A printer processible wristband has a cinch slot at one end and an imaging area at another, connected with a strap therebetween. The imaging area is shaped like a shovel and the cinch slot is shaped like a “D” and sized so that the imaging area interference fits through the cinch slot to thereby join the wristband about the wrist. The imaging area may have one of its ends adhered to the strap to clamp it in place and further secure the wristband or it may be left loose to act as a hang tag. Alternate embodiments are disclosed including providing a self adhering label to attach to the imaging area, providing a layer of laminate to laminate the printed information or label, providing a second imaging area along with a second strap, and providing a snap closure to further attach the wristband.

Single use, inexpensive wristbands have been commercially available for many years and while early designs were principally plastic bands requiring separately printed labels, later designs improved on these both in cost and convenience by providing a self laminating wristband die cut into a page sized business form for processing through a laser printer. Other later designs also provided single layer or single ply wristbands similarly die cut into a carrier or page sized business form. These later designs are much less expensive, may be conveniently printed and assembled at the point of in-patient processing for health care applications, and are sufficiently sturdy to withstand the healthcare environment at least for temporary stays. The assignee of the present patent filing has experienced great success in this field and its products incorporating its wristband inventions and designs are market leaders not only in creativity, ingenuity, and inventiveness but also in commercial success. Just a few exemplary issued patents and published patent applications for these wristband inventions and designs include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,510,634; 7,386,949; 2007/0220796; 2007/0089342; 2008/0098636; 2008/0109937; and 2008/0250688; as well as unpublished patent application Ser. No. 12/026,030 filed Feb. 5, 2008; and Ser. No. 12/115,945, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A number of these wristband inventions and designs include a strap and cinch slot for attaching the wristband about a wearer's appendage, most often his wrist. Wristbands incorporating this unique attachment arrangement have met with great commercial success and are made and sold by the millions each year. Many of these designs incorporate the cinch slot at or in an imaging area, situated opposite an end of a strap often extending from the other side of the imaging area, so that the wristband is secured by looping the strap around the wrist and inserting it through the cinch slot before being doubled over and adhered back onto itself. Uniformly in these wristband designs/inventions the cinch slot and imaging area are consolidated at only one end of the wristband and the strap extends to an opposite end. In those instances when a "hang tag" is desired, a separate card with slot is provided and the wristband strap is inserted through the slot to "hang" it loosely from the wristband after it is attached to the wearer. As shown in one or more of the patents mentioned above, the separate card may itself be self-laminating, although it need not be depending on the desire of the purchaser and the intended application.
In its continuing efforts to design and develop new and inventive solutions to wristband needs, the inventors herein have designed and developed a new and novel wristband design which, in broad terms, comprises separating the cinch slot from the imaging area. By separating the imaging area from the cinch slot, and in at least one embodiment putting the imaging area at an opposite end of the strap from the cinch slot, a novel arrangement is achieved that has a number of advantages. For example, simply flexing or bending the imaging area permits it to be threaded through the cinch slot and then it naturally returns to its at rest configuration which provides an integrally formed mechanical fastening arrangement without further action by the nurse. And, when applied in this manner, a natural "hang tag" configuration is achieved without need of a separate slotted id card or the like. If provided with a patch of adhesive, and depending on where it is applied, the imaging area and wristband can be further secured in place either in hang tag mode or not in the event the outer edge of the imaging area has the adhesive. If the adhesive is applied to the outer edge, the imaging area is thus not only secured by an "interference fit" between its larger width against the narrower cinch slot, but also with adhesive at its opposite side. This arrangement allows the imaging area to be adhered or "locked down" to better conform to the wearer's wrist. The imaging area may be made to accept printing, such as by being processed through a laser printer, thermal printer or suitable other printer. Alternately, a separate label may be printed and adhered to the imaging area or a nurse may simply write information thereon.
To enhance the usability of the wristband, the imaging area may be shaped to not only make it easier to fit through the cinch slot but also increase the difficulty in removing it or backing it out through the cinch slot. One such shape is a taper, or "shovel", shape which has a narrower tip or outer end and a wider back end, to which an even more sharply tapered tip may be provided having a width narrower than the cinch slot so that it may be conveniently started into the cinch slot and assist in guiding the imaging area therethrough. The cinch slot itself may also be located in an enlarged cinch slot area or simply slot area, spaced from the imaging area and in one embodiment at least at an opposite end from the imaging area. In other embodiments, the imaging area may be provided with straps extending from either side and with the cinch slot area located at an outer end of one such strap with the other strap having either a continuous, uniform width smaller than the cinch slot or with a shovel formed at an outer end to provide the same interference fit closure. In an alternative, a second label may be applied to this second, outboard shovel and used for additional patient information or special precaution information such as Allergies, Fall Risk, or even Do Not Resuscitate.
The cinch slot may preferably be formed in an enlarged cinch slot area, or slot area, preferably located at an outboard end of a strap which has the imaging area preferably at the opposite end of the same strap. The cinch slot may be located otherwise, as desired by the user or to fit a particular application, but is preferably separated from the imaging area. The cinch slot may preferably have a shape facilitating the passing therethrough of the imaging area or shovel closure or strap end. One example of such a shape would be a "D" shape, which would preferably have a width greater than the strap, but narrower than the widest part of the imaging area or shovel, and an arcuate portion against which the imaging area or shovel could flex and be guided therethrough. A supplementary closure may be provided as desired, such as with a series of holes along a strap and a matching hole in the imaging area so that as the band is wrapped around a wearer's wrist, a joinder such as a clasp or male/female mating pin or the like may be fit through the aligned holes and join the strap to the imaging area or shovel.
The wristband invention as disclosed in its various embodiments may be constructed of a single ply of material, such a polyester or polyethylene film, or even a composite single ply of the same or similar materials. The material chosen may be suitable to allow for thermal printing of the wristband, die cut into a business form such as a carrier or page or sheetlet, and provided with self adhering labels or not. Another suitable material would be Tyvek® or the commercial equivalent. For thermal printing, the wristbands may be formed in separate carriers and then a plurality of carriers formed end to end in a roll. In an alternate embodiment, the wristbands may be formed of multiple plies of material, with one ply being a laminate for a self-laminating version, die cut into a business form in a fashion as exemplified in the patents mentioned above.
Several notable features of the wristband invention as contained in the several preferred embodiments include an imaging area that is shaped to pass through a cinch slot but yet provides a mechanical or interference fit or joinder for the wristband, a printer processible wristband with a non-adhesive but functional mechanical attachment, a wristband which automatically forms a hang tag upon being secured, a cinch slot separated from an imaging area unlike assignee's other wristband inventions incorporating a cinch slot, an imaging area which serves the dual purpose of receiving information desired to be displayed but also is shaped to form part of the wristband attachment, and more than one "shovel" or imaging area incorporated into a single wristband.
The foregoing explanation of several features of the several preferred embodiments of the invention has been given to be exemplary of the invention and not limiting. Additional features and a more detailed explanation is provided in connection with the drawings below.

Wristband with separated imaging area and cinch slot


A communications system for an elevator system has a master control unit located close to the lift controller and connected via a bus to a number of local modules, each connected to one or more announcement devices. The announcement devices may be of various types including alphanumeric display of elevator position or other messages, lanterns indicating direction of travel, electronic gongs and passing chimes. The bus consists of only two conductors which carry both power and output signals from the master control unit to the respective local modules, the signals being encoded by modulation of the power supplied. The system reduces the amount of wiring required for new installations of elevator systems and also facilitates retrofitting to existing systems to install dot matrix display devices or audible announcement devices without the need for additional wiring.

This invention relates to communications systems for providing announcements at locations served by a conveying system to indicate the status of a moveable conveyance of the system and in particular has application to an elevator indicator system for providing visible and/or audible announcements at landings served by the elevator as to the status of an elevator car.
It is known to provide visible indicators at landings of a building provided with an elevator in order to indicate to a user the current status of an elevator car, typically a numerical display indicating the current position of the car by reference to the number of the landing at which it is positioned. Additional announcements are also known to be provided by means of an audible gong indicating the arrival or departure of a car from a particular landing and the provision of a visible hall lantern which illuminates to indicate an up or down arrow indicating the direction of travel of the car.
The control of such announcement devices is generally effected by means of a master control unit located at a control station where the operation of the car is also controlled. Communication between the master control unit and each of the announcement devices in many installations entails a wiring loom installed in an elevator shaft in which the car operates, the wiring loom having a large number of conductors with a respective set of conductors provided for each announcement device. Where an announcement device provides a visible indication of the current position of the car, a known system provides a separate lamp to be selectively illuminated for each of the characters of an alphanumerical display corresponding to the possible car positions and for each lamp to require separate conductors to energise the lamp. Such multiple lamp display greatly increase the number of conductors required in the wiring loom.
Recent improvements have resulted in the use of LED dot matrix displays for alphanumeric announcements using a matrix of lights which can be controlled by a driving circuit in respect to serially encoded data, thereby significantly reducing the number of conductors and hence simplifying the wiring loom.
A problem still remains in that such existing systems require a minimum of three conductors to power and control the driving circuit.


