An apparatus for producing images of an object and, in particular, for observing the rear portions of the eye by an illumination device, the light of which is focused on the object to be imaged and which preferably is provided with at least one laser. A scanning device, which produces a scanning motion of the light from the illumination device on the object to be imaged. A detector device has at least one detector which receives the light reflected from the object to be imaged an assessement and synchronization unit produces the image from the time-sequential output signal from the detector device.. It is possible to gain essential ground-laying information about the object to be imaged, e.g. the fundus of the eye, by special types of illumination and/or the analysis of the scattered back light according to the most varied criteria.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing images of an object and in particular for observing the rear portions of the eye.
Apparatuses for producing images of an object for observing the rear portions of the eye are well known in the art and are implemented with various equipment for producing images. By way of illustration, a number of laser-scanning cameras, laser-scanning microscopes and laser-scanning ophthalmoscopes have been proposed in medical technology.
Apparatuses of the known type have proven to be particularly advantageous when a comparatively large object has to be viewed through a small aperture arranged before the object. For example, when observing the rear portions of the eye, there arises the problem that the fundus must be illuminated and observed through the pupil of the eye and frequently through the not clear anterior media of the eye, where reflexes occur to produce image defects. Similar circumstances have been encountered in other cases of medical or technical application.
For this reason, fundus cameras have usually been employed in the past to observe the rear portions of the eye, in which the entrance pupil and the exit pupil were separated according to "GULLSTRAND" to suppress the so-called corneal reflex i.e. the part of the pupil of the eye used for the illumination surrounds ring-like the part used for observation.
Nonetheless, reflexes cannot be entirely suppressed when working with such fundus cameras. Moreover, the attainable resolution of approx. 15 .mu.m is often insufficient.
Therefore, it has repeatedly been proposed to employ apparatuses for observing the fundus of the eye, which do not illuminate expansive areas of the fundus of the eye, but rather scan as small as possible a spot with a focused illuminating light and detect the reflected light in relation to the scanning sequence. In this regard, reference is made, by way of illustration, to "The Foundations of Ophthalmology", Vol. VII, pp. 307/308, Yr. 1962, U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,678, EP-A-0 145 563 as well as Japanese patent publications 61-5730 and 50-138822.
The apparatuses described in the aforementioned references differ from one another in the pupil separation. The Japanese patent publication 61-5730 proposes a "GULLSTRAND separation", U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,678 an inverted "GULLSTRAND pupil," and the Japanese patent publication 50-138822 adjacent pupils as illumination and observation light.
In the apparatus for observing the rear portions of the eye described in EP-A-145 563, both the illumination light beam and the observation light beam are directed via a scanning device. A "double scanning system" of this type has the advantage that the reflected beam of light can be determined by means of a stationary detector with a relatively small surface.
The apparatuses mentioned in the preceding for observing the rear portions of the eye with "scanning illumination" have in common that the resolution of the received image is determined by the size of the "focus spot" (approx. 8-12 .mu.m) on the fundus of the eye and that the reflected light is received by a single detector with a more or less large field of view aperture for building up the image of the rear portions of the eye.
Further analysis of the returned light has not previously been considered.
The present invention is based on the recognition of the fact that apparatuses for producing images, in particular, due to special types of illumination and/or the analysis of the light scattered back according to most varied criteria permits gaining essential further ground-laying information about the object of which an image is to be made, for example the fundus of the eye, than is possible with any of the other known apparatuses.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to improve an apparatus for producing images of an object hereto in such a fashion, that it is possible, by means of special types of illumination and/or the analysis of the light scattered back, to analyze the object to be imaged proceding beyond a pure image production analysis.
By way of illustration, the apparatus of the present invention permits making a spatial analysis and/or one of the polarization state of the returned light. For this purpose, the apparatus is provided with several individual detectors, which, in order to receive the light reflected from different planes and/or to receive the patchlike distribution of the intensity of the light and/or to determine the polarization state of the light conjugate to different planes or assigned to different areas of a plane or to which corresponding apertures or polarization filters are connected in a series.
In this manner, apparatus permits measuring the spatial distribution of the intensity and/or the polarization state of light reflected from the object to be imaged, by for example the rear portions of the eye. Moreover, the arrangement of the detectors in planes conjugate to the different planes of the object to be imaged makes a depth analysis of the object possible.
It is expressly made clear at this point that when in the case of the present invention it is said that the detectors have a specific form or are arranged at a specific location, it is not necessary that the detectors actually are designed accordingly; but rather it suffices if apertures for determining the field of view are arranged at the corresponding location and are connected with the detectors via light-conducting means, for example relay optics or light conductors. Such an arrangement of field-of-view-determining apertures instead of detectors is a particular feature of the "scan process" used for image build-up, in which no actual image is produced, but reflected or scattered light is received and assessed time-sequentially to the image build-up at any time in the entire space angle or the assessable space angle. Another primary object of the present invention is that light of several wavelengths, preferably the light from several lasers, is projected simultaneously onto the location of the object to be imaged. By this means varied effects can be achieved.
By way of illustration, it is possible to simulate a white light illumination in a laser scanning ophthalmoscope and deliver the ophthalmologist his "accustomed" picture of the fundus of the eye with a "representation in real color".
Moreover, with an appropriate selection of the wavelengths it is possible, by way of illustration, to determine the blood oxygen saturation level, which indicates local circulatory disturbances and of the entire system, avascular zones, etc. Furthermore, tumor analysis, visual pigment analysis, etc. are possible.
In addition, the simultaneous reception of an angiofluorescent and a "normal" image of the fundus of the eye is possible if an Ar.sup.+ -laser or a HeNe laser and a laser with a different wavelength are employed simultaneously.
Simultaneous implementation of light of several wavelengths, moreover, makes other interesting possibility feasible.
The depth of focus of the illumination light depends on the entrance pupil, i.e. on the size and form of the pupil for the illumination light. By way of illustration, a great depth of focus is gained with an entrance pupil designed as an inverted Gullstrand pupil as proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,678 due to the small peripheral angle of the illumination light. On the other hand, a small depth of focus is gained when a normal Gullstrand pupil or the pupil used in EP-A-0 145 563 is employed due to the large angle enclosed by the peripheral rays.
Normally, the entrance pupil is selected corresponding to the respective intention, whereby the inverted Gullstrand pupil yields the best resolution, because the optically poorer peripheral regions of the eye are not used in it and thus the illumination light can be focused onto the smallest spot diameter.
When several sources of light are employed yielding light of different wavelengths, different entrance pupils can be used, whereby, it is particularly preferable if for light of one wavelengthan entrance pupil delivering a great depth of focus is employed and an entrance pupil delivering a small depth of focus is used for light of another wavelength. In this manner, it is possible to simultaneously receive a full overall image with high resolution and great depth of focus and a second image, which is "depth selective", whereby the selection of the different entrance and, if required, exit pupils occurs, for example, by means of a suitable wavelength selective coating of the so-called optical input coupling element (divider mirror), i.e. of the mirror separating the illumination and observation beam path. In this case, complementary pupils are received for the different wavelengths. Naturally, a different separation of the pupils by suitable means is also possible, such as by employing several divider mirrors in such a fashion that other pupil separations are also possible as complementary pupils.
The signals from the various detectors, e.g. an angiograph image and the "normal" image can be superimposed on a monitor or presented on several monitors.
In any case, the representation of both or several images in real time or following storage can be coupled. By "coupling" it meant the known state of the art operations in image processing, by way of illustration, very revealing images are received by means of "real time superimposition" of an angiograph image and a normal image. The individual direct images or those received after processing can, of course, be presented and/or received on several observation devices simultaneously, such as monitors.
In this case, it is particularly advantageous to design the apparatus of the present invention in such a fashion that both the illumination light and the reflected light are directed via the scanning device. With such an apparatus, a simple detection light signal, which does not change its position in space, is received in a simple manner behind the scanning device.
