A method is provided for finding a whole pattern in an image, where at least a portion of the whole pattern falls outside the boundary of the image. The method includes, for each candidate pose of a search model of the whole pattern that results in a transformed search model that may extend beyond the boundary of the image, applying a match-quality metric to only a subset of search model features and corresponding image features, the subset being uniquely determined by the pose. The features which do not overlap the image at that pose of the model are completely excluded from the metric computation. All the relevant available information is used, using no arbitrarily hypothesized information. The higher-level strategy of the search procedure is free to consider poses where the model extends partially outside the image, and the results of each metric computation will be the most true value possible.

In many applications, it is necessary to determine the location or, more generally, the pose (multi-degree-of-freedom position) of an object in a scene using machine vision, and various techniques exist for performing such a search. Such techniques generally involve a method for systematically visiting a plurality of locations in an image, and at each location visited, performing a computation using a model and a match-quality metric. The match-quality metric represents the quality of the match between the model at that location (pose) in the image and the pattern in the image. For example, one commonly used match-quality metric is normalized (cross) correlation, which computes a score between equal-sized regions of two images using a particular formula, such as the formula on page 653 of Pratt, Digital Image Processing, 2nd Ed., Wiley-Interscience. A simple high-level algorithm might compute the normalized correlation metric at all translations of the model image where the model image would fit entirely within the image of the scene, and the location would be the translation at which the score was greatest.
A limitation that is typical of many pattern location algorithms, and of normalized-correlation-based pattern location algorithms in particular, is an inability to find the correct location if the object is not entirely contained within the field of view, and thus only part of the pattern occurs in the image.
A fairly simple way to work around this limitation is to somehow extend the original image, where the amount of extension determines the range of additional candidate locations that could be compared. The image might be extended in a number of ways, e.g., by filling the extra region with pixels of a constant value or with pixels representing a periodic repetition of the image. However, these techniques suffer from the fundamental limitation that the match-quality metric will eventually be applied to pixel data which are not truly meaningful, thus leading to misleading match-quality metrics at these locations, and consequently to a possibly incorrect location found by the overall search algorithm.
For example, consider the technique of extending the image by appending pixels of a constant value, and using normalized correlation as the metric. Even for a location where the model correctly matches the portion of a pattern that falls within the image, the normalized correlation match-quality metric will return a reduced value, because the region of the image that includes the pixels of a constant value usually does not match the portion of the model that extends beyond the image. It is similarly possible to report an abnormally high value if the model does happen to have a constant region at its border.
In general, the metric is applied to the model at a given location (pose) in the image, where the pose may consist of just a translation, or may include additional degrees of freedom, such as rotation, scale, aspect, and shear, for example. In this general case, the search algorithm usually generates a set of possible poses of the model, and applies the metric at each pose. The usual limitation is that only poses of the model wherein the entire model overlaps the image can be considered. In the typical normalized correlation approach, the set of poses that would be considered would be all translations in integer pixel increments such that the model still falls within the image. Note that even when using normalized correlation as the metric, it is possible to consider more general poses, typically by digitally transforming the model (or image) pixels according to the pose (e.g., by rotating, scaling, and/or shearing), in addition to translations of the model.
However, known approaches degrade or fail when the model extends beyond the boundary of the image, providing incorrect locations of the model.

Method for finding a pattern which may fall partially outside an image

Cognex Technology and Investment Corporation


Method and system are provided where a memory key structure is used for authenticating access to a memory location that is registered for a remote direct memory access (RDMA) operation. The memory key structure not only includes a standard memory key that is expected by an RDMA enabled network interface card (RNIC), but also includes an endpoint network address identifier and a transport identifier. The endpoint network address identifier and the transport identifier are verified before an entity is granted access to the registered memory location.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to direct remote memory access in network communication.
2. Related Art
Network communication is commonly used by computing systems and devices to send and receive information. Typically, a computing system uses a network interface card send and receive information. Continuous efforts are being made to improve the efficiency at which information is sent and received.
One option for improving network communication is to use remote direct memory access ("RDMA"). RDMA allows data to move directly from one computing system memory to another computing system memory, without extensively involving either computing system's operating system. Various specifications for RDMA based communication have been established by various organizations, for example, the RDMA Consortium, InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The specifications provide guidelines for remote direct memory access.
For executing RDMA operations, typically, a portion of a computing system's memory is registered so that another device (for example, a network interface card) can directly place information to or read information from the registered memory. During the registration process, a memory key is generated. Before a remote node is allowed to access the registered memory, the network interface card verifies the remote memory key. However, this level of authentication is not very strong and may raise security issues. For example, an unauthorized person may run an unauthorized program on computing system and obtain access to the memory keys by guessing, searching or using any other technique. Once the memory key is compromised, one can potentially access the registered memory. This problem can be serious, especially, with the rampant popularity of Internet based communication.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method and system for secure RDMA communication that does not rely solely on standard memory key verification.

Method and system for secure remote direct memory access


An emergency mechanism is incorporated in a powered back door closing device of a motor vehicle. During the time when, with the aid of a driving mechanism, a drawing mechanism of the door closing device is pulling down the back door through a striker secured thereto, the emergency mechanism forces a locking plate of the closing device to pivot from a locking position to an unlocking position thereby to release the striker from the drawing mechanism. The emergency mechanism comprises a cam member which is powered by the drive mechanism and rotatable about its axis in both directions; and a cam follower member which is pivotally connected to the locking plate. The cam follower member is actuated by the cam member in such a manner that when the cam member is rotated in one direction, the cam follower member forces the locking plate to keep the locking position and when the cam member is rotated in the other direction, the cam follower member forces the locking plate to pivot from the locking position to the unlocking position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to closing devices for motor vehicles and more particularly to powered closing devices for closing an automotive back door or the like by the force of an electric power. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with powered back door closing devices of a type which comprises a back door drawing mechanism mounted on a vehicle body and an electric power unit coupled with the back door drawing mechanism for powering the same, wherein when the back door is manually pivoted to an almost closed position, the back door drawing mechanism catches the back door and then enforcedly pulls down the same to a fully closed position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, one conventional powered back door closing device of the above-mentioned type will be outlined with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, which is shown in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication 4-3026683.
The back door closing device comprises generally a motor mounting plate 1 and a cover base plate 2 which are tightly connected through several struts 3 in a manner to define therebetween a certain space. A latch carrying plate 4 is installed in the space and pivotally connected to the cover base plate 2. The latch carrying plate 4 carries thereon a latch mechanism 5. An electric drive unit 6 is mounted on the motor mounting plate 1. An output shaft 6a of the electric drive unit 6 is connected through a joint mechanism 7 to a pivotally driving mechanism 8 supported by the cover base plate 2. Energizing the electric drive unit 6 induces upward and downward pivotal movement of the latch carrying plate 4 relative to the fixed cover base plate 2.
Upon assembly, the back door closing device is mounted on a rear portion of a motor vehicle where a back door is pivotally arranged, as may be understood from FIG. 1. The back door has a striker secured thereto.
When the back door of the vehicle is manually pivoted down to an almost closed position, the latch mechanism 5 of the closing device latches the striker of the back door and then upon energizing of the electric drive unit 6, the latch carrying plate 4 is pivoted down to pull the back door toward its fully closed position. Upon full closing of the back door, the electric drive unit 6 is deenergized. With this, the back door assumes the fully closed position. When, thereafter, the electric drive unit 6 is energized again, the latch carrying plate 4 is pivoted upward while canceling the engagement of the striker to the latch mechanism 5. With this, the back door is lifted to a released somewhat open position and thus the back door is ready for opening by hands.
However, due to its inherent construction, the abovementioned conventional back door closing device has some drawbacks. One of them is a weak point which has been exposed when, during closing movement of the back door, a foreign thing accidentally gets between the door and the vehicle body. In this case, the closing movement of the back door is enforcedly stopped applying a marked load to the electric drive unit 6. In fact, in such a case, the latch mechanism 5 must be awkwardly handled to release the striker of the back door for removing the foreign thing, or wiring of the electric drive unit 6 must be changed to run the motor of the unit 6 in a reversed direction for returning or lifting the back door to the released somewhat open position. However, these operation steps are difficult or at least troublesome.
Another weak point is the sway movement of the striker of the back door, which takes place when the back door is pulled down or pushed up by the closing device. Such sway movement of the striker is inevitably caused by the pivotal movement of the latch carrying plate 4. In fact, it has not been easy to provide the back door with a stable closed position when such pivotal drawing mechanism is employed.


The invention relates to methods and kits for determining platelet susceptibility to activation in a patient. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for determining platelet susceptibility to activation in a patient, comprising a step consisting of measuring the level of GPVI dimers at the platelet surface in a blood sample obtained from said patient.

