An apparatus and method for placing adjacent vertebrae at a fixed distance and angular relationship relative to each other, fixing said vertebrae in said position by use of a milling block engaging each of said adjacent vertebrae and then using a milling means, the depth, length and excursion of which from side to side are controlled by said apparatus to machine out a defined thickness of bone and a space of defined length, height, width and shape in preparation for receiving an interbody spinal implant or graft of known size and configuration are disclosed.

Spinal fusion is defined as the joining together of two or more adjacent vertebrae through a bridge of bone for the purpose of eliminating motion between those vertebrae. One specific type of spinal fusion is known to those skilled in the art as interbody fusion and consists of fusing the adjacent vertebrae through the disc space (the space previously occupied by the spinal disc interposed between the adjacent vertebral bodies). When such a procedure is performed from the anterior aspect of the spine (from the front) that procedure is known as anterior interbody fusion.
Typically, bone grafts are placed into the disc space to position the vertebrae apart so as to create more space for the nerves, to restore the angular relationship between said adjacent vertebrae to be fused, and to provide for material that can participate in and promote the fusion process. Substrates, other than bone, such as hydroxyapatite and/or artificial spinal fusion implants may also be used.
In general the ability to achieve bone fusion appears to be related to certain metabolic biochemical factors, the quality and quantity of the osteogenic material present (bone forming material, most commonly bone itself), the surface area available for the fusion to occur over, and the stability of the construct being fused (the ability to resist unwanted motion at the fusion site).
Consistent with the foregoing, it is desirable for the surgeon to place the largest fusion implant, generally bone, within the disc space as this provides for both the greatest surface area, and fusion mass. Furthermore, the greater the area of contact, the greater the stability of the bone-graft construct, such, that the graft is less likely to migrate, to itself collapse, or conversely to penetrate into the adjacent vertebrae as the forces across the fusion site are distributed over a greater area.
The disc space can best be described as having a biological rather than a geometric shape in that the adjacent vertebral endplate surfaces are complexly biconcave in portions, convex in others, while in still other areas extremely dense portions of bone project like "pillars" almost perpendicularly from the plane of the vertebral endplates, thereby forming partial, but substantial, side walls about the posterolateral (toward the back and side) portions of the disc space, the latter being particularly pronounced in the cervical spine.
As the bone graft used for the purpose of interbody fusion must have sufficient structural integrity to support the superincumbent body weight and the forces present across the portion of the body in which the graft is inserted, generally only quite solid portions of bone can be used for this purpose. Such portions of bone can only be cut, such as with a saw, rather than molded to fit the disc space. Even for the most skilled surgeon, it is not possible to shape such grafts to precisely fit the complex contours of the vertebral endplates adjacent the disc space. Therefore, the bone grafts are generally considerably smaller in width and depth than the disc space itself so as to confine such grafts to the more relatively flat area located about the mid portion of the vertebral endplates. The term "relatively flat" is a correct description of the mid portion of the endplate in that even this region of the vertebral endplate is not truly flat, such that it is relatively rare to achieve full congruency between the machined surface of the bone graft and the biologically determined shape of the vertebral endplate. This further compromises the quality of the fusion construct in that the area of contact between the vertebrae and the graft is suboptimal with a loss of both support area and correspondingly, graft and construct stability.
Further factors tending to limit the dimensions of the graft to less than that of the disc space include, for example in the cervical spine, the danger of the graft accidentally escaping the disc space laterally (to the side), damaging the vertebral arteries and causing a cerebral infarct and the danger of penetrating posteriorly (toward the back) and injuring the spinal cord causing paralysis. Furthermore, the previously described pillars of dense bone projecting from the overall plane of the vertebral endplates in the posterolateral portions of the disc space and commonly known as either uncinate processes or the joints of Luschka, tend to block the lateral and posterior placement of the graft(s) and tend to confine and limit the placement of the graft(s) to the anterior and central portions of the disc space.
To achieve fusion, it is necessary to at least vigorously scrape the outermost layer of the vertebral endplates until bleeding occurs to encourage the fusion, which invokes a healing process of the bone. Since the vertebral endplates are generally quite strong, it is desirable to preserve this structure even while scraping into it which can not reliably be achieved by the means of the prior art. In the past, anterior interbody fusion would be performed by removing at least a portion of the intervertebral disc and then utilizing hand held, free-hand instruments including, but not limited to, osteotomes, chisels, curettes, rongeurs, and burrs to scrape and shape the vertebral endplates and vertebral bone stock, which operations would be performed generally by working on one vertebra at a time, and independent of the position of the adjacent vertebra.
As a final consideration, not only are the vertebral endplates complexly shaped, but so are the interposed discs themselves. That is, the vertebrae of the spine are generally aligned in curved, rather than straight patterns when viewed from the side. When such curves are convex forward, as they are in the cervical and lumbar spine, the vertebrae are said to be in lordosis. Such lordosis may be the result of wedging of the vertebral bodies, of the discs, or a combination of both. When lordosis is the result of a generally wedge shaped disc, it has generally proven difficult to reliably restore that overall wedged shape to the disc space itself for the purpose of fusing the adjacent vertebrae with precisely the correct amount of lordosis.
While the discussion above has been in regard to anterior interbody fusion, it may be desirable to replace a damaged or diseased disc with a flexible member, or mechanical "artificial disc", in which situation maximizing the surface area and congruency of contact, and controlling the angular and spatial relationships of the vertebrae adjacent that disc space would still be of great importance. As to be discussed, the present invention pertains to a means and method for the preparation of the space between adjacent vertebral bodies ("the disc space") suitable for the implantation of an artificial disc or for interbody spinal fusions.
Attempts have been made in the past to create a guided milling apparatus for use in surgery of such appendicular joints as that of the knee. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,180 issued to Dietz on Jan. 23, 1996 teaches the use of a guided milling apparatus. The Dietz apparatus is not capable of working in the spine to prepare a space between adjacent vertebral bodies and differs from the present invention in the following ways:                1) The Dietz apparatus requires that the bone be exposed end on (Col. 1, lines 34-36, Col. 2, lines 46-47, FIGS. 1,2, and 3). In the present invention, the "ends" of the vertebrae to be prepared are the vertebral endplates which can not be exposed on end except by dislocating the vertebrae which would cause the most grievous harm to the patient.        2) The Dietz apparatus is for the preparation of a single bone at a time (Col. 1, lines 34-36, Col. 1, lines 49-50; FIGS. 1,2,3,5,7).        3) The milling end of the Dietz apparatus removes the bone parallel to the template surface (Col. 4, lines 7-9, Col. 4, lines 50-53, FIGS. 5 and 7). In the spine, there is insufficient space available within the disc space interposed between adjacent vertebrae to insert, accommodate or operate the Dietz mechanism; this would be true regardless of actual size of the Dietz device for any size that would remain workable for use in the spine.        4) The Dietz apparatus in incapable of affixing the opposed bones on both sides of the joint simultaneously, or of preparing both joint surfaces with the opposed bones in fixed relationship with each other.        5) The Dietz apparatus teaches a means for cutting across two dimensions while controlling (fixing) for depth. (FIGS. 5,27).        6) Dietz teaches that the mill end is too large to pass through the template guide surface so as to confine the mill end beneath the guide means. (Col. 3, lines 8-19, Col. 4, lines 24-53; FIGS. 5 and 7). This thus requires that the enlarged burr portion enters the bone not through its end or face, but rather on the front surface of the bone, which entrance occurs through a cut out slot, is deep to the guide plate, and with the burr spinning about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bone itself. (Col. 2 Line, 35-37, FIGS. 1 and 2).        7) The Dietz apparatus is limited to the cutting by use of a burr along a nonlinear path. (Col. 2, lines 65; Col. 3, lines 4-6; Col. 4, line 2, FIGS. 4 and 6). This is not arbitrary as the path of the burr is guided by either or both of a pivot, allowing only for a series of arcs, and/or a branched and serpentine slot system also configured to produce only a series of arcs. (Col. 2, lines 41-42, line 52, line 65 through Col. 3, line 4, and FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 26).
There is therefore a need for a method and means for preparing the vertebral bodies and the vertebral endplates adjacent to a disc space to be fused by interbody fusion that:                1) allows for the safe preparation of the disc space to the optimal depth and width so as to allow for the correct use of the largest possible fusion implant which would be associated with the direct benefits of providing for the maximum mass of osteogenic material, the largest possible surface area for fusion to occur over, increased graft and construct stability secondary to the increased area of contact, and the greatest protection against implant collapse or penetration into the vertebral bodies from the distribution of the loads over the greatest surface area;        2) allows for the preparation of the vertebral endplates to a known and uniform surface configuration, which configuration can be matched by a corresponding surface of the fusion implant thereby providing for the greatest possible interface congruity between the vertebral endplates and fusion implant, and providing for the optimal contact surface, enhanced fusion area, enhanced graft and construct stability, and decreased load per surface area;        3) allows for the restoration of the correct vertebral alignment by preparing the vertebral endplates in fixed relationship to each other adjacent the disc space so as to three dimensionally shape the disc space-fusion implant site;        4) allows for an efficient and reliable means for scraping the central portions of the outer layer of the vertebral endplates without the danger of removing those structures entirely; and        5) allows for the extension of the fusion area into the extremely supportive and extremely dense bone of the posterior lateral regions of the disc space.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A vehicle front body structure includes a hollow front side frame of closed cross-sectional structure having a wheel relief portion having a horizontal width reducing to allow swivel movement of a front wheel of the vehicle. The wheel relief portion has a pair of reinforcement beads extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and projecting from an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall, respectively, of the front side frame into an internal space of the hollow front side frame. The reinforcement beads have top surfaces being in abutment with each other and firmly fixed together.

