A retainer assembly for retaining a panel to a component. The retainer assembly includes a base defining a bore for receiving a screw. A pair of front and back support members each have a first section connected to the base, and a second section that overlies the bore for flexing outwardly in response to being engaged by the screw. A front and back primary retention member each extend outwardly from the front and back support members for holding the retainer assembly relative to the panel. A pair of front and back secondary retention members each extend outwardly from the first section of the front and back support members. The front and back secondary retention members terminate closer to the base than the front and back primary retention members to establish an interference fit between the retainer assembly and the panel prior to the screw being driven through the retainer assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
A retainer assembly for retaining a panel to a component.
2. Discussion
Retainer assemblies, i.e. expansion nuts, are used in various industries, including the automotive industry, to retain panels to other components. For example, a retainer assembly may be used to retain a door trim panel to a supporting metal sheet of the door.
An example of such a retainer assembly is presented in FIG. 1. In use, such a retainer assembly is received by a slot defined by a panel. The retainer assembly includes a base that defines a bore for receiving a screw. A pair of front support members and a pair of back support members extend from the base. The front and back support members each have a first section that is connected to the base and a second section that extends from the first section and at least partially overlies the bore. Because the front and back support members overly the bore, they flex outwardly against the panel in response to being engaged by the screw, thereby retaining the retainer assembly to the panel.
A front primary retention member extends outwardly from the front support member and a back primary retention member extends outwardly from the back support member. The front and back primary retention members limit movement of the retainer assembly relative to the panel after the retainer assembly has been inserted into the slot, but prior to the screw being extended through the bore.
A known issue with such retainer assemblies is that despite the presence of the front back primary retention members, the retainer assembly is susceptible to movement, i.e., slop, relative to the panel after insertion of the retainer assembly in the slot but prior to insertion of the screw. This is particularly problematic when the retainer assembly is used to secure relatively thin panels, and when the retainer assembly is subjected to external forces like vibrations or the pressing of objects against the retainer assembly. Accordingly, the need exists for an improved retainer assembly that can accommodate panels of various thicknesses and can withstand the application of external forces.


A method and system for the control and signaling of traffic signal lights by emergency vehicles in the vicinity. Emergency vehicles can be detected by traffic signal lights allowing the emergency vehicle to have a prioritized, rapid, unimpeded, and safe emergency vehicle transit.

Traffic volume continues to increase in urban areas. This ever increasing volume of traffic continues to impede emergency vehicle transits in an already crowded city. One very important capability for emergency responders piloting a vehicle through a city is the ability to control a traffic light directly in their path. Many systems involving communications have been proposed to instantiate this capability but they are all subject to various problems including interference and the need for periodic maintenance of some of the vehicle electronics.
There is therefore a need for a system that is robust to interference, does not require periodic maintenance, such as the replacement of batteries, and does not require a significant effort on the part of the emergency responders to control the traffic lights, and is, majorly decentralized.


A modulated power supply comprises a power switching stage having at least one power switching device for generating a power signal in response to an input modulating signal. A current source is positioned in parallel with the power switching stage and continuously generates an output current. An output stage combines the power signal and the output current to form an output power supply signal. The current source supplies some, or all, of the required current at any given time. The switching device in the power switching stage either supplies the remaining required current or sinks any excess current. This has an advantage of reducing the average and peak currents flowing through the switching device, and hence the average power dissipation in the device. The output current can be set at an average (e.g. RMS) value of the current in the output power supply signal.

Modulated power supplies, such as Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) power supplies, are widely used in a variety of applications. In a PWM power supply a power switching device, such as a power transistor, is turned on and off at a high frequency, with the width of the 'on' periods varying in sympathy with the amplitude of a modulating input signal. The resulting train of output pulses from the switching device is smoothed by a low pass filter to deliver a supply voltage which varies in sympathy with the modulating input signal.
A PWM power supply can have a single phase or multiple phases, with the contributions of individual phases summing to provide an overall output. Multi-phase PWM power supplies have an advantage over single phase PWM supplies in that they can deliver better resolution in the time domain and increased current.
One known application of a modulated power supply is in supplying power for a linear RF power amplifier. An envelope of the RF signal which is to be amplified is used as a modulating signal for the power supply and the resulting, modulated, power supply signal is fed to the power amplifier. In this way, the power supply signal follows the envelope of the signal to be amplified and the efficiency of the linear power amplifier can be improved.
For high frequency (e.g. RF) power supply applications small, fast, switching devices are required in each phase, such as Laterally Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor (LDMOS) transistors. These devices have a small junction, which results in them having a relatively high resistive loss during the periods that they are switched on. This high resistive loss incurs power losses and generates heat which must be dissipated to prevent device failure.
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to improve the performance of a modulating power supply particularly, but not limited to, situations where the modulating signal has a wide bandwidth.


A base station congestion management includes at least one data management unit to which a plurality of communication monitoring apparatuses input the base station bandwidth information and the subscriber information, a shared data store to store base station bandwidth usage information and information of list of subscriber existing within base station coverage, and a congestion management unit to determine whether congestion is occurring at the base station. The data management unit calculates a total value of a used bandwidth for each base station, updates the base station bandwidth usage information, and updates the list of subscriber identification information of a user terminal connected with the base station. The congestion management unit identifies the subscriber identification information of the user terminal connected with the base station where congestion is occurring.

The subject matter discussed herein relates a base station congestion management system configured to determine as to whether or not congestion is occurring at a base station in a network in which data from a user terminal is distributed by a plurality of base stations to a plurality of gateway apparatuses.
Mobile service providers work on an important issue of improving a user quality of experience (QoE: Quality of Experience) for data communication service. One of primary causes to lower data communication service QoE includes occurrences of congestions at wireless access network (RAN: Radio Area Network) of mobile network. When congestion occurs at a RAN, control signals from a subscriber's terminal will not reach a mobile core network (EPC: Evolved Packet Core), which causes a phenomenon where the probability of the subscriber's terminal not being connected to the network increases, and a phenomenon where the throughput of the data communication by the subscriber's terminal will particularly deteriorate. These phenomena will prevent the subscriber from using desirable network services such as connecting with the Internet, thereby lowering QoE of services.
Conventionally, a technique for giving a feedback to a mobile network or to a subscriber's terminal concerning the occurrence of congestion at a RAN in mobile network so as to control and eliminate the cause of the congestion has been available. Once the cause of the congestion is eliminated the network connection probability for the subscriber's terminal and the data communication throughput will be improved, and service QoE will also improve.
As a background art of the present technical field, US patent publication No. 2014/0086052 (Patent document 1), US patent publication No. 2012/0257503 (Patent document 2), US patent publication No. 2013/0021933 (Patent document 3), US patent publication No. 2013/0170350 (Patent document 4), and ETS ITS 123 401 V12. 6.0, September, 2014 (Non-patent document 1) are available.
Patent document 1 discloses a charging system that dynamically changes the policy related to the traffic by a subscriber and the charging rule. The charging system as disclosed in Patent document 1 collects RAN traffic data, determines whether or not congestion is occurring at each base station of the RAN, and, based on the determination result of congestion, creates a list of subscriber terminals that are connected to the base station in a congested state. Also, the charging system as disclosed in Patent document 1 outputs to a PCRF an instruction to change the policy related to the traffic by a subscriber and the charging rule for the subscriber terminal included in the created list. By this, it becomes possible to reduce the traffic at the base station in a congested state, and resolve the congested state of the base station.
Patent document 2 discloses a congestion notification system configured to notify, when congestion is occurring at a base station, the subscriber terminal that is connected to the base station where the congestion is occurring. The congestion notification system according to Patent document 2 manages a list of subscribers that are connected to a base station for each base station in a manner similar to the charging system as disclosed in Patent document 1. Also, for determining whether or not congestion is occurring at a base station in the congestion notification system as disclosed in Patent document 2, bandwidth that is being used or usable bandwidth for a base station is used as a determining index, for example.
Patent document 3 discloses a RAN transfer apparatus for determining whether or not congestion is occurring at each base station in a RAN. The RAN transfer apparatus as disclosed in Patent document 3 monitors an S1-U, which includes an interface for transmitting and receiving data packets between a base station and an S-GW (Serving Gateway), which is one of EPC gateway apparatuses, and an S11, which includes an interface for transmitting and receiving control signals between an MME (Mobility Management Entity), which is one of EPC gateway apparatuses, and the S-GW. Also, the RAN transfer apparatus correlates the data packet that flows through the S1-U, the base station with which the subscriber terminal that transmits and receives the data packet is connected, and the subscriber of the subscriber terminal based on the contents of the control signals acquired from the S11. Also, the RAN transfer apparatus calculates, based on the correlation between the packet and the base station, the bandwidth that is being used at each base station, and compares the calculated bandwidth with a predetermined threshold so as to determine whether or not congestion is occurring at each base station.
Patent document 4 discloses a specific method for identifying a subscriber that corresponds with a data packet that is used in the determination method of whether or not congestion is occurring at a base station as disclosed in Patent document 3. To be more specific, a service quality management server monitors the contents of the control signals that are transmitted and received at the S11, correlates, based on the results of monitoring, a GTP tunnel ID (TEID (Tunnel Endpoint ID)), which includes a flow ID of the S1-U with an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identify), which includes an ID of a mobile service subscriber, and saves the same. Also, the QoS system disclosed in Patent document 4 searches a corresponding subscriber ID for each piece of data packet by using TEID as a search key, and identifies the corresponding subscriber.
Non-patent document 1 discloses that in order to secure the performance and reliability of the S-GW an MME selects, when a subscriber terminal connects with the network, the S-GW with which of a base station will be connected for each subscriber. In other words, Non-patent document 1 discloses that a base station distributes traffic to one S-GW out of a plurality of S-GWs for each subscriber.    [Patent document 1] US patent publication No. 2014/0086052    [Patent document 2] US patent publication No. 2012/0257503    [Patent document 3] US patent publication No. 2013/0021933    [Patent document 4] US patent publication No. 2013/0170350    [Non-patent document 1] ETS ITS 123 401 V12. 6.0, September, 2014