A method for sharing a total licensed pool between network elements is disclosed. In the method, each of the network elements has a fixed available capacity. In a first step, an offered load capacity limit based on the total licensed pool and the available capacity is determined. Next, each of the network elements communicates a message comprising the offered load capacity limit. Then, each of the network elements monitor for messages. If a message is not received from one of the network elements, the network element that is not communicating is considered a failed network element. Upon detection of the failed network element, the offered load capacity of the failed network element is redistributed.

Telecommunication service providers typically purchase licenses for the software that runs on their telecommunication equipment. For example, a telecommunication system typically includes a plurality of network elements under the control of a network element controller. The network elements contain hardware, such as processors, that can provide telecommunication services. Each network element is designed to handle a certain amount of calls. In addition, network elements typically include redundant resources, such as redundant processors that can provide processing capabilities in the event of a failure in the system.
Software can be licensed in different ways. For example, licensing can be done on a per processor basis. In this embodiment, all processors in the network element must have a license to use the software. This includes any processors that are provided for redundancy purposes. From a customer standpoint, per processor based licensing is typically undesirable because the customer needs to buy extra licenses to cover redundant equipment.
Another way of licensing software is by capacity licensing. In typical capacity licensing schemes, a capacity license covers a maximum capacity of software use. For example, a capacity license may cover a number of calls the network element can process, a maximum number of users that can access the network element, or a maximum amount of network traffic the network element can handle. If a network element fails, other network elements can pick up the extra traffic if the other network elements have any available licensed capacity. If the network element does not have enough licensed capacity, the network element could not assume any more traffic, even if the network element has redundant processing capabilities that could handle the traffic. While this lack of licensed capability can be avoided by purchasing enough license capacity to cover all of the hardware in the network element, this forces the customer to purchase licenses for redundant resources.
Additionally, in current capacity license schemes a central platform or controller is needed to monitor the compliance with the license as well as distribute the licensed capacity. For example, in a telecommunication environment the element manager manages the capacity license for all network elements. Monitoring at the element manager level requires extra programming and uses up resources of the element manager. What is needed is distributed redundancy capacity licensing in a telecommunication network element.

Distributed redundancy capacity licensing in a telecommunication network element


A flexible, durable, comfortable, cost-effective, easy-on, easy-off flexible jewelry cover completely envelopes jewelry articles and elements extending from said articles, preventing the user from scratching, abrading, or otherwise harming other people or articles he may touch. Further, the cover protects the jewelry articles from unwanted, damaging, and messy substances. The cover may be adapted for use on any appendage, including, but not limited to, fingers, toes, wrists, ankles, hands, and feet. Due to the durable, yet flexible material, the cover fits comfortably on any appendage and does not restrict bodily movements. The cover will not pierce or puncture exterior layers of clothing such as gloves and socks. The cover is also disposable, therefore promoting sanitary conditions.

Rings, jewelry, bands, and similar accessories are all constantly exposed to the elements and messy substances. Jewelry articles worn on all appendages, including toe-rings and other foot-worn decorations, are susceptible to harmful substances in addition to routine wear and tear. Substances can damage jewelry, thus negatively affecting its value, as well as damage its cosmetic appeal.
Further, jewelry can inadvertently harm people and items, as well as puncture or damage gloves or other clothing. Innocuous contact with another can potentially lead to a hurtful scratch or cut from a sharp edge of a jewelry article. People employed in jobs requiring frequent use of hands and physical contact, such as physical therapists or dental hygienists, risk harming a patient every time they touch. These medical professionals may place latex gloves over their jewelry, but sharp edges can snag and pierce the gloves, rendering them useless. Further, tools and utensils are subject to scratching, abrasions, and similar damage whenever someone wearing jewelry uses them. As users continuously contact others there is an ever-growing need for a cover to protect the jewelry and similar accessories. Although there are many covers known in the art for use in protecting jewelry articles, none resolve all of the problems solved by the present invention.
For instance, there are many known casings that specifically cover finger-worn articles. Although these casings are protective, they are rigid and typically made of hard plastics. These hard materials hinder flexibility, thus restricting movement of the hand or finger. Due to their rigidity and inflexibility, hard casings are uncomfortable and even abrasive.
Other covers made of more pliable materials can also restrict movement. These pliable covers may not secure to an appendage as well as covers made of rigid materials. To compensate for this lack of stability, known pliable covers wrap around several appendages even though the jewelry intended to be protected fits on a single digit. For instance, there are known jewelry covers that teach leather straps wrapped around a finger to protect a ring, but further include a separate element worn around the user's wrist or palm. A support element then connects the finger wrap and wrist or palm wrap elements. Ultimately, three (and sometimes more) strap pieces combine in the same cover device to provide the necessary stability. These cumbersome covers and may not provide the same level of protection as their rigid counterparts and yet still limit the user's movement.
Additional covers known in the art have similarly complicated assemblies. Many covers stay in place by chains connecting the cover to a wristband element. These chains are typically structurally weak; should any one link snap, the cover will detach and expose the jewelry. Therefore, even more intricate jewelry covers do not lead to enhanced jewelry protection. The more parts a cover has, the more it may restrict movement, and the more difficult it may be to apply to an appendage. Jewelry covers having fewer structural and interrelated elements are likelier to result in easy-on, easy-off application as opposed to those with a greater number of parts.
Further, as the number of parts increases, so does the cost of the cover. Fewer components leads to cheaper manufacturing costs and allows suppliers to provide an inexpensive product to the consumer. Reducing the number of elements lessens the need for repair and maintenance opportunities, therefore lowering future costs as well.
Many covers intended for multiple uses accrue dirt and remnants of harmful substances. Constant cleaning of the cover can be costly and abrasive cleaners may wear away protective coverings. Cursory cleanings allow residue of the harmful substance to remain on the cover. Unclean covers can harbor germs and lead to dirtier, more harmful substances than the very materials the covers intend to protect against. Disposing of the cover after a finite number of uses prevents unsanitary covers from contacting jewelry and spreading to the user. Many of the covers already described, especially those made of costlier materials like leather, or those with elaborate chain elements, are meant for repeated uses. Disposable covers have a far greater chance of promoting sanitary conditions than nondisposable ones.
Many jewelry covers in the art have the disadvantage of being specifically tailored to articles worn on the finger or wrist. Usually, jewelry covers protect rings and precious gems lodged in finger or hand worn articles but are not adapted to protect articles worn on other appendages. Covers employing multiple strap elements, chains, or hard plastics are cumbersome enough to use on a hand, let alone a toe, ankle, or foot. Toe-rings and foot-worn jewelry must remain exposed and cannot receive the protective benefits of known jewelry covers.
Another disadvantage of known jewelry covers, especially those made of hard materials, is their tendency to damage additional layers of clothing. A hard jewelry cover may pierce a latex glove intended to be worn over the jewelry cover. Covers with chains or other protruding elements may catch, puncture, and/or tear fabric gloves or socks. When a user puts on a jacket or shirt, known covers can catch on to the fabric and damage the clothing or fall off from the appendage and expose the jewelry.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a jewelry cover that protects people and articles from scratches, damage, and general harm; does not damage, pierce, puncture, snag, or tear other articles of clothing; protects jewelry articles from unwanted substances; is made of a durable, flexible material that can be worn on any appendage; provide easy-on, easy-off application and detachment; is comfortable to the wearer; is cost-effective; and is disposable.