As already explained in detail, in accordance with the present invention the spatial distribution of the reflected light can be detected and assessed. For this purpose, it is, in particular, possible to arrange detectors or field-of-view determining shutters in planes which are not conjugate to the actual plane of the object.
By way of illustration, a detector arrangement or field-of-view determining shutter is provided in a plane conjugate to the pupil of the eye to detect the distribution of the intensity of the reflected light in this plane. In this case, the individual detectors or shutter elements preferably have the shape of sectors of a circle so that the main point of the reflected light or light scattered back, or directional symmetries etc. can be determined, by means of which, by way of illustration, it is possible to draw conclusions about the surface structures.
In a further embodiment, a detector arrangement or a shutter arrangement is provided in a plane conjugate to the object to be imaged, thus, by way of illustration, conjugate to the fundus of the eye, which determines the intensity of the distribution of the reflected light in this plane.
By this exemplary means, it is possible to detect the portion of transverse scattering in the retina by analyzing the distribution of the intensity in an image plane conjugate to the retina and thereby gain information about the structure of the retina.
In addition to the spatial analysis of the reflected light, another embodiment makes it possible to analyze the polarization state of the reflected light so that an improved representation of the double-refracting nerve fiber layer of the retina is yielded compared to that of the known apparatuses.
A further embodiment, moreover, permits determining the Stokes parameters to describe the polarization characteristics by which local defects can be detected, and anistropic, i.e. directional structures of the retina, such as, for example, the nerve fiber layer can be made more prominent. Moreover, with regard to the definition of Stokes parameters, reference is made to the article "Polarization Imaging" in APPLIED OPTICS; Vol. 20, pp. 1537 ff.
Further features of the present invention make an optical structure analysis or an optical image pre-processing of the reflected light possible. The optical image pre-processing operates substantially faster than available electronic image processing systems and thereby permits making special structures of objects prominent in real time even in the case of complex filtering.
Depending on the position of the analyzing filter or the shutter, polarization states can be isolated, directional anisotropes can be selected, aberrations can be compensated for, etc. It is particularly advantageous if variable filters and/or shutters controlled by, by way of illustration, a calculator exchangeable and/or rotatable shutters as well as shutters having a gradual transmission (apodization) are provided. Such shutters are generally not simple apertures, but rather formed arrangements depending on the respective use, by way of illustration, slits, rings, combinations of quadrants or a pattern of individually controlled dots. Furthermore, the shutters may be partially mirrored glass plates, perforated mirrors, wavelength-selectively vaporized mirrors or semi-translucent mirrors. It is also possible to produce zones of different optical effects by means of appropriate design of the divider mirror.
The present invention provides a simply constructed light modulator, namely, a liquid crystal element, which can be switched area-selectively translucent or untranslucent.
Another preferred solution for accomplishing a primary object of the present invention and, in particular, a design of an apparatus for observing the rear portions of the eye, is distinguished by the fact that, in addition, marks may be projected onto the object to be observed, by such as the fundus of the eye. These marks can, by way of illustration, serve to mark areas to be treated (coagulated) or to be examined, and are produced by means of image processing in a representation which was previously made. On this point, patent application P 36 07 721.6, discusses in detail the use of image processing for treatment planning and for producing markings.
These marks may, by way of illustration, be produced by "lightening" the illumination light beam at the corresponding location. The lightening is particularly preferred when the marks are to serve for orientation and/or marking a specific area as, in any case, the spatial relationship between the "scanning beam" and the mark remains constant.
However, it is also possible to employ a light source and in particular a positioning unit to project the marks as, in that case, far as possible independence of the individual systems of each other is ensured. This construction is especially recommended if the additional beam is intended for processing purposes, such as coagulating purposes.
This positioning system can, by for example, by an acousto-optical deflector or a wobble optic shown in German patent application P 35 32 464.3, as the same is stable and easy to handle.
On the other hand, in accordance with the present invention, an x/y-scanner with a polygonal mirror drum and a galvanometer mirror is preferably used as the scanning device for a system of this type which operates independently of wavelengths, and is particularly of advantage in the case of the simultaneous implementation of light of several wavelengths.
Besides the possible applications of the additional mirrored-in markings previously explained as a further possible application there is the fundus perimetry. In this case the markings serve as so-called stimuli, which the patient recognizes or in the event of field-of-view failures does not recognize. It is particularly advantageous if an infrared laser is employed as the source of the observation light as thereby the observation light does not have an adverse effect on the recognition of the stimuli. By means of this embodiment of an apparatus for observing the rear portions of the eye, a fundus perimeter is yielded that makes microperimetry possible under visual control and moreover also permits training the eye to eliminate vision or fixation weaknesses.
In microperimetry it is also advantageous, however, not only when the present invention is employed, if additional illumination of the surrounding area is provided, which, by way of illustration, is coupled via a semitranslucent mirror. This illumination of the surrounding area permits, for example, perimetry of a "specific level of lightness", but, of course, has other advantages.
In fundus perimetry, special search algorithms, scotoma detection, a variable measuring point density, fundus tracking for automatic detection of the position of the projected markings on the fundus can be realized via a control unit. Furthermore, a positive and negative perimetry, color differential examinations, etc. may be carried out.
A further improvement, in accordance with the present invention, of an apparatus, which is particularly suited for the observation of the rear portions of the eye, is provided with one or several detectors, before which shutters are arranged in such a manner that the result a dark field illumination of the detectors so that only the multiply scattered components are recorded in the image of the object or the fundus. By this means an intensified contrast representation of specific structures, e.g. papillary tissue, is made possible, which is of utmost interest for automatic determination of the edge of the papilla within the scope of glaucoma diagnosis.
By providing several detectors it is, of course, also possible to receive "dark-field" and "light-field" images simultaneously.
Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention it is advantageous if earlier received images and/or markings are mirrored congruently into the received and presented image in such a manner that the operating personnel, by way of illustration, can compare images made according to a different method, such as angiographs, or control an automatic laser beam positioning. To this point, reference is again made to the German patent application P 36 07 721.6. The "mirroring in" can occur by optical means, preferably, however, by electronic means in the observation apparatus, such as by means of a monitor.
The apparatus of the present invention is not only suited as an image-producing or diagnostic device, but also as a processing or therapy device and can be combined with many very different instruments, such as processing or treatment lasers of different wavelengths.
In particular, however, it is advantageous if in addition the beam of a coagulating laser, e.g. an Ar.sup.+ -laser or a dye laser, is mirrored in preferably between the scanning device and the eyeball. However, "a short" raising of the output of the observation laser is, of course, also possible for coagulating as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,678. The joint implementation of the "scanning device" permits in this case in particular treating large areas or several areas in one step.
An apparatus for observing the rear portions of the eye with a scanning illumination is particularly useful as an image transmitter for a so-called eye tracking unit due to its reflex-free and high resolution presentation of the image. With regard to the principal eye-tracing-concept-directing of the observation and/or treatment unit, switching off the laser in the event of eye motion, etc. reference is again made to the German patent application P 36 07 721.6, the content of which, moreover, is expressly viewed as a disclosure of this application.
Furthermore, an apparatus for observing the rear portions of the eye with a scanning illumination is especially suited as an image transmitter for treatment planning due to its reflex-free and high resolution presentation of the image as also already described in the German patent application P 36 07 721.6.
It is especially advantageous, however, to employ an apparatus with "double scanning", in contrast to the apparatus known from EP-A-0 145 563, a field-of-view shutter having a diameter from 80 to 150 .mu.m is used, being thus substantially larger than the diameter of the point image on the fundus of the eye which is typically between 8 and 12 .mu.m and at the most, however, approx. 20 .mu.m. This selection of field-of-view shutter, which differs from the selection in EP-A-0 145 563, particularly supports the concept of the present invention of using several individual detectors. The pupil separation in the pupil plane may be carried out in a state of the art manner from the above-mentioned individual references.