Platelet adhesion at sites of vascular damage is required for normal haemostasis. Normally, platelets are prevented from activation in the blood stream by inhibitors of endothelial origin such as protacycline, nitric oxide or ectonucleotidase. However in some circumstances, dysfunctional endothelial cells loose their protective properties and promote platelet adhesion, platelet aggregation and growth of a solid thrombus on the site of the endothelial lesion.
Accordingly reliable methods for determining platelet susceptibility to activation in a patient are particularly desirable for diagnostic purposes.
Circulating platelets adhere to proteins of the subendothelial matrix exposed by an injured vessel in a process involving several receptors. Collagen fibers are highly thrombogenic and the platelet Glycoprotein (GP)VI predominantly mediates collagen-induced platelet responses.
GPVI is a platelet specific receptor of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily containing two extracellular Ig domains (D1 and D2), a single transmembrane domain and a short cytoplasmic tail. GPVI shares with other receptors of the same family (e.g. FcαRI, TCR, and BCR) the particularity that the extracellular recognition (ligand-binding) domain and the intracellular signaling domain are located on separate subunits. GPVI signals through the non-covalently associated immune receptor adaptor FcRγ that presents an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in its cytoplasmic domain. The receptor is assembled via a transmembrane interaction between an Asp residue in the FcRγ homodimer and an Arg residue (R273) of GPVI. Upon stimulation, the Tyr residues of the ITAM are phosphorylated in an early and obligatory event triggering the signaling cascade and the mutation of R273 prevents both GPVI association with FcRγ and collagen induced signals.
There are growing evidence that optimal binding of GPVI to collagen depends on the formation of GPVI dimers at the platelet surface. Miura and coworkers (Miura, Y., et al., Analysis of the interaction of platelet collagen receptor glycoprotein VI (GPVI) with collagen. A dimeric form of GPVI, but not the monomeric form, shows affinity to fibrous collagen. J Biol Chem, 2002. 277(48): p. 46197-204), using recombinant proteins, were the first to report that collagen binds to the dimeric but not to the monomeric form of GPVI and that only the former was able to attenuate collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Crystallographic data showing dimerization of GPVI ectodomains (Herr, A. B., Direct evidence of a native GPVI dimer at the platelet surface. J Thromb Haemost, 2009. 7(8): p. 1344-6), studies using synthetic peptides with differentially spaced GPVI binding motifs to activate the receptor in platelets (Smethurst, P. A., et al., Structural basis for the platelet-collagen interaction: the smallest motif within collagen that recognizes and activates platelet Glycoprotein VI contains two glycine-proline-hydroxyproline triplets. J Biol Chem, 2007. 282(2): p. 1296-304) and studies using chemical cross linking agents (Berlanga, O., et al., Glycoprotein VI oligomerization in cell lines and platelets. J Thromb Haemost, 2007. 5(5): p. 1026-33) have strongly reinforced the notion that GPVI functions as a dimer. However, the valence of GPVI on resting and on activated platelets respectively is still a matter of debate.

Method and kits for determining platelet susceptibility to activation in a patient

Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM)


An ion exchange composition comprising an insoluble substrate of a synthetic resin having ion exchanging sites at least on its available surface; and a finely divided, insoluble material comprising synthetic resin particles of from about 0.1 to about 5 microns median diameter (with respect to volume) having, at least on their outer surfaces, ion exchanging sites which attract the ion exchanging sites of the substrate, irreversibly attached as a monolayer to the available surface of the substrate. The composition is used for removal and separatin of ions, and is especially useful in liquid ion exchange chromatography. For example, a chromatographic separation of halide ions is effected with high speed and resolution by contacting an aqueous solution thereof with a bed of the ion exchange composition which consists of surface sulfonated resin beads of a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer to the surface of which is irreversibly attached a monolayer of quaternary ammonium styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer resin particles in the hydroxy form, and then eluting the bed with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a composition useful in and a process for practicing high performance ion exchange chromatography. Materials for performing high speed liquid chromatographic analyses are known where only the thin outer surface of the chromatographic support materials is available for actively exchanging ions with liquid media.
2. Prior Art:
Parrish, in Nature 207:402 (1965), describes "superficial ion exchange chromatography" using beads of cross-linked polystyrene which bear a "shallow surface laye" of ion exchange groups. Horvath et al. describe ion exchange chromatography with glass beads having a styrenedivinylbenzene resin skin, appropriately sulfonated or aminated to produce cation and anion exchange materials which they call "pellicular resins" in reference to the skin-like layer of active sites on these beads. Analytical Chemistry 39:1422 (1967).
Iler, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,658 (1969), describes the preparation of chromatic materials where alternating layers of colloidal solid particles are laid down on a substrate by treating the substrate, in alternating fashion with dispersions of oppositely charged colloidal particles. These colloidal particles as described are, among others, alumina, silica and ionic synthetic polymers.
Kirkland, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,922 (1970), describes a method of "chromatographic separation which uses superficially porous glass beads having sorptively active crusts. " These chromatographic materials consist of a plurality of impervious glass beads which have been alternately coated with monolayers of microparticular ion exchange resins, alumina, silica and the like, using the method described by Iler.
Levendusky, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,702 (1966), describes the production of an ion exchange bed where particles of about equal size of both anionic and cationic resins are allowed to agglomerate or clump together to form the bed. The particles described therein are larger than about 400 mesh (about 35 microns).
Grubhofer, in German Auslegeschrift 1,045,978 (1958), describes the preparation of nonagglomerated mixed resin beds where a suspension of anion or cation exchange particles, of about 0.2 millimicrons patticle size, is contacted with one of the components of the mixed resin bed which has a charge opposite to that of the suspension particles, thereby laying down a thin layer of these suspension particles on the particles (500-1000 microns) of that component.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,417 (1960), Small describes a method for avoiding agglomeration of a mixed resin bed by treatment of either the cationic or anionic resin particles with resinous polyelectrolyte solutions. Iler likewise mentions that strong electrolytes redisperse the colloidal particles from his substrate surfaces.

High performance ion exchange composition and the removal and separation of ions therewith


A machine tool for cutting workpieces includes a cutting head with at least two cutting units each providing cutting beams directed at the workpiece so as to impinge thereon closely adjacent each other to cooperate in the cutting action. The machine tool includes a worktable to support the workpiece, and the workpiece and cutting head are relatively movable to provide a cutting line in the workpiece. At least one of the cutting units is movable relative to the other so that the angular relationship of the cutting beams may be varied, and the supply of the cutting medium is separately controlled for the cutting units. In one embodiment the cutting beams are high speed water jets which may contain abrasive and the cutting characteristics of the jets may be varied.

The present invention is directed to a process for cutting workpieces with a cutting beam such as a pressurized water jet, and, more particularly, to such a process wherein the cutting beam is directed at the workpiece to be processed and the workpiece and the cutting beam are moved relative to one another.
Presently available processes and machine tools for practicing the process are used, for example, to cut the workpiece into a number of parts, to cut it with a predetermined contour, and/or to cut predetermined contours into parts formed from the initial workpiece.
For this purpose, according to one known process using a known machine tool, a cutting beam in the form of a pressurized stream of water and the workpiece to be machined are moved in relation to one another crosswise to the cutting beam. In this way, the cutting beam makes a dividing cut of a predetermined length and in a predetermined cutting direction. To increase processing capacity, it is known to use machine tools that have at least two spaced cutting units connected to at least one source of a cutting beam each of which can emit a cutting beam when in operation, and in which the cutting units and the workpiece to be machined can be moved relative to one another in the cutting direction. Such tooling machines make it possible to produce several spaced parallel dividing cuts concurrently. Thus, for example, on tooling machines with two cutting units, two workpieces can be cut at the same time. However, the cutting speeds at which cuts with high-quality edges can be produced with the known process and the known machine tools need to be increased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel process for cutting workpieces with a pair of beams, and a machine tool for carrying out this process, by means of which good-quality cut edges can be achieved at a high cutting speed.

