Plasminogen activator acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by inhibiting generation of superoxide anion by a mechanism that is not related to L-arginine, is not dependent on thrombolytic activity, and is not a function of oxygen free radical scavenging. Moreover, in in vivo models of inflammation, treatment with plasminogen activator reduces edema without inhibiting neutrophil infiltration in in vivo models of inflammation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of plasminogen activator as an anti-inflammatory agent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasminogen activators play an important physiological role in the regulation of thrombolysis. This action is exploited therapeutically to promote reperfusion in conditions such as, for example, acute myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, and thrombotic stroke.
An equilibrium between two opposing reactions, coagulation which forms blood clots and fibrinolysis which dissolves blood clots, maintains a patent and intact vascular endothelium. To stop blood loss from a leaking blood vessel, blood clots form a hemostatic plug at the site of a break in the vessel wall. But if the blood clot obstructs flow through a blood vessel, the result may be, for example, a myocardial infarction, a pulmonary embolism, or a thrombotic stroke.
The interruption of flow through the blood vessel will lead to tissue ischemia. In this condition, the tissue is deprived of oxygen and becomes jeopardized, a state in which the tissue is injured but still potentially viable. If however the hypoxic condition is maintained for a period of several hours, the tissue becomes necrotic and cannot recover. It is therefore important that reperfusion, the restoration of blood flow, be accomplished as soon as possible to minimize tissue necrosis. However, even if reperfusion is accomplished before tissue necrosis occurs, leukocytes may become activated and infiltrate the jeopardized tissue. Consequently, reperfusion only leads to partial recovery of jeopardized tissue, the remainder being permanently damaged by leukocyte mediated oxidative injury or other pathophysiological mechanisms (Hansen, Circulation 91:1872-1885, 1995).
In particular, patients with acute myocardial infarction have significantly reduced mortality when treated with a plasminogen activator. This benefit is due to blood clot fibrinolysis and timely opening of the infarct-related artery. However, once the infarct-related artery is patent, neutrophils can contribute to the reperfusion injury that accompanies reversal of ischemia. Reperfusion of the myocardium is associated with neutrophil activation and infiltration. The nature of the neutrophil-mediated injury is not fully characterized but is in part due to the production of superoxide anion (O2xe2x88x92) and/or related oxidative products. This principle (activation of white blood cells release of toxic mediators and resultant pathophysiology in the host) is common to many inflammatory diseases including, but not limited to, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cystic fibrosis, asthma, arthritis, and nephritis.
A drawback of thrombolytic therapy with plasminogen activator is the increased incidence of stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage in treated patients. The generation of fibrin fragments and depletion of fibrinogen caused by the exogenous plasminogen activator is a direct cause of excessive bleeding disorders.
Side-effects of existing anti-inflammatory agents such as steroidal (e.g., corticosteroids) and non-steroidal (e.g., aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen) drugs include growth retardation, osteoperosis, gastric and renal toxicity, and adrenal suppression. In addition, these agents can impair the healing process due to inhibition of neutrophil infiltration by steroidal and non-steroidal drugs. Most non-steroidal drugs are also limited to oral formulations.
We have now found that plasminogen activator can reduce tissue injury by acting as an anti-inflammatory agent. More generally, plasminogen activator reduces tissue damage due to leukocyte mediated oxidative injury. Plasminogen activator inhibits leukocyte generation of oxygen radicals (e.g., hydroxides, peroxides, superoxides) by a mechanism that is independent of thrombolytic activity and scavenging of oxygen free radicals. By separating the thrombolytic and the anti-inflammatory functions of plasminogen activator, the present invention provides a method of reducing tissue damage due to oxidative injury (e.g., reperfusion injury) while mitigating complications from excessive bleeding, such as stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage. Moreover, because the present invention does not inhibit neutrophil migration and infiltration, use of plasminogen activator as an anti-inflammatory agent will not interfere with processes mediated at least in part by neutrophils such as, for example, wound healing or tissue remodeling, which is a shortcoming of existing steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
It is an object of the invention to reduce cell and/or tissue damage due to oxidative injury.
It is a further object of the invention to inhibit oxidant production by leukocytes.
Another object of the invention is to use plasminogen activator as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Yet another object of the invention is to treat a human or animal afflicted with an inflammatory disease.
It is an object of the invention to select and/or develop derivatives of plasminogen activator that retain the anti-inflammatory property of plasminogen activator.
Another object of the invention is to provide a derivative of plasminogen activator that can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a non-thrombolytic form of plasminogen activator useful as an anti-inflammatory agent.
In one embodiment of the invention, a plasminogen activator or derivative thereof is administered to an organism, and thereby reduces oxidative injury to tissue of the organism. Preferably, the organism is afflicted with an autoimmune disease or an inflammatory disease. The organism may be a human or an animal. The oxidative injury may be mediated by an inflammatory cell (e.g., neutrophil, macrophage, monocyte, eosinophil, mast cell, basophil). Tissue at risk of oxidative injury may include, but is not limited to, any blood-prefused tissue (e.g., myocardiun, lung, brain) or any bone or joint.
In a second embodiment of the invention, a plasminogen activator or derivative thereof is applied to an inflammatory cell (e.g., neutrophil, macrophage, monocyte, eosinophil, mast cell, basophil), and thereby reduces oxidant production by the inflammatory cell.
A third embodiment of the invention is the treatment of an organism afflicted with an inflammatory disease by administering a plasminogen activator or derivative thereof, and thereby reducing or alleviating a symptom of the disease caused by inflammation. The organism may be a human or an animal. Preferably, the organism is afflicted with an acute or chronic inflammatory disease.
A fourth embodiment of the invention is the prophylactic treatment of an organism at risk for development of an inflammatory illness by administering a plasminogen activator or derivative thereof, and thereby preventing onset of the illness or reducing the severity of a symptom of the illness. The organism may be a human or an animal. Preferably, the organism is at risk for development of an acute or chronic inflammatory illness.
For the above embodiments of the invention, plasminogen activator may be tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA), urokinase (uPA), reteplase (rPA), or a derivative thereof. Such plasminogen activators may be termed xe2x80x9cendogenous plasminogen activatorsxe2x80x9d to distinguish them from streptokinase. Tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase are xe2x80x9cmammalian plasminogen activatorsxe2x80x9d whereas streptokinase is produced by bacteria. For these two definitions, no distinction is made between native protein and recombinantly produced protein (e.g., non-glycosylated). Instead, xe2x80x9cendogenousxe2x80x9d may mean derived from the species of the organism or the inflammatory cell being treated and xe2x80x9cmammalianxe2x80x9d indicates the gene encoding the plasminogen activator is derived from a mammal.
Preferred derivatives of endogenous plasminogen activator have the property of reduced fibrinolytic activity, binding a receptor for plasminogen activator, inhibiting oxidant production, inhibiting leukocyte activation, or a combination thereof. More preferably, the derivative of endogenous plasminogen activator binds urokinase receptor with increased affinity, reduces production of superoxide anion by an inflammatory cell (e.g., neutrophil, macrophage, monocyte, eosinophil, mast cell, basophil), reduces release of other mediators of inflammation (e.g., arachidonate metabolites, cytokines, histamine, monokines, nitric oxide, proteases, serotonin) by an inflammatory cell or the endothelium, or a combination thereof. The 15 Kd amino-terminal fragment (ATF) (amino acid residues 1-135) of urokinase is an example of such a derivative, binding the urokinase receptor but lacking fibrinolytic activity.
A fifth embodiment of the invention is to provide structural variants of an endogenous plasminogen activator, to screen the structural variants for their ability to reduce inflammation, and to select those structural variants which reduce inflammation. The structural variant may be produced recombinantly, by peptide synthesis, by protease cleavage, or by chemical modification. Preferred structural variants have the property of reduced fibrinolytic activity, binding a receptor for plasminogen activator, inhibiting oxidant production, inhibiting leukocyte activation, or a combination thereof. The 15 Kd amino-terminal fragment (ATF) (amino acid residues 1-135) of urokinase is an example of such a preferred structural variant, binding the urokinase receptor but lacking fibrinolytic activity. More preferably, the structural variant binds the receptor for plasminogen activator with increased affinity, reduces production of oxidant radicals and/or another marker of leukocyte activation, reduces cellular degranulation, reduces vascular permeability, or a combination thereof.
Endogenous plasminogen activator may be tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA), urokinase (uPA), or a derivative thereof. A plasminogen derivative with reduced fibrinolytic activity is preferred, but not necessary. A plasminogen activator derivative that binds the plasminogen activator receptor on leukocytes, thereby inhibiting production of oxidants and/or other markers of leukocyte activation, is also preferred but not necessary.
The advantages of the invention include the ability to inhibit inflammation and tissue injury using a plasminogen activator that does not cause excessive bleeding, and provision of a novel class of anti-inflammatory agents that reduces tissue injury caused by leukocyte production of oxidants and proteases, without interfering with other leukocyte functions such as, for example, migration and infiltration.

