The present disclosure relates generally to identification documents and related methods and apparatus. One claim recites a method to determine whether to authenticate an identification document through digital watermarking or through an alternative process. The method includes: receiving data carried by the identification document corresponding to a detection trigger; if the received data indicates an expected presence of digital watermarks, attempting to authenticate the identification document by analyzing digital watermarking carried by the identification document; and if the received data indicates an expected absence of digital watermarks, attempting to authenticate the identification document through an alternative process. Other claims and combinations are provided too.

The use of identification documents is pervasive. Identification documents are used on a daily basis—to prove identity, to verify age, to access a secure area, to evidence driving privileges, to cash a check, and so on. Airplane passengers are required to show an identification document during check in, and sometimes at security screening and prior to boarding their flight. We also live in an ever-evolving cashless society. Identification documents are used to make payments, access an automated teller machine (ATM), debit an account, or make a payment, etc. Many industries require that their employees carry photo ID on the job.
For the purposes of this disclosure, identification documents are broadly defined and may include, e.g., credit cards, bank cards, phone cards, passports, driver's licenses, network access cards, employee badges, debit cards, security cards, visas, immigration documentation, national ID cards, citizenship cards, social security cards, security badges, certificates, identification cards or documents, voter registration cards, police ID cards, border crossing cards, legal instruments or documentation, security clearance badges and cards, gun permits, gift certificates or cards, labels or product packaging, membership cards or badges, etc., etc. Also, the terms "document," "card," and "documentation" are used interchangeably throughout this patent document. Identification documents are also sometimes interchangeably referred to as "security documents," "ID documents," "photo-IDs" and "photo ID documents".
With reference to FIG. 1, an identification document 10 includes a "card-shaped" substrate 21, historically made from a material such as paper or plastic, but now even made from synthetics such as Teslin®. (Teslin® is available from PPG Industries, One PPG Place, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15272 USA). Identification document 10 includes a photograph 14 and various data 12, e.g., such as textual information, graphics, a screened-back or hidden image, bar codes, biometric information (e.g., a fingerprint), text information (e.g., name, address, birth date, ID number, etc.), or the like. Of course both sides of substrate 21 can receive printing or engraving. Other suitably interchangeable features and materials are found, e.g., in assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/330,032, filed Dec. 24, 2002 (published as US 2003-0173406 A1), which is herein incorporated by reference.
The printed substrate 21 is usually laminated. The laminate typically includes a plastic, polyester or polycarbonate-based top sheet 23 and bottom sheet 25 that respectively overlay the top and bottom of the substrate 21. Heat and/or adhesives and pressure are used to bond the laminate sheets 23 and 25 with the substrate 21. Or a laminate can include a pouch into which the substrate 21 slips. Again, heat and/or adhesives and pressure are used to bond the substrate 21 with a pouch laminate. The laminates provide a protective covering for the printed substrate and provide a level of protection against unauthorized tampering. (For example, a laminate would have to be removed to alter the printed information and then subsequently replaced after the alteration.). A laminate layer 23 or 25 may optionally carry information like a card bearer's signature or security features.
In some implementations, information may also be optically or magnetically stored on recording media (e.g., magnetic stripe 27, or optical memory or electronic circuitry—not shown in FIG. 1) carried by the laminate 25. Of course the recording media can be alternatively carried by substrate 21 or laminate 23.
We note that the present invention encompasses ID documents including more or less features and layers than are illustrated in FIG. 1. Additional features may include graphics printed in dual color optically variable ink, microprinting text, so-called "ghost images," information and images printed in UV inks, and security features such as those disclosed in, e.g., assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/170,223 (published as US 2003-0031340 A1), which is herein incorporated by reference.
Identification documents can also include information such as a bar code (e.g., which may contain information specific to the person whose image appears in the photographic image, and/or information that is the same from ID document to ID document), variable personal information (e.g., such as an address, signature, and/or birth date, biometric information associated with the person whose image appears in the photographic image, e.g., a fingerprint), a magnetic stripe (which, for example, can be on the a side of the ID document that is opposite a side with a photographic image), and various security features (e.g., a security pattern like a printed pattern comprising a tightly printed pattern of finely divided printed and unprinted areas in close proximity to each other, such as a fine-line printed security pattern as is used in the printing of banknote paper, stock certificates, and the like). Of course, an identification document can include more or less features.
Another example of an identification document is one including a core layer (which can be pre-printed), such as a light-colored, opaque material, e.g., TESLIN, which is available from PPG Industries) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material. The core can be laminated with a transparent material, such as clear PVC to form a so-called "card blank". Information, such as variable personal information (e.g., photographic information, address, name, document number, etc.), is printed on the card blank using a method such as Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer ("D2T2") printing (e.g., as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,594, which is herein incorporated by reference), laser or ink jet printing, offset printing, etc. The information can, for example, comprise an indicium or indicia, such as the invariant or nonvarying information common to a large number of identification documents, for example the name and logo of the organization issuing the documents. Any known process capable of forming the indicium may be used to form the information.
To protect the information that is printed, an additional layer of transparent overlaminate can be coupled to the card blank and printed information, as is known by those skilled in the art. Illustrative examples of usable materials for overlaminates include biaxially oriented polyester or other optically clear durable plastic film.
Of course, there are many other identification documents that include different structures, features and materials. These other identification documents can be suitably interchanged with the identification documents described herein. The inventive digital watermarking techniques disclosed herein will similarly benefit these other documents as well.
An identification document may include a digital watermark. Digital watermarking is a process for modifying physical or electronic media to embed a machine-readable code into the media. The media may be modified such that the embedded code is imperceptible or nearly imperceptible to the user, yet may be detected through an automated detection process. In some of our preferred embodiments, an identification document includes two or more digital watermarks.
Digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components: an encoder that embeds the digital watermark in a host media signal, and a decoder that detects and reads the embedded digital watermark from a signal suspected of containing a digital watermark (a suspect signal). The encoder embeds a digital watermark by altering the host media signal. The alterations usually take the form of altered signal values, such as slightly changed pixel values, luminance, colors, changed DCT coefficients, altered signal values or selective placement or signal tweaks, etc. However, a watermark can also be manifested in other ways, such as changes in the surface microtopology of a medium, localized chemical changes (e.g. in photographic emulsions), localized variations in optical density, localized changes in luminescence, etc. The surface texture of an object may be altered to create a watermark pattern. This may be accomplished by manufacturing an object in a manner that creates a textured surface or by applying material to the surface (e.g., an invisible film or ink) in a subsequent process. The watermark reading component analyzes content to detect whether a watermark pattern is present. In applications where the watermark encodes information, the reading component extracts this information from the detected watermark. The reading component analyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a digital watermark is present. The reading component can be hosted on a wide variety of units ranging from tethered or wireless reader devices, conventional personal computers, network servers, cell phones including cameras, to fully mobile readers with built-in displays. Image data corresponding to a watermarked surface of an identification document is read and decoded by this reader to obtain a watermark's information or "payload".
Several particular digital watermarking techniques have been developed. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the literature in this field. Some techniques for embedding and detecting imperceptible watermarks in media signals are detailed in assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,914, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,403 and PCT patent application PCT/US02/20832 (published in English as WO 03/005291), which are each herein incorporated by reference.
In assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,886 techniques and methods are disclosed to detect alteration of photo ID documents, and to generally enhance the confidence and security of such systems. In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 2, which depicts a photo-ID card or document 1000 which may be, for example, a passport or visa, driver's license, credit card, government employee identification, or a private industry identification badge. For convenience, such photograph-based identification documents will be collectively referred to as photo ID documents.
The photo ID document includes a photograph 1010 that is attached to the document 1000. Printed, human-readable information 1012 is incorporated in the document 1000, adjacent to the photograph 1010. Machine-readable information, such as that known as "bar code" may also be included adjacent to the photograph. Generally, the photo ID document is constructed so that tampering with the document (for example, swapping the original photograph with another) should cause noticeable damage to the card. Nevertheless, skilled forgers are able to either alter existing documents or manufacture fraudulent photo ID documents in a manner that is extremely difficult to detect. Security associated with the use of photo ID documents is enhanced by supplementing the photographic image with encoded information (which information may or may not be visually perceptible), thereby facilitating the correlation of the photographic image with other information concerning the person, such as the printed information 1012 appearing on the document 1000.
A photograph 1010 may be produced from a raw digital image to which is added a master snowy image as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,886. A central network and point-of-sale reading device (which device, in the present embodiment, may be considered as a point-of-entry or point-of-security photo ID reading device), would essentially carry out the same processing as described with that embodiment, including the central network generation of unique numbers to serve as indices to a set of defined orthogonal patterns, the associated dot product operation carried out by the reader, and the comparison with a similar operation carried out by the central network. If the numbers generated from the dot product operation carried out by the reader and the central network match, in this embodiment, the network sends the OK to the reader, indicating a legitimate or unaltered photo ID document.
It will be appreciated that the information encoded into the photograph may correlate to, or be redundant with, the readable information 1012 appearing on the document. Accordingly, such a document could be authenticated by placing the photo ID document on a scanning system, such as would be available at a passport or visa control point. The local computer, which may be provided with the universal code for extracting the identification information, displays the extracted information on the local computer screen so that the operator is able to confirm the correlation between the encoded information and the readable information 1012 carried on the document. It will be appreciated that the information encoded with the photograph need not necessarily correlate with other information on an identification document. For example, the scanning system may need only to confirm the existence of the identification code so that the user may be provided with a "go" or "no go" indication of whether the photograph has been tampered with. It will also be appreciated that the local computer, using an encrypted digital communications line, could send a packet of information to a central verification facility, which thereafter returns an encrypted "go" or "no go" indication.
In another implementation of the '886 patent, it is contemplated that the identification code embedded in the photograph may be a robust digital image of biometric data, such as a fingerprint of the card bearer, which image, after scanning and display, may be employed for comparison with the actual fingerprint of the bearer in very high security access points where on-the-spot fingerprint recognition systems (or retinal scans, etc.) are employed.
We disclose herein methods, systems and identification document to improve or provide alternative techniques for confronting fraudulent use of identification documents. Fraudulent use of identification documents may occur where, for example, an otherwise legitimate identification document is modified such that the original photograph is swapped with that of another person, thereby enabling the other person to masquerade, at least temporarily, under the guise of the original identification document holder.
Even in the absence of photo swapping or alteration, it is oftentimes difficult to confirm by inspection that the individual depicted in the photograph of the identification card is indeed the bearer of the card.
One aspect of this invention provides enhanced security and certainty in the use of photo identification documents.
Another aspect provides methods and systems for authenticating and securing identification documents using multiple digital watermarks or multiple watermark components.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a security document includes a substrate and a first graphic carried by the substrate. The first graphic conveys a photographic image to human viewers thereof, and the first graphic is steganographically encoded to convey first plural bits of data recoverable by computer analysis of the first graphic. The security document also includes a second graphic carried by the substrate. The second graphic conveys a visual image to human viewers thereof, and the second graphic is steganographically encoded to convey second plural bits of data recoverable by computer analysis of said second graphic. The steganographically encoded first plural bits of data and the steganographically encoded second plural bits of data cooperate to verify authenticity of the security document.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a method is provided to detect swapping of first artwork from a first identification document with second artwork on a second identification document. The swapping results in the first artwork being carried on the second identification document instead of the second artwork. The first artwork includes a first digital watermark embedded therein, and the second identification document includes a second digital watermark embedded in a first region. The method includes: receiving scan data associated with at least a portion of the first artwork and at least a portion of the first region; analyzing the scan data to detect the first digital watermark and the second digital watermark; and comparing the first digital watermark with the second digital watermark to detect swapping of the first artwork with the second artwork.
Another aspect of the present invention is a security document including a substrate and a first graphic carried by the substrate. The first graphic conveys a photographic image to human viewers thereof, and the first graphic is steganographically encoded to convey first plural bits of digital data recoverable by computer analysis of said first graphic. The security document also includes a second graphic, the second graphic conveying a visual image to human viewers thereof. The security document also includes a detection trigger. The detection trigger serves to indicate a presence of steganographic encoding. The second graphic is steganographically encoded to convey second plural bits of digital data recoverable by computer analysis of said second graphic, wherein the steganographically encoded first plural bits of digital data and the steganographically encoded second plural bits of digital data cooperate to verify authenticity of the security document.
Still another aspect of the present invention is a method of identifying a first area and a second area of a printed document that are likely to include, respectively, a first digital watermark and a second digital watermark. The first digital watermark includes a first orientation component and the second digital watermark includes a second orientation component. The method includes receiving optically scanned image data that corresponds with at least a portion of the printed document; segmenting the image data into a plurality of image portions; determining an orientation measure relative to a predetermined orientation for each of the image portions; identifying the first area by associating image portions having a first orientation measure; and identifying the second area by associating image portions having a second orientation measure
Additional features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become even more apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Identification document and related methods