Method and machine tool for cutting workpieces


A toothed belt and belt-adapted pulley system provides a high-load capacity and increased durability by reducing stress concentrations on dedendum portions and further preventing localized bending of belt tensile cords. Smooth engagement of elastic teeth of a belt is possible due to minimization of interference between the elastic teeth upon engagement or disengagement with a pulley. Reduced vibration, low noise, and a reduction in skipping under high loads result from the inventive system. Each tooth of the belt has a peripheral length m.sub.0 and a dedendum portion with a length m.sub.1, where m.sub.1 /m.sub.0 is 0.1 or less. Each tooth of the pulley has a peripheral length n.sub.0 and a dedendum portion having a length n.sub.1, where n.sub.1 /n.sub.0 is 0.1 or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toothed belt and, more particularly, to a toothed belt having a plurality of elastic teeth. The toothed belt wraps around a plurality of toothed pulleys so that the elastic teeth of the toothed belt engage the teeth of the toothed pulleys so as to transfer motion. Reduced localized concentration of stress and increased durability are thereby provided. The present invention further relates to a toothed belt-adapted pulley having a plurality of teeth with the toothed belt wrapped therearound. More particularly, it relates to a toothed belt-adapted pulley having increased durability, which provides reduced localized concentration of stress on the toothed belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a commonly used toothed belt, trapezoidal elastic teeth were equal or smaller in height than the tooth spaces of a pulley. In a toothed belt-adapted pulley for use in combination with the toothed belt, the depth of each tooth space of the pulley was equal to or greater than the tooth height of the toothed belt. In such a combination of the toothed belt and the toothed belt-adapted pulley, the toothed belt has problems in which: (1) stress concentration occurs at dedendum portions when tooth portions are subjected to shearing stresses; (2) interference is likely to occur when the tooth tip portions and the pulley are brought into and out of engagement with one another; and, (3) during engagement, a localized bend will occur in tensile cords which is affixed to the belt. As a result, belt life is decreased, and transferable loads are limited to within a small range.
In order to overcome the above problems, various toothed belts having improved tooth profiles have been proposed, and further, have been commercialized. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication Nos. 56-29141, and 57-51589 describe a toothed belt, in which elastic teeth have a height greater than the depth of the tooth spaces of the pulleys so that tip portions of the elastic teeth are pressed against bottom portions of the pulley tooth spaces during engagement. This pressing effect reduces localized deformation (or maximal curvature) of tensile cords that remains affixed to bottom portions of the elastic teeth. The toothed belt enables the smooth arcuate formation of tensile cords portion during engagement with the pulleys. This prevents localized bending of the tensile cords when the toothed belt is engaged with the pulleys. Belt life is also increased. Further, Japanese Examined Patent Publication Nos. 52-20629, 57-1714, and 56-37457 teach a technique for providing a belt having a high-load capacity, low noise, and long life, in which elastic teeth are formed into an arcuate pattern so as to prevent the occurrence of stress concentration and strain on dedendum portions in a manner similar to the trapezoidal teeth. (In addition, according to embodiments and related commercial goods, the elastic teeth have a height greater than the depth of the tooth spaces of the pulleys to be engaged therewith. This configuration aids in pressing the tooth tip portions against the bottom portions of the pulley tooth spaces in a manner similar to the aforesaid related art.)
The above-described techniques have improved the shortcomings of trapezoidal teeth. In the former reference, however, a strong bending still remains although the localized bending of the belt tensile cords is partially attenuated. In addition, concentration of stress on the dedendum portions cannot be successfully prevented. In latter reference, the elastic teeth have an arcuate pattern, but the dedendum portions are the same as the conventional dedendum portions. As a result, stress concentration on the dedendum portions is attenuated to some extent during engagement off the belt with the pulleys; however, the resulting effectiveness is still insufficient. In either case, the use of the elastic teeth for long periods of time results in cracks in the dedendum portions, and belt durability has been insufficient.
An object of the present invention is to provide a toothed belt having usability under high loads, with high durability, and reduced noise, and in which localized bending of the belt tensile cords as well as stress concentration and strain on dedendum portions are prevented through improvements in the form of the elastic teeth of the toothed belt and similar improvements in the pulleys which accommodate the elastic teeth. A further object of the present invention is to provide a toothed belt having the aforesaid high durability and reduced noise, in which no skipping occurs, even under high loads.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a newly shaped, toothed belt-adapted pulley, which is used with the aforesaid improved toothed belt to be engaged therewith. The pulley minimizes interference when being driven into and out of engagement with the toothed belt, thereby allowing smooth engagement therewith. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a combination of the newly shaped, toothed belt-adapted pulley and the toothed belt having high durability, in which reduced vibration and low noise are achieved, and smooth engagement is provided without skipping under high loads.

Toothed belt and toothed belt-adapted pulley


A substantially syndiotactic propylene copolymer which comprises propylene and at least one cyclic diolefin having 6 to 25 carbon atoms or an alkadiene having 6 to 25 carbon atoms and at least one terminal double bond, in the .sup.13 C-NMR spectrum of the copolymer measured in a 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene solution, a peak intensity observed at about 20.2 ppm as the reference of tetramethylsilane at 0.0 ppm being 0.5 or more of the total peak intensity attributed to methyl groups of propylene; the content of the cyclic diolefin or the alkadiene being from 0.01 to 20 mol %; the intrinsic viscosity [.eta.] of the copolymer measured in a tetralin solution at 135.degree. C. being from 0.1 to 10 dl/g.. This copolymer can contain an .alpha.-olefin other than propylene, particularly ethylene.

It has been known for a long period of time that a syndiotactic polypropylene is prepared by polymerizing propylene at a low temperature in the presence of a catalyst comprising a vanadium compound and an organic aluminum. However, the polymer prepared by the conventional process is poor in syndiotacticity, and it is scarcely considered that the thus prepared polymer exerts inherent characteristics of the syndiotactic polypropylene.
In J. A. Ewen et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., Vol. 110, 6255-6256 (1988), there are disclosed a highly syndiotactic polypropylene and its preparation method. However, the syndiotactic polypropylene described in the J. A. Ewen et al. literature has good physical properties in the manufacture of molded articles, but it is low in adhesiveness and dyeability and has poor moldability.


A protective carton for a substantially flat product such as an electrical printed circuit board includes not only parallel rectangular exterior top and bottom panels, parallel rectangular exterior side panels, and parallel rectangular exterior end panels but also rectangular interior top and bottom panels and at least a pair of rectangular interior end panels. Each of the interior end panels forms an acute angle with respect to the interior bottom panel in order to clamp the product securely in place on the interior bottom panel. Each interior end panel is formed by lateral extensions of the interior top and bottom panels, with the lateral extensions of the interior top panels locking the lateral extensions of the interior bottom panel in place. The entire carton may be made of a material such as corrugated cardboard in order to minimize cost and facilitate eventual disposal.

When shipping small and light weight but fragile products, it is desirable not only to provide packaging protection which is as complete as possible but also to minimize both packaging and shipping costs. In minimizing packaging costs, it is becoming increasingly important to avoid the use of environmentally disadvantageous materials such as foams wherever possible.
In the past, a common approach in the packaging of such products as electrical printed circuit boards, which are essentially flat but have multiple electrical components mounted upon them, has been to box them in on all sides, using foam slabs within an outer cardboard carton. For larger and heavier printed circuit boards, because it is important to avoid placing pressure directly upon the electrical components, common practice has been to use foam that can deform to the contours of the components. Foam tends, unfortunately, not only to be relatively expensive to produce but also to create environmental problems related to its eventual disposition. It is advantageous, both from the standpoint of initial cost and from that of eventual disposition, if a material such as corrugated cardboard can be used both as an outer carton and also to provide the necessary interior support and protection.

Protective carton with progressive product clamping


In the process of sputter deposition of targets on target electrodes, a gallium-indium eutectic alloy is employed to form a floating bond between the target material and the target electrode. Relatively high radio frequency (r.f.) power density is used to increase the deposition rate without cracking the target.

In the process of sputtering deposition of target material onto substrates, a major problem is the fracturing of the target due to thermal expansion induced stresses. Target fracture requires removal of the target and the target electrode from the sputtering system for replacement of the target. One approach is to use very low power densities so that thermal effects are diminished. However, with very low power densities, the deposition rate is very slow, which tends to be time-consuming and costly during mass production.

Process of bonding sputtering targets to target electrodes

International Business Machines Corporation


A programmable capacitor array (10, 10') and a method for programming the programmable capacitor array (10, 10'). The programmable capacitor array (10, 10') includes an array of capacitors (C.sub.0 -C.sub.n), wherein each capacitor of the array of capacitors (C.sub.0 -C.sub.n) has first and second terminals. The first terminal of each capacitor may be coupled to a first circuit node (11) or to a first reference terminal (13). Likewise, the second terminal of each capacitor may be coupled to a second circuit node (12) or to a second reference terminal (14). One or more capacitors of the array of capacitors (C.sub.0 -C.sub.n) may be selectively coupled across the first (11) and second (12) circuit nodes or coupled across the first (13) and second (14) reference terminals, thereby permitting each capacitor to be electrically isolated from the array of capacitors (C.sub.0 -C.sub.n).

The present invention relates, in general, to programmable capacitor arrays and, more particularly, to a programmable capacitor array in which each capacitor of the array can be electrically isolated from other capacitors of the array.
Programmable capacitors are commonly used in such prior art applications as switched-capacitor filters, switched-capacitor gain stages, and switched-capacitor analog-to-digital (A/D) converters. In one type of switched-capacitor application, an operational amplifier is coupled to an active circuit node by means of a capacitor, wherein an output terminal of the operational amplifier is coupled to a first terminal of the capacitor while a second terminal of the capacitor is switched between the active circuit node and a ground potential. In yet another switched-capacitor application, the operational amplifier is coupled to the active circuit node by means of a parallel combination of capacitors. More particularly, the parallel combination of capacitors is coupled such that the first terminals of the capacitors are coupled together and the second terminals of the capacitors are selectively coupled to the active circuit node or to the ground potential. In other words, the capacitance between the output of the operational amplifier and the active circuit node may be selected by coupling the desired second terminals of the capacitors to the active circuit node. A drawback of this type of circuit configuration is that the operational amplifier drives each of the capacitors regardless of whether their second terminals are switched to the active circuit node or to the ground potential. In particular, the speed of the operational amplifier is decreased when a large number of capacitors are coupled to the output node of the operational amplifier. In addition, coupling a large number of capacitors to the output node of the operational amplifier may decrease the stability of the operational amplifier.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method and a means for decoupling individual capacitors from a parallel combination of capacitors and from the output terminal of an operational amplifier.

