(R)-verapamil, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, is useful in the treatment of angina.

Angina is a common indication of myocardial ischaemia either as a result of coronary artery disease or post acute myocardial infraction.
Verapamil (1) is presently in clinical use for the treatment of angina as a racemate. ##STR1##
The opposite enantiomers of verapamil have different biological activities and different potencies. The pharmacological profile is determined by stereoselectivity of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.
Satoh et al, Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology (1980) 2:309-318 disclose details of a study of the vasodilatory and cardiodepressant effects of the two enantiomers of verapamil. The authors report that a equieffective doses in terms of increasing coronary sinus outflow, (R)-verapamil is significantly less cardiodepressant than (S)-verapamil. They conclude from this that (R)-verapamil may provide a safer means of treating angina than (S)-verapamil, but add that it is not known which of the enantiomers of verapamil is of grater therapeutic value in the treatment of angina.
In reaching this conclusion the authors considered only two properties of verapamil, namely decrease in myocardial oxygen consumption and increase in coronary blood flow. The reduction in oxygen consumption was attributed to the negative inotropic action and negative chronotropic and hypotensive effects. The authors considered that the coronary vasodilator effect was most important for the anti-anginal action of verapamil, and cited nifedipine as a coronary vasodilator with a virtual lack of cardiodepressant action. However, coronary vasodilation is just one possible component, and certainly not the most important component, of the mechanism of treatment of angina. Accordingly, several compounds tried in the treatment of angina on the basis of their coronary vasodilatory action alone have failed in the clinic. This illustrates that the model utilised in the study by Satoh et al is not a true angina model. Accordingly, no reliance can be given to any conclusion based on that study.
Curtis et al. Proc. West. Pharmacol. Soc. (1986) 29:295-297 describe the use of a pithed rat preparation to evaluate the peripheral vasodilatory potencies of the different enantiomers of verapamil. Their study illustrated a potency difference of 23-fold in favour of (S)-verapamil as compared to (R)-verapamil. In a conscious rat model, however, they found a potency difference of 4-fold, again in favour of (S)-verapamil, for lowering blood pressure. This data is, in its own right, confusing, and when viewed alongside the data reported by Satoh et al, it is very difficult to predict the overall vasodilatory profile of (R)-verapamil, and accordingly whether it will have any meaningful therapeutic activity in the treatment of angina.
Consequently, it is not known which, if either, of the enantiomers of verapamil will be effective in the treatment of angina in the clinic.
A target profile of once a day therapy giving 24 hour control and protection from the symptoms of angina is sought, without the undesirable, dose-limiting side effects experienced with the racemate, eg. depression of myocardial contractility (see Satoh et al) and atrioventricular (AV) conduction block (see Raschack, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. (1976) 294:285-291).

Therapeutic use of(R)-Verapamil for treating angina


To provide a disk array control apparatus which enables security of data from a host controller along with prevention of the degradation of process performance during rebuild processing.

An information processing system which consists of computers and networks needs to handle many kinds of capacities per a unit of data (for example, a capacity of a file) from large size to small size as data of process. But the physical capacities of disk apparatuses (disk drives) which store the data are fixed. Consequently, if each of the disk apparatus is stored and managed, useless areas occur in each of the disk apparatuses.
And, the total amount of data handled in an information processing system has been increasing year by year. Consequently, if a large number of disk apparatuses are managed per each disk apparatus, the useless areas increase.
And, for a host controller such as a computer which uses disk apparatuses, the number of disk apparatuses targeted for management becomes enormous. Consequently, for the host controller, the management of disk apparatuses becomes complex and the process for management increases.
Therefore, a disk array apparatus is used as a storage device having a large storage capacity, which is free from a capacity of the disk apparatus (For example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-009442 (patent document 1)).
The disk array apparatus includes a plurality of disk apparatuses. Then, this disk array apparatus reads and writes data as logical disk apparatuses to a host controller. The host controller can use the logical disk apparatuses which has necessary capacities and numbers for management by using the disk array apparatus.
The disk array apparatus includes a plurality of disk apparatus which store and play data and a disk array control apparatus (a disk array controller) which executes the exchange of data with the host controller and the control of the disk apparatuses.
Moreover, in order to secure the reliability of data, the disk array apparatus described in the patent document 1 uses RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks or Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks) which has data redundancy. In order to realize the RAID, the disk array control apparatus manages the disk apparatuses regarding the management of the configuration of the RAID, and the like. And, the disk array control apparatus creates the data for securing the redundancy, and manages the record and the play of data for securing redundancy.
In order to secure the redundancy of data, the disk array apparatus using the RAID, which is described in the patent document 1 constructs the RAID with a plurality of disk apparatuses. Further, hereinafter, a state in which all the disk apparatus constituting the RAID are normally operating will be referred to 'a normal state'. Since the redundancy of data based on the RAID can be secured, the normal state will be sometimes referred to as 'a state of redundancy'.
Even if one or more of the disk apparatuses included in the RAID are unusable (for example, failure), the disk array apparatus using the RAID can read and write data. However, in order to replace a disk apparatus having become unusable with a usable disk apparatus, the disk array apparatus separates the unusable disk apparatus from the array configuration logically or physically (electrically). Such state as described above, in which an unusable disk apparatus is included in the RAID configuration or is separated from the RAID configuration, will be referred to as 'a reduced state'. And, since the redundancy of data cannot be secured, the reduced state will be sometimes referred to as 'a state of non-redundancy'.
The separated disk apparatus is removed through a predetermined replacement operation and a normal disk apparatus is installed into the disk array apparatus. After the replacement of the faulty disk apparatus, the disk array control apparatus recovers (rebuilds) data of the currently-installed disk apparatus based on the data of disk apparatuses which have been operating in a reduced state. When whole data of the currently-installed disk apparatus has been recovered, the disk array apparatus returns to a normal state, in other words, a state of redundancy.
In this rebuild processing, the disk array control apparatus reads out a predetermined unit of data from the disk apparatuses which have been operating in the reduced state; calculates data which is necessary for the security of redundancy of data on the basis of the read-out predetermined unit of data; and writes the calculated data into the currently-installed disk apparatus after replacements. The disk array control apparatus repeats these operations to recover all data to be stored in the currently-installed disk apparatus after replacement.
However, even if during the rebuild processing described above, the disk array apparatus needs to process commands for reading and writing of data from the host controller. That is, the disk array apparatus in the rebuild processing state processes both read/write operations for rebuilding and read/write operations for data from the host controller. Consequently, the disk array apparatus in the rebuild processing state degrades the performance of processing such as responding to a process from the host controller by the time of the rebuild processing.
The storage capacities of recent disk apparatuses have been particularly increasing significantly. Consequently, a period of necessary time of rebuilding for recovering data of a currently-installed disk apparatus after replacement increases. That is, the influence of the rebuild processing leading to the degradation of process performance increases.
Among disk apparatuses, there exist disk apparatuses provided with caches to improve the process performance.
Therefore, in data writing processes, the disk array apparatus described in the patent document 1 does not write data into a disk medium, but writes it into a write cache, and can improve the process performance thereby.
More specifically describing, the disk array apparatus described in the patent document 1 notifies the host controller of the completion of a data writing process at the time when the disk array apparatus has written write data received from the host apparatus into the write cache of the disk apparatus.
The host controller determines that the data writing process has been completed upon reception of the notification of the completion from the disk array apparatus, and performs a next process (for example, a process of clearing write data or a process of issuing a next command).
Further, the disk apparatus, which writes the write data in the write cache, writes the write data which is written in the write cache into the disk medium at a predetermined timing (for example, at a timing when there is no access from the host controller during a constant period of time) or in accordance with an instruction from the host controller.

Disk array control apparatus, disk array apparatus, and disk array control method

Abstract: The disk array control apparatus includes a host interface unit which receives write data from a host controller; a rebuild control unit which controls rebuild processing for creating recovery data writes the created recovery data into a disk medium; and a disk control unit which writes the write data which is received from the host interface unit into the disk medium and writes at least a part of the recovery data which is created based on the control of said rebuild control unit into a write cache.


A particular method includes detecting an interaction event using an event capture object of a rendered display of a graphics file. The graphics file is rendered to generate the rendered display by layering one or more foreground objects over one or more background objects. The method also includes executing code associated with the graphics file in response to detecting the interaction event. The code is executed to determine an identifier of a highlight object based on an identifier of the event capture object. The highlight object is below the event capture object in the rendered display and may be below the object to be highlighted in the rendered display. The code is also executed to change an attribute of the highlight object to modify the rendered display.