Apparatus for producing images of an object and in particular for observing the rear portions of the eye


A method for printing on a continuous sheet with an inkjet head includes printing a plurality of images in sequence and performing plural kinds of maintenance operations by using intermediate areas located between one of the images and next one of the images in accordance with a schedule, and setting the schedule such that a first maintenance operation included in the plural kinds of maintenance operations and a second maintenance operation which is performed with frequency different from that of the first maintenance operation are not performed at the same intermediate area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for printing, capable of performing maintenance operations, while printing a plurality of images on a continuous sheet, at intermediate areas located between one of the images and next one of the images.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an inkjet printing apparatus, in the case where printing is performed using a rolled continuous sheet used for mass printing such as laboratory printing, maintenance operations for maintaining the performance of equipment used in the printing apparatus are sometimes performed while the continuous sheet is being conveyed. As to a maintenance operation requiring printing on a surface of the continuous sheet in such maintenance operations, a required maintenance pattern is printed on a non-image part that is an intermediate area located between areas where images being products are to be printed and that is an area where image printing is not intended.
Each of the maintenance patterns has the purpose of maintaining the performance of equipment and there exists a plurality of patterns such as, for example, a preliminary ejection pattern, a misfiring monitor pattern, a register adjustment pattern, a position adjustment pattern. The preliminary ejection pattern is printed for the purpose of stabilizing ink ejection by preventing a nozzle from being clogged during printing and periodically performing preliminary ejection at intervals causing no defective ink ejection, in the inkjet printing apparatus. The misfiring monitor pattern is printed for the purpose of periodically monitoring whether defective ink ejection occurs due to misfiring of ink from a nozzle during printing. The register adjustment pattern is printed for the purpose of periodically correcting a timing lag (hereinafter, also referred to as misregistration) of ink ejection onto the sheet surface which would occur from moment to moment during printing. Each maintenance pattern is controlled to be printed on a non-image part located between one image and next image in accordance with a mutually different purpose and with different frequency for each maintenance operation.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-240492, control is performed so as to print, in a predetermined order, a plurality of maintenance patterns including the preliminary ejection pattern and the misfiring monitor pattern and unit images. In addition, even in the case where a joint of the rolled continuous sheet has been detected, control is performed so as to change the order of printing the respective maintenance patterns such that the respective maintenance patterns are printed at fixed intervals.
In the maintenance patterns, there exist ones required to be analyzed by a reader. In the case of the above-mentioned misfiring monitor pattern, the pattern formed on the sheet surface is read by the reader and analysis is performed so as to clarify the presence or absence of misfiring nozzle by nozzle. The pattern to be read is required to have a high resolution corresponding to an arrangement resolution of nozzle arrays a print head includes, and analysis is performed, for each print, on all the nozzles used for printing. Therefore, in the case of the misfiring monitor pattern, the amount of computation of data processing is large. Furthermore, the resister adjustment pattern is also one of the maintenance patterns analysis of which is necessary, and after the pattern has been formed, the pattern is read by the reader and analysis is performed in the same manner as the misfiring monitor pattern. The pattern to be read is required to have a resolution which is high enough to allow recognition of dot displacement of ink droplets. In addition, since there exist many factors which would constitute a contributing factor for misregistration, the amount of computation which is required to derive a plurality of amounts of misregistration to be corrected for the contributing factor is also large. Therefore, in the case of the register adjustment pattern, the amount of computation of data processing becomes further larger than that of the misfiring monitor pattern. In this manner, the amount of data processing is enormous both for the misfiring monitor pattern and the register adjustment pattern. Although the time required for analysis greatly depends on the performance of a CPU, even a high-grade CPU cannot reduce, to zero, the processing time of a large amount of data, which is required at the time of analyzing the maintenance pattern. Accordingly, a certain period of time is required for analysis although the analysis depends on the processing capability of the CPU mounted on the reader.
Here, control of printing a plurality of maintenance patterns simply in predetermined order will be considered.
In controlling to print the plurality of maintenance patterns in the predetermined order, it is assumed that the misfiring monitor pattern and the register adjustment pattern may be sometimes printed at neighboring positions on the sheet surface. In this case, the register adjustment pattern is read after the misfiring monitor pattern has been read and while it is being analyzed. That is, analysis of the misfiring monitor pattern is temporarily suspended, the register adjustment pattern is read, and thereafter analysis of the misfiring monitor pattern is restarted. As to the misfiring monitor pattern, analysis processing is temporarily suspended because of interruption of reading of the register adjustment pattern. As to the register adjustment pattern, after the pattern has been read, analysis is to be started, waiting until analysis of the misfiring monitor pattern is terminated. Therefore, it takes more time for printing the misfiring monitor pattern and the register adjustment pattern than it originally takes for analyzing each of the misfiring monitor pattern and the register adjustment pattern. At the time of falling into such a case, a timing at which a printing apparatus recognizes discovery of misfiring of a nozzle is delayed in the case of the misfiring monitor pattern and thus misfiring of the nozzle is left as it is, which leads to useless printing of images that are unworthy for the products. In addition, in the case of the register adjustment pattern, since the actual amount of misregistration varies with time, a difference between a past misregistration amount derived from analysis and a current misregistration amount is increased. Therefore, in the case where correction is performed on the basis of that analysis, degradation of image quality may possibly be induced let alone improvement of image quality. As mentioned above, in the case where the maintenance patterns, analysis of which is required, interfere with each other, there arise problems in which maintenance operations cannot be performed in real time, thereby leading to the increase in amount of useless printed materials and the degradation of image quality of the printed materials as a result.
In addition, a non-image part (also referred to as a non-image area or a blank area as the case may be) which includes the maintenance pattern is an area to be separated from the image being the product and to be finally discarded as a waste. In contrast to this, the discardable waste size of the non-image part is determined in advance for reasons of configuration of the printing apparatus. In controlling of printing the plurality of maintenance patterns in predetermined order, a case where many maintenance patterns are printed on one non-image part is also assumed. At this time, in the case where the size of the non-image part is not within the discardable size for reasons of configuration of the printing apparatus, there will be increased the possibility that paper jam occurs in the printing apparatus due to contact of the continuous sheet on a conveyance path with a paper waste that is left not-discarded. In the case where paper jam actually occurs, a large amount of time is taken for recovery of the printing apparatus including post-processing of the paper jam. In addition, a product, printing of which has been in progress, is wasted, thereby leading to a large disadvantage including the fact that ink and the continuous sheet are uselessly consumed.
In the method for printing maintenance patterns in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-240492, in changing the printing order, the influence caused by mutual interference of the maintenance patterns is not taken into account. Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-240492 cannot solve the above-mentioned various subject matters.


An embodiment of an intelligent personal device detachment sensor apparatus and system for a lanyard, belt clip, pocket clip, or other worn device for displaying a security device, such as an identification and/or card or badge on an individual user. The device is particularly useful for monitoring the presence of the card, badge or other small asset, with many of such assets employed at security, environmental clearance, and access checkpoints. The apparatus consists of two parts, a user holder and an asset holder, held to one another in a “docked” condition using a permanent magnet of the asset holder attachable to a permanent magnet on the user holder. The user holder has a switch (e.g., a mechanical switch), an alarm device to produce an audible signal to the user, and a transmitter that transmits an alert through a network.

An identification (ID), or an access card or badge, is a common asset, often worn by a user to identify the user, to monitor the user, or to gain user access to a secure area. ID and electronic access badges vary in shape, size, engineered features, and construction, depending upon their intended purposes. Typical features of ID badges and access cards include a photo of the user, the user's name, and a machine-readable identification code, which may include a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag or a similarly acting element.
Devices for attaching and securing an asset, such as an ID and access card or badge, to an individual often include, or otherwise make use of, lanyards with clip-on holders, and are well known. Typically, these devices either permanently attach to the asset, or allow the asset to disconnect from the holder by employing clips, snaps, or other metal or plastic fasteners. Other such devices employ a spring-loaded or coiled attachment cable, which allows a user to pull the asset a short distance from the user without actually detaching the asset from the device, and which then retracts or recoils to return the asset to the user.
Many of these wearable asset-attachment devices require some degree of dexterity to attach to the asset, and do not allow for the asset to be easily disconnected from the holder, as may be desired for ease of use. Furthermore, many of these devices are purely mechanical attachments, and provide no capability to alert the user, and potentially another person (e.g., a security administrator) or entity (e.g., a security-monitoring service), if the asset is misplaced, stolen or otherwise detached from the holder for a prolonged period of time.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a better attachment system for assets such as ID and access cards or badges, with easy-to-use, yet intelligent, attachment and monitoring features for both the wearer/user and the administrator of the badge or badge system.
One or more embodiments address this problem to provide a versatile, practical, and intelligent badge or other small-asset detachment-sensor system. With the following disclosure, one or more embodiments of the system are described with reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Reference characters included in the above drawings indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as discussed herein. The description herein illustrates one or more embodiments, in one form, and the description herein is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure or claims in any manner. It should be understood that the above-listed figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and may include fragmentary views, graphic symbols, diagrammatic representations, or schematic representations. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of embodiments by one skilled in the technology of the disclosed embodiments, or that render other details difficult to perceive, may be omitted.