Vehicle front body structures generally include a pair of laterally spaced front side frames extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and right and left front wheels disposed on lateral outer sides of the respective front side frames. A particular example of such vehicle front body structures is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication (JP-A) No. 8-108865.
The disclosed vehicle front body structure, as shown in FIG. 9A hereof, includes left and right front side frames 201 (only left one being shown) extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a combined engine-and-transmission unit 205 disposed between the left and right front side frames 201. Left and right front wheels 206 (only left one being shown) are disposed on lateral outer sides of the respective front side frames 201. Each of the front side frames 201 has a pair of vertically spaced ribs or beads 202 and 203 extending in a longitudinal direction of the front side frame 201 to reinforce a part of the front side frame 201 to thereby control a buckling strength of the front side frames 201.
As shown in FIG. 9B, the beads 202, 203 are formed on each of an outer sidewall 207 and an inner sidewall 208 of the respective front side frames 201. The beads 202, 203 projects into an internal space of each front side frame 201 but the beads 202, 203 on the outer sidewall 207 are laterally spaced from the beads 202, 203 on the inner sidewall 208. Although the beads 202, 203 are disposed on a portion of each front side frame 201 which corresponds in position to a front upper part of the corresponding front wheel 206, there is no disclosure or teaching in JP 8-108865A that the aforesaid front side frame portion is recessed to allow swivel movement of the front wheel. The beads 202, 203 can reinforce the front side frames 201 to a certain extent but the reinforcing effect attained by the beads 202, 203 are found to be insufficient in the case where a recessed wheel relief portion is provided in each front side frame.


This disengageable strike has a strike annexed to a strike member that is slideably mounted to a strike base. The strike member and strike base are, in turn, mounted to a door frame or door opposite a slam latch. In a first position, the strike engages the latch to prevent the door from opening. An electrically disengageable inhibitor prevents manual movement of the sliding strike from the first position. However, when the inhibitor is disengaged, the strike can be manually moved/slid using an actuator (in the form of a handle annexed to the strike member) to a second position where it does not engage the latch to prevent the door from opening. A biasing spring biasing the strike and strike member towards the first position helps to return it to the first position after the actuator is released. Further, one portion of a sensor for a signal generator is mounted to the strike member such that it is opposite the other portion in the door or frame only when the strike is in the first position. Thus, the signal generator will indicate the door is close only when the door is closed and the strike has been returned to the first position.

Doors using key or combination locks to control access to other keys and/or other controlled assets or areas have been in existence in one form or another for centuries if not millennia. Currently, it is typical for such doors to include a latch with an extendable tongue mounted to the door such that the tongue catches behind a strike on the frame of the door when extended. Latches of this type usually feature a spring biased tongue member with a ramped edge (on the side facing the door opening) so that the door can be slammed or closed even when the tongue is extended and the latch is locked. Such locks/latches are, therefore, commonly referred to as "slam latches" in the art. More recently, doorjambs have also been fitted with electrically disengageable hinged strikes. These hinged strikes are spring biased to their normal position and are maintained in that position by a strike holding mechanism that can be deactivated by the plunger of a solenoid as long as the solenoid is activated by an electrical current. While this hinged strike holding mechanism is deactivated, the hinged strike is free to rotate outward such that it no longer serves to engage and retain the tongue of a latch mounted to the door. This, in turn, allows the door to be opened even though the tongue of its latch has not been unlocked/withdrawn. Usually electronic means actuated by a keyboard and/or card are used to electrically trigger the solenoid so that it deactivates the hinged strike holding mechanism and thereby allows the hinged strike to rotate outward, releasing the door to be opened.
Dual access systems of the type described above have several advantages. First, selected individuals can be allowed access to a closed structure or lock box without possessing a key as long as they possess the requisite means. Such means can take the form of a keyboard personal identification number (a "PIN"), a card, a fingerprint, an eye print, and/or any other means necessary to deactivate the strike for its latch. Second, the use of a key provides a simple non-electrical means for opening the lock when electricity is absent or temporarily unavailable. Third, such means (e.g. in the form of a "master key") simultaneously provide those in overall authority with easy access to the contents of the lock box or secured structure. Fourth, such systems work very well for security purposes. Electronic systems retain a memory of those accessing contents or the interior of structures via electronic means, while those authorized and possessing keys are limited in number and known.
Despite their advantages, such systems also have a notable disadvantage: the hinged strike holding mechanism can jam. This is particularly a problem if the door or door jamb is warped or when too much material is stuffed into a lock box or secured structure prior to closing its door. This can lead to binding forces on the strike holding mechanism preventing it from unlocking and releasing the door.
The jamming problem associated with hinged strikes is exacerbated by another factor. Most secured doors of the type discussed herein are provided with a sensor/signal generator so that it can easily be determined whether the door is open or closed. Such signal generators typically use a system (such as a "Reed switch") where one part of the sensor is placed in the frame and another placed opposite in the door. When the door is open and the parts are no longer adjacent, this state is indicated. Likewise, when the door is closed and the sensor parts are adjacent, this state is indicated. Since doors fitted with slam latches are normally locked when closed, an indication that the door is closed will normally be taken as a signal that it is secured (and its strike holding mechanism properly engaged), even when this is not the case. Thus, there is a substantial need for a disengageable strike that will avoid the jamming features discussed above. There is also a substantial need for a system that will indicate not only that a door is closed, but that its disengageable strike is engaged and in a position where it will securely engage the slam latch for a secured enclosure.


The present invention relates to a maskless exposure apparatus and a method of manufacturing a substrate for a display using the same. In the present invention, a substrate 22 is disposed on a scan stage 20 that can be moved in horizontal and vertical directions. Meanwhile, an optical unit 30 for generating light available for exposure is disposed above the substrate 22. Light that has passed though the optical unit 30 is transferred to a DMD unit 40. The DMD unit 40 is provided with DMDs 42 for selectively reflecting the light to form a pattern on the substrate 22. The DMDs 42 are arranged in a plurality of rows in such a manner that DMDs 42 in the same row are spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other and DMDs 42 in different rows partially overlap with each other at one end portions thereof. Thus, when the DMDs 42 scan the substrate 22, scan marks 62 are produced discontinuously in two straight lines. According to the present invention constructed as above, the scan marks are produced discontinuously on the substrate during exposure of the substrate, so that a user cannot recognize the presence of the scan marks when watching a display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a maskless exposure apparatus, and more particularly, to a maskless exposure apparatus in which digital micro-mirror devices (DMDs) for performing exposure to a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel are arranged in an overlapping fashion and a method of manufacturing a substrate for a display using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a panel constituting a flat panel display (FPD) is patterned by the following process. First, a patterning material is applied to a panel and selectively exposed to light using a photomask. A portion of the patterning material, which is changed in chemical properties by the selective exposure, or the other portion thereof is selectively removed to form a pattern.
Recently, a maskless exposure apparatus without using a photomask has been widely used. The maskless exposure apparatus employs a method in which an electronic device is used to transfer a light beam to a panel using pattern information in the form of electric signals. A typical example of the electronic device is a DMD. The DMD employs a principle that a plurality of micro-mirrors cause light, which is incident at a certain angle, to be reflected at a desired angle and the other light to be reflected at different angles, thereby forming a scene using only necessary light.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the configuration of a conventional maskless exposure apparatus.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a light source 1 provides light for an exposure process. The light from the light source 1 is transferred to a DMD 5 via a first optical system 3. The first optical system 3 includes a light guiding member 3′ and a condensing optical member 4. The light guiding member 3′ guides the light to a desired path, and the condensing optical member 4 makes the light from the light source 1 available for exposure.
The light that has passed through the condensing optical member 4 is reflected on the DMD 5. Here, the DMD 5 receives desired pattern information according to external signals and selectively transfers only necessary light to a second optical system 7 that will be described later. That is, among the light from the light source 1, the DMD 5 transfers only necessary light to the second optical system 7 while reflecting unnecessary light at other angles.
The second optical system 7 is provided with a light guiding member 7′ and an image optical member 8, which function to guide the light from the DMD 5. The light guiding member 7′ functions to guide the light to a desired path, and the image optical member 8 irradiates a substrate 10 with the light.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a scanning process performed by DMDs of a conventional maskless exposure apparatus.
As illustrated in the figure, a substrate 10 is disposed on a scan stage 11. The scan stage 11 can be moved by an external driving source in X- and Y-axis directions, and the substrate 10 is irradiated with light.
DMDs 5 that irradiate the substrate 10 with light are placed above the scan stage 11. Generally, the DMDs 5 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The DMDs 5 irradiate the substrate 10 with light according to pattern information while moving in a direction designated by an arrow. For reference, the scanning is performed by not a movement of the DMDs 5 itself but a relative movement of the DMDs 5 as the scan stage 11 is moved.
The number of the DMDs 5 is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. 2, but a larger number of DMDs 5 may be arranged to perform the scanning. The DMDs 5 generally perform the scanning several times rather than once. In other words, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the DMDs 5 perform the scanning while linearly reciprocating in the Y-axis direction.
However, the conventional maskless exposure apparatus described above has the following problems.
When the DMDs 5 perform the scanning, a pattern 15 is formed on the substrate 10, as shown in FIG. 3. At this time, scan marks 17 are produced in the pattern 15 due to the arrangement fashion of the DMDs 5. That is, when the DMDs 5 perform the scanning, the scan marks 17 are produced along both lateral sides and scanning boundaries of the DMDs 5. Thus, in FIG. 2, the scan marks 17 are produced along four straight lines.
Since the scan marks 17 directly appear on a screen when the substrate 10 is used for a display, there is a problem in that inconvenience is caused to a user who watches the display. That is, the scan marks 17 become a factor that deteriorates the quality of an image.

