Upon receipt of a network connection request, a CPU core of a game device randomly sets a master device search period, and searches for a master device or a temporary master device until the master device search period ends. When the master device search period ends, the CPU core randomly sets a temporary master process period, and causes the game device to act as a temporary master until the temporary master process period ends. The CPU core alternately repeats the master device search and the temporary master process. The game device is caused to act as a slave device if any game device acting as the master device or temporary master device is found during the master device search period. Alternatively, the game device is caused to act as a master device if a connection request from another game device is received during the temporary master process period. Thus, it is possible to automatically construct a wireless network with one master device and one or more slave devices.

In conventional network systems, especially when playing games, it is often the case that, a server is previously set as a master device for controlling communications. A network configured in such a manner ceases to function if the master device is disconnected therefrom, so that a game player is forced to stop game play. Also, wireless communication network systems are widely used because of their well-known high degree of connection/disconnection flexibility. Note that the "disconnection of a device from a network" as described herein occurs, for example, when power of the device has been suddenly shut down, when the device has moved to a location where no radio waves from the network reach the device, when the device has logged off of the network, when any error has occurred with the device, when the device has frozen, and so on.
In the technology disclosed by Japanese Patent No. 2867980, one candidate wireless communication terminal device for use in constructing a network acts as a temporary master, and collects data concerning the latest received field intensity at the time from other candidate wireless communication terminal devices for use in constructing the network. Then, another terminal device is assigned as the temporary master to collect data concerning the latest received field intensity at the time from other candidate wireless communication terminal devices for use in constructing the network. Thereafter, based on the results of the collection, a candidate for a master device is selected from among all the candidate wireless communication terminal devices for use in constructing the network such that the received field intensity is satisfactory to all the terminal devices.
In the technology disclosed by Japanese Patent No. 2924828, one candidate wireless communication terminal device for use in constructing a network acts as a temporary master, and collects information concerning the amount of remaining power and data transfer rate from other candidate wireless communication terminal devices for use in constructing the network. Based on the results of collection, the temporary master determines, as a master device, a candidate wireless communication terminal device whose transfer rate is the highest among other candidate wireless communication terminal devices and whose remaining power is equal to or more than a predetermined value.
In the technology disclosed by Japanese Patent No. 3421017, if a network is constructed by a master device (network master) and a plurality of slave devices, the order of priority for assigning the role of a backup master to the slave devices is determined, and information concerning the priority order is shared between all the slave devices. If the master device (network master) is disconnected from the network, each terminal device having acted as a slave device sequentially attempts to connect to terminal devices, which have a higher priority as a backup master in descending order of priority among the terminal devices, so as to connect to a network in which the first device to which the terminal device is successfully connected acts as a network master. Alternatively, if the terminal device recognizes that there is no terminal device having a higher priority as a backup master within the range where communication is possible, then the terminal device behaves as a network master and waits for a connection request from a terminal device having a lower priority as a backup master.
According to the first reference, however, in order to determine a master device, it is required that a plurality of wireless communication terminal devices sequentially act as a temporary master for collecting data from all other terminal devices, and therefore time in accordance with the number of terminal devices is required for constructing a network.
Also, it is conceivable that, in a network game system based on the premise that, for example, game players with hand-held game devices having a radio communication function gather and play games together within such a range that they can see each other's faces, the received field intensity of each hand-held game device is satisfactory even if any hand-held game device acts as a master device. Accordingly, an excessive processing load is caused by collecting information concerning the received field intensity in a manner as disclosed in the first reference.
Also, it is conceivable that in a network game system, which is supposed to be comprised of a plurality of hand-held games of the same type, for example, the hand-held game devices are substantially identical in data transfer rate. Accordingly, an excessive processing load is caused by collecting information concerning the data transfer rate in a manner as disclosed in the second reference.
Further, neither of the first two references disclose how to deal with a situation where the master device is disconnected from a network in midstream.
In the technology disclosed in the third reference, when the master device is disconnected from a network, a slave device is set as a new master device based only on a predetermined order of priority. Accordingly, the degree of freedom in selecting a slave device as a candidate for a master device is low. Also, no description is given about a process to be performed when a master device is disconnected from a network constituted by two devices, i.e., the master device and a slave device.
Therefore, a feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a wireless network system where, when a plurality of terminal devices having a radio communication function are started, master and slave devices are automatically selected from among the terminal devices without causing users to set the master and slave devices.
Another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a network system which allows master and slave devices to be set through a relatively simple and lightweight process.
Still another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a network system with a high degree of freedom in selecting a new master device for use in constructing a new network when a previous master device has been disconnected.
Still another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a network system which allows a master device to be determined more reliably to reconstruct a network.
Still another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a network system which allows a network to be reconstructed with slave devices which had previously comprised the network together with a master device, the master device having been disconnected from the network.
Still another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a network system which allows a slave device to connect to a master device in another network if a network to which the slave device has previously belonged cannot be reconstructed with any other slave device previously belonging to the same network.
The exemplary illustrative embodiments have the following aspects to attain the features mentioned above. The reference numerals or the like indicated between parentheses are merely provided to help in understanding the present invention in light of the exemplary illustrative embodiments to be described later, and are not to be taken as limiting.
A first aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is directed to a wireless network system comprising a plurality of terminal device's (10) having a radio communication function, one of the plurality of terminal devices acting as a master device for controlling data transfer timing in a network, each terminal device other than the master device acting as a slave device performing data transfer with the master device under control of the master device.
Each of the plurality of terminal devices includes: a master device search section (21, 43); a temporary master process section (21, 44); a switching section (21, 45); a slave process section (21, 42); and a master process section (21, 41). The master device search section is operable to search for any other terminal device acting as the master device or a temporary master device. The temporary master process section is operable to cause the terminal device itself to act as the temporary master device. The switching section is operable to, if no network is constructed with any other terminal device, perform a switching operation for alternately activating the master device search section and the temporary master process section (see FIG. 4). The slave process section is operable to, if the master device search section detects the presence of the master device or temporary master device, cause the terminal device itself to act as a slave device for the detected master device or temporary master device. The master process section is operable to, if another terminal device is detected as searching for the master device or temporary master device during a period for which the terminal device itself is caused by the temporary master process section to act as the temporary master device, cause the terminal device itself to act as the master device.
Herein, the situation "where no network is constructed with any other terminal device" includes a situation immediately after the terminal device has been turned on and a situation immediately after a network has ceased to exist because a master device was disconnected from the network in which the terminal device belonged.
In a second aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the first aspect, the switching section performs the switching operation for alternately activating the master device search section and the temporary master process section, and the switching section randomly sets one or both of a period in which to activate the master device search section and a period in which to activate the temporary master process section.
In a third aspect of the an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the first aspect, each of the plurality of terminal devices transmits, at regular intervals, a beacon signal including at least information, which indicates that the terminal device itself is acting as the master device or temporary master device when acting as the master device or temporary master device respectively, and the master device search section receives a beacon signal transmitted from any other terminal device to detect the presence of the master device or temporary master device.
In a fourth aspect of the an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the first aspect, each of the plurality of terminal devices further includes a master device disconnection determination section (21, 47) for, when the terminal device itself is acting as the slave device, determining whether the master device is disconnected from a network in which the terminal device itself belongs, and if the master device disconnection determination section detects that the master device is disconnected from the network, the switching section automatically starts the switching operation.
Note that any known method can be employed for determining whether the master device is disconnected from the network. For example, it may be determined that the master device is disconnected from the network when a beacon signal transmitted from the master device has ceased to be received, or it may be determined that the master device is disconnected from the network when the slave device side has received a signal transmitted from the master device when disconnected from the network indicating the same.
In a fifth aspect of the an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the fourth aspect, each of the plurality of terminal devices further includes an identification information storage section (21, 48) for, when a network is constructed with any other terminal device, receiving and storing identification information for identifying that another terminal device is in the network, and the master device search section searches for any other terminal device, which is acting as the master device or temporary master device and has previously belonged in the network, based on the identification information stored in the identification information storage section.
In a sixth aspect of the an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the fifth aspect, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the master device disconnection determination section determined that the master device is disconnected from the network, the master device search section searches for, in addition to terminal devices having previously belonged in the network, a terminal device acting as the master device or temporary master device.
In a seventh aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the fifth aspect, the identification information is a MAC address list which lists a MAC address of any other terminal device having previously belonged in the network.
In an eighth aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the seventh aspect, each of the plurality of terminal devices transmits, at regular intervals, a beacon signal including at least its own MAC signal when acting as the master device or temporary master device, and when the presence of any other terminal device acting as the master device or temporary master device has been detected, the master device search section checks a MAC address of that other terminal device, which is included in the beacon signal transmitted from that other terminal device, with the MAC address list stored in the identification information storage section, and determines whether that other terminal device has previously belonged in the network in which the terminal device has previously belonged.
In a ninth aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the fourth aspect, each of the plurality of terminal devices further includes an individual number storage section (21, 48) for, when a network is constructed with any other terminal device, receiving and storing a list of an individual number of that other terminal device in the network, and when the master device disconnection determination section has determined that the master device is disconnected from the network, the switching section compares the individual number list stored in the individual number list with an individual number of the terminal device, and sets, based on a comparison result, an initial period in which to activate the master device search section.
In a tenth aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, based on the ninth aspect, the individual number is a MAC address of a terminal device.
According to the first aspect, when constructing a completely new network or reconstructing a network having ceased to exist because a master device is disconnected therefrom, it is arbitrary as to which terminal device acts as a master device or a slave device. Thus, as compared to a case where a specific terminal device is always caused to act as a master device, it is possible to construct a wireless network comprised of one master device and one or more slave devices in a more flexible manner.
According to the second aspect, it is randomly determined which terminal device acts as a master device and which terminal device acts as a slave device. Thus, it is possible to prevent the processing load due to the operation as the master device from being concentrated on a specific terminal device.
According to the third aspect, by using a beacon signal generally used in a wireless network system, it is possible to detect the presence of the master device or temporary master device.
According to the fourth aspect, even if a network has ceased to exist because a master device is disconnected therefrom, the network can be automatically reconstructed.
According to the fifth aspect, even if a network has ceased to exist because a master device is disconnected therefrom, the network can be reconstructed by slave devices having previously belonged in the network.
According to the sixth aspect, when a network has ceased to exist because a master device is disconnected therefrom, even if it is not possible to reconstruct the network by slave devices having previously belonged in the network, it is possible to construct a new network with another terminal device located with the range where communication is possible. Thus, for example, even if a master device is disconnected from a network comprised of the master device and one slave device, a new network can be automatically constructed by the remaining slave device and any terminal device located within the range where communication is possible.
According to the seventh aspect, it is ensured that each terminal device can be identified by a MAC address.
According to the eighth aspect, by using a beacon signal generally used in a wireless network system, a terminal device can readily determine whether any other terminal device having transmitted the beacon signal has previously belonged in the same network as the terminal device.
According to the ninth aspect, when a master device is disconnected from a network, a period in which to start acting as a temporary master varies from one remaining slave device to another in accordance with their individual numbers. Thus, it is possible to prevent a plurality of slave devices from simultaneously starting to act as the temporary master.
According to the tenth aspect, when a master device is disconnected from a network, a period in which to start acting as a temporary master is determined based on a MAC address. Thus, it is ensured that the period in which to start acting as a temporary master varies from one remaining slave device to another.

