According to various systems and methods, financial indicators may be used as random number generators to determine variables, such as numbers and cards, for various games, including casino-style games like roulette and poker. Players may place wagers relating to one or more game variables, such as one or more cards, hands, a roulette wheel spin, a lottery number, or other variable or outcome of a game. After bets are received, one or more random numbers may be determined based on one or more financial indicators, such as a least significant digit of the price or value of a financial instrument, index, or financial metric at a specific time. The random number(s) may be used to determine game variables, such as a winning lottery number, slot reel values, or numbers and suits of cards dealt. In some embodiments, players may select one or more financial instruments or indicators that will be used to resolve one or more game variables.

Games of chance allow users to make bets regarding an outcome of a game, such as poker or roulette. In many games, the outcome is determined randomly, e.g., by dealing cards from a shuffled deck, or by allowing a roulette ball to fall randomly into one of many numbered slots. For example, in traditional roulette games, a moving ball lands on a random slot of a roulette wheel. Gamblers may place wagers in advance concerning where (on which slot number or slot type, red or black) the ball will land.
In electronic versions of these games, computers are used to determine random cards for poker and random slot numbers for roulette.

Games using financial indicators as random number generators


A heat exchanger including a header having a plurality of header openings with rigid tubes that may be made of plastic are inserted in the openings. The tubes are sealed to the header to prevent leakage between the header and the tubes to prevent water and air leakage between the wet, scavenger air stream flowing through the tubes and a dry air stream flowing around the tubes. A method of making the heat exchanger includes providing the openings with a flange and uses an interference fit between the rigid heat exchange tubes and the header openings. A self-leveling sealant may be used to seal the heat exchanger tubes to the header using, for example, a paint roller and/or a paint sprayer.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to indirect evaporative cooling technology, and particularly to heat exchangers useful in indirect evaporative cooling devices used for conditioning air.
2. Description of Related Art
Evaporative cooling involves lowering the temperature of a liquid by utilizing the latent heat of vaporization of a portion of the liquid. The term "Indirect Evaporative Cooling" was coined by personnel at Des Champs Laboratories in 1974, when they decided to enhance summer-time air-to-air energy recovery, from building exhaust air, by utilizing the wet bulb temperature of the exhaust air instead of the higher dry bulb temperature. At the time, it was common practice during summer months to transfer energy from the cooler exhaust air to the warm, outdoor, make-up air by using an air-to-air heat exchanger. The driving force that causes the transfer of energy within the heat exchanger, in the aforementioned process, is the sensible temperature difference between the two air streams. During summer months, the outdoor air that is delivered to a space, and the recirculated internal air, are usually air-conditioned. As a result, the air within the space has a lower wet bulb temperature than the outdoor air or the inside dry bulb temperature.
By spraying water on the surface of the exhaust side of the air-to-air heat exchanger during the cooling season, the exhaust air flow, at a low wet bulb temperature, evaporates water from that exhaust side surface and thereby attempts to drive the water/exhaust-side surface temperature lower, approaching the exhaust air wet-bulb temperature at the limit. The supply air, flowing on the other side of the membrane that separates the two air streams, comes in contact with a surface (the opposite side of the membrane from the exhaust side) that is much cooler and consequently more energy is transferred between air streams and thus a greater energy saving occurs. The reason the surface is cooler than it would otherwise be is because of the evaporative cooling that takes place at the exhaust air/water layer interface, which in turn manifests itself as a cooler membrane temperature than would exist if the exhaust air were simply left dry with no water spray. As a matter of interest is the fact that the temperature drop across the membrane, from the exhaust-side surface to the supply-side surface, is very small, i.e., on the order of a fraction of a degree while the typical temperature difference between the two bulk air streams is on the order of 10 to 40 F.°.
Early indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) units were simply a modification of standard air-to-air heat exchangers that were used to extract energy (or lack of energy) from the exhaust air and transfer it to fresh, incoming make-up air, thus reducing the energy that would otherwise be required to condition the outdoor air prior to delivering it to the occupied space. Consequently, the heat transfer devices used in the early IEC units were designed to transfer energy in a dry environment. In contrast, more recent IEC units are subjected to a wet environment. Such wet environments are known to contain a wide range of contaminants and are often corrosive to IEC components. As a result of the hostile environment that such IEC heat exchangers witnessed, they were maintenance prone and short lived. Consequently, IECs, after getting off to an admirable start in the late 1970s and early 1980s, languished in the 1990s and, so far, into the new century even though IECs have the potential for tremendous energy savings and reduction in peak summer electrical demand.
Additionally, known heat exchangers have designs that require lengthy assembly periods. For example, in known systems, assembly of heat exchanger tubes to a plate or manifold requires an individual to seal around the perimeter of each tube by hand in an attempt to prevent leaks. This method of assembly often requires 10-20 hours to implement. Furthermore, extensive quality assurance is also necessary due to the possibility of leaks.

Indirect evaporative cooling heat exchanger


A multi-pass thermal treating system for food products which comprises at least first and second zones of thermal treatment; a first zone providing a film contact conveyor comprised of a thermal surface, a traveling thin film, a drive for moving the thin film across the thermal surface, and a control for controlling and monitoring the drive; and a second zone underlaying the first zone providing a second conveyor comprised of a product conveyor, a second drive for the second conveyor and a second control for controlling and monitoring the second drive, the second conveyor being located such that food products may be cascaded from the traveling thin film downward onto the product conveyor. The second and subsequent conveyors may be film contact conveyors, like the first zone film contact conveyor, or they may be open-mesh endless loop conveyors. The first zone film contact conveyor may be maintained at ambient temperature, an elevated temperature, or a lowered temperature. The subsequent thermal treatment zones are refrigeration zones that may be film contact refrigerated conveyors, or updraft, cross-draft or impingement jet refrigerated air open-mesh endless loop conveyors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for cooling or heating food products by conveying the food products through a cooling or heating zone.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Food products such as hamburger patties or fish fillets are processed by quick freezing techniques primarily on long continuous conveyor systems. Refrigerated air is typically blown across the product to remove heat. Due to the relatively slow rate of heat transfer these systems require large amounts of conveying surface area to hold substantial quantities of food products for the required duration. These carrying systems can be linear or helical and typically require a substantial amount of space.

System for multi-pass thermal treating of food products


A method of determining temperatures at localized regions of a substrate during processing of the substrate in a photolithography process includes the following steps: independently illuminating a photoresist layer including a photoresist pattern at a plurality of locations on the substrate with a light source, so that light is diffracted off the plurality of locations of the photoresist pattern; measuring the diffracted light from the plurality of locations to determine measured diffracted values associated with respective locations from the plurality of locations; and comparing the measured diffracted values against a library to determine a pre-illumination process temperature of the photoresist layer at the plurality of locations.

Critical dimension control is important in integrated circuit manufacturing processes, particularly during photolithography processes. Controlling critical dimensions is becoming increasingly important as line widths of resist patterns fall within the deep sub-micron range. Various processing parameters, such as the amount of exposure to light, developing time and pre-exposure and post-exposure baking temperatures effect critical dimensions. Therefore, accurate monitoring of these process parameters and critical dimensions are also important.
Presently, critical dimensions are determined by actually measuring line width of the resist pattern for sample wafers. The measurements are typically taken by cross-section scanning electron beam (SEM) metrology. This method, however, is both destructive and slow, eliminating its use for in-situ process monitoring.
As mentioned, one parameter that effects critical dimension is baking temperature, including both pre-exposure and post-exposure baking temperature. Presently, hot plate temperature is monitored using a plurality of sensors mounted on the backside of the testing wafer during a maintenance test. This technique suffers from several drawbacks. First, the technique is not used to monitor temperature during actual process runs. Therefore, no real time correction can be implemented using the test run temperature data. Also, the sensors measure temperature at the bottom surface of the wafer proximate to the hot plate, but not at the actual photoresist layer. It may be that the sensors indicate a uniform temperature distribution across the hot plate, but the temperature at the photoresist layer is not necessarily uniform, and vice versa. The measured temperature is not necessarily the temperature realized by the photoresist layer above the monitored regions because it does not account for the conductance of the various layers that separate the photoresist from the silicon substrate.
Therefore, there still remains a need for a non-destructive method of determining temperature at localized regions of a photoresist layer during processing and a method of utilizing this information to control critical dimensions.

Scatterometric method of monitoring hot plate temperature and facilitating critical dimension control

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A conveyor dishwashing machine in which racks of dishes are conveyed from a loading surface through a hood which presents washing and rinsing zones and onto a discharge surface. In the washing zone, wash spray is applied to the dishes from a spray system which is easily removed for cleaning and easily replaced in the proper position. In the rinsing zone, a rinse curtain applies an initial rinse and creates a barrier against the wash spray. A final rinse of clean city water is applied subsequent to the rinse curtain. Automatic controls operate the machine with a minimum of human intervention.