An electronic scan antenna for generating an electrically scanned RF beam in response to an incident RF beam having at least one operating frequency band associated therewith includes a ground plane for reflecting the incident RF beam and a phasing arrangement of plasma structures operatively coupled to the ground plane. Each plasma structure includes gas containing areas which are reflective at the operating frequency range, when ionized, forming ionized plasma areas. Each ionized plasma area is disposed a first distance from the ground plane, a second distance from adjacent ionized plasma areas and each plasma ionized plasma area has a particular size associated therewith. In this manner, each ionized plasma area, in cooperation with the ground plane, provides a portion of a composite RF beam which has a phase shift associated therewith. The electronic scan antenna of the present invention also includes a control circuit for selectively ionizing the gas containing areas such that the size of each ionized plasma area may be dynamically varied so as to dynamically vary the imparted phase shift. In this manner, the composite RF beam may be electronically scanned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phased array antennas and, more particularly, relates to dynamic plasma driven phased array antennas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various phased array antenna configurations have been employed in the prior art. One such antenna configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,014 to Gonzalez et al., entitled "Microwave Phasing Structures For Electromagnetically Emulating Reflective Surfaces And Focusing Elements Of Selected Geometry," issued on Feb. 27, 1990, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The antenna configuration disclosed in the Gonzalez et al. patent includes an electrically thin microwave phasing structure for electromagnetically emulating a desired reflective surface of selected geometry over an operating frequency band. The microwave phasing structure includes a support matrix, i.e., a dielectric substrate, and a reflective means, i.e., a ground plane, for reflecting microwaves within the frequency operating band. The reflective means is supported by the support matrix. An arrangement of electromagnetically-loading structures is supported by the support matrix at a distance from the reflective means which can be less than a fraction of the wavelength of the highest frequency in the operating frequency range. The electromagnetically-loading structures are dimensioned, oriented, and interspaced from each other and disposed at a distance from the reflective means, as to provide the emulation of the desired reflective surface of selected geometry. Specifically, the electromagnetically-loading structures form an array of metallic patterns, each metallic pattern preferably being in the form of a cross, i.e., X configuration. It is disclosed that each electromagnetically-loading structure can be constructed to form different geometrical patterns and, in fact, could be shorted crossed dipoles, metallic plates, irises, apertures, etc. It is further disclosed that the microwave phasing structures of the Gonzalez et al. patent may be used for electromagnetically emulating a desired microwave focusing element of a selected geometry.
The selected geometry of the desired reflective surface can be a parabolic surface in order to emulate a parabolic reflector wherein all path lengths of the reflected incident electromagnetic waves are equalized by phase shifting affected by the microwave phasing structure of the present invention. While the microwave phasing structure may emulate desired reflective surfaces of selected geometries such as a parabola, the microwave phasing structure is generally flat in shape. However, the shape of the microwave phasing structure may be conformal to allow for mounting on substantially non-flat surfaces.
It is to be appreciated that the phased array antenna technology disclosed in the Gonzalez et al. patent is commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention (Malibu Research Associates, Inc. Of Calabasas, Calif.) and is generally referred to as FLAPS.TM. technology.
Referring now to FIGS. 1A through 1D, an exemplary embodiment of an electromagnetically-loading structure (Fig. 1A) formed in accordance with the FLAPS.TM. technology as disclosed in the Gonzalez et al. patent, and arrays thereof (FIGS. 1B through 1D), are shown. The basic elemental structure, as shown in FIG. 1A, is a crossed shorted dipole situated over a ground plane with an intermediate dielectric material sandwiched therebetween. It is to be appreciated that each arm of the crossed dipole independently controls its corresponding polarization. Incident RF (radio frequency) energy causes a voltage standing wave to be set up between the dipole and the ground plane. The dipole itself possesses an RF reactance which is a function of the size of the dipole. This combination of the formation of a voltage standing wave and the dipole reactance causes the incident RF energy to be reradiated with a phase shift .phi..
The exact value of this phase shift .phi. is a complex function of the dipole length and thickness, the distance between the dipole and the ground plane, the dielectric constant associated with the dielectric spacer and the angle associated with the incident RF energy. When used in an array, as shown in FIG. 1B through 1D, the phase shift .phi. associated with a dipole is also affected by nearby dipoles.
In practice, the dipole arm lengths may be within the approximate range of one-quarter (1/4) to one-sixteenth (1/16) of the wavelength of the operating frequency of the incident RF energy in order to provide a full range of phase shifts. The preferred spacing between a dipole and the ground plane is between approximately one-sixteenth (1/16) and one-eighth (1/8) of the wavelength associated with the incident RF energy wave. It is to be appreciated that the dipole/ground plane spacing also affects certain parameters of the phased array antenna, such as form factor, bandwidth and sensitivity to fabrication errors. The dipole structure in FIG. 1A is typically formed by the etching of a printed circuit board. At longer wavelengths (i.e., lower incident RF energy operating frequencies), plating of a dielectric fiber strand is an alternate dipole fabrication method. It is to be appreciated that a radiating element formed in accordance with the FLAPS.TM. technology may operate at frequencies in the microwave and millimeter wave range.
As shown in FIG. 1B, each radiating element functions in a similar manner as a static phase shifter in a phased array antenna. Specifically, if a plurality of such radiating elements are designed to reradiate incident RF energy with a progressive series of phase shift .phi., 2.phi., 3.phi.. . . n.phi., then a resultant RF beam is formed in the direction .theta., which may be represented as: ##EQU1## where d.sub.x represents the spacing between radiating elements, .lambda. represents the wavelength of the incident RF energy and .phi. represents the element-to-element phase shift, i.e., the phase gradient.
Equation (1) is for beam steering in a single plane. Just as in two-dimensional phased array antennas, beam steering can be accomplished in both azimuth and elevation by application of phase gradients among the dipole radiating elements in both the x and y planes. In such case, the beam scan equation is dependent upon both the x and y spacings of the elements. It is to be appreciated that while the angle .theta. is referred to as the scan angle, the phased array formed by the radiating elements described in the Gonzalez et al. patent performs beam steering and focusing only, that is, the incident RF energy is reradiated in a single direction .theta., depending on the formation of the radiating elements, and does not perform an electronic scanning function.
While the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1A shows a zero degree angle of incident RF energy, the incident RF wave may, in fact, be at any angle up to approximately 70 degrees. When such is the case, the angle of scattered energy, .theta., may be more generally represented as: ##EQU2## where .theta..sub.o is the angle of incidence and .theta. is the beam energy scattering angle. Note that if: ##EQU3## then the RF energy is returned in the direction from which it came even though the surface containing the radiating elements is at a tilted angle.
The phased array described in the context of FIG. 1B is considered to perform uniform radiation beam steering. However, this concept may be extended to the situation in which either the steering angle .theta. or the angle of incidence .theta..sub.o, or both, are adjusted over the surface of the phased array of radiating elements. Such an approach, which utilizes a flat collimating surface, is illustrated in FIG. 1C. In the approach shown in FIG. 1C, the steering angle developed by the phase shifts of each radiating element is set in order to cause all incident energy to be focused on a feed. In this manner, the phased array functions as a parabolic reflector, but in a flat surface configuration. As shown in FIG. 1C, the RF energy is both focused and steered toward an offset feed. Using the above described local steering properties further allows the surface to be conformed to any reasonably smooth shape. Such a conformal phased array is illustrated in FIG. 1D.
While the above-described phased array antennas, formed utilizing the FLAPS.TM. technology disclosed in the Gonzalez et al. patent, permit emulation of reflective surfaces and focusing elements of selected geometry, the individual radiating elements, e.g., dipoles, cannot be dynamically reconfigured. Due to the lack of dynamic reconfigurability of the dipoles, the above-described phased array antennas are incapable of dynamically varying the phase shifts associated with the dipoles and, therefore, such antennas cannot perform electronic scanning functions.


A zipper manipulating tool for opening and closing zippers located on the back of garments comprising an elongated body having a head portion for slidably receiving a cap. The end of the head portion is provided with a hook member adapted to be inserted into an eye formed within a zipper pull-tab and a spring-biased latch pin coupled to a toggle button to open and close the latch. A flexible cord is connected between the tool body at the end opposite to the hook member and the cap. In use, the zipper manipulating tool is attached to a garment zipper before it is worn by inserting the hook member into the eye formed within the zipper pull-tab. The cap attached to the tool body via the flexible cord serves as a handle to pull the zipper open or close.

This invention relates to a zipper manipulating tool. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool which can be releasably attached to a zipper located on the back of a garment to help a user open and close the zipper.
Many people have trouble reaching and manipulating zippers located on the back of garments. When alone, it may not be possible for an individual to dress into or out of a garment that has a zipper on the back. Even if it is possible to reach the zipper, a dangerous amount of physical strain can be placed on the body caused by all the twisting and turning in the process of struggling to open or close the zipper. This struggle cannot only result in bodily injury, but also can damage the garment as a result of forcibly pulling the zipper. Thus, it is desirable to have a tool that can assist a user in the opening and closing of a zipper in a hard-to-reach location without requiring the twisting and turning of the user's body as would be necessary if the tool was not available.
In an attempt to solve the problems associated with the opening and closing of zippers, several references uncovered in the prior art have been proposed for assisting individuals who have a difficulty in manipulating a zipper. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,966 to Wheat discloses a tool to be used by an individual having extremely long fingernails for facilitating the manipulation of zippers as well as for facilitating the opening of beverage cans. While these units mentioned above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.

