In a method for controlling a magnetic resonance system having a radio-frequency antenna structure and a number of individually controllable transmission channels, respective parallel radio-frequency signals are emitted via the transmission channels for generation of a desired radio-frequency field distribution in at least one specific volume region within an examination volume of the magnetic resonance system. A digital signal is generated for each of the transmission channels and is modulated on a carrier frequency. The radio-frequency signal so generated is transmitted via a radio-frequency signal path to the radio-frequency antenna structure and is amplified therein in a radio-frequency power amplifier. The digital signal is manipulated in a characteristic curve correction device on the basis of a correction characteristic curve predetermined for the respective radio-frequency signal path such that a distortion of the radio-frequency signal caused in the appertaining radio-frequency signal path is at least partially compensated. Respective individual correction characteristic curves for a specific measurement are predetermined for the various transmission channels dependent on a field distribution parameter that defines the desired radio-frequency field distribution. A magnetic resonance system implements such a method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method for controlling a magnetic resonance system having a radio-frequency antenna structure and a number of individually controllable transmission channels, in which radio-frequency signals are respectively emitted in parallel via the transmission channels to generate a desired radio-frequency field distribution in at least one specific volume region within an examination volume of the magnetic resonance system. The invention also concerns a magnetic resonance system for implementation of such a method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance tomography is a wide-spread technology to acquire images of the inside of the body of a living examination subject. In order to acquire an image with this method the body or body part of the patient or test subject to be examined must initially be exposed to an optimally homogeneous, static basic magnetic field which is generated by a basic field magnet of the magnetic resonance system. Rapidly switched gradient fields that are generated by gradient coils are superimposed on this basic magnetic field for spatial coding during the acquisition of the magnetic resonance images. Moreover, radio-frequency pulses of a defined field strength (known as the "B1 field") are radiated with radio-frequency antennas into the examination subject. The nuclear spins of the atoms in the examination subject are excited by these radio-frequency pulses such that they are deflected from their equilibrium state (parallel to the basic magnetic field) an amount known as an "excitation flip angle". The nuclear spins then precess around the direction of the basic magnetic field. The magnetic resonance signals thereby generated are acquired by radio-frequency acquisition antennas. The magnetic resonance images of the examination subject are generated on the basis of the acquired magnetic resonance signals.
Different images can be generated by the emission of different pulse sequences that respectively include a series of radio-frequency pulses and gradient pulses precisely correlated to one another. A method to monitor and optimize the pulse sequences is explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,320.
The tomography scanner typically has an antenna structure permanently installed in the housing thereof for the emission of the required radio-frequency pulses in the patient positioning region. This radio-frequency antenna is also known as a body coil. It has (for example in the typically employed birdcage structure) a number of conductor rods arranged around the patient space and running parallel to the main field direction, which are connected with one another by ferrules (annular conductors) at the ends of the coil. As an alternative to this, however, there are also other antenna structures permanently installed in the housing such as, for example, saddle coils. Conventional magnetic resonance systems have essentially only one transmission channel for emission of the B1 field, meaning that there is only one transmission line that leads from the radio-frequency antenna to the antenna structure. Insofar as the antenna (such as, for example, a birdcage antenna) is fashioned such that a circularly-polarized field can be emitted, the radio-frequency signal from the radio-frequency antenna is split via a hybrid module into two signals that are offset from one another by 90° in their phase. The two signals are then fed into the antenna structure at precisely defined connection points via two transmission lines. The distribution of the B1 field is unalterably fixed by the splitting to the two signal paths with the phases of 0° and 90° and cannot be adapted to the current conditions of the present measurement. Moreover, local coils can also be used that are arranged directly on the body of the patient, but these coils are normally used only as acquisition coils.
The generation of the radio-frequency pulses or radio-frequency pulse sequences for generation of the desired B1 field initially ensues via generation of a digital signal on the basis of which an RF signal is then generated. This is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The generation of the digital signal DS ensues here in a digital pulse generator 3′ in a channel control unit 2′. This digital signal DS already exhibits the desired pulse shape of the radio-frequency pulse or the radio-frequency pulse sequence to be generated. The digital signal DS is mixed with the desired RF carrier frequency RFT in a modulator 7′. The carrier frequency RFT depends on the magnetic field as well as on the desired data acquisition, i.e. on which nuclear spins should be excited, such as whether H1, F19, P31, NA23, C13 or other protons will be excited. Given a 3 Tesla basic magnetic field and an H1 excitation (desired in most cases), the carrier frequency is, for example, 123 MHz. The radio-frequency signal RF generated in the modulator essentially exhibits all characteristics of the radio-frequency signal to be emitted, meaning that it has the exact pulse shape and the required carrier frequency. Only the power of the yet unamplified signal is relatively low. This signal RF is therefore also frequently designated as a radio-frequency small (low-level) signal.
This radio-frequency small signal RF is then sent to the radio-frequency antenna structure 10 via a signal path, wherein it is normally amplified in an RFPA (radio-frequency power amplifier) 8′. After this amplification, in order to monitor the radiated radio-frequency power in order to ensure the compliance with the SAR limit values (SAR=specific absorption rate) a signal portion is typically extracted (tapped) in a directional coupler 9R′ and monitored in a radio-frequency monitoring device 9′, often also designated as an RFSWD (radio frequency safety watch dog).
Imperfections in the signal path (in particular in the radio-frequency power amplifier 8′ but also in the feed lines and further employed conductors in the signal path) lead to small but unavoidable phase and amplitude distortions of the radio-frequency signal RF′ that is ultimately fed into the antenna structure 10. This means that the radio-frequency signal RF′ actually fed into the antenna structure 10 no longer exactly exhibits the original characteristics predetermined by the digital signal DS. The alterations can be described by the characteristic curves KL (the term "curve" being used in the mathematical sense as also encompassing a linear characteristic) of the amplitude and phase response over the signal path (or the radiated, distorting portion of the signal path, the RFPA 8′). An example for a characteristic amplitude line is shown in FIG. 2A. The magnitude of the amplitude Aout of the output signal that exits the signal path and is fed into the antenna structure 10 is plotted over the magnitude of the amplitude Ain of the input signal arriving from the modulator 7′. An ideal characteristic curve KAi would lead to no distortions. This would be a diagonal line in the diagram. A distorted real characteristic curve KAr in practice more likely exists, as is shown in FIG. 2A as an example. This means that the output amplitude Aout can sometimes be too high and sometimes too low, depending on the amplitude of the input amplitude Ain. The same applies for the phase response which is shown in FIG. 2B. Here the phase φout of the output signal after the signal path is plotted over the phase φin of the input signal before the signal path. Here the ideal characteristic curve Kφi would again be a diagonal, but the real characteristic curve Kφr actually exhibits a different curve.
In order to solve this problem, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,709 it is suggested to regulate the amplification factor in a control loop such that the characteristic amplification line is linear. Alternatively, what is known as a characteristic curve correction has been used. This is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows essentially the same design as in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3, however, it is schematically shown that the characteristic curve KL is measured and the digital signal DS is pre-distorted in a characteristic curve correction unit 4′ on the basis of this characteristic curve, meaning that a distorted digital signal DS′ is generated therefrom. The later distortion of the radio-frequency small signal thus is compensated in the phase response, so ultimately a radio-frequency signal RF′ that precisely corresponds to the requirements of the digital signal DS arrives at the antenna. For this purpose, it is sufficient for the characteristic curve to be measured once at the manufacturer upon the production of the apparatus. This is then stored in a file and can be applied by the characteristic curve correction unit in each pulse generation. Thus no change of the stored characteristic curve is therefore necessary during the lifespan of the apparatus except for the cases in which components within the signal path are exchanged.
A further problem of the signal adulteration that particularly occurs in newer magnetic resonance systems with basic magnetic field strengths greater than three Tesla is that considerable eddy currents can be induced in the patient upon radiation of the radio-frequency pulses. The actual homogeneously radiated B1 field in the examination volume is more or less strongly distorted as a consequence. The influence of the patient body on the B1 field is dependent on, among other things, the size of the patient and the proportions of the individual tissue types. For example, for a very corpulent patient a circularly-polarized magnetic field is strongly distorted into an elliptical field. By contrast, for thinner patients this distortion is not so strong. In individual cases this can lead to the situation that a reliable magnetic resonance data acquisition is problematic in specific body regions of the patient, and unusable results can occur.
One approach to address this problem is the use of antenna configurations known as transmission arrays (TX arrays) for adjustment of arbitrarily shaped B1 fields. Signals for RF pulses are supplied in parallel (i.e. simultaneously or with slight temporal offset) to the radio-frequency antenna structure via different transmission channels. An example of this is explained in DE 101 24 465 A1, which describes an antenna with a number of separately controllable antenna elements. This means that each transmission channel has a separate antenna element. The radio-frequency pulses emitted with different amplitudes and phases, which radio-frequency pulses are sent out by the individual antenna elements, then superimpose in the examination volume and form the desired individually adjustable B1 field distribution. Various feed lines connected to a common antenna structure alternatively can be supplied by individually controllable transmission channels, so the superimposition of the RF pulses already ensues within the antenna structure.
One possibility to modify the B1 field in this manner is known as "static B1 shimming", analogous to "static magnetic field shimming" of the basic magnetic field. Corrections are impressed on the B1 field by amplitude and phase control elements that are installed in the individual radio-frequency channels of the system. These must then respectively be adjusted such that the desired B1 distribution is achieved. Such an approach is explained in the aforementioned DE 101 24 465 A1. The insertion of suitable high-precision phase control elements and amplitude control elements into every transmission channel, however, is expensive. A number of feed lines are additionally necessary in order to control the respective control elements. Another possibility disclosed in DE 101 24 465 A1 for adjustment of the corrections is to individually calculate every radio-frequency pulse of a sequence in advance. This means that each of the radio-frequency pulses emitted in parallel has a different appearance with regard to amplitude and phase. The sequence programmer who programs the necessary pulse sequences for the large number of measurement protocols in advance therefore must not only program a pulse sequence for the application in such systems, but also must expend significant effort for each of the individual transmission channels (for example eight, sixteen or more transmission channels) so as to generate individual radio-frequency pulses for every possible pulse sequence in order to achieve the desired result. This represents a considerable degree of complexity for the programmer. In addition, other corrections are required depending on the load of the MR apparatus, meaning that a number of different radio-frequency pulse sequences for a number of examination situations would then have to be specially provided for the respective apparatus.