This invention relates generally to the cleaning of dishes and deals more particularly with a dishwashing machine that is useful primarily in restaurants or institutions having a need to wash large quantities of dishes.
In restaurants and institutions which serve large volumes of food, conveyor type dishwashing machines are often used for washing of dishes, glasses and silverware. In conveyor type machines, the dishes are loaded in racks which are conveyed one at a time through a washing zone and then through a rinsing zone prior to being deposited on a discharge table which holds the clean dishes. In the washing zone, heated and/or chemically treated wash water is sprayed onto the dishes to remove food particles from the dishes. In the rinsing zone, the dishes are rinsed by chemically treated (low energy) or heated water (high energy) to remove the residues from the washing operation and sanitize the dishes.
As can easily be appreciated, it is highly important for the dishes to be thoroughly cleaned. If dishes are not completely clean when served to restaurant patrons, the reputation of the restaurant can suffer considerable damage and its business can deteriorate as a consequence. As can also be easily appreciated, it is important to limit the involvement of workers in the operation of the machine, both to minimize labor costs and because poorly trained employees can damage the machine and perhaps put it out of service at an inopportune time.
The conveyor dishwashing machines that have been available in the past have suffered from a number of shortcomings, most notably in their inability to consistently achieve thorough cleaning of dishes, their inability to operate reliably without frequently breaking down or requiring maintenance, and in their relatively high operating costs which are due in large part to the need for large amounts of hot water.
Typically, the machines that have been available in the past have made use of flexible curtains and the like to provide a barrier between the wash compartment and the rinse compartment. Curtains and other types of barriers are subject to becoming coated with food deposits and other contaminants which can contaminate the dishes as they move into the rinse compartment. This can result in the dishes emerging from the machine with contaminants still on them.
Although it is common for machines to have sensors for detecting when the water level is unduly low, the sensors that have been employed in the past have not been reliable. Probes which are immersed in the water are exposed to calcium and other minerals that can build up on the probe and make it unable to accurately sense the water level. Float switches have typically used plastic floats which can be damaged by the high temperature water, the chemicals it contains, or food scraps and other debris that can be present in the water. Reed switches and other electrical switches typically require printed circuit board controls and other electronic components which are both costly and subject to attack by chlorine vapors and other chemical agents that may be in the area. All of the liquid level sensors require frequent replacement and are subject to excessive maintenance requirements. If the sensors should fail to sense an abnormally low liquid level, the consequences can be severe in that the pump and heating elements can be destroyed and necessitate costly repairs and lengthy machine down time.
Another problem is that the food scraps in the wash water can be sucked into the pump and clog it up or otherwise damage it. Even though screens and other filters are normally used to avoid this problem, operators often neglect to make sure that the filter is in place. A further problem results if racks of clean dishes are not removed promptly from the discharge table. The racks can then back up and completely fill the discharge table, and the conveyor continues to attempt to convey more racks through the machine, which can cause damage to the racks and/or the conveyor mechanism.
In order to maintain the machine in a sanitary condition, it is necessary to drain it and clean it as often as twice a day. The spray arms must be removed and cleaned, and their end caps must be removed so that the interior of each spray arm can be cleaned. Existing machines are characterized by difficulty and excessive time consumption in assembling and disassembling the spray components, and this increases the labor costs and the time the machine is out of service while being cleaned. Another problem is that the end caps of the spray arms are often lost while they are detached from the spray arms during the cleaning procedure. Again, this detracts from the efficiency of the machine because it increases the time it is unavailable for use while the end cap is being located or replaced.


A method, software, and computer system for defending against virus attacks is described. Assume that a computer system receives an instruction to run an executable file. Before the computer system runs the executable file, the computer system determines if the executable file is certified to run on the computer system. If the executable file is not certified, then the computer system prevents the executable file from running. If the executable file is certified, then the computer system determines if the executable file has been modified since being certified. If the executable file has been modified, then the computer system prevents the executable file from running. If the executable file has been certified and has not been modified, then the computer system runs the executable file. Because many viruses are included in executable files, virus attacks may be prevented by requiring executable files to be certified before they can run.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of computer systems, and in particular, to systems, methods, and software for defending against virus attacks on computer systems.
2. Statement of the Problem
Many people use computers daily at work or at home. One problem hampering computer users is computer viruses. A computer virus is typically understood to mean an unwanted software program that operates on a computer to do harm to the computer. The virus may erase data files, create operating errors, or otherwise infect the computer.
Computers typically operate with three main elements. A first element is the operating system that creates the environment for operating the computer. A second element is the executable files that perform a pre-defined set of actions, such as programs and script files. A third element is the data files. A majority of the computer viruses exist as executable files that run on a computer. The executable files may be sent via email, web downloads, or some other manner.
When an executable file representing a virus ends up on a computer and is subsequently executed, the virus may perform a set of destructive steps on the computer. The virus may cause a loss of information on the computer, a loss of time to install patches to repair the computer harmed by the virus or to prevent future virus attacks, or other problems. Viruses may also require companies or organizations to have a staff on hand to handle virus attacks and track down those initiating the viruses. Unfortunately, there is currently no effective way to control whether an executable file is run or not once the executable file is on the computer. As long as there is no control on the execution of an executable file, the executable file runs on the computer if the computer is so instructed. If the executable file happens to be a virus, then the computer will most likely be infected with the virus.


An apparatus and method for minimizing inter-signal interference in a wireless communication system are provided. The polarization phases of Mobile Stations (MSs) are measured. An MS group including a predetermined number of MSs is determined and a polarization phase of the MS group is compensated. The polarization phase of a transmission signal is matched to the compensated polarization phase and the matched signal is sent to the MS group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to signal transmission in a wireless communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for minimizing inter-signal interference in a wireless communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of wireless communications, new communication systems have recently been developed and new frequency bands have been allocated. Also, new technologies have emerged to achieve miniaturization and digitization beyond conventional analog wireless communication schemes. The significance of such wireless communication systems is increasing in view of the nature of free propagation of waves in the air.
Due to the feature of a wireless propagation path, a wireless communication system can adopt a variety of signal transmission schemes. Among them, there is a polarization-based signal transmission scheme. Polarization is a property that the direction and magnitude of an oscillated electric field is related to a predetermined direction in electromagnetic propagation. Now a description will be made of a wireless communication system utilizing polarization, starting with electric propagation.
FIG. 1 shows propagation of electric waves in a typical wireless communication system. The phase of electric waves is propagated across space according to the polarization of an antenna. Assuming that the electric field E of the electric waves is propagated in a z-axis direction, the x-y plane electric field E denoted by reference numeral 101 at a predetermined position has an x-axis electric field Ex, a y-axis electric field Ey, and a particular polarization phase θ. The electric field 101 is determined according to the polarization of the antenna, the spatial position of the antenna, and reflection and diffraction in surroundings.
If a receive antenna is polarized with a predetermined phase, it has a maximum reception power when receiving waves polarized with the polarization phase. Therefore, the polarization can be utilized to increase efficiency by distinguishing an intended wave or adjusting the polarization angle of a transmit/receive antenna in the wireless communication system using antennas. Although a random polarization phase is propagated instantaneously due to a phase delay caused by the polarization phase θ of the transmit antenna, and reflection and diffraction from a surrounding object, the average reception power measured for a predetermined period reveals that electric waves are propagated and polarized constantly irrespective of frequency or the velocity of a receiver. Polarization-based signal transmission and reception will be described with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows polarization-based signal transmission and reception in a typical wireless communication system. A Base Station (BS) 200 includes first and second polarization antennas 201 and 203, for polarization-based signal transmission, and Mobile Stations (MSs) 230 and 260 receive signals based on polarization.
The first and second polarization antennas 201 and 203 are perpendicular to each other. The BS 200 communicates with the MSs 230 and 260 based on the above-described polarization property. Thus, the MSs 230 and 260 receive signals from the polarization antennas 201 and 203 of the BS 200 through antennas with predetermined polarization phases.
For example, on the downlink, the polarization antennas 201 and 203 send transmission polarization phases in accordance with the received polarization phases of the MSs 230 and 260. The MSs 230 and 260 have a maximum reception power, for communications with the BS 200.
If the polarization difference between two users is adjusted to be orthogonal, as shown in FIG. 2, each polarization has no effect on the other polarization. Thus, it is possible to provide a service to the two users simultaneously.
This polarization-based signal transmission scheme is efficient to a communication system relying on point-to-point communication or using two terminals with orthogonal reception polarization phases. However, if the communication system services two or more users, transmitted/received signals interfere with one another. The inter-signal interference with MSs will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 shows the polarization phase of each MS in a typical wireless communication system using polarization. A first MS (MS 1) has a polarization phase 301 and a second MS (MS 2) has a polarization phase 303. When the BS sends a signal with the polarization phase 301 to MS 1, part of the polarized signal acts as an interference component 305 to the polarization phase 303 of MS 2.
A polarization phase varies with the polarization phase of an antenna at an MS and an environment, even if it is the average of polarization phases measured for a long time. As a consequence, there may exist no MSs having mutually orthogonal polarization phases, resulting in interference. Inter-signal interference is one obstacle to signal restitution. Accordingly, a need exists for solving the inter-signal interference problem.

