed. Since the function of the device is to secure the device to the body, there is a teaching to provide an adhesive material to the bottom of lower pad, and to the bottom of the top pad. There is a mention of providing the adhesive with an antibacterial agent. This device has the disadvantage of using adhesives with the antibacterial agent, which limits the effectiveness and long lasting ability of the antibacterial agent. Furthermore, the adhesive can be irritating next to the skin, cause skin damage and patient discomfort on removal, and inhibits the removal or changing of the device. Furthermore, many adhesives act as moisture barriers, which can limit the effectiveness of the antibacterial agent. Finally, the device of this patent teaches including a slit in the bottom pad of the dressing, which lies below the intravenous needle or catheter when the device is in place, allowing the intravenous device to remain in contact with the skin, and therefore limiting the infection control of the device.

Transcutaneous medical device dressings and method of use


A head lamp assembly having a main functional head lamp and a UV LED light source configured to direct UV light through a decorative accent light pipe is provided. The light pipe extends at least partially about the functional head lamp, wherein the light pipe has a phosphor coated surface to convert the UV light traveling through the light pipe into visible, luminous light. The visible light is emitted from the light pipe to provide the desired decorative appearance about the functional head lamp.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to vehicle head lamp assemblies, and more particularly to vehicle head lamp assemblies having decorative accent lighting.
2. Related Art
Vehicle head lamp assemblies are known to include decorative accent lights in the form of illuminated rings extending circumferentially about a centrally positioned functional head lamp. Presently, light pipes are used to form the ring about the functional head lamp, and an incandescent lamp is coupled to the light pipe to direct light therethrough to create a decorative ring of light circumferentially about the head lamp. In order to enhance the decorative appearance of the light emitted from the ring, indentations or ridges are formed in the light pipe. The ridges are typically formed in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the light pipe ring. Unfortunately, the indentations do not provide a uniform decorative appearance of the light emitted from the ring, and further, they increase the complexity of the light pipe manufacturing process, and thus, increase the cost associated therewith. In addition, the emitted light, typically produced from an incandescent source, generally has a yellow-white appearance, and thus, is not considered aesthetically pleasing by some.

Head lamp assembly and accent lighting therefor


Decorrelation is provided between data stored in respective pairs of adjacent memory cells in a plurality of bit lines of a flash memory. Each of the pairs of adjacent memory cells is located along a respective one of the bitlines and common to two adjacent wordlines. The decorrelation is achieved by storing scrambled data in at least one memory cell of each of the pairs of adjacent memory cells and storing unscrambled data in at least one memory cell of at least one of the pairs of adjacent memory cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flash memories and, more particularly, to addressing correlation problems among data in flash memories.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern NAND flash memories (e.g., 56 nm and smaller) have a strong coupling between adjacent wordlines and are inherently susceptible to specific data patterns. Thus, a write operation to one wordline might cause a programming effect to a different wordline. Specific patterns on the bit lines can result in stronger coupling and, therefore, more likely will result in an undesired programming affect. Such effects are particularly problematic in memory arrays storing multiple bits per cell (MBC arrays), and these effects can cause one or more cells to generate a read error as a function of specific user data patterns. It would be desirable to avoid such undesired programming effects in an efficient manner.

Partial scrambling to reduce correlation


Lithographic printing members include a traditional flood-exposed photopolymer layer applied to one or more layers based on certain metallic inorganic materials. The metallic inorganic material overlies a substrate, which is preferably a relatively thick metal for dimensional stability and strength, but may also be a polymeric or other material. An intermediate tying layer may anchor the metallic inorganic material to the substrate. The plate is exposed and developed in the conventional manner, with the portions of the metallic inorganic layer exposed by development serving as a hydrophilic printing surface (that is, a surface accepting fountain solution).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing apparatus and methods, and more particularly to lithographic printing plate constructions that may be imaged on- or off-press.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional techniques of introducing a printed image onto a recording material include letterpress, flexographic and gravure printing, and offset lithography. All of these printing methods require a printing member, usually loaded onto or integral with a plate cylinder of a rotary press for efficiency, to transfer ink in the pattern of the image. In letterpress and flexographic printing, the image pattern is represented on the printing member in the form of raised areas that accept ink and transfer it onto the recording medium by impression; flexographic systems, which utilize elastomeric surfaces, have received more widespread acceptance due to the broad variety of compatible substrates and the ability to run with fluid inks. Gravure printing cylinders, in contrast to raised-surface systems, contain series of wells or indentations that accept ink for deposit onto the recording medium; excess ink must be removed from the cylinder by a doctor blade or similar device prior to contact between the cylinder and the recording medium.
In the case of offset lithography, the image is present on a plate or mat as a pattern of ink-accepting (oleophilic) and ink-repellent (oleophobic) surface areas. In a dry printing system, the plate is simply inked and the image transferred onto a recording material; the plate first makes contact with a compliant intermediate surface called a blanket cylinder which, in turn, applies the image to the paper or other recording medium. In typical sheet-fed press systems, the recording medium is pinned to an impression cylinder, which brings it into contact with the blanket cylinder.
In a wet lithographic system, the non-image areas are hydrophilic, and the necessary ink-repellency is provided by an initial application of a dampening (or "fountain") solution to the plate prior to or in conjunction with inking. The ink-rejecting fountain solution prevents ink from adhering to the non-image areas, but does not affect the oleophilic character of the image areas.
The plates for an offset press are usually produced photographically. To prepare a wet plate using a typical negative-working subtractive process, the original document is photographed to produce a photographic negative. This negative is placed on an aluminum plate having a water-receptive, anodized (textured) surface coated with a presensitized photopolymer. Upon exposure to actinic radiation through the negative, the areas of the coating that received radiation (corresponding to the dark or printed areas of the original) cure to a durable oleophilic state. The plate is then subjected to a developing process that removes the uncured areas of the coating (i.e., those which did not receive radiation, corresponding to the non-image or background areas of the original), exposing the hydrophilic surface of the aluminum plate. Conventional wet plates also typically contain primer layers, which provide better anchorage of the photopolymer to the aluminum substrate.
In a positive-working process, the areas of the photosensitive coating that received radiation become labile and are removed by development; it is the unexposed areas that persist and carry ink. Photoexposure processes are well-understood and common in the industry.
Rendering a layer of aluminum, which is hydrophilic but fragile in an unstructured or polished state, sufficiently durable to repeatedly accept fountain solution in a printing environment requires special treatment. Any number of electrochemical techniques, in some cases assisted by the use of fine abrasives to further roughen the surface, may be employed for this purpose. For example, electrograining involves immersion of two opposed aluminum plates (or one plate and a suitable counterelectrode) in an electrolytic cell and passing alternating current between them. The result of this process is a finely pitted surface topography that readily adsorbs water. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,341.
A structured or grained surface can also be produced by controlled oxidation, a process commonly called "anodizing." The anodized aluminum plate consists of an unmodified base layer and a porous, "anodic" aluminum oxide coating thereover; this coating readily accepts water. However, without further treatment, the oxide coating would lose wettability due to further chemical reaction. Anodized plates are, therefore, typically exposed to a silicate solution or other suitable (e.g., phosphate) reagent that stabilizes the hydrophilic character of the plate surface. In the case of silicate treatment, the surface may assume the properties of a molecular sieve with a high affinity for molecules of a definite size and shape--including, most importantly, water molecules. The treated surface also promotes adhesion to an overlying photopolymer layer. Anodizing and silicate treatment processes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,181,461 and 3,902,976.
Textured chromium surfaces also exhibit substantial hydrophilic character, and can be used in lieu of aluminum in wet-running lithographic plates. Such surfaces can be produced by, for example, electrodeposition, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,760. As used herein, the term "textured" refers to any modification to the surface topography of a metal plate that results in enhancement of hydrophilic character.
Although printing plates containing conventional textured substrates exhibit adequate durability in commercial printing contexts, the structured nature of these surfaces renders them vulnerable to eventual wear and degradation. As these surfaces lose structure, hydrophilicity suffers and printing quality deteriorates. This is a largely unavoidable result of systems that rely on structured surfaces yet subject them to the direct action of considerable mechanical pressures and various chemical reagents.