Method to control a magnetic resonance system with individually controllable RF transmission channels


A system and method are provided for calculating and displaying volume to identify aggressive buying or selling activity. In a preferred embodiment, market information such as the inside market, last traded price, and last traded quantity is received from the electronic exchange and is used to assist a trader in determining the initiative side of a trade, either bid side or ask side. Once a determination is made, the result may be used to assist a trader analyzing the market volume. Other features and advantages are described herein.

An exchange is a central marketplace with established rules and regulations where buyers and sellers, referred to as traders, meet to trade. Some exchanges, referred to as open outcry exchanges, operate using a trading floor where buyers and sellers physically meet on the floor to trade. Other exchanges, referred to as electronic exchanges, operate by an electronic or telecommunications network. An electronic exchange typically provides computerized matching between traders. Some example electronic exchanges include European Exchange ("Eurex"), London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange ("LIFFE"), Chicago Mercantile Exchange ("CME"), and Chicago Board of Trade ("CBOT").
With respect to electronic exchanges, traders connect to an electronic trading platform by way of a communication link through their user terminals. Once connected, traders typically choose which tradeable objects they wish to trade. As used herein, the term "tradeable object" refers to anything that can be traded with a quantity and/or price. It includes, but is not limited to, all types of traded events, goods and/or financial products, which can include, for example, stocks, options, bonds, futures, currency, and warrants, as well as funds, derivatives and collections of the foregoing, and all types of commodities, such as grains, energy, and metals. The tradeable object may be "real," such as products that are listed by an exchange for trading, or "synthetic," such as a combination of real products that is created by the user. A tradeable object could actually be a combination of other tradeable objects, such as a class of tradeable objects.
User terminals (also referred to as client devices) are connected to the electronic trading platform by way of a communication link to facilitate electronic messaging between the trading entities and the exchange. The messaging includes market information that is distributed from the electronic exchange to traders, as well as orders, quotes, acknowledgements, fills, cancels, deletes, cancel and replace, and other well-known financial transaction messages. Although the amount or type of market information published by the exchange often differs, there are some standard pieces of information. Market information may include data that represents just the inside market which refers to the lowest sell price (best ask) and the highest buy price (best bid) at a particular point in time. Market information may also include market depth, which refers to quantities available at the inside market and can also refer to quantities available at other prices away from the inside market.
Once the client device receives the market information, it may be displayed on the trading screen. Upon viewing the market information, traders can take certain actions including the actions of sending buy or sell orders to the electronic exchange, adjusting existing orders, deleting orders, or otherwise managing orders. There are a variety of different order types that a trader can enter in the electronic market. Traders may also use software tools to chart and graphically display the received market information or information calculated using the market information.
Over the years, a number of these software tools, in the form of analysis systems and graphical charting displays, have been created to assist traders in analyzing and attempting to predict market behavior. By providing such information, traders are generally able to assimilate enormous amounts of data and make more informed decisions. The use of such tools has also enhanced the level of intuition a trader may gain when trading in an electronic trading environment.
A conventional method of assimilating market information received from an exchange is, for example, to chart the information in a graphical display. Many different methods of charting market information are used by traders, such as historical or real time market data charts, pie charts, bar chars, or traditional candlestick charts. Similarly, many different types of market information can be charted, for example, volume, price vs. time, or last traded quantity. Traders often use the charted market information to assist them in identifying market patterns and market trends.
A common method of analyzing the volume and market activity is by watching time and sales prints as trades are posted. This method of volume analysis has traditionally been known as "tape reading." Practitioners watch the trades occurring in real time, looking for clues as to which side of the market (buy or sell) large trades are occurring on, observing the relative speed of the trades, the responsiveness of the other side as a large (or small) trade occurs, etc. The information flow is internalized by the trader over time, and the knowledge helps the trader decide how and when to respond.
However, this decision making approach is extremely subjective, and requires many hours of observation to understand and effectively apply the approach. Also, if a trader leaves his screen and does not view market activity for some time, their relative baseline framework will be lost, and upon their return it will take the trader more time to get back up to speed.
Another traditional method of analyzing volume information, which may be considered an improvement by some to the "tape reading" method, is to create a running total volume of the difference between the buying volume and the selling volume commonly referred to as On Balance Volume ("OBV"). The OBV method adds or subtracts each traded volume to or from the running total volume based on relative price movement between the current trade and the last trade. For example, if the current traded price is higher than the last traded price, then the volume associated with the current trade is added to the running total volume. If the current traded price is lower than the last traded price, then the volume associated with the current trade is subtracted from the running total volume. The OBV running total volume is then charted or graphically displayed on a trading chart alongside market prices, which can be similar or different than the charted market prices.
While the previously described methods used for analyzing volume have provided traders with valuable information, it is desirable to offer an improved method for volume analysis that provides more accurate information regarding the trading activity of the tradeable object.

System and method for calculating and displaying volume to identify buying and selling in an electronic trading environment


The present invention discloses deoxyribonucleic acid enzymes—catalytic or enzymatic DNA molecules—capable of cleaving nucleic acid sequences or molecules, particularly RNA, in a site-specific manner, as well as compositions including same. Methods of making and using the disclosed enzymes and compositions are also disclosed.