Apparatus and method for minimizing inter-signal interference in a wireless communication system


An electrooptic device includes: a display panel for displaying images; an illumination system for applying light to the display panel; a polarizing-axis control unit disposed between the illuminating system and the display panel, the control unit allowing light having a first polarizing axis of the light emitted from the illuminating system to pass through, and changing part of the light from the illuminating system into light with a second polarizing axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first polarizing axis; a lens disposed between the polarizing-axis control unit and the display panel, the lens including a plurality of linear lens patterns directing the light with the first polarizing axis and the light with the second polarizing axis separated by the polarizing-axis control unit into specified directions; a first polarizing unit disposed between the illumination system and the lens; and a second polarizing unit disposed between the display panel and the lens. Both the polarizing axis of the first polarizing unit and the polarizing axis of the second polarizing unit are substantially parallel to or perpendicular to the extension of the lens patterns.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electrooptic device and an electronic device suitable for use in displaying various information.
2. Related Art
Known electrooptic devices include image display devices such as stereoscopic display devices that display 3D images and double display devices that present different images to viewers in different positions. One of the 3D stereoscopic display devices is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2857429 which is capable of stereoscopic display of a parallax barrier system. This image display device controls an electronic parallax barrier of the image display surface adjacent to the viewer by a control means such as a microcomputer to generate stripe openings and light shielding portions of a specified shape in positions of the electronic parallax barrier. For example, the openings of the electronic parallax barrier are formed so that when 3D images are presented to the viewer, an image for left eyes enters viewer's left eyes and an image for right eyes enters viewer's right eyes; when 2D (planar) images are presented to the viewer, the entire area of the electronic parallax barrier are open so that all the images enter the viewer's both eyes.
Furthermore, an image display device capable of double display has appeared which can present different images to viewers in different positions by disposing a barrier having slit openings and light-shielding portions on the side of the display panel adjacent to the viewers.
However, since the image display device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2857429 has the electronic parallax barrier on the image display surface on the viewer side, it has the disadvantage that part of the light that has exited from the image display surface is blocked by the light-shielding portions of the electronic parallax barrier. This decreases the luminance of the image seen by the viewer, resulting in a dark image. Moreover, with the known display device capable of double display, the viewing range is decreased as the pixel pitch of the display panel is decreased because the viewing range of the viewer is proportional to the pixel pitch. Accordingly, this display device has the problem of difficulty in providing high-definition images to viewers in different positions.
Thus, an image display device capable of double display and stereoscopic display by controlling the directions of lights having different polarizing axes using a lenticular lens. This image display device has a polarization-controlling liquid crystal panel on the light incident side of the lenticular lens to generate lights having different polarizing axes. The polarization-controlling liquid crystal panel includes a pair of substrates, liquid crystal between the pair of substrates, and a plurality of stripe electrodes on the inner surfaces of the substrates. The polarization-controlling liquid crystal panel can change the orientation of the liquid crystal corresponding to the position of specified electrodes of the stripe electrodes by application of voltage to the specified electrodes. Thus, the polarization-controlling liquid crystal panel can emit light having different polarizing axes including light that passes through the liquid crystal corresponding to the specified electrodes and light that passes through the liquid crystal corresponding to the position other than the position of the specified electrodes.
However, the image display device using the lenticular lens has the problem of depolarization in which the polarizing characteristic of the light incident on the lenticular lens is eliminated by the double refraction or the scattering of light.

Electrooptic device and electronic device


Collisions are detected between multiple instant messages that are sent to a given user at the same time. In response to detecting a collision, the sending users are put into a real-time, on-line negotiation that enables the sending users to determine among themselves whose instant message will be delivered next to the receiving user. This allows the sending users to make a determination of which message is most important based on their relative needs at the time. A collaborative communication session, such as a group chat, is initiated for the negotiating sending users so that they can exchange information regarding the purposes of their messages. Based on the results of this on-line negotiation between message senders, a limited number (e.g. one) of the colliding messages are next delivered to the receiving user.

As it is generally known, instant messaging, also sometimes referred to as "IM" or "chat", is a form of real-time communication between two or more people primarily based on typed text. The text and/or other content is conveyed between participants via devices connected over one or more communication networks, such as the Internet. Instant messaging is generally considered to be a synchronous form of communication, in that messages are conveyed immediately, in real-time, between instant messaging session participants that are simultaneously on-line and logged into the instant messaging application. Instant messaging systems have traditionally featured immediate receipt of message delivery confirmation or other status by a message sender. These characteristics stand in contrast to traditional asynchronous communication systems, such as electronic mail, which typically provide some type of store and forward message delivery protocol operating independently from the online status of message recipients. However, some existing instant messaging systems also allow sending instant messages to people that are not currently logged on, as well as saving of instant messaging sessions for future reference.
In today's collaborative work environments, in which instant messaging is increasingly used and relied on for everyday communications, it is often possible for a single user to be interrupted by multiple instant messages that are received at the same time. For example, a user may log into his or her instant messaging client and immediately four or five people will see that they are present online and want to send him or her an instant message. This can be difficult to handle for the receiver of the messages, since they must manually manage the "collision" of the multiple messages sent to them at the same time from multiple senders. Not only does the message recipient have to deal with the potential confusion that may arise from concurrently communicating with multiple parties, but they may also feel under pressure to respond to all of the sending users quickly. The resulting "rushed" service can lead to mistakes on the part of the initial message recipient, and over time can adversely affect their reputation and/or their business effectiveness.
For the above reasons and others, it would be desirable to have an automated solution that prevents users from simultaneously receiving large numbers of instant messages. The solution should preferably operate to determine which instant message(s) should next be delivered to a receiving user based on a real-time determination of prioritization made by the sending users and that accordingly accurately reflects the immediate needs of the sending users.

Method and system for detecting and handling message collisions in an instant messaging system

International Business Machines Corporation


Although it is known that certain benzylpiperazine-aminopyridines or open chain forms thereof are effective in stimulating neural growth in in vitro tests, it has now been surprisingly found that administering these compounds in a dosage range of 10 mg/day-130 mg/day over 25-35 days is effective in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) such that statistically significant results can be obtained with samples of only six subjects.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,362,262 is representative of a family of granted U.S. patents that describe low molecular weight compounds that are capable of stimulating neuronal growth. The description contained in these patents indicates that one of the indications for which these compounds may be useful is the treatment of depression. This disclosure is based on the theory that depression may be, in fact, a symptom of inadequate neuronal growth. No information is, however, supplied with regard to appropriate dosage or protocol design in humans, nor are there specific recommendations with regard to mode of administration.
It has now been found that two compounds in particular are effective in a defined dose range when administered orally to treat MDD and the effect is so dramatic and so long lasting that even cohorts as small as six subjects provide highly statistically significant results showing dramatic improvement in the MDD condition of the subjects as measured by recognized tests.

Protocols for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD)


A data stream may include a plurality of records that are ordered, and the plurality of records may be assigned to a processing shard. A first set of virtual shards may be formed, the first set of virtual shards having a first quantity of virtual shards that perform parallel processing operations on behalf of the processing shard. First records of the plurality of records may be processed using the first set of virtual shards. The first quantity of virtual shards may be modified, based at least in part on an observed record age, to a second quantity of virtual shards that perform parallel processing operations on behalf of the processing shard. A second set of virtual shards may be formed having the second quantity of virtual shards. Second records of the plurality of records may be processed using the second set of virtual shards.

Data stream processing may include processing of a data stream that includes multiple ordered records. Records in a data stream may be assigned various values to indicate their order, such as partition key values and sequence numbers. One or more shards may be used to process a data stream, and a given record may be assigned to a shard based on a key value that is assigned to the record. This may help to ensure that all records are processed in order. Problems may occur when records are input to a shard at a faster rate than the shard is able to process the records. This may cause stream processing to lag. The lag of stream processing may sometimes be a systematic issue, in which the rate of processing is always slower than the input rate. It may also be a transient issue, in which the data is not evenly distributed, and some shards have more data to process than other shards. A shard may also experience a processing lag due to other factors, such as when data residing on the shard goes through more complex processing than data on other shards.

