A method for isolating specific viable cell types from surrounding organ tissue is provided. The method entails the use of sonication in conjunction with tissue dissociating agents to free the cells of interest. A specific application of the method is the isolation of the insulin producing tissue of the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans. The method results in a high yield of islets that maintain a high level of viability.

1. Islet Isolation
The insulin producing tissue of the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans, constitutes between about one and two percent of the mass of the pancreas. The isolation of the islets from the remainder of the pancreatic tissue is desirable for laboratory purposes and for transplantation purposes. Transplantation of islets is looked to as a possible treatment for diabetes. Transplanting islets rather than an intact pancreas or pancreatic segments offers several advantages, including the ease of transplantation, the possibility of in vitro treatment to prevent rejection without immunosuppression, the elimination of the pancreatic exocrine function (the secretion of digestive substances from the host tissue), the possibility of cryopreservation of the tissue for subsequent use, and the possibility of xenografts.
In an early method of islet separation, chopped pancreatic fragments are mixed with collagenase and incubated at 37xc2x0 C. (reviewed in Scharp, World Journal of Surgery 8:143-151 (1984)). The collagenase breaks down or digests the pancreatic tissue, freeing the islets. The collagenase also acts on the islets, so that the islets released early in the process are broken down into single cells. If the process is stopped to protect the islets released early, many islets remain trapped in pancreatic fragments. Therefore only a fraction of the available intact islets are released by this method. This process is particularly ineffective for the isolation of islets from the pancreata of large animals such as humans, dogs, or pigs.
Laboratory islet isolation from rodent pancreata was greatly improved by the discovery that mechanical distension of rodent pancreata increased islet yield by causing mechanical separation of islets from the pancreas tissue. After distension the pancreas is chopped for collagenase digestion. The beneficial effect of this same type of mechanical distension has also been noticed in large animals.
Horaguchi and Merrell, Diabetes 30:455-58 (1982) developed a method for perfusing the dog pancreas with collagenase via the pancreatic duct. Subsequently, a process involving ductal distension of the pancreas with a solution containing collagenase was developed (U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,121; incorporated herein by reference). Inflation or distension of the pancreas is believed to cause some mechanical rupturing of the exocrine tissue or partial separation of the islets from the exocrine tissue, making subsequent collagenase digestion easier.
2. Sonication
Sound waves have been used in the past to aggregate cells and to disrupt cells. For example, ultrasound has recently been used to aggregate cells as a purification procedure. Kilburn, D G, et al., xe2x80x9cEnhanced sedimentation of mammalian cells following acoustic aggregation,xe2x80x9d Biotechnol.Bioeng. 34:559-62 (1989). In this procedure, cells which are not sufficiently heavy to precipitate out of solution are caused to aggregate by exposure to ultrasound. The aggregates then precipitate out of the solution. This procedure uses a standing wave to aggregate the cells, and the procedure is performed in an echo chamber to create and maintain the standing wave.
Ultrasound has also long been used to disrupt cells. For example, exposure of cells to ultrasound is used to lyse the cells to isolate the nucleic acid contained inside. Crouse, C A, et al., xe2x80x9cExtraction of DNA from forensic-type sexual assault specimens using simple, rapid sonication proceduresxe2x80x9d BioTechniques 15:641-42,644-48 (1993). This procedure uses very concentrated sound waves to disrupt the cell structure. The ultrasonic field is applied at a localized spot, such as a microtip of an emitter.
The present invention is an improvement on the process for isolating cells, such as islets of Langerhans, which incorporates sonication of the organ, such as the pancreas, as a method for dissociating the cells from other non-desired tissue. The inventors have discovered that sonication of the pancreas in conjunction with collagenase treatment results in a high degree of dissociation of the islet cells that maintain a high degree of integrity. The invention can be applied to the isolation of specific cell types from many different types of organs.
The invention is an improved method for the isolation of specific viable cell types from surrounding organ tissue. The technique has specifically been applied to the isolation of islets of Langerhans cells from a pig pancreas as described below in the preferred embodiment. However, the invention is also applicable to the isolation of cell types from other organs and other animals (e.g., cells from organs from transgenic animals, islets from human pancreata). Other potential applications include the isolation of medullary cells from adrenal glands, and the isolation of hepatocytes from liver to be used, for example, as bioartificial liver systems. The organ is harvested and prepared as necessary, such as by removal of undesired segregated tissue or cells. The invention relies on the use of sound waves to accelerate tissue dissociation. The cells released from the dissociated tissue remain intact and viable, allowing separation of desired cells from unwanted tissue. Thus, this invention differs from the prior art wherein cells are either aggregated or disrupted. Implementation of the invention entails three steps.
Tissue dissociating agents will typically include tissue degrading enzymes such as collagenase, trypsin, neutral It protease or dispase, and other proteolytic enzymes, with the preferred embodiment demonstrating the use of collagenase. However, the tissue dissociating agents are not necessarily limited to enzymes. Other examples of tissue dissociating agents are chelating agents for the dissociation of fetal tissue. The length of time required for treatment with dissociating agents will vary depending on the type of the agent, the concentration of agent, and the temperature at which treatment is conducted. Treatment is allowed to proceed until a sufficient amount of tissue has dissociated without causing undue damage to released cells or cellular aggregates. Preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 75%, and most preferably at least 90% of the tissue is dissociated, while less than 50%, more preferably less than 25%, and most preferably less than 10% of the cells are functionally damaged by treatment with the dissociating agents.
The preferred embodiment below describes the treatment of a pancreas via ductal distension, a method fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,121. That is a method in which the tissue dissociating effect of the treatment agent is enhanced by is injection of the agent into the pancreas to cause tension that results in some mechanical rupturing of the exocrine tissue or partial separation of the islets from the exocrine tissue. However, the invention is not limited to this form of treatment. Other possible types of the treatment would include chopping the organ smaller into pieces and incubation with a tissue dissociating agent, or use of a dissociating agent with mechanical agitation such as incubation of the organ with marbles in a shaking container. In the preferred embodiment described below, enzyme treatment and sonication occur simultaneously.
The sonication step as described in the preferred embodiment was accomplished with a sonicating waterbath. However, it should be appreciated that other types of sonication methods could also be used. These would include acoustic horns, piezo-electric crystals, or any other method of generating stable sound waves, such as with sonication probes. In the preferred embodiment described below, sonication was conducted at about 43 kHz for approximately 20 minutes. Under approximately these same conditions, a sonication frequency of between about 40 kHz to 50 kHz is likely to be equally effective. However, a fairly wide range of frequencies, from subaudio to ultrasound (between about 7 Hz to 40 MHz, preferably between 7 Hz and 20 MHz) would be expected to give sound-enhanced tissue dissociation. Additionally, variations in the type of sonication include pulsing versus continuous sonication.
The sound waves created by the sound source must be at sufficiently low power so as not to disrupt the cells being isolated. The sonication source is run at a power level of between 10xe2x88x924 and about 10 watts/cm2. See xe2x80x9cBiological Effects of Ultrasound: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications,xe2x80x9d National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Report No. 74, NCRP Scientific Committee No. 66: Wesley L. Nyborg, chairman; 1983; NCRP, Bethesda, Md. The sonicating water bath discussed above works at about 0.9 watt/cm2.
The tissue to be sonicated is present in a container which will hold the tissue and dissociated cells in a fluid and which is transparent to ultrasound waves. To avoid contamination of the tissue and cells, a closed container is preferred. Additionally, use of a light-transparent container will allow visual monitoring of the progress of dissociation. Further, use of a malleable container will allow tactile monitoring. In the preferred embodiment, a self-sealing polyethylene bag is used as the container for the organ that is placed in the sonicating water bath. Other types of enclosed malleable containers could also be used, or other containers such as a plastic beaker. The frequency and power of the sonication can be adjusted to accommodate significant changes in the type of container, the volume of buffer, or in the mass of material being sonicated.
Further, the conditions for sonication are such that a standing wave is not created. In the preferred embodiment described herein, the chamber of the sonicating water bath has rounded edges so as not to create a standing wave. Additionally, presence of the irregularly shaped, acoustically dense organ or tissue in the device impedes the production of a standing wave. Thus, according to the invention, the device for delivery of the sound waves, in combination with the tissue or organ to which the sound waves are being applied, are preferably configured to avoid the production of a standing wave.
It should be appreciated that the invention encompasses the use of these steps in other orders, such as partially overlapping of steps one and two, or tissue digestion prior to sonication.
Finally, once the cells of interest have become dissociated from the surrounding organ tissue by treatment with dissociating agents and sonication, they must be separated from the other organ tissue. There are a wide variety of techniques that can be used to accomplish this step. These include various techniques for mechanical disruption of the tissue such as aspiration through needles, maceration, and/or filtration. Such techniques for mechanical disruption are preferably accompanied by a concentration/purification step such as either centrifugation or use of a density gradient flush-out to separate the desired cells from the remaining tissue when the cells have a different density. Islets can be separated in this manner from other denser acinar tissue. The islet cells are then typically further purified using standard density gradient methods such as Percoll(copyright) (a colloidal PVP coated silica, available from Sigma) or Ficoll(copyright) (a non-ionic synthetic polymer of sucrose, available from Sigma) gradients. See Ballinger, W F and Lacy, P E, xe2x80x9cTransplantation of Intact Pancreatic Islets in Rats,xe2x80x9d Surgery 72:175-186 (1972), which is incorporated herein by reference.

