An antibacterial agent or bactericide, comprising a 2-aminothiazole derivative represented by the following formula (I) and a salt thereof: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a lower alkyl, lower cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, thiophene, benzoyl, benzoylmethyl, benzyl or substituted benzyl or p-pivaloyloxyphenyl group; --COOR wherein R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group; and --CH.sub.2 COOR.sub.4 wherein R.sub.4 is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl, benzyl or substituted benzyl group; and A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 each represent a hydrogen atom; a lower alkanesulfonyl, halo lower alkanesulfonyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl, substituted benzoyl, substituted benzyl, substituted or unsubstituted benzenesulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkanoyl or amidino group; --CO--R.sub.5 wherein R.sub.5 is a lower alkyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl group, --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --COOH wherein m is an integer of 1 to 5, or --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --NH--R.sub.6 wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5 and R.sub.6 is a hydrogen atom or a tert-butoxycarbonyl, benzyloxycarbonyl group; and --(CH.sub.2).sub.Q --R.sub.7 wherein Q is an integer of 0 to 5 and R.sub.7 is a lower alkoxy, phenyl or substituted phenyl, pyridyl or substituted pyridyl, cyclic amino group; or A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 may combine with each other to form a cyclic amino group.

Prior art will be described. At the outset, thiazoles having a trifluoromethanesulfonylamino group at the 2-position are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,923,810 and 3,923,811. Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazettes Nos. Sho 64-40474 (40474/89) and Sho 64-75475 (75475/89) describe thiazole derivatives having anti-inflammatory action and analgesic action. Phenyl pivalate derivatives are described as an elastase inhibitor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,610 and Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazette No. Hei 3-20253 (20253/91). Further, the compounds or part of the compounds of this invention are described also in Japanese Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Gazettes Nos. Hei 3-173876 (173876/91) and Hei 5-70446 (70446/93). However, the antibacterial action or bactericidal action of the compounds of this invention is not disclosed at all, nor is it suggested.

Antibacterial preparation or bactericide comprising 2-aminothiazole derivative and/or salt thereof


A data transformation method for a testing system includes using a reception end for receiving a test signal comprising a test data and a timing information corresponding to the test data, and using a transformation unit for transforming the test data according to the timing information, so as to generate a test pattern utilized for testing a communication device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transformation method and related device for a testing system, and more particularly, to a data transformation method and related device for maintaining normal testing operation and improving testing efficiency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With development of wideband wireless communication technology, video transmission is widely applied in a mobile communication system. Therefore, transmission bandwidth is expected to be as wide as possible. In the prior art, a video transmission interface generally adopts parallel structure, to transmit data via multiple routes. However, as the bit amount of video data increases, the width of a parallel bus must be expanded to transmit video data, causing degradation of efficiency of space utility, increase of signal frequency and electromagnetic radiation, and electromagnetic interference.
Therefore, to improve the above-mentioned problems, the prior art provides different serial transmission interfaces to enhance space-utility efficiency and reduce electromagnetic interference, e.g. the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI). When a mobile communication device adopts a serial transmission interface to communicate with a multimedia peripheral equipment, the factors to be considered by a designer include power consumption, signal bandwidth, transmission distance, cost, noise response, and number of pins. In such a case, when the designer accomplishes the design of the mobile communication device, the mobile communication device is performed different tests in different test environments for improving performance accordingly.
For example, please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a testing system 10 adopting a serial transmission interface 100 according to the prior art. The testing system 10 comprises a signal generator 102, a transmission unit 104, and a reception unit 106. The signal generator 102 is utilized for generating different signal patterns and outputting the signal patterns to the transmission unit 104 by means of parallel or serial transmission. The transmission unit 104 is utilized for transforming the signal patterns generated by the signal generator 102 into a default format conforming to the serial transmission interface 100, and outputting to the reception unit 106. When the reception unit 106 is installed in a mobile communication device, the reception unit 106 is utilized for receiving the signal patterns outputted by the transmission unit 104 via the serial transmission interface 100, so as to drive applications AP_1˜AP_n correspondingly, and a designer can judge the efficiency of the mobile communication device accordingly.
However, in the prior art, the signal generator 102 generally adopts a binary waveform file using a unit of a time interval as input to verify the mobile communication device. The waveform file records waveforms to be inputted. However, if a speed of a waveform is greater than an operating speed, the waveform cannot be verified. Moreover, the signal generator 102 cannot perform operations of replacing and extending on the waveform file, so that the application range is limited.

Data transformation method and related device for a testing system


In an approach for smart collaboration, a plurality of images are received. Each image of the plurality of images is from a different device of a plurality of devices. The plurality of images are combined into a single combined image. The combined image is transferred to the plurality of devices.

The present invention relates generally to the field of data collaboration, and more particularly to data collaboration across multiple locations to exchange ideas.
A video projector or digital image projector receives video signals from a source and projects the digital image on to a viewing surface, generally a screen. The image is projected using a lens system that uses either a light that is very bright or a laser. Video projects can be used in an office setting, home cinema, classroom presentation, or other location where video is to be displayed. There are multiple forms of video projectors including, but not limited to, DLP, LCD, LED, laser diode, LCoS, and the like.
A digital whiteboard, also known as an interactive whiteboard, is generally a large interactive display that can both display information and also receive input from a user directly on the screen. The interactive whiteboard can be a standalone device such as a touchscreen computer or can work with other devices, such as an input device and a video projector. Similar to the video projector, a digital whiteboard can be used in an office setting, home cinema, classroom presentation, or other location where video is to be displayed and interacted with. Often the user will interact with the information displayed by the projector or on the touchscreen by using his/her hands to touch the information, by using an input device such as an electronic pen that interacts directly with the physical surface of the digital whiteboard, or by using a mouse which can interact with the user interface being displayed.

Smart collaboration across multiple locations

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and method for recursive filtering of time discrete measurement data relating to a measurable time-varying attribute to generate an estimated magnitude for the attribute at a particular time instant. Each measurement has an associated reliability indicator representing a relative reliability of the measurement. Using the individual reliability indicators and a time-weighted filtered reliability indicator for a prior time instant, a filtered reliability indicator for the current time instant is generated. The filtered reliability indicator for the current time instant is then used to reliability-weight a weighted average of the plurality of measurements and to reliability-weight a time-weighted estimated magnitude for the prior time instant. The weighted values are then used to generate an estimated magnitude of the time-varying attribute for the current time instant.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to measurement systems, and in particular to processing and filtering of time discrete measurement data.
2. Description of Related Art
Frequently, in monitoring and control systems, there is a need to generate estimates of a magnitude of interest from multiple instantaneous measurements. If the measuring method adds uncertainty or noise, or if noise is present in the monitoring environment, filtering of a series of measurements is needed to generate a reliable or accurate estimate. Similarly, if the measured quantity varies with time, sometimes the average value, the trend, or the long term variations of the measured quantity, rather than the instantaneous value, are of interest. To generate such an average value, trend, or long term variation, filtering of instantaneous measurements is needed.
Generally, one or more sensors are used to measure the quantity of interest. The sensors can be any measuring equipment, wherein the measurements are sampled from the sensors at regular intervals. In many cases, not all sensors deliver measurements at every sampling instant, or individual measurements might be discarded from some reason. Furthermore, each individual measurement might not be equally reliable. As a result, each measurement can have an associated reliability, which can be a function of the reliability of the particular measurement and/or the reliability of the sensor. To generate an accurate or reliable estimate of the quantity of interest, it is important to consider the reliability of each measurement during the estimation procedure.
When a time variant quantity is to be estimated, it is often desirable to rely, at least in part, on historical measurements to generate a more reliable estimate of the current quantity. Typically, measurements made recent in time are more relevant to the current estimate than earlier measurements. As a result, more recent measurements should be given more importance or weight during the estimation process. This weighting procedure can be exemplified by an estimator that gradually forgets old measurements as new measurements are received. One way to achieve this result is to use historical weights that decrease exponentially with time. Thus, if two measurements are separated by n time instants (corresponding to a time difference of txe2x88x92nT seconds, where T is the time between consecutive time instants and t is the time of the later measurement), the older of the two measurements are considered (1xe2x88x92xcex2)n times less important, where xcex2 is a parameter called the forgetting factor. The value of the forgetting factor determines how fast the estimator forgets old measurements and must be a number between 0 and 1, where values close to 1 result in an estimator that forgets quickly.
A similar situation is presented when the sensors deliver measurements of different quantities. It might then be of interest to collect the measurements on a per sensor basis, but to also average the measurements over all of the sensors. Such a situation might arise, for example, when a temperature sensor is installed in each room in a building. The filtering and averaging process should then take into account the reliability of each individual sensor and its corresponding measurement when estimating the overall temperature.
A common method of generating estimates is to filter measurements through an auto-regressive filter:
Sn=(1xe2x88x92xcex2)Sn-1+xcex2mnxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1 )
where mn is the average of measurements over the sensors at time instant n, and Sn is the estimate of the measured quantity at time instant n. Problems arise, however, when measurements are missing, which causes the number of existing measurements to vary with time. In particular, a large number of measurements at a first time instant will not be given more weight than a small number of measurements at a second time instant. This problem is further exacerbated when no measurements exist for some sampling instants. Moreover, this filtering method does not take into account the reliability of the measurements.
A similar approach would be to filter the measurements from each sensor through separate auto-regressive filters and calculate the average of the filter outputs. This procedure, however, will suffer from the same problems as the previous method.
Another alternative might be to store historical measurements and to calculate the current estimate using both the current and historical measurements. Again, however, such a method would suffer from the same problems discussed above. Furthermore, this method would also require relatively large amounts of memory and would increase the computational complexity of the estimation procedure.
There is a need, therefore, for a method and apparatus that would filter measurements in an efficient way (i.e., with low memory requirements and low computational complexity). Preferably, such a method would provide an average of measurements over all of the sensors and would take into account historical measurements, with the weight of the historical measurements decreasing exponentially with time. Moreover, it would be desirable for the filtering method and apparatus to take into account only the existing measurements (i.e., corresponding to those sampling instants in which measurement data is received) together with an associated reliability of the measurements.
The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for recursively filtering measurement data. The apparatus and method operate to generate an unbiased average of measurements from one or more sensors. The weight of historical measurements and their corresponding reliability indicators in the unbiased average decrease exponentially with time. In addition, the apparatus and method account for measurements that are intermittent or unequally reliable.
The apparatus of the invention includes a buffer for storing measurements of a time-varying attribute that are made during a particular time instant. Each measurement has an associated reliability indicator representing a relative reliability of the measurement. The apparatus further includes a memory for storing filtering instructions, which are used to generate an estimated magnitude for the time-varying attribute at the particular time instant, and a processor for filtering the plurality of measurements in accordance with the filtering instructions. In particular, the processor operates to time-weight a historical estimated magnitude of the time-varying attribute and to generate a weighted average of the plurality of measurements using the reliability indicators associated with the plurality of measurements. Using the time-weighted historical estimated magnitude, the processor generates an estimated magnitude of the time-varying attribute for the particular time instant.
In accordance with the method of the invention, time discrete measurement data relating to a measurable time-varying attribute is filtered to generate an estimated magnitude for the attribute at a particular time instant. One or more measurements of the time-varying attribute are collected during the time instant. Each measurement has an associated reliability indicator that represents a relative reliability of said measurement. First, the reliability indicators for the measurements are filtered to produce a filtered reliability indicator, which includes a time-weighted historical reliability indicator. Then, the measurements are filtered to produce an estimated magnitude of the attribute for the current time instant. The estimated magnitude is determined using a time-weighted and reliability-weighted historical estimated magnitude of the time-varying attribute and a reliability-weighted average of the measurements. The reliability weighting of the reliability-weighted historical estimated magnitude and the reliability-weighted average of the measurements is performed using said filtered reliability indicator.