Some vector graphics techniques use a "painter model" for rendering. When using a painter model, objects are rendered one over another (in a manner that may be thought of as layering). For example, a first object is rendered, and then a subsequent object is rendered, possibly partially overlaying and possibly obscuring the first object. Objects may be defined in a graphics file in a manner that specifies the arrangement or order of the objects in a rendered display. For example, objects defined at the beginning of the graphics file may be rendered first (and are therefore at the back or lower layers of the rendered display) and objects at the end of the graphics file may be rendered last (and therefore at the front or upper layers of the rendered display).
In order to detect user events, a graphics file may include an event capture object. The event capture object may detect user interaction events, such as mouse over events. The event capture object may be used to highlight regions of a rendered display by triggering execution of code that causes the event capture object or another object to be modified in the rendered display. Methods of highlighting objects in a painter model rendered display can be less than satisfactory because the order in which the objects are layered in the rendered display can lead to highlighting that does not behave as users expect. Further, a graphics file that includes data to enable highlighting of objects in a rendered display can be very large as a result of the amount of data used to define multiple objects, to link the objects to enable highlighting, and to provide executable code to implement highlighting based on user events.

Highlighting an object in a display using a highlight object


Characterizing a cargo container and its contents. A system comprising an emitter to emit radio frequency (RF) energy, a receiver to receive an RF response related to the energy, and a processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses. A method for characterizing a cargo container and its contents, the method including providing a system as described above, via the system: emitting a RF energy within a container, receiving an RF response of the container and the container contents, emitting a second RF energy within a container, receiving a second RF response of the container and the container contents, and comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

Today the bulk of goods shipped from international destinations to the United States (U.S.) arrive in steel cargo containers. The vast majority of these containers comes in one of two common varieties: 8′ by 8′ by 20′, i.e., one Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU); and 8′ by 8′ by 40′, i.e., two TE forty million TEUs arrive in the U.S. in each year. One of the primary missions of U.S. Customs Service has been the inspection of these cargo containers for manifest verification and contraband detection. The heightened threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) being transported through this shipping modality has resulted in a significant interest in methods of insuring the integrity of the containers from offshore manufacture or shipper to its US destination. Sealing the container alone is not sufficient to insure the integrity of the shipping container contents. Studies show that the most sophisticated sealing mechanism remains defeatable by those whose mission it is to affect the contents of the container. In addition, volume alone makes detailed individual inspection of each container resource-intensive if not infeasible. National security issues drive an increasing level of vigilance to reduce the risk of admitting dangerous contents into the country.
One approach to managing the security concerns associated with allowing containers to enter the U.S., without detailed individual inspection upon arrival, is to have a trusted shipper or an Independent Goods Inspector (IGI) inspect the container when the cargo is loaded. After inspection and loading, the container is sealed. Subsequently, those containers bearing seals that show signs of tampering can be selected for detailed individual inspection. The use of seals, while potentially effective to indicate tampering through the container door, does not address tampering through other methods, e.g., entry through the sides or ends of the container.
A pulse of energy introduced into a hollow conductive box will cause the box to respond at its resonant frequencies. Such a box can be visualized as a waveguide shorted at each end. Such a waveguide can support a stationary wave pattern of only those resonant modes whose frequencies lead to an integral number of half-wavelengths between opposite conductive walls of the waveguide. A rectangular waveguide of dimensions a×b×d has resonant frequencies at fmnq given in Equation 1—where m, n, and q are integers describing the number of half-wavelengths between the a, b, and d walls respectively. The integers m, n, and q collectively represent a mode of the resonant response whose frequency is:
                              f          mnq                =                              c                          2                                                                                π                                                                                μ                    R                                                                          ɛ                    R                                                                                (                                                            m                                                                                π                                        a                                    )                                2                            +                                                (                                                            n                                                                                π                                        b                                    )                                2                            +                                                (                                                            q                                                                                π                                        d                                    )                                2                                                                        (        1        )
In Equation 1, c is the velocity of light while εR and μR are the relative electrical permittivity and magnetic permeability of the dielectric media—nominally air, in which case εR=μR=1.
The quality factor, Q, is a common parameter used to describe the relative "strength" of any particular resonant mode and is defined as the energy stored in the system divided by the energy lost per radio frequency (RF) cycle. The Q is also equal to the resonant frequency divided by the bandwidth at the half-power points of the response curve. The larger the Q-value, the higher the peak response of the resonance and the narrower its width. An infinite Q-value would correspond to a mode with infinite response and zero bandwidth. In our example rectangular cavity with dimensions a×b×d, the Q of the lowest frequency Transverse Electric (TE) mode {m=1, n=0, q=1} can be expressed as:
                              Q          101                =                                                                              (                                      k                                                                                a                                                                                d                                    )                                3                                          b                                                                                η                                      2                                                                                π                2                                                          R                s                                                                    1                          (                                                2                                                                                a                    3                                                      b                                +                                  2                                                                                b                                                                                d                    3                                                  +                                                      a                    3                                                      d                                +                                  a                                                                                d                    3                                                              )                                                          (        2        )            where k=2π/λ (λ is the wavelength), η2=μ/ε=μ0μR/ε0εR, and R5 is the resistivity of the metal walls of the waveguide. The higher the Q, the greater the system response to a stimulus and the more easily that response is to identify compared with background electronic noise.
FIG. 1 is a plot of the theoretical modes of a one TEU equivalent copper waveguide. The individual curves are labeled with their m and n mode numbers respectively, and are shown as a function of the longitudinal mode number q. Because the waveguide has a square cross-section, the plots produced by switching m and n are equivalent (e. g. the horizontal and vertical modes are degenerate in frequency). The observable mode structure of an empty container would be the projection of the "dots" in FIG. 1 onto the vertical axis—a large number of overlapping resonant modes.

Science Applications International Corporation


Systems, methods and computer programs provide for implementing a mobile communication device, such as a smart telephone or the like, as a point of transaction for in-store purchases, such that all a customer needs to do is capture the coded indicia of products they desire (i.e., scan the products) with their mobile communication device as they shop and the purchase transaction will subsequently occur based on either the customer (in possession of the mobile communication device) being physically located in a designated area of the store or the lapse of a predetermined period of time from when the coded indicia was captured.

Retailers are always trying to find ways to make the customer's experience more enjoyable. One way to make the customer experience more enjoyable is to make the overall shopping experience more efficient. In this regard, the less time that a customer spends shopping typically equates to a more enjoyable experience.
Retailers, such as grocery stores and the like, have recently implemented self-checkouts that allow the customer to scan and bag their items as a means of adding efficiency to the check-out process. Such self-checks outs have been welcomed by the customer and, as such, more and more self-checks are being added at grocery stores and other in-store locations to accommodate there widespread customer acceptance. However, while self-checkouts impart some degree of accelerating the check-out process, self-checks are not without their limitations and drawbacks in terms of check-out efficiency. For example, all too often a customer may experience a problem during the self-check that requires assistance from a self-checkout attendant and/or store manager. In other instances, customers new or not adept at the self-checkout process may add delay for those waiting to use a self out station.
Another drawback of the overall shopping experience is that a customer typically does not know the total amount of their purchase until they reach a check-out station (a sales associate checkout station or a self-checkout station). They only way for a customer to circumvent this problem is to use a calculator as they accumulate the products they desire to purchase and/or keep track of an estimated total purchase amount in their head.
Therefore, a need exists to create new ways for customers to conduct a purchase transaction (i.e., checkout) within retail locations. The desired purchase transaction system should be highly efficient so as to limit the amount of time that a customer spends at the retail location. Moreover, the desired purchase transaction system should allow customers the ability to track the total purchase amount as they shop and acquire products which they desire to purchase.

Mobile device as point of transaction for in-store purchases


The system and method determines the torque applied to a rotating shaft by a load. A first sensor detects rotation of a first wheel and a second sensor detects rotation of a second wheel. A third sensor is proximate to the first sensor. A processor determines: 1) a magnitude of a phase angle (φA) based on the first and second sensors and having an unknown sign; 2) a magnitude of a phase angle (φB) based on the second and third sensors and having an unknown sign; and 3) a magnitude of a phase angle (φC) based on the first and third sensors and having a known sign. The processor determines a sign of the phase angle (φA) based on the values of the phase angles (φB) and (φC) and determines a torque value from the load applied to the shaft at least in part based on the magnitude and sign of the phase angle (φA).

Various work vehicles, such as used in the agriculture, construction and forestry (and other) industries, use rotating shafts to transmit power from the power source (e.g., internal combustion engine) to various driveline, work implement or other load components. The torque supplied by the power source may, for example, be directed through a transmission system in order to alter (e.g., increase) the delivered torque. The (estimated or actual) amount of torque delivered to the load components may be important data for various vehicle control systems as well as to reduce the occurrence of exceeding the torque capacity of vehicle components (e.g., shafts or subsequent load components). Some known systems use tone wheels to measure torque based on a measured amount of twist in the rotating shaft, where the rotational orientation of each tone wheel is detected by a sensor (e.g., an electromagnetic pick-up), each of which provides a voltage output signal. However, when measuring the phase shift based on the two pick-ups, it is difficult to determine the sign of the phase shift, that is, whether the phase shift is negative or positive, without complex processing. Without knowledge of the sign of the phase shift, erroneous torque measurement may result. Inaccurate torque assessment may thus lead to various inefficiencies in vehicle operation, such as the use of load components with torque capacities in excess of that required for a given vehicle system.