Maskless exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing substrate for display using the same


The invention provides a highly stretchable fabric having an elongation percentage of 5 to 45% and a recovery percentage of elongation of at least 70% and comprising spun yarns serving at least as warps or wefts, the fabric being characterized in that the spun yarns contain two-component composite fibers comprising a highly shrinkable polyester component A and a polyester component B less shrinkable than the polyester component A, the composite fibers being so oriented that in the vicinity 5 of the crests of weaving crimps of the spun yarn, the polyester component A faces toward the inner side of the crimps. The invention also provides a process for producing the fabric. The fabric is excellent in stretchability and recovery from elongation and is capable of retaining its appearance and hand.

The present invention relates to fabrics prepared from spun yarns and having high stretchability and excellent in recovery from elongation, and to a process for producing such fabrics.
Fabrics for clothes, especially those for uniforms and sporting garments usually must be excellent in stretchability and elongation in view of requirements as to the function and fitness.
Natural rubber has been long used for imparting stretchability to fabrics as is known. It is practice in recent years to use textured yarns of polyester, nylon or the like, or stretchable polyurethane elastic yarns to give stretchability to fabrics. It is also practice to use core-spun yarns comprising a core of such a textured yarn or polyurethane elastic yarn, and covered yarns obtained by winding filaments around a core. Further known is the chemical stretch process wherein cotton yarns are swollen by an alkali treatment, then subjected to an external force and thereby given a higher percentage of crimp. JP-A-150429/1995 proposes a fabric prepared from spun yarns which contain at least 70 wt. % of composite fibers comprising a copolymerized polyester and a polyester composed substantially of ethylene terephthalate units, the copolymerized polyester consisting primarily of ethylene terephthalate units which contain 2 to 7 mole % of 2,2-bis4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)phenyl!propane and 5 to 13 mole % of isophthalic acid as comonomers.
However, the use of natural rubber involves the problem that the rubber thread is thick and therefore gives an increased thickness to the fabric to result in limited use. The fabric obtained also has problems with respect to the durability and uneven stretchability due to the embrittlement of natural rubber.
The use of covered yarns encounters the problem that the covering operation increases the number of steps required to entail a higher cost and necessitates sophisticated techniques, for example, for tension control for weaving. Further the use of polyurethane entails the problem of embrittlement due to insufficient resistance to light and heat, etc.
The chemical stretch process is limited in elongation percentage and recovery percentage of elongation. The technique disclosed in the foregoing publication, i.e., JP-A-150429/1995, has the problem that the fabric is as low as up to 18% in elongation percentage and is not suited to prevalent use as a stretchable fabric.
The object of the present invention, which has been accomplished to overcome the foregoing problems, is to provide a fabric which is prepared from spun yarns and which is nevertheless excellent in stretchability and recovery from elongation, soft, plump, lightweight, elastic, and further capable of retaining its appearance and hand, and to provide a process for producing the fabric.

Highly stretchable fabrics and process for producing same


A system and method for constructing fixtures for holding physical parts for welding, checking, inspection, and other related activities is provided. The physical parts include parts of cars as may appear in an automotive plant. The optimum L-unit components are selected based on the contour of the part to be held, the principle locating points for the part, and the geometry of the various L-unit components. The principle locating points identify where on the part is a L-unit fixture to be placed. The program reads the part contour data and principle locating points data to construct the criteria by which to select the optimum L-unit components from a relational database. The program allows the user to preselect a L-unit component and then determine the other fixture components needed to adequately hold the part. Also provided for are multiple L-unit types including rest, pin, and clamp L-units, as well as combinations of the L-unit types.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and more particularly to a computerized automated fixture set up system for automating the design of the fixture.
2. Discussion
Fixtures are common throughout the automobile industry. They are typically used to hold in place car parts for workmanship or quality checks. Different fixtures are assembled to suit the individual geometry of each type of car part. When a car part is redesigned (for example, due to yearly car model changes), so too must the fixture that holds the car part in place be redesigned.
Current fixture design practice is painstaking and laborious in nature. A typical fixture redesign may take two weeks of design effort due to the number of fixture design factors involved. For example, the fixture design factors entail providing enough of a clamp opening to allow clearance for inserting and removing of the part from the fixture assembly, while also keeping the car part from interfering with the other components of the fixture.
Moreover, if the fixture designer wishes to select a different fixture component to resolve a discovered interference condition, the different fixture component may produce new interference conditions. This will necessitate further redesigns and results in the fixture building process to take a long time, such as several weeks.

MSX International Business Systems, Inc.


Machine-implemented methods, systems, processing devices and machine-readable media are provided for simulating a mill reline, which involve collecting mill relining data and processing the relining data as simulation parameters using a mill relining model. The relining data generally include variables treated as discrete time/frequency distributions. Simulated events for the mill reline may be generated based on the relining data. Additional relining data relating to a specific existing site may be included as simulation parameters. The simulation may be used in determining an optimal work flow for carrying out the mill reline at a specific existing site, e.g., where time to carry out the mill reline is minimized. The simulation may also be employed for benchmarking. The additional relining data may be provided in video format, and analysis of the video format data may be undertaken, e.g., by an operator for refining and/or verifying the additional relining data, prior to utilizing the additional relining data as simulation parameters in the simulation model. The mill relining data may also include additional parameters, such as the size and quantity of the liners, the reline planning process and relining crew proficiency, the relining equipment and plant design surrounding the mill being relined, and the like.

Hard rock grinding mills used in mineral processing utilize sacrificial segmented liners bolted to the internal casing of the mills which are regularly replaced during routine maintenance. Typically such mills may range in size from three meter to eleven meter diameter and are lined with replaceable heavy steel segments attached internally to the mill casing by through bolting. As the sacrificial liners wear, it becomes necessary to remove the bolts that held the sacrificial liner in place and reline the mill. In the last twenty-five years, considerable advances have been made to mechanize the mill relining process, including the use of liner bolt removal tools, an example of which is shown in WO 1997/026116 (Russell Mineral Equipment Pty Ltd) and mill relining machines an example of which is shown in Australian Patent No. 2005239667 (Russell Mineral Equipment Pty Ltd).
It has been identified that mill liner life dictates the 'when' of mineral concentrator maintenance shutdowns. Furthermore, the exchange of mill liners dictates the duration of each shutdown; the 'how long'. In combination (the 'when' and the 'how long') dictate annual maintenance shutdown lost time and therefore the availability and the possible utilisation of the mineral concentrator plant.
Since all mineral ore of value must pass through the grinding mill, liner life and liner exchange rate can define the productive limits of the entire mine site.
The duration of a mill reline is the sum of thousands of discrete and interdependent activities. The choreographing of these activities occurs in an environment that is often noisy, full of other unrelated work and where the visibility of, and communication with, dependent activities is often obscured by the mill itself. Because of the complexity of the interplay between tasks and the difficulty of quantifying them the estimation of reline times has, in most cases, been reduced to assigning an average time per piece, based on historical data, to each type of liner and multiplying this by the number of pieces to be changed.
There are four major contributors to controlling the timing of mill relining shutdowns and the speed of liner exchange, these being the liners themselves (their size and quantity); the reline planning process and relining crew proficiency; relining equipment; and plant design surrounding the grinding mills.
The state of the art for estimating reline times is based on somebody familiar with mill relining estimating the time per type of liner and multiplying by the number of liners to be changed. Most if not all methods are spreadsheet based and are incapable of predicting the effects of small changes to the process. The cost for a mill to be shut down for relining is very high, and often is of the magnitude of hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour.
To date, the methods to estimate reline times have been quite crude, and do not provide mill owners, plant and machine designers and reline planners with the ability to maximize plant efficiency.
The ability of mill owners, plant and machine designers and reline planners to estimate re-line times is usually based on their own experience. The impediments they face to maximize reline times are the large number of variables, the low frequency of relines and the economic risk associated with some changes. Also their ability to maximize the efficiency of their plants suffers from the lack of opportunity to effectively benchmark current performance against best practice.
The present invention seeks to provide a method and system for simulating a mill reline that can ameliorate at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Method and system for simulating a mill reline