Method and apparatus for recursive filtering of parallel intermittent streams of unequally reliable time discrete data


The present teaching relates to an illumination module for emitting light directed in parallel in a main emission direction, having a reflector with a focus lying on the front side thereof. At least one LED light source is arranged substantially at the focus of the reflector for radiating light into the reflector. A heatsink is arranged on the rear side of the reflector. The LED light source is oriented counter to the main emission direction. The reflector is configured to direct the light radiated into the reflector by the at least one LED light source in parallel and emit the light in the direction of the main emission direction. The at least one LED light source is held by means of at least one connecting web extending from the heatsink to the LED light source.

Different illumination modules for emitting light direct in parallel are known from the prior art. Conventional stage lights for emitting light direct in parallel for example comprise gas discharge lamps, which are arranged in the region of a focus of a reflector. Due, however, to the spatial extent of gas discharge lamps, it is not possible to arrange such a light source exclusively in the focus of the reflector. Conventional spotlights of this kind have a divergence which is not insignificant, as well as considerable spatial dimensions, which prevent the production of a compact, flat lamp.
Alternatively, illumination modules comprising LED light sources have already been provided. The LED light source has small spatial dimensions in comparison to a gas discharge lamp. The light emitting surface of an LED light source is relatively small and can be arranged easily within a reflector. Light is emitted by an LED light source generally inhomogeneously, i.e. the light is emitted in the form of a typically non-linear, diverging light distribution, and the light intensity varies depending on the angle of the mission.
The illumination modules known from the prior art have a high spatial requirement and/or are unsuitable for providing a parallel light emission which is as accurate as possible.

Illumination module for emitting light directed in parallel


A recirculating livestock watering system provides drinking water at a temperature above the freezing point during the winter and below the ambient air temperature during the summer. The reservoir, having a bottom surface, a continuous side surface, and an upper rim surface, is disposed such that the bottom surface and a portion of the side surface lie underground. A water source is disposed underground at a depth below the frost line. A heating circuit includes a coil, a pump, an input valve, and a output valve. The coil has an inlet and an outlet and is placed below the frost line. The pump inlet is connected to the coil outlet and the pump outlet is connected to the coil inlet, forming a continuous enclosed path. The output valve releases water from the heating circuit into the reservoir upon demand and is disposed along the continuous enclosed path downstream from the coil outlet and upstream from the pump inlet. The input valve is connected to the water source upstream from the coil inlet and downstream from the pump outlet permitting water to enter and fill the heating circuit under predetermined conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the provision of drinking water for animals, and more particularly to devices for maintaining a constant supply of water which remains: 1) free of debris or other contaminants during operation, 2) above the freezing temperature during the winter months, and 3) below the ambient air temperature during the summer months.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
For many years, owners of cattle and other livestock have sought an economical and practical solution to providing sources of fresh water to their herds during the winter months. Even today, water continues to play a central role in the diet of all healthy animals. Once the ambient air temperature drops below freezing, any source of water directly exposed to the elements begins to freeze. The consequences resulting from a frozen water source range from the mere nuisance of having to periodically attend to the source to the more catastrophic outcome of losing an entire herd in the event that another source cannot be provided for an extended period.
Since these consequences are well known to those in the art, many attempts to solve the related problems have been implemented. In milder climates that experience only an occasional period of subfreezing temperatures, insulated containers or electric heating elements provide an adequate solution. In harsher climates or in situations in which water supplies cannot be attended to as frequently, however, insulated containers alone eventually freeze over and providing sufficient heating through use of an electric element becomes prohibitively expensive.
Accordingly, various heat exchange devices have been designed to harness the naturally occurring potential which results because of the differential between the subfreezing air temperature and the constant temperature of the earth below the frostline. (In most colder climates in the United States, the frostline is between two to three feet below the surface of the earth.) At some distance below the earth's surface and below the frostline in the region, the temperature remains constant at approximately 54.degree. F., regardless of the ambient air temperature above ground. During periods of subfreezing air temperatures, this source of heat from below ground can be used to maintain a water supply at a temperature above freezing.
Numerous systems attempting to harness this subsurface heat have been disclosed. Some of these systems operate on a mechanically induced recirculation principle. In general, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,706, issued to Johnson on Dec. 7, 1965 and entitled "Circulating Live-stock Watering System", these systems feature an underground pressurized water supply line that feeds into the bottom of a tank situated below the frost line. During operation, a float control system senses the level of the water within the tank and, if necessary, triggers the water supply line to begin feeding the tank. A continuously operating electric pump circulates water through a circuit. In the first portion of the circuit, water in the tank is first drawn upward through an inlet line and then enters a drinking basin disposed above the surface of the ground through a basin inlet. The basin inlet is disposed near the bottom of the basin. Water entering the basin agitates the residual pool of water there, thus slowing the freezing process. (Additionally, this agitation supposedly inhibits the growth of algae during the summer months.) If the level of the residual pool has fallen below a predetermined height, the entering water begins to fill the basin. Once the predetermined level is reached, however, the entering water flows out through the basin outlet and begins returning to the tank through via a return conduit, thereby completing the circuit. Consequently, water drawn from the pressurized supply line into the tank remains in circulation between the tank and the basin until the water is consumed or it evaporates.
Since the basin outlet is necessarily disposed at a height greater than the basin inlet, water in the basin could flow in a reverse direction and drain back into to the tank via the inlet line in the event of a pump failure. Because the basin inlet is disposed near the bottom of the basin, any sediment or other undesirable foreign matter in the basin would then be carried by the draining water into the tank, thereby increasing the likelihood of contamination. An attempt to address this drawback appeared in U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,263, issued to Johnson on Feb. 28, 1967 and entitled "Recirculating Live-stock Watering System". The Johnson '263 patent discloses a basin inlet disposed well above the basin outlet.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,966, issued to Moore on Aug. 29, 1986 and entitled "Livestock Watering System", the same recirculating system can be configured to supply relatively warmer water during the colder months and relatively colder water during the warmer months by using a selectively activated thermostatic control system. This system circulates water from the tank to the basin as the temperature of the residual pool either increases or decreases from a predetermined setting.
Instead of continuously circulating the water, other systems provide for supplying it upon demand. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,378, issued to Lapp on Mar. 21, 1989 and entitled "Animal Watering Fountain", an animal can actuate a lever in the basin which in turn opens a valve that then allows water to enter the basin. Any remaining water drains from the basin back into the underground tank.
By way of contrast to mechanically induced circulation systems described above, others operate on a natural convection principle. In these systems, e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,928, issued to Ketterlin on Apr. 2, 1991 and entitled "Freeze Resistant Animal Watering Installation", the top of the underground tank protrudes through the surface of the ground and serves as the drinking basin, while the bottom of the tank remains disposed below the frostline. Natural convection results by virtue of the temperature differential between the water at the top, which is relatively cooler because it is exposed to the air, and the water at the bottom of the tank, which is relatively warmer. Accordingly, water from the bottom of the tank rises to the top, cools, and returns to the bottom again in a cyclical fashion.
As shown in the prior art discussed above, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,966, a reservoir can be disposed below the frostline, thereby preventing the water within it from freezing. Circumstances arise, however, in which the loss of heat from the drinking water supply above ground exceeds the amount of heat that can be transferred from the relatively warmer water in the reservoir disposed below ground on account of natural convection alone. In these situations, forced circulation provides additional heat transfer and further forestalls the freezing process. Even with the added forced circulation, however, the animals must often drink extremely cold water, i.e., water at a temperature just above the freezing point.
It would be advantageous to provide a system which would employ the principles of both induced circulation and natural convection to maintain the temperature of drinking water above freezing in the winter and below the ambient air temperature in the summer. Such a system would perform more effectively than one operating on either principle alone.
It would also be advantageous to provide a system which would provide greater assurances that the drinking water will remain free of debris and contamination during operation. In such a system, the drinking water which becomes subject to contamination after being exposed to the elements and animals is not recirculated for the purposes of transferring heat to the basin.