Wet lithographic printing constructions incorporating metallic inorganic layers


It is aimed to enable a connecting operation to smoothly proceed by preventing erroneous connection of a connector (10). A connector structure includes a housing (20) in which a terminal fitting (60) is to be accommodated, a wire (70) to be connected to the terminal fitting (60) and pulled out from a wire pull-out surface (24) of the housing (20), and an extra-length adjusting portion (21) provided continuously to the housing (20) and configured to hold the wire (70) pulled out from the wire pull-out surface (24) in a state loosened into a substantially U shape or wounded one or more turns and variably adjust the amount of loosening or winding of the wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector structure and a wiring harness including a plurality of connectors having the connector structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-93860 discloses a configuration in which a wire cover is mounted on a rear end part of a connector. The wire cover includes a wire accommodating portion in the form of a rectangular box for accommodating a wire extending from the rear surface of the connector. A wire pull-out opening is open on each of upper, lower, left and right surfaces of the wire accommodating portion and an opening lid capable of opening and closing the wire pull-out opening is coupled to a front end part of the wire pull-out opening via a hinge. In this case, out of the four wire pull-out openings, the opening lids for three wire pull-out openings are closed, whereas the opening lid for one wire pull-out opening is open and the wire extending from the connector is pulled out through the one open wire pull-out opening. Then, the wire is led out to outside from the wire pull-out opening in a direction intersecting with a connecting direction to a mating connector.
In the above case, an extended end of the wire led out to outside from the wire pull-out opening is introduced into another connector. At this time, for example, if a length of the wire arranged between the two connectors is shorter than a proper length, the wire is arranged in a tense manner between the two connectors and it is difficult to locate the connector at a position right opposite to the mating connector during connection. On the other hand, if the length of the wire arranged between the two connectors is longer than the proper length, the wire is arranged in a loose manner and the handling of the wire during the connection of the two connectors is cumbersome. As a result, if the length of the wire arranged between the two connectors is not properly adjusted, a connecting operation of the two connectors cannot smoothly proceed.
The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to enable a connecting operation of connectors to smoothly proceed.


A card connector is disclosed that includes a housing for accommodating a first card, a second card, and a third card; a first contact member arranged to be connected to the first card; a second contact member arranged to be connected to the second card, which has a larger width than the first card and a smaller thickness than the first card; a third contact member arranged to be connected to the third card, which has a smaller width than the first and second card and a smaller thickness than the first and second card; and a connection control mechanism that selectively connects one of the first card, the second card, or the third card. When one of the first card, the second card, or the third card is connected, the connection control mechanism prevents the other cards from being connected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector that is built into an electronic apparatus such as a digital camera and is capable of selectively connecting three different types of memory cards having differing widths and thicknesses.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic apparatus such as a digital camera, a portable audio player, a mobile phone, or an electronic copier has a memory card connector built therein, and such an electronic apparatus is used by connecting a memory card including a semiconductor memory element to the memory card connector.
Presently, a number of memory cards with differing outer dimensions (lengths, widths, and thicknesses) are known. In the case of configuring an electronic apparatus to be adaptable to plural types of memory cards, normally, a first memory card connector dedicated for a first type of memory card and a second memory card connector dedicated for a second type of memory card are arranged within the electronic apparatus. However, such a structure including plural memory card connectors in the electronic apparatus may not be desirable in view of the demand for miniaturization of the electronic apparatus.
In turn, memory card connectors have been developed that are capable of connecting two types of memory cards by enabling either one of a first type of memory card or a second type of memory card to be selectively loaded via one common memory card loading slot (e.g., see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-196302, No. 2005-209550, and No. 2002-24771).
It is noted that the above disclosures relate to card connectors adapted for connecting two types of memory cards; however, with the growing variety of memory cards being used, there is a demand for a memory card connector that is adapted for connecting three types of memory cards.


There is disclosed a method of forming a tubing lined borehole, the method comprising the steps of forming a borehole; enlarging part of the borehole by increasing the diameter thereof; and locating bore-lining tubing in the borehole with at least part of the tubing located in the enlarged part of the borehole, and a corresponding a tubing lined borehole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a tubing lined borehole and to a downhole cutting tool. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a downhole cutting tool for use in enlarging an existing borehole. The invention also relates to a method of enlarging a borehole.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the oil and gas exploration and production industry, it is a common practice to drill a borehole to a desired depth for recovering well fluids from hydrocarbon-bearing rock formations. Logging procedures are carried out both before and during drilling of the borehole to determine physical characteristics of the rock formations. Typically, the borehole is drilled to a first depth before locating a metal casing of a first outer diameter in the borehole, suspending the casing from a wellhead, and cementing the casing in place. Further logging procedures are then carried out to determine more accurately the physical characteristics of the borehole at depth, and the borehole is then extended to a second depth by drilling a smaller diameter borehole extending from the upper, cased borehole.
This smaller diameter extension is then cased with a smaller diameter casing extending from the wellhead, which is also cemented in place to, inter alia, seal the intersection between the upper, larger casing and the smaller diameter casing. This process is continued until the borehole has been cased and cemented to a desired depth and completion procedures are then carried out to allow recovery of well fluids.
This traditional method of casing a borehole is both time-consuming and costly as it involves locating multiple lengths of casing in the borehole, each extending from the wellhead. This employs long lengths of expensive metal casing and large volumes of cement.
Furthermore, in the event of a problem being encountered during drilling of the borehole, such as drilling fluid being lost into a fractured or highly permeable formation, it is necessary to conduct remedial operations to overcome such problems. This typically involves running an additional length of casing back to the wellhead to isolate the problem formation.
Although this eventuality is allowed for during planning of the well, it is generally undesired and too many such occurrences can have a significant effect upon the final diameter of the borehole and thus the ability to conduct completion procedures.
Much research has been carried out in the industry in an effort to facilitate the creation of mono-bore wells: a mono-bore well is a borehole cased with tubing of a constant internal diameter, to avoid the need to provide multiple overlapping lengths of casing suspended from the wellhead.
To this end, expandable casing, liner and hanger systems are being developed in an effort to achieve a mono-bore well, which will also extend drilling capabilities by increasing the opportunities for use of intermediate and slim profile casing strings. Intermediate strings are used to cover problem areas, such as deteriorated casing, as a form of patch, whilst slim profile strings comprise relatively thin wall tubing which take up less space downhole.
However, various problems have been encountered. For example, to achieve a mono-bore cased borehole, it is necessary to form a "bell end" at the lower end of a casing string, to provide a recess into which the subsequent casing can be nested. This is not possible with existing casing strings because the casing is cemented into the wellbore. Accordingly, a hard cement material is located around the outside of the casing shoe (the last section of the upper or previous casing), which prevents the casing from being formed into a bell end.
The Applicant's International Patent Publication No. WO 02/25056 discloses a liner shoe including a compressible material defining an annular sleeve around an outer surface of a lower end of the shoe. This compressible material prevents cement from surrounding the end of the shoe when the liner is cemented, and allows the end to be subsequently diametrically expanded to form a bell end. However, the liner shoe cannot be used in existing well boreholes cased and cemented as described above.
It is amongst the objects of embodiments of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one of the foregoing disadvantages.