Isolation of cells from organ tissue using sonication


A direction control key assembly comprises a base on which a cover is mounted to provide an interior space for receipt of a circuit board therein which has at least four switch units thereon respectively designating a specific direction. A button member is supported on the cover by a ball joint and has four pins depending therefrom respectively corresponding to the switch units such that when the button member is rotated with respect to the ball joint to allow one of the pins to engage and thus close the corresponding one of the switch units. A direction signal associated with the closed switch is thus generated.

The direction control keys of a video game controller are provided for direction change of a video game displayed in a monitor or a television set. The conventional direction control key assembly comprises a circuit board on which four electrical contact pairs, serving as switch units, are symmetrically provided. A rubber pad covers the circuit board, as well as the electrical contacts, having four nipple-like, hollow raised portions for the receipt therein electrical conductive members to bridge over the contact pairs to form closed loop circuits. Actuation means is provided above the rubber pad to independently actuate one or a combination of the switch units to send out direction signals associated with the specific directions designated by the closed switch units.
One of its disadvantages is the fatigue of the rubber pad. Once the fatigue occurs, the direction control key assembly may not work properly.
A co-pending U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 08/000,633, filed on Jan. 5, 1993 under the name of the applicant of the present invention discloses a direction control key assembly which adapts a cruciform direction control key structure having two elongated members straddling over each other with pivot joint therebetween. Such a direction control key assembly, although helpful in improving the operation and endurance of the direction control key assembly, is complicated in structure and thus costly in manufacturing.
It is therefore desirable to provide a direction control key assembly which overcomes the above mentioned problems.


An acoustic system, which may be ultrasonic, operates in a power efficient idle mode thereby reducing the power consumption required by high frequency sampling and processing. While in idle mode, an acoustic receiver device operates with an idle sampling rate that is lower than the full sampling rate used during full operational mode, but is capable of receiving a wake-up signal from the associated acoustic transmitter. When the wake-up signal is received, the acoustic receiver switches to full operational mode by increasing the sampling rate and enables full processing. The acoustic system may be used in, e.g., an ultrasonic pointing device, location beacons, in peer-to-peer communications between devices, as well as gesture detection.

Electronic pointing devices sometimes transmit acoustic signals, and most often ultrasound signals, from which the position of the electronic pointing devices position may be determined. For example, a digital pen or stylus operates as a standard pen permitting the user to write on paper while transmitting pre-defined, encoded, ultrasound data that is received by a receiver and used to determine the position of the digital pen. The ultrasound data is sampled and decoded by the receiver, which may be mobile device, such as a smartphone, notebook, tablet PC, Slate, e-Reader, etc. Based on signal processing algorithms, the mobile device can determine the precise location of the pointing device and thus, the digital pen may serve as a data input apparatus for the mobile device. Ultrasound-based digital pens may be used as touch screen replacement/complement, high resolution graphical input device, navigation mouse, 2D/3D gaming, etc. Ultrasound technology, in general, may also be used to enhance user experience in applications such as hand gesture detection, finger hovering, and peer-to-peer positioning and communications.
The audio digitizers (CODECs) in the mobile devices that are used with ultrasound technology are typically part of the audio sub-system, which traditionally was used to sample and reproduce voice and music—all in the hearing range of frequencies (up to 25 kHz). The CODECs of traditional audio systems use a sampling frequency of up to 48 kHz. Recently, due to the emergence of various ultrasound technologies, CODECs are often designed now to support a higher sampling rate, e.g., up to 200 kHz and more, and thus are capable of sampling the ultrasound data transmitted by an ultrasound-based devices. The sampling rate, however, has a direct relation to power consumption, and thus the use of a higher sampling rate for ultrasound data results in increased power consumption. Moreover, processing of the ultrasound samples also contributes to CPU utilization, and as a result, consumes more power.

Ultrasound based mobile receivers in idle mode


When sequentially receiving pages one by one from the outside and printing them at the time of printing based on printing data including a plurality of pages, a page count per copy when printing a plurality of copies is acquired, and data of a predetermined portion of a printing area are extracted from respective pages by the page count. It is determined whether the data of the extracted predetermined portion is identical between the respective pages. When it is determined that the data is identical, it is determined that printing of the printing data is not collation printing. When it is determined that the data is different, it is determined that printing of the printing data is collation printing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints on a printing medium based on printing data, a printing method, and a storage medium storing a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
When printing a plurality of copies, it is necessary to shorten the total time taken for printing, increase the productivity, and suppress the cost. A method of shortening the printing time is, for example, a method of reducing the total printing time by hastening the start time of paper feeding of the current printing material and the next printing material.
In some cases, collation printing is performed to print in a printing order of pages such as 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, and 3 as a page configuration for the plurality of copies. In other cases, non-collation printing is performed to print in the printing order of pages 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, and 3. When performing collation printing, a host apparatus analyzes the contents of printing data saved in the host apparatus, and determines whether to perform collation (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-192395). When an image forming apparatus (to be referred to as a printing apparatus hereinafter) can receive printing data of one copy such as pages 1, 2, and 3 from the host apparatus and save them in the printing apparatus, it can print a plurality of copies in accordance with a collation printing notification from the host apparatus.
However, some printing apparatuses cannot save all printing data of one copy transmitted from the host apparatus owing to the limitation of the capacity of the buffer memory. Such a printing apparatus is configured to sequentially print printing data transmitted from the host apparatus. The host apparatus creates all printing data for the printing apparatus that performs sequential printing. If printing is collation printing, the host apparatus transmits printing data of, for example, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, and 3 to the printing apparatus. If printing is not collation printing, the host apparatus creates printing data of, for example, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, and 3, and transmits them to the printing apparatus. The method of analyzing printing data in the host apparatus, which is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-192395, cannot be applied to such a printing apparatus.
That is, in the above-described case, the printing apparatus cannot recognize in advance whether the page configuration is designed for collation, and cannot perform appropriate printing corresponding to the page configuration.

Printing apparatus for performing printing based on data including a plurality of pages


The present application provides methods and devices for producing micro-fluids. Each device comprises a plurality of parallel inlet channels, an intersection and a plurality of parallel outlet channels. The plurality of parallel inlet channels comprises a first set of inlet channels for introducing a first fluid at a first flow rate, a second set of inlet channels for introducing a second fluid at a second flow rate and a third set of inlet channels for introducing a third fluid at a third flow rate. Once introduced, the first fluid, the second fluid and the third fluid flow through the corresponding channels to intersect at the intersection and form micro-fluids, which can be collected from the plurality of parallel outlet channels.

Smaller micro-fluids offer several advantages such as, but not limited to, easier transportation, controlled dispersion, increased mechanical strength and easier injection. Therefore, the need for micro-fluids such as micron-sized polymeric beads with dimensions <100 micrometer (μm) is increasing. However, the size of microcapsules produced cannot be easily controlled, and the resulting beads tend to merge into larger beads before post processing. This considerably limits the application of such micro-fluids. For example, the major reason for the limited bioavailability of orally administered proteins is because of their restricted reproducibility, which can cause various drug packing capacity and different release kinetics.
Therefore, there is a need for improved methods and devices for producing micro-fluids.

Method and devices for producing micro-fluids

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)