Tool for pulling zippers located on the back of garments


A differential transmission line that has three or more signal lines and with which there is little unwanted radiation noise is provided. The differential transmission line 2 is provided with three signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c that transmit differential signals from a differential driver IC1 to a differential receiver IC3, and the majority of the signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c is provided in conductor layers T2 and T3 of a printed circuit board 4. The signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c are provided with a signal line parallel segment, a signal line route length adjustment segment that is on the differential driver IC1 side and that connects from differential signal output terminals 1Ea, 1Eb, and 1Ec in the differential driver IC1 to the signal line parallel segment, and a signal line route length adjustment segment that is on the differential receiver IC3 side and that connects from the signal line parallel segment to differential signal input terminals in the differential receiver IC3, wherein the signal lines 2a, 2b, and 2c are formed such that their signal line route length adjustment segments on the differential driver IC1 side are equal in length to one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to differential transmission lines for transmitting signals at high speeds via a cable or the wiring pattern on a printed circuit board, for example, and in particular, relates to differential transmission lines adapted for issues with electro magnetic compatibility (hereinafter EMC) for preventing unwanted radiation noise from occurring.
2. Description of the Related Art
Single-end signals that oscillate with a logical amplitude at the power source voltage have conventionally been used for the transmission of high-speed signals, but the use of low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) has been on the rise in light of the increase in the number of drive frequencies and larger bus widths in conjunction with the recent demand for high-speed data transmission, as well as because of its inhibition of unwanted radiation noise and resistance against exogenous noise. With LVDS, generally the differential driver IC (or LSI) is designed such that only a reverse-phase differential mode current flows between the two transmission lines through which the differential signal flows.
FIG. 30 is a circuit diagram of the differential transmission circuit according to a first conventional technology, and FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the differential transmission circuit of FIG. 30. The differential transmission circuit of FIG. 30 is an example of a conventional LVDS interface configuration. A differential driver IC911 and a differential receiver IC913 are connected by a differential transmission line 912, which is made from a positive signal line 912a and a negative signal line 912b, and a bit information signal that is input to the differential driver IC911 is transferred to the differential receiver IC913 via the differential transmission line 912 and then output. The positive output terminal of the differential driver IC911 (in FIG. 30, represented by point p1) is connected to the positive input terminal of the differential receiver IC913 via the signal line 912a, and similarly, the negative output terminal of the differential driver IC911 (in FIG. 30, represented by point p2) is connected to the negative input terminal of the differential receiver IC913 via the signal line 912b. To terminate the differential transmission line 912, the point p3 where it approaches the differential receiver IC913 on the signal line 912a and the point p4 where it approaches the differential receiver IC913 on the signal line 912b are connected by a 100-Ω terminal resistor. The differential transmission line 912 has a 50-Ω odd mode impedance. The positive signal line 912a and the negative signal line 912b of the differential transmission line 912 have equal electrical properties and form equivalent transmission routes, and in LVDS these two signal lines 912a and 912b together effect the transmission of a single bit information signal. Based on the bit information signal that is input from its input terminal, the differential driver IC911 creates a differential signal that causes a potential difference between the positive and negative sides of the differential transmission line 912. More specifically, the differential driver IC911 drives an approximately 3.5 mA current in order to generate an approximately 350 mV voltage between points p3 and p4 at either end of the 100-Ω terminal resistor R. The differential receiver IC913 detects the approximately 350 mV differential signal that is produced between points p3 and p4 at either end of the terminal resistor R and converts this to a CMOS level (a voltage level about 20 to 40% of the power source voltage; same hereinafter) and outputs the converted bit information signal from the output terminal.
As illustrated by FIG. 31, the differential transmission line of FIG. 30 is provided on a printed circuit board 914. The printed circuit board 914 can be made from a multilayer board provided with a plurality of conductor layers T11, T12, T13, and T14, and a plurality of dielectric layers D11, D12, and D13. The differential transmission line 912 is formed by processing, such as etching, the conducting material that has been laminated as the conductor layer T11.
In LVDS, the signal currents Is that flow through the positive signal line 912a and the negative signal line 912b of the differential transmission line 912 are the same size and are in opposite directions, and thus unwanted radiation noise and crosstalk noise are kept from occurring due to the fact that the magnetic fields that are produced by these moving currents cancel each other out, and also because the signal level is small. With regard to exogenous noise also, as long as the positive and negative sides of the differential transmission line 912 are affected relatively similarly, then there is no effect on the logic value of the signal, and thus LVDS has excellent noise resistance as well. However, the flow of a tiny in-phase common mode current to the differential transmission line 912 occurs in LVDS, due to differential impedance mismatching in the differential transmission line, such as the printed circuit board or the cable, or the end terminal circuit, and skewing between the signal lines 912a and 912b of the differential transmission line 912. In the differential transmission line 912 in FIG. 30, the differential mode current component is matched by the terminal resistor R and terminated, but there is no route for the common mode current component to flow over the circuit, and it returns via stray capacitance on the printed circuit board 914, for example. Thus, the common mode current component that is generated in the differential transmission line 912 was the primary source of unwanted radiation noise that radiates from LVDS transmission systems. In order to solve this issue, the two signal lines 912a and 912b are laid out parallel to and near one another as shown in FIG. 31, preventing differential impedance mismatch (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-267701). With this method, the common mode current that flows to the differential transmission line 912, which is made from the two signal lines 912a and 912b, is inhibited, allowing transmission noise and unwanted radiation noise to be inhibited.
However, compared to ordinary single-end transmission, the differential transmission line of FIGS. 30 and 31 has the numerous above-described merits for high-speed transmission, but requires the two signal lines 912a and 912b in order to transmit a single data bit, and this leads to problems such as requiring a large number of signal lines in order to achieve multiple bit transmission and an increase in the wiring region on the printed circuit board 914. One method that has been conceived to solve this problem is the use of three signal lines, with one of the signal lines serving as a complementary data line, in order to achieve transmission of two data bits with three signal lines, which required four signal lines with conventional differential transmission (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 3507687).
FIG. 32 is a perspective view that schematically shows the configuration of the differential transmission circuit according to a second conventional technology, and FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view showing a section taken vertically along the line C-C′ in FIG. 32 viewed in the arrow direction. A differential driver IC911A and a differential receiver IC913A are connected by a differential transmission line 912A, which is made of three signal lines 912a, 912b, and 912c. A first bit information signal that is input to the differential driver IC911A is transmitted to the differential receiver IC913A over the signal lines 912a and 912b, and similarly, a second bit information signal that is input to the differential driver IC911A is transmitted to the differential receiver IC913A over the signal lines 912b and 912c. A terminal resistor for terminating the signal lines 912a and 912b, and a terminal resistor for terminating the signal lines 912b and 912c, are provided in the differential receiver IC913A. As shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, the difference in the distance and the differential impedance between the two adjacent signal lines 912a and 912b, and 912b and 912c, and the signal lines 912a and 912c on the sides, that occurs when the three signal lines 912a, 912b, and 912c are arranged parallel on the printed circuit board 914 creates a novel problem in that the electromagnetic fields do not cancel each other out, and unwanted radiation noise cannot be eliminated.
Further, providing the differential transmission line on a printed circuit board that is a multilayer board allows for a configuration in which the signal lines are disposed in a plurality of conductor layers of the printed circuit board. However, in this case, the distance from the layer on which the differential driver IC and the differential receiver IC are provided and the conductor layer on which a signal line is disposed is different for each signal line, and therefore the length of the route between the terminal of the differential driver IC and the terminal corresponding to the differential receiver IC differed for each signal line. This created a new problem in that the difference in the signal line route length does not allow the balance between the signal lines to be maintained, and thus their electromagnetic fields cannot cancel each other out and as a result unwanted radiation noise cannot be reduced.


The present invention relates to a column for performing analytical temperature rising elution fractionation (ATREF) characterized in that the packing of said column comprises elastic wires having a good elasticity and a good thermal conductivity. The present invention also relates to a device comprising the column according to the invention, a temperature controlling system for controlling the temperature of said column, a sample injector for injecting a polymer sample solution into said column, a pump for eluting the polymer fractions from said column and a detector for detecting eluting fractions of said sample solution. The present invention further relates to a method for performing ATREF analyses using the column according to the invention.