The need for catalysts that operate outside of their native context or which catalyze reactions that are not represented in nature has resulted in the development of "enzyme engineering" technology. The usual route taken in enzyme engineering has been a "rational design" approach, relying upon the understanding of natural enzymes to aid in the construction of new enzymes. Unfortunately, the state of proficiency in the areas of protein structure and chemistry is insufficient to make the generation of novel biological catalysts routine.
Recently, a different approach for developing novel catalysts has been applied. This method involves the construction of a heterogeneous pool of macromolecules and the application of an in vitro selection procedure to isolate molecules from the pool that catalyze the desired reaction. Selecting catalysts from a pool of macromolecules is not dependent on a comprehensive understanding of their structural and chemical properties. Accordingly, this process has been dubbed "irrational design" (Brenner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89:5381–5383, 1992).
Most efforts to date involving the rational design of enzymatic RNA molecules or ribozymes have not led to molecules with fundamentally new or improved catalytic function. However, the application of irrational design methods via a process we have described as "directed molecular evolution" or "in vitro evolution", which is patterned after Darwinian evolution of organisms in nature, has the potential to lead to the production of DNA molecules that have desirable functional characteristics.
This technique has been applied with varying degrees of success to RNA molecules in solution (see, e.g., Mills et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 58:217, 1967; Green et al, Nature, 347:406, 1990; Chowrira et al, Nature, 354:320, 1991; Joyce, Gene, 82:83, 1989; Beaudry et al, Science, 257:635–641, 1992; Robertson et al, Nature, 344:467, 1990), as well as to RNAs bound to a ligand that is attached to a solid support (Tuerk et al, Science, 249:505, 1990; Ellington et al, Nature, 346:818, 1990). It has also been applied to peptides attached directly to a solid support (Lam et al, Nature, 354:82, 1991); and to peptide epitopes expressed within a viral coat protein (Scott et al, Science, 249:386, 1990; Devlin et al, Science, 249:249, 1990; Cwirla et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6378, 1990).
It has been more than a decade since the discovery of catalytic RNA (Kruger et al, Cell, 31:147–157, 1982; Guerrier-Takada et al, Cell, 35:849–857, 1983). The list of known naturally-occurring ribozymes continues to grow (see Cech, in The RNA World, Gesteland & Atkins (eds.), pp. 239–269, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1993); Pyle, Science, 261:709–714, 1993; Symons, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol., 4:322–330, 1994) and, in recent years, has been augmented by synthetic ribozymes obtained through in vitro evolution. (See Joyce, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol., 4:331–336, 1994; Breaker et al, Trends Biotech., 12:268–275, 1994; Chapman et al, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol., 4:618–622, 1994).
It seems reasonable to assume that DNA can have catalytic activity as well, considering that it contains most of the same functional groups as RNA. However, with the exception of certain viral genomes and replication intermediates, nearly all of the DNA in biological organisms occurs as a complete duplex, precluding it from adopting a complex secondary and tertiary structure. Thus it is not surprising that DNA enzymes have not been found in nature.
Until the advent of the present invention, the design, synthesis and use of catalytic DNA molecules with nucleotide-cleaving capabilities has not been disclosed or demonstrated. Therefore, the discoveries and inventions disclosed herein are particularly significant, in that they highlight the potential of in vitro evolution as a means of designing increasingly more efficient catalytic molecules, including enzymatic DNA molecules that cleave other nucleic acids, particularly RNA.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Plural virtual machines are executed by plural information processing devices coupled to each other via a network and connected to plural storage devices, where each information processing device executes one or more virtual machines by using a processor thereof. When first virtual machines used for distributed processing are created, a management device monitors a utilization ratio of the processor used for each of the first virtual machines, a first communication volume used for an access of each of the first virtual machines to one of the plural storage devices, and a second communication volume used for arithmetic processing of each of the first virtual machines performed on data stored in the plural storage devices. The management device controls a migration of each of the first virtual machines between the plural information processing devices, based on the utilization ratio of the processor, the first communication volume, and the second communication volume.

In recent years, in an increasing number of cases, large volumes of data are processed. Processing capacity of information processing devices used for data processing has been also greatly improved. However, when a single information processing device is caused to perform processing of large volumes of data, it takes a very long time to perform the processing. Therefore, when it is required that processing of large volumes of data is performed in a shorter time, normally, distributed processing in which a plurality of information processing devices are caused to perform data processing in parallel is employed.
Currently, in an increasing number of cases, a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) are created on a high-performance information processing device. This is because the following advantages are achieved: virtual machines do not interfere one another; any operating system (OS) and software may be employed; and the number of information processing devices that are to be used may be reduced. Each virtual machine may be used as a single information processing device (a node) that is caused to perform distributed processing.
In distributed processing, data is allocated to each node, and processing that is to be performed using the allocated data is specified. As such a distributed processing platform, for example, Hadoop may be used.
Hadoop is an open source implement of MapReduce, which is a distributed parallel processing framework, and a distributed file system (Hadoop File System or HDFS). In Hadoop, data is divided into data blocks and nodes are divided into master nodes and slave nodes.
A master node determines a task that is to be allocated to each slave node and requests the slave node to process the determined task. Thus, actual data processing is performed by the slave node. Therefore, in distributed processing using Hadoop, increase in data volume may be addressed by increasing the number of slave nodes.
In a VM environment in which virtual machines are created on a plurality of information processing devices, normally, each of the master node and the slave node is built on a single virtual machine. Unless specifically stated otherwise, both of the "master node" and the "slave node" shall herein be used as a term representing a "node" built on a virtual machine.
Each slave node (task tracker) executes a task (processing) by using allocated data. In order to obtain allocated data, in many cases, data communication between information processing devices is performed. As the volume of data that is to be communicated between information processing devices increases, the processing time required for completing execution of a task increases. From this reason, normally, in scheduling (which herein includes placement (allocation) of data) in which a task is allocated to each slave node, it is taken into consideration that a time spent for communication between the information processing devices is reduced. By reducing the time spent for communication between the information processing devices, a processing time of entire distributed processing may be also reduced.
In reality, even when data block placement and task allocation are optimally performed on each slave node, the processing time of entire distributed processing is long. In future, it is expected that, in many cases, a VM environment will be used for distributed processing. Data that is to be processed will be certainly increased in size in the future. Therefore, it will be important to enable distributed processing that is to be executed in a VM environment, to be performed at higher speed.
Related techniques are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-218307, International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2008-062864, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-108816, and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-198631.

System and method for controlling virtual-machine migrations based on processor usage rates and traffic amounts


An operable single-use syringe includes a barrel having an inside surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid and an open proximal end. A plunger rod having an elongate body portion and a stopper at its distal end slidably positioned in fluid-tight engagement in the barrel. A locking element is positioned in the barrel between the plunger rod and the inside surface of the barrel. The locking element has a base and two leg members projecting therefrom that are positioned in longitudinal grooves in the plunger rod. The locking element only moves distally in the barrel and prevents re-use of the syringe after its contents have been discharged.

The present invention relates to syringe assemblies and particularly to syringe assemblies having an automatic disabling mechanism.
Throughout the world the multiple use of hypodermic syringe products which are intended for single-use only, is instrumental in drug abuse and in the transfer of contagious diseases. Intravenous drug users who routinely share and re-use syringes are a high-risk group with respect to the AIDS virus. Also, the effects of multiple use are a major concern in some countries where repeated use of syringe products during mass immunization programs may be responsible for the spread of many diseases. Re-use of single-use hypodermic syringe assemblies is also instrumental in the spread of drug abuse even in the absence of infection or disease.
Many attempts have been made to remedy this problem. Most notable are early contributions which relies on a specific act to destroy the syringe after use either by using a destructive device or providing syringe assembly with frangible zones so that the syringe could be rendered inoperable by the application of force. Other attempts involve the inclusion of structure which would allow the destruction or defeating of the syringe function by a conscious act of the syringe user. Although many of these devices work quite well, they require the specific intent of the user followed by the actual act to destroy or render the syringe inoperable. These devices are not effective with a user having the specific intent to re-use the hypodermic syringe. Accordingly, there was a need for a single-use hypodermic syringe which after use will become inoperable or incapable of further use automatically without any additional act on the part of the user. The automatic function is much harder to provide because the means for rendering the syringe inoperable must not prevent its filling or use under normal conditions.
Single-use syringes which automatically disable after injection are taught in the art. Some of these syringes contain a locking element positioned in the syringe barrel between the plunger rod and the inside surface of the barrel. In use, the syringe allows the user to draw a pre-selected amount of medication into the chamber of the barrel and deliver this medication, as through injection, into the patient. Any attempt to withdraw the plunger to use the syringe a second time will cause the locking element to embed itself into the inside surface of the barrel to prevent proximal motion of the plunger rod.
Many times a traditional multi-use syringe and needle assembly are used to reconstitute lyophilized medication. The steps for reconstitution include withdrawing sterile water from a stoppered vial or glass ampoule into the syringe barrel and then delivering this water into a stoppered vial or glass ampoule containing the lyophilized medication. The reconstituted medication is then drawn into a single-use syringe for delivery to the patient. Single-use syringes designed specifically for reconstitution and which cannot be used for injecting medication into a patient are not presently available.
Further, mass immunization programs usually take place in developing countries where resources are limited. Accordingly, sometimes with limited resources a number of people immunized can be increased if the cost of the medication and/or the syringe is reduced. It is not desirable to reduce the cost of the single-use syringe by compromising its features since those intent on re-using syringes can be very aggressive and resourceful in their attempts to disable the safety features.
Accordingly, there is always a needle for single-use syringes which are more cost-effective and more resistant to improper re-use. Further, there is a need for a single-use syringe which is only capable of reconstitution of a dried or lyophilized drug substances and not capable of injection into the human body.