Base station congestion management system, and base station congestion management method


A method and apparatus for providing a call circuit connection between a mobile station and a remote application host is disclosed. Once a call circuit connection is initially established between a mobile station and remote application host to enable data to transfer therebetween, the call circuit connection is monitored for detection of an idle condition. Upon detection of the idle condition, identifying information for the call circuit connection is stored, and a first portion of the call circuit connection is disconnected while maintaining a second portion of the connection. Upon a request for reconnection of the call circuit connection, the first portion of the call circuit connection is reestablished with the second portion to enable continued data transfer.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to call circuit connections between wireless and wireline communication networks, and more particularly, to a method for maintaining a wireline portion of the call circuit connection while disconnecting a wireless portion of the call circuit connection during an idle period.
2. Description of Related Art
Circuit-switched data access has been available for some time within personal digital cellular (PDC) applications. Circuit-switched data access services provide the user with the ability to transmit data between a remote host location and a mobile station for display on an attached terminal device. A prime example of this would be the ability to provide a user wireless access to the Internet through a hand-held mobile station.
At present, widespread acceptance of circuit-switched data access has not been achieved. Reasons for this vary, but a prime reason involves the long setup time required to establish the circuit connection. In even modest data transfer situations, an end user must select between having very long session durations, which can be very expensive, or reconnecting each time a new batch of data must be downloaded and disconnecting after the data has been received, which is time consuming. Long setup times are expensive for the end user since they are charged for the time it takes to reestablish the connection to an application host. Some method for speeding the manner in which a user may connect or reconnect to a remote application and minimize the costs involved would greatly benefit the expansion of circuit switched data access available within PDC services.

Radio link short hold mode for mobile circuit data applications


An engine includes a housing having a combustion chamber. The engine may also include a fuel injector for supplying fuel directly or indirectly to the combustion chamber. Additionally, the engine may include an engine-lubricant-supply system operable to discharge engine lubricant onto the fuel injector.

Many systems use engines to produce power for performing various tasks. Engines often produce power by combusting fuel in one or more combustion chambers and transferring energy generated by combusting the fuel to a power load. Many engines employ fuel injectors to supply fuel directly or indirectly to their combustion chambers. Various sources of heat may increase the temperatures of the fuel injectors of an engine when the engine is producing power. In some circumstances, the fuel injectors may reach undesirably high temperatures that may hinder operation of the fuel injectors or even damage the fuel injectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,037,778 to Goode et al. ("the '778 patent") shows an engine with provisions for cooling a fuel injector. The engine of the '778 patent includes a cylinder block and a cylinder head enclosing a combustion chamber above a piston disposed in a cylinder of the cylinder block. The fuel injector of the '778 patent extends through a passage in the cylinder head and a discharge end of the fuel injector is disposed inside the combustion chamber. The engine of the '778 patent also includes a conduit for supplying cooling fluid. The outlet of the conduit is disposed adjacent and directed toward the discharge end of the fuel injector. A portion of the cylinder head separates the outlet of the conduit from the fuel injector.
Although the engine of the '778 patent includes a conduit for supplying cooling fluid to a portion of the cylinder head disposed adjacent the discharge end of the fuel injector, certain disadvantages persist. For example, because a portion of the cylinder head separates the outlet of the conduit from the fuel injector, heat from the fuel injector must travel through that portion of the cylinder head before it can be carried away by cooling fluid discharged from the conduit. Thus, the portion of the cylinder head separating the fuel injector from the cooling fluid discharged by the conduit may impede cooling of the fuel injector.
The engine and methods of the present disclosure solve one or more of the problems set forth above.