A user interactive mass storage data access system includes a personal computer (10) and a stimulated book (30). A mass storage device, such as a compact disk (CD) read only memory (ROM) (22), is connected to the personal computer, and the computer and the stimulated book are connected by an infrared (IR) data communications link including IR transceivers (26, 48). The simulated book includes a display screen (34) and a microprocessor (43) with memory (44, 46). The microprocessor is programmed for storing data received and decoded by its IR transceiver (48) in memory (46) and responsive to user input for displaying a page of data on the display screen. In addition, the microprocessor is programmed to cause its IR transceiver (48) to transmit to the IR transceiver (26) connected to the personal computer (10) a data request command, and the personal computer is in turn programmed to transmit data from the CD ROM (22) to the simulated book (30). Data can be loaded in the simulated book and accessed at a later time when out of the proximity of the personal computer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to portable electronic video display devices and, more particularly to a hand held, microprocessor based device which, when used in conjunction with a personal computer (PC) having a peripherally connected mass storage device, such as a compact disk (CD) read only memory (ROM) device, simulates a book.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compact disc technology has gained wide acceptance in the art of digital audio recording and reproduction. More recently, compact disks have been used to store large quantities of digital data for access by personal computers. A single compact disc, for example, has the capacity to store a complete encyclopedia. Currently, there is available on the market compact disc drives for connection to personal computers and the software for the control of the disc drives that make possible the very rapid random access of the data stored on a compact disk. One application on the market is a so-called desk set of reference books including a dictionary, thesaurus, and style manual recorded on compact disc for use as a writer""s aid. In addition, a number of data bases, including Chemical Abstracts, are available on compact disc for off line searching using a personal computer.
The current application for compact disc (CD) read only memories (ROMs) are both limited and expensive, and as long as the applications remain limited, the cost of the technology will remain high. In order to broaden significantly the appeal and use of CD ROMs, it is necessary to make the technology more user friendly and, in the process, make the use of the technology practical in more than library, archival and office applications. Only in this way will the true potential of this technology by realized.
Known in the prior art are various audio/visual educational systems which use video discs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,810 to Hon discloses an automated instruction game and retrieval system that utilizes a video disc and disc player. The Hon system includes a user command response unit that includes a liquid crystal display (LCD). One feature of the Hon system is that several students can be taught at different rates or that several shoppers can be served by a single video disc at the same time.
In an earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,345, Hon discloses a health education system for teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A student reads visual information and views graphic scenes while interacting with a doll that has multiple sensors. The system coaches the student to perform the action properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,417 to Rubincam discloses an electronic book wherein the contents of a book or magazine are digitally encoded onto a memory which is insertable in the book. The encoded information may then be displayed on the screen of the device. A similar disclosure may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,225 to Washizuka which describes a portable audio/visual electronic apparatus with insertable memory units.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,469 to Oliver et al. discloses an activated child""s book or greeting card which is provided by solar cells. U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,081 to Wilbur discloses examples of foldable, illuminated greeting cards wherein light emitting diodes (LEDs) are positioned on a printed circuit board to illuminate a message when the card is opened. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,659 to Yokoi et al. shows a foldable LCD used for electronic game devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,193 to Haynes discloses a reading tutor device which coordinates the reading of textual material with an audio presentation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,222 to Smith et al. discloses a hand held electronic game playing device with replaceable cartridges and user operated switches which allow games to be played. U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,859 to Corso discloses a viewer for displaying information recorded on printed tape.
While the foregoing prior art generally describe various portable and/or educational type devices, some of which incorporate pluggable memory devices, none addresses the problem of providing a user friendly interface for the access of the very large databases potentially available on CD ROMs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide the user of mass storage technology with the simplicity of the look and feel of a book while allowing access to a very large database.
According to the present invention, a device about the size and shape of a book is provided as the user interface for accessing a CD ROM database. The device simulates a book in look and feel and might, for example, be bound in leather or other book binding material and embossed with the user""s name or a business name, depending on the specific application and end user. Because of its size, shape and feel, the device would be immediately accepted by a very large number of people, especially those with very limited or no exposure and training on computers.
The device is microprocessor driven and has a large, easily viewable screen on one surface. The device preferably has some flexibility to enhance its look and feel of a book, and a screen using, for example, LCD technology is used. The device is battery powered, and the battery may be rechargeable by means of a conventional recharger and/or by solar cells positioned adjacent or even below the screen. About the periphery of the device are a plurality of infrared (IR) emitting diodes and photocells to allow the device to communicate, without wires or cables, with a personal computer (PC) having a peripherally connected mass storage device, such as a CD ROM. The PC is in turn equipped with an IR transceiver, and the arrangement is such that a user of the device can be anywhere in a room and still have access to the data on the CD ROM via a limited number of switches on the device. The IR transmissions are omnidirectional, with radiation bouncing off the walls the device is held is not critical to the communications link. The switches on the device may be either soft or hard. What is meant by a xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d switch is a displayable area on the screen which is a xe2x80x9ctouchxe2x80x9d screen. In contrast, a hard switch would comprise a keypad for entering a page number, and perhaps some commands, and a tactile pad switch which can be stroked with a thumb or finger in a direction which can be sense by the switch. The tactile pad switch may be sensitive to four directions in a manner analogous to a track ball, and is used to turn pages forward or back and scroll up and down on a page. It is desirable to display a complete page on the screen, in which case scrolling up and down would not be required.
The device, or CD book as it is referred to hereinafter, provides the user with the look and feel of a book while allowing access to a very large database on a CD. This not only makes searching such a database more acceptable to many people, but is also provides an encouragement to younger people to read. The CD book can be used in multiple units for purposes of presentations at meetings or, with a PC provided with a multitasking/multiuser operating system, allow several users to simultaneously access different portions of the database simultaneously. The CD book has several pages of memory so that it can be carried away from the PC, as for example on an airplane, and the pages, about twenty in number, can be displayed for later reading. Both character and bit mapped displays are supported so that graphics as well as text could be displayed.
While the invention is particularly described in terms of a CD book which allows access to large data bases on compact disks, it will be understood that the invention has application to any type of mass storage media, including fixed or removable magnetic disks, magnetic tape or the like. CD technology is currently the most promising form of high density mass storage technology and represents the best mode of practicing the invention; but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the art of mass storage is rapidly changing, and the invention could easily be used with other mass storage technologies not yet developed.


Physical assets in a network are graphically modeled and controlled using a monitoring and control interface. Prior to committing configuration changes to the physical assets, the draft configuration changes are analyzed to determine if they violate any logical configuration change rules. The logical configuration rules can be model-based according to target physical asset(s) for the draft configuration changes. A logical configuration change rule violation can be graphically displayed on the monitoring and control interface. The configuration changes can be stored to debug the physical assets and to roll back the configuration of the physical assets to a prior state.

It is necessary or desirable that operators of complicated systems be able to see and monitor the condition of their systems. Examples abound and would be too far-reaching to enumerate, however, some contexts in which a complicated distributed system calls for observation, telemetry and monitoring include traffic, utilities, data storage systems, financial systems, inventory controls, military applications, space and undersea systems, communication networks, and others. Since large, complex, or distributed systems like these are challenging to monitor directly by traveling to and observing the state of various components of the system at once, centralized observation systems and dashboards.
Existing methods and systems can also allow centralized control or actuation of system components by a human or automated operator, including based on observations, measurements or other data reports regarding the state of the system. By way of example, using a modern central command and control system, a handful of human operators can monitor and control a large industrial complex such as a power plant or other semi-automated industrial site. Visual indicators can represent certain conditions of the power plant to operators in a control room (or any remote location) either using direct connections to gauges and sensors installed in the plant, or on a computer-display screen. Out-of-band measurements can be indicated using a variety of visual and/or audible alarms. The status of various equipment, valves and machines can be likewise indicated to the operators. The operators can respond to the indicated conditions of the plant by remotely operating component machinery such as by remotely opening or shutting valves, starting or stopping pumps, and so on. All of this can be achieved from the operators' control station using suitable user interface elements such as push-buttons, relays, computer-controlled actuators, and other means.
In another example, human and/or processor-controlled operators can monitor and operate a communications network spanning thousands of physical miles. Using a suitable programmed interface, the operators and/or control systems are able to adjust network load, secure and open channels, bring servers on or off line, and otherwise optimize operating conditions in the network.
FIG. 1 illustrates a networked system 10 comprising a plurality of assets 110 (e.g., machinery or components coupled to network 100). Each asset 110 may be coupled to network 100 by a communication interface, local controller or switch 105 that communicates data between asset 110 and network 100. The extremities of the networked system 10 may comprise hardware, firmware or software that can be designed and configured according to an applicable protocol relating to the application at hand.
A computer 120 may be also coupled to the network 100, e.g., using a network communication bus or card that sends and receives data according to a communication protocol. The computer 120 may comprise or be a client processor or computing machine having a user interface 122 and including a display screen 124 for displaying a variety of system conditions, measurements, or other data. The interface 122 and display 124 can be used to allow an operator 140 to monitor and/or control aspects of system 10. Conventional user interfaces and controls can include a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, or similar implements.
As mentioned above, the operator 140 can see a condition of interest in the system and take corrective action, e.g., taking an asset online or offline by entering a suitable input to interface 122. The interface 122, through computer 120 may send a corresponding control signal over network 100 to a controller or switch 105 that can effect a change to its respective asset 110. The configuration settings can be stored in a persistent database 150. In an embodiment, the computer 120 can store the configuration settings in the database 150, and the configuration settings can be applied to the assets 110 from the database 150 immediately, at later time, or a combination thereof depending on the state and/or availability of the assets 110.
While current monitoring and control systems include graphical user interfaces (GUI) that allow the representation of various data on a computer screen or similar displays, and basic controls, existing systems are still limited. The range of operations possible with current systems is growing but remains limited due to technical factors, bandwidth, cost, and the limitations of human ingenuity.
In some situations, poor user interfaces, unclear status reports, and slow or sub-optimal controls can result in damage or injuries if equipment and assets are incorrectly operated. For example, in a transportation environment (e.g., rail or air traffic controls) disastrous consequences can occur by improper monitoring and control of such automated systems. Similarly, in military, industrial, power plant utilities, communication systems, financial data systems, or other contexts, poorly designed or operated automation and controls can result in significant failures and losses.
Today's automation solution stacks are typically comprised of several tools targeted at very specific functions at specific layers in a solution stack and are integrated together by hand by skilled Dev-Ops staff or expensive systems integrators. Exacerbating this complexity, the proliferation of open source software in this space requires the kind of build, bundle and packaging capabilities usually only found within software development firms. Almost all of today's automation solution stacks are designed to operate in a single datacenter and assume equipment colocation and direct networking adjacencies to function. Remote sites with intermittent connectivity can require local site-level installations in order to perform site-level bootstrapping, configuration, upgrades and manage an end-to-end solution offering.
Using a collection of today's automation tools is complicated. Installations typically require complicated bundle installations, package downloads from the internet with little-to-no version controls and minimal documentation. Configuring them usually requires remote connections to command lines with highly proprietary command structures requiring a user to become an expert at the structure and syntax of each tool. Integrating, deploying, configuring and operating today's automation tools at the scale of these new distributed network architectures will be near impossible.
Better monitoring and control systems are needed to enable ever-growing demands to observe and control large and complicated systems and networks including information networks. Some or all of these issues are addressed by the present invention.