A system for use in a wellbore includes plural modules for positioning in the wellbore and including respective interfaces, where the plural modules are configured to perform predefined downhole tasks in the wellbore. The plural modules are associated with respective local power sources. A telemetry subsystem enables communication between at least two of the plural modules, where the communication between the at least two of the plural modules allows one of the two modules to affect an operation of another of the two modules.

To complete a well, various operations are performed downhole in a wellbore. Examples of such operations include firing perforating guns to form perforations in a surrounding formation, setting packers, actuating valves, collecting measurement data from sensors, and so forth. An issue associated with performing such operations with various downhole modules is the ability to efficiently communicate with such downhole modules.
A typical arrangement includes a surface controller that is able to control the operations of the various downhole modules using pressure pulse signals. Alternative techniques of activating downhole modules include techniques that employ hydraulic pressure activation or mechanical activation.

Telemetry subsystem to communicate with plural downhole modules


A new cultivar of Colocasia plant named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ that is characterized by a combination of a large yellow-green colored leaves with light purple veins, a matte finish, undulating purple leaf margins, burgundy colored petioles and a small to medium sized compact plant. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ from all other varieties of Colocasia known to the inventor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia commonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown as a food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS'. 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' is one of five applications by the inventor relating to new cultivars of Colocasia. The other four applications are titled Colocasia plant named 'Hawaiian Eye' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,884), Colocasia plant named 'Blue Hawaii' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,003), Colocasia plant named 'Diamond Head' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,939) and Colocasia plant named 'Hilo Bay' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,108).
Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropical Asia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5–2 m in height from starchy tubers. The leaves of Colocasia are heart-shaped and very large in size. The tuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropical areas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmer climates or as a container plant in colder areas.
The new Colocasia variety named 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' is the product of a formal breeding program carried out in a cultivated area in Kula, Hi. The purpose of the breeding program is to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.
'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' is a seedling selection from the controlled pollination between the female parent variety '2001-52' (unpatented) and male parent breeding line '2002-41' (unpatented). Initially designated as '2004-39', 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' was derived as a single plant selected in 2004.
The new variety 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' has large yellow-green colored leaves with purple veins on the upper and lower leaf surface, a matte finish, and undulating purple leaf margins. 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' produces burgundy colored petioles. The leaves are ⅓ to ½ times larger than its male parent and 2 to 3 times larger than its female parent. The male parent, '2002-41', exhibits greenish-purple colored leaves with a matte finish, a smooth margin, and light purple venation. The petioles are dark purple in color with a matte finish. The female parent, '2001-52' exhibits smaller violet leaves with a purple spot on the upper leaf surface at the point of leaf and petiole attachment and a undulating margin. In these aspects, this new variety differs from its parents.
The closest comparison variety known to the inventor is 'Ruffles' (unpatented), its closest commercial variety. PINEAPPLE PRINCESS produces light yellow-green leaves with light purple veins and an undulating purple leaf margin compared to 'Ruffles' which exhibits a green leaf with an undulating leaf margin. PINEAPPLE PRINCESS produces a uniform burgundy colored petioles compared with 'Ruffles' that exhibit green petioles. PINEAPPLE PRINCESS produces a uniform compact plant compared with the tall 'Ruffles' plant.
The most commonly employed means of asexual propagation of the genus Colocasia is the excision and replanting of a shoot which consists of the apical 1 cm–2 cm portion of the plant corm with the attached basal 15 cm–20 cm portion of the petiole. In regions of the world where Colocasia is grown, this plant shoot is known as a "huli", and the means of propagation is known as "huli propagation". Asexual propagation of hulis of 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' began in 2004 in Hawaii by the inventor using huli propagation whereby the apical shoots are separated from the plant by cutting the shoot at the top of the corm immediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. Evaluation in field and pot studies have shown the unique features of 'PINEAPPLE PRINCESS' to be stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.


The present invention relates to a method of in-band communication, outside the standard SCSI communication protocol, between SCSI bus repeaters and initiator devices. The present invention implements the communication mode during the message phase of the SCSI protocol and allows initiators on a SCSI bus to determine the number, location and status of SCSI repeaters accessible on the SCSI bus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication with bus repeater devices within a computing system and, more particularly, to a method that enables initiators on a computer bus to determine the number, location and status of repeater devices on the computer bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As long as there have been computers, users have attached peripheral hardware devices to them. Some of the typical hardware interfaces include Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) and Enhanced IDE (EIDE) buses. One of the more popular and enduring interfaces is the small computer system interface (SCSI) bus. While an IDE bus is restricted to two disk drives and an EIDE bus is restricted to four devices, including hard disks and CD-ROM drives, the SCSI bus is able to support up to fifteen devices such as disk drives, CD-ROM drives, optical drives, printers, and communication devices. One of the attractions of the SCSI bus is its ability to easily adapt to new types of devices by using a standard set of commands, or the SCSI-3 command set.
The SCSI protocol specifies that communication between an initiator, or device that issues SCSI commands, and a target, a device that executes SCSI commands, takes place in phases: a BUS_FREE, ARBITRATION, SELECTION, RE-SELECTION, COMMAND, DATA, MESSAGE_IN, MESSAGE_OUT and STATUS phase. The first four phases, BUS_FREE, ARBITRATION, SELECTION, and RE-SELECTION, are used to setup a connection between an initiator and a target device.
The BUS_FREE phase is the initial state and, during the BUS_FREE phase, any SCSI device on a particular SCSI bus can attempt to take control of the bus. Often two or more devices request control at the same time (or within the period of a xe2x80x9cbus settle delayxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94typically 400 nanoseconds). Which device gains control is determined in the ARBITRATION phase. After the ARBITRATION phase, the SELECTION phase is performed where the initiator selected in the ARBITRATION phase signals a specific target device that a service is requested. The RE-SELECTION phase is used when an interrupted connection needs to be reestablished.
In the final phases, COMMAND, DATA, MESSAGE_IN, MESSAGE_OUT and STATUS, are known collectively as the DATA phases. During the DATA phases, the target device receives commands from the initiator, the two exchange data, and, if necessary, messages and status information are communicated.
To maximize performance, a SCSI bus should not exceed a predetermined length. For example, the predetermined length can be exceeded when a server, located in one box or unit, is connected through a SCSI bus to a mass storage subsystem, such as a disk drive array or a CD-ROM drive located in another box or unit. To prevent performance degradation, designers have implemented what is known as repeater circuits. Repeater circuits are used to couple short, terminated SCSI bus segments. The repeater circuit includes two ports with each port connected to a different terminated SCSI bus segment. The repeater circuit provides a buffer between the terminated bus segments in order to achieve a high performance SCSI bus that exceeds the predetermined length. To a SCSI controller, the terminated bus segments appear as a single SCSI bus.
The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for in-band communication, outside the standard SCSI communication protocol, between an initiator device and either a SCSI bus repeater or a xe2x80x9cdaisy-chainxe2x80x9d of repeaters. The method and apparatus enable an initiator on a SCSI bus to determine the number, location and status of SCSI repeaters accessible on the SCSI bus. In addition, the method of and apparatus for the present invention enables communication that does not conform to a bus""s standard protocol to occur between devices on the bus
One embodiment of the present invention implements the in-band communication mode during the MESSAGE_IN phase of the SCSI protocol. The communication mode is initiated between an initiator and either a repeater or a chain of repeaters on a SCSI bus whenever four particular conditions are met for a length of time exceeding a bus settle delay.
Upon the occurrence of the four conditions for a length of time exceeding the bus settle delay, the repeater halts normal xe2x80x9cpass-throughxe2x80x9d functions, synchronizes to a clock signal (specifically the ATN signal) originating from the initiator, and communicates to the requesting initiator information such as an ID number, a device type, a revision number of the target""s software, and a checksum (to ensure that data has been communicated correctly).
Upon completion of the non-SCSI communication, the repeater resumes pass-through functionality, enabling either a target device to utilize normal SCSI communications or the next repeater in the chain of repeaters to repeat the non-SCSI communication process. In this fashion, repeaters can be strung together and the initiator is able to determine the number, location and status of each. Once all repeaters in the chain have completed the non-SCSI communication, the last repeater in the chain resumes pass-through functions and a target can be reached. The initiator and target can then initiate or resume standard SCSI communication.

