The present invention provides systems and methods for customizing fixed rate and variable rate mortgages. In some cases, the methods include accessing mortgage information and identifying at least a first characteristic of the mortgage to be modified. In addition, a first funds transfer is authorized to facilitate modification of the first characteristic. The mortgage is also monitored and changes in any relevant characteristics are identified. Where changes in a second relevant characteristic is detected, a second funds transfer is authorized to facilitate modification of the first characteristic to compensate for the change in the second characteristic.

The present invention relates generally to the field of account customization, and in particular to systems and methods for customizing mortgage accounts.
Various types of mortgages are available. For example, a consumer may choose from a fixed rate mortgage with a fifteen or thirty year term. Such mortgages provide a fixed interest rate that is maintained for the life of the loan. While the fixed interest rate feature of the loan causes the loan to remain largely static, a recurring payment may vary somewhat due to changes in escrow amounts associated with the loan. Thus, for example, the property insurance associated with the loan may vary from year to year causing the recurring payment to vary.
Alternatively, a consumer may choose a variable rate mortgage with a thirty year term. Such a loan varies as the interest rate changes periodically. Thus, a payment required under such a loan can changes as the interest rate and/or escrows associated with the loan change.
While a variety of loan types are available, such loans are typically tailored for a mass market and often fail to address specific needs of individual consumers. Thus, an individual consumer chooses a loan that best matches their needs. However, such a process does not provide for a number of a consumer's needs. Accordingly, for at least the aforementioned reasons, there exists a need in the art for systems and methods that better address needs of individual consumers.

Systems and methods for customizing mortgage characteristics


An apparatus and method for controlling vibration in a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes, upon detecting a key input by a user, determining whether a current feedback signal is detected when an external case with a first vibrator is connected to the mobile terminal, upon detecting the current feedback signal, determining that the external case is connected to the mobile terminal and applying a drive signal to the first vibrator, and controlling the first vibrator to be activated in response to the received drive signal to output a haptic feedback.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration control apparatus and method for determining attachment/detachment of an external case. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vibration control apparatus and method for determining attachment/detachment of an external case depending on detection/non-detection of a current feedback signal from the external case, and controlling a vibrator to output a haptic feedback in a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of communication technologies and manufacturing technologies, mobile terminals have noticeably improved in terms of their memory capacity and the performance of their display devices. These improvements enable various functions that were previously unavailable, such as moving image viewing, Moving Picture Experts Group Phase 1 (MPEG-1) audio layer 3 (MP3) reproduction, mobile Internet, etc. Due to the availability of such functions, functions unrelated to radio communication, such as a camera function and a multimedia playback function, have been added to mobile terminals.
Multimedia functions are increasingly extending their scope of utility due to the improvement of the display devices of mobile terminals and the realization of high-speed communication. Many of these features have already been commercialized, thereby enabling users to use mobile terminals as mobile entertainment systems. Among the multimedia functions, the camera function and the multimedia playback function, which are among the more sought after supplemental functions, enable camera-based photography and result in increased image quality so that users may view Video-On-Demand (VOD).
Due to the development of such technologies, on-line Internet games and/or embedded games that mobile users can enjoy have started attracting attention, and terminals are preferred, in which a device is mounted, by which users can readily and instantaneously control the Internet games and the games being executed under application programs stored in the mobile terminals.
Without a need for a separate keyboard mounted in a mobile terminal, a touchscreen is used as an input device that provides input for an application, and the touchscreen provides an interface by which a user can input commands or information into the terminal by touching icons being displayed on the screen using the user's finger and/or a stylus pen.
Generally, when a user desires to make a call using the mobile terminal, the user presses phone number keys and a Send key by touching the corresponding icons provided on a touchscreen of the display with a stylus pen or a finger, thereby attempting to dial.
Conventionally, the user shifts the cursor displayed on the graphic environment by touching the touchscreen with a fingertip and then moves the finger on the screen. In addition, the user can operate a stylus in association with the touchscreen by pressing a stylus tip on the touchscreen and then moving the stylus.
The touchscreen is used for inputting information via a sensing pad that is layered/covered on a display screen, and this is used in a device such as Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and other mobile electronic devices.
Recently, the trend in mobile terminals is towards miniaturization and a reduction in weight. However, a touchscreen cannot undergo miniaturization and weight reduction, making it impossible to meet user demands for various and effective control using only an output of a speaker of a mobile terminal. In addition, the user cannot experience the touch sensation that provides information on the target and other control to the user in the graphic environment to assist a user.
Furthermore, unlike with multimedia file playback, the game function has difficulty in delivering true-to-nature feelings using only the vibration of a built-in vibration motor.

Apparatus and method for controlling vibration in mobile terminal


A score management node receives network measurements related to at least one service event when the service is delivered to the user, and determines, in a first scoring module, a quality score Q reflecting the user's perception of quality of the delivered service and an associated significance S reflecting the user's perception of importance of the delivered service, based on the received network measurements. The determined quality score Q and associated significance S of each service event are modified in a succession of intermediate scoring modules, based on a predefined influence factor applied in each intermediate scoring module. The perception score P is further calculated in a concluding scoring module, based on the modified quality score and associated modified significance, wherein the calculated perception score P is made available for use in the service evaluation.

When a service has been delivered by means of a telecommunication network by a service provider to one or more users, it is of interest for the service provider to know whether the user is satisfied with the delivered service or not, e.g. to find out if the service has shortcomings that need to be improved in some way to make it more attractive to this user and to other users. Service providers, e.g. network operators, are naturally interested in making their services as attractive as possible to users in order to increase sales, and a service may therefore be designed and developed so as to meet the users' demands and expectations as far as possible. It is therefore useful to gain knowledge about the users' opinion after service delivery in order to evaluate the service. The services discussed in this disclosure may, without limitation, be related to streaming of audio and visual content e.g. music and video, on-line games, web browsing, file downloads, voice and video calls, delivery of information e.g. in the form of files, images and notifications, and so forth, i.e. any service that can be delivered by means of a telecommunication network.
A normal way to obtain the users' opinion about a delivered service is to explicitly ask the customer, after delivery, to answer certain questions about the service in a survey or the like. For example, the service provider may send out or otherwise present an inquiry form, questionnaire or opinion poll to the customer with various questions related to user satisfaction of the service and its delivery. If several users respond to such a poll or questionnaire, the results can be used for evaluating the service, e.g. for finding improvements to make, provided that the responses are honest and that a significant number of users have answered. An example of using survey results for estimating the opinion of users is the so-called Net Promoter Score, NPS, which is calculated from answers to user surveys to indicate the users' collected opinions expressed in the survey answers.
However, it is often difficult to motivate a user to take the time and trouble to actually answer the questions and send a response back to the service provider. Users are often notoriously reluctant to provide their opinions on such matters, particularly in view of the vast amounts of information and questionnaires flooding users in the current modern society. One way to motivate the user is to reward him/her in some way when submitting a response, e.g. by giving some present or a discount either on the purchased services or when buying future services, and so forth.
Even so, it is a problem that surveys can in practice only be conducted for a limited number of users which may not be representative for all users of a service, and that the feedback cannot be obtained in "real-time", that is immediately after service delivery. A survey should not be sent to a user too frequently either. The obtained feedback may thus get out-of-date.
Further problems include that considerable efforts must be spent to distribute a survey to a significant but still limited number of users and to review and evaluate all answers coming in, sometimes with poor results due to low responsiveness. Furthermore, the user may provide opinions which are not really accurate or honest and responses to surveys may even be misleading. For example, the user is often prone to forget how the service was actually perceived or experienced when it was delivered, even after a short while, once prompted to respond to a questionnaire. Human memory thus tends to change over time, and the response given may not necessarily reflect what the user really felt and thought at service delivery. The user may further provide the response very hastily and as simply as possible not caring much if it really reflects their true opinion. The opinion expressed may also be dependent on the user's current mood such that different opinions may be expressed at different occasions, making the response all the more erratic and unreliable.
Still another problem is that it can be quite difficult to trace an underlying reason why users have been dissatisfied with a particular service, so as to take actions to eliminate the fault and improve the service and/or the network used for its delivery. Tracing the reason for such dissatisfaction may require that any negative opinions given by users need to be correlated with certain operational specifics related to network performance, e.g. relating to where, when and how the service was delivered to these users. This kind of information is not generally available and analysis of the network performance must be done manually by looking into usage history and history of network issues. Much efforts and costs are thus required to enable tracing of such faults and shortcomings.

Method and score management node for supporting service evaluation


A stepper motor includes a forcer wherein the teeth are formed in the pole faces by an etching process or machining and instepping. The etching can be achieved by forming the teeth in a separately formed plate which is anchored to the face of a forcer. A high density magnetic material is used for the plate and can also be used on the platen to improve performance of the stepper motor.

