A circuit and method of cathodically protecting ferrous metal structures such as pipelines or well casings is described disposed in a conductive medium such as the ground. A pair of terminals are connected to an anode spaced from the structure and to the structure. A source of d.c. voltage is periodically connected across the terminal to cause current to flow to the anode and provide electrons at the surface of the structure to inhibit ferrous molecules from going into solution and damaging the integrity of the structure. The current flow due to the induced emf caused by the reactive inductions of the anode/cathode system is limited to inhibit damage to neighboring ferrous structures by providing a high impedance, e.g. an open circuit, between the input terminals during all or part of the time that the d.c. source is not supplying current to the anode/cathode load.

a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the cathodic protection of a structure such as a pipeline, well casing etc. and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing a pulsed d.c. voltage and current to the structure.
b. Description of the Prior Art
The use of cathodic protection to prevent corrosion is well established for the protection of metal structures, such as well casings and pipe lines, that are buried in conductive soils. Cathodic protection is also used for the protection of inner surfaces of tanks which contain corrosive solutions, as well as for the protection of subplatforms, and other offshore metal structures. It is well established that the cathodic protection can be accomplished either by the use of sacrificial anodes electrically grounded to the structure to be protected, or by the application of low voltage direct current from a power source. In the latter method steady direct current, half or full wave rectified current, and pulsed direct current have all been used.
It has been well established that, when a cathodic protection current is applied to a circuit including the structure (cathode) to be protected and its associated anode, a layer of charge is formed at approximately 100 A. from the surface of the structure. This layer of charge is called a taffel double layer. This layer acts as a capacitor in series with the anode-cathode circuit.
The structure to be protected, such as a pipeline or well casing, the anode and the leads connecting such elements to the voltage source act as an inductive (as well as a resistive) load to the current flow. The soil between the anode and the structure also provides a resistive load of less than one to several ohms.
In the absence of a cathodic protection system the soil or other conductive corrosive medium to which a ferrous metal structure such as a steel pipeline is exposed will cause an adverse chemical reaction in which ferrous or iron molecules pass into solution as positive ions by surrendering electrons to the structure. Hydrogen ions in the solution will accept the free electrons and form a gas e.g. H.sub.2 adjacent to the surface of the structure. Oxygen molecules and certain other substances, if present in the solution, will also accept the electrons. This action results in a loss of iron in the structure with a consequent degradation of structural integrity.
Direct current cathodic protection systems prevent (or inhibit) the iron molecules from passing into solution by providing an exterior source of free electrons to the structure. The electrons supplied by the cathodic protection systems reduce any oxygen molecules and/or hydrogen ions present at the surface of the structure. The iron molecules are inhibited from going into solution, because the hydrogen ion and oxygen molecule receptors for the iron molecule electrons have been reduced by the cathodic protection system electrons. As a general rule, the greater the amount of current (accumulated electrons per unit of time) that is supplied by the cathodic protection system, the greater will be the area of structure protected.
A typical steady state 15 volt and 15 ampere d.c. cathodic protection system offers good protection but provides only a limited umbrella of protection or throw along the structure such as a pipeline to be protected. Such steady state systems thus require a considerable number of protection stations for a given length of the structure or pipe to be protected. Increasing the amount of current supplied by increasing the voltage, will increase the throw. The average current must, however, be limited such that an excess of hydrogen gas is not generated at the point of application of the cathodic protection system. An excess of hydrogen may cause damage to protective coatings. Excess hydrogen will also permeate the pipe wall, causing certain pipe materials to crack or rupture.
It has been shown that a pulsed d.c. voltage source having an output of the order of 100-300 volts for 5-100 microseconds (".mu.s") with a duty cycle of the order of 10% provides a much greater coverage (or throw) per station e.g. one station every few miles of pipeline. Such pulsed systems have been considered to be particularly effective because, although the average current is still in the order of magnitude of 15 amperes, the peak current, which is flowing for a sufficient length of time to cause the protective reactions to take place, will be typically as high as 300 amperes. The pulsed d.c. systems also cause a greater redistribution of the current along the structure, such as a pipeline, because of the inductive and capacitive reactance of the anode and structure system.
A major problem which occurs in the prior art cathodic protection systems is the stray current interference of the systems when two or more structures are located adjacent or near each other. This problem is best illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings where reference numeral 10 designates a pulsed d.c. source such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,612,898 and 3,692,650 of which I am named as a co-inventor. The d.c. source is connected across a positive terminal 12 and a negative terminal 14 which terminals are in turn connected by appropriate leads to an anode device 16 and the structure to be protected such as a pipeline 18 which acts as the cathode. The anode device generally consists of several discrete metal cylinders connected in parallel and spaced from each other in one or more holes extending several hundred feet below ground level. A diode 20 is connected across the positive and negative terminals to allow the current induced by the emf resulting from inductive reactance of the anode-cathode load at the end of the voltage pulse to pass freely from the negative to the positive terminal. This arrangement prevents the negative terminal 14 from going positive with respect to the terminal 16 (except for the very small diode breakdown voltage) and thus protects the voltage source from a reverse voltage spike. However, the arrangement allows current (represented by waveform I.sub.1 in FIG. 1) to continue to flow in the load for a considerable time after the termination of the voltage pulse (represented by waveform V.sub.1 in FIG. 1).
Pulsed current flowing in the anode/cathode circuit or load, although less than with steady state systems, may adversely affect neighboring ferrous metal or steel structures (e.g. the pipeline 22 of FIG. 1) which intersect the anode electric field and pass near the protected structure. For example, current will flow from an area 23 of the pipeline 22 to a point 24 located opposite (and nearest) the protected pipeline 18. At point 24 iron molecules will surrender electrons to the pipe 22 to satisfy the current demand and go into solution. As a result a hole will be formed at point 24 taking the pipeline 22 out of service until an appropriate repair is made.
A sacrificial anode may be placed on the pipeline 22 near the point 24 or the two pipelines may be connected by a conductive wire to prevent the perforation of the metal. However, sacrificial anodes must be replaced and a wire connection between the structures will reduce the area of protection for pipeline 18 (and perhaps pipeline 22) and create additional problems in the event that the protection system for either pipeline is inactivated. The liability problems resulting from damage to neighboring pipelines can be very significant.
There is a need to reduce or eliminate the current flow due to the inductive reactance in a pulsed d.c. cathodic protection systems to thereby minimize any adverse affects on neighboring ferrous metal structures.


Provided with an endoscope device configured to measure a specimen using a pattern projection image of the specimen on which a light and shade pattern of light is projected, includes: an imaging unit configured to acquire an image of the specimen; an illumination unit having a first light source configured to emit illumination light to illuminate an observation field of vision of the imaging unit; a pattern projection unit having a second light source configured to emit projection light to project the light and shade pattern on the specimen; a display unit configured to display the image acquired by the imaging unit; and a control unit configured to control the imaging unit, the illumination unit, the pattern projection unit, and the display unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an endoscope device and a measurement method, and more particularly, to an endoscope device configured to project a pattern such as stripes or the like on a specimen and measure a 3-dimensional shape of a surface of the specimen, and a method of measuring a 3-dimensional shape of a specimen using the endoscope device.
Description of the Related Art
In the related art, in order to inspect a specimen, an endoscope including a long insertion unit and having an observation unit such as an optical system, an imaging device, or the like, installed at a tip of the insertion unit is used. In such endoscopes, an endoscope device configured to acquire a plurality of stripe images formed by projecting a stripe pattern on a specimen while deviating a phase of the stripe pattern and calculate a 3-dimensional shape of the specimen by a known phase shift method using the plurality of stripe images is already known. For example, US Patent Application, Publication No. 2009/0225321 discloses an endoscope device having two projection windows configured to project stripes and installed at a tip surface of an insertion unit.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Endoscope device, and measurement method


The present invention describes a display system that includes a display, including a display screen; a viewpoint assessment component to determine a viewpoint of a user positioned in front the display screen; and an object tracking component to track the user manipulation of an object positioned behind the display screen.

Sensing technologies are available which make it possible to manipulate computer generated content via simple gestures in front of a display screen. Also, display technologies are available that allow a user to view the computer generated content in 3 dimensions (3D). Current display systems with gesture based control systems are often problematic in that the user's hands tend to block the user's view of the content being manipulated on the display screen.
The drawings referred to in this Brief Description should not be understood as being drawn to scale unless specifically noted.

Augmented reality display system and method of display

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An error detection circuit detects single bit errors in arrays containing information encoded in 2B format. The circuit checks for any error where a single bit has been corrupted and detects some types of multiple bit corruptions.