Plasminogen activator as an anti-inflammatory agent


This invention provides a Raman laser wherein a light beam from a laser source (1) passes through a first chamber (3) and experiences Raman scattering, and then passes through a second chamber (9) and experiences further Raman scattering, such that the output of the Raman laser is frequency shifted. The first and second chambers may be distinct from each other enabling different types and pressures of gases to be utilised, or may be one and the same (20) providing a particularly compact arrangement. A Raman laser in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for the production of light consisting of multiple rotational Raman orders, and particular embodiments enable frequency switching to be achieved and also provides arrangements which reduce the problems of boresight stability and gas circulation encountered with previous designs.

This invention relates to a Raman laser and in particular but not exclusively a Raman laser for producing multiple rotational Raman orders.
There are only certain materials or combinations of materials convenient for use in a laser, and consequently only a limited number of wavelength bands which can conveniently be obtained by lasing action and each of these is usually narrow. In certain applications it is desirable to use other frequencies, to be able to switch between different frequencies, or to broaden the frequency spectrum of the band.
In 1928 Sir Chandrasekhara Vankata Raman observed an effect now known as Raman scattering. This occurs when energy in the form of photons incident on a molecular structure raises the energy state of a molecule to an intermediate, or virtual state, from which it makes a Stokes transition emitting a photon of energy, termed a scattered photon. The scattered photon may have the same energy as the incident photon or alternatively a higher or lower energy. To have a higher or lower energy the energy value of the molecule must have changed. The molecule can obtain or release this energy in the form of vibrational or rotational energy. Because distinct vibrational and rotational energy levels exist scattered photons also have distinct energy values and therefore the incident beam of photons is in effect frequency shifted by "scattering". This effect is most commonly achieved using molecular gases such as H.sub.2, D.sub.2, CH.sub.4 or CO.sub.2, which are commonly referred to as being Raman active.
Raman scattered light consists of vibrationally scattered and rotationally scattered components which are side bands of the incident laser frequency. The molecule has a larger separation between vibrational energy states than rotational energy states and thus "vibrational shifts" in frequency are greater than "rotational shifts" in frequency. One of the prime uses of the Raman effect has so far been in analytical chemistry whereby the change in frequency gives an indication of the energy level structure of a molecule.
The most efficient conversion of light using the Raman effect requires that a laser beam incident on the molecular gas is above the threshold intensity for stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). When moderate powered lasers are employed Raman scattering can be enhanced by focusing the pump beam in the gas by means of lenses or mirrors. However the use of focusing optics makes it difficult to maintain boresight stability as movement of these optics will deflect the beam.


A composition and method for use in imparting or maintaining a glossy or shiny finish on a hard surface. In one embodiment, the composition comprises a base polish component or components, and at least one poly[oxyalkylene] ammonium cationic surfactant. In another embodiment, a method of imparting a glossy finish on a hard surface by applying a composition to the hard surface, the composition comprising at least one poly[oxyalkylene] ammonium cationic surfactant. In some such embodiments, the composition comprises a base polish and the poly[oxyalkylene] ammonium cationic surfactant is dispersed in the base polish. Preferably, the poly[oxyalkylene] ammonium cationic surfactant comprises in the range of about 0.01 to about 10 wt. %, more preferably in the range of about 0.05 to about 5 wt. %, and more preferably in the range of about 0.1 to about 1 wt. % of the total composition.

It is desirable to keep many exposed hard surfaces, such as the surfaces of vehicles, clean and polished for reasons which include at least maintaining the appearance of the surface, minimizing surface tarnishing, reducing paint wear and fading if the surface is painted, and preventing corrosion on the surface. Each of these adverse affects on the hard surfaces of vehicles is at least in part contributed to by materials, which collect on the vehicle during use and storage. It is well known that regular polishing of the vehicle can assist in maintaining the appearance of the vehicle and can even extend its useful life where corrosion damage is concerned. It is therefore desirable to have products available to the market place, which can assist in the polishing of vehicle surfaces.
There is a vast array of polishes commercially available that are intended for use on many surfaces, including vehicles. Many of such polishes may perform a suitable job of imparting a glossy or shiny finish to a surface when used properly. However, it is generally desirable to improve the performance of such polishes, or to provide better polish compositions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polish compositions for gloss enhancement, and method


A polymer particle coated with silica comprising: a polymer particle derived from a polymerizable vinyl-based monomer; and a silica film covering the polymer particle, which makes a surface of the polymer particle expose so that an aperture ratio of 0.1 to 1 is possessed and a height h of the silica film and a diameter D of the polymer particle coated with silica have a relationship of 0.5≦h/D<1, wherein the silica film includes a polyalkoxysiloxane oligomer condensate.

Conventionally, as a coating composition including a composition for a paint material, a composition with particles blended therein has been used in order to attain various objects utilizing light diffusibility possessed by the particles. For example, for the purpose of matting surfaces of various molded articles, there has been used a coating composition in which inorganic particles such as silica particles or organic polymer particles (resin particles) are blended. Since a coated film obtained from the above coating composition has a surface on which irregularities are formed and reflection of light is diffused, a surface is matted.
In addition, in an image display device used in a TV set, a personal computer, an electronic notebook, a cellular phone, an amusement apparatus and the like, an optical sheet for diffusing transmitted light or reflected light is used as a light diffusing sheet or an antiglare sheet. Also in this optical sheet, in order to diffuse the transmitted light or the reflected light, a coated film is formed on a surface thereof. As a coating composition for forming the coated film on the surface, there has been used a composition in which inorganic particles or resin particles are blended.
For example, in the light diffusing sheet for diffusing the transmitted light, as a coating composition, there has been used a composition with particles of inorganic substances such as calcium carbonate and silica, or organic polymers such as polystyrene and silicone blended therein.
However, the inorganic particles have a problem of low dispersion stability in a binder solution, in particular, a binder solution using a transparent binder such as a polymethyl methacrylate resin as a binder resin.
In addition, in a coating composition with organic polymer particles blended therein, dispersion stability is better, but there is a problem that sufficient light diffusibility is not obtained.
On the other hand, in optical components such as an illumination apparatus cover, a lens, a light guiding plate, a video disc, a screen for a projection television, and various molded articles such as a cosmetic container, a front plate of a vending machine, a signboard, a merchandise display and a table container, in order to enhance a merchandise value such as their aesthetic property, improvement of light diffusibility has been challenged by molding the above articles using a raw material in which light diffusible particles are blended in a resin. In these molded articles, various resins, in particular, thermoplastic resins such as a polycarbonate resin, a polystyrene resin and a polyacrylate resin are used as a base material.
Conventionally, as the light diffusible particle used in the molded articles, there have been well-known inorganic particles such as glass, calcium carbonate and silica, or resin particles such as a polyacrylate resin and a polystyrene resin.
However, these molded articles have a problem that transparency is degraded due to blend of the light diffusible particles and, also, improvement in light diffusibility is not sufficient.
In response to these problems, Japanese Patent No. 3,040,705 proposes a polymer particle containing smectite, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10(1998)-265580 proposes a composite particle in which silica particles of 500 nm or less are dispersed in resin particles.
However, even a composition using one of the above particles as particles to be blended can not still provide a coated article or a molded article having sufficient light diffusibility.
Additionally, in addition to those described in the above publications, a composite particle in which a surface of a polymer particle is covered with other polymer or an inorganic material has been also known.
Among these, the latter composite particle in which the surface of the polymer particle is covered with the inorganic material has an advantage that a refractive index at an interface between the polymer particle and the inorganic material is made greater than a refractive index at an interface between the polymers of the former.
A composite particle in which a surface of polymer particle is covered with an inorganic material has been reported, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 5(1993)-170924. This publication describes a composite particle in which a substance smaller than a particle of a thermoplastic substance and excellent in heat resistance is immobilized on the particle of a thermoplastic substance. The composite particle is obtained by a mechanical shear force by raising a temperature of the particle of the thermoplastic substance to a softening temperature or more, and stirring a substance excellent in heat resistance and the particle of the thermoplastic substance.
The composite particle obtained by the method of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 5(1993)-170924 has a structure that the surface of the particle of the thermoplastic substance is approximately uniformly covered with the substance excellent in heat resistance, has slightly improved in light diffusibility and reflectivity rather than the particle of the thermoplastic substance as a raw material; however, further improvement is demanded.
In addition, in the above method, since a mechanical shear force is applied to the particle of the thermoplastic substance, it is required that the particles of the thermoplastic substance endure this shear force, and there is a problem that a usable substance is limited.
Furthermore, it is required that the particle of the thermoplastic substance is prepared in advance before subjected to the method, and further omission of a step is desired from a viewpoint of saving of a manufacturing cost.