An identification system distinguishes among a set of individual containers. The identification system has an identifier member associated with each of the containers in the set for facilitating visual discrimination of each of the containers from the others of the set. The identifier member of each container in the set has distinct and visibly different printed identifying indicia positioned over a surface portion of the container, and an opaque covering material covering the printed identifying indicia. The opaque covering material is removable to selectively expose a preselected one of the printed identifying indicia so that during consumption of the contents of the container a user may readily distinguish his container from the other containers in the set by visual inspection of the exposed printed identifying indicia.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to identification systems and, more particularly, to an identification system for distinguishing among individual containers, such as individual drinking containers or individual containers of a consumer package of products.
2. Background Information
Containers of products for consumer use, such as food and beverage containers, have been packaged in sets having four, six or even more containers. Usually, each container is identical to the others of the set with each container displaying thereon identical indicia over a major portion of the container. This indicia not only serves to convey information about the contents of the container, but it also depicts manufacturer and distributor trade information as well as trademark and trade dress configurations, colorations and words. Since each container in a set is virtually identical to the others, distinguishing between each container is almost impossible once the containers are separated from the original packaging arrangement.
Often, at a party or other social setting, mistakes of container identity occur where individuals mistakenly drink or eat from containers which previously had been used by another. For example, many times an individual sets his beverage container down momentarily and returns to it later. Sometimes, that person either becomes unsure where the beverage container was placed, or finds that two or more similar appearing beverage containers have been left in the same area making it difficult to determine which beverage belongs to whom. In general, it is impolite to drink from another person's beverage container, and such often results in squabbles about whose beverage container belongs to whom. Additionally, picking-up and drinking another person's beverage can pose a risk of exposure to any contagious medical condition that the other person may have. In this regard, modern medicine and most informed people generally recognize the desirability of not drinking or eating from another person's beverage or food container. This is particularly important because of the widespread presence of germs and other contagion, including AIDS, Hepatitis A, B, C, G and the like, cold sores (Herpes), and flu viruses. Thus, without means for identifying individual containers taken from a consumer pack, social occasions and even family gatherings can be dampened by the nagging fear of whether the opened consumer food or beverage container just picked up and eaten or drunk from was the same one just recently laid down.
Moreover, disposable drinking cups are extremely popular for the convenience they offer in situations in which large numbers of people are served. As is well known, disposable cups are offered by manufacturers in plastic or paper, and are available in plain, unadorned form, in colors, or with decorative designs. Disposable cups are typically purchased in bulk, and in the usual case, all of the cups in a given package are similar, if not identical, in appearance. Again, this leads to the situation in which the drinks of individual users, when put down momentarily, cannot be distinguished from one another. Thus, individuals often cannot identify their own drinks and are faced with the choice of drinking from a cup which may have been used by another, or abandoning what may indeed be their own drink. When such confusion of one drink for another occurs, the results are unsanitary and potentially injurious to health. On the other hand, when one unnecessarily abandons a cup because it cannot positively be identified, the result is wasteful and uneconomical.
Although some prior patents have discussed ways for identifying containers of food and beverage products, it is believed they are limited by either their complexity and expense, or their appearance and impracticality. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,877 granted to Kosisky, it was proposed to provide a circular tray having circumferentially spaced openings marked with the names of individual users. Cups, also bearing the names of the individual users, are associated with the openings. Such an arrangement permits the identification of cups and drinks, but in order for the disclosed technique to work, the cups must be returned to the tray. U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,564 to Falcone et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,629 to Brixius et al. disclose identification insignia hanging or secured onto a container by pressure clips or other means. This approach is burdensome and detracts from the overall trade dress of the container. Likewise, using large, non-similar labels to identify different containers not only deemphasizes the manufacturer's and distributor's trademark and trade dress but it also obscures the important container content and labeling information usually mandated by governmental regulations.
Other types of personal identification of food and beverage containers have been proposed, illustrative of which are the proposals of U.S. Pat. No. 2,024,889 granted to A. Simeone; U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,468 granted to David Wolf; U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,916 granted to Edgar O. Artolucci; U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,240 granted to George I. Goodwin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,804 granted to Antony-Euclid C. Villa-Real; U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,139 granted to M. David Ricks; U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,457 granted to Donald O. Chandler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,077 granted to Howard L. Rose; U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,815 granted to Micheal A. Lang; U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,581 granted to Douglas Vagedes; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,777 granted to Boman K. Najmi. Although such proposals have addressed selected problems encountered in providing personal identification for containers of alimentary products (e.g., food and beverages), there have continued to be certain drawbacks to their use. Thus, for a variety of reasons such as cost or cumbersomeness in use, they have not found popular expression in the marketplace.
Accordingly, there has continued to be a need for improved identification devices and systems for food and beverage containers that are simple, inexpensive, and easy to use and prevent inadvertent drinking or eating from the wrong container, particularly where a number of individuals are using containers having the same general appearance.

Identification system for individual containers


The technology described herein improves data security and software functionality in an integrated application deployment. Security is improved by providing granular permission management to application resources at the application program interface (API) level. This granular control allows the primary application to provide access to only the minimal resources the secondary application needs to complete a task. The technology described herein provides a more efficient access control scheme by facilitating group management of permissions. The technology described herein also improves an application update process by eliminating the need for permissions to be reassigned every time a primary application or secondary application is updated. Finally, the technology described herein provides a centralized permission enforcement that is independent of the primary or secondary application.

Today, millions of organizations acquire software from multiple software vendors. In some cases, companies license an entire productivity suite of applications (e.g. Microsoft Office) to meet their business needs. In most cases, corporations use a variety of software to accomplish their goals. For example, sales software, warehouse management software, and accounting software may be used by a single organization to perform various employment functions, such as payroll, customer support, marketing, accounting, and human resources, among others. Efficiency may be improved by integrating these applications with each other since a single real-world task is often completed using multiple applications. Integration of applications poses multiple functional and security challenges. For example, when either a primary application (program receiving integration) or a secondary application (program being integrated into a primary application) is updated the two programs may no longer function together. Integrating programs may allow for complete or partial access to the other program's data and functions. Managing these permissions across a large number of applications in an enterprise or personal environment is a technical challenge.


An aircraft-luggage-bomb protection system has a blow-away plug (1) for each of a plurality luggage-storage units of a cargo section (4) of a commercial airplane (5). Luggage (3) is placed in explosion containers (2, 8, 20) that are positioned over the blow-away plugs. The explosion containers can be structured for select handling equipment such as luggage carts and pallets (23). The cargo sections are structured for quick and easy conversion between passenger use and airfreight use of planes. Procedural methods are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protection against terrorist bombing of aircraft and in particular to construction of aircraft and luggage facilities for directing explosive forces from bombs out of cargo holds safely and inexpensively without occurrence of injury to passengers or debilitating damage to aircraft.
2. Relation To Prior Art
Terrorist bombing of aircraft is proliferating in present world conditions. An effective and relatively inexpensive protection of passengers and aircraft against potential harm from luggage-borne bombs is critical. It can discourage their use in addition to protecting passengers and aircraft.
Solutions to date have included bomb-detection systems and explosion-containment systems. None have provided construction of aircraft and cargo facilities to direct explosive forces out of aircraft without occurrence of injury to passengers or debilitating damage to aircraft in a manner taught by this invention.
The most nearly related devices and systems known are those directed at containing explosive forces within aircraft. Examples of these different but related devices for differently protective systems are described in the following patent documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,129, issued to Lee, described an explosion-containment luggage container with explosive-containment construction on all but one or more weak faces through which explosive forces could be directed against a section of aircraft hull. There was no provision for construction of aircraft to allow escape of the explosion forces without flight-debilitating damage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,665, issued to Sanai et al taught an explosion-resistant luggage container that deformed spherically to aid in absorbing explosion pressures and explosion debris. Neither of these explosion-containment devices have been adequate. Luggage bombs and fear of their use continue to proliferate.