As transistor sizes continue to decrease with each process technology improvement, circuits based on these smaller transistors become increasingly susceptible to a phenomenon known as soft errors. The term soft error describes a situation where the circuit environment is disrupted on a local level due to the introduction of a spurious charged particle from sources external to the circuit in question. Generally speaking, this problem will occur when an alpha particle strikes a portion of a circuit after passing through the protective packaging of the chip and other protective materials covering an active circuit area. Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely eliminate the possibility that a soft error may occur. It is, however, possible, through circuit techniques, to greatly reduce the statistical likelihood that a soft error will occur within some length of time. By using design techniques to reduce the probability of soft errors while also including a circuit that will provide soft error detection, the problems associated with these random circuit failures can be minimized. In the present invention, a circuit is provided for performing the task of determining whether information corruption has occurred when this information has been stored in an array using a 2B encoded format to be described herein.
It is statistically unlikely that any single circuit (i.e., one SRAM cell) will be subject to a soft error within the time period of a few years. However, it can be mathematically established that within some large group of circuits (that might be implemented on a contemporary microprocessor), a minimum of one soft error will occur within the time period of several years (for a transistor process technology that would be considered current state-of-the-art). A practical example of this situation is any array of SRAM memory cells. It is very likely that one or more cells within an array of ten thousand SRAM cells being changed due to a soft error condition over a long period of continuous device operation will occur. From the standpoint of the microprocessor in which these soft errors are occurring, the result of the soft error can vary in effect, from a simple data corruption that has little or no impact, to a major problem resulting in a significant change in the microprocessor's operating characteristics. Based on the probabilities described, it can be seen that soft errors must be anticipated and that their impact can be significant.
The process of detecting memory corruption may be dependent on the format of the data being stored in the array. One such format is the 2B encoded format. What is needed is an error detection circuit for detecting an error in information in 2B encoded format.

Error detection circuit using two bit to four bit encoder

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided is a method for enabling accurate and consistent imaging of selected colors within a document for various printing device configurations utilizing an automated spot color editor. The method includes determining appropriate target values for a selected color within a print job. The automated spot color editor modifies or adjusts the selected color by selecting a quality level, in the form of a color difference metric, and a maximum number of iterations, which is the maximum number of times the automated spot color editor is operated to calculate a CMYK color formula. Sample patch(es) are printed and analyzed for the selected target value and a CMYK color formula based on the color composition of the sample patch is calculated. The CMYK color formula is inserted into a spot color editing table. Through a graphical user interface, an operator may review the color formula for acceptance.

This disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for color management in image/text printing or display systems, and more particularly to a system and method for automatically achieving spot color production with consistency and accuracy for a variety of printer configurations.
To meet customer demand, the commercial printing industry requires the capability of producing spot colors accurately and consistently. Spot colors can be defined as a fixed set of colors which may be Pantone® colors, customer logo colors, colors in a customer's proprietary marked patterns, or customer defined colors in the form of an index color table. Spot colors are often used, or can be used, for large background areas, which may be the most color critical portion of a particular page. Consistent color in these areas may determine the difference between success or failure in meeting customer requirements.
A goal of the disclosed system and method is to transform the current production print practice by providing an automated approach to the printing of spot colors. Because imaging can occur over a variety of different printing systems and practiced by a variety of different clients and customers, the colors may not always be consistent or accurate. Existing spot color editors utilize a manual approach to the adjustment of CMYK combinations of spot colors prior to raster image processing (RIPing). For example, the document creator may select a Pantone® color for application in specific areas through a user interface on a printing device or computer monitor, such as that available on the Xerox® DocuSP® Controller. The Pantone-provided CMYK combination for the selected printer is obtained from a look-up table. Prior to RIPing the document in the printer, the operator has the option of entering a spot color editor function and specifying an alternative CMYK combination to achieve the desired color. The document is then RIPed and then printed using the spot color editor combinations where specified, and Pantone combinations otherwise.
This workflow presents various problems, among which is operator error associated with manual adjustments of the CMYK combinations; modifications to the CMYK values may result in more variability from machine to machine. Also, the manually-adjusted CMYK values may require more iterations to achieve the desired color. Due to the manual adjustments it may be difficult for customers to achieve the correct CMYK combinations even after repeated trials. Consequently, a customer has no assurance that the print shop that has been chosen to produce a job can reliably produce the colors as intended, unless every print job is reviewed by a well trained expert who is very familiar with all the capabilities of a given print shop.
All U.S. patents and published U.S. patent applications cited herein are fully incorporated by reference. The following patents or publications are noted:
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0093684 to Bares et al. ("Accurate Printing of Proprietary Mark Patterns and Colors") describes a printing system that provides a dictionary of recognizable patterns and defined colors corresponding to proprietary marks and selected colors. The dictionary is linked to a user interface on which a user may designate a location within a document and one or more of the proprietary marks with defined colors from an accessible menu. A processor associates the defined colors with the image at the specified location and generates a printer signal representative of the colors and image. Alternatively, the processor may include a pattern recognizer for identifying recognizable patterns within a document. Those patterns having a likeness to defined patterns within the pattern dictionary can be converted to the defined patterns for display or imaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,469 to Mestha ("Dynamic Device Independent Image Correction Method and Apparatus") describes a method of controlling color drift between a desired image and an output image as obtained by a marking device and intended to match the desired image. The method includes detecting a current output color in the output image with a color sensing device, determining a difference between the current output color in the output image and a corresponding color in the desired image, and automatically setting a next output color in the output image equal to a corrected color that minimizes the difference between the next output color and the corresponding color in the output image.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,007 to Harrington ("Method for Continuous Incremental Color Calibration for Color Document Output Terminals") teaches a method for continuously upgrading the color calibration for an electrophotographic printer using a color transform look up table stored in memory. A single or small number of color patch samples is printed at regular intervals during the use of the printing machine. The color patches are sensed and a determination made as to the difference between the sensed color and the desired color. A corrective color calibration value is determined for the sensed patch and a correction is made for that color in the printer memory. The process is repeated to assure that all of the colors within the gamut of the machine are continuously updated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,531 to Mestha et al. ("Color Adjustment Apparatus and Method") teaches an apparatus for providing consistent output across a plurality of different hard copy output devices which may be included in a system having an image data source and a hard copy output device. The image data source supplies image data to a printable image data adjusting apparatus. The image data supplied may be in a device-dependent color space or a device-independent color space. For image data in a device-dependent color space, the adjusting apparatus first converts the image data into device-independent image data and stores it in memory as target image data. If the image data is already device-independent, the image data are stored in the memory of the adjusting apparatus as target image data. The printable image data adjusting apparatus then uses the target image data to generate printable image data. The hard copy output device uses the printable image data to generate a hard copy image. The hard copy image is then passed within the optical field of a sensor that detects device-independent image data values of the hard copy image. The detected device-independent image data values are then compared against the target image data to generate color adjustment factors. The color adjustment factors are used to produce a hard copy image having detected device-independent image data values that more closely represent the target image data.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,164 to Viturro et al. ("Method for Calibrating a Marking System to Maintain Color Output Consistency Across Multiple Printers") teaches a method for maintaining consistent color output across printers even when the inline sensors have differences in accuracy due to various technical and environmental factors. A spectrophotometer is used to measure the color quality of printed references. Adjustments are then iteratively made until reference charts of desired color quality are obtained. The printed reference allows one to achieve relatively high system performance by removing sensor inaccuracies. Using the printed reference measured by the inline sensor, control systems of each machine are calibrated. At customer sites and at suitable intervals, a reference document can be read using the inline sensor on a reference machine and any differences from expected values can be calibrated out.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0030560 to Maltz et al. ("Methods and Systems for Controlling Out-of-gamut Memory and Index Colors") describes methods and systems in an image processing device for controlling colors that are located external to a gamut. A plurality of color values can be automatically provided as input to said image processing device, wherein the image processing device is under the control of a particular dimensional order, typically a three-dimensional order, but alternatively can be a two-dimensional order. An operation can then be performed dynamically determining which color value among the plurality of color values has attained a gamut limit. Thereafter, the particular dimensional order can be automatically reduced, providing improved control for colors that are located external to the gamut. The plurality of color values analyzed is generally associated with three colors: cyan, magenta, and yellow.
The disclosed embodiments provide examples of improved solutions to the problems noted in the above Background discussion and the art cited therein. There is shown in these examples an improved method for enabling accurate and consistent imaging of selected colors within a document for various printing device configurations utilizing an automated spot color editor. The method includes determining appropriate target values for a selected color within a print job. The selected color may be described as being within a color space such as reflectance spectra, L*a*b*, XYZ, LHC, CMYK, RGB, sRGB, parameters describing color or a color number. The automated spot color editor modifies or adjusts the selected color by selecting a quality level, in the form of a color difference metric, and a maximum number of iterations, which is the maximum number of times the automated spot color editor is operated to calculate a CMYK color formula. Sample patch(es) are printed and analyzed for the selected target value and a CMYK color formula based on the color composition of the sample patch is calculated. The CMYK color formula is inserted into a spot color editing table. Through a graphical user interface, an operator may review the color formula for acceptance.
In an alternate embodiment there is disclosed a system for utilizing an automated spot color editor for enabling accurate and consistent imaging of selected colors within a document for various printing device configurations. The spot color editor determines appropriate target values for a selected color within a print job. The selected color exists within a color space, which may include reflectance spectra, L*a*b*, XYZ, LHC, CMYK, RGB, sRGB, parameters describing color or a color number. To modify or adjust the selected color, the spot color editor selects a quality level in the form of a color difference metric and a maximum number of iterations to be performed to calculate a CMYK color formula. A sample patch for the selected target value is printed and the color composition of the sample patch is analyzed. After a CMYK color formula based on the color composition of the sample patch is calculated, the CMYK color formula is inserted into a spot color editing table. An operator may indicate acceptance of the color formula through a graphical user interface.
In yet another embodiment there is disclosed a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium which, when the program code is executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform method steps for enabling accurate and consistent imaging of selected colors within a document for various printing device configurations utilizing an automated spot color editor. The method includes determining appropriate target values for a selected color within a print job. The selected color may be described as being within a color space such as reflectance spectra, L*a*b*, XYZ, LHC, CMYK, RGB, sRGB, parameters describing color or a color number. The automated spot color editor modifies or adjusts the selected color by selecting a quality level, in the form of a color difference metric, and a maximum number of iterations, which is the maximum number of times the automated spot color editor is operated to calculate a CMYK color formula. Sample patch(es) are printed and analyzed for the selected target value and a CMYK color formula based on the color composition of the sample patch is calculated. The CMYK color formula is inserted into a spot color editing table. Through a graphical user interface, an operator may review the color formula for acceptance.