Polymer particle coated with silica, method for producing the same and use of the same


A printing device including: an image data acquisition unit acquiring image data corresponding to pixels of the image; a printing data generation unit generating, based on the acquired image data, printing data including information about dot formation details based on the pixels for each of the nozzles; a nozzle information storage unit storing information about nozzles whose dot formation details are different from predetermined dot formation details; and a printing unit printing, based on the printing data, the image onto a printing medium using a printing head. By referring to the nozzle information storage unit, the printing data generation unit generates printing data providing a lower resolution for the image to be printed by at least either the nozzle of different dot formation details or neighboring nozzles compared with a resolution of the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit corresponding to the nozzle used for printing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printing device, a printing device control program and method, and a printing data generation device, program, and method for use with printers of facsimile machines, copying machines, OA equipment, and others. More specifically, the present invention is suitable for use with a printing device of an ink jet type that is capable of text and image rendering onto a printing paper. (printing medium) through discharge of liquid ink particles of various colors, a control program and method for such a printing device, and a printing data generation device, program, and method.
2. Related Art
Described below is a printing device, specifically a printer of an ink jet type (hereinafter, referred to as ink jet printer").
Because ink jet printers are relatively inexpensive and they easily achieve high-quality color printing, ink jet printers have become widely popular not only for office use but also for personal use particularly with the spread of personal computers, digital cameras, and the like.
Such an ink jet printer generally performs text and image rendering on a printing medium (paper) using a moving element in a predetermined manner so that any desired printing is achieved. More in detail, the moving element referred to as a carriage includes an ink cartridge and a printing head as a piece, reciprocating relative to the printing medium in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction, and discharging (ejecting) liquid ink droplets in the form of dots from the nozzles provided to the printing head. If the carriage is provided with ink cartridges of four colors, i.e., black, yellow, magenta, and cyan, and each corresponding printing head, full-color printing becomes possible in addition to monochrome printing by color mixture. Better still, ink cartridges of six, seven, or eight colors additionally with light cyan, light magenta, and others are also in practical use.
There is a problem with ink jet printers that perform printing with the printer head reciprocating on the carriage in the direction perpendicular to the printing paper. That is, to derive a clearly-printed page, the printing head requires frequent reciprocating movements, e.g., several tens to a hundred or more. This results in a drawback of a longer printing time as compared with other types of printing devices such as electrophotographic laser printers or others, e.g., copying machines. Note here that ink jet printers of this type are generally referred to as "multi-path printers" or "serial printers".
On the other hand, with an ink jet printer that does not use a carriage but rather a long printing head having the same width as that of the printing paper or longer, there is no need to move the printing head in the width direction of the printing paper. This accordingly allows printing with a single scan, i.e., a single path, favorably leading to high-speed printing as with laser printers. What is better, this eliminates the need for a carriage with a printing head, and a drive system for moving the carriage, thereby reducing the size and weight of the cabinet of the printer, and the noise to a considerable degree. Note here that ink jet printers of this type are generally referred to as "line-head printers".
The issue with such ink jet printers is the manufacturing deviation observed in the printing head that serves an essential role for the printer. The manufacturing deviation results from the configuration of the printing head, carrying very small nozzles of about 10 to 70 μm in diameter in a line at regular intervals, or in a plurality of lines in the printing direction. In such a configuration, a nozzle may be partially misaligned so that the ink discharge direction is incorrectly angled, or the nozzles may not be correctly disposed as they are expected to be so that the nozzles resultantly fail in forming dots at their ideal positions, i.e., ink deflection. Because the nozzles often show a wide range of variation in the ink amount, if the variation is too much, the ink amount to be discharged from the nozzle is considerably large or small compared with the ideal amount of ink.
As a result, an image part printed by such a faulty nozzle suffers a printing failure, i.e., a so-called banding (streaking) problem, resultantly reducing the printing quality considerably. More in detail, with ink deflection, the dot-to-dot distance between dots formed by any adjacent nozzles becomes non-uniform. When such a dot-to-dot distance is longer than usual, the corresponding part suffers from white streaks when the printing paper is white in color. When the dot-to-dot distance is shorter than usual, the corresponding part suffers from dark streaks. When the amount of ink coming from any of the nozzles is not ideal and is a lot, the part for the nozzle suffers from dark streaks, and when the amount of ink is little, the part suffers from white streaks.
Such a banding problem is often observed in "line head printers" in which a printing head or a printing medium is fixed, i.e., printing with a single scan, compared with the above-described "multi-path printers" (serial printers) This is because the multi-path printers are adopting the technology of making white streaks less noticeable utilizing frequent reciprocating movements of the printing head.
For the purpose of preventing printing failures caused by the banding problem, research and development has been actively conducted from the hardware perspective, e.g., improving the manufacturing technology of the printing head, or improving the design thereof. However, from the perspective of manufacturing cost, the printing quality, the technology, or others, it is found difficult to provide a printing head perfectly free from the banding problem.
In consideration of the above, the currently-available technology for correcting the banding problem is adopting a so-called software technique such as printing control as described below in addition to such improvements from the hardware perspective as described above.
As an example for such a technology, Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2002-19101) and Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2003-136702) describe the technology as a measure against the ink amount variation of the nozzles, and ink discharge failures. More in detail, parts of lower density are applied with shading correction so that any head variation is handled, and parts of higher density are provided with substitution color, e.g., cyan or magenta for printing in black, so that the banding problem is corrected or any ink amount variation is made less noticeable.
Patent Document 3 (JP-A-2003-63043) describes the technology of generating filled-in images, i.e., images being solidly and completely filled, using all provided nozzles. That is, for filled-in images, any nozzles in the vicinity of pixels in charge of any discharge-faulty nozzle(s) are increased in ink amount for discharge.
Patent Document 4 (JP-A-5-30361) describes the technology of preventing the banding problem with a process of feeding back any variation observed to the ink amount coming from the nozzles through error diffusion so that the variation is absorbed.
The concern here is that, with the technology of correcting the banding problem or reducing the variation of nozzles using substitution colors as related arts found in Patent Document 1 and 2, any processed parts are changed in hue. In consideration thereof, such technologies are not suitable for printing required to be high in image quality and printing quality as color photograph printing.
Another issue is with the technology of allocating information about any discharge-faulty nozzles to the right and left thereof to prevent white streaks in parts high in density. If this technology is applied to solve the above-described ink deflection problem, white streaks are actually reduced but the banding problem still remains unsolved in parts high in density.
The related art of Patent Document 3 causes no problem with printing subjects if they are filled-in images, but cannot be used if printing subjects are of halftone. The technology of using substitution colors may serve well for thin lines. However, if with an image of many colors, i.e., one color next to another, the technology also fails to solve the problem of hue change in the image.
The related art of Patent Document 4 also raises an issue of complicating the feeding-back process that is expected to be appropriately executed against the problem of not deriving ideal dot formation details, and such an issue is difficult to solve.

Printing device, printing device control, program and method, and printing data generation device, program and method


A motor control system provides a low-cost method of phase-locking a motor to an input timing signal. Timer circuits 502, 506 measure the period of a timing signal and the relative phase between the timing signal and a motor rotor. A frequency command generator circuit 520 outputs a motor speed command based on the period of the timing signal and the relative phase of the timing signal compared to the motor rotor. The motor speed command controls the output of a motor driver circuit which drives the motor rotor speed synchronously with the input timing signal. The rotor speed is gradually altered to adjust the relative phase between the input timing signal and the motor rotor. This results in a small frequency-lock error being used to maintain a predetermined phase relationship between the timing signal and the motor rotor.

Display systems are commonly used to convey information to system observers. Display systems typically include some type of spatial light modulator, such as a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to form a modulated light image. One new type of display system, which has the capability to replace the conventional Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) based display system in many applications, is based on Texas Instruments' Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). The DMD is an integrated circuit that includes a large number of very small mirrors on the surface of the circuit. A typical DMD may have over one million mirrors, each approximately 17 .mu.m across, in a sealed package having a transparent cover over the mirrors. Addressing circuitry in the DMD is used to electrostatically rotate each mirror +/-10.degree. about a hinge axis. The rotated position of the mirror determines the direction incident light will be deflected from the surface of the mirror.
In a typical DMD-based display system, a projection lamp generates a beam of light which is focused onto the surface of the DMD. The incident beam of light generally strikes the surface of the DMD along a path which is 20.degree. from normal to the surface of the DMD. Mirrors which are rotated to a first "on" position reflect the incident light along a path which is normal to the surface of the DMD. Mirrors which are rotated in the opposite "off" direction, reflect light along a path which is 40.degree. from normal to the surface of the DMD and 60.degree. away from the incident light beam.
A projection lens is used to capture the light which has been reflected by the DMD along a path normal to the surface of the DMD. The projection lens focuses this light onto a viewing screen. Each mirror has a one-to-one relationship with a portion of the viewing screen such that for each mirror that is rotated to the "on" position, there is a corresponding bright spot on the viewing screen. The bright spots collectively form an image which may be interpreted by a viewer.
Realistic images require many intensity levels to represent realistically life-like shading and contouring. However, modern versions of the DMD are only designed to operate in either the on position, in which all of the light incident on the mirror is reflected onto the viewing screen, or in the off position, in which none of the incident light is reflected onto the viewing screen. Therefore, time based integration methods are used to create images which have multiple intensity levels. Typical video signals are transmitted as a series of video frames, or images, each frame representing the complete image at a given point in time. Time based integration is implemented by breaking each image frame into a series of subframes. Individually, each subframe is a single-intensity version of the desired image and does not represent the entire image accurately. But, because the human eye integrates a series of instantaneous images, a series of subframes may be created which will appear, to the human eye, to be a single image with multiple intensity levels.
Multiple beams of colored light are used to generate a full-color image. For example, the output of three separate image display systems, one with a red light source, one with a green light source, and one with a blue light source, may be combined to create a full-color image. Alternatively, a single image display system sequentially may use three light sources to generate a full-color image. Once again, the integration properties of the human eye are relied upon to blend the three monochromatic images of a color-serial display system into a single full-color image.