Interactive graphical model-based configuration control of networked physical assets using logical transactional configuration change rules


Apparatuses and methods for supporting multicast device-to-device communications are described herein. A user equipment (UE) may transmit a request to a serving evolved Node B (eNodeB) for permission to transmit to a group of peer UEs. The UE may receive a resource assignment in response to the request. The resource allocation assignment may specify a group identifier. The group identifier may identify a group including the UE and the group of peer UEs. The UE may transmit a multicast transmission to the group of peer UEs using a resource assigned by the eNodeB with the resource assignment.

Current 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specifications define requirements for device-to-device (D2D) communication. Such communication may be between two devices and current systems may not scale to provide D2D multicast communications. Further, when such communication is extended to multicast D2D operations from a device to a group of peer devices, coordination of such communication may require input from multiple network-side elements such as evolved Node Bs (eNodeBs). Nevertheless, some groups of peer user equipment (UEs) may be located within range of a single eNodeB and coordination for such systems may be simplified.
Thus, there exists a general need to provide methods and apparatuses to enable or optimize device-to-device multicast communications. Further, there exists a general need to provide for coordination for cases when groups of devices are located within a geographic area served by an eNodeB.

User equipment, evolved node B, and method for multicast device-to-device communications


A framework for wireless network management applications in an enterprise environment using existing general purpose computing devices is presented. At least one of the devices is configured with a wireless adapter and is used as an AirMonitor to monitor one or more wireless networks. Other devices are configured as LandMonitors to monitor traffic on a wired network in the enterprise environment. At least one inference engine uses the LandMonitors and AirMonitors by assigning them monitoring tasks. Data from the monitoring tasks are stored in a database. Analysis of the data that is computationally intensive is generally performed by the inference engines. Wireless network management applications use the framework by installing and running application-specific components (e.g., filters) on the AirMonitors, LandMonitors, and/or inference engines.

Network diagnostics and management are becoming more prominent as the number of networks grows. Industry has primarily focused network diagnostics and management on wired networks in general, and on wide area Internet failures in particular. However, many companies are evolving towards enterprise wireless networks to become more productive. As a result, the problems associated with securing and managing wireless networks have become more prominent.
Industry has provided some commercial offerings in the area of wireless network management using two common approaches. The first common approach is to rely on Access Points (APs) for monitoring wireless networks. The second common approach is to use dedicated and often expensive custom hardware sensors for monitoring. The companies that offer products in these areas rarely discuss the mechanisms they use to detect problems. For example, there are many different levels of sophistication that one can provide when solving the security problems of rogue wireless equipment, but companies do not disclose their mechanisms used to implement their solutions.
The approach that relies on APs for monitoring wireless networks is certainly cost effective, but it has several limitations. First, an AP can not easily monitor multiple channels, or associate with other nearby APs, since the AP's primary function requires it to spend most of its time on one specific channel serving associated clients. Second, the APs usually have limited CPU power and memory resources so it is not practical to poll APs (e.g., issued SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) queries) too frequently. Third, the level of detail that typical commercial APs provide with their response (i.e., through their SNMP interfaces) is quite limited. Fourth, APs tend to be closed platforms so one cannot load and run third-party code on an AP, making it difficult to quickly deploy new functionality. Finally, an AP only provides a view of one end of the wireless communication, so an AP-based solution can not be used to detect problems such as RF holes or excessive interference that primarily affect the client end of the communication.
The second common approach of using dedicated hardware sensors for RF monitoring deploys special sensor nodes throughout the wireless network. Industry has also augmented the AP-based monitoring by deploying these special sensor nodes throughout the organization. However, the specialized sensors are quite expensive.

Platform for enterprise wireless network management applications


An air bag device includes a second panel that is provided with stitching or adhesive for modulating the unfurling action of an air bag after its peripheral seam comes out of a cover. For example, the second panel is formed with stitched portions or bonded portions, or tethers spanning the second panel are connected to the peripheral seam of the air bag. Further, only a single layer of a first panel of the air bag is disposed between the gas outlets of an igniter and the vehicle occupants. In operation, the peripheral seam of the air bag, when located within the cover, slides along the inner side wall of the cover against the friction therebetween, so that the first panel is slowly unfurled through an opening in the cover. After the peripheral seam of the air bag is ejected out of the cover, the above-indicated stitching or adhesive provided for the second panel is adapted to modulate the unfurling action of the air bag in the lateral direction and toward the vehicle passenger, so that the air bag can be unfurled at a relatively low rate.

An air bag device includes an inflatable air bag that is normally folded, and an igniter for inflating the air bag. In the air bag device for protecting a vehicle occupant in the driver's seat, an inflatable air bag is secured to a mounting positioned in the middle of a steering wheel, and is retained within a cover. Upon collision of the vehicle, gas is generated by the igniter, expanding the air bag. Expansion of the air bag ruptures and spreads the cover, allowing the air bag to be unfurled between the steering wheel and the occupants in the vehicle. It is desirable in the field of air bag devices to modulate the rate at which the air bag expands toward the occupant when the igniter is actuated, rather than allowing unrestrained expansion toward the occupant.
Examples of air bags devices with controlled rates of expansion are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,134 (corresponding to JP-A-6-305388 published in 1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,954 (corresponding to JP-A-6-234344 published in 1994), wherein first and second panels of the air bag are stitched together, and the stitches or seams thus made are successively torn apart due to the pressure of the gas within the air bag, whereby expansion of the air bag is slowed. Other examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,113 (corresponding to JP-A-6-191366 published in 1994), U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,595, and JP-A-6-286543 published in 1994, and others, wherein the first and second panels of the air bag are connected by means of tethers, each of which are shortened by folding. In operation, stitches joining the tether folds are successively torn apart due to the pressure of the gas expanding the air bag, thereby limiting the rate the air bag is expanded. A further example is disclosed in JP-A-6-298025 published in 1994, wherein the first and second panels of the air bag are bonded together by a thermoplastic adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive or a thermosetting adhesive, which is gradually melted, altered or degraded by the heat of the gas generated by the igniter, thereby limiting the rate the air bag is expanded.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an inflated state of a known air bag for the driver's seat, and FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view showing tethers, as described above, used in the known air bag device. The air bag 10 shown in FIG. 12 has a first panel 11 and a second panel 12, each consisting of a circular cloth. The panels 11,12 are sewed together at a peripheral seam 15. The second panel 12 has an opening 14 formed in a middle portion thereof, through which an igniter 34 (FIG. 13) extends. Around the opening 14, there are formed holes 16 into which are inserted bolts, pins or rivets 31 used to secure the air bag 10 on a mounting 30 (FIG. 13). The second panel 12 further has a vent hole 18 adapted to release the gas generated by the igniter and stored in the air bag 10.
As shown in FIG. 13, the inflatable air bag 10 is secured by bolts, pins or rivets 31 to the mounting 30, and is retained within a cover 32. The first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are connected to each other, by tethers 22 that are shortened by folding to create tether folds 26. The tether folds 26 are stitched together with sewing threads 24. When the air bag 10 is inflated by gas generated in the igniter 34, the cover 32 is initially ruptured, and a central portion of the first panel 11 is projected outward through an opening 33 of the cover 32 while the peripheral seam 15 of the air bag 10 pushes the cover 32 sideways and progressively opens the cover 32. The air bag 10 is unfurled at a relatively low rate, since the peripheral seam 15 at the maximum diameter of the air bag 10 pushes open the cover 32 while being pressed against the inside wall of the cover 32 until the peripheral seam 15 reaches the opening 33 of the cover 32. Then, the air bag 10 is rapidly unfurled once the peripheral seam 15 of the air bag 10 is ejected out of the opening 33 in the cover 32 since the friction between the peripheral seam 15 and the inside wall of the cover 32 has been eliminated. Thus, the whole air bag 10 is deployed outside the cover 32, as shown in FIG. 13. At this point in time, the air bag 10 is prevented from being pushed toward the occupant (i.e., upward in FIG. 13) because the first and second panels 11,12 are connected by the tethers 22 with the tether folds 26. Thereafter, the gas pressure generated by the igniter 34 is directed at the first panel 11 so as to push the first panel 11 toward the occupant. Subsequently, the sewing threads 24 maintaining the tether folds 26 are broken enabling the tethers 22 to extend to their full length, whereby the first panel 11 is deployed toward the vehicle occupants.
In the air bag having the tethers 22 shown in FIG. 13, and other known air bags in which the front and rear panels are sewn or adhesively bonded to each other, the peripheral seam 15 having the maximum diameter is pressed against the inside of the cover 32 with the resulting friction between the air bag 10 and the inner wall of the cover 32 slowing the rate at which the air bag 10 is unfurled. Once this peripheral seam 15 is ejected outside of the cover 32, however, the resistance to unfurling due to the above-described friction is eliminated, and the remainder of expansion by the air bag 10 is unrestrained, exerting strong tensile forces on local parts of the air bag. Therefore, the panels 11,12 of the air bag 10 are required to have a thickness large enough to resist the localized tensile force.