A heater of the present invention includes jointed heat generating resistors having a positive temperature characteristic of resistance and provided between a first conductive element and a second conductive element on a substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heating blocks provided in the longitudinal direction, each of which is a set of the first conductive element, the second conductive element, and the heat generating resistor, and power supplied to at least one of the plurality of heating blocks can be controlled independent of other heating blocks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heater useful for an image heating device mounted on an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier or an electrophotographic printer, and an image heating device mounting the heater.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image heating device mounted on a copier or a printer includes an endless belt, a ceramic heater which contacts the inner surface of the endless belt, and a pressure roller which forms a fixing nip portion with the ceramic heater via the endless belt. If small size paper is continuously printed by an image forming apparatus which is mounted with such an image heating device, the temperature of a non-paper-passing portion in the longitudinal direction of the fixing nip portion gradually increases (temperature rise at non-sheet-passing portion). If the temperature of the non-sheet-passing portion becomes too high, it may cause damage to the components of the apparatus. Further, if large size paper is printed in a state where the temperature at the non-sheet-passing portion is high, high temperature offset of toner may occur at the area corresponding to the non-sheet-passing portion of small size paper.
As one method for preventing such temperature rise at the non-sheet-passing portion, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-151003 discusses a method which uses two conductive elements and a heat generating resistor formed by a material having a positive temperature characteristic of resistance. The heat generating resistor is mounted on a ceramic substrate and the two conductive elements are arranged at both ends of the substrate in the widthwise direction of the substrate so that the current passes the heat generating resistor in the widthwise direction of the heater. The widthwise direction of the heater is the conveying direction of the paper. This flow of current is hereinafter referred to as power feeding in the paper conveying direction. The resistance of the heat generating resistor at the non-sheet-passing portion increases when the temperature of the non-sheet-passing portion increases. Thus, the heat generation at the non-sheet-passing portion can be decreased by reducing the electric current that passes through the heat generating resistor at the non-sheet-passing portion. The resistance of a device having the positive temperature characteristic of resistance increases when the temperature increases. Such characteristic is hereinafter referred to as positive temperature coefficient (PTC).
However, even if a heater configured as described above is used, the electric current flows through the heat generating resistor positioned at the non-sheet-passing portion and heat is generated.

Heater and image heating device mounted with heater


An inhaler (10) for the inhalation of inhalable substances comprise: a canister (50) having an interior reservoir (84) containing pressurised inhalable substances including fluid; a metering valve (52) including a metering chamber (82) and a valve stem (54) defining a communication path between the metering chamber and the interior reservoir, the communication path (86) including an opening (106) configured to permit flow between a transfer space inside the valve stem and the interior reservoir, the interior reservoir being arranged for orientation above the metering chamber whereby gas such as air located within the metering chamber is replaced with liquid from the interior reservoir.

A known inhaler, which is a breath actuated inhaler, has a pressurised canister and a metering valve for controlling the ejection of inhalable substances from the canister. The canister is operable by a force holding unit having a cap housing attachable to a main housing of the inhaler. The metering valve includes a valve stem for transferring substances from an interior reservoir of the canister into the metering chamber and then out of the metering chamber along the valve stem in the direction of a nozzle of the inhaler. A radially directed capillary port is provided in the valve stem for communicating substances out of the interior reservoir for communication along the valve stem to the metering chamber and a similar port is provided for communicating substances out of the metering chamber and along the valve stem towards the nozzle. In use, a mouthpiece cap is opened to ready the inhaler for inhalation and then after inhalation the mouthpiece cap is closed and resets a canister fire system. It has been found that the inhaler can be left after inhalation with the mouthpiece dust cap in the opened position with the metering chamber communicating with atmosphere via the valve stem and nozzle. This can result in the variance of active ingredients in at least one subsequent dose. This means that users will sometimes remove a force holding unit cap housing from the main body of the inhaler and try to ensure that the metering chamber is sufficiently primed by firing a number of doses and this is both wasteful and may result in damage to the inhaler.
In some inhalers, when it is necessary to make changes to internal components, it is difficult to provide space and good guidance for all the necessary interior moving parts. Also, the assembly of some inhaler dose counters can be difficult.
Furthermore, in some inhalers, despite a tight connection between the valve stem and a valve stem block within the main body, blowback can occur which is leakage of substances between the valve stem block and valve stem. It can also be difficult in some inhalers to achieve reliable dose counting to reflect the number of doses actually provided by the inhaler.
The present invention aims to alleviate at least to a certain extent at least one of the problems of the prior art.
Alternatively, the present invention aims to provide a useful inhaler, method of metering substances in a metering valve of a canister for a medicament inhaler and/or useful inhaler parts.


An optical modulation method and device capable of stably generating an optical signal including a zero-intensity state among four states required for phase-time coding scheme by a nested modulator, is provided.

An example of the phase-time coding (or YZ-state) scheme is described in Patent Literature 1. The phase-time coding scheme may be applied to, for instance, two consecutive optical pulses which are coherent. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a relative phase between the two consecutive pulses is binary-modulated and any one of the two consecutive optical pulses is intensity-modulated to 0, thereby generating the two consecutive optical pulses in four states. In the example of FIG. 1, it is assumed that the two consecutive optical pulses are labeled with P1 and P2, respectively and the leading and following pulses of a halved intensity are labeled with p1 and p2, respectively. The four states are generated as follows: Y0 state in which the leading pulse p1 is advanced 90° in phase with respect to the following pulse p2; Y1 state in which the leading pulse p1 is delayed 90° in phase with respect to the following pulse p2; Z0 state in which only the leading pulse P1 is extinguished; and Z1 state in which only the following pulse P2 is extinguished.
A modulator according to Patent Literature 1 employs a dual-drive intensity modulator in which a pair of phase modulators are connected in parallel. Phase modulation {θ, θ+90° } and {θ-90°, θ} is applied to the pair of phase modulators, thereby generating the above-described four states of phase-time coding.
Further, Patent Literature 2 discloses a nested optical modulator capable of performing not only QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) but also vector-synthesis of arbitrary constellation points by setting the amplitude and phase of a signal to multiple values.

Optical modulation method and device using nested optical modulator

Abstract: A controller controls the phase difference generated by the phase shifter and an intensity and a magnitude of phase modulation provided by each of the first modulator and the second modulator to change an output lightwave of the nested modulator between four constellation points (S1-S4) on IQ plane. A first constellation point (S4) of the four constellation points has an intensity of 0, a second constellation point (S1) has a relative intensity of 1, each of a third constellation point (S2) and a fourth constellation point (S3) has a relative intensity ranging from 0 to 1, and the third and the fourth constellation points has a phase difference of 90 degrees.


An ophthalmic apparatus and a method for calculating internal refractive power distribution of an eye of an examinee, which allow easily evaluating refractive power distribution of a crystalline lens, an intraocular lens and the like. The ophthalmic apparatus has a unit which inputs respective measurement data on corneal refractive power distribution and whole refractive power distribution of the eye, the respective distribution referring to a reference axis, and a unit which obtains the internal refractive power distribution of the eye referring to the reference axis based on the inputted respective measurement data, obtains a prism component in the internal refractive power distribution with respect to the reference axis, and obtains internal refractive power distribution of the eye where the prism component is removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmic apparatus for obtaining internal refractive power distribution of an eye, and a method for calculating the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an ophthalmic apparatus has been proposed which obtains internal (intraocular) refractive power distribution of an eye between a corneal posterior surface and a retina based on data on corneal refractive power distribution of the eye obtained by a corneal shape measurement apparatus or the like and data on whole refractive power distribution of the eye obtained by a wave front aberration measurement apparatus or an eye refractive power measurement apparatus, and displays the obtained internal refractive power distribution in a color-scaled map. With the use of this kind of apparatus, refractive power distribution of a crystalline lens, an intraocular lens implanted in the eye, and the like may be estimated. However, in the case of an eye with keratoconus and an eye having its axis deviated (decentered) at the time of corneal refractive surgery, the refractive power distribution of the crystalline lens cannot be estimated accurately since a corneal posterior surface as well as a corneal surface of the eye with keratoconus, and a corneal surface of the eye with the deviated axis are widely distorted, and thereby a prism component (component of tilt) is included in the internal refractive power distribution. Also in the case of an eye where the intraocular lens is implanted in a slanting position, the refractive power distribution of the intraocular lens cannot be estimated accurately since the prism component is included in the internal refractive power distribution.