Abstract: There is also disclosed a downhole cutting tool comprising a tool body; and at least one cutting element mounted for radial movement with respect to the tool body between a retracted position and a cutting position, in the cutting position the cutting element describing a cutting diameter and an axially extending annular space inwardly of the cutting element, and a corresponding method.


An exhaust silencing device connected to an exhaust system of an engine is provided in which two outlet pipes that have at an upstream end thereof an opening portion opening within the silencer main body and that discharge exhaust gas within the silencer main body to an outside thereof are disposed within the silencer main body along a bottom thereof so that the distances thereof from the lowest part of the bottom are substantially equal, and the opening portion of one outlet pipe is directed further toward the bottom of the silencer main body than is the opening portion of the other outlet pipe. Such exhaust silencing device efficiently discharges to the outside the condensed water building up within the silencer main body so as not to impair an effect in reducing exhaust resistance by providing two outlet pipes that guide the exhaust gas to the outside.

Conventionally, an arrangement in which for the purpose of increasing the flow rate of exhaust gas of a silencer and reducing the exhaust resistance, two outlet pipes (dual type) for exhaust gas to flow are provided is already known; for example, an exhaust silencing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 below includes a silencer main body (silencer), an inlet pipe (exhaust pipe) 2 that has at the downstream end an opening portion opening within the silencer main body and that guides exhaust gas from an engine to the interior of the silencer main body, and two outlet pipes, that is, a short outlet pipe (tailpipe) 11 and long outlet pipe (tailpipe) 12 that have at the upstream end an opening portion opening within the silencer main body and that discharge the exhaust gas within the silencer main body to the outside of the silencer main body, an opening portion 12a of the long outlet pipe 12 being positioned above an opening portion 11a of the short outlet pipe 11, and condensed water that builds up at the bottom of the silencer accompanying the exhaust gas being cooled is discharged outside mainly via the short outlet pipe, thereby reducing the flow of condensed water into the long outlet pipe.
In the above arrangement of Patent Document 1, if the amount of condensed water within the long outlet pipe increased, since there is a possibility that the output of the engine would decrease, the silencing effect would decrease, and the outlet pipe would be blocked due to freezing of condensed water in winter, condensed water flowing into the long outlet pipe has to be reduced.


The present invention relates to a method and a device for transporting a molecule through a mammalian barrier membrane of at least one layer of cells comprising the steps of: ablating said membrane with an electric current from an array of treatment electrodes; and utilizing a driving force to move said molecule through said perforated membrane.

Transdermal and topical drug dosage forms have been widely prescribed for decades in the treatment of systemic diseases and local conditions such as those involved with the skin and underlying tissues. These drugs are typically "easy-to-deliver" since they freely permeate through the skin or mucosal membrane with a high potency. Permeation of the drug across the skin or mucosal membrane is a result of the chemical concentration gradient across the membrane. Examples of "easy-to-deliver" drugs include nitroglycerin, scopolamine, nicotine, hydrocortisone, betamethasone, benzocaine, and lidocaine.
Most drugs and biological active ingredients, however, do not easily permeate membranes and, therefore, are categorized as "difficult-to-deliver" drugs. Examples of "difficult-to-deliver" drugs include insulin, vasopressin, erythropoietin, interferons, and growth hormone and its releasing factors. Typically, "difficult-to-deliver" drugs have high hydrophilicity and/or high molecular weight, such as polypeptides, proteins, and polynucleotides (e.g., genes). To increase skin permeation of these drugs, various chemical and physical permeation enhancing methods have been employed. This process, however, is usually only effective for drugs having relatively low molecular weights (e.g., less than approximately 1000 daltons).
Electricity may be employed to facilitate drug transport across the membranes barrier by applying an electric potential gradient across the membrane to facilitate drug transport. There are three such types of electrically facilitated drug transport methods, namely, iontophoresis, electro-osmosis, and electroporation. In iontophoresis, an ionized drug is driven across the membrane by an applied electric potential gradient. In electro-osmosis, a non-ionic or poorly ionized drug is carried by a fluid that is driven across the membrane by an applied electric potential gradient. Electro-osmosis can also be used to extract interstitial fluid out of a body for diagnostic purposes. This process is called "reverse iontophoresis." Electroporation is a process of creating transient microscopic pores on a barrier membrane, by extremely short pulses of high electric voltage and low current. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,019,034, 5,547,467, 5,667,491, and 5,749,847 describe an "electroporation" method of treating a tissue in order to transiently increase the tissue's permeability to enhance molecular transport either for drug delivery or for sampling of interstitial fluids. All three of these transport methods are described by Sun in "Skin Absorption Enhancement by Physical Means: Heat, Ultrasound, and Electricity," Transdermal and Topical Drug Delivery Systems, Interpharm Press, Inc., 1997, pages 327-355.
Although the above electrical methods can provide a powerful driving force for transdermal drug delivery, perforation of barrier membranes (e.g., the stratum corneum of the human skin) is still desirable to further facilitate drug transport. The following references disclose the disruption of the skin barrier membranes with mechanical means, i.e., with either small blades (i.e., microblades) or needles (i.e., microneedles): PCT Patent Applications WO 98/11937 and WO 97/48440; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,250,023 and 5,843,114; and Henry et al., "Microfabricated Microneedles: A Novel Approach to Transdermal Drug Delivery", S. Henry, D. V. McAllister, M. G. Allen and M. R. Prausnitz, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 8, August 1998, pages 922-925.
As an alternative approach, U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,211 describes a method of enhancing the permeability of the skin utilizing microporation by using a hot metal wire heated by electric current. The disclosed "hot-wire" method for stratum corneum ablation comprises an ohmic heating element, namely, a material with high electric resistance that is heated up to very high temperature when an electric current passes through it. This "hot-wire" method described in this patent is similar to electrocautery commonly used in surgery to stop bleeding.
Radio Frequency ("RF") electric current has been used in electrosurgery for various surgical procedures. Electrosurgical machines produce high frequency alternating currents with frequencies of 500 kHz-4000 kHz. These frequencies are part of the low RF range and produced by oscillating circuits. Advantages of electrosurgery, in comparison to other surgical techniques, include simplicity of the technique, high speed, compact equipment, good safety, and applicable to both benign and malignant lesions.
Electrosurgery is different from electrocautery. In eletrocautery, a metal wire that becomes heated as a result of its high resistance to the passage of direct current electricity is used to cut the tissue. The electric current does not pass through the tissue of a patient under treatment, but rather only through the high resistance wire (the ohmic element) in order to heat it up. On the contrary, electrosurgery equipment, capable of producing RF electric current, are used to move or destroy tissue via a "cold" electrode, as described by S. V. Pollack, "Electrosurgery", in Dermatology, Ed. S. L. Moschella and H. J. Hurley, W. B. Saunders Company, 1992, pages 2419-2431). In electrosurgery, the RF current passes through the patient tissue to produce intended heat to cause tissue disruption.
Previously published information regarding use of RF current in electrosurgery field has primarily been focused on the cutting and removing living tissues. The cutting depth is usually well into and often beneath the dermal tissues in dermatological and other surgeries. In contrast, the present invention relates to the novel use of electric current to ablate a barrier membrane (e.g. the stratum corneum of the human skin) to both enhance drug delivery for therapeutic purposes and enable sampling of biological substances for diagnostic purposes.
Previous references have used invasive electrode arrays or electrode matrices to create multiple points of disruption within the skin and in particular the stratum corneum. All of these devices have used either electroporation or electrofusion. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,232 discloses a device for ablating the stratum corneum epidermidis of a subject, including a plurality of electrodes, which are applied to the subjects skin at respective points. U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,660 discloses a method for treating biological cells with pulsed electrical fields to induce pore formation in the cells. U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,434 discloses an apparatus that provides an effective and convenient means for positioning electrodes into tissue for the injection of therapeutic compounds into the tissue and application of electric fields to the tissue.
Other references, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,068,650, 5,869,326, 6,181,964, 6,120,493, 6,055,043, 6014,584, and 6,096,020, discuss the use of electroporation and multi-needle or multi-electrode array devices to penetrate internal organs for the treatment of cancerous growths. The present disclosed device utilizes electroperforation which is a non-contact, noninvasive, longer-term means of ablating or generating pores in the skin, particularly the stratum corneum.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Tissue electroperforation for enhanced drug delivery and diagnostic sampling