A landing gear assembly for supporting a trailer. The landing gear assembly having first and second legs and a connecting member. Each leg is configured to selectively extend and retract in length. The connecting member operatively connects the first and second legs and is rotatable about an axis relative to the trailer and is axially movable between a first position and a second position. The first and second legs are each configured to extend in length a first amount per revolution of the connecting member about the axis of the connecting member when the connecting member is in the first position. The first and second legs are each configured to extend in length a second amount per revolution of the connecting member about the axis of the connecting member when the connecting member is in the second position. The first amount is greater than the second amount.

One of the primary modes of shipping goods is by a truck pulled trailer. These trailers are equipped with a landing gear assembly that is retracted in a stored position above the ground while the trailer is coupled to the truck. The landing gear assembly allows the trailer to be uncoupled from the truck when necessary. After placing the trailer in a desired location, the operator lowers the landing gear assembly into contact with the ground. Once in contact with the ground, the truck is disengaged from the trailer. Loading the trailer or placing the landing gear assembly in contact with relatively soft ground may affect the trailer height above the ground. When the operator is ready to re-couple the trailer to a truck it may be necessary to extend the landing gear assembly to raise the trailer.
Two speed landing gear assemblies have been developed to allow the operator to more efficiently couple and uncouple trailers from trucks. A high gear mode allows the landing gear assembly to move rapidly between the stored position and the ground. Once in contact with the ground, the low gear mode allows the landing gear assembly to lift the trailer. The operator turns a crank to raise or lower the landing gear assembly. The ratio of crank turns per inch of travel of the landing gear assembly is smaller for the high gear than for the low gear. In other words, the legs will extend more per turn of the crank in high gear than in low gear. Some two speed landing gear assemblies include a gear box attached to one of the legs of the landing gear assembly. An input shaft turns an output shaft via the gears contained in the gear box. The output shaft interacts with the lifting mechanism in both legs of the landing gear assembly to extend or retract the legs. In this configuration, the leg having the gear box functions as a master leg and the other leg functions as a slave leg.
Current landing gear assemblies split the mechanical advantage (created by the gear box) between the two legs. As a result, relatively large forces are placed on the lifting mechanism in each leg and the cross bar between the two legs which affects the service life of the landing gear assembly. Another drawback of current landing gear assemblies is that the operator can only extend and retract the legs in high and low gears from the master leg location. Still another limitation of current landing gear assemblies is that a single set of legs cannot be mounted in the multiple configurations required by the different types of trailers.


A method of making a toy ball having a toy figurine fixed therein includes the steps of: preparing an upper mold and a lower mold; preparing a toy figurine; inserting and fixing the toy figurine to an iron needle of the lower mold; injecting liquid polyurethane glue into the upper mold, combing the lower mold with the upper mold, and turning the combined mold upside down; placing the combined mold on a rotational molding machine for spin-molding the polyurethane glue; cooling the liquid polyurethane glue, and then opening the upper mold and taking out the toy ball from the lower mold; injecting liquid doping with glitter powder or fluorescent powder into the toy ball; sealing a through hole of the toy ball using a plastic sealing needle and then cutting a part of the plastic sealing needle that remains outside the toy ball.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of making a toy ball, which is a hollow ball having a figure fixed therein, such as a toy figurine, a plaything and an animal figure, and is manufactured using spin-molding and specific fixation of the figure to an inside of the toy ball so that the figure inside the toy ball can sway when the ball is shaken or hit.
2. The Prior Arts
A conventional toy ball is embedded with a figure and/or a circuit board therein so as to create a specific visual effect and/or give out sound and light. A method of making a toy ball in accordance with the prior art comprises steps of: first, fixing a figure or a circuit board to a round ball mold; and then, injecting foamed plastic material or rubber into the ball mold to completely enclose the figure or the circuit board and thus form a round solid ball. Hence, the figure inside the solid ball cannot sway relative to the ball when the ball is shaken or hit. In addition, the bounce of the conventional solid ball cannot be adjusted by injecting different amount of liquid into the ball to form different pressure inside; and the solid ball cannot also be filled with flowable liquid doping with glitter powder or fluorescent powder for creating a specific visual effect.
Thus, it is desired to provide a method of making a toy ball having a figure fixed therein and able to sway at random to solve the above-mentioned problems.


A package assembly suitable for use in storing and shipping a plurality of product containers includes a shipping configuration and a display configuration. In the shipping configuration the package assembly is constructed from a single blank of packaging material and formed into a case into which a plurality of product containers are inserted. In the display configuration a top portion of the case is removed from a bottom portion of the case along one or more tear lines on the blank.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique package assembly suitable for use in storing and shipping a plurality of product containers, and which is convertible to a shelf-ready product display by simply removing and discarding a section of the original assembly that is designed for easy removal therefrom.
Description of the Related Art
Shipping packages, such as corrugated, cardboard and/or paperboard boxes, trays and similar assemblies are commonly used to contain a plurality of products or product containers for transport of such products from the manufacturer, to their eventual retail environment. Upon arrival in a retail environment it is desirable to store or display these products on shelves so that the goods and products are conveniently visible and accessible by a user. Thus, some package assemblies have been designed to be convertible from a shipping configuration to a display configuration (shelf ready packaging).
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,451,878 to Rochefort et al. discloses package assemblies that are convertible to displays. One assembly described therein is formed of an outer wrap portion and an internal divider/structural support portion. Openings are provided in the face panel of the container. Zipper pull tabs are also provided in the side face panels so that the face panel and the top half of the outer wrap portion may be removed to convert the package assembly into a dispensing container or a tray.
Another shipping/display assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,872 to Leftwich et al., issued Aug. 19, 1997. The disclosed package assembly has a tray portion and a cover portion. The front side panel of the tray portion has a severable portion, which may be removed to allow products be extracted from the resulting opening. U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,027 to Esser, issued Jan. 2, 2001, discloses a shipping/display box having a tear-out segment spaced from all eight corners of the box. The tear-out segment can be removed at a store for display.
Some packaging assemblies available from Delkor Systems Inc. are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,717; 6,588,594; and 7,370,761 and include package assemblies having product support members with tapered sides and substantially open fronts (with or without a lip) which allows the support members to be shelf ready upon removal of a shrink wrap and/or top pad upon arrival of the package assembly in a retail environment.
Each of the above referenced U.S. patents and any and all patents, applications and/or all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Despite the plethora of unique convertible package assembly/display systems that are available, there remains a need for improved systems that are even more dynamically useful, environmentally friendly and cost effective.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Convertible package assembly and display system


A control support device for supporting control of a vehicle using a learned model obtained by machine learning, includes: a data acquisition unit acquiring sensor information, which is related to a state of an inside or an outside of a supplying vehicle that supplies parameters to be used for the machine learning; a learning unit generating a learned model by performing the machine learning using an input/output data set, which is the sensor information acquired by the data acquisition unit and is data including input parameters and an output parameter of the learned model; and a transmission unit Transmitting at least one of the generated learned model and an output parameter calculated by inputting sensor information of the vehicle, control of which is supported, to the generated learned model as an input parameter.