A workstation includes a support assembly with at least one longitudinally extending rail. A longitudinally extending conveyor is slidably mounted to the rail for sliding movement between a home position, where the conveyor is predominately provided for working on a workpiece, and a second position, where one end of the conveyor is provided adjacent to a conveyor line. The conveyor has a longitudinal length that allows an access space between the conveyor and one of the lines when the conveyor is provided in the home position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to workstations having conveyor systems for delivering workpieces to and from the workstations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a computer production facility, an area A of the facility is often dedicated to testing individual computer components. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the computer component testing area A often includes a supply conveyor line B, a delivery conveyor line C and a plurality of juxtaposed workstations D that are positioned between the conveyor lines B, C. Each of the workstations D is supplied with computer components for testing by the supply conveyor line B. After testing, the components are transferred to the delivery conveyor line C to be delivered for packaging or further testing. In the past, to prevent the workers from being confined within the individual work areas E formed by the conveyor lines B and the adjacent workstations D, each of the workstations D included a pivoting gravity gate F which operates in a manner similar to a drawbridge. The gravity gate F is lifted and pivoted by a worker to an open or vertical position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to allow access into or out of each of the work areas E. When the gravity gate F is open, an access space G is provided between the workstation D and the conveyor line B through which the worker passes. After the worker passes through the access space G, the worker lowers the gravity gate F to a closed or horizontal position. The workstation D may include a spring arrangement to assist the workers in raising and lowering the gates F.
Although the gravity gates F allow access into and out of the work areas E, these gates F have multiple drawbacks. One drawback is that the gravity gates are potentially a safety hazard because they are not easily or quickly opened in the event of a fire or other emergency. Another drawback is that the gravity gates F can fall and injure the workers or damage the computer components. A further drawback is that each gravity gate F includes exposed mechanisms that can cause injury to a worker manipulating the gravity gate F. Another problem is that workers often forget to close the gravity gates. As a result, computer components sometimes fall to the floor and become damaged. A further drawback is that, even with a spring arrangement, raising and lowering the gravity gates requires strenuous effort for some workers.

Shift table for use in a product conveyor system having workstations


A portable pneumatic compression riveter consists of a valve, air cylinder and rivet head assembly consisting of an alligator style set of jaws or a c-yoke style jaw set that is used to upset solid rivets used primarily, but not limited to, the aerospace industry. Disclosed is a series of improvements that make the tool lighter, more reliable and safer to operate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to portable pneumatic tools and, more particularly, to compression riveters, used to install solid rivets primarily but not limited to the aerospace industry.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable pneumatic compression riveters are used to install solid rivets to join parts together. They consist of a valve assembly, cylinder assembly with at least one compression chamber and a head assembly consisting of an alligator style set of jaws or a c-yoke style jaw set. An air line with approximately 90 psi compressed air is connected to the valve. The valve is manually actuated by means of a lever allowing compressed air to enter the cylinder assembly. Inside the cylinder, a piston with a seal and a wedge attached to the front is driven forward by the compressed air. The wedge is driven between a set of bearings mounted within the jaws of the rivet head assembly. The wedge forces the pivoting jaw to pivot about a center pin resulting in a squeezing action out on the end of the pivoting jaw as it closes with the fixed jaw. This squeezing action is the means to upset the rivet to join parts together.
To function most effectively, the valve assembly and cylinder assembly must not leak air. The cylinder material must be both capable of handling the air pressure required to operate the tool and hard enough to resist the wear of the piston. The wedge must be properly aligned with the bearings mounted in the rivet head assembly and capable of handling the resultant forces from upsetting the rivet. A needle roller bearing is typically used with the pivot pin from which the pivoting jaw pivots about. Crushing these needle rollers has long been a limiting factor for this type of tool.
Another shortcoming of the portable pneumatic compression riveters produced today is the potential for catastrophic failure of the pivoting jaw which can lead to injury or damage to the work being assembled when the forward portion of the pivoting jaw reaches its fatigue limit and breaks off from the attached portion at or around the pivot pin area.
One of the major reasons for these shortcomings is the need to make the portable pneumatic compression riveter as light as possible for ergonomic reasons. An improved portable pneumatic compression riveter which addresses these problems and shortcomings of earlier work in this field would be an important technological advance.
It is an object of the invention to provide a portable pneumatic compression riveter which addresses some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.
Another object of invention is to provide such a portable pneumatic compression riveter which addresses cylinder, piston and seal wear issues while contributing to a lighter and more reliable seal design.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a portable pneumatic compression riveter which allows for a greater misalignment between the wedge and the bearings in the rivet head assembly and further contributes to reducing the weight of the tool.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a portable pneumatic compression riveter which addresses the problem of crushed needle roller bearings at the pivot pin by utilizing a hardened steel sleeve in place of the needle roller bearing. This further contributes to a lighter, more reliable and compact tool.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a portable pneumatic compression riveter which reduces the chance of catastrophic failure of the pivoting jaw thus reducing the chance of injury or damage to the work being assembled.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a portable pneumatic compression riveter which utilizes a composite valve body to further reduce the weight of the tool. How these objects are accomplished will become apparent from the following descriptions and from the drawings.


A receptacle connector includes a housing, an insulating body and a plurality of terminals. The housing defines a recess for receiving the insulating body. The insulating body defines cavities on top and bottom surfaces thereof. A back surface of the insulating body defines terminal channels communicating with the corresponding cavities. Each of the terminals has a base portion. The middle of the base portion extends forward to form an annular soldering portion and a connecting portion extends rearward from the base portion. A free end of the connecting portion bends to form a contact portion. The base portion and the connecting portion are received in the cavities and the contact portion is received in the terminal channel. The soldering portion protrudes out from a front surface of the insulating body for being soldered in a printed circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a receptacle connector, and more particularly to a receptacle connector with terminals capable of being mounted on a printed circuit board firmly.
2. The Related Art
Traditionally, a receptacle connector includes a housing, an insulating body and a plurality of first terminals. The housing has a recess to receive the insulating body. The insulating body defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the first terminals. Each first terminal has a soldering portion and a contact portion. When a plug connector inserts into the receptacle connector, second terminals of the plug connector contact the corresponding contact portions of the first terminals of the receptacle connector. The soldering portion of the first terminal of the receptacle connector is soldered on a printed circuit board.
The soldering portion of the first terminal of the receptacle connector is usually needle-shaped or flat-shaped. If the soldering portion is needle-shaped, the printed circuit board defines an aperture for receiving the corresponding soldering portion of the first terminal. If the soldering portion is flat-shaped, the soldering portion directly abuts against a surface of the printed circuit board. However, the engagement provided by two above-mentioned ways is not firm, so that the signal transmission between the receptacle connector and the printed circuit board is easily interrupted.

Terminals of a receptacle connector firmly mounting on a printed circuit board


Disclosed is a sensor based on a graphene polypyrrole 3-dimensional (3D) porous structure, the sensor comprising: the graphene polypyrrole 3D porous structure, wherein the graphene polypyrrole 3D porous structure is prepared by growing graphene on a nickel 3D porous structure, growing polypyrrole on a graphene-grown nickel 3D porous structure, and then coating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on a graphene polypyrrole grown structure; and electrodes respectively disposed on top and bottom faces of the graphene polypyrrole 3D porous structure.

Embodiments of the inventive concepts described herein relate to a sensor and a supercapacitor based on a graphene polypyrrole 3D porous structure, and an integrated device including the same.
Recently, interest and research for a realization of artificial electronic skin that may be applied to a skin by being bent or stretched have been increased rapidly.
Accordingly, a research has been conducted on a material, an important source of detection of this artificial electronic skin, that may detect changes in pressure, heat, and strain applied from the outside.
Research on the material and research on space and weight efficiency, which is important due to characteristics of a wearable device to be attached and carried on the skin have been conducted actively.
Related literature: Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1554543

Sensor and supercapacitor based on graphene polypyrrole 3D porous structure, and integrated device including the same

Korea University Research and Business Foundation


A process may be utilized by the DVR. The process receives a plurality of segments of a set of content and a plurality of corresponding content rule sets. Further, the process provides one or more instructions to record and encrypt the plurality of segments of the set of content on a storage medium. In addition, the process provides the plurality of content rule sets to the DRM component to be inserted into a locally generated and secured content license associated with the encryption of the set of content. The secured content license includes a master key and a list of the plurality of corresponding content rule sets that have been received in order of reception. The process receives a plurality of marker tokens from the DRM component in order to facilitate trick mode playback.