This invention relates to linear stepper motors. In particular, the invention is concerned with a system for forming components of the linear stepper motor, and for enhancing the operational performance of such motors.
Linear stepper motors are used for positioning applications requiring rapid acceleration and high speed moves with low mass payloads. Mechanical simplicity and precise open loop operation are additional features of the stepper linear motor systems.
A linear stepping motor operates on the same electromagnetic principles as a rotary stepping motor. The stationary part or platen is a passive toothed steel bar extending over the desired length of travel. Permanent magnets, electromagnets with teeth, and bearings are incorporated into the moving elements or forcer. The forcer moves bidirectionally along the platen, assuring discrete locations in response to the state of the currents in the field windings. In general, the motor is two-phase, however a larger number of phases can be employed.
A linear stepper motor is not subject to the same linear velocity and acceleration limitations inherent in systems converting rotary to linear motion. With linear motors, the force generated by the motor is efficiently applied directly to the load and length has no effect on system inertia. Additional benefits of linear stepper motors include:
1. The motors are capable of speeds to 100 ips and the low mass forcer allows high acceleration.
2. The need for lead screws or belts and pulleys is eliminated.
3. Length of travel is limited by the length of the platen, and increasing the platen length causes no degradation in performance.
4. Precise open loop operation is possible, and unidirectional repeatability to 2.5 micron is possible without the added expenses of feedback devices.
5. A linear motor is usually smaller in all three dimensions than comparable systems where rotary motion is converted to linear.
6. More than one forcer can operate on the same platen with overlapping trajectories.
A critical requirement to ensure the accuracy of stepper motors is to have accurate positioning of the teeth in the platen and the teeth in the forcer. Conventionally, it is possible to form the teeth in a platen by an etching process, and the nature of etching is such that these teeth can be accurately positioned. This has not been possible, to accurately form the teeth in the pole faces in the electromagnets forming part of the forcer. Accordingly, a limitation exists in the accuracy of linear stepper motors due to this characteristic.
There is accordingly a need to provide a stepper motor with enhanced ability to accurately position the teeth in the forcer. Moreover, it is desirable to provide systems to increase the magnetic flux density of both the platen and the teeth in the forcer.


A system and method for performing database recovery operations. A mainframe computer may include multiple databases stored on a storage unit. A processing unit may be configured to receive and schedule jobs submitted for execution. An electronic display may be in communication with the processing unit. A software program may be executed by the processing unit and be configured to cause the processing unit to (i) display a menu of selectable database recovery operations on the electronic display, (ii) receive a selection of a database of the databases on which to perform a database recovery operation, (iii) display a list of valid database recovery timestamps, (iv) display a database recovery parameter entry screen in response to receiving a database recovery operation selection, and (v) generate information including parameters entered in the database recovery parameter entry screen for use in performing the selected database recovery operation on the selected database.

Companies in many different industries handle large database operations using mainframe computers. One such industry is the telecommunications industry, where databases are used to store detailed subscriber records. These databases are large and require routine maintenance to manage them due to a number of reasons, including crashes, updates, corrections, and verifications.
One mainframe manufacturer is International Business Machines (IBM). IBM also provides a database software program known as Information Management System (IMS), which can manage very large databases (e.g., hundreds of Gigabytes). Databases managed by the IMS system are configured as hierarchical databases. IM software is expensive to license and is individually operated on mainframe computers (i.e., one license per computer). By running multiple IMS subsystems on a single machine, software licensing costs can be reduced.
As understood in the art, mainframe computers operate by processing jobs that are scheduled in a queue. These jobs are formed by a series of statements or commands that are processed by a processor of the mainframe computer. Jobs are generally statements formatted in the job control language (JCL). Typically, a mainframe computer runs a job by scheduling and executing a file with JCL commands or statements configured for the mainframe computer to perform a task, such as re-loading a database from a certain time. In addition to the file with JCL statements, control cards are used to set parameters for the jobs. The control cards are typically eighty-byte strings that have each byte and groups of bytes representative of the different parameters. The JCL commands and control cards are comprehensive and generally require well-trained database administrators to adequately generate proper job files and control cards to perform even routine procedures and maintenance on IMS databases.
To aid database administrators, IBM and BMC provide database utilities. These utilities are JCL programs that are configured to perform certain functions. The database administrator, however, must generate a control card for each job. This process is time consuming, costly, and reliant on a limited number of skilled employees. Even with skilled employees, it is not uncommon for run-time errors to be caused by improperly written control cards. Others have created different utility programs, but these, too, require control cards having different formats to be generated by the user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for recovering databases on a mainframe computer


In one embodiment, a hybrid packet repair scheme adaptively switches among unicast retransmission, multicast retransmission, and Forward Error Correction (FEC) depending on the receiver population and the nature of the error prompting the repair operation. The NACK patterns are used to heuristically determine the degree of correlation among packet losses. In an additional embodiment, wasting bandwidth and processing on retransmissions of FEC that will fail to correct the errors is avoided by evaluating the nature of the error and the bandwidth needed to optimally repair it. Unicast retransmission, multicast retransmission, or FEC repair is then dynamically performed according to the loss patterns derived from the NACK arrivals and other network conditions.

Packet switch networks are now being used to transport streaming media, such as video and audio from a media server to multiple receivers, such as computer terminals and Set Top Boxes (STBs). However, packet switched networks typically use a best effort scheme that may significantly delay or drop some packets. Retransmission schemes have been designed to retransmit the dropped or delayed media packets to receivers.
Unicast retransmissions of multicast streams is an attractive recovery technique when the errors are uncorrelated, such as errors occurring on the individual accesses branches connected to the receivers. This may include errors on subscriber access lines of a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) network. In these cases, the probability is small that the packet loss is due to errors on a shared link upstream of the branching to the individual receivers compared to the errors in the individual access links themselves. Conversely, unicast retransmission is a poor solution for either correlated errors or long burst errors. This is primarily because of Negative ACKnowledgment (NACK) implosion where many receivers request retransmissions of the same packets at the same time. The bandwidth multiplication of sending many unicast copies of the same repair packet may prevent packet repair.

Hybrid corrective scheme for dropped packets


A flexible, integrally formed tie strip for forming a loop when passed through itself comprises a plurality of identical cells formed in a strip, the cells forming generally loop-shaped enclosed apertures (10) bounded by wall portions of the cells, each aperture allowing the passage of further cells through it. The cells are further provided with one or more latching members (11) allowing passage of one cell through another in one direction but preventing passage of the cell in the reverse direction. The walls (9) bounding the apertures can be folded to a saddle shape about radial and longitudinal axes, so as to increase the width of the aperture without stretching the material of the walls, thereby facilitating the passage of a penetrating cell through the aperture of another cell. Moreover the penetrating cell is designed to fold so as to pass through still more easily. This three-dimensional deformation is promoted by a notch (15) in the rear of each aperture wall.

Cable ties and other forms of tie strip are used to secure items together quickly and easily. Example uses include bundling cables, sealing bags or binding plants to stakes.
One conventional type of tie strip is a long thin plastic device, with an apertured head at one end, extending from which is a slimmer tail portion. On insertion of the tail portion into the aperture of the head portion, the head engages with one of a series of latches spaced along the tail, and thereby prevents its withdrawal. A closed loop is thus formed by the strip which may be pulled tight around target items to fasten them together.
One significant disadvantage of such a tie strip is that the tail portion pulled through the head during fitting is wasted, because it performs no function and cannot be re-used. Only the tail portion forming the closed loop finds utility.
Another major disadvantage of conventional tie strips is their constrictive nature. Such tie strips are readily tightened, but do not allow the enclosed items any room to grow, expand or deform.
An alternative tie strip that reduces waste is found in prior art DE 2,524,013 which discloses a tie consisting of a plurality of apertured cells.
However, in any tie strip composed of a repetition of unit cell portions, the transverse width of the strip will always exceed the relative transverse width of the unit cells' apertures. In order to form a closed loop it is therefore necessary either to reduce the width of the strip and/or to increase the width of the apertures.
The form of tie strip described in DE 2,524,013 solves this problem by placing apertures substantially longitudinally along the strip that are longer than the strip is wide. The strip may then be inserted through itself at any aperture point by twisting the front end of the strip through 90°. The tie can then be pulled around the target items and secured in place by a reverse twist of 90°. The unused tail portion of this tie strip can then be used again, if it is long enough, thereby greatly reducing waste.
Alternatively, prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,095 uses a similar design of cell, but without the need for any twisting, relying instead on applied force and material deformation to achieve threading.
Other alternative waste-reducing tie strip concepts are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,178 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,463 wherein a continuous flat strip narrows by virtue of being foldable along its longitudinal axis, and utilises punched barbs along the centre of the strip which engage with the residual apertures formed from other such punched barbs on other portions of the strip, preferably once the tie is in a folded state. No longitudinal deformation is possible.
Another alternative tie strip is found in the inventor's earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,376. This tie is also formed from a plurality of apertured cells, but threading is achieved by the use of bendingly deformable spring portions extending from the strip. These allow cells to expand and/or contract to facilitate passage.
This form of tie strip not only reduces waste, but also incorporates some longitudinal expansion by virtue of the spring portions which project laterally from the longitudinal axis. The major problem with this form of tie strip is the reliance on the mechanical properties of the spring portions correctly to expand and contract laterally during the threading process and subsequently to return to a latching state following insertion.


An example angular position sensor assembly includes a sector member that rotates within a ring including a permanent magnet disposed centrally within the ring and a Hall-effect sensor adjacent the permanent magnet on an opposite side of the permanent magnet from the sector member.