Ophthalmic apparatus and a method for calculating internal eye refractive power distribution


Provided herein are compounds, compositions including them, and methods of modulating GPR120 activity and treating diseases mediated by GPR120 by administering such compounds and compositions.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease resulting from the body's inefficient use of the insulin it produces. The states of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance observed in T2D typically result from excess weight and lack of physical exercise. Because obesity and sedentary lifestyles are increasing worldwide, the incidence of T2D is also rapidly increasing. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 300 million people worldwide have T2D, and that more than 1 million deaths per year can be directly attributed googleto T2D. WHO furthermore projects that diabetes-associated deaths will increase by 50% over the next decade. Current therapeutic strategies for T2D include treatment with agents that target the secretion or utilization of insulin. However, these strategies do not work or do not work well for all patients, and new strategies and agents are needed for treatment of the multiple aspects of T2D pathology.
GPR120, also known as free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFA4), is a 7-transmembrane-spanning G-protein coupled receptor that is activated by long-chain free fatty acids including the ω-3 fatty acids. GPR120 is expressed in a wide range of tissues and mediates multiple effects associated with energy balance and inflammation. In enteroendocrine cells, activation of GPR120 leads to secretion of the incretins glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), which in turn stimulate release of insulin from pancreatic beta cells. Activation of GPR120 in adipocytes stimulates glucose uptake and adipogenesis while inhibiting lipolysis. Activation of GPR120 in macrophages exerts anti-inflammatory effects, inhibiting the release of cytokines including TNF-α and IL-6. In enteroendocrine cells and adipocytes, GPR120 signaling proceeds through Gq/11, but in macrophages GPR120 signaling proceeds through the β-arrestin pathway. Dysfunction in GPR120 has been associated with diabetes and obesity in both mice and humans. Accordingly, GPR120 agonists have been tested for the treatment of T2D and other metabolic diseases.(1-4)
Hepatic steatosis is a state of inflammation and cell injury associated with the accumulation of fat in the liver. In cases not related to alcohol intake, the disease is known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is increasingly common, can lead to liver cirrhosis or liver failure, and is often observed in people with obesity, glucose intolerance, or dyslipidemia. Recent studies utilizing wild type and GPR120 deficient mice confirm a positive role for GPR120 in controlling lipid metabolism, triglyceride and diacylglycerol levels, and inflammatory markers. Consistent with these results, a study of children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease who were treated with the GPR120 agonist docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid resulted in reduced liver damage and inflammatory macrophages, and increased GPR120 hepatocyte expression.(5a).
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, with an estimated 47M cases worldwide at present and an expectation for more than 130M cases by 2050. Recently it has been demonstrated that activation of GPR120 exerts anti-inflammatory effects in immortalized hypothalamic neurons,(6a) and that GPR120 and another long chain free fatty acid receptor, GPR40 (FFA1), control energy homeostasis and inflammation in the mouse hypothalamus (7a). NLRP3 inflammasome activity has been shown to contribute to pathology in APP/PS1 mice (8a). Omega-3 fatty acids block activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in macrophages, thereby inhibiting downstream activation of caspase-1 and maturation and release of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) (9a). Expression of NLRP1 inflammasomes is also upregulated in the brains of APP/PS1 mice, and Aβ induces NLRP1- and caspase-1 dependent pyroptosis in cultured cortical neurons from these animals (10a). Levels of inflammasome-activated caspase-1 are strongly enhanced in the brains of humans with mild cognitive impairment and AD, and activation of NLRP1 in cultured human neurons induces axonal degeneration (11a). Accordingly, GPR120 agonists hold promise as disease-modifying therapeutics for AD, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multi-system atrophy (MSA) and other disorders associated with neuroinflammation.
The present invention provides novel compounds, compositions of matter, particularly pharmaceutical compositions, methods for the synthesis or preparation of the compounds and compositions, and methods for using them to modulate GPR120 and treat T2D, hepatic steatosis, Alzheimer's, and other disease associated with metabolic dysfunction and inflammation.

Monocyclic compounds useful as GPR120 modulators


Disclosed are multifunctional compounds represented by structural formula (I):

This invention is directed to multifunctional macromolecular corrosion inhibitors and to fluid compositions containing minor amounts thereof. Multifunctional properties of this inhibitor include but not limited to rust inhibition, copper corrosion inhibition, and water and oil separating (demulsifier) capabilities. Fluids include but not limited to lubricants, biolubricants, bio-oils, bio-based oils, synthetic lubricants, fuels, bio-fuel, greases, bio-greases, aviation fuels, kerosene, gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, adhesives, and paints etc.
Corrosion in general terms is the degradation of a material caused by an aggressive environment such as water, air (oxygen), chemicals (acids, bases), organic liquids, oil, and gas, etc. Materials subject to corrosion include metals and their alloys, plastics, paints and coatings, concrete, or composites. Corrosion is a major concern in the durability of these materials, impacting safety, causing environmental damage, and incurring enormous repair and replacement costs. This is a major national concern. According to one United States federal government study in 2002, the total estimated cost of corrosion is a staggering $276 billion (approximately 3.1% of GDP) (Report FHWA-RD-01-156). If indirect costs are included, this increases to 6% of GDP ($552 billion), because of loss of productivity, delays, material failures, etc. It does not appear that newer studies exist. The direct effects of metal corrosion are (a) loss of mechanical strength and structural failure, (b) perforation of fluid transmission pipes, storage tanks, and ships, leading to leakage of harmful fluids into the environment, (c) contamination of fluid due to leaching of metal species from vessels' inner surfaces, (d) mechanical damage causing failure of structures, engines, pumps, and valves, and (e) events hazardous to human life due to excessive structural failure. Corrosion inhibitors play a key role in mitigating some of these corrosion issues. Corrosion inhibitors are typically added or treated (0.001% to 5%) to the corroding materials (metals, lubricants, fuels, plastics, oils and gas, adhesives, greases, paints and coating materials, cement, water reservoir, etc.) to protect against the corrosion from the surrounding environments like fluid, water, oxygen, moisture, weather, temperature, or their combinations, etc.
Environmental risks associated with corrosion inhibitors are forcing to seek more environmentally friendly products. Some products are also increasingly subject to restrictions by government agencies in the USA and other countries. These harmful substances can enter the environment directly when formulated fluids like lubricants come in contact with water, soil, or air, via leakage or spillage from industrial equipment, ships, automobiles, engines, earth-moving equipment, drilling, metal working fluids, hydropower plants, hydraulics and turbines (wind, water, steam, aviation), transformers, chain saw, gears, elevators, wire and ropes, two-stroke engines, etc. Corrosion inhibitors are added to fluids based on petroleum, synthetic and/or bio-oils, bio-based oils like lubricants, greases, adhesives, and fuels; and paints and coating materials. Thus, there is need to replace harmful compounds with environmentally-friendly and sustainable corrosion inhibitors without sacrificing performance. The present invention is a new material composition technology, Macromolecular Corrosion Inhibitors (McIn), described herein. McIn is envisioned as a disruptive technology that adds value to the supply chains of multiple market sectors.

Macromolecular corrosion (McIn) inhibitors: structures, methods of making and using the same

Abstract: methods of producing compounds represented by structural formula (I) and their use in inhibiting corrosion in corrodible material.


An electronic control device for a piezo-ceramic bending transducer designed as a trimorph, wherein a first voltage divider consisting of two resistor branches and powered by a first voltage source (Ust1) is provided, whose first resistor branch connects the first piezo-ceramic plate of the trimorph to its spacer layer. In addition, a second voltage divider is provided that consists of two resistor branches and the first resistor branch thereof connects the second piezo-ceramic plate of the trimorph to its spacer layer. The second resistor branch of the first voltage divider also forms the second resistor branch of the second voltage divider. Thus, by means of one voltage source, the one piezo-ceramic plate has an applied tensile stress and the other piezo-ceramic plate has an applied compressive stress, so that the flexural motion is reinforced by the two piezo-ceramic plates and thus only a small voltage has to be applied.

The invention pertains to an electronic control device for a piezo-ceramic bending transducer designed as a trimorph that consists of two piezo-ceramic plates with a passive spacer layer located in between.
With this kind of trimorph, in a known manner, for mechanical bending in the one direction, a voltage source is applied to the first piezo-ceramic plate, and for mechanical bending in the other direction, a voltage source is applied to the other piezo-ceramic plate. It is quite obviously also possible to apply the voltage from the voltage source either to the one or to the other piezo-ceramic plate by means of an associated switching gear. In all cases, the other particular piezo-ceramic plate will be passive.
One problem of the present invention is to activate both piezo-ceramic plates, one each for the mechanical bending process, but without having to increase the number of voltage sources.

Electronic control device for a piezo-ceramic bending transducer designed as a trimorph


A method for the non-destructive inspection of a part made from an organic-matrix composite material (CMO) includes the steps of: a) carrying out a surface inspection of the part by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIS), b) if step a) reveals a defect, carrying out in-depth inspections of the organic-matrix composite material according to two complementary ultrasound techniques.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Organic-matrix composite materials can be particularly used in the field of aeronautics, and more particularly within a propulsion group comprising a nacelle and, inside the latter, a turbojet.
A particular use of an organic-matrix composite material (hereinafter, OMC) is the production of an internal fixed structure (hereinafter, IFS) designed for careening the turbojet and for defining the secondary flow vein (also known as cold airflow vein) of the turbojet.
Such IFS is subject to very high temperatures on the side of the turbojet, which can eventually lead to deterioration of the OMC by physicochemical aging. Detection of this deterioration should be accomplished as quickly and as simply as possible during maintenance operations.