1. Field
This disclosure generally relates to the field of audio/visual content. More particularly, the disclosure relates to security for a device that stores audio/visual content.
2. General Background
Protected content is often recorded in an encrypted form on a recording device such as a Digital Video Recorder ("DVR"). However, if the content is protected by more than a single content encryption key ("CEK"), it may be difficult to find the correct encryption key during trick plays, e.g., fast forward, jump, skip, etc., and insert the encryption key in time to provide a smooth glitchless user experience. Current approaches do not facilitate such key transitions during trick play modes in a seamless fashion.
In a home setting, it is also reasonable that a second device may wish to access content stored on a home DVR. In many cases, the second device may wish to play back the content before the recording on the DVR is complete. For example, a second device may start playback of a scheduled two hour recording just thirty minutes after it begins. In addition, current approaches do not provide for the second device deriving content keys efficiently in a smooth and glitchless manner while the recording is still in progress.

Method and apparatus for assisting with content key changes


A method of causing metachromatism by the use of a reversible thermochromic composition comprising (a) an electron donating compound, (b) an electron accepting compound and (c) a metachromatic temperature adjuster, wherein;. (d) an electron accepting, light-fastness providing agent represented by Formula I: ##STR1## wherein n represents an integer of 5 to 17 to form a straight-chain or branched alkyl group; X and Y each represent a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; and p and m each represent an integer of 0 to 3;. is brought into presence in an amount of 0.3 part by weight to 70 parts by weight based on 1.0 part by weight of the component-(a) electron donating compound.. The light-fastness of the reversible thermochromic composition at the time of color development can be greatly improved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for improving the light-fastness (color fastness to light) of reversible thermochromic compositions at the time of color development by bringing into presence an electron accepting, special light-fastness providing agent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermochromic compositions comprised of a combination of electron donating compounds with electron accepting compounds are known in the art as disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,229. In such compositions, their metachromatic temperatures depend on the types of the both compounds used in combination, and hence, it has been very difficult to obtain compositions capable of varying in color at the desired temperature.
The present inventors have invented a method in which a specific alcohol, ester or ketone is used as a metachromatic temperature adjuster to adjust the metachromatic temperature to the desired temperature (Japanese Patent Publications No. 51-44706, No. 51-44708, No. 52-7764 and No. 6-59746).
The invention previously made by the present inventors is an epock-making invention in view of the advantages such that the metachromatic temperature can be controlled to any desired temperature even if the combination of an electron donating compound with an electron accepting compound is not varied.
However, the invention made by the combination of these electron donating compound and electron accepting compound has a disadvantage that the electron donating compound does not have a high light-fastness and hence any thermochromic compositions making use of it can not have a high light-fastness. Accordingly, the color having varied may become faded by light or, in an extreme instance, may become completely decolored.
In conventional attempts, ultraviolet light absorbers are mixed so that light-fastness can be imparted to compounds. When, however, an ultraviolet light absorber is mixed in thermochromic compositions comprised of an electron donating compound and an electron accepting compound, it brings about an improvement in light-fastness when the compositions are in the color-extinguished state but is almost not effective when they are in the color-developed state, and is not effective at all especially with regard to indirect light. When a metallic luster pigment and an ultraviolet light absorber are used in combination to intercept part of visible light rays, they bring about a dramatic improvement in light-fastness when the compositions are in the color-extinguished state but are less effective in the color-developed state, and are not effective at all especially with regard to indirect light. Also, hindered amine type, hindered phenol type, sulfur type or nickel complex type light stabilizers are almost not effective either when the compositions are in the color-extinguished state or when they are in the color-developed state.

Method for improving light-fastness of reversible thermochromic compositions at the time of color development


A target detection system using an EHF radar and the image processing is disclosed, in which the processing time is shortened by mutually complementing the disadvantages of the EHF radar and the image processing thereby to improve the reliability. The system comprises a radar, an image acquisition unit and an image processing ECU. The microcomputer of the ECU specifies an image recognition area based on the power output from the radar, and carries out the image processing only within the specified recognition area for the image obtained from the image acquisition unit. By performing the image processing only for the area where a target is detected by the radar, the time required for image processing is shortened on the one hand and the erroneous detection of letters on the road surface or the like is eliminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a target detection system. The target detection system according to this invention is mounted on an automotive vehicle, for example, and is used to aid the driver in driving the vehicle by detecting a preceding vehicle running ahead of his vehicle or an obstacle lying ahead or the like target located ahead of the vehicle driven by the driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional target detection system uses a fusion algorithm in which the reliability of data is studied by use of the result of detecting a target using a EHF radar and the result of detecting a target by image processing thereby to achieve the optimal result. Such a target detection system comprises an EHF radar, a left camera, a right camera and an image processing ECU (electronic control unit). The ECU includes an image processing microcomputer and a fusion processing microcomputer.
In the processing method using the EHF radar, a specified area ahead is scanned by the extremely high-frequency wave. The strength of the signal power output from the EHF radar and the range are so related to each other that the signal power strength is high for the portion where a target exists and low for the portion where a target does not exist. The EHF radar can measure a far distance with high accuracy but is low in accuracy for the measurement of a near target. Also, the EHF radar outputs a near flag upon detection of a near target.
The image processing microcomputer extracts the edge of each of the two images acquired by the two cameras. The edge positions of the two images are different due to the parallax error between the left and right cameras, and this difference is used to calculate the distance to the target. Image processing can be used to measure the distance over a wide range but is low in accuracy for detection of a far target.
The distance measurement by image processing further has the following problems.
1. (Erroneous recognition) In view of the fact that the edge extraction processing is for simply extracting the edges from an image, the edges of letters written on the road surface, shadows or other objects not three-dimensional and different from the target may be extracted erroneously due to the density difference thereof. In such a case, edges are output in spite of the absence of a target.
2. (Erroneous distance measurement) In the case where an edge is detected by the edge extraction processing, the distance is measured by pattern matching between the images acquired by the two cameras. In this processing, the result may become erroneous in the case where a similar pattern happens to exist.
FIG. 1 shows detection areas defined for the target detection system.
An area 2 in which a target can be detected by image processing has a large range, while an area 3 where a target can be detected by an EHF radar reaches a far distance. In an area 4 where a target can be detected by using both the image processing and the EHF radar, on the other hand, a target can be recognized very reliably by the fusion processing between the output data of the radar and the output data of the image processing. The area 4 is called the fusion area. The microcomputer for fusion processing determines the presence or absence of a target based on an overall decision on both the result of detection by the EHF radar and the result of detection by the image processing microcomputer, and thus recognizes the presence of a target such as a preceding vehicle and calculates the distance, etc.
In the conventional target detection system, the processing time for the fusion algorithm in the fusion processing microcomputer is required in addition to the processing time for the EHF radar and the processing time for the image processing microcomputer, and therefore the total processing time is long. Also, the conventional target detection system has yet to overcome the disadvantages of both the EHF radar, and image processing, sufficiently.

Target detection system using radar and image processing


A thin film transistor substrate provided with two gate electrodes comprises a thin film transistor including a first gate electrode formed on the substrate; an active layer formed on the first gate electrode; first and second electrodes formed on the active layer; and a second gate electrode formed on the first electrode, the second electrode, and the active layer, wherein the second gate electrode is provided with an opening formed in an area corresponding to at least a part of the second electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin film transistor applied to a display device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A thin film transistor (TFT) is used as a switching device or a driving device, wherein the switching device controls an operation of each pixel in a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting device (OLED), and the driving device drives each pixel.
The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an active layer, and source/drain electrodes, and may be categorized into a staggered structure and a coplanar structure based on the arrangement of the electrodes.
In the staggered structure, the gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes are arranged up and down on the basis of the active layer, and in the coplanar structure, the gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes are arranged on the same plane.
The thin film transistor of the staggered structure may be divided into a back channel etched (BCE) type and an etch stopper layer (ESL) type depending on a method for forming a channel. Since the etch stopper layer type thin film transistor has an advantage in that an etch stopper layer is formed on the active layer to prevent the active layer from being over-etched, its use has been increased.
FIGS. 1A to 1E are cross-sectional views illustrating a related art process steps of manufacturing an ESL type thin film transistor substrate.
First of all, as shown in FIG. 1A, a gate electrode 20 is formed on a substrate 10, and a gate insulating film 25 is formed on an entire surface of the substrate including the gate electrode 20.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, after an active layer 30a and an etch stopper layer 40a are sequentially deposited on the gate insulating film 25, the etch stopper layer 40a is patterned to form a predetermined etch stopper 40 as shown in FIG. 1C. The etch stopper 40 serves as a stopper during a later etching process.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1D, an ohmic contact layer 50a and a source/drain electrode layer 60a are sequentially deposited on the entire surface of the substrate including the etch stopper 40.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 1E, the source/drain electrode 60a is patterned to form a source electrode 62 and a drain electrode 64, and the ohmic contact layer 50a and the active layer 30a are etched using the source and drain electrodes 62 and 64 as masks, whereby an ohmic contact layer 50 and an active layer 30 are formed at a predetermined pattern.
However, since the aforementioned thin film transistor according to the related art, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1E, has a single gate structure having one gate electrode 20, it is difficult to obtain output saturation characteristics. In addition, there is a non-negligible gap between transfer curves according to voltages between source and drain of a thin film transistor within a subthreshold region, whereby problems of crosstalk or non-uniform luminance such as spots may occur on a screen. Especially, if the thin film transistor with the single gate electrode structure is applied to the organic light emitting device, a compensation capacity may be deteriorated.
Also, in case of the related art thin film transistor with the etch stopper 40, the thin film transistor is inevitably increased in size due to an overlay rule in between each layer. Due to the increased size of thin film transistor, an overlap area between the gate electrode 20 and the source/drain electrodes 62/64 is increased in size, to thereby increase a capacitance of the thin film transistor.