Wireless network system and wireless communication program


An image processing apparatus for performing nonlinear gamma corrections to image signals includes an image signal sampling unit for sampling plural kinds of picture information from the image signals of one picture frame, a nonlinear gamma correction unit for applying a nonlinear correction to the gamma of the image signals by use of nonlinear gamma curves, and a learning type gamma selector unit wherein a nonlinear relation between the picture information of the image signals sampled by the image signal sampling unit and the nonlinear gamma curves for correction is established by learning and then the picture information is judged according to the results of the learning to select a nonlinear gamma curve to be used for correction.

This invention relates to an image processing apparatus, wherein pictures are processed in accordance with the condition of image signals, particularly to the ones which are incorporated with a function of image's gamma correction.
The conventional method of making gamma corrections and controlling brightness is to control the gradient of a gamma function which is usually linear so as to make the signal upper limit value coincide with the highest possible brightness according to the brightness in image's central area. This method is employed in an automatic iris of a video camera. As illustrated in FIG. 15(A), the gradient of a gamma function is controlled by changing the light quantity passing through a controlled opening of the iris and the maximum brightness in image's central area is made to coincide with the maximum available output of the camera so that the image signals in image's central area are well within the dynamic range of the camera.
However, when the aforementioned method is used in taking pictures of a shaded object standing with its back against a bright background, the gradient of gamma function is adjusted by making the maximum brightness in image's central area coincide with the maximum possible output signal of the camera by opening the camera iris larger than usual and, as illustrated in FIG. 15(B), the pictures of the bright background turn out white all over due to the saturation of the output signal of the camera.
This invention is intended for solving the foregoing problem by providing an image processing apparatus wherein the best possible gamma correction is made against whatever picture objects.

Image processing apparatus and method for performing nonlinear gamma corrections

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for processing a color image for a color blind person to perceive color variation within the color image. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a color image is received from an image capture device or other means. Each area of the color image having one of a specific color or color combination is determined. A pattern is generated based on the one of the specific color or color combination. A pattern overlay of the generated pattern is rendered on a display device.

Color blind persons are often unable to reliably distinguish between various colors. Persons whose color vision is impaired include, for example, those who confuse reds and greens (e.g., either protanopia: having red cones that are not fully functional; or deuteranopia: having green cones that are not fully functional). Even people with full color vision can, at times, have difficulty distinguishing between colors. As a person ages, clouding of the lenses of the person's eyes tends to occur due, for example, to cataracts. As individuals age, they often experience changes in their ability to sense colors. Some individuals may see objects as if they have been viewed through yellowish filters. Additionally, over time, ultraviolet rays degenerate proteins in the eye, and light having short wavelengths is absorbed and blue cone sensitivity is thereby reduced. As a result, the appearance of all colors changes. Similarly, even an individual with "normal" vision can perceive colors differently when they are at an altitude that is greater than they are normally used to, or under certain medications.
To overcome the inability to distinguish colors, individuals may become adept at identifying and learning reliable cues that indicate the color of an object, such as by knowing that a stop sign is red or that a banana is typically yellow. However, absent these cues, the effect of being color blind is that they are often unable to reliably distinguish colors of various objects and images, including in cases where the color provides information that is important or even critical to an accurate interpretation of the object or image. Common examples of such objects and images include lighted and non-lighted traffic signals, and pie charts/graphs of financial information and maps. Moreover, with the proliferation of color computer displays and mobile devices, more and more information is being delivered electronically and visually and usually with color coded information.

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and a method of aligning data bits serially received at a channel input. A number of data bits including a first data bit are stored in a buffer that has a first buffer bit and a buffer size greater than the number of data bits. The data bits in the buffer are shifted to improve alignment of the first data bit and the first buffer bit. The shifted data bits are tested for alignment. If the testing of the data bits indicates correct alignment, then the aligned data bits are transmitted from the buffer to a host for use. If the testing of the data bits indicates misalignment, then the data bits are passed to an error handling process.

In disc drives, a recording media sector typically includes a preamble (a 2T data pattern), a leading sync mark, host data, EDC (Error Detecting Code), ECC (Error Correcting Coding), and flush bits. The data is coded so that it maintains certain properties necessary for the proper operation of a readback channel. The flush bits written to the media force the channel to continue processing data until the final coded host data makes it through the circuitry. This function is commonly referred to as "flushing the channel." The leading sync mark, data coding, and flush bits affect the format efficiency of the drive. Format efficiency is the ratio of the number of original host data symbols to the number of data symbols actually written to the disc. As a rule of thumb in contemporary products, a 1% improvement in format efficiency translates to about 0.18 dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a significant improvement in a read channel. The use of a data format in which a leading sync mark must be substantially correct in order for data to be read, reduces the format efficiency and also increases the number of errors that must be either handled or mapped out of the drive by a flaw scan procedure.
A method and apparatus are needed that can increase format efficiency by reducing or eliminating the need to read a leading sync mark in a data channel. Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.