A control means for an agricultural tractor is disclosed which has a switching element carrier arranged in proximity to the leading end region of an arm rest of a driver's seat. The control means has a large number of switches for controlling various vehicle units and the carrier has a hand rest (3, 4) provided with a spherical surface for the palm of the vehicle driver's hand. An adjustment wheel (14, 19) is provided for controlling a switching element (12, 24), the adjustment wheel having a setting rim (14a, 19a) which extends from the switching element carrier in a region which can be reached by the fingers of the hand resting on the hand rest (3, 4). Preferably the control means is provided with two adjustment wheels (14, 19) one above the other, each adjustment wheel having a setting rim (14a,19a) which can be reached by the fingers of a hand resting on the hand rest. These adjustment wheels (14, 19) preferably have actuating shafts (13, 23) which extend substantially coaxially and the lower adjustment wheel (14) has a larger external diameter than the upper adjustment wheel (19).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control means for utility vehicles, in particular for tractors usable for agricultural purposes, having a switching element carrier, arranged in proximity to the leading end region of an arm rest of the driver's seat, for a group of switching elements comprising a large number of switches for controlling various vehicle units, which carrier has a hand rest provided with a spherical surface for the palm of the vehicle driver's hand.
2. Description of Related Art
Control means of this type are intended not only to make the vehicle easier to operate for the driver of the vehicle but also to offer him effective driving comfort, his arm and hand being in a relaxed position, with a large number of actuating elements, such as pushbuttons and switches, provided for the actuation of various vehicle units, arranged so as to be as ergonomically advantageous as possible.
A control means meeting these requirements to a high degree is described in EP 0 813 993 B1. This document discloses a switching element carrier having a spherically shaped hand rest carrying a large number of actuating elements. These are basically pushbuttons or rocker switches for the rapid raising of a front tool carried by the front hoisting gear, the interruption of all functions and the rapid raising of a rear mounted implement carried by the rear hoisting gear. It should be noted in this regard that the rocker switches for the rapid removal of the front and rear mounted implements are also used for controlling the lowering thereof into the working position. This document does not refer to a console which is arranged next to the arm rest on the side wall of the driver's cabin and carries further actuating elements. These further actuating elements include two actuating elements for the setting or adjusting of the desired values of the front and rear hoisting gears, i.e. for inputting the desired working position of the tools. This known arrangement forces the driver, whenever a change in the working position is desirable or necessary, to release his hand from the hand rest and to swivel his right forearm to the console in order to reach the actuating elements. Once the respective actuating element has been set, the driver has to pivot back his forearm before he can place his hand on the hand rest and optionally actuate the pushbutton for the rapid raising of the front or rear mounted implement.
Starting from this, the object of the invention is to improve a control means of the type described at the outset by increasing the degree of operational and driving comfort for the driver.


A mat toy is provided that has many soft microbubbles extending upward from its upper surface. Gas is sealed within each bubble. When jumped upon by a child, a bubble becomes compressed and bursts with a popping sound enjoyed by children. The soft upper layer is adherent to a stiff bottom layer. This provides sufficient rigidity that the mat lies flat when jumped upon and cannot wrap around and suffocate a child. The bottom surface is further provided with a high friction, slip or skid-resistant surface so that the mat will not slide out from under the jumping child to avoid injury. The upper layers may be light transmissive and indicia such as a colored cartoon animal may be provided at a lower layer that is visible to the child for enhanced appeal. An intermediate cushioning layer such as a closed cell foam may alternatively be provided.

This invention relates to children's toys and more particularly to a mat for children to jump on that makes popping sounds.
Micro-bubble plastic laminate cushioning sheets as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,081 issued Jul. 9, 1968 to Chavannes and 5,084,324 issued Jan. 28, 1992 to Schirmer are well known for packing fragile items for shipment. They are generally made of polyolefin plastics soft enough so that the bubbles can be broken with a popping sound when squeezed. People enjoy breaking these bubbles to hear the popping sound. Children even enjoy jumping on the material to pop the bubbles. However, the prior art material presents several dangers to children as a plaything. The flat plastic material of the underside is slick and smooth, having a natural lubricity. It can easily slip or skid out from under a jumping child who has become accustomed to the soft landing provided by the bubbles, thereby leading to injury. The soft nature of the product that permits it to wrap around irregular objects for cushioning can result in a young child being wrapped up in the sheet and suffocated. Consequently the micro-bubble cushioning material of the prior art should not be used as a plaything for children.


The present application is directed to a hand held wet body shaver. The body shaver includes a razor assembly with one or more cutting edges. The razor assembly is adjustable amongst a plurality of fixed settings, each setting dictating the usable length of the one or more cutting edges. The razor assembly is operationally configured maintain a desired alignment amongst its component parts at each fixed setting. The razor assembly is effective for shaving and trimming hair to various desired lengths.

Hair of a human body is worn and maintained at varying lengths as desired. Due to the natural growth of hair and due to the fairly rapid visual change in the appearance of hair length, it is desirable for an individual to be able to treat hair at one or more target hair shaving areas in a manner effective to maintain a substantially constant hair length over time.

Adjustable body shaver, system and method


Methods of coating at least a portion of a curved surface of a lens with a polarizing liquid. One method includes providing a lens having a curved surface and a lens axis; and rotating the lens about a rotation axis such that a polarizing liquid flows over at least a portion of the curved surface; the rotation axis being offset from the lens axis. Other methods are included. Apparatuses include ophthalmic lenses having polarized coatings formed according to any of the disclosed methods.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to methods of coating lenses. More particularly, the invention relates to methods of applying polarized coatings to curved lenses.
2. Description of Related Art
Polarized lenses block light of certain polarization states. By blocking horizontally polarized light, a polarized lens reduces glare that would otherwise exist through a non-polarized lens, such as glare off water, roads, and other objects. As a result of the reduced glare, objects become more distinct and true colors more clear. There are currently several different known systems for polarizing lenses for use in eyewear.

Essilor International Compagnie Cenerale d'Optique


A digital sound generating apparatus and sound generating method therefor is disclosed including a CPU interface for exchanging information with a CPU controlling the generation of a sound, a slot memory for storing various control parameters of the sound to be generated, a slot assigner for providing slot information for generating a new sound to the CPU when the new sound is generated, a data processor for executing an operation to reproduce an original sound using the various parameters of the slot memory, and a volume controller for receiving the information of the slot memory and the slot assigner to control the volume of the original sound.

The present invention relates to a sound generating apparatus, and more particularly to a digital sound generating apparatus and sound generating method therefor which is capable of improving availability of a central processing unit (CPU) and improving performance effects by assigning the most appropriate slot through a slot assigner rather than the CPU and providing information on slot assignment to the CPU.
A conventional sound generating apparatus includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a slot memory 2 for storing various sound control parameters, a CPU interface 1 for exchanging information with the slot memory 2 and a CPU, a data processor 3 for executing an operation to reproduce an original sound using the various control parameters of the slot memory 2, and a volume controller 4 for receiving the information of the slot memory 2 and the data processor 3 to control the volume of the original sound.
In a general digital sound processor, a volume envelope indicating temporal variations in the volume has ADSR (attack, decay, sustain and release) forms. For example, when a key on a musical keyboard is turned On by pressing it, the conventional sound generating apparatus of FIG. 1 continues to generate a sound at a sustain level S after passing through an attack level A and a decay level D, as shown in FIG. 2A. Once the key is OFF, the sound is attenuated at a release level R according to a release value. In another case, when the key is ON, the sound is gradually attenuated with the lapse of time, as shown in FIG. 2B.
In operation, if a message indicating that the key is an ON state is received, the CPU writes in the slot memory 2 a start volume level (1), a final volume level (2), and a temporal volume variation between the start and final volume levels, i.e. a volume rate as shown in FIGS 2A and 2B, in order to achieve the desired attack interval A. The volume rate of an interval (1)-(2)' is larger than that of (1)-(2), and the interval (2)'-(3) is smaller than that of (2)-(3).
The volume rate has a positive number only at a start (or attack) interval and has a negative number or a zero value at other intervals. Although information related to the written start volume is not shown in the drawings, the volume rate is added to a current volume of every frame by an envelope generator and the current volume continues to increase until it reaches a target volume level.
If the current volume level reaches the target volume level, the attack interval is completed, and the current volume level is as indicated by (2). Then, the CPU writes a new target volume level (3) and a new volume rate in the slot memory 2 in the same way as in the attack operation. Similar operations are carried out for the sustain and release intervals.
When various sounds are generated at the same time, in particular, when all slots which are capable of generating a sound generate sounds simultaneously, if a new sound to be performed is received, the CPU searches for a slot having the lowest volume level by comparing volume information of all the slots and then inserts a parameter for the new sound in that slot. Assuming that the number of sounds which is capable of being simultaneously processed is 32 and a sampling rate is 44.1 KHz, 32 sounds are sequentially processed during one frame of 22.6 .mu.s, as shown in FIG. 4. Each sound is processed in the unit of a slot and parameters for processing each sound are written in the slot memory by the CPU. The information written in the slot memory to generate one sound, includes a sample address which is an address of a sound sample memory for storing a sound to be performed in a corresponding slot, pitch control for designating the amplitude of a sound, filter control for adjusting timbre, volume control for controlling a temporal variation in the volume, and the like, as shown in FIG. 3. During one frame shown in FIG. 4, slots from slot (0) to slot (31) are sequentially processed.
If it is desired to simultaneously process an A instrument sound at a first slot, a B instrument sound at a second slot and a C instrument sound at a third slot, parameters of the A, B and C instrument sounds are sequentially written in slot (0), slot (1) and slot (2) parameter areas, respectively, through the CPU interface 1. A slot operation mask bit (SOMB) is set to 1 in slot (3) to the last slot parameter area so that no information is written in those slots.
If the parameters for all the slots are received, the data processor 3 and the volume controller 4 shown in FIG. 1 reproduce an original sound from the first slot. The reproduced sound is stored in an internal accumulator (not shown) of the volume controller 4. Thereafter, the second and third slots are sequentially processed and their sounds are sequentially added to the sound stored in the accumulator. Since other slots are not operated, there are no further changes in the accumulator.
If one frame is all processed, data in the accumulator is transmitted to a speaker through a digital-to-analog converter. Since the data processed during one frame is one sampling data out of a number of sampling data of a sound sampled at a constant time interval, a plurality of frames corresponding to the number of sampling data of a corresponding sound should be processed in order to completely process one sound. Further, since each sound differs in length and amplitude, the above A, B and C sounds are completed late if the sampling data is long if the sound is and strong. If 32 sounds are to be simultaneously made, an accurate decision should be made as to what sound should be completed first. If it is necessary to perform a new sound under the state that 32 sounds are not completed, a parameter for the new sound should be inserted in the least important slot in a sound to prevent unnatural performance.
However, since the above sound generating apparatus considers only the volume level received in each slot or only processes the first performance start slot, an important sound to be performed may be wrongly processes, which leads to deterioration in performance effects. Furthermore, since the CPU should take part in volume control information processing of each slot memory whenever a slot is assigned, the processing speed of the sound generating apparatus is delayed when there are many sounds to be generated. To improve this disadvantage, a CPU with a faster processing speed maybe used, but such products are expensive.