Polymers are basically heterogeneous materials, heterogeneity being exhibited through a variety of ways such as distribution of chain lengths, differences in chemical composition from chain to chain, and through the architecture of the chain as tacticity or as in branched and cross-linked structures. Branching may be characterized as long chain branching (LCB) or short chain branching (SCB).
Temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) is a technique for analysis of crystalline and semi-crystalline polymers by separating the fractions according to crystallizability. TREF has utility to evaluate structure heterogeneity and enables to characterize the distribution of SCB. Elution during TREF is governed by the melting of semi-crystalline polymers in the presence of a solvent. Fractionation is expected to run similar to solid state melting and can be quantitatively correlated with the solid state melting.
Preparative TREF (PTREF) is performed to isolate polymer fractions for further investigations. This technique has certain disadvantages. During this process, a high quantity of solvent for eluting the sample and also a high quantity of non-solvent, usually methanol, for precipitation of eluting fractions, are required. Also this technique is very time-consuming as it takes several days to perform a fractionation.
An improvement upon the PTREF method was the development of analytical temperature rising elution fractionation (ATREF). ATREF overcomes the limitations of preparative TREF by considerably reducing the column and sample size and by continuously monitoring the amount of the eluted polymer fractions, as a function of column temperature using an on-line detector. The ATREF technique provides a crystallizability fractionation profile, which is the concentration of species eluting at a specified temperature. In ATREF the polymers to be analyzed are dissolved in a suitable hot solvent and allowed to crystallize in a column by slowly reducing the temperature. The crystallized polymer sample is eluted from the column by slowly increasing the temperature of the column. The concentration of the polymeric solution eluted from the column is detected with an on-line detector. A TREF chromatogram curve is then generated. ATREF can be applied for analyzing crystalline and semi-crystalline polymers, such as (poly)propylene (PP), (poly)ethylene (PE) and their copolymers. For semi-crystalline polymers, ATREF also provides an elution profile for the species that cannot crystallize. This amorphous portion of the polymer appears as a first peak when the elution process is started.
Existing methods for ATREF typically use an infrared (IR) detector as concentration detector for eluted fractions. In general, IR detectors offer good baseline stability for both high variations of temperature and pressure during the elution process. However, this type of detector has a poor sensitivity and consequently requires the use of large amounts of polymers in analyses. Furthermore, IR detectors are not available on commercial equipment and are complicated to install.
Differential refractive index (DRI) detectors are a valuable alternative for IR detectors as they are more sensitive than IR detector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,081 describes a method for performing ATREF wherein detection is done using a DRI detector. The document relates to a method and apparatus for coupling high temperature continuous viscometry (HTCV) with analytical temperature rising elution fractionation (ATREF) for analysis of crystalline and semi-crystalline polymers. The method and apparatus provide a crystallinity (or density or branching number) versus weight percent profile concurrently with viscosity average molecular weight for each incremental crystalline fraction. The concentration detector may be a differential refractometer, for measuring relative changes in the concentration of the solution. However, this document describes a method for performing ATREF with DRI detector which is complex and which requires intensive manual operations.
Existing methods for ATREF require that the solvent flow through the column is stopped during the crystallization of the polymer. This unavoidably leads to a poor baseline stability upon restarting of the flow during the elution of the polymer.
There remains a great need in the art for a method and apparatus for ATREF analysis, which overcomes the drawbacks of the known methods. The present invention relates to an improved apparatus and method suitable for performing ATREF analyses.

Column for analytical temperature rising elution fractionation (ATREF)


The invention relates to a road finisher having traveling gear and a series of units which are used for the consolidation of warm packing material, the finisher having a plurality of control circuits for controlling various functions performed by the machine. Each control circuit includes a replaceable control processor therein, each control processor being adapted to replace any and all other control processors and to perform any and all control functions of any and all other control processors, whereby, when a control processor fails in service, another control processor, which is controlling a less important function, can be substituted therefor to permit continued operation.

This invention relates generally to road finishers and more particularly to road finishers having a plurality of automatic control systems thereon for controlling various functions to be performed by the machine.
The invention further relates to a road finisher having traveling gear and a series of units which are used for the consolidation of preferably warm packing material, a control panel being provided with control elements via which desired values relating to the travel and/or the individual units of the road finisher can be entered in corresponding open-loop or closed-loop control circuits which are each provided for a specific open-loop or closed-loop control task, the open-loop and closed-loop control circuits each communicating with associated sensors or actuators.
Such a road finisher is known from DE 41 41 592 A1, in accordance with which document a control console is arranged on the road finisher and can be connected to electronic control circuits for different functions, such as straight-ahead travel, constant advancing speed or cornering with adjustable speed. In this context, the control circuits are matched to the individual function, so that, in the event of a failure, appropriate spare parts must be available for replacement purposes. Apart from this, replacement is necessary. In particular if warm packing material (asphalt mixtures) is used, problems may arise especially as a result of cooling and hardening of the packing material in the area of the road finisher if the replacement takes too long, in particular if appropriate spare parts first have to be obtained.
The foregoing and other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.
The object of the invention is to provide a road finisher of the type mentioned at the beginning, with which faults in open-loop and/or closed-loop control circuits can be eliminated easily and quickly.

Road finisher having a plurality of control systems with interchangeable control processors

ABG Allgemeine Baumaschinen-Gesellschaft mbH


A convertible vehicle has a carbody and a foldaway top connected to the carbody. A top compartment receives the foldaway top when folded open. A top compartment lid is provided for closing the top compartment. A hinge device is connected to the carbody and to the top compartment lid so that the top compartment lid is pivotable relative to the carbody. The top compartment lid has a front end interacting with a locking device in the area of a lateral side rail for locking it on the side rail by a push-pivot movement; it is released by a reverse movement. A lifting drive acting on the top compartment lid is supported on the carbody spaced from the hinge device and is pivotably connected to the top compartment lid. The top compartment lid is pivotable in the area of the hinge device relative to support part of the hinge device.

The invention relates to a convertible vehicle with a foldaway top, in particular, with a folding top, with a top compartment receiving the top in its open position, which compartment can be closed by a top compartment lid extending within the rear carbody contour, which is pivotably supported with one end by means of a hinge device with a support part on the vehicle carbody and with the other end interacts relative to the folding top with at least one locking device provided in the area of a lateral top cloth side rail of the top, in whose area the top compartment lid can be locked on the top cloth side rail by a push-pivot movement and unlocked in the opposite direction.
In a known convertible vehicle (EP 0 638 453 B1), a top compartment is provided for receiving rearwardly the folding top in the open position, wherein the top compartment can be closed by a top compartment lid. For its movement, a single drive is provided arranged centrally in the rear area of the vehicle with which an actuating movement is transmitted by deflecting modules such onto two hinge devices in the lateral rear area of the top compartment lid that the top compartment lid is pivotable upwardly into its open position and from the open position can be pivoted back. In this connection, the top compartment lid upon returning pivot action can be moved into the closed position such that in this movement phase a side rail for the top cloth becomes entrained and, in this way, the folding top connected thereto can be secured together with the top compartment lid by means of a pivot-push movement in the area of a locking device. Because of the movement modules to be actuated by the drive as intermediate members, the drive kinematics are complex with regard to manufacture and a large mounting space is required.
The invention concerns the problem of configuring a convertible vehicle with foldaway top in the area of the top compartment lid such that the latter, with minimal technical expenditure, enables a synchronization of its movement with the movement of the top and, in this connection, few parts of the drive kinematics are optimally adjustable to a tight mounting space within the vehicle.

Hood compartment cover for a cabriolet vehicle with a retractable hood


The detail in an image can be enhanced by selective filtering to separate at least one part of the frequency spectrum of the image from a remaining part of the image. The amplitude of the separated part of the frequency spectrum of image is changed and the amplitude-changed portion is combined with the remaining part of the image. The filtering and/or the change in amplitude is controlled at least in part in response to the content of the image to enhance the detail level of the image where appropriate, while preventing enhancement in areas of the picture where it is likely that artifacts would be generated.

A single static image, or one of a sequence of images representing a moving scene, such as a video sequence, can lack detail, and appear "flat" or "soft". Sometimes, this is a characteristic of the original image; for example, the scene lacks contrast or the lighting could have been very diffuse, resulting in an image with a low level of detail information. Significant loss of detail can also result from roll-off of high spatial frequencies caused by the finite aperture of the optical imaging system. In other cases, an image of adequate quality can be degraded by a transmission or coding system, resulting in loss of detail. Examples include transmission paths with high-frequency loss, or coding with composite television systems such as NTSC, PAL, or SECAM. Another example of coding that can reduce detail is compression, using a compression technique such as JPEG or MPEG.
Clearly, an image that lacks or has lost detail is inferior to one with an appropriate level of detail. However, more important than the actual loss of detail is the result that the image can appear "flat" or "lackluster." A television viewer often will reject such an image in favor of a different program that contains images having greater detail.
Detail in an image can be enhanced by increasing the gain of the high spatial frequencies, but a simple system that increases detail by simply increasing the gain method will risk creating overshoots and ringing, that can introduce visible and objectionable artifacts. An image processed in such a manner will have a higher level of detail. However, such an image will likely be perceived as inferior by a viewer because of the presence of such artifacts.
Thus, there is a need for a technique to increase the detail and subjective appeal of an image without producing objectionable artifacts.

Method and apparatus for enhancing detail in an image


An LED lamp includes a bracket and a heat sink secured to the bracket. The heat sink has a base and a plurality of mounting members and platforms extending upwardly from the base. A plurality of LED modules are mounted on the mounting members and the platforms. A pair of LED modules located beside and adjacent to a central line of the base is disposed slantwise and face inwardly to each other. Another pair of LED modules at two opposite lateral portions of the base of the heat sink is disposed slantwise and face outwards. The LED modules mounted on the platforms face upwardly.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to LED (light emitting diode) lamps, and more particularly to an LED lamp having a large illumination angle.
2. Description of Related Art
An LED lamp is a type of solid-state lighting that utilizes LEDs as a source of illumination. The LED lamp is intended to be a cost-effective yet high quality replacement for incandescent and fluorescent lamp due to its long-term reliability, environment friendliness, and low power consumption.
A conventional LED lamp comprises a heat sink and a plurality of LED modules having LEDs attached to an outer surface of the heat sink dissipating heat generated by the LEDs. The outer surface is generally planar. When the LED lamp works, the LEDs on the planar outer surface of the heat sink only form a planar light source.
What is needed, therefore, is an LED lamp having a large illumination angle to thereby function as a three-dimensional light source.