Intra-shard parallelization of data stream processing using virtual shards


A method of videophone data transmission based on the PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is executed with a videophone and a user. The method includes the steps of performing a connection procedure, performing a data download procedure and performing a disconnection procedure. While performing the connection procedure, a smart key, which stores at least one piece of user identification data, is connected to a videophone. The user identification data contains an ID code, a password and a private key of the user. While performing the data download procedure, the user identification data is encrypted and transmitted to a service server for verifying the user. Then, at least one service provided by the service server is encrypted and downloaded to the videophone. After decryption, the at least one service can be executed in the videophone. While performing a disconnection procedure, the smart key is disconnected from the videophone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of data transmission, and more particularly to a method of data transmission with a videophone as a terminal and operated with a smart key, which is suitable for transmission with confidential and/or value-added data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A videophone uses H.322, SIP or other common communication protocols to provide a high quality audio-video (AV) data transmission and is currently a developed product. A user with Ethernet and an IP address can utilize the videophone to communicate with another videophone user worldwide, face-to-face. The videophone can be applied to all IP network structures including xDSL (x Digital Subscriber Lin), cable, LAN (Local Area Network) and VPN (Virtual Private Network). Thirty real-time image frames per second can be communicated through the videophones connected to a wideband network, and therefore the applications of remote AV transmission like distance education, remote monitoring and videoconferences can be achieved by videophones. But if the verification of a user, the communication of confidential data or purchase of AV service is required, it is difficult for traditional videophones to meet these requirements.


A base station apparatus includes a plurality of wireless control devices, each of which transmits data blocks addressed to a wireless device connected to the wireless control device, a plurality of wireless devices, each of which transmits data blocks addressed to a wireless control device connected to the wireless device; and relay devices arranged between the wireless control devices and the wireless devices. Each relay device includes a plurality of transmission ports, a table to store a correspondence between destinations of received data blocks and transmission ports for transmitting the reception data blocks, a sorting unit to sort received data blocks to one of the plurality of transmission ports corresponding to destinations of the received data blocks, and a controller to control rewriting of the table for changing the correspondence.

In recent years, a wireless communication system including a portable phone system is a significantly meaningful social infrastructure, and effect of stopping the operation of a service due to a failure is not small. Therefore, continuity and stability of services are taken into account in the development of the wireless communication system. The amount of data communication in portable phone services is increasing due to advanced functions of wireless terminals as well as diversification and sophistication of services in the wireless communication system.
One of the standards in a wireless communication method specified by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) includes LTE (Long Term Evolution) released as 3GPP Release.8. In the LTE, a base station apparatus (called "eNode B") is divided into a wireless unit and a control/baseband unit (also called "wireless control unit" or "baseband unit") due to indoor installation, and the wireless unit and the control/baseband unit are connected by a communication interface. In the LTE, the wireless unit is called an RRH (Radio Remote Head), and the control/baseband processing unit is called a BBU (Base Band Unit). The BBU is also called "Radio Equipment Control (REC)" in some cases, and the RRH is also called "Radio Equipment (RE)" in some cases.
The BBU and the RRH are usually connected by CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface). The CPRI is one of BBU-RRH interfaces. When the CPRI is applied, a CPRI signal including a baseband signal (IQ data) and a maintenance monitoring signal is transmitted and received between the BBU and the RRH according to a CPRI protocol. In general, the RRH can be installed at a location several km away from the BBU through connection via an optical line (optical fiber) for transmitting and receiving the CPRI signal.
For more information, see National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2007-529926, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-171961, International Publication No. WO2008/114351, International Publication No. 2010/044142, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-130179.
Usually, a plurality of RRHs are connected to one BBU, and a plurality of cells or sectors are operated. When the CPRI is used to connect the BBU and the RRHs, a layer 2 and higher layers are terminated between the BBU and the RRHs in the CPRI protocol for connecting the BBU and the RRHs. Therefore, when the connection relationship between the BBU and the RRHs is changed, the setting or physical connection of all paths between the BBU and the RRHs is changed.


Compositions and methods for treating a depressive disorder or an anxiety disorder in a subject in need of such treatment are described herein. A therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a melanocortin 5 receptor (MC5R) peptide ligand according to the following:

Depression and anxiety are some of the most common mental illnesses. Although the two are different, depression and anxiety can occur together and can have similar treatments. These disorders can be treated through psychotherapy and medications, such as anti-depressants. Unfortunately, current medications may take weeks to months to achieve their full effects and in the meantime, patients continue to suffer from their symptoms and continue to be at risk. Moreover, side effects from these medications can range from unpleasant to life-threatening; for instance, there can be an increased risk of suicide, hostility, and even homicidal behavior. Hence, there remains a need for pharmacological treatments that have a rapid onset of antidepressant or anti-anxiety effects within hours or a few days and that are sustained while reducing or eliminating any potential side effects.
Melanocortin receptors, MC1-5R are a family of five receptor compounds of the melanocortin receptor system. Prior to the invention, it has been difficult to target the receptors independently of one another. The present invention is specific to individual types of melanocortin receptors, specifically to MC5R, and can therefore modulate the MC5R for treating depression and anxiety.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.

Modulators of melanocortin receptors for the treatment of depression and anxiety

Abstract: in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered to the subject. Xaa can be Cha or Pro. The MC5R peptide is a selective MC5R antagonist, and administration thereof to the subject can treat the depressive or anxiety disorder with clinical improvement observed in a relatively short time.

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA


A microscope system includes a stand unit provided with a up/down drive unit for an objective lens, and a base unit provided with a up/down drive unit for a X-Y stage. When the stand unit and the base unit are fixed to each other, a displacement range of the objective lens drive unit along the up/down direction and a displacement range of the stage drive unit along the up/down direction are different from each other.

Either the objective lens or the stage is driven in order to adjust focus on a specimen surface in a microscope system in the related art (see patent reference literature 1). The drive stroke is determined in correspondence to the size of the microscope or the length of the guide unit and a specimen that is larger than the stroke cannot be observed. Observation of a specimen with a height measuring more than the stroke is enabled in the related art by adopting a structure that allows the mounting position of a sub-stage used to hold the stage, to be adjusted along the Z axis (up/down direction) or by inserting a raising adapter or the like between the stage and the objective lens (over an area of the stand of the microscope in many cases).
Patent Reference Literature 1: Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H6-186469


A method for supplementing fresh water into a boiler, which can effectively exhaust air from a pipeline circuit connected with the boiler, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) determining whether a supply of the supplementary water into the boiler is completed; b) operating a circulation pump with a first operation manner for a first predetermined period when the supplementation of the fresh water is completed; and c) operating the circulation pump with a second operation manner for a second predetermined period after the first predetermined period passes. Therefore, the air, which has flowed into the pipeline circuit when the supplementary water was supplemented into the boiler, is effectively exhausted.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a method for controlling a boiler, more particularly to a method for supplying fresh water into a pipeline circuit of a boiler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, when a boiler is installed, it is important that a pipeline circuit of the boiler must be filled with heating water without flowing of air into the pipeline circuit. However, it is very difficult to prevent air from flowing into the pipeline circuit of the boiler, because filling the pipeline circuit of the boiler with the heating water is dependent on know-how of a skilled worker because the inside of the pipeline circuit is directly not shown. While the boiler is driven when air is in the pipeline circuit, a circulation pump of the boiler is damaged by inflow of the bubbles. Therefore, the boilers have an air exhausting means, such as an air vent, in order to exhaust the air through it.
The air flowing into the pipeline forms large bubbles in several portions of the pipeline circuit. Also, these large bubbles are divided into small bubbles when the heating water flows in the pipeline, such that the air vent cannot exhaust the air inflowed into the pipeline.
One example of a control for a boiler is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,165. The control for a boiler suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,165 controls a furnace and a circulation pump thereof with a timer and a thermostat.
However, the control for a boiler had not suggested a method that can exhaust air which is inputted into a pipeline circuit of a boiler during supplementation of heating water into the pipeline circuit.