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P.


An adaptive digital predistortion apparatus and method for transmitting broadband digital signals from a wireless transmitter to a transmitting channel are provided. In the adaptive digital predistortion process, a non-linearity conversion opposite to the transmitting channel characteristic is performed by a digital predistorter for input baseband signals. The predistorted signals are amplified by a power amplifier via an up conversion channel. A part of the signals outputted from the power amplifier are fed back to an adaptive controller via a coupler. The feedback signals are processed by the adaptive controller to obtain out-of-band emission energy of the feedback signals. Using the out-of-band emission energy as a target function, the predistortion parameters are updated by employing a multi-parameter optimum seeking module. Accordingly, broadband signals to be transmitted are predistorted by the digital predistortion system to cancel out the non-linear characteristic of the transmitting channels, and to suppress the out-of-band emission energy of the outputting signals. Meanwhile, by using a multi-parameter optimization seeking module, the predistortion parameters are adjusted adaptively by the digital predistortion system based on the slow variation of non-linearity of the transmitting channels.

In recent years, while wireless communication technology has been developed vigorously worldwide, the wireless communication industry faces a series of problems that are difficult to solve, such as various communication systems existing simultaneously, various communication standards competing sharply, and shorting of wireless frequency resources, and the like. In order to help solve these problems, it is desired that digitalization of a wireless communication system may be as close to Radio Frequency (RF) front end as possible. Also, it is desired that the fundamental function elements of various wireless communications are implemented by software because modifying only the system software would make the supporting of the other communication systems easily. These features have become a necessity of wireless communication systems, particularly involving in broadband wireless communication systems. Further, in broadband wireless communication systems, it is also desired to have super linearity and wide dynamic range in broadband transmitting channels.
In order to utilize frequency resources more effectively, modulation methods with high utilization efficiency of the frequency spectrum, such as SSB, QPSK, 8PSK, and etc., are employed by many communication systems. Not only is the phase of a carrier modulated by these modulation methods, but also the amplitude of the carrier is modulated by these modulation methods. Therefore, non-constant envelope modulation signals with a larger peak to average ratio are produced by these modulation methods. However, for the constant envelope modulation, such as GMSK, if multi-carrier technology is used, a larger envelope fluctuation may also be produced by utilizing a signal combiner to combine the signals of a plurality of carriers into a broadband signal. A higher linearity requirement may be raised for broadband transmitting channels with a larger peak to average ratio, particularly, for digital to analogue (D/A) converters, broadband transmitters (BTXs) and broadband power amplifiers. Generally, semiconductor devices have an unavoidable non-linearity characteristic. When a broadband transmitter is operating at a non-linear region, it will produce an inter-modulation component, thereby causing signals interfering with each other in-band.
As discussed earlier, it is commonly desired to improve communication system linearity in a broadband communication system. Three methods have been used to solve the linearity problems. One is to use a suitable super linear semiconductor device and to design a broadband transmitter that accords with the performance requirements of the super linear semiconductor device. However, this method is expensive and involves many technology difficulties. The second method is to reduce the power of the entire transmitting channel, such that the transmitting channel may operate in a linear region. However, this method significantly decreases the operating efficiency of the broadband communication system. The third method is to employ a linearization technology, that is, proper peripheral circuits are used to correct the non-linearity of the transmitting channel, thereby presenting a linear amplifying effect for the input signals by the circuits in its entirety. This method may avoid using difficult technology for manufacturing semiconductor devices and allows the use of devices with relatively low cost. In addition, this method not only allows a variety of forms, but also provides flexibility in selecting devices. Thus, the third method has been considered as the most suitable method at present.
In a linearization method, predistortion technology is the most simple and effective method. In a predistortion system, signals are corrected firstly by a predistorter, then sent to a power amplifier for amplifying and outputting. The signal distortion characteristic produced by the predistorter is opposite to that produced by a transmitting channel, thereby a distortion component of the transmitting channel is canceled out so as to obtain a non-distortion output.
A typical narrow band predistortion system is shown in FIG. 1. The baseband signals are corrected by a predistorter first. Then, the signals are quadrature modulated, D/A converted by a D/A converter, up-converted by an up-converter, amplified by a power amplifier, and finally outputted by an antenna. Meanwhile, a part of the signals outputted from the power amplifier are fed back by a coupler and converted into baseband signals through a band-pass filter (not shown), down-converted by a down-converter, A/D converted by an A/D converter, demodulated by a quadrature demodulator (not shown), and sent to an error processor. The other input of the error processor is a delayed baseband input signal. The difference between the two signals are compared in the error processor to output a signal to the predistorter. The parameters of the predistorter are updated. An adaptive function can be realized in the error processor. However, in the broadband communication systems, the delay of a frequency component of different signals on the transmitting channels cannot be approximated to the same value. Comparing the differences between the input signals and output signals with a simple delay is not suitable for solving the non-linearity problem of the transmitting channels of the broadband communication systems. Thus, there is a need for a predistortion apparatus and method for compensating the non-linearity of transmitting channels of broadband communication systems.

Adaptive digital predistortion method and apparatus for wireless transmitter


The present invention refers to peptides comprised in the extracellular region of human PDGF receptor (hPDGFR) alpha, their use for detecting auto-antibodies anti-hPDGFR alpha and to a method for the diagnosis or the monitoring control for therapy of SSc. The present invention also refers to antibodies or recombinant or synthetic derivatives thereof able to recognize and bind to the above peptide and to their use in the treatment of SSc.

Scleroderma (Systemic Sclerosis; SSc) is a relatively rare and often fatal disorder that affects mostly adult women. SSc is characterized by microvasculature damage, inflammation and autoimmunity, and fibroblasts activation leading to massive fibrosis in the connective tissue of skin, vessels, muscles and visceral organs. Organ involvement, disease progression and clinical severity vary greatly amongst affected individuals, with death occurring as the result of end-stage organ failure. In spite of significant effort, SSc pathogenesis remains ill-defined and consequently, disease outcome is often unpredictable and clinical treatment is very limited. Authors have discovered in the serum of patients affected by some autoimmune diseases, a new type of autoantibodies, targeting the human PDGF receptor (PDGFR) (WO2007/013124). Serum anti-PDGFR auto-antibodies may represent a main determinant of the pro-fibrotic phenotype of scleroderma fibroblasts, since they can convert healthy human fibroblasts into SSc-like cells characterized by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, stabilization of Ha-Ras, and amplified transcription of collagen genes (Baroni S S et al. N Engl J Med 2006; 354: 2667-2676).
PDGFR alpha and beta each contains five extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains and an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. Ligand binding to the extracellular domains induces receptor dimerization and tyrosine phosphorylation, activating several downstream signaling pathways (Heldin C H, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1998), some of which are directly or indirectly linked to extracellular matrix regulation. Recently, a study by Olson and Soriano (Olson L E, Soriano P. Dev Cell 2009; 16: 303-313) has confirmed the central role of increased PDGFR activation and signaling in driving systemic fibrosis in vivo in transgenic mice.

Epitopes of the human PDGF receptor able to bind human auto-antibodies, antibodies and uses thereof


A method, computer program product, and system for managing statistical views in a database system are provided. The method, computer program product, and system provide for collecting data relating to optimization and execution of a workload in the database system and automatically generating a set of one or more statistical views based on the collected optimization and execution data.