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


The tracking of an entire resource allocation chain, designed for better and more automatic tracking of the data associated with the transfer and positioning of such resources, enabling the combination of independent and integrated data collection and organization associated with the transfer, processing, quality evaluation and storage of such resources, as well as a new set of base allocation operations and database structures designed to enable and accommodate any type of resource allocation that might take place by an organization of such operations into a composite.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention is the mining industry, particularly the bulk transfer, processing, blending, and storage of natural resources.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The field of application concerns many mining resources, but without loss of generality and to promote the understanding of the invention through a specific example, the coal mining industry shall be considered.
From the implementation of the development of a broad means of optimizing the allocation of coal and other natural resources as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004 by the present inventor, a number of important needs and difficulties have been identified.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004 provided for a method of optimizing the allocation of multiple coal types with multiple qualities, processing through multiple possible processing paths, delivery of such blended combinations of processed and nonprocessed coal batches to a multiplicity of orders each with unique quality specifications and premiums or penalties that such delivered batches must meet. And since such allocation choices should reflect these allocation needs designated for a multiplicity of time periods such as days, weeks, months, or years, U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004 provided a method of also achieving such allocation needs over multiple time periods.
Over the first few years of introducing this new technology, a number of problems have been identified. A number of these concerns the broad category of input and the deficiencies of the allocation infrastructure in the manual handling of data, tracking of resource allocation, processing, and associated qualities as well as the organization of the elements of allocation through a more comprehensive database structure.
The typical allocation begins in a pit of a strip mine or at the mouth of a deep mine. There, a loader shovels coal into a truck which begins the source coal's transfer. Typically, a radio voice message is given by a loader operator to a truck operator who is suppose to remember what coal type he is carrying and from where it came. Many times this basic information is not remembered in the transfer process. Moreover, other pertinent information, that could be bound with the coal being transferred is not associated with the transferred coal because of time and accuracy restrictions on the part of the coal loader and truck operators. For example, specific information associated with the loaded source coal may have inaccuracies introduced or may be lost such as the source mine, the source pit, the source sector of the pit, the source property owner of the pit, the date and time the source coal was moved, the estimates of the quality and beneficiation response of the source coal and other particular information of loaded source coal--such as there is excess rock debris that was loaded in this truck.
Next, the truck and coal combination is typically weighed on scales. This is typically the first stage where information is picked up and stored in a computer. Autoscale, located in Charleston, W. Va. has made advances in collecting scale data onto a Personal Computer directly from the scale weights. Further, the truck operator, usually has a magnetically readable card with his truck information encoded on the card. By swiping the card in a card reader at the scale site, the trucking company and truck number can be directly read into a personal computer in the scale house. The date and time of the weighing are read from the personal computer, and the scale weight is read from the scale into the personal computer. Usually there is a keyboard with the card reader at the scale where the truck driver can input a predetermined code designating the source of his load. At the end of a shift or day, a number of trucks and their associated tons are totaled by source. Hence, the number of tons of each delivered source coal are determined from the input information provided the information is accurately input.
Typically, coal samples are taken from some of the source coal delivery trucks associated with each source coal. Such samples are used to provide an estimate of the quality associated with all of the trucked coal over a designated period of time--such as a day.
The coal samples are evaluated by a coal lab which relays the results by radio, fax, or input to a computer spreadsheet or database of laboratory results.
After weighing the coal and from time to time sampling the coal, the coal is routed, usually by a loader driver, to unload the coal either in a stock pile or directly into a bin which may be feeding a coal wash plant, or shipment such as into a barge, rail, or vessel. Typically, the exact location of the unloaded truck is not recorded, except a gross note by the loader operator that a number of trucks deposited tons in a stock pile and others were directed to a bin. But, typically, this exact information is not recorded since the loader operator does not have time.
If, the source of the coal is a stock pile rather than a pit, the exact tons or shovel count of removed coal from where exactly in the stock pile is typically only approximated by the loader operator. Furthermore, since each transaction is time consuming to record in detail, the estimation of exact source, its quantity, and its associated quality estimate become more and more inaccurate.
Also, in the past, the most important pieces of information have been the total tons and quality delivered to a customer. At this stage more accurate sampling and weighing is performed (in many cases by automatic samplers) and coordinated by coal supplier, customer, and in many cases third party referees. The emphasis on this final stage of the allocation process has meant that the earlier stages could be relatively ignored or at least not as aggressively tracked. This was especially true since the cost to manually track this detailed allocation information was great or required additional time and since the benefit prior to the introduction of U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004 was not sufficiently great to warrant the cost.
With the integration of better means of resource realization by means of optimization using methods embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004 it is now even more important to keep track of what resources are available, where these resources are and what their quality is to an ever more exacting degree, since if this knowledge is present and readily available, the best allocation can be made possible for the optimum realization of these resources.
Furthermore, optimum resource realization can be achieved by processing a resource sufficient to meet the quality expectations of its end use. In the case of coal, it is washed based on expected float and sink information from lab samples evaluated from each specific coal that may be processed. Degrees of beneficiation in coal occur by controlling such processing variables as specific gravity and screening in the coal washing process. To determine how to best realize the value of coal from its various processing options as can be achieved through the methods embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004, it is necessary to keep detailed track of the associated beneficiation parameters associated with each coal and again keep detailed track of each coal as it is transferred, evaluated and stored so that these associations are not lost or made ineffective by ever greater inaccuracies.
Other needs arose for the tons, and weighted average qualities and costs of stockpile groupings (either subsets or supersets of stockpiles) to be used as input to the embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004. Without the close tracking of the allocation elements that support this information, it many times cannot be readily or accurately made available.
Also, accounting for the allocation and processing of coal sources is usually developed around preset allocation paths. When a method such as that embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,004 suggests alternative allocation paths, there can be inertia on the part of managers to attempt these alternatives because of inflexibilities of their accounting and software infrastructure to accommodate these new alternatives.
A need therefore arose for an infrastructure change in the tracking of the entire resource allocation chain, for better and more automatic tracking of the data associated with the transfer and positioning of such resources, a combination of independent and integrated data collection and organization associated with the transfer, processing, and quality evaluation of such resources, as well as a new set of base allocation operations and database structures designed to enable and accommodate any type of resource allocation that might take place by an organization of such operations into a composite.

Method for tracking natural resources in a resource allocation system


A fiber optic sensor comprising a first light source, a second light source, a first optical coupler operatively connected with the first light source, and a second optical coupler operatively connected with the second light source. The first optical coupler directs first and second optical waves along a first optical path into first and second ends of an optical fiber such that the first and second optical waves interfere to form a first combined optical wave. The second optical coupler directs the third and fourth optical waves along a second optical path into the first and second ends of the optical fiber such that the third and fourth optical waves interfere to form a second combined optical wave. The second optical path is longer than the first optical path by a predetermined distance. Detectors receive the first and second combined optical waves and output information with respect thereto.

Fiber optic interferometric sensors are known in the art and have been used to detect environmental effects, such as strain, temperature, acceleration, acoustic signals, and vibrations. In one type of sensor based on a Sagnac interferometer, also known as an optical fiber ring interference sensor, an optical wave is split and directed in clockwise and counterclockwise directions around an optical fiber loop. The waves interfere at an optical coupling element after passing through the loop. A phase difference between the two waves is caused when the optical fiber loop is exposed to an environmental effect, and the intensity of the combined wave is based on the relative phase of each of the clockwise and counterclockwise optical waves. The sensor then employs a signal processor to analyze the intensity variations and determine information about the environmental effect. Additional information regarding optical fiber ring interference sensor configurations is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,524 to Takashima et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
It is also known to measure amplitude and position of vibrations using a distributed sensor comprising a combination of wavelength division multiplexed Sagnac interferometers operating on different wavelengths. Such a sensor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,231 to Udd, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.


A communication device includes a plurality of key distributing units, a plurality of communicating units, a monitoring unit, and a switching unit. The plurality of key distributing units have a quantum key distribution function for sharing a quantum key with an external distribution device. The plurality of communicating units communicate with an external communication device using the quantum key. The monitoring unit monitors operational status indicating at least one of transmission-reception status of photons in the quantum key distribution function, generation status of generating the quantum key, and obtaining status of obtaining the quantum key. The switching unit switches a control target, which either represents one of the key distributing units or represents one of the communicating units, from a first control target to a second control target other than the first control target according to the operational status.