The present invention relates generally to the field of prophylaxis and therapy of metastatic cancer. In particular there is provided a protein; Ras Homology gene family, member C (RhoC) or peptide fragments thereof that are capable of eliciting anti-cancer immune responses. Specifically, the invention relates to use of RhoC or peptides derived thereof or RhoC specific T-cells for treatment of metastatic cancer. Hence, the invention in one aspect relates to RhoC specific T-cells adoptively transferred or induced in vivo by vaccination as a treatment of cancer. Also the use of RhoC and immunogenic peptide fragments hereof in cancer treatment, diagnosis and prognosis is provided.

The development of metastasis in cancer poses a major obstacle in the successful treatment of cancer. Most cancer deaths are caused by the development of metastases.
The search for proteins responsible for metastasis has implicated Ras homology gene family GTPase RhoC. Overexpression of RhoC has been suggested to play a role in the development of metastasis. Although a precise understanding of how RhoC exerts its metastatic effects remains elusive, it has been found to be overexpressed in many cancers including ovarian cancer, lung cancer and melanomas.
The process by which the mammalian immune system recognises and reacts to foreign or alien materials is a complex one. An important facet of the system is the T-cell response. This response requires that T cells recognise and interact with complexes of cell surface molecules referred to as human leukocyte antigens (HLA) constituting the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and peptides. The peptides are derived from larger molecules, which are processed by the antigen presenting cells, which in turn present the HLA/MHC molecule. The interaction of T cells and complexes of HLA/peptide is restricted, requiring a T cell that is specific for a particular combination of an HLA molecule and a peptide. If a specific T cell is not present, there is no T-cell response even if its partner complex is present. Similarly, there is no response if the specific complex is absent, but the T cell is present.
The mechanism by which T cells recognise cellular abnormalities has also been implicated in cancer. E.g. in WO92/20356, a family of genes is disclosed which are processed into peptides which, in turn, are expressed on cells surfaces, and can lead to lysis of the tumour cells by specific cytotoxic T ymphocytes (CTLs, CD8 cells). These genes are referred to as the MAGE family and are said to code for "tumour rejection antigen precursors" or "TRAP" molecules, and the peptides derived there from are referred to as "tumour rejection antigens" or "TRAs".
In WO 94/05304, nonapeptides are disclosed which bind to the HLA-A1 molecule. This reference discloses that, given the known specificity of particular peptides for particular HLA molecules, one should expect a particular peptide to bind one HLA molecule, but not others. This is significant, as different individuals possess different HLA phenotypes. As a result, while identification of a particular peptide as being a partner for a specific HLA molecule has diagnostic and therapeutic ramifications, these are only relevant for individuals with that particular HLA phenotype.
Thus, it is well established that peptide epitopes derived from tumour associated antigens (TAAs) can be recognised as antigens by CTLs in the context of MHC molecules. However, although it is generally accepted that most if not all, tumours are antigenic, only a few are indeed immunogenic in the sense that tumour progression is readily controlled by the immune system.
To overcome this limitation, several immunotherapeutic studies have been initiated, e.g. vaccinations with TAA-derived peptides. For melanoma, the tumour for which the largest number of CTL-defined TAAs has been characterised, powerful CTL responses against antigens have been induced by vaccination and some patients experienced a complete remission of their disease. However, most of the peptide epitopes used in these vaccination trials are melanocyte specific, and these peptides cannot be applied for tumours of non-melanocyte origin. Furthermore, expression of these TAAs is heterogeneous among tumours from different patients and can even vary among metastases obtained from one patient. However, during the last couple of years a number of tumour specific peptide antigens, which are expressed in a number of different cancers, have been identified, i.e. HER-2, Muc-1 and telomerase.
During the past decade numerous clinical trials have shown the feasibility of peptide specific vaccination to induce anti-tumor T-cell responses in cancer patients. The clinical course of the patients, however, was in most cases not improved. This discrepancy has in numerous cases been explained by immune escape mechanisms of the tumour cells.
Like the other Rho GTPases, RhoC affect several aspects of growth control, and cytoskeletal organization in response to extracellular factors. More recent data suggests a more differential role in that RhoC has been shown to play an important role in metastasising cancer cells. Thus, several lines of evidence demonstrate a high expression of RhoC in cancer cells, and that the metastatic potential of cancer cells depends on expression of RhoC. Selective increased expression of RhoC has been described in metastatic cancers.


An active resistor and its use in a negative feedback amplifier allow wide voltage swings on the input and output signals. One embodiment includes parallel pass-gate MOS transistors of opposite conductivity types connected between the input and output nodes. Bootstrapping transistors are connected between the gates of the pass-gate transistors and respective bias voltages. Coupling capacitors are connected between the gates and the output node. Additional coupling capacitors may be connected between the gates and the input node to make the resistor symmetric. In other embodiments, only one pass-gate transistor is used.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to semiconductor amplifiers and non-linear resistors actively controlled according to voltages applied to them. In particular, the invention relates to sense amplifiers having negative feedback modulated according to the amplitude of the amplifier's signal.
2. Related Art
Proximity communication is an I/O technology that allows two chips in face-to-face alignment to communicate without wires as has been explained by Drost et al. in "Proximity Communication," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 39, no. 9, September 2004, pp. 1529-1535. In the most widely used implementation, corresponding arrays of electrode plates or pads are formed in the opposing surfaces of the two chips, which are then fixed together with a dielectric layer in between to form a large number of capacitively coupled communication links between the chips. Alternatively, the transmitting and receiving elements may be inductive loops acting as antennas or complementarily arranged optical transmitters and receivers. A transmitter on one chip impresses an electrical signal on one of its pads, and a receiver on the other chip detects the signal coupled to the corresponding one of its pads. Although proximity communication promises much higher input/output (I/O) density and lower power, detecting signals over proximity communication is a challenge. Signals coupled onto the plates of the receiving chip can be very small, on the order of 10 mV. With capacitively coupled proximity communication, the receiving nodes must also be biased at appropriate DC levels.
The need to detect small signals over a capacitively coupled interface poses significant challenges to the design of data receivers. Input offset subtracts from the received signal, degrading receiving sensitivity; for robust communication, offset cancellation shall be used, especially in advanced fabrication processes where transistor mismatch effects are more significant. An additional challenge is that of biasing the receiving node at a voltage level at which the amplifier has adequate gain.

Active resistor used in a feedback amplifier particularly useful for proximity communication


The present invention relates generally to molecules such as peptides, polypeptides and proteins which interact immunologically with T lymphocytes in subjects having peanut allergy, or allergy to other tree nuts, and genetic sequences encoding same. These molecules are preferentially immunointeractive with T cells in subjects having an allergy to the Ara h 2 allergen. The molecules of the present invention are useful in the development of diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic agents for conditions characterized by an aberrant, inappropriate or otherwise unwanted immune response to Ara h 2 or derivative or homologue thereof.