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.


Apparatus and method for measuring the fluorescence of nanodrop liquid samples is described in which the sample is held by surface tension between two anvil surfaces. Each anvil surface has an embedded optical fiber with its end finished flush with the surface in the containment area wetted by the sample with the fiber in line. Sample excitation is provided from the side of the sample remote from the containment area. By selection of the fiber transmission numeric aperture the impact of exciting and ambient light on the measurement is minimized. A method of virtual filtering is taught in which any ambient or exciting light that does impinge on the measuring sensor is corrected by subtracting a scaled representation of the source from the measurement. The method and apparatus is capable of detecting 1 femptomole of sodium fluorescein in 1 microliter of TE buffer.

Low sample volume instruments that work in the range of 2 microliters or less are particularly useful in the quantitation of biotechnology samples including nucleic acids, proteins and drugs and any other liquid samples where it is desirable to keep the volume of the sample loss to a minimum where available analyte quantity is very limited and where convenience of measurement is desired.
Prior art concentrates on the containment of samples in vessels or containers wherein the sample volume is usually from 20 to 1000 microliters. A relatively straightforward spectrofluorometer design can be seen in Nogami et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,536. A spectrofluorometer utilizing simultaneous multiple source wavelengths can be seen in Goldstein U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,719. Use of optical fibers in the spectrofluorometer optical system can be seen in Glebeler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,471. A good general introduction to fluorescence can be found in "Principles of Fluorescence Spectroscopy" by Joseph R. Lakowitz, 1999, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 233 Spring Street, New York, N.Y., 10013, pages 1 to 9.
Robertson, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,628,382 and 6,809,826 discloses method and apparatus for photometric or spectrophotometric measurements on extremely small samples. These "nanodrop" samples, as they are termed therein and herein, are on the order of 2 microliters or less and are contained by surface tension. These patents are incorporated in their entirety by reference. In the apparatus of Robertson, a nanodrop is contained by surface tension between two relatively moveable, substantially parallel surfaces, "anvils", which are moved together after the sample is loaded upon one of them in order to wet both surfaces. The anvils are then moved apart to draw the droplet into a column to establish an optical path through the length of which light is projected. In-line optics are used to pass light through the column. The light passes from an input optical fiber in one anvil to an aligned output optical fiber in the other and to a sensor, a charge coupled device or the like, which can be part of a spectrometer or other optical detection system, where a photometric or spectrophotometric measurement is made.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,826, Robertson discloses an improved version of the above invention in which the wetted surface area on the anvils is limited by various means.
In these two patents Robertson teaches that fluorescence may be measured with the apparatus disclosed therein.
Measurements of the type disclosed in the referenced Robertson patents, however, are not optimally applicable to measurement of a fluorescing nanodrop. Containing the sample by surface tension is appropriate and highly effective. However the light handling system of the two, prior-art, Robertson inventions tends to overwhelm a fluoroscopic measurement particularly so when a weakly emitting or fluorescing sample is involved. Light used to excite the fluorescence projected from one in-line optical fiber through the drawn column of fluid to excite fluorescence in the contained nanodrop and directly into an in-line receiving optical fiber to a sensor interferes with the much less intense light produced by the sample fluorescence itself. In addition, fluorescence from the optical fibers would be high for some exciting wavelengths.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for performing fluorescence measurements on nanodrops contained by surface tension wherein transmittance of emitted fluorescent light received by the sensing system is maximized and light from other sources, ambient illumination, fluorescence from the system optical fibers and particularly scattered light from the exciting source, that is received by the sensing system is minimized.
It is a further object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for the measurement of fluorescence wherein a nanodrop sample is contained by surface tension and the exciting light, and any stray ambient light is substantially barred from the measuring detection system.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for the measurement of fluorescence emitted by a nanodrop sample contained by surface tension wherein compensation is substantially provided for any exciting and ambient light that does impinge on the measuring sensor.

Apparatus and method for measuring the signal from a fluorescing nanodrop contained by surface tension


Systems and methods described herein provide stateless network functions for a wireless core network. A network device in the wireless core network receives, from a network function instance in a set of network function instances, context information and state maintenance parameters for an end device. The state maintenance parameters include one or more timer values for the end device, and an action to be performed upon expiry of the one or more timer values. The network device stores the context information and the state maintenance parameters, and applies the state maintenance parameters to the context information for the end device. The network device performs the action when expiry of the one or more timer values is detected.

Fifth Generation (5G) networks may use different frequencies, different radio access technologies, and different core network functions that can provide an improved experience over legacy wireless networks (e.g., Fourth Generation (4G) networks). Optimal uses of new features available through 5G networks continue to be explored. For example, 5G networks are intended to be deployed using web scale and cloud native technologies. To take advantage of such deployment environments, 5G network functions and services need to rely on stateless processing models with states being stored external to processing elements themselves.