The present disclosure relates to a control support device, a vehicle, a control support method, a recording medium, a learned model for causing a computer to function, and a method of generating a learned model.
There is known a technique of controlling an internal combustion engine using a learned model by machine learning based on a neural network (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-112277). In this technique, a learned model is used to estimate the flow rate of gas in a predetermined passage of the internal combustion engine to control the internal combustion engine on the basis of the estimation result.

Control support device, vehicle, control support method, recording medium, learned model for causing computer to function, and method of generating learned model


A method comprising synthesizing a cyclic organic compound (3) via reaction of an substituted alkene (1) with an unsubstituted or substituted acrylic acid (2) in the presence of a sulfonic acid reagent to make the cyclic organic compound (3) R1(H)C═C(H)R2 (1)

Cyclic organic compounds are used for a wide variety of purposes, including the preparation of olefin polymerization catalysts, herbicides and pharmaceuticals. One known method of doing a cyclization reaction to make cyclic organic compounds employs polyphosphoric acid (PPA) as a reagent. For instance, see Example 105 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,185, in which cyclohexene is said to be reacted with crotonic acid in the presence of PPA.
See also the following. Tabatabaenian, K.; Mamaghani, M.; Neshat, A.; Masjedi, M. Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies of New Substituted Dinuclear η5-4,5,6,7-Tetrahydroindenyl Ruthenium Complexes. Russian Journal of Coordination Chemistry. 2003, 29, 7, 501. Austin, R. N.; Clark, T. J.; Dickson, T. E.; Killian, C. M.; Nile, T. A.; Shabacker, D. J.; McPhail, T. A. Synthesis and Properties of Novel Substituted 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindenes and Selected Metal Complexes. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry. 1995, 491, 11. Conia, J. M.; Leriverend, M. L. Tetrahedron Letters. 1968, 17. 2101 (Conia et al.). L. Rand and R. J. Dolinski, J. Org. Chem., 1966, 31, 3063 and L. Rand and R. J. Dolinski, J. Org. Chem., 1966, 31, 4061 (collectively "Rand and Dolinski"). Yokota, K.; Kohsaka, T.; Ito, K.; Ishihara, N. Consideration of Mechanism of Styrene/Ethylene Copolymerization with Half-Titanocene Catalysts. Journal of Polymer Science. 2005, 43, 5041. JP10316694A to Tetsuya, I., et. al. Brancaccio G.; Lettieri, G.; Monforte, P.; Larizza, A. Farmaco, Edizione Scientifica. 1983, 9, 702-8. Eaton, P. E.; Carlson, G. R.; Lee, J. T. Phosphorus Pentoxide-Methanesulfonic Acid. A Convenient Alternative to Polyphosphoric Acid. J. Org. Chem. 1978, 38, 4071. Paquette, L. A.; Stevens, K. E., Can. J. Chem. 1984, 62, 2415. Paquette, L. A.; Cheney, D. L., J. Org. Chem. 1989, 54, 3334. J. Org. Chem. 1966, 3065.
Conia, et al. reported that reacting cyclohexene and crotonic acid in presence of polyphosphoric acid (PPA) exclusively gave as a sole product 2,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-3-methyl-1H-inden-1-one (structure 1 in Conia et al.). Conia et al. reported reacting cyclopentyl crotonate or cyclohexyl crotonate in the presence of PPA gave 3-methyl-bicyclo[3.3.0]-2-octen-1-one (40% yield, Table 1 in Conia et al.) or 2,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-3-methyl-1H-inden-1-one (60% yield, Table 2 in Conia et al.), respectively.
Rand and Dolinski report that using polyphosphoric acid (PPA) or a mixture of phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5 or P4O10) and PPA to catalyze the reaction of a cycloheptene, cyclohexene, or cyclopentene with an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylic acid or crotonic acid gives a reaction mixture that contains or is free of an ester by-product such as cycloheptyl crotonate, cyclohexyl crotonate, or cyclopentyl crotonate. Relatively how much of the ester by-product is made is said to depend on the amount of phosphorous pentoxide used in the mixture with PPA or the amount of the PPA or P2O5/PPA mixture relative to the amount of cycloalkene.


RFID systems, devices, software and methods are adapted for receiving from an RFID tag at least waves that communicate at least a first version of its code. An output tag code is output that is the same as the first version, if a fidelity criterion is met regarding the first version. If not met, the output tag code is instead a final version that is reconstructed from the first version, and also from any additionally optionally subsequently received versions. In some embodiments, an error recovery block includes a subcomponent fidelity criterion checking block that can determine whether the fidelity criterion is met, and a code reconstruction block that can derive the final version.

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) systems typically include RFID tags and RFID readers (the latter are also known as RFID reader/writers or RFID interrogators). RFID systems can be used in many ways for locating and identifying objects to which the tags are attached. RFID systems are particularly useful in product-related and service-related industries for tracking large numbers of objects being processed, inventoried, or handled. In such cases, an RFID tag is usually attached to an individual item, or to its package.
In principle, RFID techniques entail using an RFID reader to interrogate one or more RFID tags. The reader transmitting a Radio Frequency (RF) wave performs the interrogation. A tag that senses the interrogating RF wave responds by transmitting back another RF wave. The tag generates the transmitted back RF wave either originally, or by reflecting back a portion of the interrogating RF wave in a process known as backscatter. Backscatter may take place in a number of ways.
The reflected-back RF wave may further encode data stored internally in the tag, such as a number. The response is demodulated and decoded by the reader, which thereby identifies, counts, or otherwise interacts with the associated item. The decoded data can denote a serial number, a price, a date, a destination, other attribute(s), any combination of attributes, and so on.
An RFID tag typically includes an antenna system, a power management section, a radio section, and frequently a logical section, a memory, or both. In earlier RFID tags, the power management section included an energy storage device, such as a battery. RFID tags with an energy storage device are known as active tags. Advances in semiconductor technology have miniaturized the electronics so much that an RFID tag can be powered solely by the RF signal it receives. Such RFID tags do not include an energy storage device, and are called passive tags.
When reading RFID tags, a wireless wave is backscattered from the RFID tag. The tag transmits its code, such as an Electronic Product Code (EPC), by encoding data in the backscattered waveform.
In both types of transmissions, i.e. forward link of reader to tag and reverse link of tag backscatter, each waveform can be thought of as a group of ordered waveform segments that, for example, take values between a High (H) and a Low (L). In the forward link, the H is usually the waveform at its full amplitude, to be transmitting the maximum power to the tag, so that it can be powered maximally. The L is the amplitude at a value less than the maximum, which is called the "modulation depth." The modulation depth is an intermediate value; it should be deep enough for an L to be easily distinguishable from an H, but as long as it is not a real zero (100% modulation depth), it can continue powering the tag.
The wireless wave is received by an antenna of the reader to become a signal of the antenna. A demodulator extracts from the signal a waveform, made by waveform segments. These waveform segments are, ideally, received by the reader in the same way as the tag encoded them. Then they are decoded, to determine what the tag transmitted, namely its code.
For purposes of decoding, the waveform segments may be processed as analog signals. Or they may become numerical waveform values. Preferably, an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) converts the electrical signal of each segment into one or more sampled digital values. If more than one value is provided, then the segment is considered divided into subsegments, and statistics can be used to extract a general value for each waveform segment, etc. These waveform values are compared to a threshold, to determine as to whether a waveform segment is an H or a L.
A problem is errors. Ideally, the reader system should receive exactly what the tag transmitted. But in reality, the wave received by the reader system could be distorted from the wave that is transmitted by the reader tag for various reasons (e.g. interference in the environment, such as from other readers, etc.).
For purposes of the present description, what is received from the tag is called a "version" of the tag code. "Version" is a general word, applying equally to either the received waveform, or its segments, or their values, or the tag code encoded in the segments and/or values, etc. The term "version" is used because, strictly speaking, while the tag is deemed to transmit its code exactly, what the reader receives could be different as per the above.
It is known that conventional reader systems detect that there is an error by adding a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) to the version of the tag code that is being transmitted. The CRC is received along with the code, and an analysis informs whether there is an error in the overall transmission. If no error is detected, the received code version is deemed correct. If, however, an error is detected, the CRC does not inform which bit was wrong.
Accordingly, the only available prior art solution has been to discard what has been received, and start over, by asking for another version of the code, checking again, and so on. When a version is received for which the CRC does not inform that there is an error, that version is treated as the right one over all the others.
Receiving repeated versions takes more time, which slows down the throughput of an RFID reader system. Moreover, in the presence of heavy interference, more repetitions will be statistically needed, until an error free one arrives. Beyond some point, the system may even abandon the effort and start over.