Convergent network architecture and path information. Within a convergent network composed of different respective networks, each respective network may be controlled or managed internally and independently with respect to the other networks. For example, each respective network includes a forwarding and link metrics database and is managed by its own respective control entity (e.g., which may be any one of the given devices were nodes within that network). Generally speaking, each respective network may be modeled as an Ethernet bridge such that each respective bridge natively maintains its own forwarding and link metrics database. Such link metrics are specific to a given network and may cover one or both of prioritized Quality of Service (QoS) and parameterized QoS. Relays between neighboring bridges may effectively propagate and/or forward their respective databases, and update of any given database may be made asynchronously or based on a neighboring bridge query.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to communication systems; and, more particularly, it relates to convergent networks composed of any number of different respective network types.
2. Description of Related Art
Data communication systems have been under continual development for many years. One particular type of communication system is particularly related to heterogeneous networking technologies which may be implemented in accordance with home networking technologies. For example, within certain such network environments, as few as one or two or more different types of different respective network technologies may be implemented in accordance with a common abstract layer for supporting communications among such different network technologies.
As an example, different types of networks that may be implemented within such a heterogeneous networking technology environment may be varied. In addition, while it is noted that such different types of networks may be implemented within such a heterogeneous networking technology environment, the present art does not provide a means by which different respective networks may operate effectively and seamlessly with respect to another. For example, within any one respective network, there may be multiple respective communication links therein. Moreover, different respective networks may interface with respect to one another at more than one node or point.
The prior art fails to provide for effective operation of such heterogeneous networking technologies in regards to a number of issues including considerations such as network management, neighbor discovery, topology discovery, path selection, network control and management. While research and development continues in attempts to address these and other deficiencies within such convergent networks employing heterogeneous technologies, the prior art does not adequately provide acceptable solutions to allow for high levels of performance and broad implementation of such convergent networks.


A method and system for accurate timing in a low current system useful in fuzing applications generates a first count of oscillations of an oscillator of unknown frequency during a first period of unknown duration. A second count of oscillations of the oscillator is generated during a second period of a known duration. The duration of the first period is calculated based on the first count and the second count. A solid-state, thin-film battery is able to be used by virtue of low-current characteristics of the system, enabling extended shelf life for fuzing systems.

Fuzing systems generally use a power source coupled with a timing system to trigger a firing circuit. It is often a requirement for such fuzing systems to have an extended shelf life. It is also often a requirement for such fuzing systems to be operable over a wide temperature range.
Solid-state lithium (SSLi) batteries have a long shelf life of twenty years or more. This longevity is partly due to chemical stability and partly due to a self-discharge rate of less than 2% of capacity per year per cm2. N. J. Dudney et al., Rechargeable Thin-Film Batteries with LiMn2O4 and LiCoO2 Cathodes, 197th meeting of the Electrochemical Society, 4 (Spring 2000). Unfortunately, use of SSLi batteries in conventional fuzing systems has been generally rejected because SSLi batteries have poor low or cold temperature performance. For example, an SSLi battery having a current capacity of 100μ amperes at a temperature of +20° C. may have a current capacity of only 20μ mperes at a temperature of −50° C. The limited ability of an SSLi battery to deliver current at cold temperatures is due to a dramatic nonlinear increase of its internal resistance as a function of lowered temperatures.
It would thus be desirable to overcome the shortcomings of conventional fuzing systems.


A medical device which comprises a shape memory alloy (SMA) portion which is deformable from an undeformed first configuration assumed by it in an austenitic state of the SMA to a deformed second configuration, whereby the SMA is converted into a strain-induced martensite or partial martensite. This conversion increases the temperature of transformation (A.sub.s) from an initial transformation temperature A.sub.s .degree. to a temperature A.sub.s '. When the SMA, once in the second configuration, is heated to a temperature higher than A.sub.s ', it transforms to an at least partial austenite and it transforms towards the undeformed first configuration with a decrease of A.sub.s from A.sub.s ' to A.sub.s .degree.. A.sub.s .degree. is below body temperature such that when the device is deployed in the body, after placing it in its target location with the SMA portion in the second configuration and then heating it to assume its first configuration, the SMA is stable in the at least partial austenite at body temperature.

Implantable medical devices, such as stents, heart valves, bone plates, intrauterine contraceptive devices and the like must meet many requirements to be useful and safe for their intended purpose. For example, they must be chemically and biologically inert to living tissue and to be able to stay in position over extended periods of time. Furthermore, devices of the kind mentioned above must have the ability to expand from a contracted state, which facilitates insertion into body conduits or cavity, to a useful expanded diameter. This expansion is either accomplished by a forced expansion, such as in the case of certain kinds of stent by the action of a balloon-ended catheter, or by self-expansion such as by shape-memory effects.
A widely used metal alloy for such applications is the nickel-titanium alloy, known as "nitinol". Under certain conditions, nitinols can be highly elastic such that they are able to undergo extensive deformation and yet return to their original shape. Furthermore, nitinols possess shape memory properties such that they can "remember" a specific shape imposed during a particular heat treatment and can return to that imposed shape under certain conditions.
The shape memory effect of nitinols results from metallurgical phase transformations. Certain nitinols are characterized by a transition temperature or transition temperature range, above which the predominant metallurgical phase is termed "austenite" and below which the predominant metallurgical phase is termed "martensite". The transformation temperature from austenite (or austenitic state) to martensite (or martensitic state) is termed "martensitic transformation"; the reverse transformation from austensite to martensite is termed as "austenitic transformation". The transformations occur over a range of temperatures and are commonly discussed with reference to M.sub.s and M.sub.f, the start and finish temperatures of the martensitic transformation, respectively, and A.sub.s and A.sub.f, the start and finish temperatures of the austenitic transformation, respectively. Transformation between these two phases is reversible such that the alloys may be treated to assume different shapes or configurations in the two phases and can reversibly switch between one shape to another when transformed from one phase to the other. In the case of nitinol medical devices, it is preferable that they remain in the austenitic state while deployed in the body as nitinol austenite is stronger and less deformable and thus more resistant to external forces as compared to nitinol martensite.
Implantable medical devices made of nitinol have been known in the art. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,786,806, 4,485,816 and 5,037,427. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,641, a two-way shape memory effect is employed such that the austenitic transformation temperature is above body temperature and the martensitic transformation temperature is below body temperature, whereby the device retains its last conditioned state (e.g. austenite or martensite) at body temperature. U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,508 discloses a method for the manufacture of shape memory alloy (SMA) device with defined transformation temperature. In many such devices, A.sub.s is considerably above body temperature and accordingly for converting the device into the austenitic state, it is necessary to provide heat in an extent which in addition to being difficult to apply may be damaging to the surrounding tissue. In devices where A.sub.s is only slightly above body temperature, the austenite may become destabilized, e.g. as a result of a stress-induced martensitic transformation, rendering the device less resistant to external stresses.
In many conventional nitinol medical devices, there is often a large temperature range between A.sub.s and A.sub.f, which thus makes it difficult to establish, in an accurate and reproducible manner, the extent of the austenitic transformation upon heating.
The use of stress-induced martensite principle, rather than temperature-induced martensite, has likewise been employed in medical devices, e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,906. In such devices, austenitic nitinol is deformed to form stress-induced martensite and held in its deformed configuration and martensitic state by a restraining member. The device is introduced into the body in the deformed configuration, where it is removed from the restraining member to return to its austenitic state and configuration without any temperature change. In the case of such a device a restraining member has to be employed and once the medical device is released from the restraining member, it is almost instantly deployed. If the device is not accurately positioned immediately before release from the restraining member, it may have to be removed with some damage to the surrounding tissue.

Implantable medical devices of shape memory alloy


A rotating envelope radiator has a radiator housing surrounded by an external housing to form an intervening space in which a coolant flows. To prevent the formation, at high rotational frequencies, of reverse flows of the coolant in the intervening space, a flow conductor structure is provided in the intervening space that counteracts the formation of tangential flow components in the coolant.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a rotating envelope x-ray radiator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rotating envelope radiator is described in DE 196 12 698 C1. A cathode and an anode are permanently mounted inside a vacuum-sealed radiator housing (envelope). The tube is mounted such that it can rotate. An electron beam directed from the cathode to the anode is deflected by a magnetic deflection device that is stationary relative to the tube so that the beam is held stationary in the deflected position. The radiator housing is provided with a cooling device for dissipation of the heat formed by the deceleration of the electron beam in the anode. For example, the cooling device can be an external housing surrounding the radiator housing. For dissipation of the heat a coolant (for example insulating oil) circulates by means of a pump in an intervening space formed between the external housing and the radiator housing.
Furthermore, from DE 103 19 735 A1 a rotating envelope radiator is known that has a radiator housing that is surrounded by an external housing. The radiator housing is mounted by bearings that are arranged in the housing, such that the radiator housing can rotate around an axis. The radiator housing thus rotates in the stationary housing. A coolant is supplied and led away in an intervening space formed between the external housing and the radiator housing, with the coolant circulating around the outside of the radiator housing. In order to counteract the formation of transverse eddies in the coolant, recesses are arranged on an outside surface of the radiator housing that is located in contact with the coolant. The recesses are groove-shaped on the outside surface and proceed in the circumferential direction of the radiator housing. The recesses are concentrically arranged on the facing surfaces.
Further rotating envelope radiators are known from DE 199 29 655 A1 and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,998 as well as from DE 103 35 664 B3 and from DE 10 2004 003 370 A1.
In practice, in operation at high rotational frequencies of the tube of more than 200 revolutions/minute, a significant increase of the power of the pump for circulation of the coolant is required to maintain sufficient cooling. Given an increase of the power of the pump it is also observed that the transport of the coolant sometimes significantly slows or even completely comes to a standstill in a region of the anode that is highly thermally loaded. An unwanted severe heating of the anode can occur as a result.