Method and system for stateless network function services in 5G networks


A parking aid system having a driver initially stop the subject vehicle alongside a target parking position so that a mark provided inside a door coincides with the central line of the target parking position when assisting the driver with left reverse parking. The subject vehicle is a predetermined distance away from an entrance of the target parking position, when the driver turns the operation switch ON. A display unit then displays the target parking position, the subject vehicle position, and an expected parking position. The expected parking position is set at a position that the subject vehicle reaches when reversing with the steering wheel turned fully to the left. Therefore, when the driver moves the subject vehicle forward to a position where the expected parking position coincides with the target parking position and reverses the subject vehicle from that position through 90xc2x0 while turning the steering wheel fully to the left, the subject vehicle can reliably be guided to the target parking position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a parking aid system for aiding a driver in carrying out reverse parking or parallel parking.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional parking aid system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-157404 that identifies a parking space according to surrounding obstructions which are detected by, for example, a camera, radar or corner sensor. The parking aid system then calculates a recommended trajectory or locus from the current position of the vehicle to the above-mentioned parking space. The recommended trajectory is displayed over a parking space image on a display unit so as to direct the driver to, for example, steer, brake, accelerate or shift gear, and thus parking is assisted.
However, the above-mentioned conventional parking aid system requires not only various types of sensors such as cameras, radars and comer sensors for identifying a parking space, but also requires a high performance arithmetic unit for calculating the recommended trajectory from the current vehicle position to the parking space and the driving operations required to move the vehicle along the recommended trajectory. Thus, the conventional parking aid system suffers from high costs and the time required for parking is undesirably long due to a long calculation time performed by the arithmetic unit. Furthermore, if the driving operations required to move the vehicle along the recommended trajectory become complicated, the driver cannot instinctively tell whether or not the vehicle can be moved to the parking space by those operations and may feel anxious. Moreover, in using the conventional parking aid system, the driver ends up paying too much attention to the operational instructions and less attention to the surroundings of the vehicle.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a parking aid system that overcomes the above-described drawbacks of the conventional parking aid system.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a parking aid system that can effectively aid a driver in a parking operation by having a simple structural arrangement.
In accordance with a first characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system includes a display unit to visually display to a driver a target parking position, a subject vehicle position, an expected parking position in the case where the subject vehicle travels with a predetermined steering angle, and an operation switch for selecting a parking aid mode. The display unit displays when the parking aid mode is selected by the operation switch, the target parking position, the subject vehicle position, and the expected parking position, as well as a change in at least one of the subject vehicle position, and the expected parking position, relative to the target parking position according to a change in at least one of the movement of the subject vehicle and the steering angle.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, when the parking aid mode is selected, the display unit displays not only the target parking position, the subject vehicle position, and the expected parking position, but also a change in the subject vehicle position or the expected parking position relative to the target parking position accompanying the subject vehicle movement or the steering operation. The driver can thus proceed based on the above-mentioned information so that the expected parking position coincides with the target parking position, and confirm on the display unit that the subject vehicle can be moved to the target parking position by the driver""s operation. The driver can thus guide the subject vehicle easily and reliably to the target parking position without feeling anxious. Furthermore, since there is no need for an image processing device for detecting the target parking position or need for calculation of the driver""s operations required for moving the subject vehicle along an expected trajectory, the parking aid system can be realized with very low cost.
Furthermore, in accordance with a second characteristic of the present invention, the display unit also visually displays to the driver an expected trajectory when the subject vehicle travels with a predetermined steering angle as well as a change in the expected trajectory relative to the target parking position according to a change in at least one of the subject vehicle movement and the steering angle.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, the display unit displays not only the expected trajectory of the subject vehicle, but also a change in the expected trajectory of the subject vehicle relative to the target parking position accompanying movement of the subject vehicle or operation of the steering. The driver can therefore proceed based on the above-mentioned information so that the expected parking position coincides with the target parking position and guide the subject vehicle to the target parking position more accurately.
Furthermore, in accordance with a third characteristic of the present invention, the predetermined steering angle is a maximum steering angle either to the right or the left.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the expected trajectory and the expected parking position when the subject vehicle travels towards the target parking position are determined by estimating the maximum steering angle to the right or the left, the driver can guide the subject vehicle to the target parking position merely by holding the steering wheel at the maximum steering angle position. Thus, the driver""s operation becomes simple, the driver does not feel anxious, and, the driver is able to pay attention to the subject vehicle surroundings.
Furthermore, in accordance with a fourth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes first determination means for determining the occurrence of the expected parking position coinciding with the target parking position, a predetermined amount of time that passed in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions based on a change in at least one of the subject vehicle movement and the steering angle.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the occurrence of any of the events of the expected parking position coinciding with the target parking position, a predetermined amount of time passing in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions is determined based on a change in the subject vehicle movement or the steering angle, the driver can easily determine whether the subject vehicle can move to the target parking position and thus reliably recognize the timing for starting to reverse the subject vehicle towards the target parking position without feeling anxious.
Furthermore, in accordance with a fifth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes notifying means for notifying the driver when the first determination means has determined the occurrence of any of the events of the expected parking position coinciding with the target parking position, a predetermined time having passed in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notifying means notifies the driver the occurrence of any of the events of the expected parking position coinciding with the target parking position, a predetermined time having passed in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions, the driver can easily determine whether or not the subject vehicle can move to the target parking position and thus more reliably recognize the timing for starting to reverse the subject vehicle towards the target parking position without feeling anxious.
Furthermore, in accordance with a sixth characteristic of the present invention, the notifying means notifies the driver using sound.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notifying means notifies the driver using sound, even when looking away from the display unit, the driver would not fail to notice the determination made by the first determination means, can use the parking aid system appropriately and, can pay sufficient attention to the subject vehicle surroundings.
Furthermore, in accordance with a seventh characteristic of the present invention, the notifying means notifies the driver by changing the displayed form of at least one of the target parking position, the subject vehicle position, the expected trajectory, and the expected parking position displayed on the display unit.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notifying means notifies the driver by changing the displayed form on the display unit, the driver looking at the display unit can be alerted to reliably recognize the notified content and the parking aid system can thus be used appropriately.
Furthermore, in accordance with an eighth characteristic of the present invention, the displayed form is a color or line.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the displayed form is changed by changing the color or line of the display, the driver can easily recognize the notified content by looking at the color or line of the display.
Furthermore, in accordance with a ninth characteristic of the present invention, the notifying means notifies the driver by displaying, on the display unit, a character string indicating the occurrence of any of the events of the expected parking position coinciding with the target parking position, a predetermined time having passed in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notification is carried out by displaying a character string on the display when the expected parking position coincides with the target parking position, a predetermined time has passed in the coincident state, or the time is immediately before the coincidence of positions, the driver can easily and reliably recognize the notified content.
Furthermore, in accordance with a tenth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes a back monitor for taking an image of the area behind the subject vehicle, wherein the notifying means notifies the driver by displaying the image taken by the back monitor on the display unit.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notification is carried out by displaying an image of the area behind the subject vehicle taken by the back monitor on the display unit, the driver can easily and reliably recognize the notified content and comprehend the conditions behind the subject vehicle prior to a subsequent reversing action.
Furthermore, in accordance with an eleventh characteristic of the present invention, the notification by the notifying means is carried out for a predetermined time.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notification by the notifying means is carried out only for the predetermined time, the driver will not be disturbed while using the parking aid system.
It should be noted here that the above-mentioned predetermined time is set at 1 second in the below described embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereby.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twelfth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes a mark that is used when stopping the subject vehicle so that the target parking position and the subject vehicle position have a predetermined positional relationship when selecting the parking aid mode with the operation switch.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the parking aid system includes a mark that is used when stopping the subject vehicle before starting the parking assistance, the driver can easily stop the subject vehicle so that the target parking position and the subject vehicle position have a predetermined positional relationship. It is therefore possible to prevent the driver from worrying about the predetermined positional relationship being established and repeatedly adjusting the stop position of the subject vehicle due to difficulty in determining whether the predetermined positional relationship has been established.
Furthermore, in accordance with a thirteenth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes first cancellation means for canceling the parking aid mode when the difference between the target parking position and the expected parking position exceeds a predetermined value.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the first cancellation means cancels the parking aid mode when the difference between the target parking position and the expected parking position exceeds a predetermined value, it is possible to prevent the parking operation from being started at an inappropriate position, thereby enhancing the reliability of the parking aid system.
It should be noted here that the above-mentioned predetermined value is set at 1 meter in the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereby.
Furthermore, in accordance with a fourteenth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes second determination means for determining whether the subject vehicle position coincides with a predetermined position on the trajectory to the target parking position that the operational state of the subject vehicle is changed.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, when the subject vehicle position coincides with a predetermined position on the trajectory to the target parking position that the operational state of the subject vehicle is changed, the second determination means determines that the above-mentioned coincidence of positions has occurred. It is therefore possible to prompt the driver to change the operational state of the subject vehicle at the above-mentioned predetermined position. The driver can thus use the parking aid system appropriately and the reliability of the parking aid system can be enhanced.
Furthermore, in accordance with a fifteenth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes notifying means for notifying the driver when the second determination means determines the occurrence of any of the events of the subject vehicle position coinciding with the above-mentioned predetermined position, a predetermined time having passed in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, the notifying means notifies the driver when the subject vehicle position has coincided with the predetermined position on the trajectory to the target parking position that the operational state of the subject vehicle is changed, a predetermined time has passed in the coincident state, or the time is immediately before the coincidence of positions. The driver can therefore recognize the timing for changing the operational state of the subject vehicle more reliably and use the parking aid system appropriately without feeling anxious, and the reliability of the parking aid system can be enhanced.
Furthermore, in accordance with a sixteenth characteristic of the present invention, the notifying means notifies the driver using sound.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notifying means notifies the driver using sound, even when the driver is looking away from the display unit, the driver will not fail to recognize the timing for changing the operational state of the subject vehicle and can use the parking aid system appropriately, the reliability of the parking aid system is enhanced and, the driver is able to pay attention to the subject vehicle surroundings.
Furthermore, in accordance with a seventeenth characteristic of the present invention, the notifying means notifies the driver by changing the displayed form of at least one of the target parking position, the subject vehicle position, the expected trajectory, and the expected parking position displayed on the display unit.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notifying means notifies the driver by changing the displayed form on the display unit, the driver looking at the display unit is alerted so as to reliably recognize the content of the notification and use the parking aid system appropriately, thereby enhancing the reliability of the parking aid system.
Furthermore, in accordance with an eighteenth characteristic of the present invention, the displayed form is a color or line.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the displayed form is changed by changing the color or line of the display, the driver can easily recognize the notified content by looking at the color or line of the display and use the parking aid system appropriately and, moreover, the reliability of the parking aid system is enhanced.
Furthermore, in accordance with a nineteenth characteristic of the present invention, the notifying means notifies the driver by displaying on the display unit a character string indicating the occurrence of any of the events of the subject vehicle position coinciding with the predetermined position, a predetermined time having passed in the coincident state, and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notification is carried out by displaying a character string when the subject vehicle position has coincided with a predetermined position, a predetermined time has passed in the coincident state or the time is immediately before the coincidence of positions, the driver can easily and reliably recognize the notified content.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twentieth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes a back monitor for taking an image of the area behind the subject vehicle, the notifying means notifying the driver by displaying the image taken by the back monitor on the display unit.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notification is carried out by displaying an image of the area behind the subject vehicle taken by the back monitor on the display unit, the driver can easily and reliably recognize the notified content and, moreover, the driver can comprehend the conditions behind the subject vehicle prior to a subsequent reversing action.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-first characteristic of the present invention, notification by the notifying means is carried out for a predetermined time.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the notification by the notifying means is carried out merely for the predetermined time, the driver will not be disturbed while using the parking aid system.
It should be noted here that the above-mentioned predetermined time is set at 1 second in the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereby.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-second characteristic of the present invention, the display unit displays an expected trajectory according to the predetermined steering angle before the second determination means determines the occurrence of any of the events of the subject vehicle position coinciding with the above-mentioned predetermined position, a predetermined time having passed in the coincident state and the time immediately before the coincidence of positions, and displays an expected trajectory according to the actual steering angle after the determination.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the display unit displays an expected trajectory according to the actual steering angle after the determination by the second determination means, even when the subject vehicle has passed the predetermined position, the driver can adjust the steering angle to make the expected parking position coincide with the target parking position. The driver may therefore stop the subject vehicle at approximately the predetermined position thus improving the ease of use of the parking aid system. It is also possible to prevent use of the parking aid system at an inappropriate position, thereby enhancing the reliability of the parking aid system.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-third characteristic of the present invention, the change in operational state of the subject vehicle is the switch-over between forward and backward travel.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, even when the subject vehicle has passed the position at which it should have switched over between forward and backward travel during reverse parking, the driver can adjust the steering angle to make the expected parking position coincide with the target parking position. The driver may therefore stop the subject vehicle at approximately the predetermined position, thus improving the ease of use of the parking aid system. It is also possible to prevent use of the parking aid system at an inappropriate position, thereby enhancing the reliability of the parking aid system.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-fourth characteristic of the present invention, the change in operational state of the subject vehicle is a steering operation in an opposite direction.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, even when the subject vehicle has passed the position at which the steering wheel should have been turned in the opposite direction during parallel parking, the driver can adjust the steering angle to make the expected parking position coincide with the target parking position.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-fifth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes third determination means for determining that the subject vehicle position has coincided with the target parking position.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since it is determined that the subject vehicle position has coincided with the target parking position, it is possible to prevent the subject vehicle from passing beyond the target parking position and the driver can easily move the subject vehicle to the target position without feeling anxious.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-sixth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes a back monitor for taking an image in the direction in which the subject vehicle is being parked, the image taken by the back monitor being displayed on the display unit when the third determination means determines that the subject vehicle position has coincided with the target parking position.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, when it is determined that the subject vehicle position has coincided with the target parking position, the display unit displays the image of the area behind the subject vehicle taken by the back monitor. The driver can therefore confirm that the parking operation has been proceeding correctly and the reliability of the parking aid system is enhanced.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-seventh characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes reverse determination means for determining that the subject vehicle is in a reverse mode, the display on the display unit is being changed when the reverse determination means determines that the subject vehicle is in the reverse mode.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the display on the display unit is changed when it is determined that the subject vehicle is in the reverse mode, it is possible to prevent the driver from paying too much attention to the display on the display unit and less attention to the surrounding conditions.
It should be noted here that the reverse switch in the embodiments corresponds to the reverse determination means of the present invention. The reverse determination means detects a state in which the subject vehicle is actually reversing or a state in which the subject vehicle is stopped with reverse range selected.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-eighth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes a back monitor for taking an image of the area behind the subject vehicle, the image taken by the back monitor is displayed on the display unit when the reverse determination means determines that the subject vehicle is in the reverse mode.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, when it is determined that the subject vehicle is in the reverse mode, the image taken by the back monitor is displayed on the display unit. The driver can therefore check the subject vehicle surroundings well, in particular the area behind the subject vehicle, which is the direction of travel. The driver can further confirm that the parking operation is being carried out correctly and the reliability of the parking aid system is enhanced.
Furthermore, in accordance with a twenty-ninth characteristic of the present invention, the parking aid system further includes second cancellation means for canceling the parking aid mode when the speed of travel of the subject vehicle reaches or exceeds a predetermined value.
In accordance with the above-mentioned arrangement, since the parking aid mode is cancelled when the speed of travel of the subject vehicle reaches or exceeds the predetermined value, it is possible to prevent the expected parking position from being displaced from the target parking position due to wheel slip, thereby enhancing the reliability of the parking aid system.
It should be noted here that the above-mentioned predetermined value is set at 10 km/h in the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereby.
The above-mentioned objectives, other objectives, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from an explanation of preferable embodiments that will be described in detail below by reference to the attached drawings.