The quantum key distribution (QKD) technology is a technology in which keys enabling cryptographic data communication are shared in safety between a quantum key distribution transmitter (a QKD transmitter), which successively transmits single photons, and a quantum key distribution receiver (a QKD receiver), which receives single photons. For example, the QKD transmitter is installed at a base location PA, and the QKD receiver is installed at a base location PB.
Consider a case in which a communication system including a QKD transmitter and a QKD receiver is used as a cryptographic communication infrastructure. The cryptographic communication infrastructure is used in performing communication among the base locations of, for example, business enterprises, governments, or public offices; as well as is used by telecommunication carriers in providing communication services. The data that is communicated often has a high degree of confidentiality and often represents critical data. Hence, not only it is necessary to provide high communication security, it is also necessary to ensure a high degree of reliability. For example, it is necessary to ensure that the communication service does not get terminated (the communication is not discontinued) to the utmost extent.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communication device, communication method, and communication method for performing communication using shared quantum key


The present invention concerns polypeptides comprising a variant Fc region. More particularly, the present invention concerns Fc region-containing polypeptides that have altered effector function as a consequence of one or more amino acid modifications in the Fc region thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns polypeptides comprising a variant Fc region. More particularly, the present invention concerns Fc region-containing polypeptides that have altered effector function as a consequence of one or more amino acid modifications in the Fc region thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Antibodies are proteins which exhibit binding specificity to a specific antigen. Native antibodies are usually heterotetrameric glycoproteins of about 150,000 daltons, composed of two identical light (L) chains and two identical heavy (H) chains. Each light chain is linked to a heavy chain by one covalent disulfide bond, while the number of disulfide linkages varies between the heavy chains of different immunoglobulin isotypes. Each heavy and light chain also has regularly spaced intrachain disulfide bridges. Each heavy chain has at one end a variable domain (VH) followed by a number of constant domains. Each light chain has a variable domain at one end (VL) and a constant domain at its other end; the constant domain of the light chain is aligned with the first constant domain of the heavy chain, and the light chain variable domain is aligned with the variable domain of the heavy chain. Particular amino acid residues are believed to form an interface between the light and heavy chain variable domains.
The term "variable" refers to the fact that certain portions of the variable domains differ extensively in sequence among antibodies and are responsible for the binding specificity of each particular antibody for its particular antigen. However, the variability is not evenly distributed through the variable domains of antibodies. It is concentrated in three segments called complementarity determining regions (CDRs) both in the light chain and the heavy chain variable domains. The more highly conserved portions of the variable domains are called the framework regions (FRs). The variable domains of native heavy and light chains each comprise four FRs, largely adopting a β-sheet configuration, connected by three CDRs, which form loops connecting, and in some cases forming part of, the β-sheet structure. The CDRs in each chain are held together in close proximity by the FRs and, with the CDRs from the other chain, contribute to the formation of the antigen binding site of antibodies (see Kabat et al., Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, 5th Ed. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. (1991)).
The constant domains are not involved directly in binding an antibody to an antigen, but exhibit various effector functions. Depending on the amino acid sequence of the constant region of their heavy chains, antibodies or immunoglobulins can be assigned to different classes. There are five major classes of immunoglobulins: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM, and several of these may be further divided into subclasses (isotypes), e.g. IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4; IgA1 and IgA2. The heavy chain constant regions that correspond to the different classes of immunoglobulins are called α, δ, ε, γ, and μ, respectively. Of the various human immunoglobulin classes, only human IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgM are known to activate complement; and human IgG1 and IgG3 mediate ADCC more effectively than IgG2 and IgG4.
A schematic representation of the native IgG1 structure is shown in FIG. 1, where the various portions of the native antibody molecule are indicated. Papain digestion of antibodies produces two identical antigen binding fragments, called Fab fragments, each with a single antigen binding site, and a residual "Fc" fragment, whose name reflects its ability to crystallize readily. The crystal structure of the human IgG Fc region has been determined (Deisenhofer, Biochemistry 20:2361–2370 (1981)). In human IgG molecules, the Fc region is generated by papain cleavage N-terminal to Cys 226. The Fc region is central to the effector functions of antibodies.
The effector functions mediated by the antibody Fc region can be divided into two categories: (1) effector functions that operate after the binding of antibody to an antigen (these functions involve the participation of the complement cascade or Fc receptor (FcR)-bearing cells); and (2) effector functions that operate independently of antigen binding (these functions confer persistence in the circulation and the ability to be transferred across cellular barriers by transcytosis). Ward and Ghetie, Therapeutic Immunology 2:77–94 (1995).
While binding of an antibody to the requisite antigen has a neutralizing effect that might prevent the binding of a foreign antigen to its endogenous target (e.g. receptor or ligand), binding alone may not remove the foreign antigen. To be efficient in removing and/or destructing foreign antigens, an antibody should be endowed with both high affinity binding to its antigen, and efficient effector functions.
Fc Receptor (FcR) Binding
The interaction of antibodies and antibody-antigen complexes with cells of the immune system effects a variety of responses, including antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) (reviewed in Daëron, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 15:203–234 (1997); Ward and Ghetie, Therapeutic Immunol. 2:77–94 (1995); as well as Ravetch and Kinet, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 9:457–492 (1991)).
Several antibody effector functions are mediated by Fc receptors (FcRs), which bind the Fc region of an antibody. FcRs are defined by their specificity for immunoglobulin isotypes; Fc receptors for IgG antibodies are referred to as FcγR, for IgE as FcεR, for IgA as FcαR and so on. Three subclasses of FcγR have been identified: FcγRI (CD64), FcγRII (CD32) and FcγRIII (CD16). Because each FcγR subclass is encoded by two or three genes, and alternative RNA spicing leads to multiple transcripts, a broad diversity in FcγR isoforms exists. The three genes encoding the FcγRI subclass (FcγRIA, FcγRIB and FcγRIC) are clustered in region 1q21.1 of the long arm of chromosome 1; the genes encoding FcγRII isoforms (FcγRIIA, FcγRIIB and FcγRIIC) and the two genes encoding FcγRIII (FcγRIIIA and FcγRIIIB) are all clustered in region 1q22. These different FcR subtypes are expressed on different cell types (reviewed in Ravetch and Kinet, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 9:457–492(1991)). For example, in humans, FcγRIIIB is found only on neutrophils, whereas FcγRIIIA is found on macrophages, monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and a subpopulation of T-cells. Notably, FcγRIIIA is the only FcR present on NK cells, one of the cell types implicated in ADCC.
FcγRI, FcγRII and FcγRIII are immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) receptors; FcγRI has three IgSF domains in its extracellular domain, while FcγRII and FcγRII have only two IgSF domains in their extracellular domains.
Another type of Fc receptor is the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). FcRn is structurally similar to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and consists of an α-chain noncovalently bound to β2-microglobulin.
The binding site on human and murine antibodies for FcγR have been previously mapped to the so-called "lower hinge region" consisting of residues 233–239 (EU index numbering as in Kabat et al., Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, 5th Ed. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. (1991)). Woof et al. Molec. Immunol. 23:319–330 (1986); Duncan et al. Nature 332:563 (1988); Canfield and Morrison, J. Exp. Med. 173:1483–1491 (1991); Chappel et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88:9036–9040 (1991). Of residues 233–239, P238 and S239 have been cited as possibly being involved in binding, but these two residues have never been evaluated by substitution or deletion.
Other previously cited areas possibly involved in binding to FcγR are: G316-K338 (human IgG) for human FcγRI (by sequence comparison only; no substitution mutants were evaluated) (Woof et al. Molec. Immunol. 23:319–330 (1986)); K274-R301 (human IgG1) for human FcγRIII (based on peptides) (Sarmay et al. Molec. Immunol. 21:43–51 (1984)); Y407-R416 (human IgG) for human FcγRIII (based on peptides) (Gergely et al. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 12:739–743 (1984)); as well as N297 and E318 (murine IgG2b) for murine FcγRII (Lund et al., Molec. Immunol., 29:53–59 (1992)).
Pro331 in IgG3 was changed to Ser, and the affinity of this variant to target cells analyzed. The affinity was found to be six-fold lower than that of unmutated IgG3, indicating the involvement of Pro331 in FcγRI binding. Morrison et al., Immunologist, 2:119–124 (1994); and Canfield and Morrison, J. Exp. Med. 173:1483–91 (1991).
C1q Binding
C1q and two serine proteases, C1r and C1s, form the complex C1, the first component of the complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) pathway. C1q is a hexavalent molecule with a molecular weight of approximately 460,000 and a structure likened to a bouquet of tulips in which six collagenous "stalks" are connected to six globular head regions. Burton and Woof, Advances in Immunol. 51:1–84 (1992). To activate the complement cascade, it is necessary for C1q to bind to at least two molecules of IgG1, IgG2, or IgG3 (the consensus is that IgG4 does not activate complement), but only one molecule of IgM, attached to the antigenic target. Ward and Ghetie, Therapeutic Immunology 2:77–94 (1995) at page 80.
Based upon the results of chemical modifications and crystallographic studies, Burton et al. (Nature, 288:338–344 (1980)) proposed that the binding site for the complement subcomponent C1q on IgG involves the last two (C-terminal) β-strands of the CH2 domain. Burton later suggested (Molec. Immunol., 22(3):161–206 (1985)) that the region comprising amino acid residues 318 to 337 might be involved in complement fixation.
Duncan and Winter (Nature 332:738–40 (1988)), using site directed mutagenesis, reported that Glu318, Lys320 and Lys322 form the binding site to C1q. The data of Duncan and Winter were generated by testing the binding of a mouse IgG2b isotype to guinea pig C1q. The role of Glu318, Lys320 and Lys322 residues in the binding of C1q was confirmed by the ability of a short synthetic peptide containing these residues to inhibit complement mediated lysis. Similar results are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,260 issued on Jul. 15, 1997, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,821 issued on Apr. 29, 1997.
The residue Pro331 has been implicated in C1q binding by analysis of the ability of human IgG subclasses to carry out complement mediated cell lysis. Mutation of Ser331 to Pro331 in IgG4 conferred the ability to activate complement. (Tao et al., J. Exp. Med., 178:661 –667 (1993); Brekke et al., Eur. J. Immunol., 24:2542–47 (1994)).
From the comparison of the data of the Winter group, and the Tao et al. and Brekke et al. papers, Ward and Ghetie concluded in their review article that there are at least two different regions involved in the binding of C1q: one on the β-strand of the CH2 domain bearing the Glu318, Lys320 and Lys322 residues, and the other on a turn located in close proximity to the same β-strand, and containing a key amino acid residue at position 331.
Other reports suggested that human IgG1residues Leu235, and Gly237, located in the lower hinge region, play a critical role in complement fixation and activation. Xu et al., Journal of Immunology 150:152A (Abstract) (1993). WO94/29351 published Dec. 22, 1994 reports that amino acid residues necessary for C1q and FcR binding of human IgG1 are located in the N-terminal region of the CH2 domain, i.e. residues 231 to 238.
It has further been proposed that the ability of IgG to bind C1q and activate the complement cascade also depends on the presence, absence, or modification of the carbohydrate moiety positioned between the two CH2 domains (which is normally anchored at Asn297). Ward and Ghetie, Therapeutic Immunology 2:77–94 (1995) at page 81.