Disclosed herein is a color adjustment apparatus, including: a color information storage section configured to store color information regarding an arbitrary region designated through a pointer in an editing image region; and a color coordinate explicitly displaying section configured to explicitly display a mark, which specifies color coordinates corresponding to the color information, at a pertaining position on a hue ring or a hue bar chart prepared for color adjustment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color adjustment function of an image to be outputted from an outputting apparatus, and more particularly to a color adjustment apparatus, a display apparatus, a printing apparatus, an image processing apparatus, a color adjustment method, a graphical user interface displaying method and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
The color of an original image and the color of an output image do not sometimes coincide with each other. FIG. 1 illustrates examples of such difference. For example, a blue color of an original image is sometimes visually recognized as a purple color. Similarly, a purple color of an original image is sometimes visually recognized as a magenta color. Such differences are caused by an influence of a color development characteristic or the like unique to the output device.
Various color adjustment techniques for eliminating such color differences as described above are available in related art. One of such color adjustment techniques is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-175823 or Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-304539.

Color adjustment apparatus, display apparatus, printing apparatus, image processing apparatus, color adjustment method, graphical user interface displaying method and program


An electrical control system comprising a controllably conductive device, an input receiving circuit and a timer circuit. The controllably conductive device selectively applies power to an electrically operated servo. The input receiving circuit receives an input signal from an input switch for selection of the motion of the control surface operated by the electrically operated servo. The input signal receiving circuit is coupled to the controllably conductive device to cause it to be conductive in response to the input signal. The timer circuit is responsive to a signal from the input receiving circuit for causing the controllably conductive device to be non-conductive if the input signal is present for greater than a selectable time period.

In the field of electric actuators for the control surfaces of vehicles such as aircraft and boats, there is a common method of controlling certain surfaces that incorporates an electric servo actuator and a combination of switches and/or relays to apply electrical power to the servo. These systems allow an operator to cause the servo to drive in either of two directions, for example up and down, or left and right, thereby allowing a control surface of the vehicle to be actuated in a particular manner or direction. Often these systems use a combination of single or multi-pole momentary switches of the single or double throw type to provide an input into the control system. For example, an electric elevator trim actuator, a pair of single pole-double through momentary switches may be used to actuate an up and a down trim motion of the trim servo. When these switches are actuated the trim servo is driven in a particular direction. The duration of the application of power to the servo controls the amount of trim adjustment made. Therefore, the amount of trim adjustment is controlled by the amount of time the switch is held closed. Additionally, the switches may be used to actuate other intermediate electrically controllable devices such as relays or semi-conductor switches such as transistors which in turn provide electrical power to the servo actuators.
This system of switches, electrically controllable devices and servos are typically connected in a very simple system as described to provide the actuation of a control surface. However, this system has a significant drawback from the possible failure modes that exist with devices such as switches, relays and transistors. If one of these components fails in an electrically shorted state, due to either electrical or mechanical reasons, the electrically actuated servo may receive continuous electrical power. This in turn will drive the servo to the end of its mechanical travel which in turn may drive a moveable control surface to an extreme position. An un-commanded movement of a control surface can have a significant negative effect on the performance of a vehicle. This simple system may also suffer from an undesired movement of a control surface if an operator accidentally activates one of the mentioned input switches. In the case of a general aviation aircraft these switches are located on the main control yoke or stick and are subject to inadvertent activation by an operator.
Prior art solutions to this problem have been rudimentary and include providing an additional power switch to manually disconnect power from the control system. This system required the operator to stop a run-away condition as described by disconnecting power from the malfunctioning system. Additionally, another known system includes a switch to reverse the activity of the electrically actuated servo. Both of these configurations rely on the operator's ability to detect, troubleshoot and correct the ensuing problem very quickly. Many known electrically actuated servos can move from one extreme position to the other in about 10-15 seconds. This short period of time allows for a very limited reaction time for an operator to resolve a run-away condition. Another means to mitigate this problem in prior-art systems is to include a speed control function in the driver of the electrical servo. The speed controller is used to slow down the movement of the servo thereby giving the operator more time to detect the occurrence of a run-away control system.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide a control system that limits the travel of an electrically activated servo and does not require a human operator to rapidly detect a failure mode or run-away condition. Additionally, it is desirable to provide an electrical control system that may operate an electrical servo based system at a selectable speed that further can reduce the effects of a failure condition. The system beneficially mitigates the effects of an un-commanded operation that would normally drive a moveable control surface to the full extent of its travel. Additionally, it is desirable to have a control system that can detect and terminate a run-away condition of the control system and provide an operator a means to reverse an un-commanded activity which has already taken place. A need also exists for a control system that can terminate a run-away condition regardless of which component or components in a system fail. Preferably the system would terminate a run-away commanded by multiple simultaneous failures of components.

Safety enhanced control system for servo actuators


Surface-coated machining tools in particular utilized in routing, slitting and drilling processes on printed circuit boards onto which integrated circuits and various electronic parts are populated. A cemented-carbide base material containing tungsten carbide and cobalt, with the cobalt inclusion amount being 4 weight % or more and 12 weight % or less, is furnished. A compound thin film made up of a combination of one or more elements selected from the group titanium, chromium, vanadium, silicon and aluminum, and one or more selected from carbon and nitrogen, is coated over the cemented-carbide base material. The compound thin film is coated in at least a single layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surface-coated machining tools, and more specifically to surface-coated machining tools employed in routing, slitting, drilling, and like processes on printed circuit boards onto which integrated circuits and various electronic parts are populated.
2. Description of the Background Art
In processing the peripheral form of circuit boards, press-working has been largely employed to date. Because printed circuit boards are structured by sandwiching copper foil into epoxy resin incorporating glass fiber, however, particulate matter produced when press-working has been a problem in the working environment. Therein, a machining tool referred to as a "router cutter," with which slitting and routing processes are carried out on printed circuit boards, is used. An advantage to a milling machine employing the router cutter is that since the work is carried out while the cut end is under suction, there is no risk that chips will scatter externally.
Meanwhile, the tasks of miniaturizing electronic devices and making them lightweight have become a must in recent years, and owing to demands for heightening the density and precision in how components populate printed circuit boards—which are pivotal to actual operation—the dimension of the slots formed by routing is being made smaller and smaller, and correspondingly the diameter of the router cutter has come to be 3.175 mm or less.
Likewise, with the number of boards in a printed-circuit-board stack processed at once having increased and the processing speed gone up in order to improve working performance and reduce manufacturing costs, a consequent problem has been that router cutters have turned out to be inadequate in strength, breaking during jobs and producing burrs on printed circuit boards, rendering them unusable.
The router cutter presented in Japanese Pat. No. 3065547, for example, addresses this situation by furnishing a reinforcing rib on the chisel-face side of the router-cutter bit, enhancing the rigidity of the bit and improving the router cutter strength that had been a problem conventionally, to serve as a remedy against breakage accidents during machining jobs.
Meanwhile, in forming small-diameter holes in printed circuit boards given advances in heightening the density of and in laminating the printed circuit boards, machining tools referred to as miniature-drills are being widely used for PCB (printed circuit board) processing. Likewise, owing to calls for heightened density and precision in how components populate printed circuit boards, the holes formed in them by PCB-processing miniature-drills have become more and more micro-dimensioned, in accordance with which the diameter of the PCB-processing miniature-drills has come to be 0.3 mm or less. In order to improve working efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs, furthermore, processing speeds have accelerated; and given the circumstances, a consequent problem has been that PCB-processing miniature-drills have turned out to be inadequate in strength, breaking during jobs and producing burrs on printed circuit boards, which has been a cause of defective products.
In Japanese Pub. Pat. App. No. 10-138027, for example, this situation is addressed by utilizing a cemented carbide as the material for the PCB-processing miniature-drill presented therein, and by coating the surface with a hard carbon film deposited employing a hydrocarbon gas (methane), to improve resistance to, and serve as a remedy against, breakage.
Nevertheless, with demands from users for heightening the component surface-mounting density and precision growing more and more intense, the diameter of the router cutter that performs routing and slitting processes has come to be 1.6 mm or less—half what had been conventional—and preventing breakage defects during processing has turned out to be difficult merely by the above-described improvement in tool form.
By the same token, accompanying the growing intensity in demands for heightening the component surface-mounting density and precision has been the utilization of PCB-processing miniature-drills 0.2 mm or less in diameter to perform the drilling processes; but drills that perform adequately have not been obtainable with the above-described hard carbon film deposited using a hydrocarbon gas, in that the film hardness is low because hydrogen gets mixed into the film.


The roller screw mechanism is provided with a screw including an external thread, with a nut arranged about and coaxial with said screw, the nut including an internal thread, and with a plurality of rollers inserted between the screw and the nut and each including an external thread engaging the external and internal threads of said screw and of said nut. The screw is axially moveable in relation to the rollers. The flanks of the thread of the screw have a concave profile in cross section.