Channel processing data without leading sync mark


A sheet material, comprised of a copper foil treated to have a stabilization layer thereon. The stabilization layer is comprised of zinc oxide, chromium oxide or a combination thereof having a thickness between about 5 xc3x85 and about 70 xc3x85. A vapor deposited resistive material is provided on the stabilization layer.

This invention relates to a process for treating copper and, more particularly, to a process for applying a metal to at least one side of a copper foil.
Copper foil is used in the production of printed circuit boards. In the production of printed circuit boards, it is generally necessary to bond a copper foil to a dielectric substrate to provide the foil with dimensional and structural stability. Although an excellent electronic conductor, there are problems inherent with the use of copper foil. For example, copper is easily oxidized and corroded, and copper itself, whether plated or rolled, does not adhere well to such substrates. Copper is also known to accelerate or catalyze the decomposition of the dielectric substrates. For these reasons, copper foil is typically sold with one or more protective layers applied to its surface.
It is known that a thin, chromium layer deposited onto copper foil has many applications for printed circuit boards. There are two ways to deposit the thin chromium layer onto a copper surface. One is by an electrodeposition process, and the other is by a vacuum deposition process.
The electrodeposition process has several disadvantages. Foremost, the process uses environmentally hazardous material that is difficult and costly to handle and dispose of Further, this type of process is inexact and inefficient.
With respect to the vacuum deposition process, in order to insure a satisfactory adhesion between the applied chromium and copper, an extensive and rigorous pre-treatment of the copper is required to remove copper oxide from the surface thereof prior to the vacuum deposition of the chromium.
The present invention overcomes these and other problems and provides a method of forming a metal-coated copper by a vacuum deposition process that does not require an extensive rigorous pre-treatment process.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of applying a resistive material onto a copper layer, comprising the steps of:
stabilizing a surface of a copper layer by applying a stabilization layer thereto, the stabilization layer comprised of zinc oxide, chromium oxide, nickel, nickel oxide or a combination thereof and having a thickness of between about 5 xc3x85 and about 70 xc3x85;
and vapor depositing a resistive material onto the stabilized surface of the copper layer.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet material, comprised of a reverse treated copper foil having a matte side and a treated shiny side that is treated to have micronodules formed thereon. A stabilization layer is provided on the treated, shiny side of the copper. The stabilization layer comprised of zinc oxide, chromium oxide or a combination thereof having a thickness between about 5 xc3x85 and about 70 xc3x85. A vapor deposited resistive material is deposited on the stabilization layer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a chromium coated copper layer for use in manufacturing printed circuit boards.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming a chromium coated copper layer as described above by a vacuum deposition process that does not require an extensive, rigorous pre-cleaning of the copper surface prior to deposition of the chromium.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of vacuum depositing a metal onto a copper surface.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a generally continuous process as described above.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a copper component having a layer of resistive material thereon for use in manufacturing printed circuit boards.
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.


A software application for enabling automated notification of applied structural changes to electronic information pages hosted on a data packet network is provided. The software application comprises, a developer-interface module for enabling developers to build and modify navigation templates using functional logic blocks, a navigation system-interface module for integrating the software application to a proxy-navigation system for periodic execution of the templates, a change-notification module for indicating a point in process where a navigation routine has failed and for creating a data file containing parameters associated with the failed navigation routine and a database interface module for interfacing the software application to a data repository for storing the data file. The software application periodically submits test navigation and interaction routines to the navigation system for execution by virtue of the interface with the navigation system. Upon failure of a test routine, the software application creates the data file. The data file, comprises a point-of-failure indication within the failed navigation routine, an identifier of the associated electronic information page subjected to the navigation routine, and a brief description of the cause of failure. The software application stores the data file in the data repository sending notification of the action to the developer.

The information network known as the World Wide Web (WWW), which is a subset of the well-known Internet, is arguably the most complete source of publicly accessible information available. Anyone with a suitable Internet appliance such as a personal computer with a standard Internet connection may access (go on-line) and navigate to information pages (termed web pages) stored on Internet-connected servers for the purpose of garnering information and initiating transactions with hosts of such servers to and pages.
Many companies offer various subscription services accessible via the Internet. For example, many people now do their banking, stock trading, shopping, and so forth from the comfort of their own homes via Internet access. Typically, a user, through subscription, has access to personalized and secure WEB pages for such functions. By typing in a user name and a password or other personal identification code, a user may obtain information, initiate transactions, buy stock, and accomplish a myriad of other tasks.
One problem that is encountered by an individual who has several or many such subscriptions to Internet-brokered services is that there are invariably many passwords and/or log-in codes to be used. Often a same password or code cannot be used for every service, as the password or code may already be taken by another user. A user may not wish to supply a code unique to the user such as perhaps a social security number because of security issues, including quality of security, that may vary from service to service. Additionally, many users at their own volition may choose different passwords for different sites so as to have increased security, which in fact also increases the number of passwords a user may have.
Another issue that can plague a user who has many passworded subscriptions is the fact that they must bookmark many WEB pages in a computer cache so that they may quickly find and access the various services. For example, in order to reserve and pay for airline travel, a user must connect to the Internet, go to his/her book-marks file and select an airline page. The user then has to enter a user name and password, and follow on-screen instructions once the page is delivered. If the user wishes to purchase tickets from the WEB site, and wishes to transfer funds from an on-line banking service, the user must also look for and select the personal bank or account page to initiate a funds transfer for the tickets. Different user names and passwords may be required to access these other pages, and things get quite complicated.
Although this preceding example is merely exemplary, it is generally known that much work related to finding WEB pages, logging in with passwords, and the like is required to successfully do business on the WEB.
A system known to the inventor and described in the cross-reference section above provides an interactive Internet portal that enables users to store their WEB pages, user names, passwords, and a system that performs pre-defined tasks such as navigation and interaction between WEB servers based on user pre-programming (user profiles). Such a system greatly simplifies on-line or network-based business transactions.
It is known in the art that certain providers of Web services often work with partners representing other companies offering similar services. These partnerships are termed cobrand partnerships in the art.
An example of a cobrand relationship would be that of a company A offering services through a company B to subscribers of company B as if the added services were provided and maintained by company B, but in reality are provided by company A. In a typical case of cobranding, subscribers to the cobrand partner are not aware that the added services are actually provided by a company other than the cobrand partner, or in this case, company A.
A problem with cobranding services in prior art involves the amount of cooperation, engineering, configuration, and so on that must be performed by both the service-providing company and the cobrand partner. For example, knowledge workers from both companies must interface and cooperate in order to provide a functional interface and mechanism for subscribers of the cobrand partner to utilize in order to receive the extra value-added services.
A software utility is known to the inventor for creating and configuring a cobrand service package. Such a utility is taught in the co-related application Ser. No. 09/573,699, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Cobranding Portal Services and Normalizing Advertisements Delivered to Cobrand Subscribers, listed in the cross-reference section. This software utility comprises a function for installation and execution of the utility, a function for importing external data for use in the utility, a function for browsing and selecting functional services offered from within the utility, a function for constructing information pages, the information pages containing the imported external data and hyperlinks to the selected functional services, and a function for saving and submitting a configured utility to an entity for installation. The software utility is a self-contained utility, which upon completion functions as a service installation template for installing a cobrand service. By using the utility described above cobranded services may be efficiently implemented at Websites allowing added interaction capability and other services to existing Websites.
In addition to cobrand relationships, there exists on the Internet many popular service sites maintained by service-providing companies that are patronized by many users, thus indicating a wide popularity among users. Providing access to such popular Web locations and their services without requiring a user to physically navigate to the location is one of the primary goals of the inventor and is realized through a novel navigation sub-system that may be executed on behalf of a user according to user request. The navigation system executes according to machine-readable scripting, which provides such functionality as auto-log-in, automated form filling and submission, data gathering and summarization, navigation to secondary sites linked to a main site, and so on.
In order to provide such services through the portal system taught in disclosure included herein and referenced under the cross-reference section, an agreement must be forged between the company hosting the portal service and the company hosting a popular service site. Such an agreement, while not specifically a cobrand agreement, allows subscribers of portal services to access services of a popular site without being required to physically navigate to the site.
In order to implement proxy service access to popular Web locations, information is required from the particular location being added. Likewise, continuing information updates must be obtained from added sites in order that error-free access may be maintained over time. Such information may include data pertaining to the structure of a site, content of a site, site address, any added media functions to a site, and so on. Keeping apprised of current and up-to-date site revisions or changes presents a challenge to Web developers charged with implementing and maintaining proxy service-access to such sites, especially so, when there are many added sites.
One way to handle site revisions and other site changes is to allow Web-developers associated with a proxy service sole authorization to revise, add to, or otherwise alter a site. This may be practiced to insure that no changes are added which conflict with written scripts for accessing services, or at least without new scripts being written or old ones being revised to accommodate the site changes. However, this solution is an impractical one for a variety of reasons. One is that Web-developers specifically charged with maintaining popular sites are not likely to cooperate with those from a proxy service as they know best what their respective companies wish to do with a particular site in terms of construction and alteration. Allowing entities from an outside company to be the sole facilitators of a particular site, even with instruction provided by developers specific to the site in to question is generally not desired, even in exchange for sending clients to their services by proxy.
An alternative requires that Web-developers working to provide proxy services for a particular site continually monitor the site for additions, revisions, address changes, structure changes, and so on to insure that proxy services may continue on an ongoing basis in an un-interrupted fashion. One with skill in the art will recognize that if a developer is charged with maintaining proxy services to many sites, he or she may be considerably back-logged with tasks that are overdue. In the interim, proxy services to particular sites may be delayed for long periods.
A software tool is known to the inventor for automatically tracking activities related to the status and usage statistics of a plurality of Websites on a data packet network. Such a tool is taught in the co-related application Ser. No. 09/639,346, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Tracking Functional States of a Web-Site and Reporting Results to Web Developers", listed in the cross-reference section. This software tool comprises a network communication capability for establishing network communication between the software tool and the tracked Websites; a plurality of data-reporting modules for obtaining and reporting data about tracked Websites; a data input function for excepting data from the reporting modules and from external sources; a data recording function for recording and logging the data received from the reporting modules and from the external sources; and a data management function for organizing and storing the received data and rendering the data accessible for use in software development. A software engineer or developer accesses the site-tracking software and connected database through a Web browser from a network-connected workstation in order to utilize data mined from Websites for the purpose of creating routines enabling automated navigation and site manipulation by proxy for subscribed users.
The system described above provides a more efficient method for managing web-site errors and changes that may occur in automated Websites. However, cooperation from the Websites themselves is still required in order to implement the various data-reporting modules taught. Moreover, database mining by developers for the purpose of discovering errors and changes as well as for adding new sites is still rather extensive.
It is taught in the priority documents related to this specification that proxy navigation and interaction is performed by a navigation sub-system taking instruction from machine-readable templates. Each template contains all of the required navigation and site-logic, as well as any required login, form filling, or other interaction logic needed to perform whatever tasks are ordered. In this sense, an instruction template for navigation, also termed a job-order, may vary considerably from another job-order containing a same Web site. For example, specific site logic may differ for a same URL wherein there are a variety of optional tasks that may be performed. Likewise, some job-orders (templates) will contain only one specific site-logic block if there is only one function performed at the site on behalf of all users. In yet another aspect, orders that encompass more than one site to navigate to may one or more site-logics in common, but in a different order of navigation and application.
With the types of complexities described above, it is desired to modularize templates so that specific blocks of templates such as site logic blocks may be easily replaced should they become non-functional. Furthermore, it is desired that Web-site changes may be detected by methods that require less cooperation from site-hosts.
What is clearly needed is a method and apparatus that enables automated Web site change detection and template repair without to unnecessarily involving Web-site hosts and without extensive labor incurred by program developers. Such a system would streamline automated proxy navigation and interaction for both clients and the service provider.