Bibliographic details of the publications referred to by author in this specification are collected alphabetically at the end of the description.
The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.
Peanut allergy is a life-threatening and incurable disorder, affecting approximately 1% of the general population (Sicher et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 103: 559-562, 1999). It is characterised by the sudden onset of anaphylaxis, which may occur with exposure to minute quantities of peanut proteins (Hourihane et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 100: 596-600, 1997). Nut induced anaphylaxis is that most frequently associated with mortality or with life-threatening features (Sampson et al, N Engl J Med 327: 380-4, 1992). Peanut proteins are frequently concealed within apparently safe food sources, such that accidental contact occurs for up to 50% of sufferers over a 5 year period (Sicherer et al., Paediatrics 102: e6, 1998). Not surprisingly, nut allergy is associated with significant psychological morbidity for sufferers and carers alike, akin to that suffered by those with chronic debilitating illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis (Primeau et al., Clin Exp Allergy 30: 1135-43, 2000). Cure, while being an imperative to remove nut allergy as a cause of mortality, is also necessary to remove the chronic psychological burden that peanut allergic subjects carry.
To date, efforts at immunotherapy for peanut allergy have been met by extremely limited success. Nelson et al. have shown that tolerance of peanut can be induced using a rush immunotherapy protocol, but that tolerance is lost in approximately half of the subjects during maintenance dosing and additionally that injections are associated with frequent episodes of anaphylaxis in the majority of subjects during both the buildup and maintenance phases (Nelson et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 99: 744-51, 1997). Oppenheimer et al. demonstrated similar findings within their study, again showing that active therapy is associated with a high rate of systemic anaphylaxis. Data collection in that study was terminated after the administration of peanut extract to a placebo randomised subject resulted in their death, highlighting the dangerous nature of this condition (Oppenheimer et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 90: 256-62, 1992).
Development of novel strategies to overcome the morbidity associated with allergen immunotherapy depends on an accurate understanding of the immunological basis to successful immunotherapy, as well as its side-effects. It has long been established that morbidity due to allergen immunotherapy is due to the cross-linking of IgE, and that this action is not required for such therapy to be efficacious (Litwin et al., Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol 87: 361-61, 998). It is also known that one of the critical actions of immunotherapy in producing tolerance is its ability to change the predominant specific T cell phenotype from a TH2 to a TH1 phenotype (Robinson, Br Med Bull 56: 956-968, 2000). Although the precise pathway through which this change occurs remains undocumented, current theories suggest that this is likely to occur via the suppression of the TH2 phenotype by IL-10, then reconstitution of a normal immune response via the actions of IL-2 and IL-15 (Akdis et al., Allergy 55: 522-530, 2000).
A key difference in antibody and lymphocyte responses is in antigen recognition, antibodies recognising conformational epitopes dependent on molecular tertiary structure, while CD4+ T cells recognise short linear peptides. This difference in antigen recognition is the basis to many novel strategies of immunotherapy, including that using peptides based upon T cell epitopes, B cell epitope mutants and altered peptide ligands (Akdis et al., Trends Immunol 22: 175-8, 2001). Such methods all depend on the alteration or absence molecular tertiary structure, so that IgE cross-linking and effector cell activation is lost. Peptide immunotherapy is the method for which the best evidence of efficacy exists, being documented for both cat dander allergy and bee venom allergy. Muller et al. (1998) showed that, in the absence of any systemic side-effects, tolerance could be achieved for the major bee venom allergen Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) using sequences based on its three major epitopes, while several authors have demonstrated that peptides based on the structure of the major cat allergen Fel d 1 can be used to induce diminished-clinical responses (Muller et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 101: 747-754, 1998; Norman et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 154: 1623-8, 1996; Marcotte et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 101: 506-13, 1998; Pene et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 102: 571-8, 1998; Maguire et al., Clin Immunol 93: 222-31, 1999). Crucial to the development of such strategies is the retention of T cell epitopes, so that T cell phenotypic change can be induced.
Accordingly, there is a need to both identify the major peanut allergens and, further, to identify the T cell epitopes of these allergens. The identification characterisation, and analysis of these epitopes is critical to the development of specific diagnostic and immunotherapeutic methodology.
In work leading up to the present invention, the inventors have identified the human T cell epitopes of the peanut allergen, Ara h 2. The identification of Ara h 2 T cell epitopes now facilitates the development of molecules and methodology for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions characterised by the aberrant, inappropriate or otherwise unwanted immune response to Ara h 2 or derivative or homologue thereof such as peanut allergy or other tree-nut allergy.

Immunointeractive molecules and uses thereof


The present invention relates to a process for producing and correlating light microscope images and spectroscopic data resolved according to wavelength of a sample by scanning individual elements of the sample surface to be imaged once or twice with a confocal scanning light microscope, launching a portion of the light from the imaging beam path into a spectrometer and correlating the image data with the spectroscopic data by storing the spectroscopic data in a two-dimensional area, with one dimension being used to store the measured spectrum of the individual elements and the second dimension being activated by means of the light intensity diffusely reflected by the scanned elements or by means of a criterion obtained from the total data of the sample image by image processing. The advantage of said process is that the potential of a confocal scanning light microscope and of the various spectroscopic processes may be fully exploited.

The present invention relates to a process for producing and correlating light microscope images and spectroscopic data resolved according to wavelength of a sample by means of confocal scanning light-microscopy and spectrometers.
It is known practice (Applied Physics 22 (1980), p.119) to produce light microscope images of transparent or semitransparent test objects using scanning light microscopy. If the beam path corresponds to the principle of the confocal light microscope (CLSM), optical sectional images are obtained, i.e. images of a narrow zone around the focal plane of the microscope lens. If the focal plane lies within the tested object, then owing to the confocal principle the intensities from the regions of the sample lying above and below are to a large extent eliminated. For some years now, appliances operating on said principle have been commercially available.
It is a further known practice to acquire data about the chemical structure of a test object by examining it using spectroscopic techniques, in particular by using light from the visible region of the spectrum or from regions close to the visible spectrum.
The combination of light-microscopy and spectroscopic techniques is also known from literature:
A concept already realized by most manufacturers of commercial confocal light microscopes is that of producing diffuse reflection images in the fluorescence contrast. For this purpose, the sample is illuminated by a monochromatic light source. There is inserted into the imaging beam path an optical filter which as completely as possible retains the light having the wavelength of the illuminating light source, so that only the fluorescent light having a longer wavelength reaches the photoelectric detector.
It is further known, from Microscopia Acta 79 (1977), 3, p.267-276, to add to the imaging beam path of a conventional light microscope a spectrograph which has been adjusted to a specific Raman line of a selected substance present in the test object. In said manner, a microscopic Raman dark field image of the object is produced. Said image reproduces the local distribution of the selected substance in the test object.
From Nature 347, (20.09.1990) p.301-303, it is known practice to use the concept of the confocal optical beam path in order to be able to record the complete Raman spectrum of a small pre-selectable measuring volume within the test object. For said purpose, the test object is illuminated by a laser by way of a stationary arrangement according to the concept of the confocal beam path, and the light passing through the aperture of the imaging beam path is analyzed in a Raman spectrometer. In said manner, the Raman spectrum of a selected measuring volume in the order of magnitude of 1 .mu.m**3 is obtained.
The drawback of all these processes known from literature which combine light-microscopy and spectroscopic techniques is that it is impossible to exploit the full potential of both techniques simultaneously:
The standard process of confocal fluorescence microscopy used up till now utilizes only the mean intensity of fluorescence transmitted by the measuring filter to build up the image. The fine details of the fluorescence spectrum are on the other hand not utilized. The process according to Microscopia Acta 79 (1977), 3, p.267-276, does not supply three-dimensional microscopic data, like confocal light microscopy, but only two-dimensional images and, moreover, of the data available in the Raman spectra it uses only those of a previously selected line when producing an image.
The process according to Nature 247, p.301-303, because of the absence of scanning microscope image production, likewise does not offer any three-dimensional microscopic data but does provide the entire Raman spectrum of the examined sample volume.

Spectroscopically correlated light scanning microscopy


A method for synthesizing a zeolite bonded to a substrate utilizes a reaction mixture having a H.sub.2 O/YO.sub.2 molar ratio of at least 25 and Y is a tetravalent element, particularly silicon.. A structure made according to this method includes a film of interconnected zeolite crystals bonded to a substrate and the structure is characterized by a value r representing the mg of zeolite/cm.sup.2 of substrate surface and a value e representing the coating efficiency as mg of bonded zeolite/mg of YO.sub.2 initially in the synthesis mixture; wherein r is at least 0.5 and e is at least 0.05.. Processes are provided for separation, sorption, organic feedstock conversion, light paraffin dehydrogenation and NO.sub.X conversion over the structure.