System and method for automated spot color editor


A long, wide, and low-profile mono-hull vessel able to meet the requirements for an efficient, rapid, and reliable inland waterway container transport system. A shallow draft container carrier may comprise a self-propelled semi-monocoque mono-hull vessel having a double radius ogive bow and octet truss space frame structure. Additional features such as a forward bridge, full beam stern, and distributed electric propulsion system elements may be included. The design provides a vessel that is large, strong, ridged, and fast, able to operate in shallow water, resistant to debris accumulation, with large cargo capacity and low wind load, and potentially with zero-turn radius capability. The aspect ratio provides high capacity with high speed, low drag and fuel-efficient hull form. Integral bow and stern thrusters may provide enhanced safety, control, speed, maneuverability, and zero-turn radius capability. An electric propulsion system combined with traction motors and full beam stern layout may provide greater power while maintaining shallow draft operating capability and flexibility in cargo hold design.

Container carriers, which may also be referred to as container ships, are cargo ships that carry their load using standardized containers. The approach of carrying cargo within a standardized container may be referred to as containerization. Containerization is a system of intermodal cargo transport using standardized containers that may be accommodated by container carriers, railroad cars, and trucks. The capacity of a container carrier may be measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). It is to be appreciated that container carriers are a popular mode for transporting non-bulk cargo. In fact, a majority of non-bulk cargo is transported by container carriers.
Some factors that may hinder the travel of a vessel along inland waterways currently available include, but are not limited to, shoals and sand bars, low water stand, ice flow, and locks and dams. For example, the controlling depth to gain access to the main channel of the Mississippi River is presently about forty-five feet. There are currently plans to dredge the Southwest Pass, which is one of the channels at the mouth of the Mississippi River, to a depth of about fifty-five feet. However, even if the controlling depth of the Southwest Pass is increased, navigation may still be restricted. Specifically, the controlling depth of the entire Mississippi River inland waterway system is twelve feet. This depth becomes more critical during periods of low water runoff such as, for example, the annual seasonal variation in water runoff during late summer and early fall, or during a draught, at which times the Army Corp of Engineers has a mandate to maintain the main channel at 12 feet. It should be appreciated that the channel depth of the Mississippi River above Baton Rouge shallows considerably. Thus, ocean-going vessels typically do not navigate above this point along the Mississippi River System.
There is an ever-growing demand for container-based cargo transport considering the increases in fuel costs, the advances in intermodal containerization technology, the efficiency of water transport, and the convenience and security of segregated point to point containerized cargo delivery. However, legacy barge and tow assets do not adapt well to the speed and efficiency required of the ever-changing intermodal container system of commerce. Furthermore, many vessels currently available may not be able to provide the volume capacity, speed, efficiency, and reliability required for a dedicated container distribution network. Thus, there is a need for a container carrier that includes enhanced volume capacity, is more fuel and labor efficient than competing modes of transportation, and can navigate shallow waterways at speed.


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for estimating, based on data collected from multiple types of data sources, the locations of cell towers. A first source is ranked relative to a second source based on the associated accuracy of each source with respect to estimating the location of a cell tower. Data collected from the higher-ranking source is used to identify estimated locations for cell towers from which such data has been collected. Data collected from the lower-ranking source is thereafter used to identify estimated locations for cell towers from which such data has been collected, to the extent that an estimated location for the cell tower has not already been identified via the data collected from the higher-ranking source. In an example method, the higher-ranking source is associated with RF Layer 3 data and/or messages, and the lower-ranking source is associated with RF Layer 1 data and/or messages.

Wireless networks include cell towers to facilitate communications to and from wireless devices (e.g., cellular phones) operating within a network. The geographic distribution of the cell towers defines a coverage area of the wireless network of a service provider (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, etc.). Accordingly, the respective locations of the cell towers can impact the extent of coverage that subscribers to the network may experience. For example, an adequate number of cell towers distributed throughout an area generally provides for seamless communication by subscribers. However, if the distribution of the cell towers in an area is inadequate, subscribers may experience poor signal quality, dropped calls, and/or may not be able to connect to the wireless network at all.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.

Methods and apparatus for cell tower location estimation using multiple types of data sources


A method for processing an elastomer comprising mixing 100 parts by weight of an elastomer having olefinic unsaturation with from 0.05 to 10 phr of a hydrated zinc-sodium thiosulfate. The hydrated zinc-sodium thiosulfate may be used in place of in whole or in part for conventional adhesion promoting cobalt compounds.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,052 discloses a method for increasing the rate of vulcanization of a sulfur vulcanizable rubber by using a hydrated thiosulfate. Specific examples of hydrated thiosulfates include BaS.sub.2 O.sub.3.H.sub.2 O, K.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.3. 1.5 H.sub.2 O, CaS.sub.2 O.sub.3.6H.sub.2 O, MgS.sub.2 O.sub.3.6H.sub.2 O, NiS.sub.2 O.sub.3.6H.sub.2 O, CoS.sub.2 O.sub.3.6H.sub.2 O, SrS.sub.2 O.sub.3.5H.sub.2 O, Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.3.5H.sub.2 O, MnS.sub.2 O.sub.3.5H.sub.2 O, Li.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.3.3H.sub.2 O and CdS.sub.2 O.sub.3.2H.sub.2 O.
EP 765903-A2 discloses an adherent rubber composition for steel cord containing 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of an inorganic salt hydrate. Representative examples of inorganic salt hydrates include NiSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, CoSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, CaSO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O, ZnSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O, MgSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O and Na.sub.2 S.9H.sub.2 O.