Intelligent asset detachment sensor system


Fibrosis, in at least one layer of a vessel wall, can be used to strengthen a vessel wall. Fibrosis can be induced by irradiating a vessel wall with an energy source, or by inducing injury to the vessel wall. In addition to an energy source, photoactivatable agents can also be used such that the energy activates the photoactivatable agent to cause a thickening of the vessel wall. For example, ultra-violet radiation can be used alone or in conjunction with a photoactivatable agent, such as a psoralen compound, to increase the adventitial volume of a blood vessel. Upon exposure to radiation, preferably ultra-violet A radiation, the photoactivatable agent becomes activated and causes compositional and/or structural changes in the adventitia. The invention provides a method of treating aneurysms by thickening the adventitial layer of the vessel wall at the site of the aneurysm.

The invention relates to a method for strengthening a vessel wall e.g., by irradiation with an energy source, or by inducing injury to the vessel wall, such that the injury initiates a cascade of events leading to fibrosis and a thickening of the vessel wall. In addition to an energy source, a photoactivable agent can also be used such that the energy activates the photoactivable agent which causes structural changes in the vessel wall. More specifically, the invention relates to treating aneurysms using UV radiation with a psoralen compound.
There are two basic types of blood vessels, arteries and veins, which can be distinguished by their structural components. Arteries and veins both have several distinct layers which are arranged coaxially. In arteries, the layers include an inner coat or endothelial layer (intima), an internal elastic lamina, a middle layer (media), and an outer layer (adventitia). Like arteries, veins include an inner layer (intima), a middle layer (media) and an outer layer (adventitia), but the layers are not as thick as in arteries, and provide less structural rigidity.
Both arteries and veins are elastic, and are capable of limited deformation in response to pressure changes. When a diseased blood vessel is exposed to hypertension, dilation may occur at various localized regions. Typically these dilatations are produced at the region in the vessel wall which is weakest, whether inherently or as a result of disease or trauma. As the dilatation progresses, a more pronounced widening or sac, called an aneurysm, is produced, which may burst. A large aneurysm can form clots secondary to a reduction in blood flow in the aneurysmal sac. These chits may emobilize and block distal arteries.
Arteriosclerosis and cystic medial necrosis are two common causes of aneurysms of the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Thoracic aneurysms commonly compress and impact surrounding body structures as they expand. They may impact into the lungs, the spinal column, or the gastrointestinal tract.
Berry aneurysms are congenital defects which occur in cerebral arteries, most commonly at the junctions of vessels in the circle of Willis. These aneurysms appear to be related to defects in the muscular coat of the vessels. Rupture is common, resulting in intracranial hemorrhage.
Other aneurysms include aortic aneurysms, especially abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), which are characterized by transmural aortic wall degeneration leading to dilatation, progressive growth, and eventual rupture.
Treatment of aneurysms typically involves either surgical intervention, such as in thoracic or abdominal aneurysms, or coil ablation, such as in aneurysms of the brain. Excision of the aneurysm, and anastomosis of the vessel may be performed, often using a replacement vessel or an artificial prosthesis. Alternatively, a supporting structure such as a stent or other intravascular device may be implanted into the vessel to relieve stress. Examples of stents, include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,771 issued to Wallsten et al., With the stent positioned at the treatment site, the stent can be radially expanded into a conforming surface in contact with a blood vessel wall. The stents may also be covered with a film or a sheath such as, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,626 to Thompson, et al.
Prostheses used to treat aneurysms are also described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,110 issued to Wiktor et al., Wiktor et al., discloses a flexible tubular liner that is inserted into the aorta to treat aortic aneurysms. The liner has flexible plastic strands designed to elastically expand against the aneurysm and to direct blood flow past the aneurysm.
While these methods achieve the general goal of reducing fatality, these methods have a drawback in that the aneurysm remains a weak area in the blood vessel wall. Mohr et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,954 describe treating aneurysms using hardening and softening agents, (e.g. collagen), which are applied at the site of the aneurysm. A radio frequency energy is then used to harden the agent and cover the weak region of the blood vessel wall.
Prophylactic methods are used to prevent the formation of aneurysms and rely on reducing the blood pressure, in an effort to reduce mechanical stress on the vasculature. These methods involve using drugs which can have undesirable side effects, e.g., cause kidney or liver damage.
Drugs, such as tetracyclines have been used to prevent abnormal vascular dilation, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,449 issued to Thompson et al. The tetracycline compounds protect the elastic fibers of the media by selectively inhibiting the elastolytic activity in this region thereby preventing its expansion.
While these methods are effective in treating aneurysms, these methods do not improve the overall structure of the blood vessel which still remains weak at the site of the aneurysm and may still be susceptible to rupture. Accordingly, one purpose of this invention is to provide a method of strengthening a blood vessel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A pipeline pressure testing assembly has a fitting defining a flow path and having a port on a wall of the fitting into which a pressure testing device is removably inserted along a central axis of the port for pressure testing. The port is circular, larger than the interior diameter of the pipeline and located at or above the tube forming the flow path through the fitting. The fitting has a recess encircling at least part of the flow path and opening to the port to receive the testing and sealing devices. The recess is formed by two opposing walls inclined relative to the central axis of the recess. The recess walls at the top of the flow path by the port are spaced apart a distance as large as the pipe diameter for cleanout and inspection. A tubular valve stem screws into the testing device and has a rotary valve blocking flow through the tubular valve stem. Flow through the fitting is blocked with the rotary valve closed and the tubular valve stem in a first position. Flow through the testing device is allowed with the rotary valve closed and the tubular valve stem in an open position. With the rotary valve open, flow through the tubular valve stem is permitted when the tubular valve stem is in either the first or second position to provide multiple drain and fill options.

Buildings and houses have pipe lines that need to be pressure tested in order to verify that the various joints in the pipe line do not leak. Such lines include water lines and drainage lines. This testing is typically done by hooking up a source of pressurized air or water to the line and filling the line. Because an open line will not hold the pressure for testing, the end(s) of each line or segments of the line must be capped or plugged prior to introducing the pressurized air or water. This is troublesome and there is thus a need for an easier way to block the line for testing.
Further the line must frequently be tested in an intact state, after all joints have been fully assembled. If a single joint or a series of joints are tested, this testing requires plugs to be introduced into the interior of the pipe via temporary openings which must be later closed and sealed. It is desirable to have the ability to pressurize and relieve pressure at the test fitting. But in some cases it may be desirable to fill at the test fitting and yet not release the test pressure by allowing to fluid flow through the pipe rather than venting at the test fitting. There is thus a need to relieve the test pressure in a controlled manner and in a variety of ways.
During or after the initial pressure testing of pipe lines a need often arises to inspect the plumbing line or to test for blockage, typically by running a plumbing snake down the line. A cleanout fitting is often provided to make this inspection and clearing easier. Cleanout fittings combined with pressure-test fittings exist as inflatable bladders are inserted into cleanout fittings for pressure testing. But the inflatable bladders risk breaking or cracking the fitting by over-inflating the sealing bladder. Combinations using removable gate slides or gate valves and/or removable but hollow finish slides are described in several patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,398,675, 6,699,704, 6,672,139, 6,655,413, 6,422,064, 6,234,007, and D488,852. Most of these provide small openings in the pipe and are thus suited only for pressure testing but do not readily allow other uses, such as pipe cleanout or inspection.
One company makes a gate device that is inserted into a generally V-shaped notch (viewed from the side) in a clean-out fitting is described and show in U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,442. But that design requires a large, complex shaped opening and a large, complex shaped seal that bends at right angles, neither of which are proven to stand the test of time and repeated use. Moreover, the generally V-shaped notch extends to the midline of the pipe fitting and significantly weakens the fitting, causing deformation and leakage when the fitting is deformed by the weight of the adjoining pipeline. As reflected by this patent, it is believed disadvantageous to form a pressure testing fitting in the same opening as a cleanout fitting, in part because many plumbing codes require that the cleanout fitting have an opening that is no smaller than 0.5 inches smaller than the nominal size of the pipe and such a large opening weakens the fitting and pipeline.
There is thus a need for a combined pressure-testing cleanout fitting that is of simple construction and that uses simpler and more reliable seal while providing increased strength to support the weight of adjoining pipelines.

Pipe pressure testing method and apparatus


A pre-form of an anode current collector for an alkaline electrochemical cell is plated at its edges with tin, zinc, or a combination of tin and zinc, to protect the anode current collector from chemically reacting with the anode paste, and forming hydrogen gas in the cell. The anode current collector, thus protected, is placed in an alkaline electrochemical cell with an anode paste preferably containing no mercury, without incurring deleterious swelling of the resulting cell.