Synthetic zeolites have been used as adsorptive separation agents for gases and liquids, and as catalysts. Generally, zeolites have been synthesized to yield a powder form of the crystalline material which can be formed or extruded into granules, beads or pellets, often incorporated with a binder such as clay or alumina.
Zeolites both natural and synthetic, include a wide variety of positive ion-containing crystalline aluminosilicates. These aluminosilicates can be described as a rigid three-dimensional framework of SiO.sub.4 and AlO.sub.4 in which the tetrahedra are crosslinked by the sharing of oxygen atoms whereby the ratio of the total aluminum and silicon atoms to oxygen atoms is 1:2. The electrovalence of the tetrahedra containing aluminum is balanced by the inclusion in the crystal of a cation, for example an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal cation. This can be expressed wherein the ratio of aluminum to the number of various cations, such as Ca/2, Sr/2, Na, K or Li, is equal to unity. One type of cation may be exchanged either entirely or partially with another type of cation utilizing ion exchange techniques in a conventional manner. By means of such cation exchange, it has been possible to vary the properties of a given aluminosilicate by suitable selection of the cation. The spaces between the tetrahedra are occupied by molecules of water prior to dehydration.
Prior art techniques have resulted in the formation of a great variety of synthetic zeolites. The zeolite have come to be designated by letter or other convenient symbols, as illustrated by zeolite A (U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,243); zeolite X (U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,244); zeolite Y (U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,007); zeolite ZK-5 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,195); zeolite ZK-4 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,752); zeolite ZSM-5 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,886); zeolite ZSM-11 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,979); zeolite ZSM-12 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,449); zeolite ZSM-20 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,983); ZSM-35 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,245); ZSM-38 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,859); and zeolite ZSM-23 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,842), merely to name a few.
The SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 mole ratio of a given zeolite is often variable. For example, zeolite X can be synthesized with SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ratios of from 2 to 3; zeolite Y, from 3 to about 6. In some zeolites, the upper limit of the SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ratio is unbounded. ZSM-5 is one such example wherein the SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ratio is at least 5 and up to infinity. U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,871 (U.S. Pat. No. Re. 29,948) discloses a porous crystalline silicate made from a reaction mixture containing no deliberately added aluminum in the synthesis mixture and exhibiting the X-ray diffraction pattern characteristics of ZSM-5 type zeolites. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,061,724; 4,073,865; and 4,104,294 describe crystalline silicates or organosilicates of varying alumina and metal content.
Although zeolites include materials containing silicon and aluminum, it is recognized that the silicon and aluminum atoms may be replaced in whole or in part with other elements. More particularly, Ge is an art recognized substitute for Si and B, Cr, Fe, and Ga are art recognized replacements for Al. Accordingly, the term zeolite as used herein shall connote not only materials containing silicon and, optionally, aluminum atoms in the crystalline lattice structure thereof, but also materials which contain suitable replacement atoms for such silicon and/or aluminum.
Monolithic substrates such as wash coated ceramics, described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,029, and extruded catalytic monoliths, described for example by Lachman et al., "Extruded Monolithic Catalyst Supports", Symposium on Catalyst Supports: Chemistry, Forming and Characteristics, American Chemical Society, New York City Meeting, Aug. 1991, 535-543, have been described as useful in emissions control.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,187 describes a method for crystallizing a zeolite on the surface of a ceramic monolith containing silica with a crystallization mixture containing a ratio of H.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.2 of 16-20 to one and a ratio of SiO.sub.2 /AlO.sub.3 of one to 0.0-0.4 for the synthesis of ZSM-5. Different ratios are described for large pore zeolites X and Y.
However, when well known zeolite synthesis techniques are used in an attempt to obtain crystallization of a zeolite film adherent to a substrate, there is a strong tendency for homogeneous crystallization to occur. That is, the crystals form in the crystallization solution and settle to the bottom to yield a powder form rather than bonding to the surface to form a strongly adherent film.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for synthesizing a zeolite film of continuously intergrown zeolite crystals strongly bonded to the surface of a substrate or monolith.
It is another object of the invention to provide a structure synthesized by this method the structure having numerous applications for sorption, hydrocarbon conversions, paraffin dehydrogenation, and catalytic conversion of NO.sub.X.

Processes for converting feedstock organic compounds


A system for determining whether to request additional telephone number resources for a telecommunications carrier. The system may include a first database operated by a telecommunications carrier and configured to store data indicative of telephone number usage of telephone numbers assigned to the telecommunications carrier. A computing device may be in communication with a second database via a network, the second database may contain telephone number usage information associated with multiple telecommunications carriers. The computing device may execute software to query the first and second databases to retrieve information associated with the telecommunications carrier (i) to determine current utilization of telephone numbers of a rate center and (ii) to determine months to exhaust of telephone numbers.

The ten-digit North American Numbering Plan (NANP) currently used by the United States and 19 other countries is rapidly being depleted. Management of this resource is impaired by a lack of uniform data. Under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was given "exclusive jurisdiction over those portions of the North American Numbering Plan that pertain to the United States." Pursuant to that authority, the FCC conducted a rulemaking that, among other things, addressed regular reporting on numbering resources used by United States telecommunications carriers.
The FCC appointed an agency, known as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), to monitor numbering resources utilized by all telecommunications carriers using the resources and to project the dates of area code and North American Numbering Plan exhaust. In their duties, NANPA created a numbering utilization report that telecommunications carriers are to submit semi-annually. The report is known as the Numbering Resource Utilization/Forecast (NRUF) Report.
The NRUF Report includes a number of different forms that provide NANPA with information as to the usage of telecommunications allotted phone numbers. As understood in the telecommunications industry, each telecommunications carrier is allotted a certain number of phone numbers in blocks of 10,000, which is generally subdivided into ten blocks of a thousand. Ten-digit phone numbers include a (i) numbering plan area (NPA) (i.e., area code), which is three digits, (ii) central office code (NXX), which is also three digits, and (iii) thousands digit block (i.e., the first digit of the last four digits of a phone number). Telecommunications carriers provide phone numbers to customers from these blocks of a thousand numbers. As a thousands block is filled, it is considered to be exhausted. Some thousands digit blocks become filled while others become empty depending on how the telecommunications carrier customer base changes. The telecommunications carrier reports the existing usage and forecasts future usage of the phone numbers in the NRUF Report.
One problem that exists with the NRUF Report is the time necessary to collect and process the information to report. Telecommunications carriers generally have many divisions, many central offices, thousands of thousands blocks, and millions of customers. Managing this information and reporting it can take several man-weeks for producing each NRUF Report.
Another problem that exists is that there is no standard method for forecasting exhaustion of a thousands block. Telecommunications carriers or service providers (SP) throughout the telecommunications industry currently submit requests for additional numbering resources to a pooling administrator, currently NeuStar, by completing a Months to Exhaust and Utilization Certification Worksheet. Calculations for reported values on the form are performed manually and then typed onto the form. The Months to Exhaust (MTE) form maybe prepared using a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) provided by the Pooling Administration System (PAS) (PAS User Guide for SPs, 5.1 Request for Pool Resources: Task Overview, Apr. 17, 2006, NeuStar, Inc.).
Regardless of whether or not a service provider requests additional telephone number resources on a paper worksheet, a software worksheet, or the website, the same information is required. For large rate centers, the process of compiling a carrier's current numbering resources and performing hand calculations on available and assigned numbers is one that can take several days and even weeks to complete. Many times a company may feel the need to request an additional block of numbers, but not know whether the request will be granted without performing all calculations required to complete the form. The end result is often determined that the required conditions are not met and the effort to complete the forms has gone to waste. Given the amount of time needed to determine the current and projected resources needed, service providers are often reluctant to embark on the effort to make the determination if there is a chance that the outcome of the request will be denied.

System and method for determining whether to request additional telephone numbering resources by a telecommunications carrier


An internally illuminated toy having a flexible body that is made from an elastomeric gel. The flexible body defines an internal chamber that is accessible through a small access opening. An electronics module is provided that contains a light source. The electronics module is inserted into the internal chamber of the flexible body by hyper-extending the access opening. Once inside the internal chamber, the access opening elastically contracts and the electronics module is trapped within the flexible body. When activated, the electronics module illuminates, thereby internally illuminating the flexible body of the toy.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to flying-disc projectile toys. More particularly, the present invention relates to flying-disc projectile toys that are made from elastomeric material and flying disc toys that are illuminated.
2. Description of Related Art
Flying disc toys, such as the Frisbee™, have been popular in the toy marketplace for decades. In this period of time, there have been many variations to the design and structure of toy flying discs. Toy flying discs have been made from metal, wood and plastic. Furthermore, a variety of different electronic light modules have been attached to flying disc toys so that the flying discs will appear illuminated during low light conditions.
Within the past few years, advancements have occurred in the field of polymer science that have enabled highly elastic gel materials to be produced. These elastic gels are also very resistant to tearing. These elastomeric gels are produced by mixing oils with various tri-block copolymers. Since such gel materials are soft, they have been adapted for use in the field of projectile toys, in order to make the projectile toys safer.
Elastomeric gels have been used in the manufacture of flying discs. This was done to make the disc easier to store, easier to hold, easier to catch and less inclined to cause impact damage. Prior art flying discs made from elastomeric gels are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,222 to Chen, entitled Ultra-Soft, Ultra-Elastic Airfoils.
A problem associated with fabricating a flying disc from an elastomeric gel is that there exists no rigid structure to mount a light module or other electronic module. Of course, a rigid electronic module can be glued to the flexible flying disc, but this would make the body of the disc rigid, thereby eliminating the benefits of making the flying disc from an elastomeric gel.
A need therefore exists for a way to connect electronic components to a flexible elastomeric body in a manner that does not make the elastomeric body rigid. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.

Illuminated elastomeric flying disc and its method of manufacture


A regeneration device for use in an exhaust treatment system is disclosed. The regeneration device has a first housing with a plurality of passages configured to receive coolant and injection fluid. A second housing is secured to the first housing and configured to receive coolant and injection fluid. The second housing has at least one cooling recess annularly disposed within the second housing to receive and circulate coolant in proximity to a tip end of the second housing.