Digital sound processor having a slot assigner


A cover system for a percussion striking device allows drummers and percussionists to removably cover their existing sticks, mallets, and beaters of their preference with a light weight, durable fabric to produce benefits including: reducing volume during practice sessions, resulting in less ear fatigue, maintaining as true of a response as possible (“feel”) of the playing surface while working techniques used to enhance actual performance, and/or reducing wear on drumsticks, mallets, and beaters and all playing surfaces it is used on, as well as other benefits.

Drummers and other percussionists often practice and work on their technique to improve at playing their desired instruments. Percussionists (like all instrumentalists) also often practice a piece of music repetitively until it is ready to be performed. Many percussionists are very particular about the size, shape, weight, feel, balance, and response of the drumstick, mallet, beater, or other striking device they choose to use in a given performance for optimum feel and satisfaction in sound quality. Percussionists may find their practices to be more effective when they are using a striking device that has the same size, shape, weight, feel, balance, and response as the striking device they use to play music in their performances. However, practicing can often pose problems for a percussionist. As one example, percussion instruments often produce loud and/or sharp noises that can be an unwelcome distraction to family, neighbors, and other people in the vicinity. These noises can also damage the hearing of the percussionist over time. As another example, repeated practice with the same striking device can cause wear and damage to the striking device and/or the instrument, even to the point of breakage. As a further example, practicing by striking certain surfaces, such as a table or desk top, can damage the surfaces.
Existing striking devices and accessories do not adequately address these issues. For example, percussion sticks designed for practicing currently exist, however such practice sticks typically do not have the same characteristics as the percussionist's preferred sticks. As another example, percussion sticks have been coated at least partially with rubber or similar material to reduce playing volume and/or to provide protection. However, such coatings are permanent, preventing the sticks from being used in normal performances, and may also add significant weight to the sticks. As another example, percussionists may cover the instrument itself with a covering, such as a towel or a specially-designed instrument cover. Such coverings dampen the response of the instrument, however, and do not permit the percussionist to feel the response of the instrument accurately.
The present device and method are provided to address the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior percussion striking devices, instruments, and accessories. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Cover for striking device for percussion instrument


The use of multiple stimulation frequencies and phases is disclosed to detect touch events on a touch sensor panel in a low-power state. Simultaneously during every frame, a number of rows of the touch sensor panel can be driven with a positive phase of one or more stimulation signals, and the same number of different rows can be driven with the anti-phase of those same stimulation signals. Because the same number of rows are stimulated with the in-phase and anti-phase components of the one or more stimulation signals, the resulting charges injected into a given column cancel each other out. However, a touch event will create an imbalance, and a non-zero charge will be detected. The detection of the touch event can then trigger the system to wake up, activate a panel processor, and perform a full panel scan, where the location of the touch event can be identified.

Many types of input devices are presently available for performing operations in a computing system, such as buttons or keys, mice, trackballs, touch sensor panels, joysticks, touch screens and the like. Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease and versatility of operation as well as their declining price. Touch screens can include a touch sensor panel, which can be a clear panel with a touch-sensitive surface, and a display device that can be positioned behind the panel so that the touch-sensitive surface can substantially cover the viewable area of the display device. Touch screens can allow a user to perform various functions by touching the touch sensor panel using a finger, stylus or other object at a location dictated by a user interface (UI) being displayed by the display device. In general, touch screens can recognize a touch event and the position of the touch event on the touch sensor panel, and the computing system can then interpret the touch event in accordance with the display appearing at the time of the touch event, and thereafter can perform one or more actions based on the touch event.
Touch sensor panels can be formed from a matrix of row and column traces, with sensors or pixels present where the rows and columns cross over each other while being separated by a dielectric material. In order to scan a touch sensor panel driven by multiple stimulation frequencies and compute an image of touch, various phases of selected low noise frequencies can be used to simultaneously stimulate the rows of the touch sensor panel, and multiple mixers can be configured to demodulate the signals received from the columns using the selected low noise frequencies. The demodulated signals from the multiple mixers can be used in calculations to determine an image of touch for the touch sensor panel at each frequency.
A concern with many touch devices is the amount of power they consume when actively scanning the touch sensor panel. The high power consumption problem may be particularly important for hand-held devices, as the limited power supply of a hand-held device can be readily consumed by actively scanning the touch sensor panel and processing those scans. These scans can be wasteful if there is no touch-activity on the panel for an extended period of time.
A possible remedy for a loss of power consumption during periods of inactivity is to shut down (i.e. turn off) the touch sensor panel or touch device. But doing so can have several disadvantages, such as consuming even more power when turning the touch sensor panel back on (particularly if the period of inactivity is not an extended period of time) and the inconvenience to the user for having to wait for the touch sensor panel to turn back on. Additionally, a user may forget to turn the touch sensor panel off, resulting in continuous active scans of the touch panel despite a lack of touch activity.

Auto scanning for multiple frequency stimulation multi-touch sensor panels


The present invention relates to a method and system for determining the quality of an application based on user behaviors of application management. The method includes: 1) preprocessing data on user behaviors of application management to obtain a sequence of management behaviors as a training set; 2) extracting features of the user behaviors from the obtained sequence of management behaviors; 3) establishing a multi-dimensional independent variable space using the extracted behavior features, wherein each application in the training set is considered as a point in the space; training a model according to the space; and debugging to obtain optimal model parameters and a definite regression model; 4) arranging the data of the management behaviors of each application to be predicted according to step 1) and step 2), and then inputting the result into the regression model, wherein an output of the regression model is the result of the application quality determination. The present invention can effectively remove irrelevant features and exert the quality expression ability of relevant features, and can obtain more accurate results for evaluation of application quality.

With the development of mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, smart watches, etc.), the type and quantity of mobile device applications (i.e. apps) are showing a trend of explosive growth. Accurately measuring the quality of an application has become a very important issue, which has very significant implications to users for their learning about applications for better selections before downloads, to developers for knowing more about feedbacks of their own and competitors' applications in the marketplace, and to application market managers for providing more accurate recommendations. The most intuitive and accurate evaluation criteria are the users' appraisal of applications in the application market, including natural language evaluation and scoring, among which the scoring is the most intuitive and effective. However, in the current mobile application market, there is a widespread problem that users are not accustomed to evaluating applications, resulting in few user reviews for some applications. The qualities of these applications are difficult to determine by user evaluation.
In addition to the relatively intuitive and accurate evaluation method of user evaluations, the mainstream application market uses the total number of application downloads or the number of users who have downloaded an application as measures for the quality of the application. The basic principle is to use user selection behaviors of an application to determine its quality. These are the only indicators for appraising the less-rated applications mentioned above. However, relying on such simple metrics alone may not truly reflect the quality of the application. For example, some applications have high downloads and total downloading users, but these may be due to the success of the marketing efforts when the application was released; the quality of these applications may not be high, a large number of users may directly uninstalled after initial trial use. At the same time, there may be a class of applications whose downloads and downloads are not that much, but their users keep using them and updated with the current versions. These applications tend to have higher quality. Therefore, simple indicators such as download numbers and downloading user numbers may not lead to accurate evaluation.
These indicators based on user behaviors are reasonable, but one of its problems is that they do not fully utilize the amount of information in the user behaviors. For example, if the majority of users of an application are uninstalled shortly after downloading the application, it is likely that the quality of the application is not high enough so that a large number of users choose to give up after using them. On the other hand, if an application has some users having uninstalled the application and then choosing to reinstall, then it is very likely that the application is of good quality so the user really needs it to reinstall accordingly. Inspired by this, there are many valuable features in the sequence of actions that users take to manage their applications. If one can dig out valid features, one can use these features to arrive at a more accurate assessment of applied quality.
In the conventional technologies, Chinese patent No. CN101404650B, entitled "A method and system for subdividing network application service quality", provided an appropriate network quality mark to implement fine graining of qualities the network application service according to the application program currently used by the user,
In addition, "the method and system for determining the quality of an application" (application number: 201110247330.7) is based on the convergence value of the average value reported by a large number of mobile terminals, which shows the common quality status of the application, which can reflect the quality of the application. However, none of these technologies makes effective use of the valuable features of the user's management behavior of the application, so that a more accurate application quality evaluation can not be obtained.
In view of the above, there is a need for a method of extracting behavioral features from application management behaviors and using the extracted behavioral characteristics to determine the quality of applications that are less user-evaluated.