Rubber composition containing hydrated zinc-sodium thiosulfate


A horizontal locking case lock includes a coupler fastened to a case and a lock with a housing surface latchable horizontally by the coupler for locking. The coupler includes at least a first wedge portion and at least one latch trough. The lock contains a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism drives and controls movement of a first retainer to further drive a second retainer to force a steel ball into or out of the latch trough, thereby control locking or unlocking of the coupler and the lock. Such a structure can safely lock the case at a public location to avert hitting and pilferage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a horizontal locking case lock and particularly to a case lock adaptable for locking a case such as a tool kit, repairs box, luggage or the like at a public location to avert hitting and pilferage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional took kits, repairs boxes, travel luggage often are being moved and held at public locations. While some of those cases have a built-in lock to prevent unauthorized opening, they still have other issues remained to be overcome. And the owners of the cases do not always staying nearby to watch out. For instance, repairs and maintenance people often leave their tool kits at one spot while carrying needed tools to a remote location to do repairs and maintenance work. The tool kits remained behind could easily be taken away by some other people. Another instance often happens to travelers who leave their luggage at the waiting room or station concourse while going to lavatory. If the luggage is not being fastened to a certain fixed object (such as a chair), it is easily stolen.
Please refer to FIG. 1 for a conventional simple lock 81 which is usually inserted vertically into a latch bore 821 of a shell 82, or FIG. 2, with a padlock 91 latching the junction of two zipper heads 93 of a luggage 92. Either way has the lock conspicuously jutting outside the locking object (such as the shell 82, luggage 92 or the like). The latch bore 821 (or zipper heads 93) is easily skewed and deformed, or damaged by twisting and results in difficulty in opening. All this creates a lot of troubles for users.


The invention is directed to a hydraulic actuated pump system which lifts production fluids and re-circulating hydraulic fluid from a petroleum well. Additives may be added to the hydraulic fluid to apply direct chemical treatment to the production formation. A sonic stimulator may be included to stimulate and produce the same liquids from the horizontal section of the well.

Within a petroleum producing well, the production string forms the primary conduit through which production fluids (liquids, gases, or any fluid produced from a wellbore) are produced to the surface. The production string is typically assembled with production tubing and completion components in a configuration that suits the wellbore conditions and the production method. Oil wells typically vary from a few hundred to several thousand feet in depth, and there is often insufficient formation pressure to cause the flow of production fluids through the production string to the surface.
Several prior art systems involving different pumping and extraction devices have been developed for the surface transfer of production fluids from a well. Downhole hydraulic pumps installed deep within the well are commonly used. A surface hydraulic pump pressurizes power oil which drives the downhole pump. When a single production string is used, the power oil is pumped down the tubing and a mixture of the formation crude oil and power oil are produced through the casing-tubing annulus. If two production strings are used, the power oil is pumped through one of the pipes, and the mixture of formation crude oil and power oil are produced in the other, parallel pipe.
Prior art artificial lift systems include for example, the progressive cavity pump and plunger lift, both of which are installed on jointed or continuous rods; electric submersible pumps; gear pumps installable on tubing and powered by downhole electric or hydraulic motors; and the venturi lift which is run on coiled tubing but is not a total production system. However, such systems tend to be complex and/or of substantial size and weight, requiring significant structural support elements at the wellhead which increase the expense of the overall system.


An image sensor may have on-board circuits for detecting defective pixels. In one embodiment of the present invention, high and low values may be determined for pixel intensities. Those pixels that produce intensity values that fall above or below these high and low values respectively, may be determined to be defective during the pixel readout process. In addition, spatial defects may be determined for rows and/or columns. By determining point and/or spatial defects during the pixel readout process, for example using circuitry containing on the image sensor itself, significant economies may achieved in the pixel manufacturing process.

This invention relates generally to detecting defective cells in sensors including image sensors used in digital cameras, scanners and other electronic devices.
Referring to FIG. 1, a common digital image processing system includes a camera 100, a computer 102 coupled to the camera 100 by a communication link 104, and a display unit 106. The communication link 104 may be a serial bus such as the universal serial bus (USB). The display unit 106 may be any convenient display device such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD).
The camera 100 may use the imager 108 to generate an electrical representation of an optical image 110. To accomplish this, the imager 108 may include a sensor having an array of photon sensing elements. During an integration time or interval, each sensor element accumulates light energy from that portion of optical image 110 that is focused on it by camera 100 optics (not shown in FIG. 1). At the expiration of the integration interval, sensor elements indicate the intensity of the received light energy by, for example, an analog voltage signal. Camera 100 typically processes the indications from sensor elements to form a frame of digital data which may then be stored in memory internal to the camera 100 (not shown in FIG. 1), and/or transferred to the computer 102.
Image sensors are subject to defective pixels. However, because of the large number of pixels in image sensors, the fact that a few pixels are defective may not mean that the image sensor must be discarded. Instead, different manufacturers have quality standards which dictate that when the number of defective pixels exceeds a given number, then and only then, must the image sensor be discarded. These defective pixel numbers generally correspond to a number which adversely affects the quality of the image captured by the image sensor.
Generally, the pixel output signal is in the form of an intensity indication. A tester may determine whether the indicated pixel levels correspond to the expected intensities of the pixel. If not the pixel may be judged to be defective.
In addition to pixels that are deemed defective by virtue of their indicated intensity values, another type of defect which may affect the quality of an image sensor is a spatial defect. Basically, spatial defects are defects that arise due to the close proximity of two defective pixels. If two defective pixels are sufficiently close to one another, their combined effect may be additive. Thus, in addition to counting actually defective pixels, many image sensors are analyzed based on spatial defects. When the number of spatial defects and the number of pixel defects exceed a desired maximum, the image sensor may be considered unsuitable and may be discarded.
Image sensor test systems may capture a frame and then algorithmically determine which pixels are defective. The test system may be plugged into the image sensor. Generally the test system needs sufficient memory to hold and analyze the captured frame. Thus, the testers utilized for testing image sensors tend to be expensive. In addition, these testers consume algorithmic processing time. This algorithmic processing time is a function not only of the actual processing time but also the time needed to transfer the image data from the image sensor to the tester for external analysis. In addition, the transfer process itself may introduce noise which may further reduce the quality of the test results.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved ways of testing sensors for defective sensing elements.