Metal oxide primary cells are generally constructed from a pressed metal oxide (e.g. manganese oxide, MnO.sub.2) cathode, an anode paste prepared from zinc powder and a gel, and an alkaline electrolyte usually disposed within a separator between the anode and the cathode. All of these components are contained within an appropriate casing or housing.
Usually, the current from the cathode is collected from the core by a metallic member such as a portion of the cell steel casing or a metal cathode holder (e.g. a cup or clip) which holds the pressed cathode mass. Constructions of some cells of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,939,010, 3,945,847, 4,125,638, 4,585,715, and 4,925,754. Most notably, my patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,754, herein incorporated by reference, teaches an electrochemical cell quite similar to the basic construction of the cells of this invention; the primary difference being in the construction of the anode current collector, and in the absence of mercury in the anode paste.
In electrochemical cells as above, the current collectors are typically made by cutting the collectors out of sheet metal substrate, and otherwise bending and/or forming the so cut pieces to make current collectors having the desired shape. The so-fabricated current collector is then assembled with the rest of the elements of the electrochemical cell, and the cell is sealed closed.
In such cells, it is known that there is potential for generation of hydrogen gas due to the spontaneous oxidation/reduction reaction of iron, generally according to the formula EQU Fe(s)+2H.sup.+ (aq).fwdarw.Fe.sup.++ +H.sub.2 (g).
In the process of generating hydrogen gas in the cell, materials useful in the electrochemical function of the cell are consumed, thus reducing the useful life of the cell. In addition, hydrogen generation produces a gaseous pressure in the cell, causing the cell to expand, and creating the corresponding potential for bursting of the cell if the gaseous pressure overcomes the physical integrity of the cell structure.
In prior art, mercury was added as an ingredient in the anode paste, to suppress generation of hydrogen gas. Then, in response to recognition of the toxicity of mercury, a search was begun for alternative means for suppressing generation of hydrogen gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,868 Devitt suggests current collector substrates made from copper coated with tin, lead, or mercury, and made from tinplated steel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,424 Larsen teaches that using organosilicates as additives in the anode paste allows for reduction in the amount of mercury used, but not for elimination of mercury, entirely.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,705 Hunter teaches using a copper-zinc anode current collector substrate, coated with a lead-containing layer.
It is an object of this invention to provide an anode current collector which does not contribute substantially to generation of hydrogen gas in the alkaline cell environment, and wherein the anode paste can be free from effective amounts of mercury.
It is a further object to provide an anode current collector wherein the edges of the current collector are post plated, after the cutting out of the current collector pre-form, with a metallic coating selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, and a combination of 20-25% by weight zinc and 80-75% by weight tin.
It is another object to provide a coating of 1-100 microinches on the corresponding edge or edges of the base layer of steel.
It is yet another object to provide an alkaline electrochemical cell wherein generation of hydrogen gas is essentially eliminated.
It is still another object to provide a method of making an anode current collector by post-plating the edges of the current collector to thereby protect/coat exposed edges of a base layer of steel.
It is finally an object to provide a method of making an alkaline electrochemical cell wherein generation of hydrogen gas is essentially eliminated.

Edge coated anode current collector cells and methods


A non-destructive method for determining the presence of anisotropic structures in the interior of an as-formed metal. The method includes the steps of (a) attaching an ultrasonic transducer to the metal item prior to working the metal; (b) energizing the transducer to generate shear ultrasonic waves capable of penetrating the metal item; (c) measuring the time of flight of the shear ultrasonic waves through the metal item; (d) rotating the transducer approximately 90.degree.; (e) repeating step (c); and determining the difference between steps (c) and (e) to determine the presence of anisotropic structures in the interior of the metal item.

Twinned columnar growth structure is one of several internal metallurgical structures that can occur in cast alloys when solidification conditions, including grain refining additions are not optimal. Other undesirable features include, for example, columnar grains and residual stress.
Twinned columnar growth (TCG) structure in an aluminum alloy is one of the more deleterious internal structures. It is an anisotropic structure formed as a result of a highly oriented growth pattern and it results in variations of strength, ductility and elasticity of an aluminum alloy. TCG consists of many parallel continuous thin lamellae that are approximately 100 micrometers thick and several centimeters long. Each lamella comprises a twinned crystal with the twinned boundary coherent along the <111> plane and non-coherent at the edges. Growth usually occurs in the <112> direction. The variations of strength, ductility and elasticity of an aluminum alloy due to TCG is a function of the orientation of the growth direction with respect to the tensile testing direction. When the growth direction is parallel with the gauge length of the tensile specimen, strength and ductility is high. When the growth direction is oriented normal to the guage length, strength is reduced and ductility approaches zero.
Current methods for testing for the presence of internal structural anisotropies, such as TCG, are quite expensive and time consuming. The most commonly employed methods are to scalp or surface machine the ingot, polish and then etch the exposed surface. However, these methods do not test for TCG at a depth below the scalped surface of the metal.
In addition, testing is not performed at multiple levels because multiple transverse section would be needed and there would be less metal for fabrication to a final product. As a result of current testing procedures, TCG may remain undetected until after additional time and capital has been used to work the ingot into a wrought product.
Furthermore, if TCG is detected, current techniques do not allow one to properly quantify it. The TCG found on exposed surfaces is not necessarily representative of the entire ingot. However, it is too costly to test ingots as completely as would be statistically necessary to meet rigid quality control standards. As a result, entire ingots are remelted because TCG is detected in a single portion and there is no inexpensive and nondestructive method to determine if part of the ingot is free of TCG and potentially useful for making quality product.
The present invention is directed to the use of ultrasonic waves to detect, locate and/or quantify structural anisotropies such as TCG throughout the entire cross-section of an ingot. All ultrasonic methods depend in principle upon the fact that the velocity of propagation of ultrasound (elastic waves) in a solid medium is influenced by the state of strain of the medium as well as the elastic constant as a function of direction. Although the effect of TCG on the velocity in an ingot is small, its detection and measurement are within the present state of the ultrasonic art.
However, the velocity of sound is also affected by numerous other factors related to the condition of the material such as its microstructure, heat treatment, grain orientation, density and homogeneity. Therefore, the determination of the absolute velocity of sound in a material does not give an accurate indication of stress in the material unless standards which accurately represent all the other velocity-affecting conditions are available. To overcome this problem of determining the absolute velocity determination, a known technique called shear wave birefringence is used. This technique is based upon measuring the difference in velocity of piezoelectrically generated shear waves which are orthogonally polarized by the electric field applied to the material. According to this technique, only the difference in velocity between two shear waves is measured. Since this difference in velocity is caused primarily by the difference in elastic constants in two orthogonal directions within the material, the need to know the thickness of the metal can be eliminated.
According to the prior art, piezoelectric transducers are required to generate ultrasonic waves in the material being measured. These transducers utilize an oriented crystal which is strained along a particular crystallographic axis in response to an electric field applied to the crystal (the piezoelectric effect). Consequently, the piezoelectric transducer must be rigidly attached or coupled by a very viscous fluid or a solid bond to the material being evaluated in order to inject an ultrasonic wave into the material.
Prior art that discloses the use of ultrasonic waves to determine characteristic of materials are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,520 issued to Carnevale et al discloses an ultrasonic measurement apparatus for determining the ultrasonic transmission characteristics of materials at elevated temperatures. The apparatus utilizes the lapse of time between generating of an ultrasonic wave at the face of the transmitting probe and the arrival of the wave at a second receiving probe to determine the velocity of the wave through the material. The method requires precise thickness measurements to calculate precise velocities. The calculated velocities are then used to determine the temperature of the material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,532 issued to Muenow et al discloses a nondestructive testing system for testing the structural integrity of articles by measuring their sonic characteristics. The system includes a delay circuit which is adjusted until it produces a delay exactly equal to the time required for sound to travel a known distance from a transmitting transducer to a receiving transducer. The delay is read out as an indication of the propagation velocity of waves in the article.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,182 issued to Clotfelter discloses a method for measuring biaxial stress in a test articles subjected to stress inducing loads such as engineering structures and the like. The method includes obtaining the transit time differential between a second wave echo for a longitudinal wave propagated along a first path through a stressed test article and the first wave echo for at least one shear wave propagated through the article along a second path paralleling the first path, and then comparing the obtained time differential to establish a transit time differential indicative of a measurement of stress.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,836 issued to Thompson et al discloses a method of measuring stress in a material using electromagnetically generated, transverse elastic waves. An electromagnetic transducer is used to generate orthogonally polarized waves traveling through a test block at different velocities as a result of anisotropic stress in the part. The difference in velocity between the polarized waves is measured and compared to the correlation to obtain the stress in the existing part.
In addition, work has been performed using ultrasonic waves to determine characteristic of aluminum plate. See for example, 37 Effects of Solute Content and Heat Treatment on Elastic Coefficients of Al--Cu Alloys Containing Columnar Crystals", Zairyoshi, Vol 32No. 352, pages 94-100 in which Yamaguchi et al used ultrasonic sonic wave velocities to determine the elastic stiffness of Al--Cu alloys containing columnar crystals. Yamaguchi et al used great care to prepare the surface of a six inch thick aluminum plate employed to conduct his research. This was done because they were making precise velocity calculations from very precise thickness measurements.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, nondestructive method for the detection of twinned columnar growth (TCG) in aluminum alloys which is more convenient than prior methods.
Another object of the present invention is to inexpensively detect, locate and quantify structural anisotropies such as TCG throughout the entire cross-section of an ingot in a timely fashion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a nondestructive method for the detection of anisotropies in as-formed aluminum pieces that is not dependent on making precise velocity measurements.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a nondestructive method for the detection of anisotropies in as-formed aluminum pieces that is not dependent on making precise thickness measurements to calculate precise velocities.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a nondestructive method for the detection of anisotropies in as-formed aluminum pieces that can utilize rough as formed surfaces and does not require costly surface preparation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a nondestructive method for the detection of anisotropies in as-formed aluminum pieces having cross-section of approximately two feet.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a nondestructive method for the detection of anisotropies in as-formed metals including aluminum alloys without the need to prepare a test surface.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a nondestructive method for the detection of anisotropies in as-cast aluminum ingots without the need to scalp the ingot prior to testing.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated with reference to the following description.