One mechanism is provided with a screw including an external thread, with a nut arranged about the screw and including an internal thread, and with a plurality of longitudinal rollers engaging the external and internal threads of the screw and of the nut. In comparison with a ball screw mechanism, the main advantage of a roller screw mechanism is greater admissible load capacities.
A first type of roller screw mechanism includes rollers having an external thread engaging the external and internal threads of the screw and of the nut. The threads of the rollers and the thread of the nut have helix angles that are identical to each other and different to that of the thread of the screw such that, when the screw rotates in relation to the nut, the rollers rotate on themselves and roll about the screw without moving axially inside the nut. The rollers are rotationally guided parallel with the axis of the screw by teeth added on the nut and engaging teeth of said rollers. Such a mechanism is called a planetary roller screw.
A second type of roller screw mechanism has a similar operating principle but is different as a result of an inverted arrangement. The helix angles of the threads of the rollers, of the screw and of the nut are selected such that, when the screw rotates in relation to the nut, the rollers rotate on themselves about the screw and move axially in the nut. The rollers are rotationally guided parallel with the axis of the screw by teeth provided thereon and engaging teeth of said rollers. Such a mechanism is called an inverted planetary roller screw.
With the current design of roller screw mechanisms, the areas of contact of the rollers on the flanks of the thread of the screw and on the flanks of the thread of the nut are relatively reduced. This requires the load capacities of the roller screw mechanisms to be limited such as to prevent the occurrence of stress concentration.
The aim of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages.
More particularly, the aim of the present invention is to provide a roller screw mechanism wherein, for a given diameter, the load capacity is increased.


A splash guard includes a central base having a first linear margin and a second linear margin parallel to the first linear margin, a first wall connected to the central base along the first linear margin, the first wall having an upper portion extending upward from the central base to define a splash shield and having a lower portion extending downward from the central base to engage a host structure, and a second wall connected to the central base along the second linear margin, the second wall extending downward from the central base such that a channel for engaging a host structure is defined by the central base, the lower portion of the first wall, and the second wall.

Workers, housekeepers and homemakers engage in cleaning activities such as kitchen sinks and other basins and vessels where cleaning solutions such as wash water have, for example, soap content, food debris and other contaminants mixed with the wash water. In other examples, the uncooked food under preparation may contain harmful biological elements. A person engaged in activities in front of a sink or other basin typically prefers that their clothing and body remain clean and free of contaminants. Such a person may be a multitasking parent going between feeding activities, providing homework assistance, and dishwashing. This person may even experience time pressure to assist children to a bus stop or to be prepared for a social date soon after serving a meal or conducting labors of some sort. In these and other examples, donning specialized protective attire at each visit to a sink or other basin may not be convenient.


The present invention provides a biologically pure culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain YA02032 or YA03083, which culture has a characteristic nature capable of producing glutathione and the precursor thereof, γ-glutamylcysteine. A composition comprising the culture and a process for the production of glutathione and/or the precursor thereof, γ-glutamylcysteine, are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains and processes for hyper-producing glutathione and γ-glutamylcysteine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Glutathione (GSH), a small peptide composed of L-glutamic acid, L-cysteine and glycine, is a natural anti-oxidant. It was first isolated in 1888 and formally named in 1921. Glutathione is broadly found in organisms including animals, plants and microorganisms. Its metabolism and physiological functions in animal cells, and processes for hyper-producing it are well documented (Tateishi N. et. al., 1974. J B. 75: 93-103; Issels R. et al., 1988. Biochem Pharmacol. 37: 881-888; and Meister, A. et al., 1983. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 52: 711-60). Glutathione has been used in liver protectors, scavengers of toxins and eye drops. It is also a promising ingredient of functional health food products.
The industrial processes for producing glutathione includes chemical synthesis, extraction, enzymatic production, and fermentation, among which fermentation is preferred because of its easy manipulation. Furthermore, glutathione produced by fermentation using yeasts is safer to be used in food products than the same compound produced by fermentation methods using other microorganisms, such as recombinant Escherichia coli. As a reason, yeast is widely utilized for preparing the glutathione for use in functional drinks and health food products. Yeast mutants produced by mutagens such as amide and indophenols, which improve glutathione production, have been also reported (JP60248199).
The product γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC) is a precursor of glutathione in the synthesis process. It is reported that γ-glutamylcysteine is effective in lowering the damage of CCl4 to the liver in a mouse. The product has functions similar to glutathione, and can regulate the glutathione content in a cell when co-exists with glutathione synthetase. In addition, γ-glutamylcysteine is an important content of human milk and can enhance immunogenesis ability of a subject.

Food Industry Research and Development Institute


The present invention relates to a method of treatment of a mucopolysaccharidosis with 4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-7-yl-5-thio-β-D-xylopyranoside.

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are degenerative genetic diseases linked to an enzymatic defect. In particular, MPSs are caused by the deficiency or the inactivity of lysosomal enzymes which catalyze the gradual metabolism of complex sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These enzymatic deficiencies cause an accumulation of GAGs in the cells, the tissues and, in particular, the cell lysosomes of affected subjects, leading to permanent and progressive cell damage which affects the appearance, the physical capacities, the organ function and, in most cases, the mental development of affected subjects.
Eleven distinct enzymatic defects have been identified, corresponding to seven distinct clinical categories of MPS. Each MPS is characterized by a deficiency or inactivity of one or more enzymes which degrade mucopolysaccharides, namely heparan sulfate, dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and keratin sulfate.
Mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III) or Sanfilippo disease is a lysosomal storage disease, of the mucopolysaccharidosis group, characterized by severe and rapid intellectual degradation. The first symptoms appear between 2 and 6 years old: behavioral problems (hyperkinesia, aggressiveness) and intellectual degradation, and sleeping problems with very moderate dysmorphic signs. The neurological damage becomes more marked around the age of 10 years old, with loss of psychomotor acquisitions and of communication with the entourage. Epilepsy often occurs after the age of 10 years old. The disease is due to the presence of undegraded heparan sulfate owing to the defect in one or other of the four enzymes required for its catabolism, responsible for one of the four types of MPS III: type IIIA (heparan sulfamidase), type IIIB (alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase), type IIIC (acetylCoA: alpha-glucosaminide-N-acetyltransferase) and type IIID (N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase). There is at the current time no effective treatment for this disease.
Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (MPS VI) or Maroteaux-Lamy disease is a lysosomal storage disease, of the mucopolysaccharidosis group, characterized by severe somatic involvement and an absence of psycho-intellectual regression. The prevalence of this rare mucopolysaccharidosis is between 1/250 000 and 1/600 000 births. In the severe forms, the first clinical manifestations occur between 6 and 24 months and are gradually accentuated: facial dysmorphia (macroglossia, mouth constantly half open, thick features), joint limitations, very severe dysostosis multiplex (platyspondyly, kyphosis, scoliosis, pectus carinatum, genu valgum, long bone deformation), small size (less than 1.10 m), hepatomegaly, heart valve damage, cardiomyopathy, deafness, corneal opacities. Intellectual development is usually normal or virtually normal, but the auditory and ophthalmological damage can cause learning difficulties.
The symptoms and the severity of the disease vary considerably from one patient to the other and intermediate forms, or even very moderate forms also exist (spondyloepiphyseal-metaphyseal dysplasia associated with cardiovascular involvement). Like the other mucopolysaccharidoses, Maroteaux-Lamy disease is linked to the defect of an enzyme of mucopolysaccharide metabolism, in the case in point N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase (also called arylsulfatase B). This enzyme metabolizes the sulfate group of dermatan sulfate (Neufeld et al.: "The mucopolysaccharidoses" The Metabolic Basis of Inherited Diseases, eds. Scriver et al, New York, McGraw-Hill, 1989, p. 1565-1587). This enzymatic defect blocks the gradual degradation of dermatan sulfate, thereby leading to an accumulation of dermatan sulfate in the lysosomes of the storage tissues. At the current time, there is just one medicament authorized for the treatment of this disease: Naglazyme® (recombinant human galsulfase), the cost of which is extremely high (in the United States, it is about $350 000 per year). An alternative to this treatment is bone marrow allograft.
Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII) or Sly disease is a very rare lysosomal storage disease of the mucopolysaccharidosis group. The symptomology is extremely heterogeneous: antenatal forms (nonimmune fetoplacental anasarca), severe neonatal forms (with dysmorphia, hernias, hepatosplenomegaly, club feet, dysostosis, significant hypotonia and neurological problems evolving to retarded growth and a profound intellectual deficiency in the event of survival) and very moderate forms discovered at adolescence or even at adult age (thoracic kyphosis). The disease is due to a defect in beta-D-glucuronidase, responsible for accumulation, in the lysosomes, of various glycosaminoglycans: dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. There is at the current time no effective treatment for this disease.
There is therefore clearly a need to provide subjects suffering from MPS type III, VI and VII with a drug treatment, and in the case of MPS type VI, an alternative treatment not derived from biotechnology.
Odiparcil (4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-7-yl-5-thio-β-D-xylopyranoside; CAS 137215-12-4) belongs to the thioxyloside family. This compound, described in patent application EP-A-0 421 829, corresponds to the formula:

This compound was the subject of a clinical development (phases 1 and 2) in the treatment of thrombosis at the end of the 1990s and at the beginning of the 2000s. Its mechanism of action can be summarized in the following way: Odiparcil behaves as a substrate for an enzyme, GT1 (galactosyl transferase 1), which initiates the synthesis of GAG chains toward the dermatan sulfate/chondroitin sulfate pathway. These GAGs are cell constituents as proteoglycans (when they are bonded to proteins on a serine and a first sugar which is xylose) and are also secreted into the extracellular medium. They have varied roles, ranging from the control of coagulation (heparin/heparan and dermatan sulfate secreted into the circulation) to the regulation of growth factors (beta-glycan).
It has now been noted, and this is the subject of the present invention, that Odiparcil makes it possible to increase total GAG synthesis at the extracellular level and, by the same token, will contribute to reducing the intracellular GAG load by acting as a "decoy", making the residual activity of N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase more effective. It is thus possible to envision the treatment of MPS type III, VI and VII owing to the decrease in GAG accumulation at the intracellular level.