Engine and method for operating an engine


Disclosed is a sustained release composition of a protein drug. The composition comprises a carrier substrate and a protein drug incorporated in the carrier substrate. The carrier substrate is consisting essentially of a hyaluronic acid or its salts, an amino acid, and a polyalkyl oxide.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sustained-release composition comprising a physiologically active protein drug, a hyaluronic acid or salts thereof, a polyalkyl oxide, and an amino acid. The composition allows a persistent release of the physiologically active drug for an extended period of time, preferably for one week or longer.
2. Description of the Related Art It has been reported that protein drugs are useful for treating various disease because they have a high physiological activity in the living body and a high specificity to a target. It is also reported that protein drugs have a short half-life and a low absorption rate in the living body, which limit the availability of protein drugs as a treatment drug. Protein drugs are usually administered to a patient via injection routes. The injection of protein drugs into the patient is usually painful. The half life of the injected protein drugs in the patient is generally 2-4 hours and the patients are required to be administered with the drugs everyday or every other day for an extended period of time, for example, one year or longer.
Sustained release formulations of protein drugs were proposed. During the early stage of the development of sustained release formulations of a protein drug, liposomes, microcapsules, and implants containing the drug have been suggested. However, these formulations were not satisfactory because the protein contained in the formulations easily lost its activity and they failed to produce a sustained release of the drug. Polymer microparticles containing a protein drug have been proposed. The microparticles formed from a non-biodegradable polymer have problems that they are not digested in the patient's body, and thus sometimes, an operation to remove the unsolved residues was needed. They are also harmful to the living body and the control of the release of the drug is difficult.
In order to overcome the drawbacks related with the use of a non-biodegradable polymer, microparticles in which a drug is entrapped into the biodegradable polymer have been suggested. The biodegradable polymer of the microparticles is slowly degraded in patient's body and the drug is released. As biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, synthetic polyesters such as polylactides, polyglycolides, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), polyanhydrides, polyorthoesters, polyphosphazenes, pseudopolyaminoacids have been employed. Microcapsules made from polyesters such as PLGA produce a sustained release of a peptide drug for an extended period of time ranging from one week to one month. However, the use of the PLGA in producing sustained release formulations of protein drug was limited because the hydrophobic property of the PLGA caused the degeneration of protein drugs, which destroys the physiological activity of the drug. The degradation of the PLGA itself in the patient body, which generates an acid and thus reduces the pH of the microparticles, also accelerates the degeneration and aggregation of the protein drug. The use of organic solvents, which are commonly employed in the production of microparticles using hydrophobic polymers, also causes unstabilization of the protein drug. The relatively slow digestion of the polymer in the patient also causes a feeling of a foreign substance.
A use of sustained release formulations made from a natural polymer has been proposed. Natural polymers such as gelatin, collagen, chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, or hyaluronic acids form a viscous gel upon absorbing water. The gel of the natural polymer produces a sustained release of a drug, including a protein drug. However, the gel easily loses its ability to retain the drug, when introduced into a patient body because the viscosity and density of the gel fast decreased in the patient body due to the digestion of the polymer and the dilution of gel inside the body. Thus, the natural polymer gel does not provide a satisfactory sustained release.
Hyaluronic acid is a natural, biodegradable, high molecular polymer made of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid. It is found in various organs and tissues in the living body. It is used in eye operations and rheumatisms treatments. There have been attempts to use hyaluronic acid gels in sustained release formulations. Generally, the higher the viscosity of the hyaluronic acid gel, the more effective in producing the sustained release of a protein drug. However, a composition containing several % of the hyaluronic acid gel is too viscous and difficult to be introduced into a patient by an injection.
Like other natural polymer gel formulations, hyaluronic acid gel formulation of a protein drug does not provide an effective sustained release of the drug once it is introduced into a subject. For example, when an insulin formulation comprising 1% hyaluronic acid gel, as disclosed in JP 1989-287041, was injected to a rabbit, the glucose blood level lowering effect lasted not more than 24 hours after the injection. U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,071 describes a sustained release formulation of interferon comprising 1.5% hyaluronic acid and plasma protein. When the formulation of interferon was introduced into a subject, the blood level of interferon sharply decreased to 1/10 of its initial level, within 24 hours after the injection.
As an alternative to gel formulations, microparticles comprising a protein drug and a hyaluronic acid or its salts, which are produced by spray drying, have been proposed. For example, U.S. Application Publication No. 2003/0064105 describes a sustained release formulation which was prepared by producing hyaluronic acid microparticles comprising a protein drug using spray drying; coating the microparticles with a lipophilic material such as lecithin, and dispersing the coated microparticles into an oil. It also describes that the coated microparticles are formulated into an oil-in-water emulsion. When an oil-in-water emulsion of the lecithin-coated microparticles of interferon-alpha was injected to a rabbit, the blood level of the interferon-alpha was maintained for an extended period of time.
To eliminate the coating process mentioned above, a lipophilic material can be dispersed in a solution containing a hyaluronic acid and an active ingredient and the resulting solution is subject to drying (e.g., spray drying). U.S. Application Publication No. 2003/0064105. For a practical viewpoint of commercialization, the solubilization of the lipophilic material is cumbersome as well as the quantization of the drug content and the analysis of the microparticles are difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,988 discloses a drug composition with a controlled drug release rate. The drug composition comprises: a matrix formed of (a) a biodegradable, biocompatible high-molecular substance and/or polyvalent metal ions or polyvalent metal ion source, and (b) hyaluronic acid or a salt thereof, and a drug incorporated as an ingredient (c) in the matrix. The component (a) includes gelatin, sodium casein, albumin, lysozyme chloride, poly-L-lysine, chitosan, Ca2+, Al3+, and Fe3+. The drug covers a broad spectrum from anti-inflammatory drugs to arthritis therapeutics. The hyaluronic acid or its salts have a molecular weight ranging from 600,000 to 2,000,000 Da, especially from 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 Da. It does not specifically teach a controlled delivery of protein drugs. U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,988 does not teach a sustained release composition comprising a carrier substrate essentially consisting of a hyaluronic acid or its salts, an amino acid and a polyalkylene oxide and a protein drug incorporated in the carrier substrate, wherein a ratio of a molecular weight (Da) of the protein drug to a molecular weight (Da) of the polyalkylene oxide is about 1:0.5-1:10.
In conclusion, there still is a need for a sustained release formulation of a protein drug, which shows an excellent sustained release of the drug for an extended period of time while retaining the physiological activity of the drug.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is one type of polyalkyl oxides. Low molecular weight PEGs (molecular weight of less than 1000 Da) are liquid at the room temperature, while high molecular weight PEGs (molecular weight of 1000 Da or more) are solid. High molecular weight PEGs have been used as a plasticizer, a suppository base, and a hydrophilic excipient. Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients, 2nd Ed., The Pharmaceutical Press (1994). Low molecular weight PEGs have mainly been used as a solvent or a vehicle for drug compositions. Low molecular weight PEGs have been used as a stabilizer to prevent crystallization or precipitation of protein drugs in liquid formulations of the protein drugs. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 185, 129-188 (1999).
Low molecular weight PEGs in a liquid form were proposed to be used as a vehicle for a solid formulation of proteins. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,738 describes a method in which proteins such as IGF-1 or B-hGH mixed with collagen are freeze-dried and pulverized to give powders, which are then dispersed in the liquid PEG. U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,549 describes a use of PEGs as a vehicle of crystalline interferons. According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,549, mixtures of PEGs of different molecular weights are proposed. For example, it describes the use of the mixture of PEG 3350 and PEG 400 or PEG 40,000 and PEG 550 in the production of an injectable sustained release composition of crystalline interferons. Uses of the PEGs of molecular weight of 8000 Da or 3350 Da are also suggested. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,549 does not teach or disclose a sustained release composition comprising a carrier substrate which consists essentially of a hyaluronic acid or its salts, an amino acid and a polyalkylene oxide and a protein drug incorporated in the carrier substrate, wherein a ratio of a molecular weight (Da) of the protein drug to a molecular weight (Da) of the polyalkylene oxide is about 1:0.5-1:10. The sustained release composition of interferon-alpha taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,549 released interferon-alpha up to 48 hours after the injection.
It has been reported that drug compositions comprising low molecular PEGs as a vehicle produces a sustained release of a drug for a short period of time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,155 describes a use of a solution of 80% PEG 400 or PEG 300 as a vehicle of somatostatin. A solution of somatostatin dispersed in a 38% PEG 400 solution showed a sustained release of somatostatin for 4 hours. U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,011 discloses a sustained release of protein drugs from a composition comprising PEG 300 or PEG 600. It was recommended to use less than 30% of PEG 300 because a high concentration of 40% by volume or more of PEG 300 may induce hemolytic effects around the injected site. Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients, 2nd, The Pharmaceutical Press (1994).

Sustained release composition of protein drug


Software implemented system has a guarantee valuation engine and methodology that configures a processor with code which enables a fund that is continuously offered and always fully invested in traditional assets that correlate to a benchmark and which is subject to a guarantee with respect to net asset value on a specified future date to be re-priced on a daily basis and to have the effect of such re-pricing in the reported NAV of the fund.

SEC-registered guaranteed mutual funds, sometimes known as principal protected mutual funds, have existed since at least 2002. These funds suffer from several drawbacks including that they are only available for purchase by investors during an initial offering period (after which the fund is closed to new investors) and that they employ a dynamic hedging strategy known as Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance ("CPPI") which can result in a low or zero allocation to the desired risky market (with a correspondingly high allocation to less risky fixed-income instruments).
SEC-registered principal-protected closed-end funds have also been in existence for some time. These funds suffer from the same drawbacks as well, including that they offer uncertain liquidity because investors have no contractual redemption rights unlike in an open-ended mutual fund, and, apart from the time of the initial offering, investors may not be able to purchase (or later, sell) shares at a price that corresponds to the net asset value of the fund.
Known guaranteed mutual funds are the beneficiary of a financial guarantee from a highly-rated financial institution. These guarantees are provided in exchange for a fee that is determined in advance. Such guarantees do not suit funds whose investment strategies might cause the cost of the guarantee to change significantly. These funds are thereby limited to pursuing CPPI-based strategies (of the type described above). Since even CPPI-based strategies are subject to small changes in the cost of the related guarantee, guaranteed funds are not made available for sale to new investors after the initial offering period although redemptions are permitted.
Therefore what is needed is a guaranteed mutual fund that can be continuously offered to investors and remain fully invested in risky securities or strategies, while offering investors an assurance of a minimum return on their invested principal.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for continuously offered guaranteed fund with full and permanent allocation to risky market investments


A closure for a container opening according to one embodiment comprises a plug including a series of projections and being constructed and arranged to be received within the container opening and an overcap constructed and arranged for being attached to the plug so as to close off an interior of the plug and create an assembly. The projections being constructed and arranged for interfit with a specialized wrench socket for threadedly advancing the plug into the container opening.