Method of determining the presence of anisotropic structures in the interior of as formed metal


An encapsulated toner composition comprised of a core comprised of polymer resins, and colorants, which core is encapsulated within a polymer shell containing a siloxane component.

The present invention is generally directed to toner compositions, and more specifically to encapsulated toner compositions and processes thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention is related to encapsulated toner compositions comprised of core components such as, for example, polymer resins, and colorants comprised of magnetic pigments, dyes, color pigments like cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, blue, brown, or mixtures thereof, and thereover a polymeric shell containing a siloxane component. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to encapsulated toners comprised of a core containing a polymer resin, or plurality of polymer resins and magnetic pigment particles, such as iron oxides or magnetites, encapsulated within a polymeric shell, preferably comprised of a condensation polymer which has been chemically treated with a silane reagent. The encapsulated toners of the present invention in embodiments possess a number of advantages including cold pressure fixability, low heat fusibility, high image fix, excellent powder flow characteristics, excellent surface release properties, and excellent toner shelf stability.
Encapsulated toners and processes thereof are known. For example, both U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,489 and British Patent Publication 1,538,787 disclose similar processes for colored encapsulated toners wherein both the core resin and shell materials are prepared by free radical polymerization techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,764 discloses a colored microcapsule toner comprised of a colored core encapsulated by two resin shells with the inner shell having an affinity for both the core and the outer shell materials, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,201 illustrates the use of pressure sensitive toner clusters or aggregates with each granule of the cluster or aggregate being comprised of a pressure sensitive adhesive substance encapsulated by coating film. Color pigment particles or magnetic particles can be present on the surfaces of the encapsulated granules to impart the desired color to the toners. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,011 discloses a process for preparing encapsulated toners which involves a shell forming interfacial polycondensation and a core binder forming free radical polymerization, and further U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,924 discloses the use of a mixture of two polymers, one having a glass transition temperature in the range of -90.degree. C. to 5.degree. C., and the other having a softening temperature in the range of 25.degree. C. to 180.degree. C., as the core binders for a pressure fixable encapsulated toner. Other prior art, all U.S. patents, are summarized below: U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,518, which relates to a process of electrostatic printing with fluorinated polymer toner additives where suitable materials for the dielectric toner are thermoplastic silicone resins and fluorine containing resins having low surface energy, reference column 4, beginning at line 10, note for example the disclosure in column 4, line 16, through column 6; U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,099, which discloses methods of forming encapsulated toner particles and wherein there are selected organic polymers including homopolymers and copolymers such as vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, and the like, see column 6, beginning at line 3, wherein there can be selected as the core materials polyolefins, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene oxide and the like, see column 3, beginning at around line 18; U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,994 directed to pressure fixable capsule toners with polyolefins, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, see for example column 3, beginning at line 15; U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,885, which discloses a pressure fixable microcapsule toner comprising a pressure fixable component, a magnetic material, and other optional components, and wherein the core material can contain a soft material, typical examples of which include polyvinylidenefluoride, polybutadiene, and the like, see column 3, beginning at line 10; U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,091 discloses an encapsulated toner with a core which comprises a colorant, a dissolving solvent, a nondissolving liquid and a polymer, and may include additives such as fluorine containing resin, see column 10, beginning at line 27; U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,142 relating to capsule toners wherein additives such as polytetrafluoroethylenes are selected as lubricating components, see column 5, beginning at line 52; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,599,289 and 4,803,144.
With further specific reference to the prior art, there are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,169 microcapsular electrostatic marking particles containing a pressure fixable core, and an encapsulating substance comprised of a pressure rupturable shell, wherein the shell is formed by an interfacial polymerization. One shell prepared in accordance with the teachings of this patent is a polyamide obtained by interfacial polymerization. Furthermore, there are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,922 pressure sensitive toner compositions comprised of a blend of two immiscible polymers selected from the group consisting of certain polymers as a hard component, and polyoctyldecylvinylether-co-maleic anhydride as a soft component. Interfacial polymerization processes are also selected for the preparation of the toners of this patent. Also, there are disclosed in the prior art encapsulated toner compositions containing costly pigments and dyes, reference for example the color photocapsule toners of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,399,209; 4,482,624; 4,483,912 and 4,397,483.
In a patentability search report, there were recited the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,733 wherein there is coated unencapsulated toners with a siloxane copolymer to impart clean up qualities thereof, see the Abstract for example; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,640,881; 4,758,491; 4,876,169 and 4,954,408, which illustrate the inclusion of siloxane polymers in a toner binder resin; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,585,723 and 4,902,570, which illustrate generally the coupling of siloxanes to small particles.
The disclosures of all the U.S. patents and other patent documents mentioned herein are totally incorporated herein by reference.
A number of copending applications illustrate various encapsulated toner compositions including, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,043,240, 5,035,970, 5,037,716, 5,139,915, 5,045,253 5,077,167, U.S. Ser. No. 546,278 U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,819, 5,082,757, U.S. Ser. No. 617,222, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,023,159 5,013,630, 5,153,089, wherein there is disclosed, for example, a toner composition comprised of a homogeneous or substantially homogeneous mixture of polymer resin or resins, and color pigments, dyes, or mixtures thereof overcoated with a component derived from the condensation of a cellulose polymer with a silane component, the disclosures of each of the aforementioned copending applications and patents being totally incorporated herein by reference.


For obtaining a print result of the image quality in which the color reproducibility is always stable even if receiving a printing job from any client computer, a first calibration control unit obtains correction data from a printer to store the data in a first memory, receives normal print information from a client computer, and corrects print data by referring to a correction table produced in accordance with the correction data when generating the print data based on the received print information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer server for processing the print information supplied from a data processor through a predetermined communication medium and transferring print data to a printer, a method for processing the data in the printer server, and a storage medium storing a program which can be read by a computer.
2. Related Background Art
To correct the state change of a conventional printer such as the change of an output image due to the change of a condition such as temperature or humidity, or the state change or deterioration state of a visible image due to the deterioration of consumables such as a drum and toner cartridge in the case of an electrophotographic printer, calibration corresponding to the state change is performed so that the printer can output an image that meets requested density and color by correcting the print information received so as to be able to output the requested density and color even if the state change occurs.
In the case of a printing system for converting image data into binary notation with a client computer, correction data is obtained through the calibration of a printer by using the two-way-communication function of the client computer to produce a correction table and the image data is converted into binary notation by correcting the image data.
In the case of a shared printing system in which one printer is shared by a plurality of client computers, the above correction is asynchronously performed by the client computers.
To locally use a printer, it is possible to realize correction corresponding to the color reproducing characteristic of a printer by obtaining correction data through calibration and correcting image data as ever.
However, in the case of the shared printing system in which one printer is used on a network and shared by a plurality of client computers, the following problem occurs.
In the case of the above system, a printing job obtaining correction data is not always preferentially printed. When the printing job from a certain client computer is processed before the printing job of the other client computer is processed by a printer and lots of images are formed by the printer, the color reproducibility of the printer may be greatly changed due to the formation of the images.
That is, the correction data used for the correction provided with the print information corresponding to the printing job of a certain client computer may not correspond to the color reproducibility when the printing job is processed by a printer.
Thus, in the case of the shared printing system in which one printer is shared by a plurality of client computers, there is a problem that the correction corresponding to the color reproducibility when printing is executed cannot be performed by a conventional method.
Moreover, there is a problem that the application release time is prevented from being reduced while the processing and correction for producing a correction table are performed by a client computer in accordance with correction data.