Method and apparatus for detecting changes in websites and reporting results to web developers for navigation template repair purposes


The present application provides a device and methods of making and using these devices. The devices comprise porous caps and porous vents made from sintered porous polymeric media comprising plastic particles, elastomeric particles or a combination thereof. These devices are used with medical devices or components thereof to provide ease of use, resistance to infection, sterilization and venting.

Many medical devices have components such as needleless access ports and connection ports in different locations for liquid injection, liquid sampling, or liquid drainage. These needleless access ports generally have rubber valves or stoppers that prevent liquid from leaking, and also allow needleless syringes to access the port for liquid injection or liquid sample collection. These devices include but are not limited to infusion bags or systems, intravenous (IV) catheters, chest tubes, drainage tubes, connection ports including luer locks, ear tubes, urine bags, or urine collection systems. The embodiments of the invention described below are intended for use with these and any other appropriate devices. Contamination at these liquid access ports and luer locks is a major cause of healthcare-associated infection (HAI). HAI causes a number of deaths and creates a huge cost for healthcare. One of the major reasons for infection is incomplete or unacceptable disinfection during the liquid injection process. Many have attempted to reduce the chances of HAI by making the antiseptic procedure easy and simple to reduce the potential for human error. For example, U.S. Publication No. 2007/0112333 describes a patient fluid line access valve antimicrobial cap and cleaner. This cap contains a dry pad impregnated with antimicrobial agent. This solid non-porous cap covers the access portion when the port is not in use. Other examples of needleless access ports are shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0008393, which describes a pair of nestable caps; U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,701, which describes needleless access port valves with a venting hole; U.S. Pat. No. 7,981,090, which describes luer activated devices with antimicrobial agents; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,780,794, which describes medical cleaning devices that include a non-porous cap and compressible cleaning materials. This cap can be used to clean the site with an embedded cleaning agent. However, improvements to needless access port caps are still needed in order to reduce infections and for ease of use.
Many medical devices that handle liquid need to be vented in order to allow stable and good liquid flow. Two common devices that handle liquid are infusion bags and urine bags. Infusion bags are used to hold liquids to be delivered into the body, such as an intravenous (IV) bag, a chemotherapy bag, or any other liquid substance to be delivered to a patient. The bag needs to be vented in order to help balance the pressure. Urine bags need vents in order to allow urine flow into the reservoir. Tubing and luer locks also need vents. Tubing and luer locks are common locations for trapping air bubbles. Air bubbles trapped in the IV kits are potentially dangerous because air bubbles delivered into the vascular system can pose serious health risks.
Many of these medical devices have venting systems, but they are not always optimal. For example, some urine bags have a vent in the bag, and infusion bags have a vent on one end of the bag. The vents help balance the pressure inside and outside the bag and reduce liquid flow resistance. However, many of these vents in the bags are not satisfactory. In some instances, they are located too far away from where they are needed in order to affect liquid flow in narrow tubing. They also do not help in removing the trapped air bubbles in the tubing or luers. Some of the currently available infusion bags or containers need vents, and in many developing countries, the nurses have to punch a needle into the infusion bag to provide venting. However, this practice increases the chance of contamination from the air. Additionally, even for bags that do not require a vent, a vent would provide better liquid flow.
There have been a number of attempts to improve needleless access ports and needleless connectors. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0036330 describes a needleless connector intended to prevent retro flow using a vent in a housing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,783 describes a valve with a self-sealing cannula using a rubber material. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0130305 describes an apparatus with a membrane vent. However, all these materials used for vents and methods of venting disclosed in the prior art are different from those described herein. There also have been a number of methods for disinfecting medical devices. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/008393 describes an antiseptic cap design for a catheter. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0132880 discloses catheter cleaning devices. U.S. Publication 2008/0085680 describes a needless hub disinfection device/cap. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0038167 discloses a disinfection cap. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0027399 describes a valve cleaning device. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0202177 describes antimicrobial compositions and methods for locking catheters. All of these methods are not satisfactory.
Improvements to medical device access ports, including methods for maintaining cleanliness, for disinfecting and for venting are needed.

Sintered porous polymeric caps and vents for components of medical devices


A system and method are disclosed for distributing and presenting preferred data from a host server to a display device located at a predetermined remote premise through a communications network. The method involves identifying a user preference, providing at least one data feed containing information related to the user preference, selecting preferred data from the data feed corresponding to the user preference, pre-loading information that matches the preferred data from the host server to the display device, and presenting the preferred data through the display device.