This invention generally relates to an angular position sensor. More particularly, this invention relates to an angular position sensor including a Hall-Effect sensor measuring changes in a magnetic field caused by a change in angular position.
An angular position sensor includes a magnetic source generating a magnetic field disposed within a ferrous ring. A flux guide rotates within the ring between the ring and the magnetic source. A Hall-effect cell is disposed between the flux guide and the ring to sense changes in the magnetic field caused by rotation of the flux guide relative to the ring and the magnetic source. The Hall Effect cell is disposed within a magnetic flux path between the flux guide and the ring to provide optimal exposure to the magnetic field that in turn provides the desired accuracy of the sensor.
Disadvantageously, the size of the sensor is limited by the size of the Hall Effect cell. As the size of the sensor decreases, so does the gap between the flux guide and the ring. However, the Hall-effect cell cannot be reduced in size proportionate to the reduction in the gap. For this reason, the size of the sensor is limited by the size of the Hall-effect cell, as decreasing air gaps prevent installation of the Hall-effect cell between the flux guide and the ring.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop and design a sensor that can be sized to fulfill application specific needs independent of the size of the Hall Effect cell.

Contactless Hall-effect angular position sensor


A pole-less cover assembly includes a cover member positionable over a structure and formed of an essentially impermeable material, and an integrated gutter system including a material section coupled with the cover member and formed of a porous material and a gutter disposed below the material section. Among other advantages, the pole-less cover assembly eliminates conventional tent poles required for existing boat covers, thereby reducing cost and facilitating installation.

The invention relates to a cover and, more particularly, to a pole-less boat cover with an integrated gutter system.
Existing boat covers typically utilize tent poles or other risers to create a convex exterior surface so that water and/or other debris can run off the sides of the cover. The tent poles, however, can be burdensome to install and are not entirely secure or reliable.


A method and an apparatus for writing a message in a mobile terminal are provided. A method and an apparatus for simplifying movement between slides (pages) by changing the form of a slide into a collapse form when making messages that use a plurality of slides (pages) in a mobile terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a slide compressor and a message manager. The slide compressor converts an expanded slide including a message input field into a collapse slide. The message manager controls the slide compressor, and processes to output the slide converted by the slide compressor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for writing a message in a mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for simplifying movement between slides (pages), by changing the form of a slide into a collapse form, when making messages that use a plurality of slides (pages) in a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals have rapidly become widely distributed and used as they provide convenience in portability. Therefore, service providers (terminal manufacturers) competitively develop new mobile terminals having more convenient functions in order to improve the product and thereby attract users.
For example, a mobile terminal provides functions such as a phonebook, a game, a scheduler, a Short Message Service (SMS), a Multimedia Message Service (MMS), a Broadcast Message Service (BMS), an Internet service, an Electronic (E)-mail service, a morning call, a Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG)-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer-3 (MP3) player, a digital camera, and other similar products and services.
Here, a multimedia message allows a user to write messages up to twenty slides (pages) at the maximum, generally, and allows message writing of up to approximately 2000 characters in each slide, so that the multimedia message function has become a function favored by a plurality of users.
When writing a large amount of messages, a user of the mobile terminal writes messages by adding a slide. That is, the mobile terminal supports twenty slides at the maximum but outputs one or two slides in a limited display portion, and then shows successive slides according to a user's page change request. This is because the mobile terminal provides an expanded type slide.
After writing messages using all of the twenty slides, the user must move to a relevant slide using a slide turnover button (e.g., +, − button) of the mobile terminal in order to view messages written on the relevant slide.
However, in this case, much time is taken for moving to the relevant slide, and the user may accidentally press a neighboring different key while repeatedly pressing the slide turnover button.

Apparatus and method for writing message in mobile terminal


A method of dispensing a liquid, which handles a minimum amount of liquid without wasting it and to dispense and spray an exact amount of the liquid without precipitating solid particles. The method including the steps of regulating a flow rate of liquid in a flow passage by orifices 8-1, 8-2 while letting the liquid flow through flow passages 10-1 and 10-2 between syringes 5-1 and 5-2 by applying a pressure of 0.001 MPa to 10 MPa to liquid 6 including solid particles and filled in one syringe vessel 5-1 and by setting a pressure of liquid in the other syringe 5-2 at a lower level than the pressure of liquid in the syringe 5-1 and dispensing the liquid from the flow passage by an auto dispensing valve 1.

Heretofore, a liquid such as a coating material including solid particles has been handled and dispensed from a dispensing valve by the following three methods because the solid particles easily precipitate. Note that, the expression "dispensing a liquid" as used herein comprehends both dispensing (dispensing the liquid as it is) and spraying (spraying the liquid, that is, atomizing it and then dispensing it).
(1) A method in which a liquid stirred by a large-sized apparatus in a storage tank is divided and stored in syringes or small vessels and used right away.
(2) A method as proposed by JP 63-119877 A, in which a liquid in one of two pressure vessels is pressurized with compressed air, the air of the other vessel is opened to move the liquid through a liquid flow passage between the two vessels, and an auto dispensing valve as a dispensing valve is provided at an intermediate portion of the flow passage to dispense the liquid while the liquid is moving. This operation is carried out alternately between the vessels to prevent the precipitation of the solid particles.
(3) A method in which a circulation circuit is formed from, for example, a pump dispensing port to an auto dispensing valve and a pump suction port by using a pump or the like to circulate a liquid forcedly to a portion near the needle and valve seat of the auto dispensing valve. For example, a dispersion (dispersion type liquid including solid particles) of a mixture of carbon particles and a binder solution which is spray coated on the inner surface of an alkali dry battery to improve its performance is circulated at a relatively high liquid pressure in order to re-disperse secondary agglomerates of the particles. Since stable coating can be performed by employing this method while preventing the precipitation of the carbon particles, it is globally used.
However, in the method mentioned in the above item (1), in the case of a liquid having a low viscosity in the range of 3,000 mPa·s or less, particularly about 1 to 500 mPa·s, the precipitation of the solid particles, although depending on the specific gravity and size of the particles, is so fast that there is a big difference between the quality of the liquid at the start of dispensation and the quality of the liquid during dispensation or at the end of dispensation, and particularly the content of the particles is the major concern. Further, the precipitated particles accumulate on a portion near the valve and the valve seat of the auto-dispensing valve, often causing a dispensation failure.
In the method mentioned in the above item (2), the flow rate of the liquid is determined by the level of air pressure. Therefore, control of a period of time before the subsequent step, that is, from the time when the liquid moves from the first tank to the second tank to the time when the liquid moves from the second tank to the first tank is affected only by the pressure of compressed air. Therefore, when a commercially available air regulator is used, a low-viscosity liquid filled in a syringe having a small capacity of about 5×10−6 m3 to 30×10−6 m3 (5 cc to 30 cc) for instance, is moved to a syringe on the opposite side instantaneously, in less than 1 second when pressurized at a pressure of 0.05 MPa which is the minimum graduation. Thereby, problems arise that the operation of dispensing the liquid by the dispensing valve cannot be continued for a desired period of time and dispensation cannot be carried out stably. The method also involves problems such as the inclusion of air and the difficulty of dispensing a predetermined amount of the liquid stably.
Further, even if an air regulator equipped with a gauge having a minimum graduation of 0.001 MPa is used to apply pressure to the liquid, the moving time of the liquid in the syringe having a capacity of 30×10−6 m3 (30 cc) is in the order of second and the moving direction must be changed frequently to carry out an automatic operation. Also, the frequent interruption of work cannot be avoided even when a large vessel having a capacity of several liters is used.
Thus, to prevent the interruption of work at the time of changing of the moving direction, as proposed in JP 60-5251 A, there is a method in which three coating material tanks are used for the stable supply of a powder slurry coating material. In this method, pressurized air is supplied to the first tank to always maintain a fixed pressure, and the powder slurry coating material is pumped to the third tank through a coating gun at the same liquid pressure as the pressure of the pressurized air. When the level of the first tank lowers, pressurized air is supplied to the second tank to pump the coating material through the second tank and dispense it from the coating gun. In this method, while pumping from the second tank is being stabilized, 10 seconds of simultaneous pumping from the first and second tanks is required.
In general, these tanks have a capacity of 18×10−3 m3 to 30×10−3 m3 (18 liters to 30 liters). Therefore, this method is not suitable for the above-mentioned syringes, which are small vessels.
Further, the above-mentioned two methods disclosed by JP 63-119877 A and JP 60-5251 A involve a problem that a coating film adhered to the wall of a tank is dried upon its contact with a dry gas as the level of the coating material lowers because a pressure source is a gas such as compressed air. Since the powder slurry and the dispersion contain a solution of a polymer such as a binder in addition to inorganic or organic solid particles, after they are dried, the polymer solution component which has not been re-dissolved is no better than a foreign matter.
Furthermore, it is known in the industry that when compressed gas such as compressed air comes into contact with a low-viscosity liquid rich with a solvent in particular, a part of the gas dissolves in the liquid. Therefore, a quality problem often occurs because micro-bubbles are contained in the dispensed liquid.
In the method mentioned in the above item (3), a special plunger pump which is free from pulses and the accumulation or agglomeration of particles in the circuit and which is not worn down by solid particles must be used. This apparatus is large in size and expensive and also requires one (1) gallon (about 3.8×10−3 m3 (3.8 liters)) or more of a coating material for stable circulation. Therefore, it is not suitable as a tester for testing with several 10×10−6 m3 (several tens of cc) of a coating material which is required for the laboratory-level development of a material, and a huge amount of money has been spent on the development of a material. In addition, a large amount of a solvent has been required for the cleaning of the inside of the circuit at the end of work and most of the coating material in the circuit cannot be used because it contains a cleaning solvent.
In the past several years, the number of expensive materials has been growing due to progress in the development of functional coating materials. Such materials include a dispersion containing inorganic particles having a uniform particle size distribution and a size of several micrometers or less, or of a nanometric level in some cases, a powder slurry containing polymer particles uniform in particle size, an electrode-ink for the electrodes of fuel cells as proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,888 B and the like, and an electrode-ink having super fine particles of platinum in a nanometric order carried on a carbon nanotube. Some of those coating materials not uncommmonly cost several million yen per kilogram, and an apparatus and method, which not only allow for high-quality coating but also are capable of making the most of a minimum amount of a coating material, are desired.