Printer server, method for processing data and storage medium


An optoelectronic device for optical coupling between different dimensioned waveguides has an arrangement forming a narrow waveguide and an arrangement forming a broad waveguide, which extend parallel to one another and are superimposed with each other to provide a superimposing wave guidance in a region and transverse dimensions of the narrow waveguide are continuously reduced to zero in the shape of a taper in a second region so that only the broad wave guidance on the basis of the broad ridge fashioned in the broad waveguide are present in a region adjoining this second region having the taper.

The present invention is directed to an optoelectronic device for coupling different dimensioned waveguides, which device comprises means for a narrow wave guidance in the lateral direction and means for a broad wave guidance in the lateral direction, said two means being arranged to extend parallel to one another with one of the means being continually reduced in a transversal direction in a section so that both a narrow and a broad wave are guided in a region adjacent this section and only one of the waves is guided in the region on the other side of this section.
A critical condition for optoelectronic transmission technology is the effective, stable and simple adjustable optical coupling between an optical fiber as a transmission medium and an optoelectronic device as either a transmission element or as a reception element. To this end, the electromagnetic (EM) field distribution crosswise (either transversely or laterally) vis-a-vis the propagation direction of the light in the optical fiber must be matched to the field distribution in the optoelectronic device. The wave guidance in the optoelectronic device (OED) generally occurs with waveguides wherein the electromagnetic field distribution crosswise vis-a-vis the propagation direction of the light differs greatly from that which is in an optical fiber. A matching of the wave guidance between the optoelectronic device and the optical fiber is achieved with the assistance of an adiabatic taper. Such an adiabatic taper is composed of a waveguide whose lateral and transversal wave guidance changes along the propagation direction of the light so that no optical losses due to conversion of modes will occur. To this end, the geometric shape of the waveguide in the optoelectronic device is hitherto varied along the propagation of the light, both in a lateral, as well as a transverse, direction. For example, see an article by A. Shahar et al entitled "Dynamic etch mask technique for fabricating tapered semiconductor optical waveguides and other structures", Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 56, No. 12, Mar. 19, 1990, pp 1098-1100. Technological measures for varying the geometric dimensions in both direction perpendicular to the light propagation are required for this purpose.

Optoelectronic device for coupling between different dimensioned waveguides


The invention features methods of identifying a compound which suppresses ventricular muscle cell hypertrophy. In one embodiment, ventricular muscle cells are contacted with a test compound, which acts through an RAR or RXR receptor, in the presence of an inducer of hypertrophy. Development of ventricular muscle cell hypertrophy is then measured to identify compounds having the desired activity.

Heart failure affects approximately three million Americans, developing at a rate of approximately 400,000 new cases per year. Current therapy for heart failure is primarily directed to using angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and diuretics. ACE inhibitors appear to slow the progression towards end-stage heart failure in patients; however, they are unable to relieve symptoms in more than 60% of heart failure patients and reduce mortality of heart failure only by approximately 15-20%. Heart transplantation is limited by the availability of donor hearts. With the exception of digoxin, the chronic administration of positive inotropic agents has not resulted in a useful drug without accompanying adverse side effects, such as increased arrhythmia, sudden death, or other deleterious side effects related to survival. These deficiencies in current therapy suggest the need for additional therapeutic approaches.
Cardiac muscle hypertrophy is one of the most important adaptive physiological responses of the myocardium. In response to increased demands for cardiac work or following a variety of pathological stimuli which lead to cardiac injury, the heart adapts through the activation of a hypertrophic response in individual cardiac muscle cells, which is characterized by an increase in myocyte size, the accumulation of contractile proteins within individual cardiac cells, the activation of embryonic gene markers expression, and the lack of a concomitant effect on muscle cell proliferation. Although the hypertrophic process can initially be compensatory, there can be a pathological transition in which the myocardium becomes dysfunctional (Braunwald (1994) in Pathophysiology of Heart Failure, (Braunwald, ed.); Saunders, Philadelphia; Vol. 14, pp 393-402).
Studies in an in vitro model system of ventricular muscle cell hypertrophy have led to the identification of a number of mechanical, hormonal, growth factor, and pathological stimuli which can activate several independent features of hypertrophy (Chien et al. (1991) FASEB J. 5:3037-3046; Knowlton et al. (1991.) J. Biol. Chem. 266:7759-7768; Shubeita et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265:20555-20562; Thorburn et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:2244-2249; LaMorte et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269:13490-13496; Knowlton et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:15374-15380). Currently, there are at least two signal transduction pathways, involving both ras- (Thorburn et al. (1993) supra), and G.sub.q protein-dependent downstream effectors (LaMorte et al. (1994) supra) implicated in the activation of features of the hypertrophic response in the in vitro model system.
While progress has been made in uncovering the signaling pathways which activate the ventricular muscle cell hypertrophic response, relatively little is known as to mechanisms which inhibit or suppress the hypertrophic response.
There is a need for an improved heart failure therapy, such as congestive heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Retinoid suppression of ventricular muscle cell hypertrophy


Prior pneumatically-cushioned chairs require over-inflation of the cushions to maintain a neat appearance for the chair when it is unoccupied. A chair is described having an array of pneumatically-inflated cushions each having an air storage reservoir which is biassed to force air into the cushions when the chair is unoccupied, providing a neat firm appearance, but to allow the volume of air in the cushions to be gradually reduced when placed under load to provide a gentler support.

Chairs, sofas and the like which have cushions which conform to the user's body in order to avoid pressure points are desirable not only from the standpoint of general comfort, but also for medical reasons to support burn victims and avoid bedsores on invalids. Inflatable bladders have been used in the prior art to provide vehicle seat cushions of variable firmness. See for example Horvath et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,027 issued Nov. 17, 1987; Morrell U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,732 issued Feb. 5, 1975; Bentley U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,286 issued Feb. 26, 1980; Huber et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,402 issued Nov. 12, 1985; Wierwille U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,941 issued Jan. 16, 1968; and Grudzinskas U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,481 issued Oct. 28, 1986. In a vehicle seat application, firm support is the primary concern, rather than the gentle support required for medical applications or reclining chairs for relaxation. In the latter applications, considerable "give" in the supporting surface is desired so that the support is spread out over the entire surface of the user's body. From an aesthetic standpoint, however, especially for reclining chairs for residential homes, it is desirable that the surface of the chair have a firm, neat appearance when the chair is unoccupied.


A gaming system including a tracking system or a player tracking system and plurality of gaming machines. The gaming machines include at least one display device and a plurality of player preferences selections. These player preference selections enable a player to choose one or more elements of the background or an entertainment setting of the gaming machine while they are playing a game at the gaming machine. The gaming machine enables the player to enter identification information at the gaming machine and choose at least one preference. The gaming machine tracks all of the preference selections made by the player. Upon meeting certain promotional criteria, the gaming machine determines a promotion to provide the player based on the preferences of that player. That is, the player does not directly select any promotions. The gaming system determines personalized promotions for the player based on the preference selections made by that player.