Relational database systems store data in tables that are organized into rows and columns. This allows large volumes of data to be stored and accessed efficiently and conveniently in response to user commands. User commands are typically submitted in the form of SQL (Structured Query Language) statements, such as SELECT, INSERT, DELETE, and UPDATE. Since SQL is a declarative language, i.e., it only specifies what data is to be accessed, not how that data is to be accessed, database systems include optimizers that formulate different plans for accessing data and evaluate those plans to select one for execution based on, for instance, costs or rules.
For cost-based optimizers, picking the "correct" plan, i.e., the least costly plan in terms of resources, time, or a combination of both, depends upon the statistics (i.e., information about the underlying data to be accessed) available to the optimizer. Database systems usually maintain some very basic statistics, such as size and column-data distribution of base tables. Using those basic statistics, the cost of certain operations, such as simple predicates ('col=value'), can be accurately estimated. The cost associated with some operations, however, are much more difficult to estimate. For example, the cardinality (i.e., the number of rows in the result set) for join operations is notoriously difficult to estimate. Additionally, once the cardinality for one operation is wrongly estimated, that error propagates to subsequent operations.
To improve optimizer performance, database administrators have the option of manually declaring views on statistics collected for various operations handled by the database system (i.e., statistical views). However, since the number of statistical views that can be declared for a database system could be unlimited, it would be impractical to manually declare and maintain all of those views as the costs will quickly outweigh the benefits. For example, additional storage will be needed to store the numerous statistical views. In addition, the costs involved in keeping the statistical views up-to-date may be too high. Moreover, the time it would take an optimizer to search through all of the statistical views when compiling an execution plan may be too much of an overhead.
Accordingly, there is a need for an invention that not only automates the process of generating statistical views, but also balances the need to minimize optimizer errors with the costs associated with generating and maintaining statistical views.

Management of statistical views in a database system


An MBE effusion cell is configured to produce an inverted temperature gradient; that is, the top surface of the melt is not cooler than the bottom surface of the melt. In one embodiment, the MBE effusion cell comprises a crucible having tip, central and base regions. First filaments are located laterally adjacent the tip region; second filaments are located laterally adjacent the central region; and third filaments are located laterally adjacent all three of the regions. The radial density of the number of the heater filaments is lower adjacent the base region than adjacent the tip or central regions. In another embodiment, further tailoring of the inverted temperature gradient is obtained by reducing the amount of insulation at the base of the crucible. In another embodiment, at least one heater filament extends substantially along the longitudinal axis of the crucible and is located adjacent its lateral wall. Dielectric annular spacers are located around the lateral wall and are distributed along the longitudinal axis. The spacers having a multiplicity of holes through which the filaments pass. The filaments and spacers are located within a gas-blocking enclosure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to molecular beam deposition of layers of material and, more particularly, to effusion cells and methods for their use in the molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth of such materials.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Molecular beam deposition of layers of material (e.g., semiconductors, metals, insulators, or superconductors) on a heated substrate in an ultra high vacuum is well known in the art. In particular, MBE is one of the principal techniques used in the semiconductor device industry to fabricate high quality, single crystal, semiconductor layers with thickness control on the order of a monolayer. In MBE a single crystal substrate or wafer is placed in a vacuum chamber where it is heated. Effusion cells loaded with source materials are used to generate beams of constituent atoms, which are directed at the substrate. The constituent atoms adsorb on the substrate surface and incorporate into the underlying crystal structure to form a semiconductor layer. Control is so good that the layer is literally formed one monolayer at a time.
Although the term molecular is used to describe the source material in this deposition process, those skilled in the art understand that the source material may be in elemental (or atomic) as well as compound (or molecular).
In the growth of Group III-V compound semiconductor layers, for example, the crucible of one effusion cell would contain a Group III metal (e.g., liquid Ga) and the crucible of another cell would contain a Group V material (e.g., elemental As, or less commonly polycrystalline GaAs). One persistent problem in MBE technology is that droplets of Ga, which form on the cooler tip end of the Ga crucible, become encapsulated with a thin surface layer of GaAs. It is believed that the GaAs-encapsulated Ga droplet can then explode causing small Ga deposits to be spattered onto the growth surface of the substrate. These adsorbed Ga spatters disrupt the crystal symmetry of the growing layer and hence are undesirable in high quality Group III-V compound semiconductor layers.

Effusion cell and method for use in molecular beam deposition


Systems and methods for a tire/runway friction property estimation method based on measured wheel speed, calculated acceleration, wheel reference and tire normal force estimation are disclosed. Based on the resulting estimations, a map and/or function of position for the friction properties may be formed and transmitted to external systems after an aircraft stop is completed.

Aircraft landing gear and aircraft wheels are typically equipped with brakes in order to stop an aircraft after landing or during a rejected take-off braking stop. Generally, a braked wheel can be described as experiencing one of four conditions; unbraked (synchronous speed), braked but not skidding (slip velocity less than critical value), skidding (slip velocity greater than critical value), or fully locked. Historically, prior to landing, having prior knowledge of various runway conditions was not possible. Brake control systems expend time to assess and enact operation. This time to assess braking conditions and change performance result in a reduction in braking performance and the potential increase to stop distances.

Brake control system comprising tire/runway friction property estimation mapping


Packaging methods and apparatus for bonding a lidding web to a tray web, characterized in that the lidding web is placed under tension in both the longitudinal and lateral directions before being bonded to a tray web. A tray web having recesses and channels that form a conduit when the tray web is overwrapped with a lidding web is provided. A lidding web has microperforations to control the transfer of gases.

Methods of boning, grinding, and subsequent packaging of beef in a substantially oxygen-free environment have been disclosed in PCT/US01/45146. In one aspect, these steps occurred in an essentially continuous and enclosed conduit. The method results in a food item, such as beef, having high amounts of deoxymyoglobin. The beef, high in deoxymyoglobin, is then packaged in oxygen free individual trays and depending on the ultimate destination, may be packaged in master containers. Master containers are used to transport the individual beef packages in a substantially oxygen-free state up to the point of sale. In either event, however, it is desirable that oxygen is exchanged with the controlled atmosphere within the individual packages prior to sale to allow the beef to produce a bright red color, known as "bloom" (or oxymyoglobin), that is visually pleasing to consumers. The previous application disclosed trays with means, such as apertures in the tray and in the overwrapping lidding webs at strategic locations to provide for the rapid exchange of the controlled gas within the packaged trays for the oxygen in air outside of the packaged trays while restricting leaking of liquid therefrom. Other ways of exchanging the controlled atmosphere for air and oxygen included an oxygen permeable package that comprises a polypropylene thermoformed tray with a plasticized polyvinyl chloride web hermetically sealed to the flanges of the tray. In this manner, gas exchange occurs by permeation through the permeable packaging materials.
When a retail package with controlled atmosphere therein is removed from an oxygen-free atmosphere and placed in the normal ambient air atmosphere, the controlled gas in the free spaces on the inside of the package is displaced by atmospheric gases over time by the normal process of diffusion. It has been observed that a deleterious phenomena can occur to the beef if the oxygen content in the packages is not elevated from 0.05% to at least 3% oxygen within about 15 minutes, and sometimes this effect even occurs if the oxygen content of the package is not elevated from 0.05% to at least 10% oxygen within about 10 minutes. Without this rapid elevation in oxygen content, it has been observed that the physical and chemical mechanisms taking place on the surface of the beef favor the production of increased amounts of undesirable metmyoglobin relative to the desirable brightly colored red oxymyoglobin. Therefore, it is advantageous to produce methods and materials to exchange gases within the allotted time to reduce the production of metmyoglobin and the unsightly appearance caused by it.
Microperforated wrapping materials have been known and used in the food industry; however, one drawback that has been observed is "weeping" or the purge of liquids associated with the meat contents through the microperforations. This weeping effects the quality of the packaged meat in two ways. First, condensation from the weeping liquids can accumulate on the internal surfaces of the retail package. These water droplets can hinder the diffusion of gases to the extent that the gas exchange can be slowed to several hours. Second, previous attempts to use microperforated materials as an overwrapping web material resulted in direct contact of the microperforated web with the food item of the package. It was later found that weeping of liquids through the package as a result of this contact, occurred to such an extent that made it unacceptable to consumers.
Therefore, there is a need to refine the methods and materials useful in the packaging of perishable food items within enclosed conduits, including the use of microperforated lidding webs to provide a desired gas diffusion rate without allowing the escape of liquids from the package. Also lacking in the prior art are methods and apparatus that can apply longitudinal and lateral tension on a web of lidding material. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

Tray with side recesses and channels for gas transfer


Parallel, substantially horizontal, upper first tracks (34) extend lengthwise of a vehicle load bed (14). Parallel, substantially horizontal, second tracks that are below the first tracks (34) also extend lengthwise of the load bed (14). Forward guides (44) carried by cover sections (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) travel in the tracks (34) and rear guides (46) travel in the tracks (36). A rear cover section (18) is driven forwardly and rearwardly by a drive mechanism (54, 72, 74, 76). Forward movement of the cover section (18) moves the other movable cover sections (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) into a nested position within the forward cover section (20). Movement of the rear cover section (18) in the opposite direction pulls the cover sections (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) out from the nested position and spread them out over the length of the load bed (14).

Sectional covers for open-top vehicles are disclosed by the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,358, granted Mar. 23, 1937, to Edward Carl Vixel and Temple C. Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,523, granted Sep. 19, 1969, to Charles J. Lutgen; U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,378, granted May 11, 1971, to Edwing Anderson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,395, granted May 23, 1989, to Ann B. Lovaas; U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,766, granted Nov. 26, 1991, to Olaf K. Lovaas; U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,082, granted Jan. 25, 2000, to Michael C. Leoni; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,349, granted May 9, 2002, to Jerry T. Doll and Duane J. Thomas.
There is a need for a sectional cover for an open-top vehicle load bed that includes a simple, easy-to-operate mechanism for moving the sections between retracted and extended positions. The primary object of the present invention is to fill this need.