Thin film transistor substrate having a thin film transistor having multiple top gates and organic light emitting device using the same


An optical light package includes an optical output lens, an optical filter located thereunder and between the output lens and LEDS, a tray of LEDs arrayed on a stage mounted on a linear comb based MEMS device that is distributed in such a way that the stage is movable, and a driver that controls movement of the stage.

Any current vision of the future of immersive experience revolves around ambient imagery, ephemeral indicators, on-demand content built on a technology stack that includes a light-field-based system of pixels. For a menu to float off a wall or a billboard to float off the side of a building, the imagery must accommodate viewers from different angles. To make a holodeck or deliver on some other architecture of light, the user must have a display system that delivers content perceived as 3D and that provides real parallax, vergence, and accommodation to viewers across a range of different positions relative to the display. The system must do this regardless of whether that viewer wears glasses. The system must do this from any arbitrary point in the room without barrel rotation, a fault that causes each viewer to perceive an object in a slightly different location because of limits within legacy 3D systems.
There is no current screen that effectively manages light field display across an arbitrary surface in a way that is commercially scalable and that delivers effective extinction or ghosting of other viewing angles.
LCD derivatives used for small displays and displays are currently in the market and they use parallax barrier systems to deliver multiple angles of light with projected or direct view sources.
The Philips® 3D LCD system handles this by dicing the screen area up with a lenticular lens that divided the surface of the LCD into a defined number of slices so that a viewer could see a 3D image from a specific set of points of view but there was little opportunity for a shared experience without eye tracking and the experience will always be limited by the need to slice up the image area in vertical slices.
The Leia® display shares some characteristics with the display that Nintendo® delivered in the Nintendo 3DS®. The displays are optimized around a single user with a display right and left eye.
There are a variety of large modules being considered and there are complicated parallax barrier systems that treat existing displays in a manner that is not dissimilar to the Philips 3D system.
These monolithic systems will all have trouble scaling into room scale immersive environments. These systems also often have bezels that will figure in any final product marring the finished displays with seams that must be managed or tolerated. They are targeted at individual viewers and the market for smartphones is massive so this makes sense commercially.
But that means that none of these systems lends itself to use in large public display applications where a flexible modular approach will be required to jump start applications and to take advantage of existing mechanical systems.
One solution is to model the components on LED systems that have adopted the PLCC SMD package to allow for a wide variety of products. But there is an issue with using a large array of LEDs where the viewer is only intended to view a specific set of sub-pixels at a given time based on their location relative to the screen.
First, the relative surface area of each sub-pixel relative to the complete component would yield a very small active area. The light emitting elements in a 2 mm pixel pitch screen in the current LED market may be less than a few percentage points of the total surface area of a pixel. In a light field display packing hundreds of pixels into the same space the output power of that pixel required to maintain perceived screen brightness would jump substantially, and in some ways, unhelpfully.
Second, a mask is required to control the light output so that each viewer only sees the light field sub-pixel intended for them. This mask would create pixels with substantial off axis viewing issues and would likely create visual artifacts due to the incomplete extinction of neighboring light field sub-pixels.
Third, the duty cycle for each light field sub-pixel is small relative to the overall number of LED packages It would be possible to use multiplexing to use ⅓ the LED dies simplifying layout and reducing cost. It is also possible to use ⅕ or ⅛ the LED material depending on the goals of the system.
There are more problems, but the number of dies and the extinction issue are key. If a user cannot see just the image intended for them but also sees ghosting from the images intended for other people (the extinction ratio) then the technology will not succeed.

MEMS-driven optical package with micro-LED array


Human CD16-II variants, DNA sequences coding for them, their use in therapy and/or in diagnosis of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory illnesses, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, are disclosed. The sequence listing for the new polypeptides is provided.

CD16, also called Fc.gamma. receptor-III (Fc.gamma.R-III), is a low affinity receptor for Immunoglobulin G (IgG). With other receptors of the immunoglobulin Fc portion (Fc.gamma.R-I, Fc.gamma.R-II, Fc.epsilon.R-I), CD16 plays an important role in mediating autoimmunity and inflamm atory responses.
Studies using monoclonal antibodies against CD16 have established this receptor's role in removing immune complexes from circulation and in mediating antibody-dependent cell mediated cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) (see for example Van de Winkel et al., Immunol. Today, 14, 1993, pp.215-221). The binding of IgG with CD16 elicits NK/LGL cell activation and triggers ADCC. ADCC can be halted in the presence of high levels of soluble CD16.
It has been found (see Mathiot et al., J. Clin. Immunol., 13, (1), 1993, pp. 41-8) that the level of soluble CD16 was significantly decreased in patients with multiple myeloma compared with healthy volunteers. In addition a stage-dependent decrease of soluble CD16 was observed, with a highly significant difference between stage I and stages II+III myeloma patients. Therefore the measurement of soluble CD16 in serum is both a diagnostic and a prognostic marker of myeloma, which can be useful to define and guide novel immunomodulatory therapies of the disease.
It has further been found that CD16 is present in human serum and other body fluids and is elevated at sites of inflammation (see Fleit et al., Blood, 79, (10), 1992, pp. 2721-8).
From Ravetch et al. (J. Exp. Med., 170, 1989, pp. 481-97) it is clear that there are at least two isoforms of human CD16, type 1 and type 2, that can be designated as CD16-I and CD16-II, respectively. These two isoforms of CD16 are encoded by two separate but related genes, NA1 and NA2.
From Scallon et al. (PNAS USA, 86, pp.5079-83, July 1989) it is evident that CD16-I and CD16-II are distinct in both structure and cellular expression. CD16-I is expressed predominantly on the surface of neutrophils and monocytes, whereas CD16-II is expressed predominantly on the surface of macrophages, natural killer cells and large granular lymphocytes (NK/LGL). Furthermore, these two types of CD-16 are associated with the cell surface via two distinct mechanisms: CD16 type I is associated with the cell surface by glycosyl-phosphotidylinositol (GPI) linkage; whereas CD16 type II is anchored on the membrane with about 20 extra amino acids. Furthermore, the N-terminus of the mature CD16 has been investigated and the methionine residue at position 18 was identified as the N-terminal residue of the mature protein. Thus, the initial translation product contains a 17-amino acid signal peptide. The transmembrane region of CD16-II is shown to be from amino acid 209 to 229, whereas CD16-I is reported lacking transmembranal and cytoplasmic domains.
It has been determined that a single amino acid at position 203, Ser, found in isoform I versus Phe, found in type II, determines the membrane anchoring mechanism (see Lanier et al., Science, 246, 1989, pp. 1611-3).
For human CD16-I, a polymorphism has been reported previously, as is evident from FIG. 1, whereas only one alternative nucleic acid sequence encoding CD16-II has been published until now (Ravetch et al., J. Exp. Med., 170, 1989, pp. 481-97).
Recently, Huizinga et al. (see Blood, 76, pp. 1927-, 1990) published evidence that CD16-I deficiency is related to neonatal isoimmune neutropenia.
Bredius et al. (in Immunology, 83, pp. 624-, 1994) reported specifically that CD16-I-NA1 exhibited a 21-25% higher IgG1 mediated phagocytosis than CD16-I-NA2.
It has been reported that circulating levels of soluble CD16 are reduced in Multiple Myeloma, and an inhibitory effect of sCD16 on myeloma cells and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) -induced B-cell proliferation have been reported (see, respectively, Hoover et al., J. Cli. Inve., 95(1), pp.241-7, 1995) and Teillaud et al., Blood, 82(10), Nov. 15 1993).
European Patent Application EP 343 950 generally discloses soluble and membrane-bound human Fc.gamma.R-III polypeptides as well as nucleic acids capable of encoding the same. In particular, the sequence of a CD16-I variant and the sequence of CD16-II are shown in the Figures. This patent application further discloses various utilities for these polypeptides.
Citation of any document herein is not intended as an admission that such document is pertinent prior art, or considered material to the patentability of any claim of the present application. Any statement as to content or a date of any document is based on the information available to applicant at the time of filing and does not constitute an admission as to the correctness of such a statement.