Use of Odiparcil in the treatment of a mucopolysaccharidosis


A printing device that prints on media held in a tray includes a first roller section including a first conveyance roller; a second roller section including a second conveyance roller and a pinch roller; and a printing section provided between the first and the second roller sections. Printing is performed on the top surface of the media in the printing section while the tray is being conveyed by the first and the second roller sections. The tray is such that friction surfaces having a coefficient of friction that is higher than that of the other portions of the tray are formed in portions that come in contact with the first conveyance roller when the tray is taken in by the first roller section and the tip end of the tray advances to a gripping section between the second conveyance roller and the pinch roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing device that prints on media that is held in a tray, a tray that is guided to and conveyed inside the printing device in a state of carrying media that is to be printed on by the printing device, and a conveyance device that conveys the tray.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when printing on media having a certain thickness such as a CD-R, DVD or card with a printing device, a media carrier tray (hereafter, also referred to as a carrier tray) for supplying media to the inside of the printing device and conveying media inside the printing device was used. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, there is a carrier tray that is constructed such that a tapered shape, the thickness of which becomes narrower going toward the front, is provided on the tip end of the main body of the carrier tray, and so that a thin plastic sheet that is thinner than the carrier tray is attached so as to protrude further toward the front than the tapered shape (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-42384).

Printing device, tray and conveyance device


A system and method for isolating electronic data and generating enhanced data. A data subscription unit receives data having plural data formats from data source devices. The data may be received pre-filtered or filtered by the data subscription unit. A modeling unit may receive the filtered data from the storage databases, may determine eligibility of the stored data based on eligibility criteria, sort the eligible data based on at least one sorting parameter, adjust and/or normalize the eligible data based on at least one adjustment parameter and/or an aggregate value for a data attribute, generate data metrics over a defined set of time periods based on the eligible data, generate further data metrics based on the data metrics, and derive specified values from these metrics. A data distribution device may transmit or make available the data metrics, further data metrics and values to remote devices.

Problems exist in the field of electronic data conversion and distribution. Users of products, systems, processes or instruments which seek to represent, reflect or measure underlying data types/data sets that are complex or are difficult to analyze, or data types/data sets with low (e.g., sparse) or concentrated underlying electronic data, or data types/data sets with underlying data that are difficult to access or analyze, may seek additional information in order to analyze or otherwise utilize these data types/data sets. One use of electronic data (e.g., input data) is in the creation of data metrics (or other statistical analyses/applications) for those data types/data sets that are complex or difficult to analyze, having sparse and/or concentrated underlying electronic data or with underlying data that are difficult to access or analyze. Because the underlying electronic data is sparse/concentrated, or difficult to access or analyze, or because the data types/data sets are complex or difficult to analyze, it may be difficult to isolate and analyze the correct underlying data, and to generate accurate data metrics.
In the absence of sufficient data and information, and the correct analysis and processing, conventional metrics (based on the sparse/concentrated data and information) are often inaccurate and unreliable, or no appropriate or pertinent conventional metric may exist. Accordingly, there is a need for improved data conversion and distribution systems which are able to isolate correct data and generate accurate and pertinent metrics, even if the underlying data being used is sparse and/or concentrated, or difficult to access or analyze, or if the data types/data sets being measured are complex or are difficult to analyze.

Systems and methods for generating enhanced data metrics


A rotor of an axial flux motor reduces a cogging torque and torque ripple, and is disposed facing a stator. The rotor includes: a rotation shaft; a rotor core having the rotation shaft connected thereto by passing through a center the rotor core; a plurality of seating grooves concavely formed on one surface of the rotor core facing the stator while being spaced apart from each other at equal intervals along a circumferential direction of the rotor core; and a plurality of protrusions formed on inner wall surface of each of the plurality of seating grooves such that the plurality protrusions face a center of each of the plurality of seating grooves; and a plurality of magnets pressed into and coupled to an associated one of the plurality of seating grooves while plastically deforming the plurality of protrusions of the rotor core.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In general, a motor is a power machine that rotates a rotation shaft by an electrical interaction between a rotor and a stator.
Motors are classified into a radial flux motor and an axial flux motor according to a direction of magnetic flux.
In the radial flux motor, a rotor is located inside a stator, and the rotor and the stator are arranged facing each other with a gap therebetween along a radial direction orthogonal to an axis.
On the other hand, in the axial flux motor, a stator and a core of a rotor are arranged to be spaced apart from each other so that a predetermined gap is formed along the axial direction. Thus, the shaft of the motor is rotated by using attractive force and repulsive force generated between magnetic flux generated in the stator and magnetic flux of the magnet attached to the rotor.
On the other hand, in the axial flux motor, when a distance between the facing surface of the stator and the facing surface of the magnet increases, the distance of the gap out of a path that the magnetic flux flows through increases, thereby greatly reducing an output of the motor. In addition, the facing surface of the stator and an individual magnet is distanced apart by the gap having a deviation. When the gap distance deviations between the facing surface of the stator and the magnets are large, cogging torque and torque ripple increase.
Meanwhile, there is an ideal magnetic flux path between the stator and the rotor; however, when the magnetic flux generated by the magnet leaks to the rotor core (a part where the magnets are attached), the path of the magnetic flux deviates from the ideal magnetic flux path. As a result, a total amount of magnetic flux of the magnets may not be fully utilized for the motor rotation. Accordingly, the output of the motor is reduced.
On the other hand, when manufacturing the rotor, to couple a plurality of magnets to the core, an adhesive is used, or a separate support member or a front cover is used.
Alternatively, in a state of both the core and the magnet being placed in the mold, the magnet is bonded to the core by insertion injection of a polymer material.
However, we have discovered that in the case of using the adhesive, the magnet is often separated from the core due to external vibration and heat.
In addition, we have found that in the case of using the separate support member or the insertion injection, a separate part should be manufactured or an additional process is required.
In addition, as a material of the support member that couples the magnet to the core, a non-magnetic plastic material may be used in an effort to prevent leakage of magnetic flux, or stainless steel that is an expensive non-magnetic iron-based material may be used when high strength is required.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and is not intended to mean that the present disclosure falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.


The present invention provides a composition comprising or consisting of components (a) (i) at least one mono-alkanoyl glycerol ester, wherein alkanoyl is selected from C4 to C21 alkanoyl, preferably from octanoyl and decanoyl; and (b) (i) at least one compound selected from cholesterol, phosphatidyl cholines and phosphatidyl glycerols, wherein the acyl moieties of the phosphatidyl moieties are independently selected from C6 to C21 alkanoyl and C6 to C21 alkenoyl.