Programmable capacitor array and method of programming


An air conditioning system primarily intended to be installed in an automative vehicle for selectively heating or cooling the passenger compartment for comfort as might be desired by the occupants.. The system is completely battery operated and may be programmed to cool or heat the compartment without the engine of the vehicle operating. In addition since the system contains its own battery electrical emergency power may be transferred to the vehicle starting system should condition necessitate such.

This invention relates generally to heating and cooling systems of the air in the passenger compartment of automative vehicles.
Heretofore heating and cooling systems for automobile interiors have been designed which require the engine of the vehicle to be operating simultaneously while the heating or cooling system is operated. In addition to being inefficient and wasteful of fuel this situation makes it difficult to have a programable system which can either heat or cool the passenger compartment to a comfortable temperature before the passengers enter the compartment.


Serial Data Interface. A method of serial communication is provided with an integrated circuit. The operation of the integrated circuit is first interrupted on at least one input/output associated with the operation of the integrated circuit. Serial data is then transmitted over the at least one input/output, the operation of which was interrupted, and during the interruption thereof.

Due to the limited number of pins that are available on present multi-function integrated circuits, some pins have functions thereof multiplexed to allow different functions to be associated therewith. Some of these can be associated with timing functions, some with data functions and some with status functions. For low pin count devices, one or more pins are typically dedicated to data transfer of multi-bit data words. These data pins typically use some type of serial data protocol, either synchronous or asynchronous. In the synchronous case, there are typically required two pins, one for data and one for clock information. However, there are some synchronous systems that utilize a single wire for transmitting both data and clock information which require some type of clock recovery system. In these clock recovery protocols, an encoding system such as Manchester Coded PSK is typically utilized. In asynchronous systems, a master/slave configuration is utilized. All of these serial data interfaces require some type of mapping that maps data from a user PC or device onto the single bi-directional data pin (for a single wire data protocol) utilizing the appropriate protocol.


A disclosed embodiment is a low leakage data retention flip flop comprising a master circuit for retaining data during sleep mode, wherein the master circuit is configured to receive a reduced supply voltage during the sleep mode. The flip flop includes a slave circuit having low threshold voltage transistors, where the slave circuit is turned off during the sleep mode. In various embodiments, the master circuit might utilize high threshold voltage, standard threshold voltage, or low threshold voltage transistors. Similarly, the slave circuit might utilize high threshold voltage, standard threshold voltage, or low threshold voltage transistors. To begin the sleep mode, the master circuit receives a reduced supply voltage and the slave circuit is coupled to ground and is thus turned off. During the sleep mode, the slave circuit experiences virtually no leakage current, and the master circuit experiences a reduced leakage current.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally in the field of semiconductor circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to low leakage semiconductor circuits.
2. Background Art
A conventional flip flop is a memory storage device that typically retains data as long as it is powered on (or "turned on"). While merely retaining data during power on, and not in active use, the flip flop still consumes unnecessary power due to leakage current of the transistors used in the flip flop. When completely powered off, i.e. with the supply voltage being turned off, the conventional flip flop has no leakage current, but also loses stored data.
Flip flops fabricated with transistors having higher threshold voltages and using a lower supply voltage generally have lower leakage currents. However, using higher threshold voltage transistors and a lower supply voltage also results in a reduced operational speed during active use of the flip flops. Conversely, flip flops fabricated with transistors having lower threshold voltages and using a higher supply voltage generally have higher leakage currents. However, using lower threshold voltage transistors and a higher supply voltage results in an increased operational speed during active use of the flip flops.
In an application using conventional flip flops in which power consumption is a design factor, such as in a low power mobile application, flip flop power consumption due to leakage current can be reduced in conventional ways. The threshold voltages of the flip flop transistors can be increased, resulting in power savings at the cost of reduced speed. Alternately, flip flops can be turned off when not in active use, resulting in power savings at the cost of lost data. In this alternative, turning the flip flops back on may involve reading data back into the flip flops from a nonvolatile source, resulting in system and circuit complexity and lost time. In both alternatives, the use of conventional flip flops in the low power mobile application results in various disadvantages such as, for example, increased power consumption, increased complexity and cost, and/or reduced performance.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a low leakage data retention flip flop that overcomes disadvantages of conventional flip flops.


Lymphocytes are advantageously separated from blood or other lymphocyte-containing suspensions by a method wherein the lymphocyte-containing suspension is flowed through a second filter having a mass of fibers exhibiting an average fiber diameter of greater than 10 microns but not greater than 60 microns, thereby to entrap a substantial part of granulocytes and monocytes in the mass of fibers and to obtain a granulocyte-poor and monocyte-poor lymphocyte-containing suspension; and then, the obtained suspension is flowed through a first filter having a mass of fibers exhibiting a bulk density of 0.04 to 0.40 g/cm.sup.3 and an average fiber diameter of 5 to 20 microns, said average fiber diameter being less than that of the second filter, thereby to entrap a substantial part of lymphocytes in the mass of fibers; and finally, the lymphocytes entrapped in the mass of fibers of the first filter is collected.. Alternatively, another method is employed wherein the lymphocyte-containing suspension is flowed through the first filter thereby to entrap a substantial part of leukocyte components therein; and the leukocyte components entrapped in the first filter is collected to obtain a leukocyte component-rich suspension; and finally, the leukocyte component-rich suspension is flowed through the second filter thereby to entrap a substantial part of granulocytes and monocytes in the second filter and to obtain a lymphocyte-rich suspension.

This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for separating lymphocytes from a lymphocyte-containing suspension by filtration.
By the term "lymphocyte-containing suspension" used herein is meant blood, ascites, bone marrow and other lymphocyte- or lymphocyte precursor cell-containing body fluids. This term should also be interpreted as including physically, chemically and/or biologically treated blood and other body fluids such as, for example, blood diluted with a physiological solution, erythrocyte agglutinant-(such as dextran or hydroxyethyl-starch)-incorporated blood, a buffy coat and other lymphocyte-containing suspension layers prepared by centifugation or cell-electrophoresis.
In recent years lymphocytes collected from blood have been in frequent use in the field of immunology. For example, lymphocytes are used for immunological studies directed to histocompatibility antigens and cellular immunity. Lymphocytes are also used for determining lymphocyte blastotransformation or for determining the proportion of T-cells to B cells, and for trying to separate helper T-cells and suppressor T cells from T cells. Furthermore, lymphocyte component transfusions have been studied in great detail.
Various processes have been employed for carrying out lymphocyte separation. Typical separation processes include, for example, a density gradient centrifugation process such as the Ficoll-Conray process, an anticoagulant incorporation-sedimentation-(or centrifugation)-adhering process and a cell electrophoresis process.
The centrifugation process involves, for example, placing a plurality of liquids of different densities, one upon another, in a vessel to form density gradient superposed layers; placing blood on the top liquid layer; and then centrifuging the superposed layers thereby to separate the blood into several layers.
The anticoagulant incorporation-sedimentation-(or centrifugation)-adhering process involves incorporating an anticoagulant into a lymphocyte-containing suspension, subjecting the anticoagulant-incorporated suspension to sedimentation or centrifugation to separate the suspension into an erythrocyte sediment and a leukocyte-containing liquid layer, then introducing the leukocyte-containing liquid layer into a column having packed therein a mass of fibers such as glass wool, cotton or nylon wool, wherein the liquid is maintained at a temperature of 37.degree. C. for a period of approximately 30 minutes to entrap granulocytes and monocytes in the mass of fibers, and finally collecting lymphocytes.
The above-mentioned conventional processes have several disadvantages as will now be described. The density gradient centrifugation process requires a substantial period of time and skill to carry out the centrifugation step completely. When this process is employed, lymphocytes are likely to be undesirably changed during such a long period of time and, furthermore, to be damaged by the centrifugation and repeated washing operations. The density gradient centrifugation process further requires the use of a plurality of expensive apparatuses. When the lymphocytes collected by this centrifugation process are used for transfusion, additives such as a Ficoll-Conray solution or gum arabic are required to be removed from the collected lymphocytes.
In the anticoagulant incorporation-sedimentation-adhering process, a substantial period of time is required to complete separation of lymphocytes from the lymphocyte-containing suspension and it is also difficult to collect a lymphocyte-rich suspension with a high yield. The cell electrophoresis process requires the use of an expensive apparatus and is therefore disadvantageous.