In most urban centers, exposure to information such as advertising information and current news information has become an accepted part of everyday life. Apart from newspapers, magazines, and television, mass advertising information is visually presented by way of billboards, posters, and other various signs, which are capable of displaying relatively fixed images. Countless products and services are presented to the public via fixed images with limited text. In an effort to capture and hold public attention, some mass advertising has been presented via pixelboards containing an array of light emitting diodes and/or lamps that can be controlled over time to present simple animation, pictures, and updateable textual information. Recently, billboards capable of presenting a series of different fixed images have been used to advertise more than one product or service. Despite these advances, manufacturers, distributors, and advertisers are continuously seeking further advances in public image displays. In addition to efforts targeted to attract consumers, distributors seek further advances for maintaining and updating advertisements and other public displays.
For example, operators of billboards maintain not only the support structure, but must identify a new client and create the appropriate sized image when a present client no longer wishes to display their particular advertisement on the board. After the image has been generated, technicians must visit the site to apply the new image. Similarly, each new graphic image, text message, or animation for a new client or message designated for a pixel board is programmed and the program delivered to the site of the pixelboard. By way of further example, in order to update and/or replace publicly displayed posters and placards, the replacements must be printed, distributed, and the various display sites visited in order to remove and replace the various advertisements.
Recent advances in data storage capacity and data compression techniques, coupled with advances in the art of image display technology, have resulted in the proliferation of high-resolution television quality display devices. Nearly every major sporting and convention venue has one or more display devices suited for providing advertising, information updates, close-ups of the action or performance, replays, and/or other images. The viewing public has come to expect such high-resolution color displays. However, many of these public venue displays are quite complex and require a significant support operation requiring real-time human interaction and a significant amount of computing power to supply the updated information to the viewers.
Other public display devices consist of television type display monitors associated with closed-circuit input feeds from within the public facility. These systems are well known and are relatively easy to operate. However, closed-circuit display systems still require a significant level of human interaction at the point of distribution.
A number of much simpler public display devices have been attempted with various degrees of success. For example, in order to reach a captive audience several public display systems have been developed for use in public elevators. Display systems for these environments often attempt to provide real-time information pertinent to their captive audiences.
To date, information display systems for elevators are capable of presenting at most the floor number, a floor directory of tenants and in some cases simple text based news information. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,479 to Fujiwara, appears to describe a display apparatus for an elevator in which information regarding the operating conditions of the elevator is displayed along with "general" information, such as news and weather. A display unit is provided within the elevator cab and includes a display area for displaying text along side a picture display area for displaying predetermined graphic images. Predetermined pieces of information are assembled and assigned a number indicative of a priority for that piece of information. The information is selected for display in accordance with the priority value associated with the information. The system described in the '479 patent is not well suited for the presentation and leasing of advertisements as the messages are not easily updateable and information is restricted to basic text and primitive graphic data.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,629 to Tsuji, et al., appears to describe another display apparatus capable of presenting news, weather, etc., to those in an elevator cab. The information is selected to be displayed at predetermined times. The device described in this patent allows for the information displayed to be corrected (i.e., new or replacement information displayed) through inputs made remotely from the elevator cab or from a caretaker's room via a portable computer. As with the '479 patent, the '629 patent discloses a simple scrolling message display system updateable via a remote computer. The device disclosed in the '629 also requires extensive on-site user intervention to update the displayed messages.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,897 to Matsumoto, et al., an elevator display system is disclosed in which operational information concerning the elevator, in particular a floor indicator, is superimposed on a background image on a display screen. The background image is described as being a plurality of still pictures assigned to the different floors at which the elevator stops or different kinds of animations assigned to the different floors. As with the other display systems, the '897 patent does not offer an easily updateable and controllable solution for advertisers interested in presenting their goods and services via public display systems.
Other display systems are presently available commercially. For example, Ceiva Logic, Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif., has produced and marketed a digital picture frame. Ceiva's digital picture frame permits subscribers of their service to display digital pictures of family and friends, as well as, works of art.
Using the Ceiva Gallery, Ceiva customers can also select specific digital images of famous works of art for display. In addition, Ceiva users have the capability to purchase prints from various art collections from the Cieva Internet site. Ceiva's system has several limitations that prohibit its use as a system and method for distributing and maintaining public service messages and advertisements for a fee. For example, Cieva's subscribers must directly select each individual image for display. While the Cieva Gallery permits access to multiple galleries or collections of art works, the user must actively select each image for download and display in accordance with the users's preferred display mode. In contrast, advertisers, politicians, and others that pay a fee for public displays and presentations of their goods, services, and messages desire control of the presentation method, the locations where their information is presented, and assurance that the images were presented.
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have a flexible system and method for conveniently delivering, presenting, and monitoring, publicly displayed digital images that avoids one or more of the problems and/or shortcomings identified above.

Systems and methods for displaying images

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention relates to a microfluidic device for separating the components of a fluid sample. A cover plate is arranged over the first surface of a substrate, which, in combination with a microchannel formed in the first surface, defines a separation conduit for separating the components of the fluid sample. An inlet port in fluid communication with the separation conduit allows a mobile phase containing a gradient of a selected mobile-phase component to be introduced from an integrated gradient-generation means to the separation conduit. A method is also provided for separating the components of a fluid sample using a mobile phase containing a gradient of a selected mobile-phase component, wherein the gradient is generated within a small volume of mobile phase.