An insulated enclosure apparatus for use with an exhaust fan such as an attic fan which includes an upper frame through which air can exhaust and a lower frame for receiving air passing thereinto. The outer portion of the frame includes an upper frame and the lower frame that are each formed as two-piece units. Vertically extending panels extending therebetween to house the fan. A pivot axle is attached to the undersurface of each of the two doors for facilitating automatic opening and closing responsive to whether the fan is operating. Limit pins are included to restricted the distance of movement of the doors when opened. Gaskets can be attached along the door edges for sealing thereof to the upper frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed concept relates to the construction of a housing adapted to be positioned around fans such as attic fans for insulating thereof from the external environment at times when the fan is not being utilized. These designs are useful for preventing the loss of heat through these openings during times of the year and times of the day during which the fan itself is not operating. The doors are adapted to open to allow air flow through the insulation device responsive to actuation of the fans.
Such attic fans are normally installed in a horizontally oriented plane at a central location within the house for allowing warm air to be drawn upwardly therethrough for exhausting outwardly to cool the house especially during periods of warm weather. An opening is made in the uppermost ceiling of the upper floor of the house to facilitate this flow of air.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of devices have been patented to be usable for insulating such attic-type fan designs such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,314,003 patented Mar. 16, 1943 to E. A. Mader and assigned one-half to John Spargo on a "Counterbalanced Louver Construction"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,000 patented Mar. 8, 1949 to A. W. Schild on a "Louver Mechanism For Attic Ventilation"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,483,547 patented Oct. 4, 1949 to J. B. Koch and assigned to American Blower Corporation on a "Built-In Ventilator"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,075 patented Jun. 3, 1952 to D. H. Stroup on a "Closure Element For Air Ducts"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,673,514 patented Mar. 30, 1954 to E. N. Hanks on a "Suction Controlled Louver"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,687 patented Aug. 31, 1954 to C. Prudhon and assigned to Pruden Products Co. on a "Back Draft Damper For Exhaust Fans"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,853 patented Jul. 30, 1957 to W. A. Spear and assigned to NuTone, Inc. on an "Automatic Shutter For Ventilators"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,495 patented Dec. 12, 1961 to B. H. Miller and assigned to Genie-Air, Inc. on a "Combined Air Dampener And Air Diverter"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,491 patented Oct. 16, 1962 to. T. K. Myhre on an "Arrangement For Pressure-Controlled Quantity Regulation In Air Ventilation Installations"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,098 patented Mar. 3, 1964 to R. H. Bishop on a "Multiple Louver Damper"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,205 patented Feb. 1, 1966 to A. D. Bumstead on an "Attic Ventilating System With Cover Means"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,624 patented Sep. 17, 1968 to H. L. Mohrman and assigned to Allied Thermal Corporation on an "Air Exhauster With Damper means"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,560 patented Feb. 2, 1971 to W. R. Trahan and assigned to Texfan, Inc. on "Ceiling Boxes For Distributing Air"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,517 patented Jul. 18, 1972 to J. R. Root et al and assigned to Ruskin Manufacturing Company on a "Wrap-Around Damper Frame"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,050 patented Sep. 23, 1975 to D. M. Mullings and assigned to General Electric Company on a "Heat Exchanger Housing"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,377 patented Jun. 22, 1976 to L. O. Chapman on "Insulated Closures For Attic Fans, And Seals Therefor"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,672 patented Feb. 8, 1977 to M. Matsuyoshi et al and assigned to Matsushita Seilo Co., Ltd. on a "Ventilation Fan (Ventilation System)"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,597 patented Feb. 14, 1978 to D. A. Barnhart et al and assigned to The Celotex Corporation on a "Fan Housing Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,336 patented Jun. 13, 1978 to J. N. Urachel on a "Back Draft For Exhaust Fans And Hoods"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,399 patented Aug. 15, 1978 to G. C. Lawrence, Jr. on a "Vehicle Roof Ventilator Insulation Covering"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,060 patented Dec. 26, 1978 to M. A. Caine and assigned to The Crest Company on a "Self-Closing Exhaust Fan Cover"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,743 patented Aug. 4, 1981 to G. C. Fuller on an "Insulating Enclosure For Disappearing Stairway"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,196 patented Feb. 8, 1983 to D. L. Henderson on an "Insulating And Draft Preventing Automatic Shutter For Attic And Other Exhaust Type Fans"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,216 patented Sep. 27, 1983 to. W. M. Hott et al and assigned to Philips Industries, Inc. on a "Ventilator Device And Mounting Arrangement Therefor"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,426 patented May 1, 1984 to. H. R. Bohanon, Sr. and assigned to Acme Engineering & Manufacturing Corporation on a "Slanted Housing Fan Enclosure"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,215 patented Jul. 3, 1984 to E. H. Yogt on a "Duct Air Cover"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,018 patented Sep. 4, 1984 to N. W. Taulman on an "Energy-Saving Closure For Foundation Vents"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,194 patented Feb. 26, 1985 to. W. J. Brown and assigned to Emerson Electric Co. on a "Whole House Attic Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,368 patented Mar. 5, 1985 to G. T. Hempel on an "Air Vent Cover"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,132 patented Apr. 5, 1988 to K. T. Ching on an "Insulating Enclosure For Recessed Ceiling Exhaust Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,679 patented Apr. 25, 1989 to R. R. Robbins on a "Building Ventilation System With Air Inlet Flap Control"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,520 patented Aug. 22, 1989 to K. E. Prochnow et al and assigned to Carnes Company, Inc. on an "Auxiliary Frame For Ceiling Mounted Air Diffusers And The Like"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,415 patented Dec. 12, 1989 to R. Engelberger et al and assigned to Papst-Motoren GmbH on a "Fan With An Essentially Square Housing"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,728 patented Aug. 28, 1990 to K. Takano on a "Louver Device Formed By Sheet-Like Material"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,901 patented Oct. 29, 1991 to D. R. Lathrop et al and assigned to Emerson Electric Co. on a "Whole House Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,386 patented Jul. 19, 1994 to T. P. Calandra on a "Method And Device For Ventilating A Home"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,074 patented to F. Meyer on Jul. 23, 1996 on a "Heat Exchanger, In Particular Cooling Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,522 patented Mar. 11, 1997 to H. S. Szwartz on a "Combination Damper And Chimney Cap Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,069 patented May 26, 1998 to D. Sullivan and assigned to Specialty Metal Fabrication, Inc. on a "Louver Assembly And Method For Installing A Louver Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,259 patented Sep. 1, 1998 to J. R. Olney and assigned to B & B Molders, L.L.C. on a "Grill Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,862 patented Jul. 13, 1999 to F. J. Ucciardi and assigned to Consol, Inc. on an "Air Flow Reversal Prevention Door Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,836 patented Nov. 23, 1999 to D. Sullivan and assigned to Specialty Metal Fabrications, Inc. on a "Louver Assembly And Method For Installing A Louver Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,893 patented Apr. 18, 2000 to D. R. Waite on a "Cover For An Attic Fan Vent"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,698 patented Nov. 21, 2000 to K. Uehara on an "Apparatus For Installing A Ventilation Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,117 patented Apr. 10, 2001 to W. M. Kirk et al and assigned to Board of Regents of University of Nebraska on a "Motorized Insulated Damper Assembly For Furnace Systems"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,175 patented Jul. 17, 2001 to D. M. Larson et al and assigned to Broan-Nutone LLC on a "Ventilating Exhaust Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,667 patented Jul. 31, 2001 to J. D. Fikes on an "Air Duct Evacuation System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,466 patented Aug. 27, 2002 to J. D. Fikes on a "Climate Control System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,579 patented Dec. 3, 2002 to D. M. Larson et al and assigned to Broan-Nutone LLC on a "Ventilating Exhaust Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,656 patented Mar. 18, 2003 to P. H. Hertel on an "Air Handling System Duct Closure And Heat Trap"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,352 patented Aug. 5, 2003 to K. G. Obermeyer et al and assigned to Ado, Inc. on an "Insulated Attic Access Cover"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,404 patented Sep. 9, 2003 to J. R. Davis et al and assigned to Munters Corporation on a "Ventilation Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,183 patented Jul. 29, 2003 to G. A. Barber on a "Shutter Assembly For An Intake Opening In An Exhaust Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,130 patented Nov. 4, 2003 to J. A. DeMarchis et al on a "Wash Down Filtered Fan Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,557 patented Feb. 3, 2004 to D. Hoffe on a "Building Ventilation Air Inlet Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,279 patented Jul. 27, 2004 to R. Serrano on a "Ceiling Vent Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,770 patented Oct. 12, 2004 to D. M. Larson et al and assigned to Broan-Nutone LLC on a "Ventilating Exhaust Fan"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,785 patented Jan. 4, 2005 to P. T. Solderlund and assigned to Telefonaktiebolaget LM EDricsson on a "Check Valve, Fan Unit, And Forced Air Cooling System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,258 patented Mar. 8, 2005 to J. A. Tupis and assigned to General Electric Company on a "Sealed Damper Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,149 patented May 3, 2005 to R. C. Palmer et al and assigned to AdobeAir, Inc. on a "Cooling System With Mesch Grill And Directional Louvers"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,915,799 patented Jul. 12, 2005 to C. A. Weiss and assigned to Flue Sentinel, Inc. on a "Damper Control Device For Outside Applications".