The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for setting a bookmark for a resource accessed by a user, and for using the bookmark. The bookmarking method includes: collecting screen context information for the real text in the current screen of the resource in response to a request to bookmark the current screen of the resource; and storing address information and the screen context information of said resource as a bookmark to be used to return to said specific section of the resource. The method of providing a specific section of a resource based on a preset bookmark can include: downloading the resource content identified by said address information to a memory in response to a user's request to reopen the resource; collecting screen context information for the downloaded resource content; comparing the screen context information of the downloaded resource content with the screen context information indicated by said bookmark, selecting the specific section of the downloaded resource according to the rule of fuzz matching, and displaying the selected specific section of the resource in the display window.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for setting a bookmark for a resource accessed by a user, and for using the bookmark.
The World Wide Web (WWW) or Internet is a system of servers that support documents formatted in Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). HTML supports links to documents as well as to graphics, audio and video files. Links are references to documents from within other documents. Links allow a user to easily jump from one document or Web page to another with just a click of a mouse. Thus, a link can be a very useful Internet navigational tool. Note that Web page and document will henceforth be used interchangeably.
Another useful Internet navigational tool is a bookmark. A bookmark is available in most Web browsers. A Web browser is a software application that is used to locate Web sites and display Web pages. In the Web browser, the bookmark allows a user to store Web addresses or URLs (Uniform Resource locators) of Web pages into a folder, for example, a bookmark folder, so as to designate the protocol such as HTTP or FTP and the positions of objects, documents, Web pages or other targets in the Internet or Intranet, which will be helpful for later re-visiting.
When a user accesses a Web page that may later be re-visited, the user may bookmark the Web page. But, when the Web page is re-visited subsequently, the Web page is always displayed from its beginning. If the user wanted to return to a passage that is in the middle or near the end of the page, the user has to scroll down the page looking for the passage. This can be a non-trivial endeavor, especially if the document being revisited is a large one.
Therefore, what is needed is a bookmark having a function of displaying a specific section of the accessed object. In the prior art, a function of setting a bookmark utilizing the cursor position is provided for editable documents like Office documents. Specifically, when locating the bookmark, the editor needs to move the cursor to a position in the editable document where a bookmark is desired to be set, so as to perform bookmarking. Thereby, when the bookmark is referenced by UNC (Universal Naming Conversion) path in another editable document, a specific section of bookmarked document can be displayed.
However, the setting of the bookmark capable of directing to a specific section of an object depends on the cursor position, and the bookmark systems always require indicating the cursor position where the bookmark is located. For an editable document, this is natural, but this is impossible for a web page and an un-editable document like read-only PDF. Today, with the spread of e-books and soft materials provided by web sites, a new bookmark solution to bookmark these un-editable documents is desired.
Various solutions for web pages have been proposed. For example, US2004/0205543A1 discloses that, when the users are allowed to bookmark a Web page, the user may store, in conjunction with the URL of the page, the size of the window within which the page is displayed, the location of both the horizontal and vertical scroll boxes in the window and the font attributes used to display the page. This allows only the specific section of the page to be displayed when the bookmarked Web page is re-visited. U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,679 B1 teaches a solution which uses the coordinate pair of the top left corner and the bottom right corner of the display area as a part of the bookmark locator to define the section of the page displayed while being re-visited.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for improved processing efficiency of pipeline architecture with a processor. The processor has a first functional unit; a second functional unit; and a control unit electrically connected to the first and the second functional units for generating a plurality of control signals to control the first and the second functional units. The method includes following steps: (a) executing a first calculation task with the first functional unit or the second functional unit; (b) determining an executing time period of a second calculation task with the control unit according to the functional unit executing the first calculation task, an executing time period of the first calculation task, and whether the second calculation task depends upon a result of the first calculation task; and (c) executing the second calculation task with the first functional unit according to the executing time period of the second calculation task determined in step (b).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a method for improving processing efficiency of pipeline architecture, and more particularity a method for determining an executing time period of a current calculation task according to a previous calculation task.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pipeline architecture is one of the most widely used calculation architectures for microprocessor systems. Pipeline architecture utilizes a time pulse to control a register file that can store results from executing a series of calculation tasks with a plurality of functional units, and the results are identically transmitted to a functional unit to execute a next calculation task. An advantage of pipeline architecture is the capable of simultaneous control. Because the functional units usually execute various calculation tasks with different complexities, executing time periods of the various calculation tasks differ in length. Therefore, under a condition of utilizing pipeline architecture, a very complicated and long calculation task easily results in a wrong calculation task because data cannot synchronize at some point in time, especially under a condition of complicated data dependency between the functional units. Thus, utilizing pipeline architecture cannot suitably divide a series of complicated calculation tasks and help to simplify the complexities of simultaneous control.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a functional diagram of a processor 10 of pipeline architecture. The processor 10 comprises a first functional unit 12, a second functional unit 14, and a control unit 16. The first functional unit 12 is for executing a calculation task. The second functional unit 14 is for executing another calculation task. The control unit 16 is electrically connected to the first and the second functional units for generating a plurality of control signals to control the first and the second functional units 12, 14. The control unit 16 will depend upon desired calculation tasks to orderly control the first and second functional units 12, 14 to execute calculation tasks. Simultaneously, depending upon the desired calculation tasks, the control unit 16 controls input data to the first and second functional units 12, 14 (IN1 and IN2 in FIG. 1) and exports results from executing the calculation tasks of the first and second functional units 12, 14 (OUT1 and OUT2 in FIG. 1).
Next, the first functional unit 12 is assumed as an Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), and the second functional unit 14 is a Multiplication and Accumulation Unit (MAC). Because the MAU executes a more complicated calculation task than the ALU, the second functional unit 14 needs a longer executing time period than the first functional unit 12. For example, an executing time period of the first functional unit 12 is one instruction cycle and an executing time period of the second functional unit 14 is two instruction cycles.
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a timing prospective view of the processor 10 executing a calculation task. FIG. 2 shows when the processor 10 utilizes the control unit 16 to generate a control signal to control a functional unit for executing a calculation task, according to timing sequence levels such as fetch instruction (level F), decode (level D), read register (level R), execution (level E1 and E2), and write back (level W). Each level as mentioned above takes one instruction cycle. Please note, parts of an executing calculation task are the parts of utilizing calculation capacities of functional units where the parts of the executing calculation tasks are only levels E1 and E2 that are in coordination with the longest executing time period of the functional unit (as the second functional unit 14) of the processor 10. If the processor 10 comprises the functional units needing longer executing time periods, parts of executing calculation tasks can increase an amount of levels depending upon requirement.
Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a timing prospective view of the processor 10 executing a series of calculation tasks. Please note, FIG. 3 shows a timing of calculation task that does not consider data dependency between various calculation tasks and as an ideal status. In FIG. 3, according to desired calculation tasks, the control unit 16 utilizes control signals to orderly control the first and second functional units 12, 14 to execute a series of calculation tasks (as a first, a second, a third, and a fourth calculation tasks in FIG. 3) wherein each adjacent calculation task differs one instruction cycle. Under such arrangement, during a specific time period of calculation processing (as the part within dotted line in FIG. 3), different calculation tasks lie in different levels. Therefore, the different calculation tasks can be executed simultaneously because of utilizing different system sources. Please note, as mentioned above, an executing time period of the first functional unit 12 is only one instruction cycle. Therefore, the prior art defines either the level E1 or level E2 to execute a real calculation task and maintains the other one in an unused status. Next, please refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 to illustrate a condition of data dependency between different calculation tasks and a timing of the processor 10 when executing a series of calculation tasks.
FIG. 4 is a timing prospective view of the processor 10 executing a calculation task of r3=(r1*r2)+r4. In FIG. 4, r0=r1*r2 and the first functional unit 12 will execute a real calculation task in the level E1 (as shown within the dotted line in FIG. 4) are simultaneously assumed. In FIG. 4, in the first calculation task, the processor 10 will utilize the second functional unit 14 (MAU) to execute r0=r1*r2. After a result of the first calculation task comes out, the result will be transmitted to the first functional unit 12 (ALU) to execute the second calculation task (r3=r0+r4). However, two instruction cycles are needed for an execution of the second functional unit 14 that includes the level E1 and level E2 to complete the calculation task, and the second calculation task has data dependency on the result from the first calculation task (shown as an arrow 18 in FIG. 4). Thus, the second calculation task cannot be executed right after one instruction cycle of the first calculation task as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, after two instruction cycles of the first calculation task, the second calculation task is then executed (the second calculation task stalls one instruction cycle), otherwise the result of the second calculation task will be wrong because of an incorrect data input. In the present example, the first functional unit 12 executes a real calculation task in the level E2 is initially assumed. The timing in FIG. 3 will not influence a correction of the result from the calculation task because of data dependency. Therefore, as mentioned above a stall of the calculation task will not occur.
Another example is shown in FIG. 5, a timing perspective view of the processor 10 executing a calculation task of r3=(r1+r2)*r4. In FIG. 5, r0=r1+r2 and the first functional unit 12 executing a real calculation task in the level E2 are simultaneously assumed (as the parts within the dotted line in FIG. 5). In FIG. 5, during the first calculation task, the processor 10 utilizes the first functional unit 12 (ALU) to execute a calculation of r0=r1+r2. After a result from the first calculation task comes out, the result is then transmitted to the second functional unit 14 (MAU) to execute the second calculation task. However, because the first functional unit 12 starts a real calculation in the level E2, the second calculation task having data dependency on the result from the first calculation task (as an arrow 20 in FIG. 5) cannot be executed right after one instruction cycle of the first calculation task as shown in FIG. 3. But, as shown in FIG. 5, two instruction cycles after the first calculation task, the second calculation task starts to execute (the second calculation task stalls one instruction cycle), otherwise, the result of the second calculation task will be wrong because of an incorrect data input. Moreover, in the present example, the first functional unit 12 executing a real calculation task in the level E1 is initially assumed. The timing in FIG. 3 will not influence a correction of the result from the calculation task because of data dependency. Therefore, as mentioned above, a stall of the calculation task will not occur.
Integrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 and as mentioned above, in the prior art no matter whether the first functional unit 12 executes a real calculation in either the level E1 or the level E2, one stalled instruction cycle of the calculation task will possibly occur. If a calculation of r5=abs ((r1+r2)*r3) is considered where abs is absolute value and is executed by ALU. No matter whether the first functional unit 12 executes a real calculation task in either the level E1 or level E2, one stalled instruction cycle of the calculation task will possibly occur. In more complicated calculations, a condition of a stall will occur frequently.
In the prior art, a stall will cause a huge damage to a processing efficiency of pipeline architecture. When a stall occurs, a timing interval between two adjacent calculation tasks of writing back data is prolonged (as a cycle of time pulse controlling a register file). Under a fixed cycle of time pulse, the stall causes an increasing of the time period of the calculation task over that of the cycle of time pulse and pipeline architecture will delay one cycle of time pulse for the whole calculation resulting in a decline of processing efficiency. Therefore, a condition of Very-Long Instruction Word (VLIW) becomes obvious because calculation tasks under the VLIW condition are executed as a unit of a plurality cycle of time pulse. If a calculation task is influenced because of the stall, the whole execution package of calculation tasks will be delayed resulting in more damage to processing efficiency of pipeline architecture.