The present invention relates in general to plastic plugs that are constructed and arranged to assemble into a container opening, typically by threading. The opening may be formed directly into the container or may be defined by a threaded flange. More specifically, the present invention relates to the described style of plastic plug that receives an overcap. Preferably the overcap is constructed and arranged to assemble to the plastic plug and/or container with a tamper-evident configuration and function. In the preferred embodiment the plastic plug is a unitary, molded component and the overcap is a unitary, molded plastic component. These two components are pre-assembled prior to plug insertion into the container opening without any overcap connection to the container.
When designing a closure or closure assembly that preferably includes a tamper-evident configuration or construction, it is important to consider the overall design efficiency, the reliability of the component parts as assembled and as installed, the overall cost, the physical size and the overall aesthetics, to mention some of the relevant considerations. Reliability includes not only how the tamper-evident construction functions in terms of properly revealing when a tampering attempt has been made, but also in not prematurely failing or showing a tampering attempt when none was made.
In one prior art construction, the tamper-evident component is a plastic cover that includes a skirt that cooperates with ratchet projections on an outer surface of the container opening. The size and shape complexity of this tamper-evident component adds to the component cost. The plastic plug threads into the neck opening of the container and then the tamper-evident component is engaged on the container.
In another prior art construction the tamper-evident component is of a part-metal construction in combination with a plastic overcap. A metal ring overlays the plastic skirt of the overcap such that crimping of the metal ring causes the plastic skirt to be crimped around a cooperating form on the outer surface of the container neck opening, after the plastic plug is threaded into the neck opening of the container. This tamper-evident component, similar to the first-described prior art component, is a more costly component that requires a specific style of container due to the structural cooperation between the tamper-evident overcap and the container.
In contrast to these prior art examples, the tamper-evident overcap described herein as one embodiment of the present invention provides a simpler design that engages only the plug, providing greater versatility since the container style does not have to be selected to cooperate with a particular style of tamper-evident overcap. While the plastic plug construction that is part of the prior art and depicted in part as one portion of the present disclosure includes interior structural features or forms for facilitating the threading of the plug into and out of the container neck opening, the present invention does not use those features for the initial assembly of the plug and overcap combination into the container neck opening. Instead, according to one embodiment of the present invention the tamper-evident overcap is preassembled to the plastic plug and those plug features (interior) that might otherwise be used for tightening the plastic plug into the neck opening are covered by the tamper-evident overcap. The plug and overcap constructions disclosed herein require a different method of installation and different tooling, both of which are described herein and both of which constitute an aspect of this overall invention.
The present disclosure provides a simple and reliable and aesthetically-pleasing, low cost tamper-evident overcap that assembles to the plastic plug. The overcap does not interface with the container neck opening, thereby allowing a wider range of container neck styles that remain compatible with the threaded plug. This wider range of container neck opening styles also remains compatible with the tamper-evident overcap as disclosed herein. Each outer peripheral portion of the plastic plugs disclosed herein includes unique structural forms that interfit with a unique installation tool for advancing the plug into the container opening. This unique installation tool can also be used for removing the plug from the container opening. The plug styles disclosed herein in combination with the unique installation tool comprises a container closure system.

Plastic plug with overcap, including wrench and method


The invention relates to an apparatus for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity of poultry suspended by its legs from a suspension conveyor wherein the entrails, after being entirely disconnected, are moved along over some distance synchronously with the poultry by a belt conveyor. Transferring the entrails from the eviscerating means towards the belt conveyor occurs through a transferring device preferably comprising a drum rotatable around a vertical axis and being provided with transferring means regularly spaced on its circumference. Two cooperating clamping parts movable relative to each other are applied at each respective transferring means.

The invention relates to an apparatus for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity of poultry suspended by its legs from a suspension conveyor, for entirely disconnecting the entrails and for moving these along over some distance synchronously with the poultry, with eviscerating means for removing and disconnecting the entrails and with a conveyor for moving along the disconnected entrails.
Such an apparatus is already described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/938,000 filed on Aug. 28, 1992 of applicant. The apparatus described therein comprises an endless conveyor following a substantially horizontal track. This conveyor carries a number of conveying means for taking over from the eviscerating means the entrails are conveyed by the conveying means in a suspended manner. Using the apparatus described in Dutch patent application 91.01484 it is possible to entirely separate the entrails from the poultry but nevertheless move these along over some distance synchronously therewith, such that during a veterinary inspection it is completely clear to what bird each entrails package belongs.

Apparatus for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity of poultry


The present invention provides a color display device in which each pixel can display four high quality color states. More specifically, an electrophoretic fluid is provided which comprises four types of particles, dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture. The fluid may further comprise substantially uncharged neutral buoyancy particles.

In order to achieve a color display, color filters are often used. The most common approach is to add color filters on top of black/white sub-pixels of a pixellated display to display the red, green and blue colors. When a red color is desired, the green and blue sub-pixels are turned to the black state so that the only color displayed is red. When the black state is desired, all three-sub-pixels are turned to the black state. When the white state is desired, the three sub-pixels are turned to red, green and blue, respectively, and as a result, a white state is seen by the viewer.
The biggest disadvantage of such a technique is that since each of the sub-pixels has a reflectance of about one third of the desired white state, the white state is fairly dim. To compensate this, a fourth sub-pixel may be added which can display only the black and white states, so that the white level is doubled at the expense of the red, green or blue color level (where each sub-pixel is only one fourth of the area of the pixel). Brighter colors can be achieved by adding light from the white pixel, but this is achieved at the expense of color gamut to cause the colors to be very light and unsaturated. A similar result can be achieved by reducing the color saturation of the three sub-pixels. Even with this approach, the white level is normally substantially less than half of that of a black and white display, rendering it an unacceptable choice for display devices, such as e-readers or displays that need well readable black-white brightness and contrast.


A quick connect coupling having a self-contained releasable collet generally comprises a housing having an axial bore extending inwardly from an entrance. The axial bore includes a large diameter portion adjacent the entrance. A tube having a bead of relatively large diameter is insertable into the bore. A generally annular radially expandable collet disposed within the bore of the housing expands upon insertion of the tube into the housing and contracts onto the tube between the bead and the housing, thereby retaining the tube within the housing. The tube is selectably releasable from the housing by an annular pilot disposed within the housing having an inclined surface complementary to an inclined surface on the collet. Release members are provided to facilitate axial inward movement of the collet into the housing. The collet then rides up the inclined surface of the pilot, thereby radially expanding the collet and releasing the tube from the housing.

The present invention relates to a quick connect fluid coupling having a self-contained releasable collet retainer.
Quick connect couplings are used to quickly and securely connect a tube within a housing bore or to a second tube. Quick connect couplings are utilized in most modern vehicles to connect brake lines, air conditioning lines, power steering lines and other high-pressure and vacuum lines.
In standard quick connect couplings a retainer is received within a female housing bore. The retainer has a plurality of arms which extend radially inwardly in a direction moving axially into the bore. The tube has a radially greater bead which moves into the bore and flexes the arms outwardly. The axially and radially innermost ends of the arms define an inner diameter approximately equal to the other diameter of the tube at locations other than the bead. As the tube is inserted further into the bore, the bead forces the arms radially outwardly, and moves axially past the arms. Once the bead has moved axially beyond the arms, the arms spring back to a position where they are radially outwardly of the tube, and axially between the tube bead and outer end of the bore. The tube is then fully inserted, and the retainer securely retains the tube within the housing.
While quick connect couplings having flexible arms that latch behind the bead are widely used, they do have some deficiencies. The retainers only secure the tube at the circumferentially spaced locations of the legs. Because of the limited contact area, the operation of this type of retainer is highly dependent on the material, length, angle, thickness, and the number of arms. Also, temperature extremes diminish the effectiveness of the arms as they become brittle when cold and softened when hot. Further the flexible arms trap the tube in the connector, but do not offer side load support to the coupling. Further the flexible arms require a relatively large insertion distance because the tube bead must be inserted past the flexible arms.
Sometimes one may wish to remove a tube after insertion. The prior art has proposed release tools to assist in removal. Essentially, the prior art tools are sleeves that slide along the tube. Upon axial inward movement of the release tool, the retainer legs are deflected outwardly to permit separation of the tube and housing.
The use of collet retainer, generally comprising a ring having a split, has been proposed to retain the tube within the housing. The collet is expanded radially by the tube bead upon insertion of the tube into the housing. The collet contracts onto the tube behind the tube bead to retain the tube within the housing. These retainers address some of the deficiencies with the above-described retainers having the spaced legs. However, the proposed collet retainers have not been easily releasable and have not included release tools.