Low-cost phase-lock motor control method and architecture


A weight bench apparatus for to allow a user to lift weights without a spotter. The weight bench apparatus includes a bench assembly being designed for being positioned on a support surface and for supporting the user. A pair of support assemblies is pivotally coupled to the bench assembly for supporting a weight training member being used by the user. A foot assembly is operationally coupled to the bench assembly. The foot assembly is operationally coupled to the support assemblies whereby the foot assembly pivots the support assemblies from a vertical position to a substantially horizontal position to allow the user to freely use the weight training member when the foot assembly is actuated by feet of the user. The support assemblies are designed for receiving the weight training member when the support assemblies are actuated by the foot assembly and pivoted back to a vertical position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weight benches and more particularly pertains to a new weight bench apparatus for to allow a user to lift weights without a spotter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of weight benches is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,507 describes a device for docking an exercise machine. Another type of weight bench is U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,921 having a exercise machine that has a barbell connected to a cable system for lifting the barbell away from the user when the user can no longer lift the barbell. U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,459 has a dumbbell rack attachment for a weight bench to support dumbbells to be used by a user positioned on the weight bench. U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,397 has an exercise bench that supports a pair of dumbbells on opposed sides of the bench to be used by the user. U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,166 has a portable apparatus for assisting weight lifters during weight lifting to prevent injury. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 441,813 shows a dumbbell holder stand support.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that has certain improved features for assisting a user during weight lifting.


The invention relate to fibrous mats comprising chitosan nanofibers and, optionally, at least one filler material, at least one additive, or both. The invention also relates to methods of making same, and devices that include a fibrous mat comprising chitosan nanofibers.

Electrospinning is an inexpensive method for creating continuous, randomly oriented, nanofibrous mats from a variety of synthetic and natural polymers. These characteristics, in conjunction with the beneficial intrinsic effects of increased surface area from its nanofibrous form, make electrospun polymers ideal for medical, packaging, agricultural, filtration, protective clothing, nanocomposites, and automotive applications (Huang, Z.-M.; Zhang, Y. Z.; Kotaki, M.; Ramakrishna, S.; Composites Science and Technology 2003, 63, (15), 2223-2253).
Chitosan, a derivative of chitin (the second most abundant, naturally occurring, organic material after cellulose) is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable, and anti-bacterial. It has been demonstrated that chitosan can be electrospun into fibrous mats with the aid of an additional polymer in solution. The additional polymer is typically either polyethylene oxide (PEO) (see Duan, B.; Dong, C.; Yuan, X; Yao, K. J. Biomater. Sci., Polym. Ed. 2004, 15 (6), 797-811, Geng, X; Kwon, O.-H.; Jang, J. Biomaterials 2005, 26 (27), 5427-5432, Spasova, M.; Manolova, N.; Paneva, D.; Rashkov, I. e-Polymers 2004, 56, 1-12, Bhattarai, N.; Edmondson, D.; Veiseh, O.; Matsen, F. A.; Zhang, M. Biomaterials 2005, 26, 6176-6184) or poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (see Min, B.-M.; Lee, S. W; Lim, J. N.; You, Y; Lee, T. S.; Kang, P. H.; Park, W. H. Polymer 2004, 45, 7137-7142). However, when formed from chitosan and PEO and/or PVA, the resulting fibrous mats tend to contain a high content of PEO/PVA fibers and the characteristics of the mats reflect the low proportion of chitosan, i.e., the mats do not possess some or all of the advantageous characteristics associated with chitosan.
There remains a need for fibrous mats having advantageous physical properties with utility in such processes as filtration of gas and/or liquid.

Fibrous mats containing chitosan nanofibers


A baby walker includes a lower frame and an upper frame mounted onto the lower frame via a folding device, wherein the upper frame is provided to load the body weight of the user. The lower frame has multiple roller assemblies universally mounted on a bottom thereof and two parallel foldable rocking devices mounted on the bottom of the lower frame. Each rocking device includes a first seat and a second seat respectively securely mounted on the bottom of the lower frame. A rocking plate has two opposite ends respectively pivotally mounted into a corresponding one of the first seat and the second seat. The rocking plate has a straight side and a corresponding curved side. The first seat holds the rocking plate in place when the rocking is vertical and horizontal relative to the supporting face of the baby walker.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baby walker, and more particularly to a baby walker that can be used as a rocking chair.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
A baby desires to stand and walk due to his/her instinct when he/she grows up to about 9 or 10 months old. Parents always prepare a baby walker to support the baby because, now, the baby cannot stand and walk well such that he/she may stumble and be hurt. The baby can be gradually used to stand by his/her legs due to a suitable baby walker. As a result, a baby walker is an indispensable good partner during a baby growing up. However, the conventional baby walker has only function and cannot satisfy the multi-requirements of the modern parents. Consequently, the baby walker manufacturers try to provide some new functions to attract the attention of consumers, such as adding toys on an upper frame of the baby walker or providing sound and light effects to the baby walker. However, the baby walker with the function of rocking chair is the best one because the movement simulating on a rocking horse can train the muscle coordination of his/her body. This design promotes the function of the baby walker. However, the conventional baby walker with the function of rocking chair has some disadvantages that need to be advantageously altered.
The conventional baby walker needs to disassembled and assembled with a different lower frame when changing the functions of baby walker and rocking chair. It is very difficult for some mothers. In addition, the structures may lose their precision fit after being frequently disassembled and assembled. Consequently, the positioning effect of the conventional baby walker is weak. The shock occurred due to the weak positioning effect may terrify the baby during operation, and even hurt the baby. It is very important to choose a good baby walker.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional baby walker.


A super wide angle zoom lens comprises: a front group having a first lens group including, in the order from the object side, a first lens element having a negative refracting power, a second lens element having a negative refracting power, and a third lens element having a positive refracting power, the front group having a negative refracting power as a whole, at least one surface of the lens elements of the front group being aspherical; and a rear group including, in the order from the object side, a second lens group having a positive refracting power, a third lens group having a negative refracting power and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power, the rear group having a positive refracting power as a whole. When variable power operation is performed from the wide angle end side to the telephoto end side, lens groups move relatively along the optical axis so that air space between the first lens group and the second lens group reduces, air space between the second lens group and the third lens group increases, and air space between the third lens group and the fourth lens group reduces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a zoom lens and, more particularly, to a super wide angle zoom lens having a view angle of 100.degree. or more at the wide angle end and a sufficient back focal distance and suitable for use with a single-lens reflex camera of a Leica 35 mm format, an electronic still camera, a TV camera and the like.
2. Related Background Art
Proposed as a zoom lens having a large view angle were a multiplicity of conventional wide angle zoom lenses of a negative lens forefront type in which a negative lens group is disposed closest to an object, the zoom lens being composed of, e.g., negative/positive/negative/positive type four or more lens groups. However, each of a variety of the disclosed wide angle zoom lenses based on the negative/positive/negative/positive four group construction or having a greater number of lens groups has a view angle of 95.degree. or smaller. A super wide angle zoom lens having a view angle of 100.degree. or larger is not yet proposed. The wide angle zoom lenses based on, e.g., the negative/positive/negative/positive four group construction are, though already known, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,873. The former wide angle zoom lens disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310 has an view angle of approximately 93.degree. at the wide angle end. The wide angle zoom lens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,873 has a view angle of approximately 85.degree. at the wide angle end.
In the zoom lenses shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,873, a first lens group is relatively complicatedly constructed and large in thickness. A positive lens positioned second from the object in the first lens group refracts an oblique ray exhibiting a large view angle greatly in the optical-axis direction. It is therefore quite difficult to make the angle much wider while the construction of the first lens group remains as it is. Supposing that the first lens group is provided with the much wider angle while the construction thereof remains it is, the negative lens closest to the object and the positive lens positioned second from the object in the first lens group augment in size. In addition, the first lens group as a whole increases in terms of thickness. Further, when obtaining a super wide angle zoom lens having a view angle of 100.degree. or greater on the basis of the construction of the first lens group described above, the positive lens disposed send from the object in the first lens group exhibits larger refractive action on the oblique ray with a wider view angle. An incident angle of the oblique ray incident on the lens positioned closer to an image than the second lens abruptly increases. The lens eventually does not transmit the beam. This problem becomes more conspicuous with a larger refracting power of the positive lens positioned second from the object in the first lens group or with a larger aerial spacing between the positive lens and a lens disposed just behind this positive lens.
On the other hand, when seeing the wide angle zoom lenses disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,873 in terms of aberration, with widening of the view angle, a field curvature increases, an astigmatism and a distortion augment, and a chromatic aberration in a large view angle position is also deteriorated.
In particular, the zoom lens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,873 has a view angle of approximately 85.degree.. However, the distortion at the wide angle end, the astigmatism and the field curvature are all large. A compensation of upper chromatic aberration is insufficient and greatly produced in the plus direction. Fluctuations in the chromatic aberration which are caused on the occasion of variable power are also large. This zoom lens is not satisfactory in terms of the aberration. Hence, it is hard to further widen the view angle in terms of the aberration.
As explained above, in the wide angle zoom lenses disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,873, it is extremely difficult to obtain the view angle of 100.degree. or larger in terms of lens construction and the aberration as well.
On the other hand, it is a common practice that focusing is effected by moving the first lens group disposed closest to the object in the zoom lens. A wide angle zoom lens adopting an internal focusing system such as an inner focus system or a rear focus system is, though already known, also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310.
By the way, when seeing a conventionally oft-used system for extending the whole first lens group in terms of the aberration as a focusing system of the wide angle zoom lens, the fluctuations in the chromatic aberration which are caused during focusing and in the field curvature are large. Especially in the super wide angle zoom lens having a view angle of 100.degree. or greater, this phenomenon appears more conspicuously. Besides, according to the focusing system for extending the whole first lens group, the principal ray passes through a position far away from the optical axis at the short distance, and hence a front lens diameter increases. This leads to a rise in size of the entire system. As a result, unfavorably a marginal light quantity is remarkably reduced. In particular, this problem becomes more conspicuous as the view angle increases.
Therefore, as a focusing system other than the focusing system for extending the whole first lens group, a system for moving some lenses as a focusing group within the first lens group was proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2-201310 described above.
According to this focusing system proposed therein, however, it is required to secure an aerial spacing enough to move the focusing group within the first lens group. This is therefore undesirable because of bringing about scale-ups of the first lens group and the diameter of the lens closest to the object. Additionally, a relatively large lens is employed for focusing, and a weight of the moving lens group (focusing group) is thereby increased. On the occasion of auto-focusing (AF), there is caused such a defect that quick focusing is not attainable.
Further, with a movement of the focusing lens group, there remarkably varies a height of entering principal ray having the maximum view angle which is incident on the focusing lens group set inwardly of the first lens group. Hence, undesirably the fluctuations both in the field curvature and in the chromatic aberration of magnification are large. Further, in the case of widening, as in the present invention, the view angle well over 100.degree., the aberration is undesirably outstandingly deteriorated.