Method for the non-destructive inspection of an organic-matrix composite material


A child support device including adjustable features is disclosed. The support device may be a high chair including an adjustable foot support and/or tray portion. The child support device may include a base, a frame attached to the base, and a seat attached to the frame. The seat may include a primary restraint such as a crotch post. The footrest may be telescopically connected to the primary restraint such that its position relative to the seat may be altered. The tray, moreover, may include a secondary restraint that cooperates with the primary restraint to provide an additional safety feature. The tray and the secondary restraint may be repositioned with respect to the primary restraint to accommodate children of various sizes.

Support devices such as high chairs support young children during feeding and other activities. High chairs are used by children throughout a relatively large age span. As such, the wide range of physical development that a child undergoes during that age span presents challenges to designing a high chair that accommodates all of the physical needs of the child growing. Conventional high chairs have a single size or configuration, and therefore, they sometimes do not comfortably fit children of various sizes. As a result, parents often need to purchase multiple support structures to accommodate their children as they grow or to accommodate children of different age groups. Consequently, a need exists for a support device that can be adjusted to fit children of different sizes.


Assemblies for use with a fluid ejection apparatus, flexible circuit assemblies and flexible circuits. One such flexible circuit includes a flexible substrate and conductive lines adjacent the substrate. The conductive lines are capable of being operably connected with bonds of an ejector. Each of the lines has a resistance. At least one of the lines includes a length extension. A line having a length extension has substantially the same resistance as another one of the lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flexible circuits, and specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, to a flexible circuit having conductive lines, at least one of which having a length extension.
2. Background of the Invention
As an example of one use of a fluid ejection apparatus, the art of printing images with inkjet technology is relatively well known. In general, an image is produced by emitting ink drops from an inkjet cartridge assembly at precise moments such that they impact a print medium at a desired location. In one implementation, the inkjet cartridge assembly is supported by a movable print carriage within a device, such as an inkjet printer, and is caused to reciprocate/scan relative to an advancing print medium and emit ink drops at such times pursuant to commands of a microprocessor or other controller. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Other than printers, familiar devices incorporating inkjet technology include fax machines, all-in-ones, photo printers, and graphics plotters, and the like. Moreover, technologies pertaining to inkjet have been extended into such diverse fields as printed electronics and micro-fluid medical devices, among other examples of technologies that utilize fluid ejection apparatuses.
Conventionally, an inkjet cartridge assembly includes a housing, a flexible circuit, such as a tape automated bonding (TAB) circuit and a printhead chip (sometimes generically referred to as a printhead). The TAB circuit and the printhead are often attached to the housing. The printhead generally includes ink jetting orifices in operable communication with actuator elements and ink, wherein ink droplets are ejected through the orifices onto the print medium in a known manner. The TAB circuit generally includes a flexible tape-like substrate which supports a plurality of conductive traces. The traces are connected at one end thereof with bond pads of the printhead and at an opposite end thereof with contact pads. By way of example and referring briefly to FIG. 6, a conventional connection/termination between the conductive traces 30 and the contact pads 32 is shown. As shown, a portion of a conventional trace 30 leading to a contact pad 32 is typically relatively straight line and leaves empty/free circuit space surrounding the contact pad 32. The contact pads 32 are often used to engage corresponding electrical terminals on, for example, a movable carriage assembly, such as when an inkjet cartridge is snapped into place, and are used to allow, among other things, actuator elements of the printhead to be actuated to eject the droplets of ink onto the print medium during use. The conductive traces on the TAB circuit are typically in the form of copper traces which are formed via an etching process on a bottom side of the flexible tape adjacent the housing.
A shortcoming associated with conventional TAB circuits is that, in order to produce a high print quality, a balanced electrical current should be passed from the contact pads through the conductive traces and to the bond pads of the printhead (a balanced electrical current should also be passed from the bond pads to any actuated actuator elements as well, but that technology is not part of the present invention). Any imbalance in such a current can result in an imbalance in how the ink is ejected by the inkjet cartridge assembly. This, in turn, may lead to poor image quality.
Conventionally, it might be desired to make the resistance of the conductive traces, specifically the PWR and ground (GRN) traces, of the TAB circuit relatively the same. The conductive traces that extend between the contact pads and the printhead are typically of varying lengths. Therefore, in an attempt to maintain a resistive balance, the conductive traces are typically drawn with widths inversely proportional to their lengths. Typically, the longer traces are wider and the shorter traces are narrower, following that:R=ρL/(w*h)where: R=resistance; ρ=resistivity; L=length; w=width; and h=height.
Unfortunately, there is a limit as to how narrow the shortest traces can be drawn. For example, the dielectric in conventional TAB circuits can only withstand a certain temperature rise caused by the current density passing through the associated conductive traces. Since current density is the current divided by the cross-sectional area of the trace, the width of the traces must be wide enough to accommodate the temperature rise. Known TAB circuits and methods thereof have attempted to draw the longer conductive traces wider, where possible, to compensate for the foregoing disadvantage. Often, due to the physical constraints of some TAB circuits, the longer traces cannot be drawn wide enough to match the resistance of the shortest traces. Therefore, an imbalance in the resistance of the traces might remain. This, in turn, can lead to an imbalance in actuator actuation energy, for example, and may decrease the overall print quality.
In view of the disadvantages of the current methods and apparatus, amongst other reasons, a need still exists for a method and apparatus for providing, for example, a TAB circuit which is constructed such that the conductive traces maintain a resistive balance.

Flexible circuits, flexible circuit assemblies and assemblies for use with fluid ejection apparatuses


A sequentially shifting control circuit for extendible light strings which includes a main controller in one end, a backward signal-generating circuit in the other end and a plurality of bidirectional shifting control units therebetween. Each bidirectional shifting control unit has a plurality of lights connected thereto, thereby constituting and enabling an extendible light string to be sequentially flashed in a forward direction or a backward direction or in both directions simultaneously. Only three conductive lines are required: one for positive power, one for ground, and one for transmitting different control signals which are represented and distinguished by different voltage ranges, voltage levels, and waveform periods, and are mixed together according to a same signal (synchronous signal) to transmit.

The present invention relates to a sequentially shifting control circuit for extendible light strings which includes a main controller in one end, a backward signal-generating circuit in the other end and a plurality of bidirectional shifting control units therebetween.
A conventional light string is controlled by a control circuit which has a plurality of output terminals which are each connected to a light string unit, respectively, thereby controlling the flashing of each light string unit sequentially. However, restricted to the limited number of output terminals of the control circuit, the number of the light string units is limited and not extendible.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional sequentially flashing light string which has a main controller 50 and a plurality of shifting units 51, each of which has a plurality of lamps (lights), such that when the main controller 50 sends out shifting control signals, the shifting units 51 sequentially shifts the shifting control signals forward or backward and enables the lamps bulbs to sequentially twinkle forward or backward.
However, for the purpose of forward shifting and backward shifting, the conventional light string requires a forward (right) shifting line 2A, a backward (left) shifting line 2B, a synchronous line 2C, a forward/backward selection line 2D, a backward data input line 2E, two power lines 2F (positive power), and 2G (ground). The forward shifting line 2A and the backward shifting line 2B are used to carry required shifting signals. The synchronous line 2C provides required synchronous signal. The forward/backward selection line 2D sets an action mode for each shifting unit 51. The backward data input line 2E is controlled by the main controller 50 to send backward data to a last shifting unit 51.

Sequentially shifting control circuit for extendible light strings


A distributed computing system including a plurality of computers, wherein the execution of programs by the computers to perform real-time tasks are synchronized with each other. Each of the computers includes a local clock which is synchronized with the local clocks of the other computers and a start time determining apparatus for determining execution time of a program to be executed by the computer. The program to be executed by the computer is executed in synchronism with programs in the other computers under timing constraints. The execution time is determined by the start time determining apparatus by negotiating with the start time determining apparatus of the other computers. Each of the computers further includes scheduling apparatus for scheduling the execution of the program to be executed by the computer based on the execution time negotiated by the start time determining apparatus, and a synchronized sporadic server which is executed periodically and at the same time as the execution of the synchronized sporadic servers on the other computers. The synchronized sporadic server supports the scheduling apparatus to schedule the execution of programs based on the timing constraints imposed by the start time determining apparatus.