Separation of lymphocytes from lymphocyte-containing suspension by filtration


A communication interface, coupling a controller device to one or more memory devices, provides a high-voltage reset interface. The high-voltage reset interface provides a high-voltage signal to reset the one or more memory devices. The high-voltage reset interface is implemented using a single interconnect line. The reset voltage signal is greater than a maximum voltage representing a high logic value. The communication interface may also include a bi-directional data and address interface that is used to send address, data, and commands between the controller device and the one or more memory devices. A method of transferring information between the controller device and the one or more non-volatile memory devices includes resetting the one or more non-volatile memory devices by asserting a high-voltage signal on the high-voltage reset interface and sending a command from the controller device to the one or more non-volatile memory devices via the data and address interface.

Memory storage capacities of EEPROM and flash memories are being made larger to meet increasing memory requirements. Typically, EEPROM and flash memory devices are available in a single chip or single package configuration. The typical memory device integrated circuit package contains a memory array, a memory controller or microcontroller, and other circuits to, for example, address, program, and erase memory cells within the memory array.
Communications between a computer system and memory elements associated with the computer system are typically performed using a standardized communication bus. For example, when EEPROM or flash memories are used as an onboard ROM device an industry standard high speed communication bus is typically used. When EEPROM or flash memories are used as a portable storage device for a computer system, a communication bus such as a USB is used. In an additional example, when EEPROM or flash memories are used to store audio files, graphics, pictures, and video for a still camera, video camera, or portable audio device, a variety of standardized interfaces are associated with the user device.
Referring to FIG. 1, a typical prior art scheme for interfacing a memory device to a host interface is shown, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,737 by Witt et al. entitled "High Speed Intelligent Distributed Control Memory System." A host interface circuit 52 is coupled to a plurality of memory devices 62. An interface 72 includes a clock signal line, a reset line, a read enable line, a write enable line, a chip select line, a status line, a done line and a data interface.
Each memory element in the memory array described by Witt is capable of transferring data between adjacent memory elements during a read operation or during a write operation. However, Witt does not address specific needs for certain memory structures where it is desirable to reduce or minimize control logic or control circuits contained within the memory device chip and minimize a number of pins read by the host interface circuit 52. Also, Witt does not address special needs or signaling that may be advantageous when using nonvolatile memory devices or memory devices other than RAM memory.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Off-chip micro control and interface in a multichip integrated memory system


A method is provided for driving a motor apparatus having a first motor, a second motor, and a motor power supply commonly used for the first motor and the second motor. The first motor is a brushless motor. An electrical power is supplied from the motor power supply to driving circuits of the first motor and the second motor through a common motor power supply line. The first motor is driven by a direct PWM driving method, and the second motor is driven by a method different from the direct PWM driving method. A reverse regeneration current generated in the first motor is flown to the second motor through the common motor power supply line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present intention relates to a motor driving method and a motor driving apparatus for driving a plurality of motors to which electrical power is supplied from a common power supply. More particularly, the present invention relates to a motor driving method and a motor driving apparatus for driving motors in which one of the motors is a brushless motor that is driven by a direct PWM driving method, which can securely prevent problems caused by a reverse regeneration current generated in the brushless motor.
2. Related Art
An apparatus may use a plurality of motors. For example, a video recording/reproducing apparatus is equipped with a brushless motor as a capstan motor, a motor with brush for loading and unloading recording media, and a brushless motor for driving a cylinder head. Among the motors, the brushless motor as a capstan motor is generally driven by a direct pulse width modulation (PWM) driving method to reduce the driving power consumption.
In the direct PWM driving method, a power transistor that switches current conducting through a driving coil is turned on and off, for example, by a bi-directional current conduction method, in a cycle shorter than a current conduction switching cycle, such that a regeneration current is flown by a back electromotive force generated by the driving coil during an off period when an external current is shut off, to thereby maintain a driving torque. By driving the brushless motor by the direct PWM driving method, an external current supply is not required while the driving coil generates the regeneration current. As a result, the method is very effective in reducing the energy consumption for driving the motor.
Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, a conventional direct PWM driving method for driving a brushless motor is described below.
FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) show a coil current waveform and a coil voltage waveform for one phase in the direct PWM driving method for driving a three-phase brushless motor, respectively. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) show the coil current waveform and the coil voltage waveform in detail (for section a shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b)) when a direct PWM current is applied.
Section b in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) represents a state in which a power transistor for switching conduction of the drive coil current is turned on, which corresponds to a period during which current is supplied from the motor power supply VM. During this period, the current of the one-phase driving coil increases as indicated by the current waveform in FIG. 3(a) according to the time constant of the coil. In contrast, section c in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) represents a state in which the power transistor for switching conduction of the drive coil current is turned off, which corresponds to a period during which the driving coil itself generates a back electromotive force and flows a regeneration current. During this period, the current of the one-phase driving coil decreases according to the time constant of the coil.
FIG. 4(a) shows a motor current (IMb) path that is created when the power transistor for switching conduction of the drive coil current is turned on during section b in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b). In this state, the motor current flows through a power transistor Q1 on the side of the power supply voltage (VM) to the driving coils Lu and Lv, and returns through a power transistor Q4 on the side of the motor grounding (M-GND) to the motor power supply. The power transistor Q4 on the side of the motor grounding is maintained at an ON state until the conducting current switches to the other phase. On the other hand, the power transistor Q1 on the power supply voltage side is repeatedly turned on and off as shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4(b) shows a motor current (IMc) path during section c shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b). In this case, as the power transistor Q1 is turned off, the driving coils generate back electromotive forces E1 and E2, respectively. As a result, a regeneration current IMC flows from the power transistor Q4 through the motor grounding (M-GMD) line to a diode D3 associated with the other power transistor Q3 on the grounding-side. This regeneration current is a motor current that flows through the driving coils.
In the direct PWM driving method described above, a part of the motor current is supplemented by a regeneration current that is generated by the motor itself As a result, the current that may have to be externally supplied can be reduced.
As described above, the motor driving method using the conventional direct PWM driving method is effective in reducing the energy consumption in driving the motor. However, there is a possibility in which the regeneration current does not flow within the driving circuit, but may flow in a reverse direction to the side of the motor power supply (VM).
For example, when the current conducting through the driving coil is switched during the timing shown in FIG. 4(b), and the power transistor Q4 is turned off, a regeneration current IMcxe2x80x2 would likely flow in a path indicated in FIG. 5(a) due to back electromotive forces E1xe2x80x2 and E2xe2x80x2 generated on the respective driving coils. As this moment, if the sinking capability on the side of the motor power supply VM is insufficient, the regeneration current IMcxe2x80x2 flowing in a reverse direction cannot go anywhere, such that the motor power supply VM is rapidly elevated as the back electromotive forces E1xe2x80x2 and E2xe2x80x2 pull up the motor power supply VM. As the motor power supply increases and exceeds the breakdown voltage of the motor driving circuit, the driving circuit would be destroyed. In particular, when the brushless motor is in the reverse rotation brake mode, the PWM off timing shown in FIG. 5(a) becomes longer. As a result, the motor power supply VM would likely elevate, and therefore a dielectric breakdown of the driving circuit would likely occur.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5(b), for example, an electrolytic capacitor C of 100 xcexcF or greater, a Zener diode Dz of a high current capacity or the like may be added between the motor power supply line L (VM) and the motor grounding line L (M-GND), to absorb the regeneration current IMcxe2x80x2 to protect the driving circuit from a dielectric breakdown. However, the addition of such a protection circuit leads to a higher cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor driving method and a motor driving apparatus that can avoid problems arising from a reverse regeneration current without adding a protection circuit.
To solve the problems described above, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for driving a motor apparatus having a first motor, a second motor, a motor power supply commonly used for the first motor and the second motor, wherein the first motor is a brushless motor. In one aspect of the present invention, an electrical power is supplied from the motor power supply to driving circuits of the first motor and the second motor through a common motor power supply line; the first motor is driven by a direct PWM driving method; the second motor is driven by a method different from the direct PWM driving method; and a reverse regeneration current generated in the first motor is flown to the second motor through the common motor power supply line.
In accordance with the present invention, for example, when a brushless motor of a type that is driven by a direct PWM driving method and a motor of a type that is driven by a normal driving method are present in one system, such as, for example, a video recording and reproducing apparatus, a motor power supply line is commonly used by both of the motors, and a reverse regeneration current generated in the brushless motor driven by the direct PWM driving method is flown in the other motor driven by the normal driving method through the common motor power supply line, such that the reverse regeneration current is absorbed by the motor driven by the normal driving method. As a result, a dielectric breakdown of the motor driving circuit can be prevented.
When the brushless motor driven by the direct PWM driving method, i.e., the first motor undergoes a shift to a reverse brake mode when the second motor is stopped, the second motor that is driven by the normal driving method may preferably be started in synchronism with the shift to the reverse brake mode.
Also, when the brushless motor driven by the direct PWM driving method undergoes the shift to the reverse brake mode while the second motor is operated, the second motor that is driven by the normal driving method is temporarily accelerated in synchronism with the shift to the reverse brake mode.
In the reverse rotation brake mode, a rapid increase in the motor power supply voltage would likely occur. Accordingly, by starting or accelerating the second motor when the first motor is in the reverse rotation brake mode, a reverse regeneration current generated can be effectively consumed as a part of the driving current for the second motor, whereby the reverse regeneration current can be securely absorbed.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a motor driving apparatus drives a motor by the motor driving method described above. In one aspect of the present invention, a first motor driving circuit that drives the first motor by the direct PWM driving method and a second motor driving circuit that drives the second motor are formed in a common IC chip.
By implementing both of the driving circuits in a common IC chip, their wiring resistance loss is substantially lowered compared to a case in which the driving circuits are formed as discrete circuits on independent substrates. Accordingly, a reverse regeneration current generated can be effectively absorbed on the side of the second motor that is driven by the normal driving method. As a result, an elevation in the driving voltage on the motor power supply line can be suppressed to a minimum value.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate, by way of example, various features of embodiments of the invention.