Quick connect fluid coupling with a self-contained releasable collet retainer


The invention concerns a method (300) for charging a set of batteries. The method includes the steps of charging (314) a first battery (116) with a charging current from a power supply (138), monitoring (316) a parameter of the first battery during the charging step and selectively diverting (318) at least a portion of the charging current used to charge the first battery to charge a second battery (118). The first and second batteries are charged simultaneously after the parameter of the first battery reaches a predetermined threshold. As an example, the parameter can be a battery voltage or a battery temperature rate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to rechargeable batteries and more particularly to methods used to recharge such batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic devices have become ubiquitous in today's society. These devices are generally powered by one or more rechargeable batteries. For example, most cellular telephones can be coupled to a charger that can charge the telephone's battery after several hours, depending on how badly the battery is depleted. Lengthy charge times, however, are a major inconvenience to consumers.

Method and system for selectivly diverting current during charging of multiple batteries


An operation mode setting apparatus includes an operation mode setting control unit that discriminates the phase of a reference clock from the phase of a feedback clock and generates a locking suspension signal, and an operation mode setting unit that generates a locking completion signal in response to a pulse signal and a phase comparison signal under the control of a reset signal and the locking suspension signal.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein relate to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods for setting a mode in a semiconductor integrated circuit to adapt to errors.
2. Related Art
A DLL (delay locked loop) circuit provided in a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit is used to provide an internal clock having a phase that leads the phase of a reference clock obtained by buffering an external clock by a predetermined amount of time. When an internal clock used in the semiconductor integrated circuit is delayed by a clock buffer and a transmission line, a phase difference between the external clock and the internal clock occurs, which increases the data access time. The DLL circuit is used to solve this problem. The DLL circuit controls the phase of the internal clock to lead the phase of the external clock by a predetermined amount of time, in order to widen the effective data output period.
A conventional DLL circuit includes a replica delay for modeling the output delay of an internal reference clock, thereby generating a feedback clock. The DLL circuit compares the phase of the reference clock with the phase of the feedback clock, and generates a signal based on the result of the comparison. A delay line gives the reference clock a predetermined delay time to synchronize the phase of the reference clock with the phase of the feedback clock.
In this case, for example, a coarse locking mode or a fine locking mode is used as a method of giving the reference clock a delay time and locking the clock. In the coarse locking mode, the delay time is given by each of the unit delays provided in the delay line. In the fine locking mode, a phase mixer, not the unit delay, is used to delay the clock by a minute amount of time. The DLL circuit includes an operation mode setting apparatus in order to perform these operations. The operation mode setting apparatus receives a phase comparison signal from a phase comparator that compares the phase of the reference clock with the phase of the feedback clock, and outputs a locking completion signal for indicating the end timing of the coarse locking mode, thereby controlling an operation mode of the delay line.
The operation mode setting apparatus initializes the locking completion signal in response to a reset signal. Then, a latch circuit in the operation mode setting apparatus maintains the level of the locking completion signal that is generated in response to the phase comparison signal. Only when the reset signal is enabled, can the locking completion signal be initialized. However, the reset signal is enabled only when the DLL circuit is at an initial stage. Therefore, the state of the locking completion signal cannot be changed after it is initialized.
Actually, the toggle timing of the clock input to the DLL circuit may vary due to various factors, such as external jitter. In addition, the phase difference between the internal reference clock and the feedback clock may not decrease in the DLL circuit due to variations in PVT (process, voltage, and temperature). In this case, the DLL circuit needs to reset the delay value given to the delay line, thereby controlling the phase of the internal clock. However, since the level of the locking completion signal is maintained after the locking completion signal is enabled; it is difficult to perform the coarse locking mode again. Accordingly, the DLL circuit can perform only the fine locking mode to control the phase of the internal clock. If the phase difference between the reference clock and the feedback clock increases, it requires a lot of time to match the phases of the clock signals through the fine locking mode. In this case, a state of the duty ratio of the clock is worse, which may lead to errors in the output data.
As described above, in a conventional operation mode setting apparatus, the DLL circuit has been designed without considering the effect of external jitter or variations in PVT. Therefore, a conventional operation mode setting apparatus has problems in that it can be initialized only at the beginning of the operation of the DLL circuit and it does not support the operation mode when the operation of the DLL circuit needs to be reset due to a variation in the state of the clock. That is, a conventional operation mode setting apparatus has low adaptability to errors, such as the variation in the state of the clock, and the errors may affect the delay locking operation of the DLL circuit and the data output operation of the semiconductor integrated circuit.

Operation mode setting apparatus, semiconductor integrated circuit including the same, and method of controlling semiconductor integrated circuit


A central server at a home office is connected to remote processing stations at multiple remote sites such as convenience stores. The remote processing station is used to create and print various financial instruments which include money orders, payroll checks, vendor drafts, and gift certificates. The financial instruments are printed on blank paper using MICR toner in a standard laser printer, thereby eliminating the need for preprinted forms. Transaction logs are maintained and communicated to the central server where records for all locations are maintained. The central server also authorized payroll checks for the employees of the remote locations and sends authorization to the locations where the actual payroll checks are printed. Additionally, the system can be used to create and distribute site specific coupons to remote locations. A general coupon template is loaded onto the central server of the data processing system along with site specific information to be printed on each coupon. A particular remote processing station at a remote site can call in to the central server and download the general coupon template and the site specific information for that particular site. The remote processing station then combines the template with the site specific information and prints the site specific coupon.

A financial instrument may be a written document which is legally capable of being transferred by endorsement or delivery. A financial instrument typically will include an unconditional promise to pay a sum certain in money payable on demand or at a definite time payable to the bearer or a particular person or entity. In order to be legally binding, a financial instrument will include a signature. Examples of types of financial instruments include personal checks, payroll checks, money orders, beer drafts, and even gift certificates.
Some states may require that shipments of liquor or beer be paid for at the time of delivery. A "beer draft" is a financial instrument which may be used to pay for such a shipment. A beer draft will include an unconditional promise to pay a specified amount of money to a particular beer or liquor vendor. Therefore, upon receipt of a shipment of liquor, a beer draft may be issued to the vendor for the amount of the invoice of the shipment.
Financial instruments may be created by completing a pre-printed form, such as that supplied by a financial institution to be used as personal checks. These pre-printed checks are typically sold to a consumer by the financial institution. These checks typically are pre-printed with parameters including a number which identifies the associated financial institution, an account number, the printed name of the financial institution, a check number, and other personal information regarding the person or entity owning the account such as name, address, telephone number, or driver's license number.
These checks also include areas to be completed by the person or entity owning the account. In order to draw funds against the account, the person must complete the financial instrument, in this case the personal check, by filling in the areas. The person will typically add parameters such as a date, payee to whom the financial instrument is being transferred, an amount, and a signature. Once the check is completed, it becomes legally negotiable.
The owner may keep a record of transactions by manually entering each transaction into a log typically supplied by the financial institution with the pre-printed checks. The owner usually enters a check number, data, payee, and amount of the check into the log.
Some known data processing systems permit a user, an owner of an account, to create a financial instrument using the data processing system which includes a printer, and a preprinted form. In these systems, the parameters include date, payee, and amount are received by the data processing system. The data processing system may then create the financial instrument by printing the received parameters, utilizing the printer, on the pre-printed form. In order to become legally negotiable, the user must sign the printed financial instrument.
These data processing systems may create a record of transactions by entering each transaction into a log typically maintained and stored within the data processing system. The data processing system usually enters a check number, data, payee, and amount of the check into the log.
Payroll checks are typically created in a manner similar to that described above for printing personal checks using a data processing system. These payroll checks are also typically printed on pre-printed forms.
Money orders are another example of a type of financial instrument. It is known in the prior art to be able to print money orders using a data processing system and printer. A user is supplied with pre-printed money order forms. These pre-printed forms may be numbered in sequence and may include similar pre-printed parameters such as those discussed above for personal checks. These pre-printed parameters may include a number which identifies the associated financial institution, the money order number, and other information such as the printed name of the financial institution. The user may enter parameters such as a payee, date, and amount. The data processing system then prints these parameters on the pre-printed money order form.
The data processing system may maintain a record of the transaction. In these systems, the record includes a list of money order numbers. The user is supplied with pre-printed money orders having corresponding numbers to those already recorded. A user must insert the pre-printed money orders into the data processing system in a particular order, typically numerical order. Each time a money order is printed using the data processing system, the date and amount may be entered into the record and associated with its corresponding money order number. If the pre-printed money orders are not in the proper sequence, the record will not maintain an accurate report of the date and amount for the particular money order number.
Additionally, coupons have previously been printed and distributed in enormous quantities to keep costs as low as possible. This is wasteful because many of the coupons will never be distributed. It is usually the practice to print and distribute to distribution location many more coupons than will ever be used because it is very difficult to predict in advance how many will be delivered to customers. In order to be printed in bulk the content of the coupons cannot be varied, that is all the coupons must be identical. Additionally, once the coupons are printed in this fashion they must still be distributed to the ultimate consumer. This usually involves bulk mailings or insertion into periodicals such as newspapers. This method of distribution results in severe waste because of the inability to target a particular type of consumer or delays in the distribution which result in the coupon being delivered to close to or even after its distribution date.
Another problem with this system of printing and distribution is that it precludes printing coupons that target specific locations or marketing areas or that respond quickly to unique marketing conditions. Coupons that are printed in bulk must be generalized to cover a large market area which will probably include many stores having vastly different demographics. A method is needed to distribute coupons to consumers that are tailored to the needs of individual locations and market conditions.