Method for processing efficiency in a pipeline architecture


A method of manufacturing a laminated coil device includes conductors for forming coils and insulation stacking for forming laminated bodies, and further includes the steps of: (A) manufacturing ceramic insulating thin sheets; (B) forming ceramic insulating thin sheets with conductive through-holes; (C) manufacturing coil thin sheets with coil conductors so as to embed the coil conductors inside the ceramic insulating thin sheets; (D) orderly stacking and cutting ceramic insulating thin sheets and coil thin sheets with coil conductors into unit sizes in order to obtain laminated bodies; (E) heating the laminated bodies in order to remove the binder, and then sintering the laminated bodies; (F) coating the conductive paste on the two ends of the laminated bodies so as to form external electrodes. Thus, the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of producing a laminated coil power device with low direct current resistance, no delamination, no air space, and no lamination cracking.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a laminated coil device.
2. Description of Related Arts
A laminated coil power device can be one of laminated large-current ferrite chip beads, a laminated power inductor, and a laminated power transformer. Laminated coil devices are widely applied to the power cable of many kinds of portable products because it has the advantages of high reliability, may be mass produced, and is easily miniaturized and thinned.
Particularly, when the laminated coil power device uses ceramic materials, it is desirable to reach large impedance and inductance values while maintaining a small size and thinness of the end product, and in particular to have ultra-low DC resistance within the laminated coil power device so as to support a large current. Therefore, the laminated coil power device with a narrow and thick cross-section of the coil electrodes has been developed in order to reach the purposes mentioned above.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the traditional laminated coil device comprising a ceramic insulating layer 202 with an electrode 201 directly printed thereon. In the traditional method, after the electrode paste is printed on the insulating layer 202, the electrode paste inevitably spreads out in a manner that makes it difficult to form a narrow and thick electrode. Because the area around the coils is minimal there is reduced impedance and inductance value of the end products. And as shown in FIG. 3, the traditional laminated coil device utilizes a multiple printing method to increase the thickness of the electrode 201, wherein when a plurality of thin sheets are stacked, the electrode printed on the surface of the insulating layer is raised. Thus the traditional laminated coil device may be characterized by a mismatch of the ceramic insulating layers 202 involving air spaces 203, which may short circuit the electrode, and result in lamination cracking, and delamination.
To solve the problems of the traditional laminated coil device, China Patent No. CN201138593Y discloses a product providing a plurality of coils connected in parallel, isolated with each other so as to reduce the resistance of the direct current of the ferrite chip beads. However, although the parallely-connected coils are able to reduce the impedance and inductance value of the product, the multiple parallely-connected coils exponentially increase the cost of the products, and have the limitation of a reduction of thickness.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent No. 11-97244 discloses a method of providing a plurality of coils connected in parallel and then integrated into a spiral-shaped coil so as to reduce the resistance of the direct current. Although this, on one hand, dramatically increases the length of the magnetic path and decreases the impedance and inductance value of the products, on the other hand, this method is high in cost, and has the limitation of thinning.

Method for manufacturing laminated coil devices


This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying Frequency Vibrations of Sound and Light (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “FVSL”) to a user for the administration of therapeutic treatment including relaxation and other benefits.

The therapeutic benefits of utilizing light, sound, color, smell, magnetic fields and vibration are known. Medical evidence indicates that the health of people may be affected by exposure to light. For example, a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder occurs during seasonal periods of low light and is characterized by a depressed condition in those people so affected.
It is also known that sound plays a substantial role in changes of pulse frequency, blood pressure, blood circulation, muscle relaxation, perspiration and oxygen consumption of a person. Previously, sound therapy has been applied to a user's ears and body, light has been applied to a user's eyes, and other stimuli have been combined to relax a user. Further, it is well known that the different parts of the human brain are known to correspond to different parts of the body; for example, the two hemispheres of the brain are known to correspond to different sides of the body. It would be advantageous over the prior art to stimulate the user's brain through the application of sound specifically and independently directed to the right and left sides of the user's body along with the application of the sound to the user's ears and light to the user's eyes.
The object of the present invention is to provide better stimulation to a user's mind and body using acoustic vibrations, also known as sound, directed to the right and left sides of the human body and to provide a substantially dark space to the user's eyes which includes at least one light source for controlling light to the user's eyes. Certain forms of the enclosure can also act as a sound reflector to direct acoustic vibrations to the skin and ears of the user.
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for applying Frequency Vibrations of Sound and Light to a user's body and eyes to facilitate physiological and psychological benefits to the user such as relaxation, and especially the application of acoustic vibrations from separate transducers to the right and left side of a user's body.

Method and apparatus for applying frequency vibrations therapeutically


A seat cushion device capable of adjusting hardness of a seat cushion including a seating surface, on which a user is seated, includes a recessed part that is formed in a back surface of the seating surface in the seat cushion, a left plate that faces a back surface of a left thigh holding part of the seating surface, on which a left leg thigh of the user is located, and that is movable inside the recessed part vertically, a right plate that faces a back surface of a right thigh holding part of the seating surface, on which a right leg thigh of the user is located, and that is movable inside the recessed part vertically, and a gap adjustment mechanism that moves the left plate and the right plate vertically in an independent manner, and that can adjust a clearance from the back surface of the seating surface.

Seats that are capable of adjusting front/rear positions, seating surface heights and the like according to figures of users have been conventionally used in vehicles such as automobiles.
JP05-176823A discloses a seat cushion device that is capable of adjusting hardness of a seating surface according to a preference of a user. According to this seat cushion device, a cushion plate that abuts against the lower surface of a cushion pad for seating is moved vertically, so as to adjust a pressing force applied to the lower surface of the cushion pad, and to adjust the hardness of the cushion pad.
Incidentally, a driver of the automobile operates an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal by the right leg, and operates a clutch pedal by the left leg, when the automobile is a manual transmission vehicle. Further, when the driver of the automobile drives mainly in town, the frequency of operating the clutch pedal is high as the shift is changed frequently, but when the driver of the automobile drives mainly on expressway, the frequency of operating the clutch pedal is low as the shift is changed less frequently. Thus, driving operation by the left and right legs of the driver changes according to the type of the automobile, environment of a driving road, and the like.


A data communication device includes the first interface for communicating with a portable terminal and the second interface for communicating with another communication device. The data communication device makes a judgment as to whether the first connection format for communication with the portable terminal via the first interface should be allowed when the data communication device receives the first connection request from the portable terminal via the first interface, selects another communication device that is capable of communicating with the portable terminal when the first connection format is not allowed, and transmits to the portable terminal the connection information concerning the second connection format for communication with the portable terminal via the selected another communication device and the second interface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communication system, a data communication device, a program product for controlling the data communication device, and a portable terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the popularization of portable terminals, technology concerning local wireless communication based on standards such as Bluetooth® is attracting the industry's attentions thanks to the simplicity of the connection between portable terminals and various devices.
This local wireless communication is based on the peer-to-peer connection and it is not necessary to set up the other party's address information such as the IP address, so that the user can perform various communications by connecting the user's portable terminal with other devices with extreme ease.
However, since it is necessary to secure the data transfer between each portable terminal and the device of a party to communicate with if multiple portable terminals are connected with such a single device, the wireless channel has to be divided for being used by multiple portable terminals. Therefore, in a case such as described above, a problem existed that the communication speed per each portable terminal slows down considerably.

Data communication system, data communication device, program product for controlling data communication device, and portable terminal


The invention relates to a novel process for the resolution of an acid mixture (hereinafter: threo acid mixture) containing (+)-threo-3-[(2-aminophenyl)thio]-2-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-propionic acid [hereinafter: (+)-threo acid]and (-)-threo-3-[(2-aminophenyl)thio]-2-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-propionic acid [hereinafter: (-)-threo acid].