Method for driving motors and apparatus for driving motors


A music bell has a dangling member surrounded by a plurality of bell plates. The upper end of the dangling member links an annular chain, and the lower end of the dangling member connects a bob vane. All the bell plates have various thickness. The upper ends of the bell plates and the upper end of the dangling member are connected together. A striking device is disposed in the middle of the dangling member.

The invention relates to a music bell. More particularly, the invention relates to a music bell with various thickness of bell plates.
Referring to FIG. 8, a conventional music bell of a music box has a rotating handle 11 to wind a clockwork spring 15. The spring 15 will be unwound gradually and automatically to rotate a bearing cylinder 13. The protrusions 14 on the outer surface of the bearing cylinder 13 will touch the corresponding elastic plates 12 in order to vibrate the elastic plates 12. The vibration of the elastic plates 12 produces music sounds while the bearing cylinder 13 is rotating. However, the unwound period of time is very short. The user must always wind the spring 15 in order to hear the music sounds frequently. After a long period of usage, the spring 15 will become elastic fatigue. The user may break the conventional music bell by unwinding the spring 15 fast in the wrong direction.

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A method of manufacture of a thin layer electrochemical cell (FIGS. 12, 14) comprising the steps of: forming an aperture (11) extending through a sheet (1) of electrically resistive material, said aperture defining a side wall of the cell; mounting a first thin electrode layer (13) to one side of the sheet and extending over aperture (11) whereby to define a cell first end wall; mounting a second thin electrode layer (13) to the other side of the sheet and extending over aperture (11) whereby to define a second cell end wall in substantial overlying registration with the first electrode; and providing means (16) for admission of a liquid into the cell.

The invention herein described is an improvement in or modification of the invention described in our co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 08/981,385 filed Apr. 17, 1998, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention will herein be described with particular reference to a biosensor adapted to measure the concentration of glucose in blood, but it will be understood not to be limited to that particular use and is applicable to other analytic determinations.
It is known to measure the concentration of a component to be analysed in an aqueous liquid sample by placing the sample into a reaction zone in an electrochemical cell comprising two electrodes having an impedance which renders them suitable for amperometric measurement. The component to be analysed is allowed to react directly or indirectly with a redox reagent whereby to form an oxidisable (or reducible) substance in an amount corresponding to the concentration of the component to be analysed. The quantity of the oxidisable (or reducible) substance present is then estimated electrochemically. Generally this method requires sufficient separation of the electrodes so that electrolysis products at one electrode cannot reach the other electrode and interfere with the processes at the other electrode during the period of measurement.
In our co-pending application we described a novel method for determining the concentration of the reduced (or oxidised) form of a redox species in an electrochemical cell of the kind comprising a working electrode and a counter (or counter/reference) electrode spaced from the working electrode by a predetermined distance. The method involves applying an electric potential difference between the electrodes and selecting the potential of the working electrode such that the rate of electro-oxidation of the reduced form of the species (or of electro-reduction of the oxidised form) is diffusion controlled. The spacing between the working electrode and the counter electrode is selected so that reaction products from the counter electrode arrive at the working electrode. By determining the current as a function of time after application of the potential and prior to achievement of a steady state current and then estimating the magnitude of the steady state current, the method previously described allows the diffusion coefficient and/or the concentration of the reduced (or oxidised) form of the species to be estimated.
Our co-pending application exemplifies this method with reference to use of a "thin layer electrochemical cell" employing a GOD/Ferrocyanide system. As herein used, the term "thin layer electrochemical cell" refers to a cell having closely spaced electrodes such that reaction product from the counter electrode arrives at the working electrode. In practice, the separation of electrodes in such a cell for measuring glucose in blood will be less than 500 microns, and preferably less than 200 microns.
The chemistry used in the exemplified electrochemical cell is as follows: ##STR1##
where GOD is the enzyme glucose oxidase, and GOD.sup.* is the `activated` enzyme. Ferricyanide ([Fe(CN).sub.6 ].sup.3) is the `mediator` which returns the GOD.sup.* to its catalytic state. GOD, an enzyme catalyst, is not consumed during the reaction so long as excess mediator is present. Ferrocyanide ([Fe(CN).sub.6 ].sup.4) is the product of the total reaction. Ideally there is initially no ferrocyanide, although in practice there is often a small quantity. After reaction is complete the concentration of ferrocyanide (measured electrochemically) indicates the initial concentration of glucose. The total reaction is the sum of reactions 1 and 2: ##STR2##
The prior art suffers from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, sample size required is greater than desirable. It would be generally preferably to be able to make measurements on samples of reduced volume since this in turn enables use of less invasive methods to obtain samples.
Secondly, it would be generally desirable to improve the accuracy of measurement and to eliminate or reduce variations due, for example, to cell asymmetry or other factors introduced during mass production of microcells. Likewise, it would be desirable to reduce electrode "edge" effects.
Thirdly, since the cells are disposable after use, it is desirable that they be capable of mass production at relatively low cost.

USF Filtration & Separations Group, Inc.


A method of making a luminescent nanomaterial having a plurality of nanoparticles. The luminescent nanomaterial includes at least one lanthanide group metal phosphate and at least one lanthanide series dopant, wherein each of the plurality of nanoparticles has a predetermined morphology. The luminescent nanomaterial has a high quantum efficiency and a high absorption value. The method yields a variety of morphologies and sizes of the plurality of nanoparticles. The particles size of the luminescent material varies from tens of nanometers to a few hundred of nanometers.

The invention relates to luminescent nanomaterials. More particularly, the invention relates to luminescent nanomaterials comprising a plurality of nanoparticles.
Luminescent materials, also known as phosphors, are used in lighting applications. Phosphors are responsible for nearly all the light output from the lamp. The efficiency of the phosphors to convert incident non-visible radiation into visible light depends on the size, shape, and morphology of the phosphor particles. Consequently, efforts have been directed toward producing luminescent materials with controlled properties.
Currently, such luminescent materials comprise particles in the micron size regime. Since their dimension is more than, or of the same order of magnitude as ¼ wavelength of the absorbed incident radiation, emitted radiation, or both, the particles act as individual scattering centers for such radiation, thereby reducing the efficiency of the phosphor due to optical losses.
Various synthesis routes, such as sol-gel, colloidal, precipitation, combustion synthesis, and solid state methods have been adopted to produce powders of luminescent materials. To date, however, none of the methods have yielded luminescent materials having selected morphologies that provide optimal efficiency and absorption.
Available synthesis methods fail to provide a method of making sub-micron size luminescent materials having tailored morphology that provides optimal efficiency and absorption. Therefore, what is needed is a luminescent material having a particle size and predetermined or 'engineered' morphology that will optimize both the efficiency and absoprtion of the material. What is also needed is a method of making such a luminescent material, wherein the method provides a means of controlling the morphology of the material.

Luminescent nanomaterials powders having predetermined morphology and method of making


A laminated non-woven fabric for filtering medium, which is composed of a plurality of non-woven fabric layers having different average pore sizes and laminated in the order of the average pore size, and a plurality of entangled regions interposed between any of adjacent two non-woven fabric layers which is formed by causing fibers of one of the adjacent two non-woven fabric layers to penetrate into the other layers to entangle the penetrated fibers with fibers of the other layers. The presence of the entangled regions provide a gradual change of the pore size from a non-woven fabric layer to another non-woven fabric layer to result in a good filtering efficiency and an elongated lifetime of a filter.

The present invention relates to a laminated non-woven fabric for use in a filter and a method for producing the laminated non-woven fabric. In particular, the present invention relates to a laminated non-woven fabric having an excellent filtering efficiency and a long lifetime, and a method for producing such laminated non-woven fabric.
Recently, a non-woven fabric has come to be used as the filtering medium for an air filter, a filter for liquid material, etc. and the production of the non-woven fabric is increasing nowadays.
The non-woven fabric for use in a filter is preferred to have a large pore size at the inlet side (upstream side) and a small pore size at the outlet side (downstream side). To meet this requirement, it has been practiced to laminate a non-woven fabric having a small packing density onto another non-woven fabric having a large packing density, or laminate a non-woven fabric having a large average fiber diameter onto another non-woven fabric having a small average fiber diameter. However, when the non-woven fabrics are laminated with an adhesive, there have been problems such as rapid increasing in filtering resistance at the interface of the laminated fabrics and dissolution of the adhesive into liquid to be filtered. When the filtering resistance increases rapidly at the interface, the pressure loss arisen there causes the peeling of the laminated non-woven fabric layers and accumulation of solid matters, this shortening the lifetime of a filtering medium. Another method of laminating two sheets of non-woven fabric by heat fusing has been proposed. However, the laminated non-woven fabric produced by such a method also suffers from rapid increasing in filtering resistance at the interface.