Microfluidic device technologies, also referred to as lab-on-a-chip technologies, have been proposed for a number of different applications in various fields. In the field of biology, for example, microfluidic devices may be used to carry out cellular assays. In addition, microfluidic devices have been proposed to carry out separation techniques in the field of analytical chemistry.
Generally, microfluidic devices may be used to separate the components of a fluid sample using either of two techniques: capillary electrophoresis or chromatography. Capillary electrophoresis involves the separation of molecules based on differences in the electrophoretic mobility of the molecules. Typically, microfluidic devices employ a controlled application of an electric field to induce fluid flow and/or to provide flow switching. In order to effect reproducible and/or high-resolution separation, a fluid sample "plug" (a predetermined volume of fluid sample) must be controllably injected into a capillary separation column or conduit. For fluid samples containing high molecular weight charged biomolecular analytes, such as DNA fragments and proteins, microfluidic devices containing a capillary electrophoresis separation conduit that is a few centimeters in length may be effectively used to carry out separation of small sample plugs having a length on the order of micrometers. Once injected, high sensitivity detection, such as laser-induced fluorescence, may be employed to resolve a separated fluorescent-labeled sample component.
For samples containing analyte molecules with low electrophoretic mobility differences, such as those containing small drug molecules, the separation technology of choice is generally chromatography. Chromatographic separation occurs when a mobile phase carries sample molecules through a chromatography bed (stationary phase) where sample molecules interact with the stationary phase surface. The velocity at which a particular sample component travels through a chromatography bed depends on the component's partition between mobile phase and stationary phase. Microfluidic devices that incorporate a liquid chromatographic functionality have been described in U.S. Ser. No. 09/908,231. These microfluidic devices may employ integrated mechanical valve technologies, such as those described in U.S. Ser. No. 09/908,292, for sample introduction and to reduce the volume of "dead space" in the microfluidic devices.
There are many chromatographic techniques known in the art. See e.g., Kutter et al. (1998), "Solvent-programmed microchip open-channel electrochromatography," Anal. Chem. 70:3291–3297. For example, in reverse phase liquid chromatography, where the stationary phase offers a hydrophobic surface and the mobile phase is usually a mixture of water and an organic solvent, the least hydrophobic component moves through the chromatography bed first, followed by other components, in order of increasing hydrophobicity. In other words, the chromatographic separation of sample components may be based on hydrophobicity.
In isocratic liquid chromatography, the content of the mobile phase is constant throughout the separation. Gradient liquid chromatography, on the other hand, requires the content of the mobile phase to change during separation. Gradient liquid chromatography not only offers high resolution and high-speed separation of wide ranges of compounds, it also allows injection of large sample volumes without compromising separation efficiency. During the initial period when the sample is introduced, the mobile phase strength is often kept low, and the sample is trapped at the head of the liquid chromatography column bed. As a result, interfering moieties, such as salts, are washed away. In this regard, gradient liquid chromatography is suited to analyze fluid samples containing a low concentration of analyte moieties.
Typically, pressurizing means are employed to provide flow through packed columns in liquid chromatography. Such pressurizing means typically include pumps that are designed for optimal performance at a certain flow rate range, generally between about 50 μL/min to about 1 mL/min. To generate a gradient of a selected mobile-phase component within a mobile phase, two pumps may be employed to pump two fluids, each fluid containing a different concentration of the selected mobile-phase component. The fluids are mixed to form the mobile phase and introduced into the column. By varying the relative flow rate of the pumps, a concentration gradient of the selected mobile-phase component may be formed within the mobile phase flowing through the column. However, the quality of the gradient generated by this technique is limited by the performance of the pumps. In some cases, a gradient may require a fluid flow rate that lies outside the capability of the pumps. This limitation is particularly pronounced when microbore liquid chromatography columns are employed, because the required mobile-phase flow rate through the columns is extremely low.
Use of conventional chromatographic equipment with microfluidic devices for separating the components of a fluid may present other technical problems. For example, in order to obtain a smooth gradient, conventional liquid chromatography systems employ a pressure damper as well as a mixer. The pressure damper and the mixer require a certain volume of fluid for proper operation. This volume is associated with a delay time, i.e., the time it takes for a mobile phase to reach the liquid chromatography column after mixing. The delay time can be calculated as the quotient of the delay volume over the flow rate. For example, the combined volume of the damper and the mixer in a conventional liquid chromatography system is about 0.3 mL to about 0.5 mL. This translates to a delay time of about 0.3 minutes to about 0.5 minutes at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. However, if a microfluidic device is constructed for operation at a flow rate of less than about 1 μL/min, the delay time increases to about 300 minutes to about 500 minutes. Such a long delay time renders microfluidic device-based gradient liquid chromatography impractical.
To overcome this limitation, commercial low flow rate liquid chromatography pumps typically employ a split flow design. In this design, pumps move mobile phase at a high flow rate, but only a portion of the mobile phase is delivered to the separation column. The remainder of the mobile phase is diverted into a waste stream. This adds to the cost of operation because typically less than 1% of the mobile phase is actually used for separation.
In addition, the concentration of the selected mobile-phase components delivered to the column changes as gradient liquid chromatography is carried out. In most cases, the viscosity of the mobile phase also changes. This tends to change the pressure profile within the column. To compensate for such pressure profile changes, an electronic flow control unit that includes a flow meter and a variable flow resistor is used to control commercial chromatography pumps. As mobile phase is delivered to the column, the flow meter measures the flow rate of the mobile phase to provide feedback control over the variable flow resistor. Nevertheless, current flow sensor technologies are incapable of accurately measuring flow rates of less than 1 μL/min, especially in gradient mode, and are therefore unsuitable for use in microfluidic devices that are employed in gradient chromatography.
Thus, there is a need for integrated microfluidic device technology that allows control and generation of a gradient of a selected mobile-phase component within a small volume of mobile phase in order to separate the components of a fluid sample. In particular, there is a need for an improved microfluidic device that employs a smooth gradient at low flow rates, especially in flow rate ranges of less than 1 μL/min.

Mobile phase gradient generation microfluidic device


A fuel cell stack is provided with a plurality of stacked separators. This fuel cell stack includes: terminals that extend from the separators; packing in which are formed a plurality of through holes through which the terminals are inserted; a packing casing that has a packing housing concave portion that envelops side surfaces of the packing and supports a bottom surface of the packing, and has through holes through which the terminals are inserted; and a connector housing that has a pressing surface that presses a top surface of the packing. Mountain-shaped protruding portions whose apex portions are formed by circumferential edges of apertures of the respective through holes are provided on the top surface of the packing, and the pressing surfaces of the connector housing are formed in a configuration that conforms to the side surfaces of the protruding portions. Internal surfaces of the through holes in the packing are in contact without a gap in between with external surfaces of the terminals. The sealing performance in extraction portions of terminals that are used for cell voltage detection is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell stack, and particularly to a waterproof structure that surrounds terminals used for voltage measurement in each cell.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-76448, filed Mar. 17, 2004, and No. 2004-200312, filed Jul. 7, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Among fuel cells that are mounted in a fuel cell vehicle or the like, there are those in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode so as to form a membrane electrode structure. This membrane electrode structure is sandwiched between a pair of separators so as to form a cell (i.e., a unit fuel cell). In this type of fuel cell, typically, a plurality of cells are stacked and used as a fuel cell stack.
In this fuel cell, if fuel gas (for example, hydrogen gas) is supplied to the anode electrode and oxidizing gas (for example, air that contains oxygen) is supplied to the cathode electrode, then the hydrogen gas is ionized at the anode electrode, and moves into the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. Electrons then pass through an external load and move into the cathode electrode, where they react with oxygen to create water. Electrical energy can be extracted from this series of electrochemical reactions.
In this type of fuel cell, in order to determine whether or not each cell is in a normal state when in operation, the voltage between separators that constitute each cell (referred to below as the cell voltage) is measured, and the power generating state of each cell is controlled.
As is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 11-339828, a conventional technique is known for connecting lead wires, which are connected to a cell voltage detection circuit, to the separators that employs a structure in which a socket shaped connector that is provided at a distal end of the lead wires is inserted into terminals formed in the separators.
In a fuel cell, in order to avoid short-circuiting between cells that is caused by water entering from the outside, it is necessary for waterproofing treatment to be performed around the terminals. However, providing an individual waterproofing member for each of the large number of terminals that is equal to the number of stacked separators is extremely complicated and gives rise to poor productivity.
Therefore, the present invention provides a fuel cell stack that enables a terminal group made up of a plurality of terminals to be waterproofed all together without a waterproofing member needing to be provided individually for each terminal, and that has a waterproofing mechanism with excellent sealing properties.


An image projector in a case, having a light engine, a circuit board, a heat sink assembly, and a fan assembly, has one or more heat sinks and heat pipes shaped to gather heat from all heat-generating components within the projector and a single air passage to receive the heated air combined from all components, allowing the employment of a single fan module in sucking cool air from the exterior and exhausting heated air through the single air passage.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to projectors and, particularly, to a projector capable of effectively dissipating heat.
2. Description of Related Art
Projectors need more than one fan for dissipating heat from more than one heat source, such as a light source, a spatial light modulator, and a circuit board together, the additional fans increase the size and the cost of the projector and generate more noise.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a projector, which can overcome the limitations described.

Projector with heat sinks and single fan module

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.


This image-taking system includes:                at least one controllable motor (30, 32, 34) suitable for moving an image-taking point of a first mobile telephone in response to movement instructions received by the first mobile telephone, and        a second telephone (42) including a module (60) for sending movement instructions to the first mobile telephone over a telephone network.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image-taking system and a telephone, a mobile telephone and a telephone support used in this system.
2. Description of Related Art
More specifically, the invention relates to an image-taking system including:
a first mobile telephone, able to set up telephone links with another telephone over a telephone network, this mobile telephone being equipped with at least one image-taking point for taking images, and
a second telephone able to display the images taken using the first mobile telephone.
Today, many mobile telephones are capable of taking a photo or of filming a scene and then transmitting it via the telephone network to a remote terminal such as another mobile telephone able to display the photo or the scene transmitted. To this end, mobile telephones include, for example, a lens forming an image-taking point. The lens is, for example, that of a photographic device or of a camera.
These mobile telephones also include a screen and means for restoring on this screen the image taken by the image-taking point.
In such image-taking systems, in order to align an image, the mobile telephone user must manually move the lens until the alignment of the image observed on the mobile telephone screen is correct. In known image-taking systems, it is therefore necessary, in order to align an image correctly, to provide on the mobile telephone the necessary technical means for viewing locally, i.e. on this mobile telephone, the image taken in order to be able to modify or validate the current alignment.
The invention aims to remedy this drawback by proposing an image-taking system using a telephone in which it is not necessary to locally view the image taken in order to align it.