A thermal fuse includes an insulating case having a bottom and having an opening provided therein, a fusible alloy provided in the insulating case, a lead conductor having one end connected to the fusible alloy and other end led out from the insulating case through the opening of the insulating case, a flux provided on the fusible alloy, and a sealer for sealing the opening of the insulating case. The volume of a space between the fusible alloy in the insulating case and the sealer is larger than the volume of the flux. Sealing of the fuse is prevented from deteriorating, and the insulating film is prevented from damage even when the thermal fuse is used for breaking a large current at a high voltage.

FIG. 32 is a sectional view of a conventional thermal fuse. The conventional thermal fuse shown in FIG. 32 includes fusible alloy 2 including tin and a pair of lead conductors 3 connected to respective ends of the alloy 2. The connectors may be connected by welding or supersonic welding, or by melting the fusible alloy 2 with an electrical power applied to the lead conductors 3 and the fusible alloy 2. The fusible alloy 2 is coated with flux 14, and accommodated in insulating case 1 having an opening. The opening of the insulating case 4 is sealed with sealer 5 made of hard resin.
In the conventional thermal fuse, the flux 3 melts according to an increase of an ambient temperature, thus removing an oxide from a surface of the fusible alloy 2. Then, when the ambient temperature further increases and exceeds the melting point of the fusible alloy 2, the fusible alloy 2 melts to break electricity. For reliably achieving the fusing, the flux 4 is applied to a wide portion of the entire surface of the fusible alloy 2. When the thermal fuse melts, arc is generated between respective tips of melting fusible alloy 2. In particular, a high voltage or a large current is applied at breaking increases energy of the arc. The arc energy vaporizes or decomposes the flux 4 provided on the fusible alloy 2. This rapidly increases the number of molecules in the insulating case 1 sealed with the sealer 5, thus increasing a pressure in a space in the thermal fuse. If the energy of the arc is large, the energy may cause the sealing to deteriorate or damages the insulating case 1 of the thermal fuse. Therefore, the conventional thermal fuse cannot be used as a thermal fuse for breaking a high voltage or a large current.

Temperature fuse and battery using the same


The invention relates to orthogonal pairs of tRNAs and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases that can incorporate alkynyl amino acids such as para-propargyloxyphenylalanine into proteins produced in a eubacteria host such as E. coli. The invention provides novel orthogonal synthetases, methods for identifying and making the novel synthetases, methods for producing proteins containing alkynyl amino acids, and cellular translation systems.

The ability to site-specifically, chemically modify proteins with nonpeptidic molecules such as spectroscopic probes, catalytic auxilaries, or polymers, or covalently cross-link a protein to another protein or to any other moiety, provides a powerful means to both investigate and manipulate the chemical and biological properties of proteins. A common approach involves the bioconjugation of nucleophilic surface residues on the protein, e.g., the side chains of lysine, histidine, or cysteine, with electrophilic groups on an exogenous molecule, such as aldehydes, α-halo carboxamides, and N-hydroxy succinimides (Lemineux, G. A.; Bertozzi, C. R. TIBTECH 1996, 16, 506).
Unfortunately, a challenge in using the naturally occurring nucleophilic targets in a protein to target modifications is the modest selectivity of these reactions and the multiple occurrences of nucleophilic amino acids in proteins, leading to the formation of heterogeneous mixtures of labeled proteins. Furthermore, the nucleophile-targeted modification reactions frequently require non-physiological conditions, which can preclude in vivo modification strategies and/or result in a loss of protein biological activity.
There is a need in the art to create new targets and novel strategies for specific and targeted protein modifications. Unfortunately, every known organism, from bacteria to humans, encodes the same twenty common amino acids (with the rare exceptions of selenocysteine (see, e.g., A. Bock et al., (1991), Molecular Microbiology 5:515-20) and pyrrolysine (see, e.g., G. Srinivasan, et al., (2002), Science 296:1459-62). This feature limits the use of naturally occurring amino acids in the development of novel chemistries for targeted protein modification.
One strategy to overcome this limitation is to expand the genetic code and add amino acids that have distinguishing chemical properties to the biological repertoire. This approach has proven feasible by the use of "orthogonal" tRNA's and corresponding novel "orthogonal" aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases to add unnatural amino acids to proteins using the in vivo protein biosynthetic machinery of the eubacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and other organisms (e.g., Wang et al., (2001), Science 292:498-500; Chin et al., (2002) Journal of the American Chemical Society 124:9026-9027; Chin and Schultz, (2002), Chem Bio Chem 11:1135-1137; Chin, et al., (2002), PNAS United States of America 99:11020-11024; and Wang and Schultz, (2002), Chem. Comm., 1-10). See also, International Publications WO 2002/086075, entitled "METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ORTHOGONAL tRNA AMINOACYL-tRNA SYNTHETASE PAIRS;" WO 2002/085923, entitled "IN VIVO INCORPORATION OF UNNATURAL AMINO ACIDS;" WO 2004/094593, entitled "EXPANDING THE EUKARYOTIC GENETIC CODE;" WO 2005/019415, filed Jul. 7, 2004; WO 2005/007870, filed Jul. 7, 2004; and WO 2005/007624, filed Jul. 7, 2004.
There is a need in the art for novel methods to accomplish highly specific and targeted protein modifications. There is a need in the art for the development of orthogonal translation components that incorporate unnatural amino acids in vivo into proteins in E. coli, where the unnatural amino acids can be incorporated in a defined position, and where the unnatural amino acid has distinguishing chemical properties that allow it serve as a target for specific modification to the exclusion of cross reactions or side reactions with other parts of the proteins. This need in the art is especially applicable to E. coli, as eubacterial protein expression systems can produce large quantities of recombinant protein material for scientific study or therapeutic applications. This invention fulfills these and other needs, as will be apparent upon review of the following disclosure.