Method and system for creating site specific coupons at a plurality of remote locations which are controlled by a central office


An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive substrate having thereon a charge generating layer comprising a binder resin having dispersed therein a charge generating material and a charge transporting layer containing a charge transporting material is disclosed, wherein the ionization potential of the binder resin, I.sub.pb, the ionization potential of the charge generating material, I.sub.pg, and the ionization potential of the charge transporting material, I.sub.pt, satisfy the following relationship: EQU I.sub.pg .ltoreq.I.sub.pb <I.sub.pt or EQU I.sub.pt <I.sub.pb .ltoreq.I.sub.pg.. The photoreceptor has high photosensitivity and excellent environmental stability.

In electrophotographic copying machines according to the Carlson's system, image formation is accomplished by charging the surface of a photoreceptor followed by imagewise exposure to light to form an electrostatic latent image, developing the latent image with a toner, and transferring and fixing the toner image onto paper, etc. while destaticizing and cleaning the photoreceptor to remove the residual toner and residual charge. The electrophotographic photoreceptor is repeatedly used for a long term.
The electrophotographic photoreceptor is therefore required to have not only satisfactory electrophotographic characteristics, such as charging characteristics, sensitivity and dark decay, but also physical properties sufficient for withstanding long-term use, such as printing durability, abrasion resistance, and moisture resistance, as well as resistance to ozone generated at the time of corona discharging and to ultraviolet light on exposure (i.e., resistance to the environment).
Recent studies have been directed to organic photoreceptors in which a charge generating function and a charge transporting function are separately performed by different materials in pursuit of a highly sensitive and highly durable photoreceptor. In designing such a so-called separate function type electrophotographic photoreceptor, the material bearing the respective function can be selected from a broad range, making it relatively easy to provide a photoreceptor with characteristics as desired. However, the photoreceptor of this type cannot get rid of the problem of deterioration in electrophotographic characteristics and resistance to environment on repeated use. That is, the photoreceptor suffers from a reduction in chargeability, an increase in residual potential, an increase in potential in the white background area (exposed area), a reduction in photosensitivity, and the like. Since charging by a corona discharge is attended by generation of active substances such as ozone, the photoreceptor is affected by these active substances, causing image quality deterioration, such as blurs.
In order to overcome these problems, various proposals have been made to date. For example, JP-A-2-293853 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") discloses an electrophotographic photoreceptor using two kinds of charge transporting materials, one of which has a greater ionization potential than that of a charge generating material, the other having a smaller ionization potential than that of a charge generating material. However, the proposed photoreceptor is not always free from the above-mentioned problems on repeated use.

Electrophotographic photoreceptor with ionization potential relationships


Price searching on a mobile device is provided. A system for obtaining pricing information comprises at least one subsystem that electronically reads a price and product data of a product using a mobile device, at least one subsystem that searches for other available products and price data to compare to the electronically read price and product data, at least one subsystem that compares the price data of the other products to the electronically read price data, and at least one subsystem that presents purchase options based upon results of the comparison of the price and product data.

Shopping in retail establishments currently involves shoppers having to make a decision on whether to purchase an item without necessarily having all the information they need to ensure they are getting the best price for the item. Many stores currently offer "price matching" that may guarantee that the particular establishment providing the offer will beat or at least match a lower price found elsewhere by the purchaser for a set period of time after the purchase. However, this requires additional time and effort by the purchaser after the purchase has been made, and better deals at the time of the purchase may be missed entirely.
In this regard, there is a need for price searching on a mobile device that provides more immediate information to the shopper to make better purchasing decisions.

Systems and methods for price searching on a mobile device

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


A surveillance camera apparatus which has an image signal transmission apparatus transmitting an image signal and an image signal reception apparatus receiving an image signal from the image signal transmission apparatus. The image signal transmission apparatus has an image pick-up unit for picking-up an object, a position input unit for specifying a predetermined range, and an image signal output unit for outputting position information obtained from the position input unit superimposed on an image signal obtained from the image pick-up unit. The image signal reception apparatus has a detector for detecting position information from an image signal to which the position information is added, a recorder for recording the image signal, and a controller for selecting any one of the image signal and a signal masking a predetermined range of the image signal based on the position information from the detector for position information and for recording it into the recorder.

The present invention relates to a surveillance camera apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a surveillance camera apparatus which monitors all images obtained by an imaging unit, selectively masks the area of part of an image for the purpose of image picking-up forbiddance and privacy protection, and prevents it from being recorded or outputted.
A large number of surveillance apparatuses using an imaging unit are used for surveillance of an intruder or an intruding object (hereinafter, called an intruding object) into a Keep Out area of a public building and location, a bank, a store such as a supermarket, a dam, a base station, and an airport. When such surveillance apparatus is installed for surveillance of a public location, a neighboring house or a location causing a privacy problem is within the field of view of the surveillance apparatus and may often be image picked-up together in the range for surveillance. This can be the cause of a complaint.
To prevent a neighboring house or a location causing a privacy problem from being displayed on the image screen of a surveillance apparatus for the purpose of privacy protection, there is proposed a method for performing processing of limiting an image picking-up direction or removing, from the image screen, an object which must not be image picked-up, e.g., the periphery of a neighboring house, by image processing. The method will be described below in detail using FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 shows a schematic construction diagram of a prior art surveillance camera imaging apparatus. In FIG. 7, the numeral 60 denotes a lens unit, and the numeral 61 denotes an image pick-up element such as a CCD (charge coupled device). An incident light from the field of view of imaging is incident via the lens unit 60 upon the image pick-up element 61. The image pick-up element 61 converts the incident light subjected to adjustment of the angle of view by the lens unit 60 to an image signal, which then inputs it to an image processing unit 62. The image processing unit. 62 subjects the inputted image signal to image processing such as white balance adjustment and gamma correction. The image signal subjected to the image processing is inputted to a mask unit 63. The mask unit 63 has a function of masking part of an image privacy-protected in the field of view of imaging incident via the lens 60. The image signal masked by the mask unit 63 is displayed as a surveillance image on a display unit 65. The numeral 64 denotes a camera unit and has the image pick-up element 61, the image processing unit 62, and the mask unit 63.
A controller 67 has a function of setting the control of the pan direction and the tilt direction of the camera unit 64, the zoom of the lens unit 60 and the mask range of the mask unit 63. The camera unit 64 is attached to a pan head, not shown, for freely moving it in the pan direction and the tilt direction. The pan head is driven by a camera driving mechanism 66 in which the pan and tilt directions are controlled by the controller 67.
Assume that the controller 67 controls the camera driving mechanism 66 of the pan head to adjust the direction of the field of view of the camera unit 64, and controls zooming of the lens unit 60, wherein an image screen A shown in FIG. 8 is picked-up by the camera unit 64. The case that the image screen A has privacy-related information will be described below. In FIG. 8, the range indicated by P shows a range of privacy-related information. In this example, the image screen A is incident via the lens unit 60 upon the image pick-up element 61.
In the case of picking-up the intruding object for surveillance, a privacy part must be masked in the camera for privacy protection to output an image of the object. An incident light in the range P of the privacy-related information must be blocked on the image screen A of FIG. 8. To mask this part, the controller 67 controlling the mask unit 63 applies a necessary control signal to the mask unit 63. The part of the range P of the privacy-related information is masked, for example, the image signal of this part is removed for display on the display unit 65 without displaying the privacy-related information.
In the above prior art surveillance camera apparatus, the privacy-related information has already been subjected to processing such as removing in the camera unit 64 to be a masking image. When the image signal outputted from the camera unit 64 is transmitted via a network, is displayed on the monitor or is recorded, the privacy-related information has already been erased. A side receiving transmission of the image cannot obtain a detailed image of its part. In criminal investigation, it may be desired that even privacy-related information be obtained by limiting its application. The side receiving transmission of the image cannot select the image.