Insulated housing apparatus for use with an attic fan


An overhead trim system for a motor vehicle has a mounting bracket coupled to an overhead area of the motor vehicle and an integrally formed trim member. The integrally formed trim member is configured to extend along a selected length of a perimeter of the overhead area and defines a hinge. The integrally formed trim member is coupled to the mounting bracket to define a cavity configured for receipt of an airbag module. The hinge in a first position is capable of retaining the airbag module within the cavity and in a second position is capable of enabling the airbag module to expand.

Many motor vehicles employ airbag systems as a form of passenger restraint. Typically, airbags serve to absorb the kinetic energy of a passenger generated during a crash incident by inflating into a surface operable to contact the passenger to absorb the passenger's kinetic energy. Generally, airbag systems are positioned in various locations throughout the vehicle, such as the dashboard, steering wheel, sidewall of the passenger seat and the headliner. These airbag systems require numerous mounting structures, which increase assembly time and cost of the airbag system.


Methods are provided for treating a subject for a condition caused by an abnormality in the subject's autonomic nervous system. In accordance with the subject methods, at least a portion of a subject's autonomic nervous system is pharmacologically modulated with at least one beta-blocker in a manner that is effective to treat the subject for the condition. The subject methods find use in the treatment of a variety of different conditions, where such conditions include various disease conditions. Also provided are systems and kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

There are a variety of conditions that can affect an individual's health and well-being. The treatment of various conditions that affect the health and well-being of an individual has been around for centuries. In general, the armament of treatment options available to a physician to treat such conditions has increased tremendously, especially in the last century.
However, while the number of treatment options has increased, typically such options are merely palliative, i.e., are designed for the relief of symptoms of a condition rather than actually being curative of the disorder itself. In fact, treatment protocols effectively directed at the underlying cause of a condition are quite rare.
As such, there continues to be an interest in the development of new protocol options for treating conditions.

Treatment of conditions through pharmacological modulation of the autonomic nervous system


The disclosed earthquake vapor theory, statistically significant in practice, overcomes two difficulties: the dependency on cold weather to pinpoint an earthquake epicenter and the time window not being short enough for evacuation. Finding a vapor nozzle based on boiling temperature can solve the former. Isolating the nozzle to find the next peak of daily maximum after vapor eruption can solve the latter by narrowing the time window to 1-2 days. The embodiments may also be utilized to prevent mysterious air and sea accidents.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to seismology and, more particularly, to methods of precise earthquake prediction and prevention of mysterious air and sea accidents.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
At present day, there exist a number of approaches to earthquake prediction. However, none of them is successful in practice except for the earthquake vapor theory by the inventor, Mr. Shou, of the present disclosure. For example, Shou predicted an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 or above in Bam, Iran within 60 days to the public at UTC 0:58 Dec. 25, 2003 by observation of an earthquake cloud. The observed cloud appeared suddenly from and instated in Bam for 24 hours on Dec. 20-21, 2003. A magnitude-6.8 devastating earthquake exactly that occurred at Bam on Dec. 26, 2003 proclaimed Shou's success as the only one in the predicted location and magnitude in history (Darrell Harrington & Zhonghao Shou, Bam Earthquake Prediction & Space Technology, Seminars of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, 16, pp. 39-63, 2005).
Using satellite images to find an earthquake vapor, including an earthquake cloud and a geoeruption (appearance of a sudden cloudless space in an existing cloud), is similar to watching an image movie except that it entails staring at a fixed point to see if a vapor, e.g., an earthquake cloud, appears suddenly and becomes big enough. The earthquake cloud's tail points toward an impending epicenter. Its size predicts magnitude, as this is done by comparing the size of the earthquake cloud with those of similar formers whose relevant earthquakes in a database form a magnitude scale. The statistic delay from a vapor to its subsequent quake predicts the time of actual earthquake ranges between 1 and 112 days (the longest in over 500 events and 30 days on the average). This theory, however, has two difficulties. Firstly, it depends on cold weather to allow an observer to pinpoint an epicenter, e.g., the Bam cloud. Secondly, its time is not short enough for advance warning for evacuation. The present disclosure aims to resolve both of these issues.
In aviation, nobody has correctly explained mysterious crashes, which Shou et al. have explained the mysterious Air France crash scientifically (Zhonghao Shou, Jianjun Xia and Wenying Shou, Using the Earthquake Vapor Theory to Explain the French Airbus Crash, Remote Sensing Letters, 1:2, pp. 85-94, 2010). Inventor Shou has also checked more than 10 others including a sea accident, and discovered that all cases associated with sudden warm vapor. However, the theory needs a method to detect remote warm vapor automatically. The present disclosure also aims to resolve this issue.

Method of precise earthquake prediction and prevention of mysterious air and sea accidents


This invention relates to gas-generative compositions consisting essentially of ammonium perchlorate with a chlorine scavenger, such as strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, potassium nitrate, or lithium carbonate, the combination being present in an amount of about 30 to about 95% by weight, up to about 5% by weight of a binder, up to about 5% by weight of a burning rate catalyst, together with an organic fuel, such as guanidine nitrate. The fuel is in an amount complementary to the combined weight of ammonium perchlorate, burning rate catalyst, chlorine scavenger, and binder, at an oxidation ratio of 0.90 to 0.98. The invention also includes the method of inflating an inflatable device by generating gas employing the noted composition and a gas generator in which the gas-generative composition is that of the present invention.

Air bags in vehicles are now commonplace to ensure the safety of the occupants in said vehicles. Nonetheless, formulations for generating suitable gases in said air bags are constantly being developed and evaluated with respect to factors such as toxicity, temperature of the gas generated, and the amount of particulates dispersed in the generated gas. Since smoke or gas with a smoke-like appearance may cause the occupants of a vehicle to suspect the possibility of a fire, components that produce visible particulates must be avoided, because of psychological reasons, as well as the possibility of any adverse physical problems. The composition of the invention disclosed herein is especially characterized by its reduced particulates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,347, slow burning solid composite propellants are disclosed for use in rocket or jet propulsion motors which include ammonium perchlorate and guanidine nitrate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,574, a gas generator is disclosed which may employ propellent mixtures for solid propellant motors including ammonium perchlorate and guanidine nitrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,438 concerns intermolecular complex explosives. The explosive compositions include ammonium nitrate and methyl nitro-guanidine with compounds such as ammonium perchlorate, potassium nitrate and guanidine nitrate being used as melting point depressants.
In recently issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,567, a gas generative propellent mix is disclosed consisting of from about 55% to about 75% by weight guanidine nitrate and from about 25% to about 45% by weight of an oxidizer selected from potassium and ammonium perchlorates. The composition also contains from about 0.5 to about 5.0% by weight of a flow enhancer and up to about 5% by weight of a binder.

Gas-generative composition consisting essentially of ammonium perchlorate plus a chlorine scavenger and an organic fuel