Engines, including diesel engines, gasoline engines, gaseous fuel powered engines, and other engines known in the art exhaust a complex mixture of air pollutants. These air pollutants include solid material known as particulate matter or soot. Due to increased attention on the environment, exhaust emission standards have become more stringent and the amount of particulate matter emitted from an engine is regulated depending on the type of engine, size of engine, and/or class of engine.
One method implemented by engine manufacturers to comply with the regulation of particulate matter exhausted to the environment has been to remove the particulate matter from the exhaust flow of an engine with a device called a particulate trap. A particulate trap is a filter designed to trap particulate matter and typically consists of a wire mesh or ceramic honeycomb medium. However, the use of the particulate trap for extended periods may cause the particulate matter to build up in the medium, thereby reducing the functionality of the filter and subsequent engine performance.
The collected particulate matter may be removed from the filter through a process called regeneration. To initiate regeneration of the filter, the temperature of the particulate matter entrained within the filter must be elevated to a combustion threshold, at which the particulate matter is burned away. One way to elevate the temperature of the particulate matter is to inject fuel into the exhaust flow of the engine and ignite the injected fuel. During the regeneration event, fuel may flow through a supply circuit to the injection nozzle to support combustion of the particulate matter.
After the regeneration event, the supply of fuel is shut off. However, some fuel may remain in the fuel supply circuit and the injection nozzle. This remaining fuel, when subjected to the harsh conditions of the exhaust stream may coke or be partially burned, leaving behind a solid residue that can restrict or even block the injection nozzle and passages of the supply circuit. For this reason, it may be necessary to cool the injection nozzle during and between regeneration events.
One method of cooling an injection nozzle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,386 (the '386 patent) issued to Alary et al. on Nov. 26, 1996. Specifically, the '386 patent discloses high and low powered injectors used to inject fuel into the exhaust flow of a turbine engine. The high and low powered injectors are connected together in series to circulate fuel and coolant. Fuel is directed through an annular cavity leading to the high-powered injector, and then injected into an exhaust flow via a plurality of injection orifices. Fuel is also directed, as a coolant, through a blind bore in the high-powered injector. From the high-powered injector, the coolant is distributed by way of six separate channels to injection orifices of the low-powered injector to be injected into the exhaust flow as a fuel. In this manner, the high-powered injector, when not in use, can be cooled by the fuel flowing to and injected by the low-powered injector.
Although the injection nozzle of '386 patent may benefit somewhat from the cooling process described above, it is designed primarily for high-powered fuel injection associated with a turbine engine. As such, the injection nozzle of the '386 patent may have limited applicability for use in an internal combustion engine, and more specifically, for use in a regeneration device associated with an exhaust flow of an internal combustion engine. In particular, a regeneration device may have little use for dual injectors, or even a single high-powered injector. Moreover, even if the injectors of the '386 patent could be used with a regeneration device, it may be impractical because of the complexity and expense of the design. Furthermore, the use of fuel as a coolant may be problematic for an injector influenced by the high temperatures of an internal combustion engine's exhaust stream. These high temperatures may coke the fuel within the high-powered injector when it is not in use, causing both the coolant and the fuel passages to clog.
The regeneration device of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above.

Regeneration device having cooled injection housing


An electromechanical VVA system for controlling the poppet valves in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine. The system varies valve lift, duration, and phasing in a dependent manner for one or more banks of engine valves. A rocker subassembly for each valve is pivotably disposed in roller bearings on a rocker pivot shaft between the camshaft and a roller follower. A control shaft supports the rocker pivot shaft for controlling a plurality of rocker subassemblies mounted in roller bearings for a plurality of engine cylinders. The control shaft rotates about its axis to displace the rocker pivot shaft and change the angular relationship of the rocker subassembly to the camshaft, thus changing the valve opening, closing, lift and duration. An actuator attached to the control shaft includes a worm gear drive for positively rotating the control shaft.

One of the drawbacks inhibiting the introduction of a gasoline Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignited (HCCI) engine in production has been the lack of a simple, cost effective, and energy-efficient Variable Valvetrain Actuation (VVA) system to vary one or both of the exhaust and intake events. Many electro-hydraulic and electro-mechanical VVA systems have been proposed for gasoline HCCI engines, but while these systems may consume less or equivalent actuation power at low engine speeds, they typically require significantly more power than a conventional fixed-lift and fixed-duration valvetrain system to actuate at mid and upper engine speeds. Moreover, the cost of these systems can approach the cost of an entire conventional engine itself.
As the cost of petroleum continues to rise from increased global demands and limited supplies, the fuel economy benefits of internal combustion engines will become a central issue in their design, manufacture, and use at the consumer level. In high volume production applications, applying a continuously variable valvetrain system to just the intake side of a gasoline engine in an Early Intake Valve Closing (EIVC) strategy can yield fuel economy benefits up to 10% on Federal Test Procedure—USA (FTP) or New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) driving schedules, based on simulations and vehicle testing. HCCI type combustion processes have promised to make the gasoline engine nearly as fuel efficient as a conventional, 4-stroke Diesel engine, yielding gains as high as 15% over conventional (non-VVA) gasoline engines for these same driving schedules. The HCCI engine could become strategically important to the United States and other countries dependent on a gasoline-based transportation economy.
Likewise, the use of a continuously variable valvetrain for both the intake and exhaust sides of a Diesel engine has been identified as a potential means to reduce the size and cost of future exhaust aftertreatment systems and a way to restore a portion of the lost fuel economy that these systems presently impose. By varying the duration of intake lift events, potential Miller cycle-type fuel economy gains are feasible. Also, with VVA on the intake side, the effective compression ratio can be varied to provide a high ratio during startup and a lower ratio for peak fuel efficiency at highway cruise conditions. Without intake side VVA, compression ratios must be compromised in a tradeoff between these two extremes. Exhaust side VVA can improve the torque response of a Diesel engine. Varying exhaust valve opening times can permit faster transitions with the turbocharger, thereby reducing turbo lag. Exhaust VVA can also be used to expand the range of engine operation wherein pulse turbo-charging can be effective. Furthermore, varying exhaust valve opening times can be used to raise exhaust temperatures under light load conditions, significantly improving NOx adsorber efficiencies.
VVA devices for controlling the timing of poppet valves in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine are well known.
For a first example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,809 discloses a Single Shaft Crank Rocker (SSCR) mechanism wherein an engine valve is driven by an oscillatable rocker cam that is actuated by a linkage driven by a rotary eccentric, preferably a rotary cam. The linkage is pivoted on a control member that is in turn pivotable about the axis of the rotary cam and angularly adjustable to vary the orientation of the rocker cam and thereby vary the valve lift and timing. The oscillatable cam is pivoted on the rotational axis of the rotary cam. In the case of an SSCR mechanism, a separate spring is needed to return the oscillating mechanism to its base circle position.
For a second example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,659 discloses a Desmodromic Cam Driven Variable Valve Timing (DCDVVT) mechanism that includes a control shaft and a rocker. A second end of the opening rocker arm is connected to a control member. The rocker carries a first roller for engaging a valve opening cam lobe of an engine camshaft and a second roller for engaging a valve closing cam lobe of an engine camshaft. A link arm is pivotally coupled at a first end thereof to the first end of the opening rocker arm. An output cam is pivotally coupled to the second end of the link arm, and engages a roller of a corresponding cam follower of the engine. Thus, the valve opening and valve closing cam lobes cooperate to provide a positive opening and closing motion of the mechanism. While the engine valve return springs bias the rollers of the cam followers into contact with the output cam lobes, the cooperating valve opening and valve closing cam lobes avoid the need for a separate spring to return the oscillating mechanism to its starting position.
A shortcoming of these two prior art VVA systems is that both the SSCR device and the DCDVVT mechanism include two individual frame structures per each engine cylinder that are somewhat difficult to manufacture.
Another shortcoming is that the frame structures of these mechanisms "hang" from the engine camshaft and thus create a parasitic load.
An additional shortcoming of the SSCR mechanism is its significant reciprocating mass. The input rocker is connected through a link to two output cams that also ride on the input camshaft. Because the mechanism comprises four moving parts per cylinder, it is difficult to provide a return spring stiff enough for high-speed engine operation that can still fit in the available packaging space.
Still another shortcoming is that assembly and large-scale manufacture of such an SSCR device would be difficult at best with its large number of parts and required critical interfaces.
For a third example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,153 discloses a drive system for continuously changing lift characteristics of the charge-cycle valves while the engine is in operation. The drive consists of a housing, a cam, an intermediate element, and a valve-actuating output element. The cam is mounted in the housing, for example, in the cylinder head, in a turning joint and actuates the intermediate element which also is mounted in a turning joint in the housing. The intermediate element is connected to the output element via a cam joint formed at the contact point of the intermediate element, having a base circle portion (stop notch) and a control section, and the output element which may include a follower roller. The output element is also mounted in a turning joint in the housing and transmits motion to a valve stem. A change in valve lift characteristics is effected by changing the position of the intermediate element turning point or the output element turning joint via an eccentric element in the housing for either the intermediate element or the output element.
In the third example, while no indication is provided of a practical structure for implementing this arrangement, significant manufacturing and control complexity would exist in providing for, and controlling the action of, eccentric control shafts for both the intermediate and output elements.
What is needed in the art is a simplified VVA mechanism that is not mounted on the engine camshaft, is easy to manufacture and assemble, requires only a single angular control element, and requires minimal packaging space in an engine envelope.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide variable opening timing, closing timing, and lift amplitude in a bank of engine intake and/or exhaust valves.
It is a further object of the invention to simplify the manufacture and assembly of a VVA system for such variable opening, closing, and lift.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide such a system which is not parasitic on the engine camshaft.