Surveillance camera apparatus having a selecting operation of image information in a receiving side


A reinforcement unit joins a B-pillar and a side sill of a vehicle. The side sill includes an inner side sill panel and an outer side sill panel having an upper flange and a lower flange. The reinforcement unit includes an outer reinforcement member located between the inner panel and the outer panel of the side sill, the outer reinforcement member having an upper flange and a lower flange, an inner reinforcement member located between the inner panel and the outer panel of the side sill, and a shear plate attached to the upper flange and to the lower flange of the outer panel and spanning from the upper flange to the lower flange between the outer reinforcement member and the inner reinforcement member.

Typically, a vehicle body structure includes a side sill construction in which the cross-section is shaped in a form of a boxed-channel. The side sill extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, i.e., between the front and rear wheels. In order to improve the torsional and bending stiffness of the vehicle body, a reinforcement unit is provided within the side sill.
In addition to reinforcing the side sill, the B-pillar, or the central pillar, may be reinforced by a pillar reinforcement. A vehicle body structure having such a pillar reinforcement is well known. However, the reinforced B-pillar may not provide sufficient strength to withstand torsional and bending loads transmitted to the vehicle body through the sill.
Therefore, there is an established need for an improved side sill reinforcement unit that maintains the function of the side sill while improving body rigidity of the B-pillar junction with the side sill.


A method and system for associating, synchronizing and reconciling files. Associated files are synchronized and their synchronization status reported. Based on the synchronization status. the operating system recommends a preferred reconciliation action. Furthermore, file conflicts are recognized and an application interface for computer applications is provided to allow conflicting files to be merged.

From the late 1970s through the present day the ability of general purpose digital computing devices to perform a wide variety of tasks has continually expanded. As a result, the use of personal computers has proliferated in businesses, homes, academia, and a multitude of other environments. Further, due to more recent advances in technology, the use of compact portable computers for travel has become feasible and even common-place.
Today, as the proliferation of personal computers continues, individuals routinely use more than a single computer in their work. This allows computer files to be created at one location and transferred to a computer at another location for modification there. As used herein the term "file" means a computer document created from a computer application or a folder containing such computer documents. The term "transfer" means to copy a file from one folder to another. The copied file may reside on the same computer or on separate computers.
Individuals typically use a second computer to engage in after-hours employment related work. These users have a computer at their home in addition to one at their office, and perhaps even a portable computer for travel. Thus, they can create a file at the office, transfer the file from their office computer to their home computer, and modify the file at home. On the succeeding business day, the users mav transfer the modified file back to their office computer for further use there. Additionally, for travel, many users transfer files to a portable computer for use or modification while traveling.
Most businesses have multiple computers. with secretaries as well as engineers, researchers and managers typically having their own office computer. These computers are often networked together in order to allow files to be easily transferred between employees. File transfer may be further facilitated by using a central file server in connection with a network. Central servers contain often used files, such as standard business forms, thereby allowing employees to easily access and transfer needed files to their respective computers for use and modification there.
The increasing use of multiple computers and networked systems by single entities has led to an increase in the transfer of files between or among that entity's computers. A problem associated with file transfer between computers is the resulting creation of multiple file versions when the transferred file copy or the original file copy is later modified. Thus, two file versions exist for each file that is transferred to, and modified on, another computer. Multiple file versions cause confusion as to whether a particular file copy is the up-to-date version. Such confusion can lead to the use of an outdated file version.
In a network environment, for example, an original document, such as a letter, may be typed and saved by a secretary at his or her computer. The letter then may be transferred over the network to the originator's computer for review. The originator can then rough edit and store the letter on his or her computer. Thus, a second version of the letter is created and stored on the originator's computer. When satisfied with this second version, the originator may print out a hard copy of the letter for review by a third person. The third person may perform a final edit by marking-up the printed copy. The marked-up copy is then given to the secretary for entry of those marked changes. If the secretary adds the marked changes to the original version on his or her computer, the final letter will be incorrect. It will not incorporate the originator's rough edit changes. Therefore. when modifying a file, a secretary must either insure he or she has the up-to-date file version by manually checking the copies that were transferred to other computers, or risk using an outdated file version.
The problem of multiple file versions also exists where files are transferred from central servers to individual employee computers. For example, where salesmen copy a standard price list, the file versions on the individual computers will become increasingly outdated as the standard price list is periodically updated. Thus, one salesman's price list may be two weeks old, while another's is one week old, and a third's is up-to-date. This can result in incorrect and conflicting information being used by a business.
In the absence of a network between computers, as is usually the case with a user's home and office computers, files are often transferred between the computers by a "sneaker-net". In a sneaker-net, a user "networks" its home and office computers by physically transporting files back and forth on storage media. As used herein the phrase "storage media" means a device capable of storing information in a format readable by a computer. The phrase "removable storage media" means a storage media device that is readily insertable and removable from a computer. Typically in a sneaker-net, a removable storage media, such as a floppy disk is used. Increasingly, however, portable computers are used as a means of transporting files in a sneaker-net environment. The use of a portable computer allows files to be transferred between the transporting storage media, the portable computer's hard disk drive, and the user's home or office computer more quickly over a local connection than can be done with removable storage media. The phrase "local connection" means a connection between computers in close proximity over which files or other information may be transferred. For example, the connection may be by serial or parallel cable. Further, the connection may be wireless using infrared or RF (radio frequency). Sneaker-net environments also lead to multiple file versions because files are transferred and modified on separate computers.
While the problem of multiple file versions may be alleviated by manually and continually updating older file versions when newer ones are created, that solution is impractical. Users typically create and edit multiple documents from various directories contemporaneously with one another. Thus, they cannot always remember what file versions in which directories are the most up-to-date. Further still, a user may be unaware that a newer version of a file even exists, such as when a standard form on a central server has been updated by management.
A second problem associated with file transfers between computers is resulting file conflicts. For example, a file conflict occurs when a single user independently modifies two separate versions of the same file. File conflicts also occur when two users, each with his or her own copy of the same file, such as a proposal, independently modify his or her own copy and thus create two "latest" versions of that file. Conflicting file versions cannot be readily reconciled because neither version incorporates the modifications of both users. In such cases, a version containing the modifications of both users can only be created by merging the two versions.
Therefore, there exists a need for a method and system for associating, synchronizing and reconciling files in a computer system. As used herein, the term "associate" means to link two or more files for synchronization. The term "synchronize" means to determine whether associated files are up-to-date and, if they are not, to recommend a preferred reconciliation action. "Reconciliation" is the act of updating or merging associated files. As used herein the term "updating" means replacing outdated file versions with an upto-date file version. The term "outdated" means that the file has not been modified since the last reconciliation action and an associated file has been modified. The term "up-to-date" means that the file represents the latest version available, which further means that either the file has been modified since the last reconciliation action and its associated files have not been modified, that neither the file nor its associated files have been modified since the last reconciliation action or that an associated file is not available for synchronization.
The association method and system should be user friendly, allowing users to intuitively associate files. Synchronization should automatically determine the status of associated files, report existing file conflicts and recommend proper reconciliation actions. The method and system should be able to function in both network and sneaker-net environments. Further, the method and system should provide an application interface to allow applications to merge files of their own type when file conflicts occur. Further still, file association and synchronization should operate as part of a computer operating system so that a separate application does not need to be launched.
Various methods have been used in the prior art for file association, synchronization and reconciliation. The earliest methods used a synchronization relationship to periodically back-up a computer's secondary memory. Back-up relationships, however, are only one way in nature. from a first computer to a second computer. Thus, such back-up synchronization methods are only designed for situations where files are created and modified on only one computer. As such, back-up relationships do not fulfill the present need because often files are modified on separate computers. Thus, back-up methods do not solve the need for a method and system for associating, synchronizing and reconciling files that are modified on different computers.
More recently, various other methods of associating, synchronizing and reconciling files have been used. These methods, however, do not provide an intuitive method of file association and synchronization in both a network and a sneaker-net environment. Further, the prior art methods do not provide for adequate reconciliation because they do not include an application interface for merging conflicting files. Moreover, because the prior art methods are not seamlessly integrated into an operating system, user interface or shell, they must be separately launched.
Thus, there exists a need for a method and system for intuitively associating, synchronizing and reconciling computer files. Further, there exists a need for an associating, synchronizing and reconciling method and system that will interface with computer applications in order to allow conflicting files to be merged.