In vivo incorporation of alkynyl amino acids into proteins in eubacteria


A local oscillator (LO) generator for driving a bank of mixers that provides precise phase relationship between multi-phase LO outputs comprises a shift register using slave-master-slave flip-flop elements. The LO generator can be used over a wide operating frequency range. The LO generator is suitable for driving a multi-phase LO clock input to a harmonic suppression mixer. A pattern generator produces a pattern signal and a reclocking signal that determines the frequency of the LO signals and the phase delay between the LO output phases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radio frequency local oscillator generators used with multiple-mixer tuners.
2. Prior Art
Superheterodyne receivers use one or more local oscillators (LO) to convert an input frequency to an intermediate frequency before the signal is demodulated. In an ideal receiver, these frequency conversions would not distort the input signal and all the information in the input signal would be recovered. In actual application, the local oscillator can add distortions that can limit the receiver's ability to recover the signal information. The principle local oscillator degradation is random phase variations known as phase noise.
The ideal local oscillator (LO) generator for implementing multiple output phases for use in applications such as the commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/078,050, filed Mar. 11, 2005 entitled "Harmonic suppression mixer and tuner", incorporated herein by reference, must have low phase noise and there must be a minimum phase mismatch between the multiple outputs. Ideally, the LO generator would use minimum chip area and minimum power.
The minimized phase mismatch between the multiple outputs is required in many applications because of the need for high image rejection and high harmonic rejection in the mixing and tuning process. Multiple frequency division ratios are also needed to provide frequency agility in the tuner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,208, issued to Lee et al. on Feb. 15, 2005, entitled "Multi-phase Oscillator and Multi-phase Oscillation Signal Generation Method", incorporated herein by reference, describes a multi-phase oscillator that can be a single phase oscillator, a 180 degree phase difference oscillator or a multiple phase difference oscillator.
In applications such as multi-mixer tuners, described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/078,050, filed Mar. 11, 2005 entitled "Harmonic suppression mixer and tuner", multiple frequency division ratios are needed in order to generate a wide range of LO output frequencies from a limited input clock frequency range.
The multi-mixer architecture needs multiple LO clock phases to actively reject higher harmonics of the LO clock signal. To do this with high suppression ratios, the low phase mismatch requirement is of the utmost importance.
To reduce overall cost, chip area must be kept as low as possible; furthermore, a more compact layout will result in a lower uncertainty on phase accuracy.
FIG. 1 shows a solution known in the prior art. The slave latch not only provides the LO signal to the mixer, but is also loaded by the master latch in the next flip-flop. This results in a deterioration of the signal slope and phase accuracy. To minimize the deterioration due to capacitive and other loading, an emitter follower or source follower can be included at the output of the slave latch or the bias current of the latch can be increased.
The master input of flip-flop 2 in FIG. 1 is directly connected to the output of flip-flop 1. Any feed-through of the master clock to the input of the master latch of flip-flop 2, results in a ripple on the LO signal going to the mixer. This can result in LO feed-through and down conversion of unwanted RF signals at harmonics of the LO signal. Both effects directly lead to deteriorated harmonic rejection performance of the mixer architecture referred to above.
The propagation delay from the slave output of flip-flop 1 to the master input of flip-flop 2 has to be low enough to meet the setup-time requirement of the slave latch at high frequencies. If this requirement is not met, the phase accuracy of the output signal is deteriorated considerably. The optional emitter/source follower included to solve the load-related issue described above adds additional delay. This delay can be minimized by increasing its bias current, but results in increased circuit power consumption.
The physical layout of the circuit as shown in FIG. 1 poses considerable challenges that need to be solved in order to avoid adverse effects on the performance. Clock lines and slave output lines can couple resulting in unwanted clock feed-through. Additionally, the connection between slave output and master input needs to be kept short to avoid extra loading due to parasitics. The interconnection scheme used at the slave output may be complicated and therefore, layout asymmetry will be unavoidable. If a differential signaling implementation is used, this asymmetry will have a negative influence on the final phase accuracy.
Even by substantially increasing current consumption, not all of these issues can be solved.
FIG. 2 shows another prior art solution where the input of flip-flop 2 is driven with the master latch output of flip-flop 1. This requires the clock signals of flip-flop 1 and flip-flop 2 to be inverted with respect to each other to avoid digital race conditions. For example, flip-flop 1 would be clocked at the rising edge and flip-flop 2 would be clocked at the falling edge of the clock signal. In fact, using the master of flip-flop 1 as a reference, the input latch of flip-flop 2 then can be considered a slave latch since it is clocked on the same clock edge as the slave of flip-flop 1.
A major negative side effect of this clocking scheme is that the resulting output signal phase accuracy becomes dependent on the duty cycle of the clock signal. Furthermore, the propagation delay of the master latch will increase due to increased loading. This can be alleviated but requires increasing the master latch bias current or adding an emitter or source follower.

Phase-accurate multi-phase wide-band radio frequency local oscillator generator


A digital filter and a method for filtering a pulse density modulation (PDM) signal are presented. The digital filter has a first filter circuit to receive an input signal with input values at successive time steps to provide a filtered input signal with filtered values at successive time steps. The digital filter does not require sample-rate or data format conversions. Also, the digital filter is area and power efficient when implemented in hardware. Optionally, the digital filter has a sigma-delta modulator including the quantiser, the sigma-delta modulator being used to receive the filtered input signal and to process the filtered input signal before and/or after being quantised by the quantiser. This digital filter does not require sample-rate or data format conversions. This digital filter is area and power efficient when implemented in hardware.

A pulse-code modulated (PCM) signal encodes pulses of different heights at a constant frequency. A PCM signal is multi-bit and is typically at the Nyquist frequency. A pulse-density modulated (PDM) signal encodes pulses of the same height, hence it requires only one bit that can take any two values (usually represented as 0 and 1 or as 1 and −1); a PDM signal is a single-bit signal. Typically, a PDM signal will be lower resolution but with a higher sampling frequency than a PCM signal.
FIG. 1A (Graph/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation/CC BY-SA 3.0/redrawn and labelled) A shows an example of a PCM signal 100 and FIG. 1B shows an example of a PDM signal 102. Each of the signals 100, 102 are discrete time signals that may be represented by x[n], where n is a discrete time value. In each case the signals 100, 102 show conversion of a sine wave 103 to the respective formats. Each of the signals 100, 102 has a value at each of the discrete time values. For example, the PCM signal has a value of 8 at a discrete time value of 1, such that x[1]=8 (as shown at point 104 in the Figure), and the PDM signal 102 has a value of 1 at a discrete time value of 4, such that x[4]=1 (as shown at point 106 in the Figure).
Filtering of a digital signal using a digital filter is typically performed on PCM format digital data, however in some applications where the data must be down sampled and converted to PCM before filtering (for example, from a PDM signal), it is desirable to directly filter the digital signal without conversion to PCM.
Delays are incurred when a Pulse-Density Modulated (PDM) signal is converted to PCM. Further delays are also incurred when the PCM signal is converted back to PDM, as may be required by further blocks in the signal processing chain. Additionally, PDM signals are oversampled compared to the Nyquist frequency, so conversion to PCM will either require sample-rate conversion, or hardware multipliers capable of high data bit-width multiplication with filtering coefficients at a high clock speed.


A terminal for generating an augmented reality and a method thereof are provided. The terminal includes a camera property information providing server configured to store camera property information associated with one or more cameras, and the terminal is configured to receive, from the camera property information providing server, camera property information associated with a camera included in the terminal and generate an augmented reality based on the stored camera property information when an augmented reality-based application is driven and thus, may provide an augmented reality in which a virtual object is accurately matched to an image.

In general, a foreside or a back side of a current terminal is equipped with a camera. When the terminal executes an augmented reality application, the terminal receives an image input by a camera disposed on the back side, and determines a position and a direction of the terminal by detecting or analyzing the input image. Subsequently, the terminal determines a position of interest or an object to be displayed based on the determined position and direction of the terminal, generates a virtual object, and composes the generated virtual object and the input image, for displaying. Here, the terminal may compose the generated virtual object and the input image based on the camera property information, and the camera property information includes a field of view, focal length, and the like of a camera.
As described above, a terminal of the related art determines a position and a direction of the terminal based on an image obtained from a camera, determines a position of interest and an object to be displayed based on the determined position and direction, and generates a virtual object.
However, various types of terminals of the related art are equipped with various types of cameras and thus, it is difficult to know camera property information of all terminals.
In addition, an augmented reality has been generated using common camera property information obtained by generalizing camera property information of all terminals and thus, there is a drawback in that an input image and a virtual object are not accurately matched.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Terminal for generating augmented reality and method thereof


Described herein is a system and method for providing a level 2 connection cache for use with a database environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a second level, or level 2 (L2), connection cache is used to cache no-session connections for use with a database. When a connection is requested, a no-session connection (NSC) can be retrieved from the cache and a database session is attached. Later, when the connection is closed, the database session is logged off and the no-session connection returned to the cache for subsequent use.

Generally described, a connection pool is a cache of database connection objects. The connection objects represent physical database connections that can be used by a software application to connect to a database. At runtime, an application can request a connection from the pool. If the pool contains a connection that can satisfy the request, it returns the connection to the application. If no connections are found, a new connection can be created and returned to the application. The application uses the connection to access the database to perform work, and then returns the connection to the pool. The connection can then be made available for subsequent connection requests.
Creating connections can be costly both in terms of time and resources. For example, tasks such as network communication, authentication, transaction enlistment, and memory allocation all contribute to the amount of time and resources it takes to create a connection object. Connection pools allow reuse of such connection objects, and reduce the number of times that objects must be created.
One example of a connection pool is Oracle Universal Connection Pool (UCP), which provides a connection pool for caching JDBC connections. Java applications that are database-intensive can use the connection pool to improve performance and utilization of system resources. A UCP connection pool can use any JDBC driver to create physical connections that are then maintained by the pool. The connection pool can be configured with properties that are used to optimize pool behavior, based on the performance and availability requirements of an application.