Image taking system and a telephone, a mobile telephone and a telephone holder used by said system


Bit and byte synchronization for sampling and decoding a data string is provided a single data field u. The data string x has pre-pended to it a short string of 1s (ones), followed by u to yield a string y= . . . 1111, u, x. The string is pre-coded by convolution with 1/(1⊕D2). PRML-sampling of y starts at an initial phase, and vectors are obtained from that string by sampling at pre-selected phases following the initial sampling point. The vectors of y are compared with vectors corresponding to PRML samples of an initial set of bits in u obtained at predetermined phases. The pair of y, u vectors exhibiting the minimum Euclidian distance yields a sampling correction value by which the initial sampling phase is corrected and a new initial sampling point preceding x is determined. Here, bit and byte synchronization have been achieved and sampling of x proceeds at the corrected phase, from the new initial sampling point.

The invention relates to data coding, and particularly to data coding for achieving bit and byte synchronization using a single data field.
Bit synchronization refers to the synchronization of a clock for receiving or reading incoming data with the data being received or read. Normally, bit synchronization is achieved when a field of, say, 1s (ones), is written as the data is stored (or transmitted) in a partial-response, maximum-likelihood sequence ("PRML") channel, and it is sampled using an acquisition loop. In a PRML channel, byte synchronization refers to a field with a data pattern in the data that marks the first bit of a symbol. For byte synchronization, this field is followed by a pattern that, when recognized, determines the start of data. Thus, data can be sampled and the information retrieved in the usual form.
As pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,749, the conventional byte synchronization approach has the disadvantage of a long synchronization pattern, with a significant possibility of synchronization failure. The '749 patent proposes a byte synchronization scheme using a byte synchronization pattern between 16 and 18 bits in length.
Our purpose is to unify both the bit synchronization and byte synchronization fields into a single field and achieve bit and byte synchronization simultaneously using the single field ("bit-byte synchronization"). The idea is that the new field is short, allowing for significant savings in magnetic disk real estate. Alternatively, the new field can be used in a hybrid way. In order to combat events like thermal asperity (TA) that wipes out a whole synchronization field, a dual synchronization architecture has been proposed: the bit-byte synchronization field is repeated twice, so if the first bit-byte synchronization field is wiped out, then the system relies on the second one to achieve synchronization. One of the problems associated with TA is loss of both bit and byte synchronization. For that reason, it would be useful to have a synchronization field that recovers bit and byte synchronization simultaneously. Such a capability is disclosed in the following specification.

Method for bit-byte synchronization in sampling a data string

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies-Netherlands B.V.


A fuel vapor treatment apparatus includes a controller configured to detect an abnormality in at least one of a first check valve, a second check valve, a second purge passage, a charging passage, and an ejector based on pressure detected by a pressure detector.

Fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is temporarily adsorbed to a canister. The adsorbed fuel vapor is purged from the canister to an intake passage by use of negative pressure in the intake passage, and then is burned in an internal combustion engine.
In some cases, the internal combustion engine is equipped with a turbocharger. When the turbocharger operates, the pressure of the intake air increases, which makes it difficult to purge the fuel vapor by use of negative pressure. There is a technique in which an ejector is provided in the intake passage and the fuel vapor is purged to the intake passage by activating the ejector during turbocharging operation (See, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-160108).
Such a system uses valves and passages, and there may be an abnormality such as valve failure, stuck close of a passage, and detachment of a passage.


Therapeutic agents for skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and athlete's foot can be obtained from naturally occurring raw materials without requiring the use of steroids and their severe adverse effects. The therapeutic agents contain a fermentation solution as the active component. The fermentation solution is obtained by fermenting raw materials including sugar components, water, and pine leaf or pine leaf clusters. The pine leaf cluster may be a fresh pine leaf cluster, from which the short shoot is preliminarily removed and then the fresh pine leaves are cut into a given length.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a therapeutic agent for skin diseases, which contains as an active component a fermentation solution of pine leaf.
2. Description of the Related Art
A therapeutic agent for asthma has been known in the related art. The therapeutic agent contains a fermentation solution as the active component. The fermentation solution is prepared by fermenting a sugar component, water, and pine leaf, as the raw materials (the publication of Japanese patent No. 2733007).
Additionally, other therapeutic agents for skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and athlete's foot have been well known traditionally.
For the therapeutic treatment of atopic dermatitis, therapeutic agents containing steroids are often used. It is known that although steroids strongly act upon various skin diseases, the adverse effects thereof are also strong in proportion to the magnitude of the therapeutic effect. Adverse symptom effects have been known, including for example; rough skin (similar to that of an elephant) via skin shrinkage and a reddish face (blushing) via the dilatation of blood capillaries.


A charging system includes a charging station, at least one first charging column, which has one or more charging plugs, a buffer store for storing energy, a mains connection for providing energy to the charging station and a switching apparatus, which is configured to conduct the flow of energy from the buffer store and/or from the mains connection to the first charging column. The system can also have a second charging column, which has one or more charging plugs. The switching apparatus is provided in such a way that it distributes the flow of energy from the buffer store and/or the mains connection over the two charging columns or conducts the flow of energy to one of the two charging columns. Furthermore, a method for charging one or more electric vehicles by the charging system at the charging station is described.

Electromobility has taken on increasing importance in recent years. To promote the proliferation of electric vehicles, it is desirable for the charging procedure for an electric vehicle to be quick, uncomplicated and possible at any time. In this case, within the context of good accessibility of electric filling stations, it is possible to charge a plurality of vehicles at one charging column having a plurality of charging plugs. In the charging columns having a plurality of charging plugs, one current source is used to charge a plurality of vehicles. The power is then distributed over all of the connected vehicles. However, this reduces the power that can be applied per vehicle and extends the charging times of the electric vehicles.
Most modern charging columns are built so that they contain a power electronics system and operate one to three charging plugs using same. If more than one charging column is provided, one power electronics system is also provided for each charging column. The power electronics system transforms the current and the voltage from a mains connection such that the current and the voltage at the charging plugs have the appropriate form (DC or AC) and magnitude for being able to charge an electric vehicle (for example direct current in the region of 48 A).
European application EP3035478 A1, which is incorporated by reference herein, describes a charging station for providing electrical energy for an electrically operable vehicle and an arrangement of a plurality of charging stations, which are connected to a power supply network. US2011/291616A, which is incorporated by reference herein, relates to a charging device, which has a charging arrangement having an AC terminal for feeding the alternating current, a rectifier for converting the AC voltage to a DC voltage, and a DC terminal for outputting the direct current.
US2011/175569A, which is incorporated by reference herein, describes a controller for a charging station. US 2013/169227A, which is incorporated by reference herein, deals with a modular charging station having a controller and a switch for switching the energy feed on and off. US 2016/137082A, which is incorporated by reference herein, describes an auxiliary adapter, which makes it possible to charge two electric vehicles at a single charging connection at the same time. US2016/193932A, which is incorporated by reference herein, provides a charging station expander, which receives electrical energy from a charging station and distributes the electrical energy to at least one electric vehicle.

Charging system having at least one charging column for electric vehicles and method for charging one or more electric vehicles


Bipolar Gaussian pulses are utilized to modulate digital data to communicate information via standard power lines. The pulses are sent in a pulse train, at set intervals. Modulation is accomplished without use of a sinusoidal wave as a carrier. Data is transmitted via power lines while reducing the amount of radiated emissions, enhancing data security, and mitigating interference from other sources. Channel capacity is also maximized by channelization in code space.