The present invention belongs to the field of oncology. The invention relates to antibodies with specified sequence which are specific for an epitope which is coded by the variant exon v6 of the CD44 gene and to derivatives of said antibody. The invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding said antibody proteins. The invention furthermore pertains to methods for producing said antibody proteins. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising said antibody proteins. The invention furthermore is concerned with the use in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of cancer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention belongs to the field of oncology. The invention relates to antibodies with specified sequence which are specific for an epitope which is coded by the variant exon v6 of the CD44 gene and to derivatives of said antibody. The invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding said antibody proteins. The invention furthermore pertains to methods for producing said antibody proteins. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising said antibody proteins. The invention furthermore is concerned with the use in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of cancer.
2. Background Art
Recently it has been shown that the expression of variants of the surface glycoprotein CD44 is necessary and sufficient for causing so-called spontaneous metastatic behaviour of a non-metastasizing rat pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line as well as a non-metastasizing rat fibrosarcoma cell line (Günthert et al., 1991). While the smallest CD44 isoforin, the standard form CD44s (or CD44std), is ubiquitary expressed in different tissues including epithelial cells, certain CD44 splice variants (CD44v, CD44var) are expressed only on a subset of epithelial cells. The CD44 variants are generated by alternative splicing in a way that the sequences of ten exons (v1-v10) are completely excised in CD44s but can appear in the bigger variants in different combinations (Screaton et al., 1992; Tölg et al., 1993; Hofmann et al., 1991). The variants differ in that different amino acid sequences are inserted at a certain site of the extracellular part of the protein. Such variants can be detected in various human tumor cells as well as in human tumor tissue. So, the expression of CD44 variants in the course of colorectal carcinogenesis has recently been investigated (Heider et al., 1993a). The expression of CD44 variants is absent in normal human colon epithelium, and only a weak expression is detectable in the proliferating cells of the crypts. In later stages of the tumor progression, e.g. in adenocarcinomas, all malignancies express variants of CD44. Tissue expression of variant CD44 on a high level has also been shown in aggressive Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (Koopman et al., 1993).
Exon v6 appears to play a special role especially in the course of metastatic spread (Rudy et al., 1993). In an animal model, antibodies against v6 specific epitopes could prevent the settlement of metastatic cells and the growth of metastases (Seiter et al., 1993). In colon carcinomas, v6 expression correlates with tumor progression (Wielenga et al., 1993). In gastric carcinomas, v6 expression is an important diagnostic marker to distinguish tumors of the intestinal type from those of the diffuse type (Heider et al., 1993b). In the latter two publications, v6 expression has been determined using antibodies against v6 specific epitopes.
As CD44v6 has been shown to be a tumor-associated antigen with a favorable expression pattern in human tumors and normal tissues (Heider et al., 1995; Heider et al., 1996), it has been subject to antibody-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, (Heider et al., 1996; WO 95/33771; WO 97/21104).
One serious problem that arises when using non-human antibodies for applications in humans is that they quickly raise a human anti-non-human response that reduces the efficacy of the antibody in patients and impairs continued administration. To overcome that probem, concepts of "humanising" non-human antibodies have been developed in the art. In the first approach, humanization of non-human antibodies has been tried to achieve by constructing non-human/human chimeric antibodies, wherein the non-human variable regions are joined to human constant regions (Boulianne G. L., Hozumi N. and Shulman, M. J. (1984) Production of functional chimeric mouse/human antibody Nature 312: 643) The chimeric antibodies thus generated retain the binding specificity and affinity of the original non-human antibody. However, chimeric antibodies, although significantly better than mouse antibodies, can still elicit an anti-chimeric response in humans (LoBuglio A. F., Wheeler R. H., Trang J., Haynes A., Rogers K., Harvey E. B., Sun L., Ghrayeb J. and Khazaeli M. B. (1989) Mouse/human chimeric monoclonal antibody in man: Kinetics and immune response. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86: 4220). This approach was later refined by further reducing the amount of non-human sequences by grafting the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) from the non-human variable regions to human variable regions and then joining these "reshaped human" variable regions to human constant regions (Riechmann L., Clark M., Waldmann H. and Winter G. (1988) Reshaping human antibodies for therapy. Nature 332: 323). CDR-grafted or reshaped human antibodies contain little or no protein sequences that can be identified as being derived from mouse antibodies. Although an antibody humanised by CDR-grafting may still be able to elicit some immune reactions, such as an anti-allotype or an anti-idiotypic response, as seen even with natural human antibodies, the CDR-grafted antibody will be significantly less immunogenic than a mouse antibody thus enabling a more prolonged treatment of patients.
However, it soon turned out that CDR-grafting alone did not result in antibodies with sufficient binding affinity. CDR-grafted antibodies have relatively poor binding characteristics as compared to their parent non-human antibodies because more amino acids than those within the CDR's are involved in antigen binding. In consequence, CDR-grafted antibodies with poor binding affinity are not regarded to be useful in therapy. Therefore, attempts have been made to create antibodies which combine the low immunogenicity of CDR-grafted antibodies with the good binding characteristics of the non-human parent antibodies. The concept was developed that, in addition to CDR-grafting, one to several amino acids in the humanized framework region have to be retained as residues of rodent donor origin for retaining binding affinity (Queen et al, (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86: 10029-10033).
Because of the high potential utility such antibodies could have in diagnosis and therapy, there is a need of antibodies with improved properties which are suitable for treatment of human cancer.
The problem underlying the present invention was to provide an antibody with significantly better properties as compared to the known CD44v6 specific antibodies.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


System and method that is directed to medical treatments of organs having anatomical spaces, such as (but not limited to) the heart and the pericardial space. Specifically, an apparatus and method is provided for safely accessing anatomical spaces with surfaces to deliver medical devices or media into such spaces, or to remove fluids from such spaces. The methods and apparatus may include a first elongated member with a sharp tip used to penetrate the surface surrounding the anatomical space with a second elongated member with a helical tine used to engage the surface and lift the surface away from the underlying anatomical space. Once the first elongated member has incised the surface, it is removed, and the incision may be used as a point of entry for delivering media or medical devices into the anatomical space, or for carrying out further medical procedures.

The heart muscle is surrounded by tissue known as the pericardial sac, which consists of several layers of tissue. The outermost of these layers is the fibrous pericardium. Inside the fibrous pericardium is the serous pericardium. The serous pericardium consists of three parts: the parietal pericardium, which is bonded to the inside of the fibrous pericardium; the innermost visceral pericardium; and a fluid-containing potential space between the parietal pericardium and the visceral pericardium called the pericardial space. Inside the visceral pericardium is the myocardium, the actual heart muscle itself.
Epicardial procedures on the heart are growing in number, efficacy, and complexity. Currently, ablations for ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation as well as intra-cardiac procedures for valve repair are done using approaches on the outside of the heart. Establishing epicardial access is often difficult and frequently requires the assistance of a surgeon. Similar difficulties exist in establishing access to other anatomical spaces with surfaces, such as the kidneys, the dura mater of the brain, blood vessels, and the peritoneum.
Several conventional devices establish access to such anatomical spaces using vacuum or forceps. One problem with vacuum designs is that it is difficult to maintain the vacuum seal on the pericardium required to create and uphold a bleb. Additionally, if the vacuum seal is broken, the tissue bleb may re-collapse away from the tip of the suction probe, thus interrupting the procedure. Vacuum suction is also likely to cause trauma and scarring to the pericardium. Moreover, vacuum designs are likely to clog on other bodily tissues encountered before reaching the pericardium. Forceps designs also pose several problems. First, forceps designs provide an uncertain grasp on the pericardium. Second, forceps devices require such shallow approach angles that they often have difficulty grasping the pericardium. Moreover, such forceps devices require that large incisions be made in the subject in order to provide a large enough window to facilitate their use.
Conventional approach with penetration devices and access tubes do not grip the anatomical surface with uniform force, increasing the risk of tearing. Additionally, significant mechanical difficulties are encountered with fat and other tissue in the body before reaching the anatomical surface, as fat and tissue may become caught in the penetrating elements and restrict further movement.
There is therefore a need in the art for a safe, consistent, accurate, and easy to use percutaneous system to access the pericardial space. Similar needs arise in the context of accessing other anatomical spaces with surfaces as well.

Access trocar and related method thereof

University of Virginia Patent Foundation


A system for designing a work area enables a user to initially specify a particular item to be designed into the work area from a number of different items contained in the system. The system utilizes stored information concerning the item to graphically display the selected item to the individual. Once the item has been selected, the system enables the individual to incorporate the item into the work area, along with other items. The system indicates the item on a display using a “ghost image”. The dimensions of the item can be varied from preselected dimensions and other components can be interconnected or positioned in the work area. The system can provide feedback to the user regarding what components can be added at any particular location. The system determines the proper style, width, height, options, position, and rotation for the item and any interconnected components to create a valid design.

Professionals in the office furniture industry customarily utilize various types of computer-based, graphics software to facilitate the design and layout of office space. The graphics software automates the design and specification process, thereby allowing a user to create large scale drawings on a computer screen that, in addition to assisting with layout, may also be used in the pricing of the project. Typically, the graphics software incorporates a computer-aided design (hereinafter "CAD") program that enables users to design the office space on the computer screen. In order to enhance the functionality of the CAD program, various add-on modules have been developed. For example, these add-on modules allow the user to view a design from any angle and to zoom in or pan out for close-ups and long-distance views of the design. In addition, these add-on modules may keep track of various design dependencies so that when the user changes the value of one or more design criteria, the values of all the other design criteria that depend upon the changed criteria are automatically changed.
While functional for their intended purpose, these prior graphics software packages have significant drawbacks that limit their usefulness to the office furniture professional. For example, in the furniture industry, the add-on modules are menu driven. As such, in operation, the designer must input the dimensions of the office space being designed. Thereafter, the designer is lead through a series of menus similar to paging through a catalog until the designer arrives at a desired product. Once the desired product is located, the designer selects the desired product and the product is displayed on the computer screen. The designer must then manually position the selected product at a desired location in the office space displayed on the computer screen. The process is repeated until the design of the office space is completed. It can be appreciated that the process is not only time consuming, but requires the designer to have extensive knowledge of the product line of an office furniture supplier in order to complete a valid design.