An optical resonator includes a first substrate and a second substrate which face each other, the first substrate having a flat main surface on which a first reflective mirror is provided and the second substrate having a concave portion on which a second reflective mirror is provided and a flat portion which surrounds the concave portion. The main surface of the first substrate and the flat portion of the second substrate are bondable. In addition, a laser oscillator includes a solid-state laser medium and a substrate, the solid-state laser medium having a main surface on which a first reflective mirror is provided and the substrate having a concave portion on which a second mirror is provided and a flat portion which surrounds the concave portion. The first and the second reflective mirrors serve as a laser resonator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical resonator and a laser oscillator including a solid-state laser medium and a laser resonator and is suitably applied to a microchip laser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an excitation method for solid-state lasers using a semiconductor laser has been developed, and the size of the solid-state lasers has been reduced and the efficiency and life thereof have been increased compared to the case where a discharge tube is used for excitation.
In particular, microchip lasers having a thin solid-state laser medium have been developed as small laser oscillators for achieving low-order, longitudinal-mode oscillation and obtaining beams of a desirable shape (refer to, for example, "The Review of Laser Engineering", Vol. 26 (1998), p. 848 written by Takunori Taira).
Generally, laser resonators included in the microchip lasers are plane-parallel laser resonators obtained by grinding the solid-state laser medium to reduce the thickness thereof and forming mirror surfaces on both sides of the solid-state laser medium.
However, the plane-parallel laser resonators are basically unstable, and the degree of parallelism between the mirror surfaces, that is, the degree of parallelism between the surfaces of the crystal of the solid-state laser medium, must be as high as possible in order to achieve the laser oscillation.
In addition, in the plane-parallel laser resonators, the laser oscillation is achieved using a thermal lens effect in which the reflective index of the solid-state laser medium varies in correspondence with the temperature distribution caused by focusing excitation light on the solid-state laser medium.
However, even if the thermal lens effect is enhanced by increasing the excitation intensity and the laser beam is converged so that the degree of parallelism in the laser resonator can be increased enough to achieve the laser oscillation, the beam shape is distorted when the mirror surfaces of the resonator are even slightly inclined.
In addition, if the excitation intensity is low, the thermal lens effect reduces and a sufficient degree of parallelism cannot be obtained. Therefore, stable laser oscillation cannot be achieved.
Accordingly, in order to achieve stable laser oscillation, laser resonators having a concave mirror may be used. In such a laser resonator, the concave mirror is provided as one of the mirrors forming the laser resonator.
For example, a first main surface of the crystal of a thin solid-state laser medium serves as a flat mirror and a second main surface transmits resonating light. Thus, the light passes through the second main surface and resonates on the concave mirror.
However, when the concave mirror is simply disposed by itself, the central region of the concave mirror is farther away from the flat mirror compared to the peripheral region thereof and the number of components for positioning the concave mirror and the solid-state laser medium increases. Therefore, the cavity length increases accordingly.
Preferably, the concave mirror and the solid-state laser medium can be aligned easily.


A solvent composition contains a tetralin compound (a) represented by the formula (I) and a polyether compound (b) represented by the formula (II). The solvent composition is excellent in safety and almost odorless, having a high capability of dissolving various organic materials, and also excellent in affinity to various substrates. The solvent composition is suitably used for various applications including various kinds of paints, adhesives, coating materials, detergents, and the like.

In the fields of paints, adhesives, printing inks or the like, a solvent has played an important role. The solvent is basically required to have a high capability of dissolving solutes. In addition, in these fields, the solvent affects largely the wettability, drying property and the like of a coated surface.
As a solvent used together with resins such as cellulose, epoxy, acrylic, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, alkyd, and polyester that have been conventionally used so far in the fields of paints, adhesives, printing inks or the like, glycolether cellosolve, particularly cellosolve acetate, has been preferentially used due to the excellent properties thereof. However, in recent years, requirement for the safety of chemical substances has been intensified because of pollution problems and the like. Restriction on the use of cellosolve acetate has been tightened because of its toxicity, and a concentration standard of cellulose acetate for the working environment has been set up under the Industrial Safety and Health Law.
In view of the above circumstances, an alternative solvent that has an adequate capability of dissolving solutes comparable to cellosolve acetate and has no fears for safety issues has been developed actively.
For example, ethyl lactate, propylene glycol monomethylether acetate, methoxypropanol, ethyl β-epoxypropionate, and others have been investigated as a potential candidate for the alternative solvent. However, these are not necessarily satisfactory considering the capability of dissolving solutes, safety issues, odor, handling performance, and others. Among these, ethyl lactate that is approved as a food additive may be considered to be the most preferable in view of safety issues, but ethyl lactate is still not satisfactory in view of the capability of dissolving polymer compounds and various kinds of additives.
Further, from the viewpoint of the capability of dissolving solutes, alkyl esters of β-alkoxypropionic acid such as methyl β-methoxypropionate and ethyl β-ethoxypropionate have been considered to be the most preferable, but these are also not satisfactory in view of the capability of dissolving polymer compounds and various kinds of additives, further in view of volatility after coating.
Besides the fields of applications described above, a solvent has been used for cleaning oils such as cutting oil, working oil, pressing oil, antirust oil, lubricating oil, grease, pitch or the like. In addition, a solvent has been used for cleaning solder flux, ink, liquid crystals, and others. For these cleaning applications, there has been widely used a solvent containing mainly a halogenated solvent such as Freon 113 (1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trichloroethane), methylchloroform (1,1,1-trichloroethane), and trichloroethylene. In particular, Freon 113 has been widely used because Freon 113 is not only non-flammable, less-toxic and excellent in safety, but also hardly corrode metals, plastics, elastomers and others and can selectively dissolve various kinds of stains. However, Freon 113 and methylchloroform destroy the ozone layer in the stratosphere and eventually cause skin cancer, so that the use thereof is rapidly becoming restricted. Trichloroethylene is also suspected to cause cancer and the use thereof is being restricted in view of safety issues.
In view of the foregoing, development of an alternative Freon-based cleaning agent that has cleaning properties that could replace Freon 113 and the like and has no fear of destroying the ozone layer has been carried out actively. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a solvent containing 1,2-difluoroethane as a main component. Patent Document 2 discloses a mixture of 1,1-dichloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane and dimethoxybenzene. Patent Document 3 discloses a solvent containing hexafluorobenzene as an essential component. However, these solvents fall short of Freon 113 in terms of the performance. In addition, the use of these halogenated solvents is becoming to be completely restricted due to environmental problems and safety issues.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H01-132694
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H02-178396
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H03-167298

Abstract: wherein x is an integer of 0 to 4; y is an integer of 0 to 8; R1 and R2 each independently represent an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an alkenyl or alkenyloxy group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms; these groups may be substituted by a halogen atom; and when a plurality of R1 or R2 exists, R1 and R2 each may be the same or different,

Abstract: wherein m is 1 to 10; p is 0, 1, 2, or 3; Prop represents 1,2-propylene group; R3 and R4 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and when m is 2 or more, a methyl substituent in the 1,2-propylene group represented by Prop may be randomly positioned.