The present invention relates to a distributed computing system having a plurality of computers connected to a network for cooperatively executing a plurality of programs. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for a distributed computing system for improving timing constraints on the release time, deadline and execution time of the programs to realize real-time synchronized execution of the programs.
Although distributed computing systems are used extensively in the academic computing area and partially in the industrial computing area, developers still hesitate to introduce distributed computing into critical real-time computing systems. Real-time computing systems are computing systems such as plant control systems, aviation control systems, traffic control systems, factory automation systems and satellite control systems. One of the major difficulties of such computing systems is the timing of computations. These systems operate incorrectly if the specified timing constraints of the computations are violated.
In other words the correct operation of real-time computing systems depends not only on the correct operation of the logical behavior of the systems but also on the timing of the processes performed by the systems. These systems fail to operate correctly if the specified timing constraints of the computations are violated.
When developing a distributed real-time computing system having controllers located in different places, the key factor is the coordination between computing nodes. For example, a distributed real-time computing system such as a robot, as shown in FIG. 3, has two communicating nodes controllers 321 and 322 for controlling two robot arms 331 and 332 of the robot. One of the robot arms 331 passes an object 34 to the other robot arm 332. The controllers 321 and 322 includes a left arm control 351 and a right arm control 352. In the robot the timing of the release action of the one robot arm 331 and the grab action of the other robot arm 332 is important. Thus, unless the release action and the grab action occur within a limited time, the object 34 will drop from the robot arms 331 and 332. If these tasks are statically schedulable (i.e., the time to pass the object is statically determined) local schedulers of the robot can execute these tasks by a static table-driven approach as described in "Scheduling Preiodically occurring Tasks on Multiple Processors", Information Processing Letters, Vol. 12, No. 1, February 1981 by E. L. Lawler, et al. and "Allocation and Scheduling of Complex Periodic Tasks", 10th International Conference on Distributed Computer Systems, June 1990 by K. Ramamrithan so that timing constraints of the release and grab actions are satisfied. However, in the case where the time for the robot arm 331 to release the object 34 is determined dynamically, static scheduling with a fixed synchronization point does not work.
A more general example of a distributed real-time computing system is a control system with multiple input devices (sensors) and multiple output devices (monitors, plotters and so on). In a dynamically changing environment, it is important to read the values from all input devices simultaneously or to write the values to all output devices within a limited time period.
Thus, in constructing distributed real-time computing systems, timing constraints are necessary not only on the execution of tasks but also on the coordination between tasks. Therefore, the aspect of coordination, namely synchronization in the real-time environment is important.
A number of research activities have been conducted in real-time computing, yet none of them have been completely successful on large distributed real-time computing systems. The main reason for this is that large distributed real-time computing systems have many unpredictable parts and that the distributed nature of such systems prevents the performing of precise timing analysis.
One of the approaches for implementing distributed real-time computing systems by relaxing the complexity of such systems is to decompose end-to-end timing requirements into a set of intermediate timing constraints on multiple tasks as described in "Distributed Pipeline Scheduling: End-to-End Analysis of Heterogeneous Multi-Resource Real-Time systems", Proc. 15th Int'l. Conf. on Distributed Computing Systems, pp. 204-211, June 1995 and "Guaranteeing End-to-End Timing Constraints by Calibrating Intermediate Processes", Proc. IEEE Real-Time Systems Symp., December 1994 by R. Gerber, et al. Each task has such deadline that, when combined with one another satisfies the end-to-end deadline. These approaches usually lead to time-oriented decomposition where a job is decomposed into temporally pipelined tasks a job consists of multiple tasks (modules). For example, image processing is a job that consists of tasks such as filtering segmentation and text recognition. In using this approach, because it does not take care of the inherent parallelism within one job, although it is possible to deploy parallelism with multiple jobs executing in a pipelined manner, the analysis on the interaction between tasks always focuses on resource sharing and data/control flow dependency.
The algorithms proposed in "Multiprocessor Scheduling in a Hard Real-Time Environment", Proce. 7th Texas Conf. on Computer Systems, November 1978 by A. K. Mok, et al.; "The Design of Real-Time Programming Systems Based on Process Models", Proc. IEEE Real-Time System Symp., December 1984 by A. K. Mok and "Efficient Scheduling Algorithms for Real-Time Multiprocessor Systems", IEEE Trans. on Parallel and Distributed Systems, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 184-194, April 1990 by K. Ramamrithan, et al. are scheduling algorithms for multiprocessor systems based on the assumption of limited interdependency between the tasks. That is, each task has its own worst computation time, deadline, and resource requirement.
"The Design of Real-Time Programming Systems Based on Process Models", Proceedings of IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, 1984 by A. K. Mok proposes Rate Monotonic Scheduling and Deadline Monotonic Scheduling for ensuring the timing constraints on each task. Rate monotonic scheduling is the scheduling method which executes the task with the shortest period first. Deadline monotonic scheduling schedules tasks in the order that the nearest deadline task is executed first. Both scheduling methods are based on the tasks which are executed periodically and assume that such tasks have fixed periods. However, when the parallelism within a job to utilized multiple processors is deployed the assumption of limited interdependency between tasks does not work. Thus, tasks executable in parallel within a job are not independent in terms of the timing of synchronization of execution between the tasks. These tasks usually coordinate with one another and timing constraints are likely to be imposed on the synchronization.
A timing constraint on synchronization of execution between the tasks can be decomposed into a set of timing constraints on each task, if the timing constraints are statically determined. However, with a job being scheduled dynamically, it is impossible to statically determine timing constraints of the tasks in the job.
Further, these scheduling methods do not have responsiveness for aperiodic tasks since they concentrate on periodic tasks. "Enhancing Aperiodic Responsiveness in a Hard Real-Time Environment", Proceeding of IEEE Real-Time Systems Symposium, 1987 by J. Lechoczky, et al. shows the sporadic server approach to solve aperiodic responsiveness of rate monotonic and deadline monotonic scheduling. Sporadic servers are executed periodically and if there are aperiodic tasks when a sporadic server is activated, the sporadic server will execute the aperiodic tasks within the time period reserved by the sporadic server.
This aspect is more critical on distributed object-oriented systems. As distributed object-oriented systems are developed in a way each object communicates with one another through message passing, multiple events of more than one object are apt to have timing constraints among themselves. Thus, timing constraints on distributed object-oriented computing systems have become one of the most important research areas. However, recent work on object-oriented real-time systems fails to address timing constraints on synchronization.
One of the real-time solutions of the distributed object-oriented systems is the Real-Time Objects (ROT) as described in "Temporal Uncertainties in Interactions Among Real-Time Objects", Proc. IEEE, 9th Symp. on Reliable Distributed Systems, pp. 165-174, October 1990 by H. Kopetz, et al. and "Consistency Constraints in Distrusted Real-Time Systems, in Distributed Computer Control Systems", 1988, N. G. Rodd and T. L. d'Epinay, et., Pergamon Press, pp. 29-34, 1989 by H. Kopetz, et al. and its extended version (RTO,k) as described in "A Real-Time Object Model RTO.k and an Experimental Investigation of Its Potentials", Proc. IEEE Computer Society's Computer Software and Applications Conf. (COMPSAC), November 1994 by K. Kim, et al. and "Distinguishing Features and Potential Roles of the RTIO.k Object Model", Int'l. Workshop on Object-Oriented Real-Time dependable Systems (WORDS'94), October 1994 by K. Kim, et al. RTO.k has the object structure in that each execution of a method may have a deadline. It is also possible to have time-triggered methods which are invoked automatically based on the wall clock time.
RTC++ as described in "Object-Oriented Real-Time Language Design: Constructs for Timing Constraints", ECOOP/OOPSLA proceedings, pp. 289-298, October 1990. by Y. Ishikawa, et al. and "An Object-Oriented Real-time Programming Language "IEEE Computer, pp. 66-73, October 1992 by Y. Ishikawa, et al. is an object-oriented real-time language based on C++ language. In RTC++, an object is able to have timing constraints. Such object is called real-time object. Similar to RTO, timing constraints are usually imposed on the execution of methods, but it is possible to impose a timing constraint on a specified command in the method as well.
A problem of both RTO and RTC++ is that they confine the timing constraints within objects in much the same way as representation of objects is hidden. However, encapsulating timing constraints in objects prevents programmers from specifying timing constraints on synchronization between objects. Thus, it is not possible to write such real-time computing systems.
The addressing of the coordination between more than one object can be found in the synchronizers described in "Inheritance of Synchronization Constraints in Concurrent Object-Oriented Programming Languages", ECOOP'92 European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming, O. Lehrmann, Madsen ed., Springer-Verlag, LNCS 615, pp. 185-196, June 1992 by S. Frolund and "A Language Framework for Multi-Object Coordination", Springer Verlag, LNCS 627, July 1993 by S. Frolund, et al. Synchronizers can impose a qualitative constraint on more than one object's execution by such constructs as an atomic operation. Although an atomic operation makes sure that multiple objects become runnable at one time, this does not necessarily mean that the objects execute at the same time. That is, Synchronizers do not impose quantitative constraints between objects.
RTsynchronizers is described in "RTsynchronizer: Language Support for Real-Time Specifications in Distributed Systems", ACM SIGPLAN Workshop on Languages, Compilers and Tools for Real-Time Systems (LCT-RTS'95), pp. 55-64, June 1995 by S. Ren, et al. are the extension of synchronizers, which specifies quantitative timing relation between objects. RTsynchronizers are, however, only the language constructs to specify timing constraints and lack the implementation aspects so as to support compilation and execution of real-time programs.
One approach to parallel and distrusted computing systems is based on the Actor Model as described in "Actors: A Model of Concurrent Computation in Distributed Systems", MIT Press, 1986 by G. Agha. Actors are a concept of objects which communicate with one another through asynchronous message passing. An actor programming environment supports three primitive operations as follows:
send operation: transmits an asynchronous message to another actor. Each message is sent to a mail queue of the destination actor and invokes a method at the destination. PA1 new operation: creates another actor dynamically using a specification of the behavior of the actor. PA1 become operation: changes an actor's local behavior. This state change only affects the next method to be processed. PA1 Synchronizer synchands (Actor a1, a2) Atomic PA1 End synchands. PA1 (1) The start time determining apparatus of each computer sends a multicast message containing an estimated release time for the program to be executed by the computer to the other to the start time determining apparatuses of the other computers. The start time determining apparatus receives all the estimated release times for the programs to be executed by the other computers from the other start time determining apparatuses and determines the execution time at which all the programs participating in the synchronization are to be executed; PA1 (2) The scheduling apparatus schedules the program based on the execution time determined by the start time determining apparatus; and PA1 (3) The synchronizing sporadic server is activated periodically and at the same time as the other synchronized sporadic servers and executes the programs participating in the synchronization based on timing constraints.
Actors are used as a basic concept of parallel computation.
In constructing parallel and distributed computing systems, a barrier synchronization mechanism is often used for realizing synchronization or mutual exclusion between objects. The semantics of barrier synchronization is that it makes a specified set of tasks to be runnable after all those tasks have done specified prerequisite operations, usually after all those objects issue the barrier synchronization message operation.
The same semantics can be applied on an Actor Model but slightly differently. The semantics of barrier synchronization on an Actor Model is that it makes a set of factors be invoked with specified messages after all those messages are sent. The messages that trigger barrier synchronization are known as barrier messages.
To make barrier synchronization on an Actor Model more understandable, the term "thread" will be used for describing an actor's execution in terms of a control flow. FIG. 7 shows the concept of thread a1-a3 being executed by actors a1-a3 respectively. Message passing is the delegation of the control flow. Thus, the actors' executions along with the passing of messages are defined as a thread. More specifically, a thread is a chain of casually connected events or method invocations. We assume that threads also contain scheduling procedures in which the local schedulers choose a message to be invoked next. If an actor continues execution after sending a message, this will create another thread executing in parallel with the original thread. Each thread will terminate at the end of the method being executed.
In terms of a thread's execution, the control flow has been taken over by the method invoked by the messages and if this message is a barrier message, the thread will wait for execution of the other threads participating in the barrier synchronization. Thus, from the viewpoint of threads, barrier synchronization on an Actor Model is the same mechanism as in traditional control flow programs.
Barrier synchronization can be written within the framework of Synchronizers as described in "Inheritance of Synchronization Constraints in Concurrent Object-Oriented Programming Languages", ECOOP'92 European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming, O. Lehrmann, Madsen, ed. Springer-Verlag, LNCS 615, pp. 185-196, June 1992 by S. Frolund and "A Language Framework for Multi-Object Coordination", Springer Verlag, LNCS 627, July 1993 by S. Frolund, et al. The semantics of Synchronizers allows the writing of multi-object constraints for multiple actors. Specifically, it is possible to define an atomic operation on multiple invocations of the methods of actors. Thus, barrier synchronization between two actors can be written as follows:
Atomic (a1.release (p1), a2.grab (p2)); PA2 // p1 and p2 are parameters.
If it is assumed that actor a1 and actor a2 send themselves messages that invoke the release and grab actions of the robot described above respectively and any other actor does not invoke these methods. By using the Synchronizer it is possible to make actor a1 and actor a2 to be runnable after these actors issue barrier messages.
However, the steps performed in barrier synchronization are not sufficient to cause predictability in the behavior of the actors. Therefore, there is no real coordination or synchronization between the threads participating in the barrier synchronization.
The above-described methods which impose timing constraints on each real-time task cannot impose a timing constraint on coordination between tasks as required to effect real-time computing in distributed computing systems. If real-time tasks are statically schedulable (i.e., the time to pass the object 34 from robot arm 331 to robot arm 332 is statically determined), the timing constraint on the synchronization can be divided into timing constraints on each task. However, in the case where the time for robot arm 331 to release the object is determined dynamically, static decomposition of the constraint on synchronization of the execution of release and grab actions is not effective.