Applied Research Systems ARS Holding N.V.


A control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle having a first engagement element between an engine and a motor-generator and a second engagement element between the motor-generator and a drive wheel. During EV drive mode, the first engagement element disengages and the second engagement element engages to drive the vehicle using the motor-generator. During HEV drive mode, the first and second engagement elements engage to drive the vehicle using both power sources. During a third drive mode, the first engagement element engages and the second engagement element slip-engages to drive the vehicle by both power sources. When a detected temperature of the second engagement element is too high during low-speed driving, the EV drive mode is selected to enhance durability of the second engagement element.

Hybrid vehicles have an electric drive (EV) mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels only by power from the motor-generator, and a hybrid drive (HEV) mode, in which the hybrid vehicle can travel by power from both the engine and the motor-generator. For example, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2005-221073 discloses a hybrid system that employs a first engagement element that performs connecting/disconnecting actions of a power transmission path between an engine and a motor-generator, and a second engagement element that performs connecting/disconnecting actions of a power transmission path between the motor-generator and drive wheels. Switching between the EV and HEV drive modes occurs depending on a vehicle driving condition (engine/vehicle operating conditions) to improve fuel economy.
According to the technique disclosed therein, the second engagement element is subjected to slip control during the engine starting operation initiated when switching from the EV drive mode to the HEV drive mode, so as to reduce a shock.

Control apparatus and method for hybrid vehicle


An article of footwear for being worn on a wearer's foot as the wearer steps on a support surface. The article of footwear comprises a sole member having an upper surface for supporting the sole of the wearer's foot, a lower surface, a heel end, and a toe end; and a heel mechanism attached to the heel end of the sole member; the heel mechanism including a first plate for attachment to the lower surface of the sole member adjacent the heel end thereof, the first plate having a first end and a second end; the heel mechanism including a second plate having a first end attached to the first end of the first plate and a second end normally urged away from the second end of the first plate; the heel mechanism including lever structure associated with the second plate for urging the second end of the second plate toward the second end of the first plate when the wearer of the article of footwear takes a step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an improved article of footwear and, more specifically, to a shoe or similar article having an improved heel mechanism for absorbing the shock or impact of the wearer of the article of footwear as the wearer takes a step.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The inventor is aware of the following patents which appear to be relevant to the present invention: La Magna, U.S. Pat. No. D 377,240, issued Jan. 7, 1997; Horibata et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,084, issued Jul. 3, 1984; Lakic, U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,095, issued Jul. 12, 1988; Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,095, issued Apr. 20, 1993; Schindler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,637, issued Sep. 6, 1994; Goldston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,110, issued Aug. 1, 1995; Levine, U.S. Pat. No. D 194,346, issued Jan. 8, 1963; Hatfield, U.S. Pat. No. D 353,705, issued Dec. 27, 1994; and Pyatnitskii, Soviet Patent 1169-599-A, dated Jul. 30, 1985.
Nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests an article of footwear comprising, in general, a sole member having an upper surface for supporting the sole of a wearer's foot, a lower surface, a heel end, and a toe end; and a heel mechanism attached to the heel end of the sole member; the heel mechanism including a first plate for attachment to the lower surface of the sole member adjacent the heel end thereof, the first plate having a first end and a second end; the heel mechanism including a second plate having a first end attached to the first end of the first plate and a second end normally urged away from the second end of the first plate; the heel mechanism including lever means associated with the second plate for urging the second end of the second plate toward the second end of the first plate when the wearer of the article of footwear takes a step.


A liquid crystal display panel, including a liquid crystal cell, a liquid crystal, a light-transmitting cover plate and a light-transmitting support structure; where the liquid crystal is located in the liquid crystal cell, the cover plate covers a side where a target surface for emitting light is located of the liquid crystal cell, and the support structure is located between the cover plate and the liquid crystal cell; and an orthogonal projection region of the support structure on the target surface is a partial region of the target surface, and the partial region comprises at least part of an active display region of the target surface.

With the development of display technologies, liquid crystal display panels have been widely used in electronic devices.
For example, the liquid crystal display panel includes: an array substrate, a color filter substrate, and a liquid crystal. The array substrate and the color filter substrate are opposite to each other to form a liquid crystal cell, and the liquid crystal is located in the liquid crystal cell.

Liquid crystal display panel and method for manufacturing same, and liquid crystal display


A drive unit comprising a housing, a first worm gear rotatably mounted in the housing, an axle having a first end secured to the housing and defining a central axis therethrough, and a second worm gear mounted in the housing for rotation about the central axis, the first worm gear meshing with the second worm gear for driving the second worm gear. A planetary drive is mounted concentrically around the central axis and includes an output gear driven responsive to the second worm gear. An annular gear is driven by the output gear concentrically around the central axis for driving a work piece, the axle extending through the planetary drive into an opening within the annular gear. The planetary drive may include a sun gear mounted for rotation with the second worm gear, an annular gear fixed to the housing concentric with the central axis, and at least one planetary gear driven by the sun gear within the annular gear around and spaced from the central axis.

The invention is concerned with a drive unit, and more particularly concerns a gear drive unit including a worm gear mounted on an axle.
Drive units of this type are, as a rule, designed as "motor drive units", that is, in a single housing on the one hand, is an electric motor, and on the other, a multi-step RPM reducing gear train. Motor drive units of this kind are, for example, employed as positioning means installed for external mirrors on motor vehicles, in particular for external mirrors on trucks. The devices are relatively small and serve only for the transfer of small turning moments.
In a conventional drive unit of this type, a worm gear is rotatably secured on a protruding rod of a first housing part; a drive shaft is mounted concentrically in the second housing part with the interposing of a bearing ring. The remaining parts of the drive between the worm gear and the drive shaft are designed to be principally self centering. Mounting of these conventional units is associated with some expense. Further, the drive unit is subject to wear.


A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.

A database is generally a collection of related information stored in computer readable form. Databases are ubiquitous in modern life. Mobile phones often contain databases of recently and frequently called numbers. The world wide web is comprised of countless databases. Hand held computers are in large part valuable because of the databases they contain. In fact, the databases contained in most computers are far more valuable than the computer hardware itself.
In order to use this valuable information, people must have access to the information. This is frequently accomplished using different types of computers for different situations. For example, a salesman may create a spreadsheet containing pricing information on a desktop computer, and desire to access that information via a small hand held computer while at a customer's premises.
It is often difficult, expensive or impractical to actually access the same database from both types of computers, especially if one is operated in a mobile environment. To overcome this difficulty, a process of synchronizing databases was developed.
Synchronizing a database is generally a process by which a plurality of copies of a database is maintained such that the information in all copies is the same, or synchronized. The copies need not be bit for bit identical. A synchronization process can accommodate different file structure, operating system and data media requirements. The copies are frequently on different computer systems, but it is sometimes desirable to maintain separate, synchronized databases on the same computer system. Synchronization allows updates ("mutations") e.g., additions, deletions and/or changes made to one copy of a database, for example a copy on a hand held computer, to be reflected to all copies.
Prior art synchronization systems use a "double headed" conduit program to synchronize information. As an unfortunate result, such prior art conduit programs must manage all aspects of synchronization, data retrieval and data storage between two databases, for example on a desktop computer and a hand held computer. Data retrieval and data storage may be particularly difficult in situations involving different types of computers, e.g., hand held versus desktop, which are running different operating systems, e.g., Palm OS versus Microsoft Windows, and which store information in different media, e.g., byte-addressable random access memory versus 512-byte record based rotating magnetic media. In addition, a conduit designed to synchronize a database on a hand held computer and, for example, a PC, must manage the communication between the two computers.
It is frequently necessary or desirable to synchronize more than two databases. For example, a hand held computer user may desire to synchronize calendar data between his hand held computer, a personal calendar on a desk top computer and a group calendar on a server. Under the prior art, using double ended conduit programs, the synchronization of more than two databases typically requires multiple synchronization sessions. For example, what might be required is a first synchronization session to synchronize databases A and B, followed by a second synchronization session to synchronize databases A and C, etc. Further, in general a separate "double ended" conduit program would be required for each synchronization to account for any structural differences between, for example, databases B and C.
As an unfortunate consequence of such limitations of the prior art, a commercially feasible method of synchronizing multiple databases is not available. In addition, because prior art conduit programs are constructed to synchronize between two specific databases, the introduction of a new type of database typically requires the creation of not just one, but an entire set of new conduit programs to synchronize with all of the other types of databases. Such factors strongly discourage the introduction of new databases, limiting the art and utility of computer databases and hand held computers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.