Method and system for determining quality of application based on user behaviors of application management


Surfactants useful for enhancing the electrical conduction of electrodes attached to the surface of a patient. The surfactants are also useful in transport of materials in and out of the body of a patient (animal or human) and in the measurement of disease states. Typical surfactants particularly useful in the invention are broadly represented by protein/fatty acid based compounds. The protein/fatty acid compounds may be lipopolypeptides. In some embodiments the lipopolypeptides may be acyl peptides. Typical acyl peptides are Lamepon S™, MayTein C™ and MayTein CT™.

The measurement of internal body conditions by means of external measurements is the preferred measurement technique for diagnosing disease or monitoring body conditions. The goal for measurement by external measurements is to be as minimally invasive as possible to achieve measurement of the desired internal condition. Many devices have been designed to achieve the above goals through the use of electrical or electrochemical surface measurements.
Another important technique that is becoming increasingly important is the transdermal administration of drugs as a preferred mode of delivery. Transdermal delivery of drugs provides many advantages over other means of administration such as oral or by injection. Advantages include safety, convenience, increased patient compliance, non-interrupted therapy, avoidance of the hepatic first pass effect, and the high degree of control of any administered drug.
Many drugs are not amenable to transdermal delivery due to the well known barrier properties of the skin. Drug molecules that are intended to penetrate into the body through intact skin must first penetrate the stratum corneum and materials therein or on its surface. The drug molecule must then penetrate viable epidermis, the papillary dermis, and then the capillary walls before entering systemic circulation. In its path into the body, each of the mentioned tissues will exhibit different resistances to penetration by the same drug molecule. It is the stratum corneum, however, that presents the greatest barrier to absorption by topical administration or transdermal administration for most molecules. Muscous membranes present similar problems depending on the materials that are desired to penetrate the membrane.


One embodiment of an apparatus includes a headgear, a chin strap and a magnetic fastener including a slide socket and a stud. The slide socket is attached to the chin strap and the stud is attached to the headgear. The slide socket is configured to be magnetically attracted to the stud to secure the chin strap to the headgear.

Various activities such as, for example, contact sports and hazardous occupations, require the use of helmets to protect participants from head injuries. Conventional football helmets, for example, include a chin strap to secure a helmet to a player's head for protection. Particularly, conventional female snap fasteners on the ends of the chin strap are manually aligned and mechanically snapped to conventional male snap fasteners on the lower edges of the football helmet to secure the helmet to the player's head.
Football players often remove their chin straps between plays and/or series. The conventional snap fasteners of football helmets, however, are burdensome to use, resulting in a player struggling and/or failing to properly align and/or snap one or more conventional female snap fasteners on a chin strap with one or more conventional male snap fasteners on a helmet before a play and/or series. When the chin strap is not properly secured to the helmet, the player may not be adequately protected from head injuries.

Headgear and chin strap with magnetic fastener


An optical film is provided, which displays a positive wavelength dependency across the entire wavelength region from 400 to 800 nm, and is capable of imparting a specified retardation to transmitted light with a single sheet of film. The optical film particularly, includes a thermoplastic norbornene-based resin with a specified structure formed of a structural unit (I) which imparts a positive birefringence and a structural unit (II) which imparts a negative birefringence, and which satisfies particular conditions with respect to ΔNI(λ), ΔNII(λ), ΔNI(800) and ΔNII(800) wherein ΔNI(λ) and ΔNII(λ) represent the difference between a refractive index Nx(λ) in an x axis direction at a wavelength λ, and a refractive index Ny(λ) in a y axis direction, and ΔNI(800) and ΔNII(800) represent the difference in refractive indexes at a wavelength of 800 nm, and the x axis represents the stretching direction and the y axis represents the in-plane direction perpendicular to the x direction.

Polycarbonate and polyester films and the like, which have conventionally been used as optical films, have a large photoelasticity coefficient, and consequently minor variations in stress can cause variations in the retardation imparted to transmitted light. Furthermore, acetate films such as triacetylacetate suffer from problems relating to heat resistance and deformation on water absorption.
Cyclic polyolefin-based resins have properties which include a high glass transition temperature due to the rigidity of the primary chain structure, a non-crystalline structure with a high light transmittance due to the presence of bulky groups on the primary chain structure, and a low birefringence due to the small anisotropy of the refractive index, and are consequently drawing considerable attention as transparent thermoplastic resins with superior heat resistance, transparency and optical characteristics.
Examples of this type of cyclic polyolefin-based resin are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 1-132625 (JP1-132625A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 1-132626 (JP1-132626A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 63-218726 (JP63-218726A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 2-133413 (JP2-133413A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 61-120816 (61-120816A), and Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 61-115912 (JP61-115912A).
In recent years, the utilization of the above properties in the application of cyclic polyolefin-based resins to optical materials such as optical disks, optical lenses and optical fibers and the like, as well as to fields such as sealing materials for optical semiconductor sealing has been the subject of much investigation.
Similarly, in the field of optical films, the above properties of cyclic polyolefin-based resins are capable of resolving the aforementioned problems associated with conventional resins, and as a result, films formed of cyclic polyolefin-based resins have been proposed as optical films for a variety of different film applications. Specific examples include the retardation plates formed of cyclic polyolefin-based resin films disclosed in Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 4-245202 (JP4-245202A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 4-36120 (JP4-36120A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 5-2108 (JP5-2108A) and Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 5-64865 (JP5-64865A). The application of cyclic polyolefin-based resin films to protective films for polarizing plates is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 5-212828 (JP5-212828A), Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 6-51117 (JP6-51117A) and Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 7-77608 (JP7-77608A). Moreover, a liquid crystal display element substrate formed of a cyclic polyolefin-based resin film is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 5-61026 (JP5-61026A).
In the applications described above, the fact that a cyclic polyolefin-based resin with a water absorption of no more than 0.05% can be produced with relative ease, and this low water absorption value are reported as the special characteristics of the resins, and are described as essential properties. However, if this type of low water absorption cyclic polyolefin-based resin film is used as a retardation plate or a liquid crystal display element substrate, then the film may suffer from inferior adhesion to a hard coat, an antireflective film or a transparent conductive layer, or inferior bonding with the polarizing plate and the glass respectively. In cases in which a cyclic polyolefin-based resin film is used as a protective film for a polarizing plate, then in addition to the adhesion problems outlined above, an additional problem arises in that the water of the aqueous adhesive typically used for bonding the film to the polarizer is very difficult to dry.
However, the cyclic polyolefin-based resin family includes a wide range of different structures, and not all cyclic polyolefin-based resins display a water absorption of 0.05% or less. In order to ensure a water absorption of no more than 0.05%, the cyclic polyolefin-based resin must have either a polyolefin structure formed from only carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms, or a structure which incorporates a proportion of halogen atoms.
Consequently, in order to resolve the aforementioned problems relating to low water absorption, optical films incorporating a thermoplastic norbornene-based resin with a polar group incorporated within the molecular structure have been-disclosed in Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 7-287122 (JP7-287122A) and Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 7-287123 (JP7-287123A).
The optical films disclosed in these applications display superior optical characteristics including a high degree of transparency, a low retardation of transmitted light, and a uniform and stable application of retardation to transmitted light upon stretching and orientation, offer good levels of heat resistance and adhesion and bonding with other materials, and moreover also undergo little deformation on water absorption, and are consequently being investigated for potential application within a variety of optical film fields, as films capable of resolving the problems associated with optical films formed of conventional resins.
However, when optical films formed of conventional cyclic polyolefin-based resins are stretched and oriented, a function is obtained wherein retardation is imparted to transmitted light, although this function has a characteristic that the absolute value of the transmitted light retardation decreases as the wavelength of the transmitted light lengthens (hereafter this characteristic is described as a "negative wavelength dependency"). As a result, a retardation of, for example, ¼λ could not be imparted to transmitted light across the entire so-called visible light spectrum from 400 to 800 nm, using a single film. This property is true not only for optical films formed of conventional cyclic polyolefin-based resins, but also for optical films formed of the other resins described above.
As a result, conventionally, in order to impart a specified retardation, for example a retardation of ¼λ, to transmitted light within the visible light spectrum, a plurality of films for imparting retardation to the transmitted light (hereafter referred to as "retardation films") needed to be laminated together (for an example refer to Japanese Publication of Patent No. 3174367). However, this method has many associated problems including the fact that precise lamination and angle adjustment is required during the lamination, the fact that some defective products are produced during the lamination, and the fact that the lamination increases the thickness of the retardation film. Accordingly, an optical film capable of imparting a specified retardation, for example a retardation of ¼λ, to transmitted light across the entire visible spectrum with a single sheet of film has long been sought.
In order to resolve this problem, an optical film for which the absolute value of the transmitted light retardation increases as the wavelength of the light lengthens, in other words an optical film which displays a positive wavelength dependency, is required. A retardation film formed of a specific cellulose acetate-based resin has been proposed as an optical film with this type of positive wavelength dependency (Japanese Laid-open publication (kokai) No. 2000-137116 (JP2000-137116A)). However, because this retardation film is formed of a cellulose-based resin, it suffers from problems such as variations in characteristics on water absorption and inferior heat resistance.