Sectional cover for open-top vehicle load bed


This invention provides methods for obtaining molecules that can modulate an immune response, and immunomodulatory molecules obtained using the methods. The molecules find use, for example, in the tailoring of an immune response induced by a genetic vaccine for a desired purpose.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of modulation of immune responses such as those induced by genetic vaccines.
2. Background
Antigen processing and presentation is only one factor which determines the effectiveness of vaccination, whether performed with genetic vaccines or more classical methods. Other molecules involved in determining vaccine effectiveness include cytokines (interleukins, interferons, chemokines, hematopoietic growth factors, tumor necrosis factors and transforming growth factors), which are small molecular weight proteins that regulate maturation, activation, proliferation and differentiation of the cells of the immune system. Characteristic features of cytokines are pleiotropy and redundancy; that is, one cytokine often has several functions and a given function is often mediated by more than one cytokine. In addition, several cytokines have additive or synergistic effects with other cytokines, and a number of cytokines also share receptor components.
Due to the complexity of the cytokine networks, studies on the physiological significance of a given cytokine have been difficult, although recent studies using cytokine gene-deficient mice have significantly improved our understanding on the functions of cytokines in vivo. In addition to soluble proteins, several membrane-bound costimulatory molecules play a fundamental role in the regulation of immune responses. These molecules include CD40, CD40 ligand, CD27, CD80, CD86 and CD150 (SLAM), and they are typically expressed on lymphoid cells after activation via antigen recognition or through cell-cell interactions.
T helper (TH) cells, key regulators of the immune system, are capable of producing a large number of different cytokines, and based on their cytokine synthesis pattern TH cells are divided into two subsets (Paul and Seder (1994) Cell 76: 241-251). TH1 cells produce high levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ and no or minimal levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. In contrast, TH2 cells produce high levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, and IL-2 and IFN-γ production is minimal or absent. TH1 cells activate macrophages, dendritic cells and augment the cytolytic activity of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and NK cells (Id.), whereas TH2 cells provide efficient help for B cells and they also mediate allergic responses due to the capacity of TH2 cells to induce IgE isotype switching and differentiation of B cells into IgE secreting cell (De Vries and Punnonen (1996) In Cytokine regulation of humoral immunity: basic and clinical aspects. Eds. Snapper, C. M., John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., West Sussex, UK, p. 195-215). The exact mechanisms that regulate the differentiation of T helper cells are not fully understood, but cytokines are believed to play a major role. IL-4 has been shown to direct TH2 differentiation, whereas IL-12 induces development of TH1 cells (Paul and Seder, supra.). In addition, it has been suggested that membrane bound costimulatory molecules, such as CD80, CD86 and CD150, can direct TH1 and/or TH2 development, and the same molecules that regulate TH cell differentiation also affect activation, proliferation and differentiation of B cells into Ig-secreting plasma cells (Cocks et al. (1995) Nature 376: 260-263; Lenschow et al. (1996) Immunity 5: 285-293; Punnonen et al. (1993) Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA. 90: 3730-3734; Punnonen et al. (1997) J. Exp. Med. 185: 993-1004).
Studies in both man and mice have demonstrated that the cytokine synthesis profile of T helper (TH) cells plays a crucial role in determining the outcome of several viral, bacterial and parasitic infections. High frequency of TH1 cells generally protects from lethal infections, whereas dominant TH2 phenotype often results in disseminated, chronic infections. For example, TH1 phenotype is observed in tuberculoid (resistant) form of leprosy and TH2 phenotype in lepromatous, multibacillary (susceptible) lesions (Yamamura et al. (1991) Science 254: 277-279). Similarly, late-stage HIV patients have TH2-like cytokine synthesis profiles, and TH1 phenotype has been proposed to protect from AIDS (Maggi et al. (1994) J. Exp. Med. 180: 489-495). Furthermore, the survival from meningococcal septicemia is genetically determined based on the capacity of peripheral blood leukocytes to produce TNF-α and IL-10. Individuals from families with high production of IL-10 have increased risk of fatal meningococcal disease, whereas members of families with high TNF-α production were more likely to survive the infection (Westendorp et al. (1997) Lancet 349: 170-173).
Cytokine treatments can dramatically influence TH1/TH2 cell differentiation and macrophage activation, and thereby the outcome of infectious diseases. For example, BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major generally develop a disseminated fatal disease with a TH2 phenotype, but when treated with anti-IL-4 mAbs or IL-12, the frequency of TH1 cells in the mice increases and they are able to counteract the pathogen invasion (Chatelain et al. (1992) J. Immunol. 148: 1182-1187). Similarly, IFN-γ protects mice from lethal Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infection, and MCP-1 prevents lethal infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Salmonella typhimurium. In addition, cytokine treatments, such as recombinant IL-2, have shown beneficial effects in human common variable immunodeficiency (Cunningham-Rundles et al. (1994)N. Engl. J. Med. 331: 918-921).
The administration of cytokines and other molecules to modulate immune responses in a manner most appropriate for treating a particular disease can provide a significant tool for the treatment of disease. However, presently available immunomodulator treatments can have several disadvantages, such as insufficient specific activity, induction of immune responses against, the immunomodulator that is administered, and other potential problems. Thus, a need exists for immunomodulators that exhibit improved properties relative to those currently available. The present invention fulfills this and other needs.

Optimization of immunomodulatory properties of genetic vaccines


Keyboard input functionality is provided when a removable portion of the keyboard is docked into the base unit. The removable portion may be the undocked from the base unit. A keyboard removable portion may include alphanumeric functionality and may be of a reduced size for off-desk implementation. Since the base of the keyboard may be wired, it may also charge the removable portion of the keyboard. The base may also include the wireless receiver for cooperating with a wireless keyboard or wireless mouse.

Conventional computer systems, especially computer systems using graphical user interface (GUI) systems, accept user input from a conventional input device, such as a keyboard for entering text, and a pointing device, such as a mouse for operating the graphical user interface.
A traditional notion of user interaction is generally in front of a desktop computer or at least sitting within close viewing proximity to a display screen as with laptop computers. Conventional systems are problematic in meeting the challenge of user interaction for new media. The evolution of new media models of computing, such as digital television, digital music, digital movies, have changed the traditional view of the GUI, and the manner in which users can interact with their computers. In one example of a home theater environment, users may be sitting at couch at a distance away from a display screen. At one time, the users may want to manipulate a GUI to obtain and watch live TV or recorded TV, digital home movies and picture slideshows, or watch DVDs movies. In another example, users may want to work on their keyboard in other locations than the traditional desktop such in a lap-use environment. In this "lap-use" or "couch-use" environment, a traditional notion of desktop user interaction can be inefficient and frustrating for many individuals. Thus, the users do not realize the full benefits of experiencing new media computing and productivity software.
What is needed is an apparatus and method to support user interaction for an untethered environment with a keyboard for manipulating the GUI for the new media technologies and productivity activities, such as creation and modification of electronic documents, spreadsheets, database fields, drawings, photos and the like.


An elongated solution injection bar operable in a cleaning system as a combination dry vacuum and fluid carpet cleaner. The elongated solution injection bar having an upper solution distribution and pressure equalization chamber in fluid communication with a lower solution discharge chamber through a solution flow restrictor structured for distributing hot liquid cleaning solution in a substantially uniform flow along substantially the entire length of a cleaning head operating surface. The hot liquid cleaning solution being discharged from the lower solution discharge chamber at a volumetric flow rate of or about 1 gallon per minute (gpm) or less, so that the liquid cleaning solution is discharged to the operating surface as a flood under pressure.