System and method for providing a second level connection cache for use with a database environment


A system for measuring component fluid levels in a multi-phase fluid is provided. The system includes a sensing assembly. The sensing assembly includes a primary coil and at least one secondary coil. The primary coil is wound around a sampling container that holds the multi-phase fluid. The secondary coil is disposed proximate to the primary coil and each of the at least one secondary coil is electrically connected to at least one capacitive element. Further, the system includes an analyzer that is inductively coupled to the at least one secondary coil. The analyzer is configured to measure a response of the at least one secondary coil in response to an excitation signal provided to the primary coil.

The present invention relates, generally, to sensors, and, specifically, to level sensors for measuring fluid levels in multi-phase fluids.
Measurement of composition of multi-phase fluids, such as emulsions, is an important application in many industries. Determination of oil and water content of emulsions is essential at different stages in the crude oil production and refining stage. Characterization of emulsions is important in oil field management, separators, desalters, wastewater management systems, and oil quality control systems. It is important to know oil and water levels in mixtures obtained from a particular oil field to understand the overall health of the field, as well as to increase productivity and capacity of the field.
In vessel systems such as separators, oil and water and other components present in the emulsion obtained from the well are separated from each other with the help of gravity and a difference of density between different components of the emulsion. In such separators volume of components is determined by observing the interface levels, and using measurement markings on the separator columns. It is also important to measure levels of different components in an emulsion like water-oil at various stages of production of oil from a cost standpoint. Underestimating water content in a particular emulsion can lead to serious cost implications in terms of procurement of additional instruments for separating water from oil. Wastewater management is another application where it is important to characterize emulsions.
To measure oil-water composition in emulsions, demulsifiers are mixed with the emulsion and stirred to separate oil and water in the mixture. Typically, operators visually observe the level of water that gets accumulated to determine levels of water in the emulsion. This technique is prone to human errors and may lead to subsequent errors in selection of demulsifiers required to be used in vessel management systems, waste water management systems and the like.
Many types of level and interface instruments have been contemplated over the years and a subset of those have been commercialized. Among those are gamma-ray sensors, guided wave sensors, magnetostrictive sensors, microwave sensors, ultrasonic sensors, single plate capacitance/admittance sensors, segmented capacitance sensors, inductive sensors, and computed tomography sensors. Each of the sensors has advantages and disadvantages. Some of the sensors are prohibitively expensive for many users. Some of the sensors may require a cooling jacket to perform at operating temperatures (above 125° C.). Some interface instruments require a clear interface to work, which can be problematic when working with diffuse emulsions. Some are susceptible to fouling. Other sensors do not have the ability to provide a profile of the tank, but rather monitor discreet points in the desalting process. Systems using electrodes are susceptible to the shorting of electrodes in high salinity applications and are susceptible to fouling. Finally, many of these systems are complex and difficult to implement.
Some existing sensor systems have used individual capacitive elements to measure fluid levels. A key limitation of those sensor systems is their inability to simultaneously quantify several components in the liquid. Capacitance methods have been used to measure dielectric constant of a liquid using specially designed electrodes for capacitance measurements. These designs are restricted by the need for separate types of electrodes for capacitance measurements and for conductivity measurements. Inductor capacitor circuits also have been used to monitor the fluid level in a container using an electromagnetic resonator where change in capacitance was related to fluid level and fluid type. However, it has been the consensus of those of ordinary skill in the art that the filling of the resonator by a conducting liquid increased the uncertainties and noise in measurements by about one order of magnitude as compared to the values in a non-conducting fluid such as in air. However, these methods do not provide accurate measurements of concentrations of individual analytes at the limits of their minimum and maximum concentrations in the mixture.
With existing sensor systems, no one system is capable of delivering a combination of low cost, high sensitivity, favorable signal-to-noise ratio, high selectivity, high accuracy, and high data acquisition speeds. Additionally no existing system has been described as capable of accurately characterizing or quantifying fluid mixtures where one of the fluids is at a low concentration.
Hence, there is a need for a method and a system that aids in automated measurement of components of a multi-phase fluid.

System for measurement of fluid levels in multi-phase fluids


A value chain flow diagram expresses the flow of money, things, claims, persons, information, services, values or the like related to the lifecycle of products (planning, designing, manufacturing, distribution, sale, use, disposal) which are generated among enterprises, departments of an enterprise, clients, users, stockholders, authentication organizations or regional inhabitants. In the product value chain flow diagram, individual components such as the enterprises, the departments of the enterprise, the clients, the users, the stockholders, the authentication organization or the regional inhabitants are expressed by block shapes such as boxes and circles and the flow of the money, the things, the claims, the persons, the information, the services, the values or the like is expressed by specific symbols or linear or curved arrows labeled with icons. Further, the components which are expressed by blocks are connected with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage medium for storing a value chain flow diagram and product value chain data which express flows of money, things, claims, persons, information, services, values or the like which are generated among enterprises, departments of an enterprise, clients, users, stockholders, authentication organizations or regional inhabitants related to the lifecycle of products (planning, designing, manufacturing, distribution, sale, use, operation, recycling, and disposal).
2. Description of the Related Art
In a development project of any kind of product, it is important to clarify the value chains related to the project and persons or organizations having interest to the project (called "stake holder" hereinafter).
Many experts in the product development recognize that the clarification of the structure of the value chains of the clients and the stake holders is important to add high values to the products in the development of new products or new services.
However, in the present world where the global enterprise partnership and the rapid technological progress have been concurrently developed, the structure of the value chains of the clients and the stake holders becomes more complicated, while tools or techniques which can efficiently grasp the value chains among them do not exist and hence, it is often the case that a serious failure mode frequently takes place due to the lack of understanding by product developers with respect to demands of the clients or the stake holders.
The present invention has been made to solve such drawbacks and it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage medium which stores a product value chain flow diagram and product value chain data which can efficiently analyze the clients of the product, the stake holders and the structure of the value chains between the clients and the stake holders.

Method for displaying product value chain flow diagram and product value chain data

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A novel enhanced liner for prostheses provides for better for either off of the shelf or in customized form, to line a prosthetic used by amputees. Striking a balance between controlling the tear strength and imparting resiliency results in a user friendly product that can be easily donned, and doffed and worn without the drawbacks of the prior art. A unique coating allows the user to remove it like a tubular sock-member, and support comfort and convenience.

The present disclosure relates to liners used with prosthetics. In particular, the present disclosure relates to liners which enhance the fit and comfort of prosthetics by having a proper balance between resilience and rigidity.
Longstanding needs in the art are related to the fact that the residual limb of an amputee undergoes structural changes over time, and those who wish to engage in active lifestyles subject their respective prostheses to untoward stresses over time.
Typical amputees' residua tend to decrease in mass over time, owing in part to atrophy, and other stresses to which they are generally subjected. To date, no liners have taken this into account in terms of providing more than one zone of hardness in the liners which will accommodate the needs of active individuals. For this reason the teachings of the present disclosure are offered for consideration and believed to provide an improved way for amputees to lead active lifestyles without any compromise to the fit, comfort or durability of their respective liner systems.
The prior art has turned to adding supplemental structural elements to liners and this impacts the ease of use, comfort and other aspects which users do not enjoy, especially those engaged in active lifestyles. Accordingly, by addressing, ameliorating and overcoming these longstanding issues, the teachings of the instant disclosure are believed to constitute progress in the science and the useful art susceptible of Letter Patent grant, and such relief is hereby earnestly solicited.


A method for producing a preparation containing a bioactive substance, characterized in that it comprises forming a solid material containing the bioactive substance and a polymer, and contacting the solid material with a high pressure gas. The method allows the production of a preparation which is suppressed in excessive initial release of the bioactive substance immediately after the administration thereof, is capable of releasing a predetermined amount of the bioactive substance over a long period of time, and is extremely reduced in the deterioration of the bioactive substance and in the amount of a residual organic solvent.

Peptidic or non-peptidic bioactive substances are known to exhibit various pharmacological activities in a living body, and the application thereof as medicaments have been attempted. However, it is required to administer these bioactive substances frequently since their half-life in a living body is generally short. Then, physical burden of patients due to administration by injection cannot be ignored. For example, growth hormone, a representative hormone which is originally produced and secreted in the anterior portion of the pituitary gland, is a bioactive peptide having widely diverse physiological activities such as, in addition to promotion of growth in the body, metabolism of saccharides and lipids, anabolism of proteins, cell proliferation and differentiation, and the like. At present, growth hormone is produced on a large scale by Escherichia coli using genetic recombination technology, and put to medicinal use clinically and worldwide. However, it is required to administer growth hormone frequently in order to maintain an effective blood level because of its short biological half-life. Especially, in the case of pituitary dwarfism, a daily subcutaneous administration to infants or young patients over a long period of time ranging from a few months to 10 years or more is actually taken place.
In order to deal with problems inherent in such bioactive substances, various drug delivery systems have been studied. For example, a sustained-release agent that provides sustained-release of a bioactive peptide over a long period of time has been studied. JP 8-217691 A (WO96/07399) discloses a method for producing a sustained-release preparation comprising a water-insoluble or poorly water soluble polyvalent metal salt of a water-soluble peptidic bioactive substance, which is formed by an aqueous solution of zinc chloride, etc., and a biodegradable polymer.
Further, for a sustained-release preparation using a biodegradable polymer, it is desired to maintain the activity of a bioactive substance with suppressing the initial release of a bioactive substance, in particular, release of the excess amount within one day, and to control the release of the bioactive substance arbitrarily over a long period of time. Regarding this problem, JP 11-322631 A discloses a method for producing a sustained-release preparation comprising adding a water-miscible organic solvent and/or a volatile salt to an aqueous solution of a bioactive peptide, followed by lyophilizing to obtain a bioactive peptide powder, dispersing the powder in a solution of a biodegradable polymer in an organic solvent, and removing the organic solvent. Furthermore, JP 9-132524 A discloses a method for producing sustained-release microcapsules comprising a bioactive substance and a biodegradable polymer which comprises, after forming microcapsules, heat-drying the microcapsules at a temperature of not less than the glass transition temperature of the biodegradable polymer for about 24 to 120 hours. These are methods for producing a sustained-release preparation containing very little residual organic solvent and having very superior clinical properties as medicaments.