Laminated non-woven fabric filtering medium and method for producing same


A grill for an automobile or other vehicle is provided, and includes a plastic mesh like area designed to visually appear like a metallic wire mesh grill. The grill is substantially less costly than a metallic grill, as it is made of polymer-based plastic material.

Different types of grills for vehicle front ends currently exist, including those made from a thin plate incorporating multiple perforations which give the appearance of a grill or mesh manufactured of injected plastic material or another manufacturing system.
Other grills consist of a mesh of woven metallic threads which are joined to a perimetral frame. These metallic mesh grills are aesthetically pleasing from an appearance standpoint, and have long been used to cover the radiator of the corresponding vehicle, allowing air to enter for the cooling thereof, at the same time that metallic mesh creates a pleasing appearance. Unfortunately, metallic mesh automotive grills are costly to manufacture, thereby rendering the final product more expensive than would be otherwise desired.


A method of re-executing a workflow and an image forming apparatus able to re-execute a workflow. The method of re-executing a workflow includes accessing a job history illustrating a result of executing one or more workflows, displaying the accessed job history, selecting a workflow to be re-executed from the displayed job history, and re-executing the selected workflow.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus able to re-execute a workflow and a method thereof. More particularly, the present general inventive concept relates to a method of re-executing a workflow using a job execution result displayed on an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus able to re-execute a workflow.
2. Description of the Related Art
Network image forming systems are able to perform various functions, for example, as document transmission systems. Document transmission systems enable one or more user terminals to share a plurality of image forming apparatuses, so if a user selects one from among a plurality of workflows transmitted from an image forming apparatus to a server, the selected workflow may be executed. Workflows refer to flowcharts consisting of a plurality of jobs, for example, a 'Scan to OCR to Email' workflow includes functions of scanning a document, converting the scanned document using an optical character recognition (OCR) function, and transmitting the converted document to an e-mail address of a corresponding receiving device.
A workflow selected by a user may fail due to the execution environment, for example, errors in a network or insufficient toner. A server stores a result of executing the selected workflow, namely a job execution result. Accordingly, it is possible for a user to monitor the job execution result from the server connected to an image forming apparatus.
However, in a conventional document transmission system, if a user desires to re-execute unsuccessful workflows or successful workflows while monitoring a job history, he or she needs to receive desired workflows from a server again, and to request execution of the received workflows, which causes user inconvenience.

Image forming apparatus able to re-execute workflow and method thereof


A bicycle suspension fork for use on a bicycle, and preferably a road bicycle. The suspension fork has a preload adjuster that is designed and formed such that it is readily usable in the front fork of a bicycle without adding undue weight to the bicycle. The preload adjuster has interengaging preload elements that, instead of having a bulky adjustment mechanism typically provided for preload adjustment. Preferably, the preload elements have interengaging ribs and grooves, the relative position of which are adjustable to adjust preload on the suspension biasing element in the fork. Additionally, a lockout mechanism is provided for adjusting the compressibility of the suspension fork by rotating no more than about 60.degree. during use of the bicycle. The lockout mechanism preferably has first and second fluid chambers in fluid communication and a fluid circulation control unit. Fluid flows between the chambers during compression and expansion of the suspension fork. The control unit controls fluid flow between the chambers and thus controls compressibility of the fork.

The present invention relates to suspension systems having telescoping tubular elements and mechanisms for adjusting the relative telescopic movement of the tubular elements. More particularly, the present invention relates to compact, lightweight bicycle suspension systems having a spring preload adjuster, and/or a hydraulic lockout device that may be selectively, manually engaged to substantially prevent operation of the suspension system.
Vehicles, and bicycles in particular, have been provided with suspension systems for cushioning impacts or vibrations experienced by the rider when the vehicle contacts bumps, ruts, rocks, pot holes, or other obstacles in the path along which the vehicle is being ridden. Typically, bicycle suspension systems have been configured for use in the front or rear bicycle fork, in the head tube that connects the front fork to the bicycle frame and handlebars, in the seat post, and in conjunction with a rear wheel swing-arm assembly, as well as in other locations. When configured for use in a front fork, the suspension system has two pairs of telescoping tubular elements (an inner tubular element and an outer tubular element) forming the left and right legs of the fork. A resilient biasing element, such as a spring, biases the tubular elements apart. The tubular elements are said to undergo a compression stroke when the elements telescope together (the inner element slides into the outer element), such as upon impact to the fork. The tubular elements are said to undergo an expansion stroke (or rebound stroke) when the elements telescope apart (the inner element slides out from the outer element), such as after a compression stroke or upon riding over a rut. The biasing element absorbs energy imparted to the fork during compression, and releases the stored energy during rebound of the fork.
Various features have been added to such suspension systems in order to suit the needs of a variety of users. One such feature is the ability to adjust the preload on the biasing element in the bicycle suspension fork. Among other things, the preload on the compression spring determines the "sag" for the fork, that is, how much the fork initially compresses when a rider sits on the bicycle. If the fork does not sag at all, the fork will be inadequately responsive to variations in road conditions. For example, if the fork has no sag, it cannot expand to meet the road when the bicycle rides over a rut or other depression in the rider's path. On the other hand, if too much sag is present in the fork, the fork may bottom-out too easily (i.e., the inner tubular element may move excessively into the outer tubular element, resulting in collision of the elements).
Although bicycle suspension systems have generally experienced considerable commercial success in connection with bicycles designed for predominantly off-road use, such as bicycles known as "mountain bikes," such systems have not experienced the same success in connection with bicycles not intended for off-road use, such as bicycles known as "road bikes." One common reason is that suspension systems add weight to road bikes which is particularly undesirable given the high desire for lightweight bicycles for long biking excursions for which road bikes are often used. However, the benefits suspension systems confer on mountain bikes would nonetheless also be desirable for road bikes.
Due to the nature of their use, road bikes typically do not experience the same variety of obstacles or harshness of impacts as typically experienced by mountain bikes. Unlike the typical mountain bike, however, the typical road bike has thin, high profile tires that provide little impact absorption. Thus, impacts that would be virtually unnoticed by a mountain bike rider may cause discomfort to road bikers. Indeed, during long-distance riding, such as commonly done with road bikes, irregularities in the rider's path and vibrations caused from such irregularities will likely disturb and fatigue the road bike rider. Such fatigue may effect the rider long before the rider would otherwise be fatigued from the mere exertion necessary for simple riding of the bicycle over the long distance.
Several problems are inherent in designing suspension systems for bicycles such as road bikes. For example, because weight is of critical concern to road bike riders, and particularly to road bike racers, a suspension system must be lightweight, while still providing adequate adjustment capabilities. In addition, the system must be compact so that it may be aerodynamically packaged in the bicycle, and its adjustment mechanisms must be easy to use. Because bicycle weight is a central concern to bicycle riders, particularly road bike riders and racers, any preload adjustment mechanism should also be as lightweight as possible. Of course, it is also desirable that the adjustment mechanism be easy to manufacture and easy to use.
Another crucial consideration for road bikers is conservation of energy. When a rider is sprinting or climbing, for example, the rider will often lift himself or herself out of the bike seat while pedaling, causing the road bike suspension system to oscillate. The suspension system thereby absorbs a portion of the rider's power output, a result which is highly undesirable.

Bicycle suspension system with spring preload adjuster and hydraulic lockout device


Provided is a negative electrode material for an electricity storage device, comprises, a negative electrode active material comprising a compound containing at least SnO and P2O5, and a binder comprising a thermosetting resin. Also provided is a negative electrode for an electricity storage device, comprising a current collector having a surface coated with the negative electrode material for an electricity storage device. Further provided is a method of producing the negative electrode for an electricity storage device, the method comprising the steps of: coating the surface of the current collector with the negative electrode material for an electricity storage device; and carrying out heat treatment of the current collector at 150 to 400° C. under reduced pressure.