This invention relates to a composition comprising or consisting of components (a) (i) at least one mono-alkanoyl glycerol ester, wherein alkanoyl is selected from C4 to C21 alkanoyl, preferably from octanoyl and decanoyl; and (b) (i) at least one compound selected from cholesterol, phosphatidyl cholines and phosphatidyl glycerols, wherein the acyl moieties of the phosphatidyl moieties are independently selected from C6 to C21 alkanoyl and C6 to C21 alkenoyl.
In this specification, a number of documents including patent applications and manufacturer's manuals is cited. The disclosure of these documents, while not considered relevant for the patentability of this invention, is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety. More specifically, all referenced documents are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
Peptide-based drugs are typically delivered by injection, since oral delivery by ingestion is often hindered by poor intrinsic permeability and degradation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Nevertheless, the potential therapeutic benefit or oral delivery remains significant, including ease of use and better overall patient compliance.
Mucosal delivery of peptides into the blood stream of a host across various mucosal membranes, such as found in the GI tract, lung, nasal cavity and oral cavity, is possible for a number of peptides and peptide formulations. However, the fraction of an administered dose of unchanged peptide that reaches the systemic circulation (i.e., bioavailability) normally varies depending on the particular route of delivery, peptide and formulation. Thus, the non-invasive delivery of peptide drugs by mucosal routes offers significant flexibility.
For example, delivery of drugs via oral mucosa provides direct access to the systemic circulation through the internal jugular vein, allowing them to bypass the gut and hepatic first-pass metabolism, and enter the bloodstream for rapid on-set of effect. As such, the mucosal lining in the oral cavity represents a promising topical route for the delivery of large therapeutic molecules such as insulin, interferons, and interleukins (Veuillez et al., Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. (2001)51:93-109; and Sudhakar et al., J. Control. Release (2006) 114:15-40; and Amin et al., Drug Delivery Technology (2007) 7(3) 48, 50-55).
One drawback of oral mucosal delivery of larger molecules is their poor overall bioavailability. In this regard, various approaches have been explored to improve the oral mucosal absorption of peptides, including use of absorption enhancers to increase mucosal membrane permeability and/or the addition of enzyme inhibitors to increase drug stability. Many substances can function as absorption enhancers, one of the most popular being detergents such as bile acid salts, sodium lauryl sulfate, and the like based on intercellular lipid solubilization (Aungst et al., Intl. J. Pharmaceutics (1989) 53(3); 227-35; Druker, D. J., Curr Pharm Design (2001) 7(14):1399-1412; and Berstein, G., Drug Development Res. (2008) 67(7):597-599). Cyclic compounds such as crowns have also been used (WO 08/037,484).
Reservoir-type devices filled with drug, along with cholate as a penetration enhancer, have been reported for buccal delivery of insulin (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,671,953; 4,863,737; 5122127; and 5,132,114). Lipid vesicles composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and sodium deoxycholate, has been reported to enhance insulin bioavailability as well (Yang et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull. (2002) 50:749-753). Gels composed of Pluronic F-127 (PF-127) containing insulin and unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid (18:1), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5), or docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) have been reported (Morishita et al., Int. J. Pharm. (2001) 212:289-293). The absorption enhancer lysalbinic acid, which is a product of the alkaline hydrolysis of egg albumin and a mild detergent, also has been reported for molecules such as α-interferon and insulin (Starokadomskyy et al., Int. J. Pharm. (2006) 308:149-154). Various delivery systems have been reported for buccal delivery of glucagon-like insulinotropic peptide (GLP-1) (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,555 and 5,766,620).
A variety of mucoadhesive dosage forms also have been reported to increase resident time of the delivery system in the oral cavity (Ishida et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull. (1981) 29:810-816; and Senel et al., Curr. Pharm. Biotechnol. (2001) 2:175-186), including, for example, pelleted mucoadhesive polymeric nanoparticles (Venugopalan et al., Pharmazie (2001) 56:217-219), and mucoadhesive tablets (Hosny et al., Boll. Chim. Farm. (2002) 141:210-217).
Mucosal dosage forms employing various solvents have also been reported, such as insulin with soybean lecithin and propanediol (Xu et al., Pharmacol. Res. (2002) 46:459-467), and buccal aerosol sprays and capsules using non-polar solvent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,098). Pulmonary delivery formulations of a solution or suspension of various organic solvents have been reported, for example, where the solvent is a class 3 residual solvent such as ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl ether, and propanol (U.S. Pat. No. 6,680,715).
Despite advances, mucosal delivery systems often include absorption enhancing formulations that exhibit side effects, such as causing irritation of the various mucosal linings in the mouth or airways. Another problem is the repugnant taste of many compositions, particularly for bile salts, pointing to likely issues with patient acceptance and compliance. A different issue relates to the volume required for delivering a sufficient amount of an active peptide ingredient for biological effect, storage stability, and reproducibility.
Various peptides, uses, formulations and delivery routes and systems are reported in the following; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,671,953; 4,863,737; 5,122,127; 5,132,114; 5,348,701; 5,424,286; 5,545,618; 5,614,492; 5,631,224; 5,766,620; 5,869,082; 6,268,343; 6,312,665; 6,375,975; 6,436,367; 6,451,286; 6,458,924; 6,660,715; 6,676,931; 6,770,625; 6,867,183; 6,902,744; 6,969,508; 6,977,070; 6,998,110; 7,030,082; 7,070,799; 7,169,410; 7,196,059; and International Patent Application Nos.: WO 9715297; WO/1999/016417; WO/2002/064115; WO/2003/024425; WO/2004/105790; WO/2006/025882; WO/2006/037811; WO/2006/103657; WO/2006/105615; WO/2006/127361; WO/2006/135930; WO/2007/014391; WO/2007/065156; WO/2007/067964; WO/2007/083146; WO/2007/121256; WO/2007/146448; WO/2008/037484; WO/2008/145728; WO/2008/145732; and WO/2008/016729.
Various references discuss alternatives to subcutaneous injection (s.c.) of peptides and uses, including peroral, intra oral (buccal/sublingual), rectal, transdermal, intra nasal, and intra pulmonary delivery routes: Touitou, E., J. Controlled Rel (1992) 27:139-144; Amin et al., Drug Delivery Technology (2007) 7(3) 48, 50-55; Aungst et al., Pharmaceutical Research (1988) 5(5):305-308; Aungst et al., Intl. J. Pharmaceutics (1989) 53(3):22735; Berstein, G., Drug Development Res. (2006) 67(7):597-599; Druker, D. J., Curr Pharm Design (2001) 7(14):1399-1412; Hosny et al., Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico (2002), 747(3):210-217; Khafagy et al., Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews (2007) 59(15): 1521-1546; Lassmann-Vague et al., Diabetes & Metabolism (2006) 32(5, Pt 2):513-522; Morishita et al., Intl. J. Pharmaceutics (2001) 212(2):289-293; Patel et al. Drug Delivery Technology (2006) 6(3)48-60; Pillion et al., J. Pharm. Sci. (1995) 84(11):1276-1279; Portero et al., Carbohydrate Polymers (2007) 68(4):617-625; Pozzilli et al., Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental (2005) 54(7):930-934; Owens, D. R., Nature Reviews Drug Discovery (2002) 1(7):529-540; Rossi et al., American J. Drug Delivery (2005) 3(4):215225; Sadrzadeh et al., J. Pharm Sci (2007) 96(8): 1925-1954; Starokadomskyy et al., Intl. J. Pharmaceutics (2008) 308(1-2):149-154; Xu et al., Pharmacological Research (2002) 46(5:459-487; Yang et al., S.T.P. Pharm. Sciences (2001) 11(6):415-419; Yang et al., Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin (2002) 50(6):749-753; Klibanov et al. (1995 supra) reported on lyophilization of various biomolecules from aqueous solutions of different pH's and their subsequent solubility in methanol and ethanol.
US 2006/0178304 discloses lyophilization of various glucagon-like peptides from aqueous solutions or suspensions of different phi's and their subsequent solubility in aqueous solutions or suspensions.


An improved method and apparatus for providing reformate into an engine exhaust stream including aftertreatment devices such as a particulate trap and an NOx filter regenerable by hydrogen-rich reformate injected into the engine exhaust ahead of the aftertreatment devices. A pump pressurizes a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer, and a three-way valve for dividing the reformate injected into the engine exhaust. The reformer draws oxygen from the engine exhaust rather than ambient air as in the prior art. Thus, the only pressure drop that the pump/reformer system must overcome is within the reformate supply system between the reformer take-off point and the reformate entry points. In a configuration wherein the exhaust is taken off ahead of the inline particulate trap, a separate particulate filter is preferably incorporated into the reformer supply line.

Exhaust aftertreatment devices for reducing emissions from internal combustion engines are well known. It is known in the diesel engine art to provide in series a plurality of exhaust aftertreatment devices, referred to herein for simplicity as AD1 and AD2. Especially in treatment of diesel engine exhaust, such devices are designed to collect or trap undesirable exhaust constituents such as particulates or NOx, becoming full over time. They may also become contaminated by exhaust constituents which inactivate the aftertreatment device chemically, such as sulfur, or physically, such as ash, which can cause clogging or other dysfunction from prolonged exposure to the exhaust stream. Thus, it is important to be able to clean, or "regenerate," inline exhaust amelioration devices as needed, while the engine is running.
It is further known in the prior art to provide a catalytic hydrocarbon reformer for generating hydrogen-rich reformate which is added to the engine exhaust stream upstream of the aftertreatment devices. The hydrogen attacks and removes deposits in the devices. In a typical cleaning duty cycle for an 8-cylinder light duty diesel vehicle, reformate is introduced into the exhaust stream for approximately 10 seconds, followed by approximately 70 seconds of little or no reformate. Typically, about 20 grams per second of reformate is needed for adequate regeneration.
In a prior art arrangement, the reformer takes in hydrocarbon fuel and fresh air to produce the reformate. To inject this reformate into the exhaust stream ahead of the aftertreatment devices requires that the pressure of the reformate be higher than the exhaust backpressure, Pengine, at all speeds and loads, so that the reformate will flow into the exhaust stream. The apparatus must include a pump to raise the pressure of the reformate output stream to a pressure of approximately 80–100 kPa above ambient pressure, Pambient, which is the nominal inlet air pressure for the engine and the reformer, to overcome the exhaust backpressure. If the pump is 80% efficient, for example, an electric motor of about 1.5 kW input is required to run the pump. This size electric motor is large, expensive, and not practically powered by conventional 12–14 volt electrical systems provided in typical vehicles.
What is needed in the art is an improved method and apparatus for providing reformate into an engine exhaust stream which reduces the required size of the pump and pump motor.
It is a principal object of the present invention to reduce the pressure head against which a reformate pump must operate, thereby reducing the required size of the pump and pump motor.