A glue tape cutter includes a cutting table, a press plate, a holding blade, a cutting base, a knife blade and a shaft. The curved substrate is disposed at the bottom of the cutting table and the holding blade is fixed to the cutting table above the curved substrate. The cutting base is rotationally attached to the cutting table by way of the shaft being attached to the lateral covers of the cutting table. The knife blade is attached to the upper part of the cutting base and the holding blades are fixed to the cutting table above the press plate. Once the cutting base rotates, the glue tape can produce an adhered reversed fold part for the user easily tearing up the glue tape adhered to the paper box.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a glue tape cutter and particularly to an improvement on the glue tape cutter.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Presently, a paper box is mostly sealed with glue tapes and there are two kinds glue tape cutters, the hand held cutter and the cutting stand, available in the market. The hand held cutter is used for the wide glue tape, which is for sealing the paper box, and the cutting stand is used for being placed on a desk or a table while in use.
Although the currently used hand held cuter for the glue tape provides basic function for quickly sealing paper boxes with facility, there are a lot of disadvantages, which are listed hereinafter, needed to be overcomes.
1. The glue tape, which is placed in front of the knife blade, is easy to be apart from the fixing position and result in the glue tape sticking itself or adhering to the cutter or any other articles. When the glue tape is ready to be used, the adhered part has to be torn apart in advance. However, it is very possible for the glue tape being torn in two strip halves or even adhering to the hand to occur inconvenience before using and to waste the glue tape.
2. The glue tape is excessive long in front of the knife blade even if the glue tape keeps staying in place such that the glue tape becomes reversed fold to adhere itself and the cutter. As a result, it is inconvenient while in use and it is hard to be torn apart and even bring to a great deal of wasted glue tape.
3. The glue tape frequently adheres the hand and it is not easy to be peeled off to affect sealing work efficiency done by the user and the mood of the user due to the user keeping peeling the glue tape on the hand.
4. It is necessary to use a knife or the like for cutting apart the glue tape sealed on the paper box in case of the sealed paper box having to be opened. Otherwise, it is difficult to open the sealed paper box without the opening tool.
5. Due to the glue tape often residing on the waste paper box, it results in difficulty of classification for resource recycle.


Novel and unique stackable multi-functional furniture is provided with a single hinge connecting two portions wherein one of the two portions is adapted to rotate about the hinge so that in some arrangements such as a container or a table, a surface comprising a portion of both portions is formed and in another arrangement, which establishes a chair, one of the portions is rotated about the hinge so that one portion is on top of the other.

Convertible furniture is known in the art. The effectiveness of convertible furniture is that one can use the same furniture for more than one use instead of having two or three different furniture items. This saves costs as well as space. As many functions the convertible furniture can exhibit and as much the simplicity of the conversion process, the more effective the furniture is.
Many multi-functional furniture items are difficult to handle since in order to convert the function of the furniture, it has to be disassembled and assembles again in a different configuration such as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,874 "multi-functional furniture" by Casini filed in 2001 where a children's convertible furniture can be used as a bassinet, cradle, bench, desk, rocking bench, high chair or changing table. Although many functions are available, the conversion is complicated. Similarly, Pendleton et al. describe in U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,245 "device convertible into a chair, table, bed or stool" filed in 1989 a device that include at least two stackable frames that one of them is provided with a housing for telescopic legs or plate and includes vertical and horizontal openings for removably receiving a backrest in the horizontal or vertical orientation. Other parts are attachable to the device. In furniture disclosed in Great Britain patent no. 195545 "A new or improved combination chair and table" published in 1923, a table is convertible into a chair. Again, Hinge pins have to be taken in and out in order to perform the conversion. As seen, the furniture exhibit multi-functions; however, the conversion from one function to the other is difficult and complicated.
There are existing furniture items in which there were attempts to simplify the conversion process. Holland published a convertible ironing board, ladder and chair in GB 437535 where he describes furniture comprising several parts that are connected by hinges. It is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,737 "Foldable convertible stool-table-bar" by Brickman a collapsible camp chair that is convertible into a table adapted to retain various types of contents in a stable position.
Nevertheless and although a vast amount of furniture possibilities are disclosed in patent documents, there is no effective furniture item that is convertible in a simple and comfort manner and is fully stackable so as to ensure space saving.


TPC is appropriately operated in response to access method switching timing, an error is prevented from occurring in communication, and influence given to another cell due to transmission of unnecessary power is reduced.

In the conventionally known wireless communication technique, an uplink (also called upstream or upstream link) generally means a link transmitting data from a mobile station apparatus to a base station apparatus when communication is performed between the base station apparatus and the mobile station apparatus in cellular communication or the like. In this uplink, the base station apparatus receives signals from various mobile station apparatuses at the same time. Thereby, when received power is the same among the signals, reception process is easily performed and an excellent reception characteristic is obtained. For realizing this condition, there is introduced a system of controlling a transmitted power of a signal transmitted from the mobile station apparatus, which is called transmit power control (TPC).
The communication method used for a mobile phone of 3G (third generation) is CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), and the plural mobile station apparatuses use respective codes different form one another and access the base station apparatus using the same frequency, and thereby the TPC is generally required to have a high accuracy and a high speed. Meanwhile, in a standard of the mobile phone for the next generation (3.9G), DFT-S-OFDMA (Discrete Fourier Transform-Spread-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) is to be used as an uplink communication method, in which the TPC is not required to have a high accuracy and a high speed as in the TPC used in CDMA but the TPC is specified for the purpose of appropriately controlling interference to a neighboring base station apparatus (Non-patent document 1).
TPC methods are broadly divided into two and called an open loop and a closed loop, respectively. In an brief explanation assuming the use of the TPC in the uplink, the TPC of the open loop is a control method in which the mobile station apparatus controls the transmitted power by judgment of the mobile station apparatus and the TPC of the closed loop is a control method in which the transmitted power is controlled by an instruction from the base station apparatus.
In the open loop, there is a method in which an attenuation amount is estimated by the use of transmitted power transmitted from the base station apparatus and received power actually received by the mobile station apparatus, and transmitted power of the mobile station apparatus is determined from the estimated attenuation amount and received power required by the base station apparatus. Meanwhile, in the closed loop, there are a method in which the base station apparatus measures the received power and notifies a short or over amount thereof and a method in which the base station apparatus notifies increase or decrease of the transmitted power in the mobile station apparatus by the use of an error rate of a transmitted signal or the like.

Communication using control information that includes information specifying the access scheme and TPC (transmit power control) control data

Abstract: A base station apparatus which performs wireless communication with a mobile station apparatus while switching a plurality of kinds of communication method, transmits control information for performing transmit power control of the mobile station apparatus to the mobile station apparatus. The mobile station apparatus receives the control information for performing the transmit power control from the base station apparatus and determines a transmitted power according to the control information when switching the communication method.


A method and a device of link aggregation and a method and a system for transceiving MAC frames are provided. The method includes: transmitting, by systems at two ends of a link, information of virtual local area networks (VLANs) of a port in a local end system to an opposite end system through message exchange; and determining, by the systems at the two ends of the link, the VLAN of the link respectively according to the received information of the VLAN of the port in the opposite end system and the information of the VLAN of the port in the local end system, and performing link aggregation according to the VLAN of the link. Thus, the networking flexibility is improved, the convenience of network design and network maintenance and management is improved, and the MAC frames having VLAN identifiers can be distributed to the corresponding VLAN links rapidly, accurately, and conveniently.

Link aggregation technology is also called link convergence, link bundling, or trunking. The link aggregation technology means aggregation of a plurality of independent physical links into one logic link. After the link aggregation, for upper layer MAC clients, the physical links seem to be only one logic link. The link aggregation can increase the bandwidth between network elements, and enhance the reliability and flexibility of connection between the network elements.
Currently, the link aggregation is implemented as follows.
Systems at the two ends of a link exchange link aggregation configuration information by exchanging Link Aggregation Control Protocol Data Unit (LACPDU) packets. Generally, an LACPDU packet has a destination MAC address of 01-80-c2-00-00-02, and has a source MAC address which is an MAC address of a port for sending the LACPDU packet. The LACPDU packet carries identifier information and status information. The identifier information is used to identify units participating in link aggregation. An LACP entity assigns an identifier for each unit participating in link aggregation. Here, the "units" include systems, aggregators, ports, aggregation capability of ports, and link aggregation groups (LAGs) which are participating in link aggregation. Except the aggregation capability of ports that adopts management key values and operation key values as identifiers, identifiers of other units are basically MAC address-based. For the units in the same layer, the identifier information should be unique and be managed globally.
After receiving the LACPDU packet, the LACP entities at the two end systems of the link determine the ports which are allowed to aggregate together according to the "identifiers of aggregation capability of ports" carried in the LACPDU packet, and create or maintain a corresponding LAG. For example, if the LACP entities determine that the "identifiers of aggregation capability of ports" carried in the LACPDU packet are the same as those of an existing LAG, the LACP entities add the link corresponding to the ports to the existing LAG. Furthermore, for example, if the LACP entities determine that the "identifiers of aggregation capability of ports" carried in the LACPDU packet are different from those of all existing LAGs, the LACP entities create a new LAG. After the new LAG has been created, the LACP entities at the two ends of the link need to reach an agreement on the new LAG, and then perform MAC frame transmission by using the newly created LAG.
At present, the MAC frame transmission based on link aggregation is as follows.
A frame distributor distributes MAC frames to the corresponding links in the LAG according to destination addresses (DAs), source addresses (SAs), MAC service data units (M_SDUs), and service classes (service_class) of the MAC frames, so as to perform MAC frame transmission.
During the implementation of the present invention, the inventors find that, the current link aggregation process fails to consider the Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), and furthermore, the frame distributor also fails to consider the VLAN during the distribution of MAC frames. As a result, the MAC frames cannot be distributed according to VLAN identifiers. If the ports of physical links in the LAG have been classified on the basis of the VLAN, and the VLANs of the ports of the different physical links in the LAG are different, the MAC frames having VLAN identifiers may be distributed to other VLAN links. In order to solve the problem that the MAC frames having VLAN identifiers may be distributed to other VLAN links, it is necessary to ensure that the VLANs of the ports of each link participating in the aggregation have the same configuration during the link aggregation, which, however, influences flexibility of the networking application, increases difficulty of the network design and network maintenance and management, and even causes a case where the link aggregation may only be implemented in a manual manner.