Thermoplastic norbornene resin based optical film


A portable solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generator module comprises a plurality of smart power slat (SPS) units, each SPS unit comprising a plurality of solar cells electrically connected together based on a specified cell interconnection design, and, N at least one power maximizing integrated circuit collecting electricity generated by the plurality of solar cells. The plurality of SPS units are mechanically connected such that the SPS units can be retracted for volume compaction of the module, and can be expanded for increasing PV electricity generation by the module. The module can be used as part of an electric power supply with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) power optimizer, storage battery and leads to connect to a load. The load can be AC or DC.

The present disclosure relates generally to a solar photovoltaic electricity generator and electric power supply, and specifically to compact design of solar photovoltaic electricity generator for rapid deployment and ease of transportation. Conventional glass-covered solar PV modules may capture light only from one face (monofacial), and power generation varies widely based on various factors, such as non-uniform light conditions and presence of various localized and full shading conditions affecting portions or all of the module.

Rapidly deployable and transportable high-power-density smart power generators


Diagnostic systems, methods, polypeptides and antibodies for detecting the presence of C-terminal hGPIIb fragment of the platelet receptor GPIIb-IIIa in a body fluid sample are disclosed.

Thrombosis involves cell adhesion of platelets. Platelet cell adhesion generally involves recognition of specific adhesive proteins by the platelet cell surface receptor GPIIb-IIIa.
GPIIb-IIIa is a noncovalent, Ca++ dependent, heterodimer complex comprised of noncovalently associated alpha and beta subunits. Jennings et al., J. Biol. Chem., 257:10458–10466 (1982). The alpha subunit, GPIIb consists of a heavy chain (hGPIIb) having a relative molecular weight of about 120 kilodaltons (KDa), and a light chain (lGPIIb) of about 20 KDa that are linked together by disulfide bonds. The beta subunit, GPIIIa is a single chain polypeptide of about 100 KDa. Phillips et al., J. Biol. Chem., 252:2121–2126 (1977).
GPIIb-IIIa contributes to platelet function through interactions with RGD-containing proteins such as fibrinogen [Bennett et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 80:2417–2421 (1983)], fibronectin [Ginsberg et al., J. Clin. Invest., 71:619–624 (1983)], and von Willebrand factor [Ruggeri et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79:6038–6041 (1982)], and therefore is a component of the common platelet adhesive protein receptor [Pytela et al., Science, 231:1559–1562 (1986) and Plow et al., J. Biol. Chem., 259:5388–5391 (1984)].
The sites on GPIIb-IIIa that are required to function as an adhesion receptor are not well characterized. Several observations suggest that a functionally significant site on GPIIb-IIIa is near the epitope defined by the monoclonal antibody PMI-1. This antibody binds to the heavy chain of GPIIb [Shadle et al., J. Cell. Biol., 99:2056–2060 (1984)] and defines a region of GPIIb that is associated with several distinct functional activities. First, PMI-1 inhibits adhesion of washed platelets to collagen. Shadle et al., J. Cell. Biol., 99:2056–2060 (1984). Second, the surface orientation of this region is regulated by divalent cations because millimolar (mM) concentrations of calcium or magnesium suppress expression of the PMI-1 epitope. Ginsberg et al., J. Clin. Invest., 78:1103–1111 (1986). Third, abnormal divalent cation regulation of the conformation of this site is associated with a functional thrombasthenic state. Ginsberg et al., J. Clin. Invest., 78:1103–1111 (1986). Fourth, stimulation of platelets with up to 100 micromolar adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or epinephrine, 1 unit per milliliter thrombin, or 50 micrograms per milliliter calf skin collagen does not substantially increase the binding of PMI-1 antibodies to platelets.
Platelet activation has been reported to produce the appearance of antigenic sites on the platelet surface that are not present in the non-activated platelet, and at least one of such induced sites has been localized to the GPIIb-IIIa receptor complex. Shattil et al, J. Biol. Chem. 260:11107–11114 (1985); Coller, B. S., J. Cell Biol., 103:451–456 (1986).
Numerous assays based on the release of fragments of blood coagulation enzymes or platelet activation have been developed in attempts to identify thrombotic and pre-thrombotic states. From the platelet perspective, initial efforts were focused on release of platelet specific antigens. Ginsberg, et al., In Immunologic Analysis: Recent Progress in Diagnostic Labor. Immunol., Nakamura et al., Eds. Masson Publishing, USA Inc., 199–209 (1982). Recent studies have focused on the use of monoclonal antibodies selective for activated platelets. Frelinger et al., J. Biol. Chem., 263:12397–12402 (1988); Aiken et al., Sem. Thromb. Hemost., 13:307–316 (1987); Berman et al., J. Clin. Invest., 78:130–137 (1986); Hsu-Lin et al., J. Biol. Chem., 259:9121–9126 (1984); George et al., J. Clin. Invest., 78:340–348 (1986); Shattil et al., Blood, 73:150–158 (1989); Shattil et al., J. Biol. Chem., 260:11107–11114 (1985); Adelman et al., Blood, 70:1362–1366 (1987).
Each of the above methods has been plagued by unintentional in vitro activation because it is difficult to obtain blood samples in a manner such that the platelet activation events are not triggered during venipuncture, sample handling or the like. This difficulty has severely limited the clinical utility of such assays. It would be desirable, therefore, to develop a method to detect the occurrence of thrombotic events without relying on platelet activation events. The utility of determining the elevation in a plasma glycocalicin, as a potential assay for in vivo platelet activation, has also been reported. Steinberg et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 317:1037–1042 (1987); Coller et al., J. Clin. Invest., 73:794–799 (1984).
It has recently been found that a class of antigenic determinants are expressed when GPIIb-IIIa specifically binds to its ligand. The antigenic determinants are not expressed by either the non-occupied GPIIb-IIIa receptor or the non-bound ligand. One such determinant located on the C-terminus of the GPIIB heavy chain is recognized by the previously described PMI-1 monoclonal antibody. Shadle et al., J. Cell Biol., 99:2056–2060 (1984); Frelinger et al., J. Biol. Chem., 263:12397–12402 (1988).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vitro methods for determining in vivo thrombotic events


A motor vehicle rear-end for a motor vehicle includes a spoiler configured to influence aerodynamics of the motor vehicle, an actuator configured to move the spoiler between a retracted position of rest and an extended position of use, and a rear-mounted camera configured to monitor an observation area to a rear of the motor vehicle. The observation area comprises the spoiler when in the retracted position of rest and the spoiler when in the extended position of use. The motor vehicle rear end further includes an image evaluation unit connected to the rear-mounted camera and configured to detect the spoiler in the position of rest and/or in the position of use. The image evaluation unit is coupled to the activation actuator system in such a way that when the spoiler is detected in the position of rest and/or in the position of use, the actuator can be stopped.

DE 10 2008 056 357 A1 discloses a tractor machine of a truck, in which the relative position of the tractor machine with respect to a coupled semitrailer can be acquired using a camera, in order to suitably set an attitude angle of a front-side air deflector of the tractor machine.

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft


In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a network management system (NMS) from a client, a message having an object reference embedding a query, the query requesting an operation to be performed on data stored in a data tree maintained by the NMS. The method provides for generating, by the NMS, a result of the query by performing the operation on the data. In this embodiment, the method further provides for sending, by the NMS to the client, the result of the query. In some embodiments, the object reference may include a pathname.