In recent years, owing to widespread use of portable personal computers and portable phones, it has been highly demanded to develop a lithium ion secondary battery having a higher capacity and a reduced size. If a lithium ion secondary battery has a higher capacity, reduction in size of a battery material can be facilitated, and hence the development of an electrode material for a lithium ion secondary battery is urgently needed in order to accomplish the higher capacity.
High potential type materials such as LiCoO2, LiCo1-xNixO2, LiNiO2, and LiMn2O4 are each widely used for a positive electrode material for a lithium ion secondary battery, and on the other hand, a carbonaceous material is generally used for a negative electrode material. These materials function as electrode active materials that reversibly store and release lithium ions through charge and discharge, and construct a so-called rocking chair type secondary battery in which both electrodes are electrochemically connected through a non-aqueous electrolytic solution or a solid electrolyte.
Examples of the carbonaceous material used as a negative electrode material include a graphite carbon material, pitch coke, fibrous carbon, and high-capacity type soft carbon prepared by low-temperature firing. However, the carbonaceous material has a relatively small lithium insertion capacity, and hence involves a problem in that a battery using the carbonaceous material has a low capacity. Specifically, even if a lithium insertion capacity in a stoichiometric amount is attained, the upper limit of the capacity of the battery using the carbon material is about 372 mAh/g.
In view of the foregoing, there is proposed a negative electrode material containing SnO as a negative electrode material that is capable of storing and releasing lithium ions and has a higher capacity density than the carbon-based material (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). However, the negative electrode material described in Patent Literature 1 involves a problem in that the material is not capable of sufficiently abating the volume change thereof attributed to the storage and release reactions of lithium ions, and thus is extremely poor in charge-discharge cycle performance.
In view of the foregoing, there are proposed a negative electrode material formed of a complex oxide mainly containing tin oxide and a method of producing the negative electrode material by a melting method (see, for example, Patent Literature 2). In addition, as a method of producing a negative electrode material which is formed of a complex oxide containing tin oxide and silicon oxide, is homogeneous, and has a large specific surface area, there is proposed a production method using a sol-gel method (see, for example, Patent Literature 3).

Negative electrode material for an electrical storage device, and negative electrode for an electrical storage device using the same

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A data mover for moving blocks of data stored in a first location of the working store of a data processing system to a second location in the working store. The data mover is provided with the necessary registers, switches, counters and control circuits to issue read and write commands to the working store, to receive and store in registers data read out of the working store as the result of its having issued a read command, and to write data read out of working store and stored in its registers in response to a read command issued by the data mover into another location in the working store. These steps are repeated until a block, measured in thousands, of data words has been moved from the first to the second location. The address preparation circuits of the high speed multiplexer of the data processing system through which the data mover communicates with the working store of the system is used to provide a substitute memory command for one of the two types of memory commands issued by the data mover. Between the time the data mover issues a read command, and receives back from memory the data read out of memory in response to such a command, the data mover can issue a write command and transfer to the high speed multiplexer data received in response to the previous read command.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of electronic data processing systems, and more particularly in the field of apparatus which, with a minimum of intervention from the operating system of the data processing system transfers predetermined blocks of data from one location in the working store of the data processing system to a second location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been recognized that a significant gap exists in current storage hierarchies of computer systems between the access time of processor addressable memory which is measured in microseconds, for example, and mass storage access time, which is measured in milliseconds. Attempts to fill this gap with high speed rotating fixed head discs, or drums, has resulted in devices, the performance of which is only slightly better than that of movable head discs at costs which are considerably higher. Efforts to fill this gap with electronic devices, random access memories, such as core or solid state devices, produce access times similar to that obtained in main memory at equivalent costs, which makes such a solution uneconomical because of the large amount of storage required to significantly improve the throughput or performance of the computer system.
Large high speed data processors need either an extremely large processor addressable memory in order to reduce I/O activity to mass storage, or a fairly high speed random access electronic storage device of sufficient size to attract a large fraction of the I/O activity that would be directed to mass storage, primarily discs. Until recently the above identified solutions have been considered as the only alternatives for achieving desired system performance levels of large speed computers where I/O is the limiting factor. A recently developed third alternative is the use of electronic storage as a dynamic buffer, or I/O buffer, between mass storage devices and the working store of such a large high speed system.
A dynamic I/O buffer, or disc cache buffer, performs essentially the same function for disc storage devices as a cache located in the central processor does for main memory. At any given point in time, the disc cache will contain some portion of the currently active areas, or portions, of the data base. Like a cache of a processor, a disc cache buffer depends upon repetitive use of the data stored in the disc cache buffer to be effective.
In general, the mass sotrage address space would be divided into blocks of some fixed size. When an I/O operation is initiated to mass storage, a directory is first checked to see if the block being referenced, or addressed, is in the buffer; if it is not in the buffer, the reference block is brought into the disc cache buffer from mass storage replacing some other block if the buffer is full. The requested data is then delivered to the working store to complete the I/O operation.
To the applicant's knowledge, the implementation of an I/O buffer or disc cache buffer has been suggested and/or implemented as a software mechanism, or by appropriate programs, using standard software approaches to move the data from the I/O buffer to the working store or to permit a program to have access to the data in the I/O buffer. The problem with implementing such a requirement for moving data in memory from one location to another location, a memory to memory move, or transferring the access to a clock of I/O data from one program to another is the large amount of operating system overhead required by the data processing system which, of course, impacts the efficiency, or throughput, of the system. Permitting direct access to data sotred in the disc cache buffer in effect permits the use of such data only once if integrity of the data is to be maintained.
As far as the Applicant is aware, no one has endeavored to provide a hardware solution for executing a memory to memory move, which hardware is separate and distinct from that of the central processor of the data processing system, and which hardware is transparent to such operating system, or to state it another way, requires no modification of the operating system to use the disc cache buffer as a source of I/O data. The data mover has an autonomous address generating capability so that it can issue memory commands to fetch data from one location in working store, or memory, and store such data in another area while minimizing interference with the operation of the data processing system of which it is a part. An input/output processing system in which the data mover of the present invention is adapted to be incorporated and the data processing system of which the I/O processing system is a portion is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,839, which issued Apr. 12, 1977, and which is assigned to the same assignee as this invention.
In summary, the problem with the prior art implementations, or suggested implementations, of an I/O buffer is that all the control and movement of data has heretofore been done by software using the facilities available to the computer system as an entity. Such a solution increases the overhead of the system, where overhead is defined as those opertions of the computer to control the computer rather than to performing useful work for the users of the system. Increasing the overhead has the disadvantage of reducing the throughput of the data processing system, other factors remaining the same, and thus reduces the performance gains that theoretically can be achieved by the use of an I/O buffer.


The invention provides a coupling device for monochromatic optical signals based on the amplitude division method. The optical signal emerging from one light guide is divided by means of one or more diffraction gratings among three or more outgoing light guides. Inversely, the optical signals from a number of light guides can be combined into one optical signal. Such a coupling device has a high optical efficiency, is mode-independent and produces small differences in light intensity between the branch signals.

In the telecommunication industry, light can be used advantageously as an information carrier. A special problem in this field of technology resides in the devices for dividing and combining light signals. A number of solutions to this problem are presented in the article "Verzweigungseinrichtungen fur Lichtwellenleiter" by F. Auracher and others in the magazine "Siemens Forschungs und Entwicklungsberichte" Volume 5 (1976) no. 1.
Basically, two types of branching devices for light signals are known, which work by the following methods respectively:

Device for coupling at least three light guides

De Staat der Nederlanden, Te Dezen Vertegenwoordigd Door de Directeur-Generaal der Posterijen, Telegraphie en Telefonie


A shift register unit, a driving method, a gate driving circuit and a display device are provided. The shift register unit includes: a charging module, a reset module, a pull-up module, a first pull-down module, a second pull-down module and a compensation module. In a denoising phase, the first pull-down module can denoise the pull-up node and the output terminal respectively under the control of a pull-down node, a third power supply signal from a third power supply signal terminal and a switch power supply signal from a switch power supply terminal. Therefore, noises of the pull-up node and the output terminal in the shift register unit are reduced, the output effect of the shift register unit is improved and the problem of noise existing in driving process of the shift register unit is solved.

When a display device displays an image, it needs to utilize a shift register (a gate driving circuit) to scan a pixel unit. The shift register comprises a plurality of shift register units, each of which is corresponding to pixel units of one row. The shift register units realize progressive scanning drive of the pixel units of the display device to display images.
However, with the increasing of the number of pixels, the number of rows to be scanned by the shift register within one frame time increases, which thus requires a smaller layout area of the shift register unit and simpler circuit structure. For example, there exists a known shift register unit, which mainly comprises a buffer module, a pull-up module, a pull-down module, a maintenance module, a charging module and a discharging module. In the known shift register unit, the buffer module is as an input module of the shift register unit, and is configured to input a voltage of an output terminal of a previous row to the shift register unit, the pull-up module is configured to pull up a level of the output terminal to a high level, the pull-down module is configured to pull down the level of the output terminal to a low level, the maintenance module is configured to maintain the level of the output terminal, the charging module is configured to ensure that transistors comprised in the pull-up module are capable of being turned on normally within operation time, and the discharging module is configured to discharge the charging module to turn off the pull-up module.
When the above shift register unit is in a discharging maintenance phase, due to existence of parasitic capacitance of transistors comprised in the pull-up module, a voltage of a pull-up node (i.e., a node connected to gates of the transistors comprised in the pull-up module) is pulled up, such that the transistors comprised in the pull-up module are turned on. In this way, a first clock signal terminal of the shift register unit would re-charge the output terminal. Therefore, in this shift register unit, noise exists in both the pull-up node and the output terminal.

Shift register unit, driving method, gate driving circuit and display device

HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.