A semiconductor memory includes a plurality of semiconductor memory cells and a first select line for providing a first select signal to access a selected memory cell, a second select line for providing a second select signal to access a selected memory cell, the first and second select signals being independent, a first transmission line for coupling an information with the memory cell synchronizing to the first signal and a second transmission line for coupling an information with the memory cell synchronizing to the second signal. Each memory cell includes a storage element for storing an information, with at least one input-output terminal and at least one input-output section. The section includes a first input-output control element with a control electrode connected to the first select line, a first input-output electrode connected to the input-output terminal of the storage element, and a second input-output electrode connected to the first transmission line, the first control element transmitting signals between the first and the second input-output electrode when the control electrode is activated with the first select signal, and a second input-output control element with a control electrode connected to the second select line, a first input-output electrode connected to the input output terminal of the storage element, and a second input-output electrode connected to the second transmission line, the second input-output control element transmitting signals between the first and second input-output electrode when the control electrode is activated with the second select signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory such as a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a read-only memory (ROM) and a programmable ROM (PROM), and memory cells used in the semiconductor memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with development of semiconductor integrating technology, implementation of large-capacity semiconductor memory (also referred to as only `memory`) has advanced. On the other hand, with increasing variety of demands, not only a memory having only read-only or random access function but also a memory having several kinds of functions (multi-functional memory) have been put into practice.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic arrangement of one memory cell in a memory having plural select lines e.g. A and B and their corresponding plural read lines e.g. A and B, which is one example of a conventional multi-functional memory.
In operation, when a select signal flowing in the select line A selects a memory cell 40, the data stored therein is read out into the read line A. On the other hand, when a select signal in the select line B selects the memory cell 40, the data stored therein is read out into the read line B.
If the memory is paired with plural systems of select lines and read lines as mentioned above, data of plural words can be read simultaneously. This contributes to realization of high speed memory access.
In the above known memory paired with plural systems of select lines and read lines, all select lines select memory cells arranged in row directions, and all read lines read the data stored in the memory cells in the selected row direction and transfer the data to the column direction, as disclosed, for example by Nagao et al. in JP-A-57-92483.
Now it is assumed that an operation of comparing the corresponding bits of word information stored in a semiconductor memory must be performed. In the conventional semiconductor memory, from which only the corresponding bits cannot be read out, the information must be read successively word by word and thereafter their corresponding bits may be compared with each other.
Utilizing the above described semiconductor memory paired with plural systems of select lines and read lines, data of plural words may be read out simultaneously, resulting in realization of a higher speed memory access. However, the stored data are also read out one word by one word even in this memory so that the above problem cannot be solved essentially.
In this way, the prior arts, which require the mentioned complicated procedures to perform the above operation, cannot realize a memory access of sufficiently high speed.