Polypeptide variants with altered effector function


A metal decorative article includes: a first decorative member formed with a first hole pattern of through-holes, the first hole pattern having inner and outer sides, each of the through-holes extending from the outer side to the inner side, and having an outer peripheral edge on the outer side and an inner peripheral edge on the inner side, the outer peripheral edge of each of the through-holes having dimensions different from those of the inner peripheral edge of the respective one of the through-holes; a second decorative member formed with a second hole pattern of through-holes having inner and outer sides that are respectively symmetrical to the inner and outer sides of the first hole pattern; and a frame defining a frame space. The first and second decorative members are respectively received in the frame space of the frame such that the inner sides face each other and are spaced apart from each other by a gap.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metal decorative article, more particularly to a metal decorative article that is lightweight and that has an improved appearance.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a conventional metal decorative article 1 formed with a hole pattern 11 of through-holes 113 having front and back sides 111, 112. Each of the through-holes 113 extends from the front side 111 to the back side 112 and has a first peripheral edge 114 on the front side 111 and a second peripheral edge 115 on the back side 112. During manufacture, to facilitate removal of the article 1 from a mold, one of the first peripheral edge 114 and the second peripheral edge 115 is designed to have a size larger than that of the other one. However, such design causes undesired and unattractive hole pattern 11 on one of the front and back sides 111, 112 of the metal decorative article 1. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, while the appearance of the hole pattern 11 on the front side 111 of the metal decorative article 1 is desired, the size of each of the through-holes 113 on the rear side 112 is larger than that of the respective one on the front side 111, so that the second peripheral edge 115 of each of the holes 113 overlaps those of the adjacent ones (see FIG. 3), thereby resulting in an unattractive hole pattern 11 on the back side 112 of the metal decorative article 1. In another situation, while the size of the second peripheral edge 115 on the rear side 112 is to be designed to be smaller than the first peripheral edge 114 on the front side 111, the desired appearance of the hole pattern 11 on the rear side 112 cannot be achieved (i.e., smaller than the desired pattern). In addition, since the article 1 has a relatively large thickness, it is relatively heavy and removal of the article 1 from a mold becomes difficult.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a metal decorative article that is lightweight and that has a superior appearance on both sides.


A method and system for amplifying optical signals includes generating idler signals for input signals using a pump signal at a first non-linear element (NLE). Phase and amplitude regulation is performed using the output from the first NLE. Optical power monitoring of the input signals may be used for power equalization. The phase regulation may use input from a feed forward phase-power monitoring of the output phase-sensitive amplified signal. After phase regulation the phase-sensitive amplified signal is generated at a second NLE using the pump signal. Optical power monitoring of the input signals may be used for power equalization and other control functions to achieve low-noise operation.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to optical communication networks and, more particularly, to low noise optical phase-sensitive amplifiers for dual polarization modulation formats.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telecommunication, cable television and data communication systems use optical networks to rapidly convey large amounts of information between remote points. In an optical network, information is conveyed in the form of optical signals through optical fibers. Optical fibers may comprise thin strands of glass capable of communicating the signals over long distances. Optical networks often employ modulation schemes to convey information in the optical signals over the optical fibers. Such modulation schemes may include phase-shift keying ("PSK"), frequency-shift keying ("FSK"), amplitude-shift keying ("ASK"), and quadrature amplitude modulation ("QAM").
In PSK, the information carried by the optical signal may be conveyed by modulating the phase of a reference signal, also known as a carrier wave. The information may be conveyed by modulating the phase of the signal itself using differential phase-shift keying ("DPSK"). In QAM, the information carried by the optical signal may be conveyed by modulating both the amplitude and phase of the carrier wave. PSK may be considered a subset of QAM, wherein the amplitude of the carrier waves is maintained as a constant.
PSK and QAM signals may be represented using a complex plane with real and imaginary axes on a constellation diagram. The points on the constellation diagram representing symbols carrying information may be positioned with uniform angular spacing around the origin of the diagram. The number of symbols to be modulated using PSK and QAM may be increased and thus increase the information that can be carried. The number of signals may be given in multiples of two. As additional symbols are added, they may be arranged in uniform fashion around the origin. PSK signals may include such an arrangement in a circle on the constellation diagram, meaning that PSK signals have constant power for all symbols. QAM signals may have the same angular arrangement as that of PSK signals, but include different amplitude arrangements. QAM signals may have their symbols arranged around multiple circles, meaning that the QAM signals include different power for different symbols. This arrangement may decrease the risk of noise as the symbols are separated by as much distance as possible. A number of symbols "m" may thus be used and denoted "m-PSK" or "m-QAM."
Examples of PSK and QAM with a different number of symbols can include binary PSK ("BPSK" or "2-PSK") using two phases at 0° and 180° (or 0 and π) on the constellation diagram; or quadrature PSK ("QPSK", "4-PSK", or "4-QAM") using four phases at 0°, 90 °, 180°, and 270° (or 0, π/2, π, and 3 π/2). Phases in such signals may be offset. Each of 2-PSK and 4-PSK signals may be arranged on the constellation diagram.
M-PSK signals may further be polarized using techniques such as dual-polarization QPSK ("DP-QPSK"), wherein separate m-PSK signals are multiplexed by orthogonally polarizing the signals. M-QAM signals may also be polarized using techniques such as dual-polarization 16-QAM ("DP-16-QAM"), wherein separate m-QAM signals are multiplexed by orthogonally polarizing the signals.
Optical networks may also include various optical elements, such as amplifiers, dispersion compensators, multiplexer/demultiplexer filters, wavelength selective switches, optical switches, couplers, etc. to perform various operations within the network. In particular, optical networks may include costly optical-electrical-optical (O-E-O) regeneration at reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs) when the reach of an optical signal is limited in a single optical path.
As data rates for optical networks continue to increase, reaching up to 1 terabit/s (1 T), the demands on optical signal-to-noise ratios (OSNR) also increase, for example, due to the use of advanced modulation formats, such as QAM and PSK with dual polarization. In particular, noise accumulations resulting from cascading of optical amplifiers in an optical network operating at very high data rates may limit the reach of an optical signal at a desired level of OSNR and may result in an increased number of O-E-O regenerations, which is economically disadvantageous.

Low noise optical phase-sensitive amplifier for dual-polarization modulation formats