Method and system of associating, synchronizing and reconciling computer files in an operating system


The invention relates to a hydrocracking catalyst containing: a hydrogenative component which is selected from at least one group VIB metal, at least one group VIII metal and combinations of same; at least one matrix comprising at least one oxide which is selected from an amorphous oxide, an oxide with low crystallinity and a mixture of both; and at least one microporous crystalline solid material which, in the calcined and anhydrous state, has molar composition X2O3:nYO2:mZO2, wherein X is a trivalent element, Y is at least one tetravalent element that is different from Ge and Z is Ge, and which, im the calcined and anhydrous state, has an X-ray diffractogram containing at least diffraction lines with d values=13.64, 7.87, 4.82, 4.55, 4.11 and 3.41 Å. The invention also relates to the method of preparing the inventive catalyst and to the use of same in hydrocarbon hydrocracking processses.

The hydrocracking of heavy petroleum fractions is of great importance in current refining systems, since it makes it possible to obtain a wide variety of light products such as aviation fuel, medium distillates and light fuel oils from heavier feeds of lower intrinsic value. One advantage of hydrocracking over other conversion processes, such as catalytic cracking, is that it yields medium distillates of excellent quality, whereas the gasoline from hydrocracking usually has a lower octane number than that obtained by catalytic cracking. Furthermore, the great flexibility of hydrocracking means that the production of different fractions can be adapted to market demand.
Conventional hydrocracking catalysts are bifunctional, i.e. they consist of the combination of a hydrogenating function and an acid function. The hydrogenating function arises from the presence in the catalyst of one or more metals in Group VIB of the Periodic Table of the Elements, such as molybdenum or tungsten, or from a combination of one or more Group VIII metals (preferably non-noble metals) such as nickel, cobalt or iron with Group VIB metals. The acid function is generally associated with a porous support with a high specific surface area having surface acidity, such as halogenated alumina, mixed oxides such as amorphous silica-alumina, or zeolites.
Both the selectivity for various products and the activity of a bifunctional hydrocracking catalyst are largely determined by the balance between the hydrogenating function and the acid function. When the acid function is weak and the hydrogenating function is strong, the catalyst is characterized by having low hydrocracking activity, which makes it necessary to work at high (above 400° C.) reaction temperatures or at very low (generally lower than 2 h−1) space velocities (volume of feed to be treated per unit volume of catalyst and per hour), and high selectivity for medium distillates. By contrast, when the acid function is strong and the hydrogenating function is weak, the catalyst is characterized by having high hydrocracking activity but low selectivity for medium distillates. A good hydrocracking catalyst must therefore have an appropriate balance between the acid function and the hydrogenating function.
Supports having a low acid function that are currently most used in the formulation of conventional hydrocracking catalysts include, most notably, amorphous silica-alumina. Hydrocracking catalysts based on amorphous silica-alumina have good selectivity for medium distillates but, as stated above, they are characterized by having low activity.
Supports having a stronger acid function include zeolites. Zeolites, specifically zeolite Y with a faujasite structure, are involved in the formulation of new-generation hydrocracking catalysts. Thus, hydrocracking catalysts based on zeolite Y have greater activity than conventional catalysts based on amorphous silica-alumina, although their selectivity for medium distillates is generally lower than that of the latter. Some hydrocracking processes that use zeolite-Y-based catalysts are described, for example, in patents U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,934 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,809.
The activity and selectivity of a zeolite-Y-based hydrocracking catalyst can be altered by modifying the acidity of the zeolite, which depends largely on its chemical composition, and more specifically on the ratio between the silicon atoms and aluminum atoms (Si/Al ratio) that determine its crystal structure. It is well known that the presence of an aluminum atom in tetrahedral coordination within the crystalline network of the zeolite generates charge deficiency that is compensated for by a proton, thus giving rise to the formation of a Brönsted acid center. It is therefore possible, in principle, to control the acidity of the zeolite by varying the Si/Al ratio within the network.
Zeolite-Y-based hydrocracking catalysts with a high Al content in the network (low Si/Al ratio) have high activity since they have a greater concentration of Brönsted acid 1 centers. However, these catalysts have low selectivity for medium distillates since the presence of a high number of acid centers promotes secondary cracking reactions promoting the formation of lighter products, such as gases and naphtha. On the other hand, hydrocracking catalysts containing zeolite Y with a low Al content in the network (high Si/Al ratio), and therefore a low acid center concentration, are more selective for medium distillates, although they have lower hydrocracking activity. In order to reduce the Al concentration in the network and to achieve the appropriate range of Si/Al ratios in hydrocracking catalysts, the zeolite Y must undergo post-synthesis treatments to remove aluminum, since this zeolite cannot be synthesized with a high Si/Al ratio. Such aluminum-removing treatments generally require severe hydrothermal conditions that result in a partial loss of zeolite crystallinity.
It would therefore be highly desirable to have a hydrocracking catalyst with good activity and selectivity for medium distillates, based on a microporous crystalline solid with a topology such that it has cavities with a high volume similar to that of large-pore zeolites, like zeolite Y, and which can be obtained with a high Si/Al ratio in a single synthesis step, avoiding subsequent aluminum-removing processes.
The microporous crystalline solid known as ITQ-21 is described in Spanish patent application P200101145, which corresponds to PCT Publication No.WO02/092511, that entered U.S. national chase on Nov. 14, 2003 as U.S. Ser. No. 10/714,571, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,248 on Feb. 1, 2005. However, its use as a hydrocracking catalyst component is neither suggested nor described in said application. Spanish application P20012287, which corresponds to PCT Publication No. WO03/029387, that entered U.S. national phase on Apr. 2. 2003 as U.S. Ser. No. 10/817,772, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,998,037 on Feb. 14. 2006, also relates to said crystalline solid material, specifically to its use in cracking. However, this application does not describe its use as a hydrocracking catalyst component in conjunction with Group VIB or VIII metals.

Hydrocracking catalyst comprising a microporous crystalline solid material

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas


An attic door pull having a ball chain attached to an attic door at one end and a finial attached to the other end by a coupler. The coupler includes a bore and the balls of the ball chain disposed in the bore are of a diameter less than the remaining balls.

This invention relates to hidden folding attic stairways attached to an attic door such that the stairway is hidden from view and stored in the attic when not in use. Typically, folding attic stairways are not often used such that the attic door hinges become rusty thereby requiring that a great deal of tension be applied to the opening mechanism when the attic door is pulled down. Normally, attic doors are opened by means of a rope-type pull with a functional pull element attached to the free end thereof. Of course, these rope pulls are quite unsightly and tend to fail over time through normal degradation of the rope fiber.
According to this invention, an attic door pull is provided wherein a ball chain is connected to an attic door at one end thereof and a coupler is attached to the other end thereof. A hollow bore is formed in the coupler and the ball chain is disposed within the bore so that the balls within the bore are of a smaller diameter than the remaining balls of the ball chain and wherein a finial is attached to the coupler.