In a method for correcting for residual activity due to an earlier tracer in a later PET or SPECT scan image at reconstruction, thereby generating a residual-corrected later image the residual activity is estimated by detecting the time of an introduction of a tracer for the later PET or SPECT scan; and separating the residual activity from the true counts during iterative reconstruction of the PET or SPECT scan image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns the reconstruction of images of a subject using raw data acquired from a positron emission tomography (PET) scan or a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Medical or veterinary imaging, for example cardiac imaging, often requires a set of scans to be acquired in rapid succession, for example showing rest and stress states for myocardial perfusion studies.
In methods such as PET or SPECT scan imaging, muscular tissue such as the heart it not itself directly imaged. Rather, a tracer is introduced into a patient's bloodstream, and the imaging process provides images of the location of the tracer. The imaging effect of the tracer diminishes with time, at a rate which is characterized by a half-life. Depending on the half-life of the tracer, second and consecutive scans could detect remaining residual activity from previous doses of tracer, which would affect the contrast and image quality and bias the quantification assessment of the scan.
To overcome this problem, consecutive scans are often acquired with delays in between, e.g. half an hour or more for 13NH3 scan, or respective scans are performed on different days such as for 99mTc SPECT imaging. This means longer waiting time for the patients and reduced scanner throughput.
Another known way to reduce the effect of tracer residual from earlier scans is to use a low dose for a first scan and a much higher dose for a second scan, for example with a dose ratio of 1:5. The residual activity of the first tracer in the second scan, for example about half an hour later, is low compared with the high injected dose; therefore the bias of image quality is kept to certain controllable degree. This is proposed for 18Flurpiridaz scans which use the radionuclide 18F and has a half-life of 110 minutes. This half-life is too long for implementing a delayed scan protocol for same day scanning. However, as this method involves much higher dose for the second scan, the image quality is different for the first and second scans due to dose difference, and the bias introduced by the residual activity potentially reduces the accuracy of the assessment.
Existing methods of removing the deleterious effects of residual tracer activity are often based on subtraction of reconstructed images. An example of such a conventional process will be discussed with reference to example images shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, which each show three views of a single PET image.
An early frame image is shown in FIG. 1A, as acquired before the tracer is injected for a further scan, so that it contains only the residual activity from a previous scan.
FIG. 1B shows corresponding late frame images, taken after a further tracer has been introduced.
The early frame image of FIG. 1A is subtracted from the late frame image acquired after tracer injection as in FIG. 1B. An example result image is shown in FIG. 1C, which is intended to represent the later frame image of FIG. 1B with the residual effects of the earlier tracer removed.
A problem with such subtraction method is that image noise is effectively amplified, potentially leaving large negative values which are shown as dark speckles in the subtracted image. Examples of such speckles may be seen in FIG. 1C. Sometimes other image artefacts could be introduced, due to motion or noise.
Another conventional residual activity correction method based on time activity curves (TAC) where the tracer uptakes over time (referred as TAC) in ROIs are derived. The first time point of a TAC represents the residual activity, and is subtracted from all the time points of the TAC. The corrected TACs are then used in the kinetic model fitting for the quantification of physiological effects. This method does not produce a residual corrected anatomical image such as FIG. 1C for visualization.
Such methods are described, for example, in X-B Pan, E Alexanderson, L Le Meunier, J Declerck, Residual activity correction for computing myocardial blood flow from dynamic 13NH3 studies, J. NUCL. Med. MEETING ABSTRACTS, May 2011; 52: 2103 and S. G. Nekolla; S. Reder; A. Saraste; T. Higuchi; G. Dzewas; A. Preissel; M. Huisman; T. Poethko; T. Schuster; M. Yu; S. Robinson; D. Casebier; J. Henke; H. J. Wester; M. Schwaiger, Evaluation of the Novel Myocardial Perfusion Positron-Emission Tomography Tracer 18F-BMS-747158-02: Comparison to 13N-Ammonia and Validation With Microspheres in a Pig Model, Circulation, 2009; 119: 2333-2342.
Assumptions made in these methods include:                listmode acquisition starts a short period, such as 10 seconds, before the later introduction of tracer.        uptake of the residual activity has reached equilibrium, and can be modelled by radioactive decay only.