The present invention relates generally to the field of digital communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to transmission of digital data via power transmission and distribution lines.
The use of power lines as a communication medium is well known, dating back to efforts in the 1930""s to provide telephone communication to rural areas. More recently, systems have been devised that utilize the power line as a medium to communicate data between computers. Some attempts have been made to use these systems to provide Internet access. To date traditional modulation schemes such as Frequency Shift Keying (FSK), Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) have been used.
The use of chirped frequency shift keying for transmission of digital data over power lines has been proposed. For further details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,792 to Baker et al.
The use of spread spectrum techniques for transmission of digital data via power lines has also been proposed. For further details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,141 to Takahashi, as well as a number of patents to Sutterlin et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,671, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,335, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,629. U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,625 to Vander Mey et al. teaches the use of spread spectrum in noisy networks, such as RF channels and AC power lines.
All of these traditional modulation schemes utilize a sinusoid wave as a center carrier, and vary the amplitude and/or frequency and/or phase of that carrier so as to convey the information to be communicated.
Systems that use conventional modulation schemes for power line communications have issues such as radiated emissions, reflections, security and interference from other sources, and channel capacity.
Thus, what is needed is a way to transmit data via power lines while mitigating the above-noted problems of radiated emissions, reflections, security and interference from other sources, and channel capacity.
The present invention does not use sine waves as a carrier wave at all. Instead, bipolar Gaussian pulses are used to communicate data over standard power lines.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a signaling scheme for use in transmission of data via power lines.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for use in transmission of data via power lines.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for power line data transmission that minimizes radiated power.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system for power line data transmission that has secure transmission of data.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for power line data transmission that has spectral smoothing characteristics.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a system for power line data transmission that makes each channel resistant to interference.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for power line data transmission that modulates pulses in a train of bipolar Gaussian pulses according to time position and amplitude of the pulses.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

System and method for communication via power lines using ultra-short pulses


This disclosure describes techniques for constructing power spectral density (PSD) maps representative of the distribution of radio frequency (RF) power as a function of both frequency and space (geographic location). For example, the disclosure describes techniques for construction PSD maps using non-parametric basis pursuit form of signal expansion.

All wireless transmissions use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum. Cellular phones, broadcast television, satellite, and short-distance wireless networks such as Bluetooth and wireless local area networks (WLAN) utilize different portions of the Wi-Fi, for example, typically use wireless frequency spectrum. Often it is important to coordinate the use of the various technologies and frequency ranges to ensure that the technologies do not interfere with each other or with planned future services.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-parametric power spectral density (PSD) map construction


An input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface includes a first substrate, a second substrate physically coupled to the first substrate, and a sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate and configured to detect input objects in the sensing region. A first force sensor includes a first electrode disposed on the first substrate and a first conductive portion of the second substrate capacitively coupled with the first electrode. The first conductive portion is configured to move relative to the first electrode such that a first variable capacitance of the first force sensor changes in response to force applied to the input surface in a first direction parallel to the touch surface.

Input devices including proximity sensor devices (also commonly called touchpads or touch sensor devices) are widely used in a variety of electronic systems. A proximity sensor device typically includes a sensing region, often demarked by a surface, in which the proximity sensor device determines the presence, location and/or motion of one or more input objects. Proximity sensor devices may be used to provide interfaces for the electronic system. For example, proximity sensor devices are often used as input devices for larger computing systems (such as opaque touchpads integrated in, or peripheral to, notebook or desktop computers). Proximity sensor devices are also often used in smaller computing systems (such as touch screens integrated in cellular phones).
The proximity sensor device can be used to enable control of an associated electronic system. For example, proximity sensor devices are often used as input devices for larger computing systems, including: notebook computers and desktop computers. Proximity sensor devices are also often used in smaller systems, including: handheld systems such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), remote controls, and communication systems such as wireless telephones and text messaging systems. Increasingly, proximity sensor devices are used in media systems, such as CD, DVD, MP3, video or other media recorders or players. The proximity sensor device can be integral or peripheral to the computing system with which it interacts.
Presently known proximity sensors have the ability to detect and determine force applied to a surface of the sensor, for example, by providing one or more force sensors coupled to the surface of the sensor, such as strain gauge load cells, piezoelectric crystal force transducers, and the like. It is also known to estimate applied force by measuring the increased capacitance resulting from the increased contact area when a finger is pressed against the surface. Drawbacks associated with estimating applied force using these techniques include limited accuracy and complex construction. Consequently, such sensors have are limited in their ability to use such determined force as a basis for determining user input. This limits the flexibility of the proximity sensor device to function as an input device. Thus, there exists a need for improvements in proximity sensor devices, and in particular, in the ability of proximity sensor devices to determine and respond to indications of applied force.
Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Shear force detection using capacitive sensors


Provided are applications of a thiazole derivative in treating virus infection and in the preparation of drugs for treating virus infection. Specifically, provided are applications of a compound represented by formula (I) and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound represented by formula (I) in treating virus infection and in the preparation of drugs for treating virus infection:

Diseases caused by acute viral infections are important threats to public health and safety. These viruses include not only well-known influenza viruses (avian influenza viruses), hand-foot-and-mouth viruses, dengue viruses, but also include new and sudden severe virus, for example RNA viruses, such as Ebola and coronaviruses. Diseases caused by acute viral infections have some common characteristics: 1) Short course of disease (1-2 weeks), rapid development (rapid development within a few days after onset); 2) It is easy to cause severe illness and even death in high-risk populations; 3) It is easy to spread among people; 4) Rapid replication of the virus usually causes excessive inflammation.
Taking influenza virus as an example, according to statistics from US CDC, the mortality rate of adults hospitalized due to influenza virus infection is 5%-10%, and about 20,000 people die from influenza virus infection every year. This number does not include millions of deaths caused by several famous influenza pandemics, as well as the outbreak caused by avian influenza viruses such as H7N9, H5N1, H5N6 and even H1N1. The course of influenza virus infection is about 14 days, and for critically ill patients, conditions deteriorate rapidly until death within a few days after the onset. Although the critically ill patients were also given specific antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu, the concentration of virus is too high in the late stage of the disease, suppressive effects are limited and lives cannot be saved.
Currently, there are mainly two prescription drugs, Oseltamivir (trade name "Duffy", Roche) and Zanamivir (trade name "Leeqing", GSK) for treating influenza virus infection. These two drugs are inhibitors to the ceramidase of virus and can inhibit the release of the virus, therefore it is clinically proven that the disease time can be shortened and the risk of complications can be reduced. However, due to the action mechanism, if both of the drugs are not used during the early stage of virus infection (48 hours after the onset of symptoms), their effectiveness will be greatly reduced. Recently, Favipiravir, a new anti-influenza virus drug developed by Fukuyama Chemical Co., Ltd., was approved for being marketed. It is aimed at the viral polymerase and can inhibit the replication of the virus. In theory, it will show better antiviral effects, as compared with the above two drugs, and will be more effective when used in the late stage of the disease. According to estimates, the global annual sale of anti-influenza drugs exceeds 200 million US dollars, and the market is mainly located in developed countries such as Europe and the United States. Taking the drug demand in countries with high poultry density in Asia into consideration, the future market for anti-influenza drugs is undoubtedly huge.
At present, antiviral drugs mainly target functional proteins of viruses, that is, specific drugs are needed to be developed for each virus. Such antiviral drug can achieve high specificity and selectivity, however drug-resistance will often occur after a drug is use in long-term and high amount. And if different drugs are developed for different viruses, the development cycle is long and the cost is high.
As a parasitic living organism, a virus must rely on the resources of host cells for reproduction. Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art for small molecule drugs designed for host molecules on which the virus depends, so as to obtain a broad spectrum antiviral drug.

Applications of novel thiazole derivative in treating virus infection


An oscillator for use in pulse communication of pulse signals with a startup latency and a pulse oscillation signal (such as for use in a transmitter for OOK pulse communication with pulse modulation). The oscillator includes an LC resonator having a tank impedance, and including a high-side node (Vp), and a low-side node Vn, and having a tank voltage corresponding to [Vp-Vn]. A pulse startup circuit, includes a PMOS transistor with a source connected to a supply voltage VDD, and a drain connected through a resistance R to the Vp node (where R is significantly larger than the tank impedance), and connected to an attenuation capacitance, in parallel with the resistance R. The PMOS control terminal is coupled to receive a kick start pulse to initiate a pulse signal. the oscillator can include high-side and low-side pulse startup circuits.

A digital isolator can use an oscillator for digital pulse communication with pulse (oscillation) signals across an isolation barrier. FIG. 1 illustrates a digital isolator 10 with a TX oscillator 11 and RX receiver (tank) 12, coupled capacitively or inductively over an isolation barrier 15. Data signals are encoded 17, and transmitted 11 as pulse signals that are sensed by the receiver, and decoded 18 back to digital.
Communication is based on pulse modulation, for example, pulse code, pulse amplitude, pulse width, and pulse position. For example, pulse communication can be based on on-off keying (OOK), with edge encoding (such as one pulse for a rising edge, and two pulses for a falling edge).
While this Background information references digital isolators, this Disclosure is more generally directed to oscillator designs for pulse communication.

Oscillator for pulse communication with reduced startup latency