Apparatus and method for synchronizing execution of programs in a distributed real-time computing system


An operator for lowering and retracting two or more landing gear on an aircraft with a single motor. The output of the motor is modified by a reduction gear assembly, then rotates a drive shaft of each drive, there being one drive for each landing gear assembly. Output of each drive shaft turns a universal joint, then a screw shaft fixed to the universal joint. The screw shaft is arranged to turn in a threaded collar fixed to a tubular stabilizing strut connected to the main strut of the landing gear such that rotation telescopically extends and contracts the paired strut and screw shaft when the latter rotates. Two opposing landing gear are driven by mirror image drives of the operator. Optionally, a third drive shaft and screw shaft lower and retract the nose wheel or tail wheel of the aircraft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for lowering and retracting landing gear for aircraft. A single motor operates plural drives each retracting and lowering one or more wheels, so that all wheels are lowered and retracted simultaneously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Landing gear for current aircraft designs provides for taking off and landing with the landing gear in the deployed position and for flight with the landing gear retracted, except for a limited number of small aircraft having landing gear fixed in the deployed position. The landing gear generally includes a vertical support strut and an inclined stabilizing strut for each wheel assembly, wherein the vertical and inclined orientations are defined when the landing gear is in the deployed condition. Both struts are pivotally mounted to the aircraft.
Some prior art arrangements allow for simultaneous lowering and retraction of landing gear. Examples are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 1,958,486, issued to Nicholas J. Medvedeff on May 15, 1934, U.S. Pat. No. 2,262,330, issued to Charles I. MacNeil et al. on Nov. 11, 1941, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,415, issued to Cedric H. Flurscheim et al. on Aug. 3, 1948, and U.K. Patent Number 527,281, dated Oct. 4, 1940. MacNeil et al. employs a screw shaft drive which acts on an inclined strut to urge a wheel into deployed and retracted positions. However, MacNeil et al. lacks a universal joint arranged to maintain a section of the screw shaft parallel to the inclined strut, as seen in the present invention. MacNeil et al. must anchor both ends of the screw shaft in addition to providing a threaded collar which travels along the screw shaft. In the present invention, the threaded collar assists in securing or anchoring the screw shaft. Operation of MacNeil et al. is opposite that of the present invention. MacNeil et al. pushes the wheel away when retracting, whereas the present invention pulls the wheel into the retracted position.
Medvedeff also employs a screw shaft drive, but supports the weight of the aircraft on the screw shaft. This is avoided in the present invention. Instead, the inclined strut in the present invention is acted on by the screw shaft drive.
The device of Flurscheim et al. retracts the wheel in arcuate motion sweeping through fore and aft along the fuselage in a vertical plane. By contrast, the wheel in the present invention sweeps through a torroidal path having an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
In the U.K. patent, wheels are moved by gears. By contrast, the present invention employs a screw shaft drive. There is no possibility of providing a screw shaft which remains parallel to an inclined strut acting on the principal, weight bearing strut supporting the wheel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,528, issued to Edgar A. Clark on Aug. 10, 1948, a screw shaft drive retracts the wheels. However, the screw shaft is fixed relative to the fuselage, whereas in the present invention, a universal joint arrangement enables the screw shaft to remain parallel to an inclined stabilizing strut as the strut changes its orientation relative to a horizontal direction.
A wheel deployment and retraction scheme seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,135, issued to Charles P. Church on Apr. 3, 1956, features a toothed rack drive. However, when retracting, the wheel moves in a vertical plane in a manner similar to Flurscheim et al. In the present invention, the wheel sweeps through a toroidal path having an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
A retraction scheme shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,185,235, issued to Oscar A. Swanson on Jan. 2, 1940, causes the weight of the aircraft to be imposed on the screw shaft in a manner similar to Medvedeff. This is avoided in the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.