The (+)-threo acid is an important raw material of the therapeutically active (2S,3S)-3-acetoxy-5-dimethylaminoethyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydro-1,5 -benzothiazepin-4(5H)-one hydrochloride (generic name: diltiazem), a known antianginal drug acting as a calcium antagonist.
There are several processes known from the literature for the preparation of the (+)-threo acid.
A resolution process using L-lysine as resolving agent is described in the published German patent application (DE-OS) No. 3,337,176. However, the particularly costly L-lysine is used in a 4-fold excess and,; in addition, it is difficult and expensive to recover L-lysine in its acid form from the mother liquors.
According to another method [Helv. Chim. Acta 67, 916 (1984)], the racemic threo acid is resolved by using cinchonidine in ethanol. This method is characterized by the use of an extraordinarily high amount of alcohol as solvent and by a 48-hour time demand of crystallization.
According to the method described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,819, an equivalent amount of (+)-.alpha.-phenylethylamine each is employed for both forms of the racemic acid in order to resolve the racemic threo acid in water. In our own examinations, a (+)-threo acid with an optical purity of only 87%, [.alpha.].sub.D.sup.20 =+302.degree. (c=0.3, ethanol), was obtained in a yield of 79% when the resolution and subsequent crystallization of the diastereomeric salt were carried out by using the method cited above.
In the process described in the Hungarian patent specification No. 193,230, the acid addition salt of 0.5 to 0.6 molar equivalent of (+)-.alpha.-phenylethylamine is used as resolving agent; a method, useful to enrich the valuable (+)-threo acid in the remaining threo acid mixture is also described in the above specification.

Process for the resolution of threo-3-[(2-aminophenyl)-thio]-2-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)propionic acid


This disclosure describes a processing approach for the rapid and efficient in-situ polymerization of specially prepared precursor mixtures to achieve near-net-shape production of objects/articles with exact dimensions. The process relies on the use of polymerizable compositions comprised of a mixture of a reactive plasticizer and an initiator, optionally also including a dead polymer, which compositions are semi-solid-like and induce little shrinkage upon curing as a result of their partially polymerized nature prior to processing. The articles of the invention have a surface and an interior core, the composition of the surface material being distinct from the composition of the core material while at the same time the surface and the core are an integral, monolithic entity. In addition, the articles are dimensionally stable and exhibit high fidelity replication.

Numerous applications exist that require the formation of polymeric objects with a surface composition distinct from that of the core material. For example, ophthalmic lenses can be tinted to create sunglasses or photochromic lenses. Tinting involves the absorption of dye into the surface layer of the lens. The current practice is to first create a clear lens, often by grinding and polishing a lens blank into the precise shape/contour. In certain instances, injection molding can be employed to create the prescription. The finished lens is then dipped in a dye-containing solution at elevated temperatures (e.g., in near-boiling-temperature aqueous or organic solutions). High temperatures are needed to soften and dilate the lens material to allow penetration of the dye molecules into the tight plastic network constituting the lens. This tinting (dye absorption or uptake) process is slow, even under such severe conditions. The use of high temperatures can cause dye degradation (thus necessitating frequent bath replenishment) and often leads to lens warpage. Photochromic dyes are known for their tendency toward thermal degradation, making photochromic lens manufacture a difficult task. Insufficient uptake of the photochromic dye often results and this is a primary reason such lenses often do not turn sufficiently dark when exposed to sunlight. Also, since dye molecules are quite large, the crosslinks in the plastic network must be fairly loose to allow for the penetration of the dye. Additionally, the choice of dye is greatly limited by the fact that the process requires water-soluble dyes that will also be dispersible in an organic resin matrix.
Certain objects, such as eyeglasses, also often require scratch-resistant surface coatings. Presently, finished lenses can be coated with a scratch-resistant material in a dipping tank, and the scratch-resistant material is then cured. Alternatively, spin coating and spray coating can be used as deposition means. Regardless of the method of application, the scratch- or abrasion-resistant coating forms a separate layer, distinct from the existing lens. Physical interactions are relied upon to ensure (often imperfect) adhesion between the coating and the lens core, and delamination of the coating often occurs. Thus, there is a need to prepare "coated" lenses where the coating and the lens core actually form a continuous, monolithic, integrated structure. Delamination of the "coating" will therefore no longer be an issue for such lenses.
Contact lens technologies have also evolved significantly since the introduction of the lenses. Small, pre-cured, "buttons" were ground and polished to create the needed prescription. Alternatively, polymer precursors can be used to fill mold cavities, which are then cured to form the finished lenses. Here, similar to ophthalmic lenses, shrinkage accompanying cure must be accounted for in the mold design. In either case, the finished lenses can subsequently be tinted by straightforward uptake of a dye, with the accompanying problems discussed above with respect to ophthalmic lenses, or by "printing" a pattern using a variety of techniques. The printing process results in lenses mimicking the pigment distribution of a human iris. Tinting or printing (transfer printing, ink jet pattern deposition, or screen-printing) are all dictated by the dye uptake rate and strength of dye adhesion to the lens material.
In contrast to ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses must possess two additional properties. One is high oxygen permeability. The second is biocompatibility. Oxygen permeability has been found to be relatively high in soft, rubbery materials such as silicones. Silicones tend to exhibit oxygen affinity and rapid transport. Permeability is a product of diffusivity and solubility at steady state. Oxygen molecules in soft materials tend to exhibit at least high diffusivity if not high solubility as well. Block co-polymers of controlled morphology have been used to achieve high flux and dimensional stability. Morphology control is required to ensure optical transparency. Highly crosslinked silicones can also promote dimensional stability, which is necessary for precision of prescription. However, most polymers with high oxygen permeabilities do not exhibit optimal tissue biocompatibility. A certain degree of hydrophilicity is needed to give a "hydrogel-like" surface layer to ensure comfort for the lens wearer. Surface modification schemes, such as oxidation and plasma treatment have been employed to achieve some level of wettability. Such processes, however, add cost to the manufacture. Creation of a surface layer also implies possible adhesion issues of the layer to the core lens. It would be preferable to have a monolithic object with surface composition differing from the core in a controlled manner.


A refrigerator includes energy-saving operation unit that performs a control for performing a power saving operation, time measurement unit that measures an operation time of energy-saving operation unit, and energy-saving operation rate calculation unit that calculates an energy-saving operation rate based on the operation time measured by time measurement unit. The refrigerator further includes an energy-saving operation rate storage unit that stores the energy-saving operation rate calculated by energy-saving operation rate calculation unit.

Generally, a refrigerator accounts for a high rate of power consumption at home, and it is strongly required to reduce the power consumption as much as possible. In order for this, a refrigerator is proposed, which allows a power-saving operation using a light sensor or a door opening and closing detection switch.
For example, in a case where the light sensor detects that an external illuminance is equal to or higher than a predetermined illuminance, the refrigerator performs an ordinary operation. On the other hand, when the light sensor detects that the external illuminance is lower than a predetermined illuminance, the refrigerator determines that the customer has gone to bed and there is almost no possibility of opening the door of the refrigerator, and thus, performs a power-saving operation in which the refrigerator is operated by a power lower than the ordinary power, that is an energy-saving operation (for example, refer to PTL 1).
FIG. 24 is a flow chart for explaining a control of a refrigerator in the related art.
As illustrated in FIG. 24, when a switch for the energy-saving operation is pressed, the light sensor detects (S401) the illuminance around the front side of the refrigerator and calculates an illuminance changing rate (S402).
Next, the light sensor determines whether or not the changing rate is an increasing rate, and whether or not the changing rate is equal to or higher than a pre-set value, for example, equal to or higher than 150 lux/sec (S403). In a case where the changing rate is equal to or higher than the pre-set value, the ordinary operation is performed (S404), and in a case where the changing rate is not equal to or higher than the pre-set value, an illuminance decreasing rate is determined whether or not to be equal to or higher than the pre-set value (S405). In a case where the decreasing rate is equal to or higher than the pre-set value, the power-saving operation is performed (S406), and in a case where the decreasing rate is not equal to or higher than the pre-set value, the process returns to S401 and the illuminance detection is performed again.
By the refrigerator in the related art like this, it is possible to perform the power-saving operation that is the energy-saving operation not only in the night time but also in a case of dimmed lighting. Therefore, it is possible to perform an effective energy-saving operation.
On the other hand, in recent years, a power shortage due to the stoppage of the nuclear power plant resulting from a safety review has come to be a concern. For this reason, the power-saving consciousness of the user has extremely increased.
From this point of view, considering the method of using various electric apparatuses such as a refrigerator, the user has also come to take a power-saving action such that the electric apparatus performs a power-saving operation as much as possible. In the refrigerator also, in addition to an automatic energy-saving operation performed by the refrigerator itself, for example, the consciousness of aggressively performing the power-saving by decreasing consciously the frequency of door opening and closing has started in the user.
As described above, supporting the power-saving consciousness of the user for an aggressive power-saving action of the user himself has become a problem. In order to solve this problem, a refrigerator is proposed, in which an electricity bill or the amount of power consumption is displayed, or the frequency of door opening and closing of the storage room is displayed on a display unit of the refrigerator.
However, any of such displays are only the displays of the amount of power already consumed by the refrigerator. That is, it is not possible to know to what extent the energy-saving operation function of the refrigerator is working, thereby the energy-saving being achieved. For this reason, it is not easy for the user to take a power-saving action for increasing the rate of energy-saving operation performed by the refrigerator itself, and there is a problem in improving the degree of power saving in collaboration between the refrigerator and the user.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to a scratch resistant polymer composition having a polymer that includes a copolyetherester elastomer, said polymer having a hardness of from 25D to 82D, and a fluorosurfactant having a nonionic organic head and a tail of the formula CF.sub.3 --(CF.sub.2).sub.x --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2, where x is an integer from 3 to 15.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of polymers, and specifically polymers that include at least one copolyetherester elastomer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Copolyetherester elastomers and methods for their preparation are known in the art. Copolyetherester elastomers combine many of the most desirable characteristics of high-performance elastomers and flexible plastics.
Copolyetherester elastomers are block polymers that include a hard, or crystalline, segment and a soft, or amorphous, segment based on long-chain polyether glycols. Properties are determined by the ratio of soft segments and by the makeup of these segments.
These elastomers also feature exceptional toughness and resilience; high resistance to creep, impact and flex fatigue; flexibility at low temperatures; and good retention of properties at elevated temperatures.
Copolyetherester elastomers may be readily formed into high-performance products by a variety of thermoplastic processing techniques, including injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, rotational molding and melt casting.
A problem with molded parts made from copolyetherester elastomers sometimes arises when those molded parts are subjected to a scratching or scuffing force in that those forces leave visible scratches or scuff marks on the surface of the molded part. These scratches and scuff marks are undesirable when the molded part is visible in normal use, such as when the molded part is an air bag deployment door or dashboard of an automobile.
What is necessary, therefore, is a polymer composition that includes a copolyetherester elastomer and that is resistant to scratching and scuffing.