Method for designing a customized work area


Software built in self test computer programs 12 are generated using a genetic algorithm 14 technique. A fault simulator 20 is used to simulate candidate software built in self test computer programs and compare the simulated execution, such to deliberately introduced test faults, with expected execution outcomes previously derived for that candidate program to determine the sensitivity of that candidate program to the faults which are introduced. This score can be fed back into the genetic algorithm mutation to converge the mutation process upon appropriately fault sensitive software built in self test program code.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the generation of computer programs for testing data processing apparatus for correct operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The testing of data processing apparatus for correct operation is an important area. Data processing systems are increasingly being used in critical environments where it is desirable to be able to regularly check that those data processing systems are operating correctly and continue to be fault free. With the this in mind, it is known to provide data processing systems with built in self test (BIST) capabilities such that, for example, when the data processing system is initialised it performs hardware tests upon itself to check for correct operation. It may additionally be advisable to periodically perform tests upon the data processing apparatus to ensure that it continues to operate without error. In order to achieve this, it is known to write software for performing built in self testing (SBIST). This software can be periodically run and the outcome of running that software checked to ensure that it was executed correctly, this being indicative of the data processing system operating correctly.
In order that such SBIST code should perform a comprehensive test of the data processing apparatus upon which it is being executed, it is desirable that it should cause the data processing apparatus to adopt a wide variety of functional states covering a corresponding wide variety of possible ways in which that data processing apparatus may operate. In addition, it is desirable that the software to be run should be of a type, that if a fault does occur within the data processing system, then this will be revealed by a change in the processing outcome resulting from executing the self-test software. As the complexity of data processing systems increases, the difficulty of writing software to meet the above criteria also increases and is a task which can take a highly skilled software engineer a disadvantageously long time to complete. Such a software engineer can use their skill and knowledge of the data processing system concerned to exercise a wide variety of its functional capabilities with such hand written code, but even when this considerable effort is undertaken it can be difficult to verify objectively how thorough such test code is in exercising the data processing system and being sensitive to possible faults.

Generation of a computer program to test for correct operation of a data processing apparatus


An improved circuit and device uses a dual primary winding transformer, where the primary windings are connected in series, and where each winding has a center tapped ground. A series of four switches are attached to the ends of the two primary windings to sequentially feed the primary windings. The switches are controlled by a pair of oscillators, the first two switches on one primary winding controlled by a first oscillator, and the second two switches of the other primary winding controlled by a second oscillator. Both the first and second oscillator are controlled by a phase displacement controller which can vary the relative timing of the two oscillators to control the transformer output. A zero phase angle delivers maximum power, while a 180.degree. phase displacement delivers zero power, enabling precise control across the zero to full power spectrum. A series of feedback controls measure the current and voltage of the output of a rectifier bridge to even more closely control the power output. A dual inverter utilizes a single transformer for light weight, efficient operation.

In a conventional "H" configuration alternating current power source, a direct current source is applied to a pair of parallel legs, each of which has a pair of series connected switches. A first inductor of a transformer connects the two parallel legs at a point between each pair of series connected switches. The second inductor, the transformer secondary, supplies output power based upon the opening and closing of the switches in each of the series legs. As one switch in one of the series combination upstream of the first inductor feed is closed, the other switch in the series combination is opened, while in the other series combination, the switch upstream of the first inductor connection is open, and the switch downstream switch in the series combination is closed. Once the current is allowed to flow in this configuration, the states of the switches are changed as quickly as possible to cause current to flow.
The problems with this design includes the switching loss, combined with the saturation loss and the current density inefficiency. In order for the switches to operate properly, all of the switches as a practical matter must be open for a short moment before any two can be closed. This is due to (1) making sure that both switches in a parallel leg are not closed at the same time which would cause a short, and (2) to make sure that the silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) switches, if used, have an opportunity to reset. The second, more important source of inefficiency is saturation loss. The losses are proportional to the product of the saturation voltage and the saturation current. The use of a single primary winding limits the output of the transformer and requires control to be limited to the temporal domain.
The control is based upon duty cycle, or the percentage of on time to the total time. Control of the transformer output is based upon a further limitation of the on time, from the upper limit which was already limited to give the switches a chance to clear, etc. Good lower limit control cannot be achieved efficiently since the time for current to begin to flow is not instantaneous. Thus where the pulse is controlled to occupy ten percent of the total allowable time, a ten percent power output will not occur since a significant portion of the pulse time will be spent simply enabling the pulse to rise to an acceptable point. As such, precise control cannot be had based upon percentage of on time, especially at lower percentages of the duty cycle. As the frequency of operation increases, these types of losses become even more severe.
These inefficiencies become even more unwieldy when used in a device for high frequency welding where a significant magnitude output current is generated. Welding and fusing operations require a relatively low voltage and hi current electrical power source for the purpose of fusing or welding two or more metallic surfaces which may be forced against each other under pressure while electric current is passed through the contact junction. The electrical current applied creates heat, which changes the molecular structure of the metallic surfaces in contact with each other and forms a metallic bond with sufficient structural holding strength at the point of contact. Precise control of heat volume and heat time at predetermined speed is required to achieve precise fusing of metals with equal and repetitive weld strength.
In the field of robotic welding, the current source needs to be as close as possible to the welding area for greatest efficiency and to reduce additional heat load from current flowing through cables, especially since the current is so high. The output transformer may be mounted on the robotic arm. To achieve sufficient current with the limitations outlined above, the transformer would have to be unduly large. Carrying a large, heavy transformer or current generator on the robotic arm which moves around the work piece consumes even more energy and requires a robotic arm of increased strength and which is slower, thus causing lower productivity on the line.
Good power transfer should be enabled in all three of high frequency, intermediate frequency and low frequency ranges. Transformers which have the size for significant power output cannot operate at high frequencies with any utilizable efficiency. The natural impedance of a large transformer would not enable it to complete its cycle at high frequency. Most high frequency welding is currently done at a relatively low frequency to enable delivery of sufficient power. It would be helpful to raise the potential operating frequencies to as high as possible to enable welding with greater control of the hot spots and more efficient application of energy to the weld point. This should be possible with an output of from about 1000 amps to about 100,000 amps under ideal conditions.
What is therefore needed is a circuit and device which enables high current at high frequency to be generated. The needed method should include conversion of the standard AC power source available in most industrial facilities, to a high-speed controllable voltage and current electrical power source. The power source may be programmed to produce a modulated heat by means of modulating the electrical current volume. Even more importantly, the needed circuit and device should provide itself with the capability for monitoring, and feedback to provide precise voltage, or current, or power to the fusing or welding electrodes.


Techniques described herein include a platform and process for provisioning user information onto a machine-to-machine device in order to enable the machine-to-machine device to conduct transactions utilizing the user information. In some embodiments, a user device is used to relay information between a machine-to-machine device and a provisioning service provider computer. In some embodiments, a machine-to-machine device is connected to the provisioning service provider computer via a network connection. Upon receiving a request to provision the machine-to-machine device, the service provider computer may identify the device from a device identifier. The service provider computer may generate an access credential or token for the machine-to-machine device. The access credential, token, and/or one or more policies may be provisioned onto the machine-to-machine device.

Households typically include a number of appliances associated with goods and services that are purchased by users on a regular basis. For example, consumers have refrigerators for storing food, gas meters for measuring gas usage, electric meters for measuring power usage, and water meters for measuring water usage. Consumers are often inconvenienced by regular paper bills associated with the goods and services. More convenient ways to provide and/or obtain resources for appliances are needed.
Embodiments of the present invention address these problems and other problems, individually and collectively.