Gaming establishments have recognized the value of building customer loyalty through identifying frequent customers and rewarding them for their patronage. These rewards are typically referred to as comping or promotions. To properly identify customers that are deserving of special comp rewards, automated player tracking technologies exist to accurately identify these individuals. Each particular player's gaming activity enables gaming establishments to target which individual players deserve to receive promotions or comps. A player tracking system typically includes one or more devices which track and store information regarding one or more aspects of a player's gaming activity. Such systems include issuing individual player tracking cards to one or more players, wherein each time a player participates in a qualified gaming activity, the gaming system associates and stores the player's gaming activity with the player's player tracking account. Based on this stored information or data, the gaming establishment classifies each player and provides one or more of such players certain benefits based on these classifications and their gaming activity.
In existing player tracking systems, a player is issued a player identification card which has an encoded player identification number that uniquely identifies the player. Player tracking on gaming devices, such as slot machines, is frequently accomplished with a card reader mounted in the gaming device. When the player first sits down at a gaming machine, the player inserts the card into the card reader. The card reader reads the player identification number from the card and communicates information through a network to a central computer regarding the player's subsequent gaming activity until the player cashes out or removes their card.
Certain casinos try to make promotions or comps more personal. One known way certain casinos try to personalize promotions is by providing an optional survey for players to fill out upon registration for a player tracking program. However, players often neglect to fill out the survey because it is burdensome. Other players are not aware that the survey exists. Casinos and players also have an interest in a player using the time necessary to fill out the survey to participate in other activities. For example, the player may want to play games or make other use of their leisure or pleasure time.
Additionally, many surveys do not ask the right questions or enough questions to have a level of detail to provide the player promotions based on the surveys. The players that actually fill out the surveys only fill them out at the time of registering for player programs. The casinos do not update the surveys and player's tastes or preferences often change.
Casinos incur costs in providing or sending out promotional materials to players. The players that receive the promotions need to be targeted to ensure they are of the player group that would possibly use the promotions. Even so, many promotions go unredeemed by players. To provide better promotions to the players which may use or benefit from the promotions, more and better information is needed than the information currently provided by the known system. For example, more detailed information is needed to perform regression analysis to determine which players to provide which promotions.
It is thus very desirable for gaming establishment to be able to determine which customers to provide with personalized comps, promotions and incentives.

Gaming system and method having promotions based on player selected gaming environment preferences


A device, detectable by automatic means, is concealed within a spring-tong-like housing structure formed from plastic arms joined at one end by a concealed bayonet type locking arrangement that creates a non-mobile joint. The arms are sufficiently flexible to permit their free ends to be pressed together manually thereby engaging a tack shank carried by one arm in a clutch lock concealed in the other arm. The intermediate portions of the arms have reduced structural rigidity such that any attempt to bend the housing structure when the tag is closed will result in flexure of the intermediate portions absorbing the bending forces with reduced communication of shearing force to mating end portions of the arms.

The present invention relates to a reusable security tag adapted to be secured to an article to be maintained under surveillance, and more particularly to a tag concealing an element detectable by independent means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,829 issued Mar. 9, 1976, on an application of David Raymond Humble and Harry Godfrey Walters, III, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed a reusable security tag having an enclosure containing an element detectable by independent means and a cruciate sheet metal clutch lock. A pin for piercing a garment is secured at the end of a lever arm which is hinged to said enclosure for controlled movement into said lock. Said pin is released from said clutch lock by application of a special tool to said enclosure for deforming the clutch lock to spread its jaws. For a more complete description of such reusable security tag reference should be had to the patent specification.
While a very considerable number of security tags constructed in accordance with the teaching of the aforesaid patent have been produced and used successfully, it has been discovered that such tags have certain limitations. The known tag is quite bulky and was constructed with a large knob or protuberance as a part of the housing to conceal the fastening tack when the tag is secured to a garment. It was discovered that when such tags are used in conjunction with garments that are normally tried on before purchase, the tags cause annoyance if they are secured to the garment with the protuberance of the housing located towards the inside of the article. Thus, in order to avoid such annoyance the retailers prefer to attach the tag to the garment with the tack end on the inside which means that during normal application of the tag to the garment the tack would be concealed from view by the garment and more difficult to locate at a specific spot.
It was also discovered as a consequence of considerable use of such patented tags that they could be defeated by continual flexing and bending by an individual intent upon unauthorized removal of the tag. Apparently, in spite of the specific measures taken to reduce the same, flexing of the tag results in the communication of severe shearing forces to the tack clutch lock area causing the lock gradually to give. Also, since the patented tag is constructed with a lever arm that is hinged to an enclosure, the exposed hinge is subject to attack and destruction enabling the tag to be removed without authorization.

21
C
FSS 316
FSS 16 PB
FSS 99 R
FSS 101;916


A video surveillance system having a plurality of video-type cameras includes a graphical user interface which is not list driven but provides a background image of a portion of the region being monitored, and, event or incident identifiers associated with the provided background image. The event or incident identifiers are presented semi-transparently and overlay the background image. Each of the incident identifiers includes a selectable icon. Selecting the icon switches to a different background image and presents a different foreground group of incidents or events associated with the different background image. The various events or incidents can be explored in the context of the background image. In addition with selecting the icons user can also select the event or incident identifier to see the corresponding background image. Once the background image is updated, user can start play the video directly in the same view.

Video surveillance systems are used in almost all business sectors for security and surveillance purposes. Primary usage of these systems includes live monitoring, reviewing playback videos, and event, alarm, bookmark and incident reviews. A recurring problem with these systems is that they are primarily list driven. Alarm and event lists are presented in a more or less static configuration and need further improvements.
Alarm lists make for difficult reading in that they often show a basic description about alarm details, alarm device, alarm time, and alarm location. Most of the time, alarms will be listed in a tabular list format.
Further, most of the time, alarms will be linked with some video data, like "Motion detection on Camera 39". For such an alarm, a user has to obtain video from camera 39. Many known types of systems, such as life safety systems, building automation and management systems, home automation systems, and residential security systems, for example, are integrated with a regional video system to provide visual alarm verification.
Existing alarm and event views give more or less static information. There may be linkages to other interfaces for retrieving relevant video, but information needs to be extracted from different interfaces or different subsystems. This problem is more applicable for video based mobile applications (CCTV) since screen size is limited. Nowadays, most residential security systems, connected home systems, and residential home automation systems are controlled and monitored remotely though mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets.
In summary, in known systems, there is no contextual view or information for events to be reviewed (even before starting video retrieval). For example in a scenario where a CCTV operator is looking for a person in a red shirt who forcibly opened an access door, to find an exact alarm and video clip, the CCTV operator needs to play an entire video clip.

System and method of interactive image and video based contextual alarm viewing


A new method of metal deposition in an integrated circuit is described. Semiconductor device structures are provided in and on a semiconductor substrate. At least one patterned conductive layer is provided for contacting the active elements of the device structures. The surface of the patterned conductive layer structure is irregular with horizontal and vertical components. An insulating layer is provided over the irregular structure patterned conductive layer. The insulator layer is covered with at least one spin-on-glass layer to fill the valleys of the irregular structure. The spin-on-glass layer is baked and cured, then covered with a second insulator layer. The spin-on-glass and two insulator layers are etched to provide openings to the patterned conductive layer wherein the etching is performed at low temperature so as to decrease the possibility of device degradation. The exposed spin-on-glass layer within the openings is degassed at a high temperature. A metal layer is sputtered over the surface of the substrate and filling the openings to the conductive layer and patterned to complete the metal deposition in the manufacture of integrated circuits.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of metal deposition in the manufacture of an integrated circuit device, and more particularly, to a method of metal deposition without poison via caused by outgassing from spin-on-glass in the manufacture of an integrated circuit.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
As integrated circuit technology is extended into the deep submicron regime, it is more difficult to fill in high aspect ratio via openings during metallization. A plasma-enhanced chemically vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon oxide, spin-on-glass, PECVD silicon oxide sandwich structure is usually used as the inter-metal dielectric in the manufacture of integrated circuits. During the deposition of higher level metal layers, the outgassing of moisture from the spin-on-glass around the via walls causes poison via; that is, poor step coverage of metal in the vias. This results in connection failure between the metal layers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,062 to Yen describes this outgassing problem and some methods to solve the problem. The conventional method for higher metal deposition involves the steps of 1) degassing of the spin-on-glass layer at high temperatures, 2) radio frequency (rf) etching to remove residual polymer and native metal oxide, and 3) metal sputtering. However, during step 1), only the surface layer of the spin-on-glass material is cured. This "dry" layer is then etched off during the subsequent step 2), leaving a new spin-on-glass surface full of moisture ready for the metal deposition. Poison via is inevitable. In addition, the high temperature of rf etching causes device degradation such as threshold voltage shift.

Method for metal deposition without poison via