Collapsible containers and associated methods are disclosed herein. Certain aspects of the invention are directed toward a collapsible container assembly that includes a foldable support member that has a length and a width. The support member has a concave cross-section that causes the support member to resist bending until a threshold force is exceeded. The support member has a folded position and an extended position where the support member is unfolded. The assembly further includes at least one surface member carried by the support member. The assembly has a deployed position where the support member is in the extended position and the at least one surface member forms an enclosure with an interior. The assembly also has a collapsed position where the support member is in the folded position. The container assembly has less exterior volume in the collapsed position than in the deployed position.

Trash bags are commonly used to collect garbage and trash because they are convenient to use. For example, a trash bag can be used to line a trash can used in a home, office, or other facility. When the trash bag is full, the bag can be closed using a twist tie removed from the can and easily carried to a trash receptacle, such as a dumpster. Because the trash bag isolates the trash from the trash can, the trash can generally remains relatively clean for a while. The trash cans, however, typically gets dirty over time, and the process of cleaning a dirty trash can is often an unpleasant experience.
Trash bags are also convenient for use outside the home or office. For example, trash bags are often used in cars and other vehicles to collect lifter and trash. Additionally, trash bags are easily carried to various outdoor locations and used for trash collection (e.g., during camping trips, picnics, or parties). Trash bags can also be used to collect trash at large events, such as those held at auditoriums, gymnasiums, stadiums and convention centers. In many cases, conventional trash bags are also used for non-trash purposes. For example, trash bags are often used to cover or hold items during storage to protect the items from the external environment
Although trash bags are convenient for trash collection, they are flexible and unsupported so they generally require a trash can or other structure to hold the trash bag open. When a trash can or other support is not used with the trash bag, the trash bag can be very cumbersome and difficult to use and hold open. For example, a user often must hold the trash bag open with one hand while trying to deposit the trash or other item into the bags with the other hand.
Other collapsible containers have been used for a variety of temporary or long term storage purposes. For example a collapsible hamper has been used that includes a spiral coil connected to a bag-like structure. The collapsible hamper can pop up and provide a receptacle structure with an open top. The spiral coil, however, does not provide lateral or vertical stability for the hamper when in the popped up position. For example, the hamper will easily collapsed or distort if a vertical and/or horizontal loads are applied to the top lip of the hamper.

Deployable and disposable container assemblies with bendable support members


A method and medical device system for controlling treatment therapy delivered to treat a nervous system disorder. During start-up, the medical device system prevents the therapy device from delivering therapy to the patient for a predetermined time period after the therapy device has been activated. During operation, before the therapy device is programmed, the system performs a check on the programming information to ensure that the programming information will result in treatment therapy being within of an acceptable range of one or more therapy parameters.

Nervous system disorders affect millions of people, causing death and a degradation of life. Nervous system disorders include disorders of the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and mental health and psychiatric disorders. Such disorders include, for example without limitation, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Additionally, nervous system disorders include mental health disorders and psychiatric disorders which also affect millions of individuals and include, but are not limited to, anxiety (such as general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)), mood disorders (such as major depression, bipolar depression, and dysthymic disorder), sleep disorders (narcolepsy), obesity, and anorexia. As an example, epilepsy is the most prevalent serious neurological disease across all ages. Epilepsy is a group of neurological conditions in which a person has or is predisposed to recurrent seizures. A seizure is a clinical manifestation resulting from excessive, hypersynchronous, abnormal electrical or neuronal activity in the brain. (A neurological event is an activity that is indicative of a nervous system disorder. A seizure is a type of a neurological event.) This electrical excitability of the brain may be likened to an intermittent electrical overload that manifests with sudden, recurrent, and transient changes of mental function, sensations, perceptions, and/or involuntary body movement. Because the seizures are unpredictable, epilepsy affects a person's employability, psychosocial life, and ability to operate vehicles or power equipment. It is a disorder that occurs in all age groups, socioeconomic classes, cultures, and countries. In developed countries, the age-adjusted incidence of recurrent unprovoked seizures ranges from 24/100,000 to 53/100,000 person-years and may be even higher in developing countries. In developed countries, age specific incidence is highest during the first few months of life and again after age 70. The age-adjusted prevalence of epilepsy is 5 to 8 per 1,000 (0.5% to 0.8%) in countries where statistics are available. In the United States alone, epilepsy and seizures affect 2.3 million Americans, with approximately 181,000 new cases occurring each year. It is estimated that 10% of Americans will experience a seizure in their lifetimes, and 3% will develop epilepsy by age 75.
There are various approaches in treating nervous system disorders. Treatment therapies can include any number of possible modalities alone or in combination including, for example, electrical stimulation, magnetic stimulation, drug infusion, and/or brain temperature control. Each of these treatment modalities can be operated using closed-loop feedback control. Such closed-loop feedback control techniques receive from a monitoring element a neurological signal that carries information about a symptom or a condition or a nervous system disorder. Such a neurological signal can include, for example, electrical signals (such as EEG, ECoG, and/or EKG), chemical signals, other biological signals (such as change in quantity of neurotransmitters), temperature signals, pressure signals (such as blood pressure, intracranial pressure or cardiac pressure), respiration signals, heart rate signals, pH-level signals, and peripheral nerve signals (cuff electrodes on a peripheral nerve). Monitoring elements can include, for example, recording electrodes or various types of sensors.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,868 discloses a system for the prediction, rapid detection, warning, prevention, or control of changes in activity states in the brain of a patient. Use of such a closed-loop feed back system for treatment of a nervous system disorder may provide significant advantages in that treatment can be delivered before the onset of the symptoms of the nervous system disorder.
Overdelivery of treatment therapy to the patient, however, may be undesirable both in terms of efficacy and comfort. For example, in a system for treating a seizure disorder using electrical stimulation, closed-loop feedback control may cause the system to deliver electrical stimulation therapy. It has been determined that during the period of algorithm stabilization, the probability of false positive detections is high. Thus, there is a need to avoid overstimulation when the implantable medical device is first started.
Even during operation of the implantable medical device, it is desirable to ensure that the device is not delivering too much treatment therapy. For example, excessive treatment therapy may reduce efficacy of the treatment. The patient may also experience discomfort if too much treatment therapy is being provided. More problematic is the possibility of the closed-loop system in the implanted medical device experiencing an infinite loop. For example, in embodiment of a system for treating a seizure disorder using electrical stimulation, upon delivery of electrical stimulation therapy, the closed-loop system could incorrectly interpret the stimulation therapy as another seizure onset possibility. The system would then unnecessarily continue to deliver stimulation therapy thereby causing further false predictions of seizure onsets.
Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a method or apparatus that can control treatment therapy during start-up and during operation of an implantable medical device system.

Control of treatment therapy during start-up and during operation of a medical device system