Provisioning platform for machine-to-machine devices


A method for controlling a cathodoluminescent screen consists of providing regeneration steps during which at least a portion of the anodes is at a low voltage and the corresponding cathodes are biased to an emission state. When the screen is a microtip color screen, regeneration steps are provided between the operation steps and, during the regeneration steps, all the anodes are at a low voltage, the microtips and the gates being biased to an emission state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flat display screens, and more particularly to screens, so-called cathodo-luminescent screens, whose anode supports phosphor elements separated one from another by insulating areas and which can be excited by electronic bombardment. The electronic bombardment requires the phosphors to be biased and can be generated by microtips, low extraction potential layers or a thermo-ionic source.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
To simplify the following description, only color screens including microtips will be described, but it should be remarked that the invention more generally relates to the various above-mentioned types of screens or analog.
FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of a color flat display screen including microtips.
Such microtip screens are mainly constituted by a cathode 1 including microtips 2 and by a gate 3 provided with holes 4 corresponding to the positions of microtips 2. Cathode 1 is disposed so as to face a cathodoluminescent anode 5, formed on a glass substrate 6 that constitutes the screen surface.
The operation and the detailed structure of such a microtip screen are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,916 assigned to Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique.
Cathode 1 is disposed in columns and is constituted, onto a glass substrate 10, of cathode conductors arranged in meshes from a conductive layer. The microtips 2 are disposed onto a resistive layer 11 that is deposited onto the cathode conductors and are disposed inside meshes defined by the cathode conductors. FIG. 1 partially represents the inside of a mesh, without the cathode conductors. Cathode 1 is associated with the gate 3 which is arranged in rows. The intersection of a row of gate 3 with a column of cathode 1 defines a pixel.
The device uses the electric field generated between the cathode 1 and gate 3 so that the electrons are transferred from microtips 2. Thus, the electrons are attracted by phosphor elements 7 of anode 5 if suitably biased. In color screens, the anode 5 is provided with alternate phosphor strips 7r, 7g, 7b, each strip corresponding to a color (red, green, blue). The strips are separated one from the other by an insulating material 8. The phosphors 7 are deposited onto electrodes 9, which are constituted by corresponding strips of a transparent conductive layer such as indium and tin oxide (ITO). The groups of red, green, blue strips are alternatively biased with respect to cathode 1, so that the electrons extracted from the microtips 2 of one pixel of the cathode/gate are alternatively directed toward the facing phosphors 7 of each color.
The selection of the phosphor 7 (phosphor 7g in FIG. 1) that must be bombarded by the electrons generated by the microtips 2 of cathode 1 requires a selective control of the biasing of the phosphors 7 of anode 5 for each color.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a structure of the anode of a conventional color screen. FIG. 2 is a partial top view near the phosphor elements, representing an anode constructed according to known techniques. The anode strips 9, which are deposited onto substrate 6, are interconnected outside the useful surface of the screen, by color of phosphors 7. Strips 9 are to be connected to a control device (not shown). Two interconnection paths 12 and 13, of the anode electrodes 9g and 9b, respectively, are formed for two of the three colors of the phosphors (for example 7g and 7b). An insulating layer 14 (represented in dotted lines in FIG. 2) is deposited on the interconnection path 13. A third interconnection path 15 is connected, through conductors 16 deposited on the insulating layer 14, to the anode electrode strips 9r designed for the phosphors 7r of the third color.
Generally, the rows of gate 3 are sequentially biased to a voltage of approximately 80 volts whereas the phosphor strips (for example 7r and 7b in FIG. 1) which should be excited are biased to voltages of approximately 400 volts. The remaining strips (for example 7r and 7b in FIG. 1) are biased to a low or zero voltage. The columns of cathode 1 are connected to respective voltages ranging from a maximum emission voltage to a non-emission voltage (for example 0 and 30 volts, respectively). The brightness of a color component of all the pixels of a row is so determined.
The selection of the values of the biasing voltages depends upon the characteristics of phosphors 8 and microtips 10. Conventionally, below a voltage difference of 50 volts between the cathode and the gate, there is no electronic emission, and the maximum emission that is used corresponds to a voltage difference of 80 volts.
The conventional method for controlling such a color screen consists of forming several pictures per second, for example 50 to 60 pictures per second, which provides a duration of approximately 20 milliseconds to form each picture. This duration is referred to as frame duration.
As represented in FIG. 3, during a frame duration, three pictures, each corresponding to one color, are sequentially formed, i.e., strips R, G, B are sequentially connected, during the duration of the color subframe Tr, Tg, Tb to high voltages to be selectively active. Conventionally, the color subframes are successively generated without interruption or are separated by very short time intervals during which the rows/columns are inactive.
As represented in FIG. 4, during each color subframe, rows L1 . . . Li-1, Li, Li+1 . . . Ln are sequentially connected to a high voltage so that all the pixels of the corresponding row can be excited at a predetermined time. During the time a row is biased, the column conductors of the cathodes are set to voltages adapted to impart to the corresponding pixels the desired brightness.
A drawback of such a flat display screen occurs when, in at least one picture area, it is desired to display for a relatively long time, ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes, a uniform color corresponding to one of the three primary colors. For this purpose, the corresponding screen portion is biased during only one subframe out of three. Then, it can be remarked that color varies after a short period. This phenomenon is hereinafter referred to as color drift. In practice, this means that at least one of the phosphor strips adjacent to the biased strips starts to be luminescent.
The reason of this phenomenon is not clearly understood. It is thought that this phenomenon is due to the fact that the electrons accumulate in the insulating areas 8 between the phosphor strips and create conduction toward adjacent strips.
To avoid this phenomenon, the prior art has devised various techniques. One technique consists of separating by short time intervals the biasing of the anode strips between two successive color subframes and to apply a negative voltage pulse to the anode that has just been biased before positively biasing the next anode to be excited.
However, this method, which gives satisfactory results for the elimination of the color drift phenomenon, has the drawback of being relatively complex to implement because it complicates the provision of the anode supply voltages, which are high values voltages (some hundred volts). Moreover, the method is detrimental for the screen's brightness.
Also, in monocolor screens, voltage breakdowns often occur when the screen is operated for a long time.

Method for controlling a flat display screen


A pulp product that has a low COD is comprised of an unbleached pulp that is soaked and washed in alkaline water for a sufficient time so that the COD after soaking and washing is less than or equal to 3.0 kg/1000 kg of dry pulp. The pulp is produced by repetitively soaking and washing an unbleached pulp in alkaline water that is never allowed to drop below pH 7.0. The pulp is soaked and washed for a total of at least 400 minutes at an elevated temperature to produce the pulp product that has a low COD.

The internal structures of houses and other buildings are commonly protected from environmental elements by exterior siding materials. These siding materials are typically planks or panels composed of wood, concrete, brick, aluminum, stucco, wood composites, or fiber-cement composites. A common fiber-cement composite is fiber-cement siding, which is generally composed of cement, silica sand, unbleached wood pulp, and various additives. Fiber-cement siding offers several advantages over other types of siding materials, such as wood siding: it is weatherproof, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, fire-resistant, and invulnerable to rotting or insect damage.
Commercial fiber-reinforced cement siding planks or panels are made using the Hatsheck process. The Hatsheck process was initially developed for the production of asbestos composites, but it is now used for the manufacture of non-asbestos, cellulose fiber reinforced cement composites. In this process, unbleached cellulose fibers are re-pulped in warm water at an alkaline pH of 11 to 12.5; the re-pulped fibers are refined and then mixed with cement, silica sand, and other additives to form a mixture. The fiber-cement mixture, is deposited on a felt band substrate, vacuum dewatered, and cured to form a fiber reinforced cement matrix in sheet form.
The curing of the cement matrix is hindered by the presence of sugars or other organic materials. These materials retard the hydration reaction of cement and thereby retard the setting or hardening of a mortar or concrete. Cement is purposely retarded in ready-mix concrete during long hours of transportation, for mitigation of stress due to temperature (heat) when used in a large-sized concrete structures, and for decorated washing finishes. When these organic materials are measured, the manufacturers of fiber-cement siding have observed an inverse relationship between the amount of these materials in an unbleached pulp and the strength properties of the final product. The amount of these materials is commonly measured using the chemical oxygen demand (COD) test. When considering the detrimental effect of these materials on strength properties, it is apparent that there are a needs in the art for very low COD unbleached pulp. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

Process for producing very low COD unbleached pulp


A cooking appliance includes a cabinet forming an oven cavity, a broil heating element, a bake heating element, a convection heating system and a controller. The convection heating system develops a flow of heated air into the oven cavity, and includes a fan and a convection heating element. The controller controls activations of the broil, bake and convection heating elements during an oven cavity preheating operation in which the broil heating element and the bake heating element are alternately activated while the convection heating element is activated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to convection heating systems for a cooking appliance and, more particularly, to the use of a convection heating system during an oven preheating operation.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional oven uses radiant heating provided by bake and/or broil heating elements to cook food placed within the oven. A convection oven has a fan for developing convective air flows within the oven, and can cook food more quickly than a comparable conventional oven.
Ovens are typically preheated to a desired cooking temperature prior to the placement of food within the oven. It would be useful to reduce the time required to preheat an oven.

Convection preheat system and method for radiant baking


The embodiments of the invention provide an information transmission method and apparatus. The method comprises: determining, from a plurality of numerologies, a target numerology, and transmitting or receiving, according to the target numerology, a synchronization signal.

Along with development of networks, service requirements keep increasing and service requirement types also keep increasing. In existing network standard communication protocols, a network device and a terminal device transmit data by use of a unified numerology set. For example, the communication protocol specifies a numerology set (numerology) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system as follows: a radio frame is 10 ms, a radio frame includes 10 subframes, a subframe includes two time slots, a time slot includes 7 symbols, 12 continuous subcarriers in frequency and a time slot in time domain form a Resource Block (RB), each subcarrier spacing is 15 k and the like. Along with service diversification, a single numerology set already may not meet signal transmission requirements.

Information transmission method and information transmission apparatus

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


Methods of attaching a tape to a head of a lacrosse stick. The tape includes a first side that is attached to the head, and an opposing second side with a number of different sections each with different frictional coefficient values. A first section may include a low friction coefficient value and is configured to be positioned along an outer edge of the head to facilitate sliding the head along the ground. A second section includes a higher coefficient value and is configured to be positioned along an inner side of the head to contact against the lacrosse ball to facilitate ball control. The tape is configured to be used with a lacrosse stick, but may also be used in various other contexts.

The present application is directed to an elongated tape having different frictional coefficient values along different sections of the width that is applicable for use with a head of a lacrosse stick and methods of attaching the tape to a head of a lacrosse stick.
Lacrosse is a sport that is quickly growing in popularity. Each player on a lacrosse team uses a stick to pass and catch a ball. The stick includes an elongated shaft with a head at one end. The head includes a frame that forms an opening. A net is attached to the head and extends across the opening to form a pocket for catching and passing the ball.
During a game, a player is often required to use their stick to scoop up a ball on the ground. This includes the user holding the shaft in their hands and positioning the head under the ball and scooping it into the pocket. This action often includes the head sliding along the ground immediately before the ball is scooped into the pocket and while the player is running along the field.
Because of the characteristics of the lacrosse stick and the movement of the player, the head of the stick has a tendency to dig into the field instead of sliding along as the user attempts to scoop the ball. This digging action may result in the player suddenly coming to a stop and possibly being injured. Additionally, the often results in the user failing to scoop the ball into the pocket.
Therefore, there is a need for configuring the head of the lacrosse stick to reduce or eliminate the digging action of the stick when a user is attempting to scoop the ball from the field.

Tape and methods of attaching tape to a head of a lacrosse stick