Method and device of link aggregation and method and system for transceiving MAC frames


A computer produces predictions throughout a raster field in response to point data, by obtaining a partially empty matrix of point data, filling a matrix of extrapolated raster data by dilating the point data in a first convolutional neural network, and generating a matrix of aggregate raster data by combining the extrapolated raster data with organic raster data in a second convolutional neural network.

The present invention relates to the electrical, electronic, and computer arts, and more specifically, to machine learning.
Data, whether arising from measurements, predictions or any other process can have several types of spatial dependence. Sensor measurements from weather stations but also moving sensors such as the outside temperature sensors attached to most cars correspond to specific points in space (and possibly time). A census observation on the other hand usually represents an area (e.g., the population in a county or the average income in a certain ZIP code). Images taken by e.g., drones, satellites or planes on the other hand consist of a raster of adjacent pixels, each of which corresponds to a single point usually taken at the center of the pixel. (Technically speaking, the value can also correspond to an aggregate across the pixel.) To establish terminology, the first example of weather stations and cars is referred to as point observations, the second example as polygons and the third as raster data. (Note that point observations are strictly speaking a subclass of polygons.) When dealing with these forms of data, it is often desirable to process them jointly. Specifically, it is often of interest to turn point observations (or polygons in general) into a raster which also contains values for areas for which the original observations contained no data. For example, given the data from three weather stations in close proximity one can combine their observations to make a guess at the value in the middle. Common methods for this are simple nearest neighbor, bilinear, etc. interpolation as well as Kriging.
Kriging is a method of interpolation for which the interpolated values are modeled by a Gaussian process governed by prior covariances. Under suitable assumptions on the priors, kriging gives a linear unbiased prediction of the intermediate values—that is, kriging seeks to produce interpolations close to the most likely values based on the priors. Kriging, however, produces interpolations that are linearly dependent on priors. Kriging also tends to introduce redundancies into the interpolated data.

Combining point observations with raster data for machine learning


An inductive device is formed in a circuit structure that includes alternating conductive and insulating layers. The device includes, in a plurality of the conductive layers, traces forming a respective pair of interleaved loops and at least one interconnect segment in each of the plurality of the conductive layers. In each layer among the plurality of the conductive layers, at least one loop in the respective pair is closed by jumpers to an interconnect segment formed in another layer above or below the layer.

IC inductors that are known in the art generally comprise a spiral metal trace in a single device layer, or possibly two oppositely-wound spirals in a pair of layers. Because of the limitations of such designs, alternative types of IC inductors have been suggested in the patent literature.
For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0319236 describes an inductor formed from a conductive path that includes intertwined conductive lines. There may be two, three, or more than three intertwined conductive lines in the conductive path. The conductive lines may be formed from conductive structures in the dielectric stack of an integrated circuit. The dielectric stack may include metal layers that include conductive traces and may include via layers that include vias for interconnecting the traces.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,344,479 describes IC inductors that are formed by interconnecting various metal layers in an integrated circuit with continuous vias. Using continuous vias is said to improve the Q factor over existing methods for high frequency applications.
Three-dimensional IC inductors are described, for example, in PCT International Publication WO 2013/101131. Such an inductor is formed in an IC die using conductive through-body-vias, which pass through the body of the die and contact one or more metal interconnect layers on the front side of the die and terminate on the back side of the die. In another embodiment, the through-body-vias may pass through a dielectric material disposed in a plug in the body of the die. In still another aspect, a three-dimensional inductor may include conductors formed of stacks of on chip metallization layers and conductive through-layer-vias disposed in insulation layers between metallization layers.


A golf ball 2 containing dimples A having a diameter of 4.65 mm, dimples B having a diameter of 4.45 mm, dimples C having a diameter of 4.25 mm, dimples D having a diameter of 4.05 mm, dimples E having a diameter of 3.95 mm, dimples F having a diameter of 2.80 mm, and dimples G having a diameter of 2.65 mm. When all the dimples are arranged in decreasing order of the diameter Di, the mean diameter of the dimples ranking in the top 10% is represented by Dx (mm), and the mean diameter of the dimples 8 ranking in the bottom 10% is represented by Dn (mm), whereby Dx/Dn is equal to or greater than 1.30. The standard deviation η of diameters of all the dimples is equal to or less than 0.5% and the mean value of the diameters of all the dimples is equal to or greater than 4.00 mm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf balls. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvement of dimples of golf balls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf balls have numerous dimples on the surface thereof. A role of the dimples involves causing turbulent flow separation through disrupting the air flow around the golf ball during the flight. This roll is referred to as a "dimple effect". By causing the turbulent flow separation, a separating point of air from the golf ball shifts backwards leading to the reduction of drag. The turbulent flow separation promotes the differentia between the separating points at the upper and lower sides of the golf ball, which results from the backspin, there by enhancing the lift force that acts upon the golf ball. Excellent dimples disrupt the air flow in a more efficient manner.
In an attempt to improve the flight performance, a variety of proposals have been made with respect to the dimples. U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,132 discloses a golf ball with very densely arranged dimples. U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,677 discloses a golf ball having a dimple pattern with combined dimples having a great diameter and dimples having a small diameter. U.S. patent Publication No. 2002-119838 discloses a golf ball with a dimple of large size.
The greatest concern for golf balls to golf players is the flight distance. In light of the desire to improve flight distance, there is room for improvement in the construction of golf ball dimples. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball which contains improved dimple design and construction and correspondingly excellent flight performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In a machine-fed scanner, orientation angles of edges of an image bearing substrate are obtained and used to calculate image shear and/or skew. A running weighted average of the image skew may be kept in a memory. When a skew value is obtained for a given image, it may be determined whether the skew value is within a predetermined range. If the skew value is within the predetermined range, the skew value is used to determine an image revision to compensate for the skew, and the skew value is incorporated into the running weighted average skew. If the skew value is not within the predetermined range, it is discarded and the running weighted average skew is used to determine an appropriate image skew revision. The running weighted average of the shear may also be kept in a memory. A shear value is obtained for each image, and incorporated into the running weighted average shear. Shear revision is performed based on the running weighted average shear. A determination may be made whether the shear value for a current image is within a predetermined range, and the running weighted average shear may be updated based on the shear value for the current image if the shear value for the current image is within the predetermined range.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to obtaining image shear and/or skew values for performing image revisions.
2. Description of Related Art
An affine transformation is a transformation which preserves the parallelism of lines in input and output images. One application of affine transformations is in image input operations, such as scanning operations. Specifically, image input systems may have slight imperfections which result in a slight errors in the input image.
FIG. 1 shows an original image 12 on an image bearing substrate 10. When the image 12 is scanned by a scanner of the type which transports the substrate 10 past a scan head, the scanner may impart shear and/or skew to the scanned representation of the image. "Shear" is a location dependent shifting of an image which results from non-perpendicularity of the motion of a substrate relative to device such as a scan head. As shown in FIG. 2, this results in an image 12 that is distorted, compared to the original image 12 shown in FIG. 1. Thus, a distorted image 12 is subsequently output by being printed on a substrate 20, displayed on a screen, and/or the like.
Shear may be caused by, for example, an error in the alignment of a scan head with respect to a document feeder chassis, an error in the alignment of a paper drive shaft relative to the document feeder chassis, or the like.
"Skew" refers to an accidental, usually slight, rotation of an image that occurs due to rotation of an image bearing substrate relative to a device such as a scan head. Most document feeders in scanners and copiers, especially high-speed document feeders, are susceptible to at least some degree of skew. As shown in FIG. 3, skew results in an image 12 that is slightly rotated, compared to the original image 12 shown in FIG. 1. Thus, a slightly rotated image is subsequently output by being printed on a substrate 20, displayed on a screen, and/or the like.

Systems and methods for obtaining image shear and skew