The present disclosure relates to computer networking, and more particularly, to network management interfaces and protocols.
Network management systems (NMSs) can collect data such as state change from a multitude of network elements such as switches. This data may be stored in a database maintained by the NMS, which may be organized or structured as a data tree. As such, clients of the NMS may access data stored on the NMS using network management protocols by specifying a pathname corresponding to the node in the data tree that is to be accessed. These pathnames typically include an ordered list of pathname elements, each of which correspond to a node in the data tree. The ordered list of pathname elements is able to uniquely identify a particular node in the data tree. A value associated with the node that the pathname identifies can be stored at the end of the pathname.


A new and distinct cultivar of crapemyrtle, ‘Gamad VI’, is provided. ‘Gamad VI’ is a Lagerstroemia indica×Lagerstroemia fauriei hybrid, which is characterized by compact growth habit, mildew resistance, and early flowering with abundant deep red and purple flowers.

The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinct cultivar of the ornamental flowering shrub Lagerstroemia indica×Lagerstroemia fauriei, commonly known as crapemyrtle, and hereafter referred to by the varietal denomination 'Gamad VI', as herein described and illustrated.
The new crapemyrtle originated from open-pollinated seed of 'Pocomoke' (unpatented), a compact, rose-pink flowered introduction in 1999 from the United States National Arboretum (USDA). 'Gamad VI' was derived from plants grown in 2001 at Athens, Ga. from seed collected from open pollinated 'Pocomoke' plants. The seedlings were planted in containers and selections were made at Dearing, Ga. for plants based on the following criteria: 1) compact habit; 2) mildew resistance; 3) early flowering; and 4) flower color and quality. 'Gamad VI' was selected in 2002.
Asexual reproduction by traditional vegetative cuttings since 2002 at Dearing, Ga. has shown that the distinguishing characteristics of this new crapemyrtle variety 'Gamad VI' are stable and reproduced true-to-type in successive generations.

University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.


A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, peripheral circuits including a column decoder for connecting a word line, and a VDC circuit for peripherals, for generating an internal power supply voltage based on an external power supply voltage. VDC circuit for peripherals supplies the internal power supply voltage to peripheral circuits including the column decoder, other than the sense amplifier, output buffer and internal initial stage. The supplying capability of the VDC circuit for peripherals is increased in response to a VDCE signal which is output from a clock generation circuit when column decoder is activated. Therefore, even when power consumption in the peripheral circuit is increased as the column decoder is activated, sufficient power can be supplied to the peripheral circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, more specifically, to a semiconductor memory device including a circuit for supplying an internal power supply voltage to internal circuitry.
2. Description of the Background Art
Referring to FIG. 25, a semiconductor memory device 2600 includes a memory cell array 105 including a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of word lines WL and bit lines BL connected to the plurality of memory cells, a row decoder 107 for selecting a word line in response to a row address, a sense amplifier 109 for amplifying data read from a memory cell to the bit line BL, an input initial stage 120 for converting an external signal to an internal signal, an address buffer 106 for converting an external address (hereinafter referred to as ext.Add) to an internal address, a column system 130 which operates in response to a column address, a boosted voltage generating circuit (hereinafter referred to as Vpp circuit) 118 for generating a boosted voltage Vpp, a voltage lowering circuit for sense amplifier supplying an internal power supply voltage to sense amplifier 109 (hereinafter referred to as a sense amplifier VDC (voltage down converter) circuit) 116, and a voltage lowering circuit for peripherals (hereinafter referred to as VDC circuit for peripherals) 2601 for supplying an internal power supply voltage to periphery circuits other than output buffer 122 in column system 130, sense amplifier 109 and input initial stage 120.
Input initial stage 120 includes an RAS buffer 101 for converting an external word address strobe signal (hereinafter referred to as an ext./RAS) to an internal row address strobe signal (hereinafter referred to as an int./RAS), a CAS buffer 102 for converting an external column address strobe signal (hereinafter referred to as an ext./CAS) to an internal column address strobe signal (hereinafter referred to as an int./CAS), a WE buffer 103 for converting an external write enable signal (hereinafter referred to an ext./WE) to an internal write enable signal (hereinafter referred to as an int./WE), and an output enable buffer (hereinafter referred to as an OE buffer) 104 for converting an external output enable signal (hereinafter referred to as an ext./OE) to an internal output enable signal (hereinafter referred to as an int./OE).
Column system 130 includes a column decoder 108 for selecting a bit line in response to a column address, a preamplifier 111 for amplifying data read from a memory cell connected to the selected bit line, an output buffer 112 for supplying output data to an external data input/output pin (hereinafter referred to as an ext.DQ pin), a clock generating circuit 113 for generating a clock signal for controlling preamplifier 111 and output buffer 112, a data input buffer 114 receiving input data from ext.DQ pin, and a write driver 115 for writing input data to the memory cell.
Referring to FIG. 26, the VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals includes an output node N1 for outputting an internal power supply voltage (hereinafter referred to as int.Vcc), a driver transistor 201 formed of a p channel MOS transistor (hereinafter referred to as a PMOS transistor), and a differential amplifier 205.
Driver transistor 201 has its source electrode connected to a power supply node to which an external power supply voltage (hereinafter referred to as ext.Vcc) is applied, its drain electrode connected to a non-inverted input terminal (+) of differential amplifier 205 as well as to output node N1, and its gate electrode connected to an output terminal of differential amplifier 205. To the inverted terminal (-) of differential amplifier 205, a reference voltage Vref is applied.
In VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals, the voltage int. Vcc at output node N1 is compared with reference voltage Vref, and gate voltage of PMOS transistor 205 is controlled such that int.Vcc becomes equal to the reference voltage Vref. As a result, int.Vcc is generated based on ext.Vcc, and supplied to the peripheral circuits of the semiconductor memory device 2600.
In semiconductor memory device 2600, ext./RAS and ext./CAS are converted to int./RAS and int./CAS by RAS buffer 101 and CAS buffer 102, respectively. Here, when ext.Add is input and taken in the address buffer 106, row and column addresses are generated. A memory cell connected to the word line and bit line corresponding to the row and column addresses is selected, and data is read from or written to the selected memory cell.
At the time of data reading, a word line corresponding to the row address is selected by row decoder 107, and data is read to a plurality of bit lines from a plurality of memory cells connected to the selected word line, and the data is amplified by sense amplifier 109. In response to a column address, a bit line is selected, and the amplified data is transmitted from the selected bit line through an input/output line (hereinafter referred to as an I/O line) 110 through preamplifier 11. Data is further amplified by preamplifier 11 and output to ext.DQ pin through output buffer 112. Timing of output from preamplifier 111 and output buffer 112 as well as the timing of equalization are controlled by the clock signal from clock generating circuit 113.
At the time of data writing, data input through ext.DQ pin is transmitted to write driver 115 through data in buffer 114. Similar to the reading operation, a word line corresponding to the row address is selected by row decoder 107, and thereafter a bit line corresponding to the column address is selected by column decoder 108. The data from write driver 115 is applied to the selected bit line through I/O line 110, and written to the memory cell connected to the word line and a bit line.
Therefore, in one cycle of reading/writing operation, the power consumption of the semiconductor memory device increases only when the peripheral circuitry, mainly the column system 130 operating in response to the column address, is in operation.
However, when the gain of the VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals is increased to improve supplying capability of int.Vcc of the VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals provided in the conventional semiconductor memory device 2600 shown in FIG. 25, there is a possibility of oscillation if the gain is too large, as the VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals shown in FIG. 26 has the voltage at output node N1 fed back.
Referring to FIG. 27, another conventional semiconductor memory device 2800 includes, in stead of preamplifier 111, output buffer 112, data in buffer 114 and write driver 115 of the semiconductor memory device 2600 of FIG. 25, preamplifiers 111a and 111b, output buffers 112a and 112b, data in buffers 114a and 114b, as well as write drivers 115a and 115b.
In this device, input/output circuits 1, 2 having a plurality of ext.DQ pins are provided, and between the input/output circuits 1, 2 and VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals, a pad 1705 which is selectively connected to ext.Vcc or to the GND is further provided.
Other circuit configuration and operation are the same as the semiconductor memory device 2600. Therefore, description thereof is not repeated.
The semiconductor memory device 2800 allows selection of any of a plurality of word configurations, for example, .times.1, .times.4, .times.8, and .times.16 words configurations. When the .times.4 word configuration is selected, four bits of data are simultaneously input/output in response to an applied one address. The word configuration is selected by an activating signal generated based on the voltage on pad 1705.
In the semiconductor memory device which allows selection of word configurations, the larger the number of data to be input/output, the larger the peripheral circuitry. Therefore, when a larger word configuration is selected, power consumption increases. Therefore, as in the column system operation described above, when the supplying capability of VDC 2601 for peripherals is to be increased, there is higher possibility of oscillation of VDC circuit 2601 for peripherals.

Semiconductor memory device having a voltage lowering circuit of which supplying capability increases when column system is in operation