System for variable valvetrain actuation


Inter-alia, a method is disclosed comprising: determining or triggering a determination of a coarse position estimate based on GNSS-based and/or non-GNSS-based positioning; obtaining user input information indicative of one or more inputs a user has entered into a mobile device; analyzing the user input information for forming one or more pieces of location indication information; comparing the coarse position estimate with the one or more pieces of location indication information; and in case a respective location indication information matches or is in the vicinity of the coarse position estimate: determining a position estimate to represent or comprise the position of the respective location indication information. It is further disclosed an according apparatus, computer program and system.

Modern global cellular (GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), WDCMA (Wideband CDMA), TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous CDMA), LTE (Longterm Evolution), LTE-A (LTE Advanced), NB-IoT (NarrowBand-Internet-of-Things)) and non-cellular (primarily WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), but also BT (Bluetooth), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), ZigBee, LoRa, to name but a few non-limiting examples) positioning technologies are based on collecting large global databases containing information on the cellular and non-cellular signals. A large portion of the data typically originates from the users of these positioning technologies.
The data from the users is typically in the form of fingerprints respectively fingerprint information. Such fingerprints contain GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)-based or WLAN-based position estimate and measurements taken from the radio interfaces (cellular, non-cellular).
The measurements contain e.g.:                Global and/or Local IDs of the cellular network cells observed, and, optionally,                    signal strength and/or pathloss estimates;            timing measurements (Timing Advance or Round-Trip Time).                        BSSIDs (Basic Service Set Identifiers) (MAC (Medium Access Control) address of the air interface) of the WLAN access points observed and, optionally,                    SSIDs (Service Set Identifiers);            signal strengths (RSSI (received signal strength index), physical Rx level in dBm ref 1 mW, etc.)            timing measurements (Round-trip Time).
This data gets uploaded to the server or server cloud, where generating of models of wireless communication nodes for positioning purposes based on the fingerprints received from the multitude of the users takes place. Such models may be coverage areas, node positions, radio propagation models, Rx fields, etc. In the end, these models are transferred back to the user terminals for use in position determination.
Although the end user terminal has GNSS-capability, the end user can still benefit from using cellular/non-cellular positioning technologies in terms of time-to-first-fix and power consumption. Also, not all applications require highly accurate GNSS-based position (e.g. for local weather application it suffices to use cell-based location estimate). Also, cellular/non-cellular positioning technologies work indoors and in urban canyons, which are generally challenging environments for GNSS-based technologies.
The positioning can function in two modes. The first mode is the terminal-assisted mode, in which the terminal performs the measurements of the cellular and/or non-cellular air interface, provides the measurements to the remote server, which in turn provides the position estimate back to the device.
The second mode is the terminal-based mode, in which the device has a local copy of the radio map (or most likely, a subset of the global radio map). Such a subset can be downloaded by the device from a remote server for the (geographic) area of interest (e.g. a small area around the current location, or for a whole country, to name but a few non-limiting examples) out of a global radio map comprised a plurality of such subsets. Such a subset can further be pre-installed to the device in the factory, but even in that case the data needs to be refreshed at some point.
It is known for resolving location indoors to rely on fusion of GPS (Global Positioning System) and sensor data. These solutions extend location estimation to GNSS-denied areas based on the sensor data. Other approaches rely on probes collected outdoors, in order to localize probes located indoors (probes collected outdoors and indoors contain same WiFi access point(s) and can, thus, be related to each other.

Enhancing the accuracy for device localization


A method of manufacturing a waveguide includes forming two waveguide units, each waveguide unit having a channel defined by a bottom wall and two side walls generally transverse to the bottom wall, flanges extending from the side walls, outside the groove, transverse to the side walls and generally parallel to the bottom wall, the flanges including though holes; joining the two waveguide units to each other so that the flanges of a first of the waveguide units abut the flanges of a second of the waveguide units, with the grooves forming a channel for guiding waves; and, by insert molding, forming a thermoplastic resin cover that fills the through holes in the flanges and covers both of the first and second waveguide units, at least partially.

Though it was common to make the microwave waveguides with metal, recently, they have also been made of resins.
FIG. 7 shows a prior art waveguide made of a resin (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-104615). This prior art waveguide is manufactured as follows. That is, a base 101 is made of a thermoplastic and, this base 101 has a U-shaped hollow-space 100. Moreover, a cover 103 is also made of a thermoplastic and this cover 103 also has a U-shaped hollow-space 102. The base 101 and the cover 103 are bonded with an epoxy adhesive to form a waveguide 104. A layer of copper is formed on the inner surface of the waveguide 104 by electroless-plating.
In the prior art waveguide, floatings and steps are generated in the base 101 and the cover 103. In other words, the adhesive strength of the adhesive is not sufficient to keep the base 101 and the cover 103 together. To solve this problem and to more tightly hold the base 101 and the cover 103 together, taking into consideration that the waveguide is used in antennas that are installed outdoor and are required to withstand adverse conditions, nuts and bolts (or screws) are provided that hold the base 101 and the cover 103. However, the nuts and bolts make the assembly of the waveguide troublesome.
To correct form errors of a groove (the hollow space) for a waveguide, and deformations of the groove caused by assembling of waveguide units, it is required to adjust a space volume in the inner faces of the groove by using a large number of screws.
It is an object of this invention to produce a waveguide that is easy to assemble, has stronger fastening force between waveguide units, and is air-tight.
It is another object of the present invention to produce a waveguide in which form errors of the groove for the waveguide are fewer, and that can be more efficiently manufactured.


A coin escalator assembly has coin guide plates adjustably mounted in slots. Slots positioned in the upper end of the escalator assembly allow the coin guide plates to be adjusted for variation in coin diameter. By making the escalator assembly adjustable, within a predetermined range, a single escalator may be used to cover a range of coin sizes.

This invention relates generally to coin and token handling in gaming devices that dispense coins or tokens as winnings. The present invention relates more specifically to an improved escalator assembly for transporting coins or tokens from a payout hopper in a gaming device to a payout trough positioned above the hopper on the device. By making the escalator assembly adjustable to accommodate a predetermined range of diameters of coins or tokens, a single escalator may be used.
In many gaming devices, it is desirable to provide transfer of coins from a collection hopper to a coin cup which is elevated with respect to the hopper via an escalator. The use of an escalator as a conveyor to transport coins in a generally vertical, upward direction is a known industry method.
Driving members within a coin hopper feed coins from the hopper into a lower end of the escalator in a single, edge-to-edge orientation. Coins are pushed through the escalator by the driving members within the hopper. The coins are discharged at the outlet end of the escalator into a payout trough. In certain gaming devices of the type described herein, coin guides placed near the outlet end of the escalator direct coins into the payout trough.
A counting device is positioned near the outlet slot to count the number of coins ejected during a payout. When the counter reaches the number of coins to be ejected, no more coins are fed into the channel by the hopper. In one such counting device, a roller arm is positioned in the coin path such that its movement by a passing coin causes actuation of a switch to signal a coin count. Due to the nature of the industry, an exact number of coins must be dispensed at each payout.
Due to variations in diameters of coins used by various gaming devices, the stack height of coins within an escalator can vary considerably. This variation in stack height can result in counting errors and consequently overpays or underpays during a coin payout.
One solution to this problem is to provide a custom escalator for specific coin diameters. This solution requires increased costs and overhead expenses because, to assure timely delivery of customer orders, a sufficient quantity of each custom escalator would need to be forecast, scheduled and maintained in inventory.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved coin escalator assembly whereby these disadvantages of the prior art are overcome.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved coin escalator assembly, whereby a single adjustable escalator may be used to accommodate a range of coin diameters.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved coin escalator assembly for preventing counting errors of coins or the like during a payout.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coin escalator assembly which is both accurate and simpler than existing techniques.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the remaining portion of the specification.