Method for producing preparation containing bioactive substance


A liquid crystal display device for receiving a video signal and displaying an image corresponding thereto having a liquid crystal display for displaying an image corresponding to a received video signal on a liquid crystal display, and a back light provided for irradiating light thereto. A switch is used for turning ON and OFF the back light. The back light is automatically turned OFF when a predetermined period of time passes in which the video signal, carrying image data in a predetermined condition, is not received.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device that is applicable to a monitor of an electronic still camera or the like.
Recently, electronic still cameras have become popular. In the electronic still camera, an object is photographed by photographing elements and recorded on a recording medium, such as a magnetic disk. An output from the photographing elements or regenerated signal from the recording medium is displayed on a liquid crystal display of the electronic still camera. A user can monitor the object image through the liquid crystal display.
In conventional electronic still cameras, when a monitoring through a liquid crystal display is instructed, the liquid crystal display is thereafter held in a driven state, regardless of whether it is monitored or not, unless the instruction is released. Since a liquid crystal display does not emit light by itself, light is usually irradiated from a lamp, such as a fluorescent tube. As a result, there is a drawback in that the lamp is turned ON even if the object image on the liquid crystal display is not being monitored. Thus, the life of the fluorescent tube is shortened and a battery is consumed more than necessary.


A system for converting a bed into a simulation of four-poster comprising an frame member having a rectangular shape comprising four rail members, each rail member being secured to the bedroom ceiling with fasteners above and parallel with the sides and ends of the bed. Each rail member has a recessed portion extending substantially around its periphery and an upper lip portion formed by the recess and extending around the periphery of each rail member forming the frame member. A first fastening system is applied to the surface of the lip portion of each rail member to couple a valance thereto and a second fastening system is applied to the surface of the recessed portion of each rail member to couple draperies thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a system which inexpensively simulates the look of a conventional four poster bed without using posts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional bedroom four-poster comprises a large sized bed, vertically extending posts positioned at the four corners of the bed, a support member coupled to the four top ends of each post and valances extending around the edges of the support member. Other four-posters include draperies positioned to decorate the posts.
Conventional four-posters, although desirable to many homeowners, can not be utilized in the bedrooms of typical residences, due to the size of the four-poster, and more importantly, the cost thereof
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,727 to Steele discloses a kit for converting a bed into a four-poster. The conversion kit includes four corner posts and means for securing pelmets above an associated corner of the bed. Although the kit described in the ""727 patent allows a standard bed to be converted into a four-poster, the kit is complex to assemble and relatively expensive to purchase.
What is thus desired is to provide a bedroom arrangement which simulates a four-poster but is less expensive and relatively easy to assemble when compared to a conventional four-poster.
The present invention provides a system for converting an ordinary bed into a simulated four-poster and comprises an essentially rectangular shaped frame member, preferably comprising four separate rail members, each rail member secured to the bedroom ceiling with fasteners above and parallel with the sides and ends of the bed. Each rail member has a recessed portion extending substantially around its periphery and an upper lip portion formed above the recess and extending around the periphery of each rail member forming the frame member. A first fastening system is applied to the surface of the lip portion of each rail member to couple a valance thereto and a second fastening system is applied to the surface of the recessed portion of each rail member to couple draperies thereto.
The draperies and valances are provided in predetermined colors and styles and the customer can choose the desired combination in accordance with their design preferences.
The system is relatively inexpensive and easy to assemble and enables the homeowner to decorate his/her bedroom in a stylish manner, the bed giving the visual impression of a four-poster without the cost normally associated therewith. The frame member can be easily disassembled and the system reutilized in a different residence or another room of the same residence if so desired. The valances/draperies are easily removable and interchangeable with other sets of valances/draperies made of different fabric and variable colors.


An apparatus for detecting a vehicle having a vapor recovery system having a fuel dispenser configured to deliver fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle, a vapor recovery system operatively associated with the fuel dispenser having a vapor path for removing fuel vapor expelled from the fuel tank of the vehicle during a fueling operation, and a hydrocarbon vapor sensor associated with the vapor path for sensing the fuel vapors in the vapor path, wherein when the vapor sensor does not sense fuel vapor during the fueling operation, the fuel dispenser determines the vehicle contains an onboard vapor recovery system. Once a vehicle having an onboard vapor recovery system is detected, the vapor recovery system is either shut off or adjusted during the fueling operation to minimize fugitive emissions.

The present invention relates generally to vapor recovery systems associated with both automobiles and fuel dispensers and, more particularly, to a fuel dispenser vapor recovery system capable of detecting the presence of an onboard vapor recovery system in an automobile. For the past several years, the Environmental Protection Agency has been proposing various regulations to limit the amount of fuel vapor released into the atmosphere during the refueling of a motor vehicle. During a conventional or standard fueling operation, incoming fuel displaces fuel vapor from the head space of a fuel tank and out through the filler pipe into the atmosphere if not contained and recovered The air pollution resulting from this situation is undesirable. Currently, many fuel dispensing pumps at service stations are equipped with vapor recovery systems that collect fuel vapor vented from the fuel tank filler pipe during the fueling operation and transfer the vapor to a fuel storage tank.
Recently, onboard, or vehicle carried, fuel vapor recovery and storage systems (commonly referred to as onboard recovery vapor recovery or ORVR) have been developed in which the head space in the vehicle fuel tank is vented through a charcoal-filled canister so that the vapor is absorbed by the charcoal. Subsequently, the fuel vapor is withdrawn from the canister into the engine intake manifold for mixture and combustion with the normal fuel and air mixture. Because the fuel tank head space must be vented to enable fuel to be withdrawn from the tank during vehicle operation, this invention addresses a problem of the discharge of fuel vapor through the atmospheric vent of the tank when ambient pressure and temperature conditions are such that vapor pressure within the fuel tank exceeds atmospheric pressure.
In typical ORVR systems, a canister outlet is connected to the intake manifold of the vehicle engine through a normally closed purge valve. The canister is intermittently subjected to the intake manifold vacuum with the opening and closing of the purge valve between the canister and intake manifold. A computer which monitors various vehicle operating conditions controls the opening and closing of the purge valve to assure that the fuel mixture established by the fuel injection system is not overly enriched by the addition of fuel vapor from the canister to the mixture.
Fuel dispensing systems having vacuum assisted vapor recovery capability which are unable to detect ORVR systems will waste energy, increase wear and tear, ingest excessive air into the underground storage tank and cause excessive pressure buildup in the underground storage tank due to the expanded volume of hydrocarbon saturated air. Recognizing an ORVR system and adjusting the fuel dispenser's vapor recovery system accordingly eliminates the redundancy associated with operating two vapor recovery systems for one fueling operation The problem of incompatibility of assisted vapor recovery and ORVR was discussed in "Estimated Hydrocarbon Emissions of Phase II and Onboard Vapor Recovery Systems" dated Apr. 12, 1994, amended May 24, 1994, by the California Air Resources Board. That paper suggests the use of a "smart" interface on a nozzle to detect an ORVR vehicle and close one vapor intake valve on the nozzle when an ORVR vehicle is being filled.
Adjusting the fuel dispenser's vapor recovery system will mitigate fugitive emissions by reducing underground tank pressure. Reducing underground tank pressure minimizes the "breathing" associated with pressure differentials between the underground tank and ambient pressure levels. If the vacuum created by the fuel dispenser's vapor recovery system is not reduced or shut off, the underground tank pressure will increase to the extent that hydrocarbons are released through a pressure vacuum valve or breathing cap associated with the underground tank. In certain applications, reducing the vacuum created by the fuel dispenser's vapor recovery system when an ORVR system is detected permits the ingestion of a volume of air into the underground tank. When saturated with hydrocarbons, the volume of air expands to a volume approximately equal to the volume of fuel dispensed. Adjusting the fuel dispenser's vapor recovery system in this manner minimizes breathing losses associated with the underground tank.
Thus, there remains a need for a fuel dispensing system with a vapor recovery system having the ability to detect a vehicle having an ORVR system and adjusting its vapor recovery system when an ORVR system is detected to reduce breathing losses and wear and tear, as well as conserve energy.

Onboard vapor recovery detection using pressure sensing means