Many apparatuses and methods are known for cleaning carpeting and other flooring, wall and upholstery surfaces. The cleaning apparatuses and methods most commonly used today apply cleaning fluid as a spray under pressure to the surface whereupon the cleaning fluid dissolves the dirt and stains and the apparatus scrubs the fibers while simultaneously applying a vacuum or negative pressure to extract the cleaning fluid and the dissolved soil. Although such relatively high pressure methods are the most commonly used, they have disadvantages. First, the majority of the soil is at or near the surface of the fibers so that high pressure cleaning tends to drive some of the surface soil and cleaning fluid deeper, whereby a very powerful vacuum system is required to extract particles that have been driven beneath the outermost surface. Furthermore, the use of cleaning fluid under pressure, applied as a spray through conventional jets, drives the fluid itself deeper, and the fluid that is not immediately removed by the vacuum source requires a significantly longer drying period. While longer drying time is an inconvenience, if the carpeting is used prior to its being completely dry, it is more likely to become soiled. Additionally, conventional jets atomize the sprayed fluid which then comes into contact with the air, causing significant heat loss and diminishing the cleaning power of the fluid.
Many different apparatuses and methods for spraying cleaning fluid under pressure and then removing it with a vacuum are illustrated in the prior art supplied herewith but will not be discussed in detail.
Another category of carpeting and upholstery cleaning apparatuses and methods use a rotating device wherein the entire machine is transported over the carpeting while a cleaning head is rotated about a vertical axis. Typically, these machines include a plurality of arms, each of having one or more spray nozzles or a vacuum source providing a more intense scrubbing action since, in general, more scrubbing surfaces contact the carpet. These apparatuses and methods are primarily illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,229 granted to Monson on Apr. 10, 1984, and are listed in the prior art known to the inventor but not discussed in detail herein.
A third category of carpeting and upholstery cleaning apparatuses and methods that attempt to deflect or otherwise control the cleaning fluid are illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,600 granted to Albishausen on Feb. 6, 1970, which discloses a cleaning apparatus wherein the cleaning fluid is changed into a liquid curtain by a baffle within the cleaning head; U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,486 granted to Kochte on Jan. 22, 1982, which discloses a surface cleaning machine wherein the cleaning fluid is deposited upon the surface of the carpet pile from a wick like device wetted with the cleaning fluid; U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,594 granted to Grave on Mar. 17, 1987, which discloses a cleaning head wherein the cleaning solution is sprayed through a narrow passage and some is wicked along the surface of the passage; U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,805 granted to Pinter on Oct. 27, 1992, which discloses a method and apparatus for cleaning a carpet wherein the cleaning fluid is sprayed by nozzle against the back of a striker plate and then flows downwardly and through the carpet to a pickup vacuum; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,884 granted to Nijland et al on Oct. 8, 1996, which discloses a suction attachment spray member wherein the fluid is sprayed against a distributor plate that creates a planar diverging liquid jet substantially filling the vacuum chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,914, which was granted Jun. 12, 2001, to the inventor of the present patent application and which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a cleaning head for carpets, walls or upholstery, having a rigid open-bottomed main body that defines a surface subjected to the cleaning process. Mounted within or adjacent to the main body and coplanar with the bottom thereof is a fluid-applying device which includes a slot at an acute angle to the plane of the bottom of the body located adjacent the plane of the bottom of the body, the slot configured such that the fluid is applied in a thin sheet that flows out of the slot and into the upper portion of the surface to be cleaned and subsequently into the vacuum source for recovery. The cleaning head is alternatively multiply embodied in a plurality of arms which are rotated about a hub.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates one of four separate embodiments of the cleaning head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,914 wherein the cleaning head 1 for applying cleaning fluid without the inherent problems of spray either escaping or unduly penetrating the carpeting. Front and back surfaces 3, 5 of the cleaning head 1 combine with opposing end panels (not shown) to define a rectangular lip 7 which defines a surface contact area of the surface to be cleaned, which is momentarily subjected to the cleaning environment generated by the cleaning head 1. Securely mounted to an interior portion of the cleaning head 1 is a downwardly open fluid supply chamber 9 formed between a first wall 11 terminating in a head surface 13 and a second wall 15 terminating in an inwardly turned foot 17. The fluid supply chamber 9 terminates in an angled slot or groove 19 adjacent to the head surface 13 and oriented at an obtuse angle thereto, i.e., an acute angle to the surface to be cleaned. Walls 21 and 23 combine with opposing end panels (not shown) to form a vacuum chamber 25 that is spaced away from the fluid supply chamber 9 by the width of the head surface 13.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,914, cleaning fluid is supplied in a steady stream downwardly through the fluid supply chamber 9 between the walls 11 and 15 and flows outwardly through the angled slot 19 past the foot 17 and is drawn in a sheet across the head surface 13 by a vacuum formed in the vacuum chamber 25, whereby it is applied uniformly to the carpeting or other surface to be cleaned. The fluid is removed from the cleaned surface by vacuum in the vacuum chamber 25. The utilization of a sheet of fluid which flows down the fluid supply chamber 9 and across the head surface 13 eliminates the cooling of the fluid that results from atomizing caused by prior art spray nozzles. The utilization of a sheet of fluid also reduces the amount of fluid being used for a given cleaning job, and eliminates over spray of the cleaning fluid should the cleaning head 1 be inadvertently moved from the surface to be cleaned or tilted so one edge is raised.
However, it is generally understood in the art that improvements are needed in reducing the quantity of cleaning fluid driven by the cleaning apparatus beneath the outermost surface and the residual cleaning fluid left on the outermost surface by the cleaning head is desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,662, which was granted Jul. 4, 2006, to the inventor of the present patent application and which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses improvements to the cleaning head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,914. According to U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,662 a bar jet assembly which improves the functioning of the cleaning head by reducing the residual cleaning fluid left on the outermost surface by the cleaning head.
Furthermore, it is generally understood in the art that uniform application of cleaning fluid to the surface is critical for ensuring uniform cleaning in a single pass. Such uniform application of cleaning fluid is not important given the cleaning head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,914 and the bar jet assembly improvements disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,662 are utilized in combination with a rotary cleaning plate that is coupled for high speed rotary motion.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cleaning head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,662, includes a substantially circular rotary cleaning plate 31 having a cleaning fluid distribution manifold 33 including a central sprue hole 35 for receiving the pressurized cleaning fluid and an expansion chamber 37 for reducing the pressure of the cleaning fluid to below a delivery pressure provided by a source of pressurized cleaning fluid. Expansion chamber 37 is connected for distributing the liquid cleaning fluid outward along closed liquid cleaning fluid distribution channels 39 to application by a plurality of bar jet assemblies 41 uniformly distributed across the bottom cleaning surface of the rotary cleaning plate 31. Each of the bar jet assemblies 41 includes a cleaning fluid discharge slot or groove 43 adjacent to a fluid retrieval slot 45 coupled to a vacuum source for retrieving a quantity of soiled cleaning fluid.
As indicated by the rotational arrow in FIG. 2, the rotary cleaning plate 31 is rotated at high speed during application of cleaning fluid to the target surface. The rotary cleaning plate 31 successfully delivers a generally uniform distribution of cleaning fluid to a target surface between the quantity of bar jet assemblies 41 and the large number of passes of each bar jet assembly 41 occasioned by the high speed rotary motion of the cleaning plate 31 regardless of any lack of uniformity in the instantaneous fluid delivery of any individual bar jet assembly 41. Additionally, the instantaneous fluid delivery of each individual bar jet assembly 41 tends to be generally uniform at least because the length of the bar jet is minimal as compared with the size of the rotary cleaning plate 31.
However, it is generally understood that, by the laws of hydrodynamics, it is generally difficult to provide a uniform distribution of pressurized cleaning fluid along a discharge slot or groove of an extended length.


A new hybrid electric power production cycle is revealed, which utilizes hot, dry-rock, geothermal energy to produce dry, saturated steam, and utilizes natural gas or other fossil fuel to superheat the produced steam to a desired temperature. The superheated steam would then be used in a conventional Rankine cycle to produce large-scale electric power and energy. For a preferred steam pressure of 1800 pounds per square inch and a temperature of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, the total energy consumed in the hybrid cycle would be 78% geothermal and 22% fossil-fuel.

Over the past decade or longer, the subjects of an adequate energy supply and a cleaner environment have been discussed extensively in the technical journals and newspapers of the United States. The consensus of such discussions has been that a new, major, and clean energy source is needed in our Nation, to supplement initially and to replace ultimately its declining reserves of fossil fuels.
At current and projected rates of energy consumption, the Nation's indigenous resources of petroleum may be expected to be essentially depleted early in the Twenty-First Century and its reserves of natural gas depleted not later than a decade thereafter. It is possible, even probable, that the continued use of coal as a primary fuel for production of electrical energy will, in time, fall into disuse because of economic and environmental considerations. Provision should be made now to meet such eventuality.
Of the numerous, new energy sources that have been reported publicly, little consideration has been given to extraction and use of the vast quantity of thermal energy that is known to be contained in hot, dry rock of the Earth's crust. Interest in geothermal energy has focused primarily on extraction and use of thermal energy contained in naturally occurring reservoirs of pressurized hot water or steam that exist in Northern California and at other widely scattered locations throughout the World. Generally, such naturally occurring thermal reservoirs, while important, are of relatively small capacity and uncertain life and represent only a very small fraction of accessible energy contained in hot, dry rock of the Earth's crust.
Approaches to utilization of the energy of hot, dry rock appear in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,712,380; 4,642,987, 4,745,756; and 4,512,156. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,380 discloses heating a first working fluid by injection into a well extending down into hot, dry rock and recovery of the heated working fluid from a second adjacent well, and then using the heated working fluid to heat a more volatile second working fluid which, in turn, drives a turbine.
The total accessible quantity of such hot, dry-rock geothermal energy underlying the Continental United States has been estimated by several investigators to be between 10 million and 13 million quads. (A quad is equal to 10.sup.15 Btu, or to the chemical energy contained in 181.8 million barrels of petroleum.) If as much as 1% of such energy were extracted and used, the amount would be more than sufficient to supply the Nation's electric-energy requirements for the next 200 years, assuming a doubling of energy use every 50 years.
In addition to its value as a major energy source for utilization temperatures at or below 350.degree. C. (662.degree. F.), geothermal energy derived from hot, dry-rock within the Earth's crust, can be used in a hybrid thermal cycle, with natural gas, ethanol, or other clean-burning fuel, for large scale production of electric power and energy, with a minimal emission to the atmosphere of products of combustion. In such a hybrid cycle, sensible and latent heat required to produce dry, saturated steam at a relatively high pressure, would be supplied from a geothermal source. The dry, saturated steam would then be superheated, to a desired temperature, by heat derived from combustion of a fossil fuel, natural gas, or a clean burning chemical fuel. For steam conditions of 1800 pounds per square inch pressure and 1000.degree. F. temperature, 78% of the required heat energy would be supplied from a geothermal source and 22% from a fossil fuel source.
The hybrid cycle would yield two other important benefits:
(1) It would assure an exact match between turbine design temperature and actual temperature of available geothermally-produced steam, and PA1 (2) It would provide a means to correct a reasonable decline in steam temperature, over passage of time, if the geothermal energy source were not fully renewable.