Method and apparatus for regeneration of engine exhaust aftertreatment devices


A structure in which when a rotating member is broken, an impact force is prevented from being concentrated to a local portion by enabling to receive a debris by a wide area at an instant and breaking energy can further be facilitated to consume. Further, according to a centrifuge attached with a cooler, the problem can be achieved to resolve by utilizing an insulating layer at an outer periphery of an evaporator as a space of deforming a guard cylinder when the rotating member is broken.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for sealing debris of a rotating member in an apparatus even when the rotating member rotated at high speed is accidentally broken by a centrifugal force as in a centrifuge.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rotating member used for a centrifuge is provided with a test tube hole for mainly holding a test tube inputted with a sample and a user inserts the sample into the hole and rotates the rotating member at high speed and separates the sample having a small mass difference or density difference by operating a centrifugal force to the sample. At this occasion, the centrifugal force is naturally exerted to the rotating member per se, stresses are generated at inner portions thereof and therefore, there is a concern that the rotating member is broken by the centrifugal force in rotating. Therefore, a fabricator executes design having a sufficient allowance therefore including fatigue of a metal by repeated use and except a case by an error in a method of using the rotating member such as an error in an allowable specific weight of the sample or corrosion of the rotating member by a failure in handling a corrosive sample, breakage in previously determined product life may be regarded to be null.
However, a way of thinking that safety of a user needs to be ensured even when breakage which seems to be impossible to be brought about is brought about, has been promoted in recent years, and according to IEC standards 61010-2-020 'Particular requirements for laboratory centrifuges', an accident which seems to bring about the maximum damage is assumed, a test devised to bring about the accident (MCA test: Maximum Credible Accident) is carried out, and it is requested to guarantee to be safe even thereby. Although conditions of the MCA test differ by a kind of a centrifuge and a rotating member used such as seizure of a bearing, breakage of a shaft, separation of a rotating member from the shaft or the like and cannot be specified sweepingly, in many cases, a breakage of a rotating member by a centrifugal force is selected as an accident which brings about the maximum damage. However, as described above, it is difficult to break a rotating member by normally using the rotating member and therefore, a cut groove calculated to break at the maximum rotational speed to which a selected rotating member can reach is worked to a rotating member 3d as designated by numeral 14 of FIG. 8A to be broken into two. Further, it is evaluated whether debris can be sealed into a main body, whether a guard member for executing sealing operation is cracked, whether the main body is moved in a predetermined range or the like. Therefore, in order to satisfy the standards, in many cases, it is necessary to constitute the above-described centrifuge which is capable of withstanding breakage. Generally, as shown by FIG. 6, a guard cylinder 13 is arranged at an outer periphery of a bowl 4b constituting a rotating chamber 2b for rotating a rotating member as a guard member, and is designed such that even when the rotating member is broken and impacted, debris do not break therethrough. Further, in the case of a centrifuge referred to as cooler attached of a type for making a cooling fluid flow on an outer side of a bowl in order to maintain a temperature of a sample to be separated constant, as shown by FIG. 7, in order to prevent wasteful heat input, it is necessary to provide an insulating layer 11c on an outer side of a bowl 4c and therefore, debris is sealed by providing a guard cylinder 13c further on an outer side thereof.
Next, an explanation will be given of a behavior when a rotating member is broken by taking an example of the MCA test in reference to FIGS. 8A, 8B, FIG. 9. As shown by FIG. 8A, the cut groove 14 designed to be broken at a rotatable maximum rotational speed is worked at the rotating member 3d which can be used in a centrifuge to be evaluated and is provided with a maximum energy in breaking, and the centrifuge is operated at a predetermined rotational speed to be broken by a centrifugal force. As shown by FIG. 8B, a rotating member debris of the rotating member 3d broken in two is provided with a speed component in a tangential direction of a rotational direction and therefore, assuming that the rotating member is broken to separate into two instantaneously by disregarding a behavior of breakage by progress of a crack, respectives thereof are moved radially in arrow mark directions, break through a bowl 4d having a thin wall structure and impacted to a guard cylinder 13d further on an outer side as shown by FIG. 9. At this occasion, much of rotational energy provided to the rotating member (E=½×I×ω2 where I: moment of inertia around axis of rotating member, ω: angular velocity of rotating member) is consumed as local deformation energy and total deformation (deformed into ellipse) energy of the guard cylinder 13d and deformation energy of the rotating member debris 15 per se by the impact and is partially consumed also by heat, sound or the like. On the other hand, the above-described speed components in the tangential direction of the rotating member debris 15 produce a couple moment and therefore, there is also a case in which portions of the moment are conducted to the guard cylinder 13d or the centrifuge integrated with the guard cylinder 13d and a main body of the centrifuge is rotated or moved. Particularly when the guard cylinder 13d is significantly deformed to impinge on or bites a frame 10d constituting an outer frame of the centrifuge, the force of rotating or moving the main body of the centrifuge is more increased to enhance a danger.
From the above-described, sufficient strength and toughness are requested for the guard cylinder used as the guard member in breaking the rotating member such that the guard cylinder is not cracked even when the rotating member is accidentally broken and the debris is impacted thereto and the guard cylinder is deformed as less as possible. A material thereof differs by the maximum rotational energy of the usable rotating member, normally, in a centrifuge capable of using a rotating member having large energy and having large energy in breaking, a heat treatment steel or a tough hardened steel is used and for a centrifuge capable of only using a rotating member having comparatively small energy, a carbon steel tube which is on sale in place of the heat treatment steel or the tough hardened steel and is inexpensive or the like is adopted and necessary strength is adjusted by pertinently selecting a wall thickness thereof. An air gap between the guard cylinder and the outer frame of the centrifuge is determined in consideration that even when the guard cylinder is deformed by impacting debris in breaking, movement of the centrifuge is sufficiently confined into a predetermined range. Further, as shown by JP-A-50-056988, an inner side of a guard cylinder is installed with a member softer than the guard cylinder, energy is consumed by facilitating to deform when debris is impacted and a time period consumed by energy is prolonged to thereby devise to alleviate impact force.

Centrifuge including a rotating chamber having a bowl and a cylinder


The present invention relates to a register file in a microprocessor and operating system thereof for performing a data transfer between register cells within a register file. The register file has a plurality of register cells and an internal common bus that can directly transfer data between register cells by binding together control units for feedback transmission in each register cell to perform a direct data transfer between register cells. Each of the registers cell includes a repeater cell, a data input control unit, a data transfer control unit and a feedback transmission control unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a register file and operating system thereof in a microprocessor, and in particular, to a register file and operating system thereof in a microprocessor for performing a data transfer between repeater cells within a register file.
2. Background of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, the operating system for a related art register file consists of a register file block 20, execution block 30 and control block 10.
The process for storing data in the related art register file block 20 will now be explained. According to control signals C-A, C-B and C-C from the control block 10, data are transferred from the execution block 30 to the register file block 20 by a third bus C-BUS. Data stored in the register file block 20 are emitted by first and second buses A-BUS, B-BUS. The execution block 30 carries out a particular function, e.g. an arithmetic operation with data from the register file block 20 carried on A-BUS and B-BUS after receiving a control signal C-exe from the control block 10. Then, the execution block 30 emits the result into the register file block 20 using the C-BUS. The control block 10 receives a clock signal CLOCK of a synchronous signal and data transfer order from an external device (not shown) and generates the first, second and third control signals C-A, C-B, C-C for controlling operation of the register file block 20 and the control signal C-exe for controlling operation of the execution block 30. Thus, the related art register file block 20 acts only as a memory device.
As shown in FIG. 2, a register cell making up a register file block 20 includes a first MOS transistor NM1 operating ON or OFF based on signals entered through its drain and gate. The drain is coupled to the C-BUS carrying data from the execution block 30 and the gate receives the third control signal C-C. Second and third MOS transistors NM2, NM3 also operate ON or OFF based on signals entered through their drains and gates. At this time, their drains are coupled to the output of a repeater cell 21 and the gates receive the control signals C-A and C-B from the control block 10, respectively.
The repeater cell 21 includes an inverter INV and two MOS transistors N1, P1, which operate to keep the input voltage state of the inverter INV by reverting the output signal from the inverter INV to maintain an output voltage state of the repeater cell 21. Further, the repeater cell may be composed of a positive or negative logic circuit for selecting its output signal.
A plurality of register cells forms a register file block such as the register block 20. As shown in FIG. 3, data from a source register cell enter the execution block 30 on the data path and the execution block 30 emits data into a destination register cell using the output bus C-BUS.
In a microprocessor with the related art register files, a data transfer between register cells requires an execution unit. Accordingly, the control block 10 receives the clock signal and the data transfer order to generate the appropriate control signals C-A, C-B, C-C. Thus, the overall efficiency of the microprocessor is reduced.
Each waveform of the control signals, input and output signals is illustrated in FIG. 4. Reference numbers 1 and 2 show a sequence of available signals during each signal output. First, when the third control signal C-C is high level when the third bus C-BUS is carrying a signal, the first MOS transistor NM1 operates, and the signal carried on the third bus C-BUS enters the repeater cell 21. Thus, the register file with a plurality of repeater cells stores data according to the signal carried on the C-BUS. At this time, when the first control signal C-1 or the second control signal C-B is high level, the data stored in the repeater cell 21 are respectively emitted by the A-BUS or the B-BUS.
In the related art register file, most registers can be designated a source or destination register. However, because some registers for logical multiply or any other particular purpose are exclusive, an additional transfer cycle between registers is needed for a data transfer from specific predetermined registers to another register. That is, an additional clock cycle and data transfer order are required.
As a result, the overall efficiency of a microprocessor is decreased. In other words, when the result from a logic operation within one register file is transferred to another register, the transfer time consumption reduces the efficiency of the microprocessor.

Register file and operating system thereof