Residual activity correction at reconstruction


According to an example embodiment, a method may include accessing, by at least one processor from at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory device, a map and a hierarchy of places included in the map. The method may also include accessing, by the at least one processor from the at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory device, quantitative information associated with places in the hierarchy. The method may also include receiving a scaling input from a user. The method may also include determining, by the at least one processor, a level in the hierarchy at which to aggregate the quantitative information, based on the scaling input. The method may also include aggregating, by the at least one processor, the quantitative information for a plurality of the places at the determined level, the aggregating including independently aggregating the quantitative information associated with places below at least two of the plurality of places at the determined level. The method may also include generating, by the at least one processor, graphical data configured to display the map.

Raw data may be difficult for humans to interpret. To ease interpretation, the data may be presented to users visually or graphically. For example, when data are associated with geographical locations, the data may be presented on a map, so that a user may easily associate the data with their associated locations.
When data are associated with multiple locations, the display may become cluttered when multiple data points are displayed, rendering interpretation of the data difficult. To reduce the cluttering, the data may be aggregated into clusters, whereby data from nearby locations on the map are aggregated into one location on the map. However, this aggregation of data from nearby locations may result in loss of information regarding data associated with locations which are geographically close to each other, but have significant differences, such as different regulatory environments caused by locations within different political jurisdictions.

Aggregating based on hierarchy and scaling input


Method and apparatus for compensating for first-order Polarization Mode Dispersion in an optical transmission system. An apparatus has a polarization controller for transforming polarization components of an optical signal carried by the optical fiber into orthogonal polarization states, a variable delay line for introducing a variable differential time delay between the polarization states and for producing an output optical signal that is compensated for PMD in the optical fiber, and a feedback unit for adjusting the polarization controller and the variable delay line to compensate for variations in the PMD of the optical fiber, the feedback unit including apparatus for generating a plurality of independent control signals to independently control actuators of the polarization controller and the variable delay line. The invention provides for a reduction in response time of the actuators and a reduction in complexity of an algorithm used to control the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the optical transmission field. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for compensating for first-order Polarization Mode Dispersion in an optical transmission system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) is the residual dispersion that arises in optical fibers because the degeneracy of the polarization modes within the fundamental spatial mode is leveled by small asymmetric stresses along the fiber. This dispersion may be sufficiently high to induce eye-closure penalties in an optical transmission system incorporating an optical fiber. When a sharp spectrum optical signal, such as is employed, for example, in WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) transmissions, travels along an optical fiber; the signal can be described as being composed of the fastest and the slowest polarization modes, also called the Principal States of Polarization (PSP). The differential group delay between these states is variable as a result of random variations in external conditions imposed on the optical fiber; for example, variations in temperature, humidity and the like. As a result, polarization fading of a signal transmitted through the optical transmission system may be observed.
One proposed solution to the problem of fading in an optical transmission system is to always launch the light in one of the PSPs (see T. Ono, S. Yamazaki, H. Shimizu and H. Emura, Polarization Control Method for Suppressing Polarisation Mode Dispersion in Optical Transmission Systems, Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 12, pages 891-898, 1994). However, measuring or monitoring the input PSP requires access to and communication between both ends of the optical fiber; and, in many applications, this can present a significant problem.
In general, existing methods for avoiding fading in an optical transmission system encounter two related problems, random fluctuations of the Principal States of Polarization and random fluctuations of the Differential Group Delay. One known method that partly solves the fading problem consists of introducing a compensator in the form of a single linear birefringence element into the transmission system, for example, a piece of High Birefringence optical fiber, that has a delay that equals the PMD of the fiber, which is the mean value of the Differential Group Delays (DGD) along the fiber (see T. Takahashi, T. Imai and M. Aiki, Automatic Compensation Technique for Timewise Fluctuating Polarization Mode Dispersion in In-line amplifier Systems, Electronics Letters, vol. 30, no. 4, page 348, February, 1994; and R. Noe, D. Sandel, M. Yoshida-Dierolf and Others, Polarization Mode Dispersion Compensation at 10, 20 and 40 Gb/s with various Optical Equalizers, Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 17, no. 9, page 1602, September, 1999). A polarization transformer matches the PSP of the fiber to those of the delay element in such a way as to subtract their delays one from the other.
A disadvantage of this method is that only the mean value of the DGD is compensated for. Moreover, when the DGD of the fiber becomes small, the compensator will actually degrade the performance of the optical transmission system.
The use of a variable delay element can overcome these disadvantages (see, for example, the R. Noe et al publication identified above, as well as B. W. Hakki, Polarization Mode Dispersion Compensation By Phase Diversity Detection, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 9, no. 1, page 121, January, 1997; F. Heismann, D. A. Fishman and D. L. Wilson, Automatic Compensation of First-Order Polarization Mode Dispersion in a 10 Gb/s Transmission System, ECOC'98, Madrid, Spain, pages 529-530, September, 1998; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,414). A problem that still remains with this approach, however, is how to control the polarization transformer to automatically perform adjustment of the axes. One proposed solution involves splitting a part of the optical signal at the receiver and measuring its degree of polarization (see S. Lanne, J-P. Thiery, D. Pennickx, J-P. Hamaide, J-P. Soigne, B. Desthieux, J. Le Briand, L. Mace and P. Gavignet, Field Optical PMD Compensation at 10 Ghb/s Over Installed Fiber Totaling 35 ps of PMD, ECOC 2000, Munich, Germany, pages 207-208, September, 2000).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,414 referred to above proposes yet another solution to the problem. This patent describes a method and apparatus for automatic compensation of first-order PMD based on the introduction of a variable linear birefringence element acting as a variable time delay line at the end of an optical transmission system. A polarization transformer aligns the output principal states of the fiber to the axes of the variable delay line. Alignment is automatically accomplished based on measurement of the amplitude of a plurality of frequency components contained in the optical information signal propagating through the fiber. This procedure avoids ambiguity in the control system, which could track the polarization state to a situation corresponding to a local maximum of the RF power instead of the absolute maximum.
In general, problems arise in many existing compensation methods when the states of polarization of the optical transmission system change rapidly; and limits in the response time of the compensator restricts its ability to follow these rapid changes. Frequently, the response time can be too long for the optical transmission system to maintain its synchronization.
The principal factors that limit the response time in various proposed compensation apparatus include the response time of materials used in actuators of the apparatus, and the complexity of the algorithm used to control the operation of the apparatus. In this regard, known compensation apparatus usually measure a few parameters which are then used as feedback signals to the actuators. Normally, the feedback signals come from spectral filtering (power signal in 1/(2T) and 1/(4T), where T is the period of the clock frequency of the system), bit error rate or degree of polarization. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,414, all actuators are modulated at the same dithering frequency and are distinguished from one another through the phase of the detected signal. The number of independent parameters is necessarily smaller than the number of actuators if more than two actuators are used. Synchronizing pairs of actuators overcomes this difficulty if there are three or more actuators.
There is, accordingly, a need for a method and apparatus for compensating for Polarization Mode Dispersion in an optical transmission system that provides for a reduction in response time of the actuators used in the apparatus and a reduction in the over-all complexity of the algorithm used to control the apparatus.

Method and apparatus for first-order polarization mode dispersion compensation