A user station for a serial bus system. The user station includes a receiver for receiving a signal from a bus of the bus system, and a device for evaluating the reception signal that is output by the receiver. The receiver generates a digital reception signal from the signal received from the bus and to output the signal to the device at a terminal. The device evaluates the digital reception signal with regard to a predetermined communication protocol that establishes when a predetermined communication phase, which indicates a subsequent transfer of useful data in a message, begins and ends. The device reverses the data flow of the digital reception signal to the receiver at the terminal for a time period of at least one bit if the evaluation of the device shows that data at that time are being received from the bus in the predetermined communication phase.

For the communication between sensors and control units, for example in vehicles, a bus system is frequently used in which data are transferred as messages under the ISO 11898-1:2015 standard, as a CAN protocol specification with CAN FD. The messages are transferred between the bus users of the bus system, such as the sensor, control unit, transducer, etc.
With the increasing number of functions of a technical facility or of a vehicle, the data traffic in the bus system also increases. Moreover, it is often necessary for the data to be transferred from the transmitter to the receiver more quickly than previously. As a result, the required bandwidth of the bus system is further increased.
To allow data to be transferred at a higher bit rate than with CAN, an option has been provided in the CAN FD message format for changing over to a higher bit rate within a message. In such technologies, the maximum possible data rate is increased beyond a value of 1 Mbit/s by using higher clocking in the area of the data fields. Such messages are also referred to below as CAN FD frames or CAN FD messages. With CAN FD, the useful data length of 8 bytes is increased up to 64 bytes, and the data transfer rates are much higher than with CAN.
Even though a CAN- or CAN FD-based communications network provides a very large number of advantages with regard to its robustness, for example, its speed is much slower compared to a data transfer via 100Base-T1 Ethernet, for example. In addition, the useful data length of up to 64 bytes, achieved thus far with CAN FD, is too small for some applications.

User station for a serial bus system, and method for communicating in a serial bus system


A controller performs control to: print a test pattern on a print medium, the test pattern including: a head reference straight line extending in a main scanning direction and printed by a reference print head; and head adjustment straight lines extending in the main scanning direction and printed by each of non-reference print heads at timings corresponding to timing adjustment values; and in response to input of information specifying the head adjustment straight line with a smallest print misalignment amount in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the head reference straight line for each of the non-reference print heads, determine, for each of the non-reference print heads, the timing adjustment value corresponding to the head adjustment straight line specified by the input information as an adjustment value of an ink ejection timing in the non-reference print head in normal printing.

In an inkjet printer including multiple print heads, when positions of nozzles are displaced from their proper positions due to attachment position misalignment of the print heads, print image quality decreases due to misalignment of ink landing positions. Accordingly, in a manufacturing process of the inkjet printer, position adjustment is performed to secure positional accuracy of the nozzles.
Specifically, the print heads first print a predetermined test pattern. In this test pattern, dots formed of ink ejected from the nozzles of the print heads are arranged in a predetermined pattern. After the printing of the test pattern, a print image of the test pattern is scanned by a scanner to generate image data. Next, this image data is analyzed to calculate positions of the dots and positional relationships among the nozzles in the print heads are obtained based on the calculated positions of the dots. Then, positions of the print heads are adjusted based on the obtained positional relationships among the nozzles in the print heads. Such adjustment of the positions of the print heads is performed also when a user replaces a print head at the user's site due to ejection failure or the like.
In such a case, the larger the inkjet printer is, the larger the scanner for scanning the print image of the aforementioned test pattern needs to be. Depending on the size of the inkjet printer, a scanner large enough to scan the image over the entire width of the print medium cannot be prepared in some cases. Accordingly, it is desirable to deal with the misalignment of the nozzles without using a scanner.
In this respect, Patent Literature 1 proposes a technique which can deal with misalignment of nozzles without scanning a test pattern with a scanner.
An inkjet printer of Patent Literature 1 includes multiple print head rows each including multiple print heads arranged in a main scanning direction while zigzagging. Here, the main scanning direction is a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction) of sheets. The multiple print head rows are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction. Each print head has multiple nozzles arranged in the main scanning direction and ejects ink from the nozzles.
The inkjet printer of Patent Literature 1 performs a registration operation of correcting correspondence relationships of the nozzles among the print head rows. In the registration operation, a test pattern is printed in which line segments extending in the sub-scanning direction and having the same length are formed at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, respectively by a first print head row and a second print head row. Multiple test patterns are printed while the nozzle used to print the line segment in the second print head row is shifted one by one with respect to the nozzle used to print the line segment in the first print head row.
An operator visually checks the printed multiple test patterns without using a scanner. The user determines the test pattern with the largest overlapping portion between the line segment printed by the first print head row and the line segment printed by the second print head row and inputs information specifying this test pattern into the inkjet printer.
When the correspondence relationship between the nozzle used in the first print head and the nozzle used in the second head row in the printing of the test pattern determined by the user is different from a preset correspondence relationship of the nozzles between the two print head rows, the correspondence relationship of the nozzles between the two print head rows is corrected. Specifically, the correspondence relationship of the nozzles between the first print head row and the second print head row is corrected from the preset correspondence relationship to the correspondence relationship of the nozzles used in the two print head rows in the printing of the test pattern determined by the user.
The correspondence relationship of the nozzles between the first print head row and each of the print head rows other than the second print head row are also corrected by the aforementioned registration operation.
The technique of Patent Literature 1 can thereby deal with the misalignment of the nozzles caused by the misalignment of the print head rows in the main scanning direction.

Inkjet printer with ejection adjustment function based on test pattern


An image photographing method and apparatus for proposing a human composition. The image photographing apparatus may determine optimal composition information based on feature information that is detected from a photographed image and control a photographing parameter based on the determined optimal composition information.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to an image photographing apparatus and method for proposing a composition based on a human, that is, a human composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera may convert a photosensitive signal of a subject to a digital image signal and store the digital image signal in a memory. The digital camera may compress an image signal photographed in a charge coupled device (CCD) and store the compressed image signal in the memory. Unlike a film camera, although a user is not a professional photographer, the user may readily photograph and edit an image using this digital camera. Also, the digital camera may store and maintain image data for a relatively long period of time. Therefore, the digital camera is being widely used among many users.
The user may verify a preview image of a subject via a liquid crystal display of the digital camera. Therefore, the user may readily obtain an image that is photographed at the user's desired composition. Currently, the digital camera may adopt various types of functions such as an automatic focusing function that may automatically calculate a distance from the subject when a shutter is pushed, to make it possible to obtain a clear image signal of the subject, a zoom function to make it possible to photograph the subject as if the subject is located at a near distance, or as if the subject is located at a far distance, and the like. Accordingly, a user convenience may be further improved.
When a user generally photographs a portrait, the user may think he or she has taken a really nice picture via a preview image. However, the user may be frequently disappointed to view the photograph that is printed out via a monitor or a printer. This may come from a difference between a composition of a stable and good-looking portrait and a real preview image.

Image photography apparatus and method for proposing composition based person


A cookware handle designed to be grasped by a user's hand, consisting of a rigid structure attached to the cookware, and a flexible grip surrounding the rigid structure. The flexible grip has at least one part consisting of a wall that is from 2 to 10 mm thick, and preferably 5 mm thick, that creates a hand support surface, and at least one hollow cavity inside the grip is adjacent to the wall to enable said wall to be compressed when the handle is grasped.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a handle for cookware such as a saucepan or frying pan.
2. Description of Related Art
In prior art, and specifically in Document EP 1704804, we have seen a handle with a rigid structure and a grip surrounding the structure. The grip is made of a material that conducts heat less than the material of which the structure is made and has an ergonomic shape that makes the handle easy to hold. However, this construction does not make it possible to compress the grip so that its shape conforms to the shape of the user's hand when the handle is grasped and manipulated.
The objective of this invention is to offer a solution for the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a cookware handle with optimal ergonomics, in which the shape of the grip can conform to the shape of the user's hand.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cookware handle that makes it possible to manipulate said cookware in a completely safe manner by limiting the temperature of the grip and by ensuring that the handle will be held securely in the user's hand.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a cookware handle with a simple design that is inexpensive to implement.