A container scanning system comprises a rail, a camera/sensor unit and a control unit. The rail is mounted on a support or beam of a container handling crane. The camera/sensor unit is movably mounted along the rail. The camera/sensor unit comprises a camera and/or a sensor for scanning the exterior surface of a container. The control unit is operationally coupled to the camera/sensor unit. The control unit is able to obtain position information indicative for the operational position of the container handling crane, and the control unit is adapted to control movement of the camera/sensor unit along the rail in function of the position information. The rail contains space for wiring for power feeding the camera/sensor unit.

In order to be able to register and track individual containers that are loaded/unloaded to/from a ship, a train, a truck chassis or trailer, containers are given a unique identification (ID) that is marked on an exterior surface of the container. The container identification typically is an alphanumeric code that is marked onto the top-side, front-side, rear-side or a side of the container. In addition to the container identification, other information marked onto the container or attached to the container may be read or recognized each time a container is transferred by a container handling crane. An example of such additional information is the seal attached to container doors, typically at the rear-side of the container. The seal may for instance contain an RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) tag. Other examples are a class identification or the IMDG (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) code when dangerous or hazardous materials are contained.
United States Patent Application US 2004/0126015 entitled "Container Identification and Tracking System" describes a system for automatically identifying containers that are loaded/unloaded by a crane. The system consists of several cameras fixedly mounted on the sill beams of the crane. These cameras are referenced 13a, 13b and 13c in FIG. 6 of US 2004/0126015 whereas the sill beams of the crane are referenced 12a and 12b. These sill beams are horizontal beams of the container handling crane, typically mounted at a height of 6 meter from the quay in a direction perpendicular to the boom of the crane, i.e. parallel to the quay border. The sill beam mounted cameras create a scan window at a height of 6 meters where the exterior surface of the side of the container can be scanned, typically while the container is vertically moved by the spreader. In order to decide which camera(s) to activate, the system described in US 2004/0126015 contains a camera control system that receives information indicative for the horizontal position where the container will pass, the so called spreader width information in paragraph [0043] of US 2004/0126015.
The sill beam solution is disadvantageous for various reasons as will be explained in the following paragraphs.
Firstly, the container identification becomes available late in the container handling process. The sill beam solution enables to scan and read a container identification only at the point in time where the spreader holding the container passes the window at 6 meter height above the quay where the cameras are located. In case of unloading a container from a ship, the information identifying the container is available very late in the process of transferring the container, i.e. only a few seconds before the container is unlocked from the spreader.
Secondly, the sill beam solution negatively impacts the performance of a container terminal, typically expressed or measured as the amount of moves a crane can make per hour. Since the spreader has to move the container through a fixed window where the cameras are able to scan the container identification, the process of loading/unloading a container is slowed down, which negatively impacts the overall performance of the container terminal.
Thirdly, the sill beam solution is expensive in maintenance since it requires plural cameras. In the implementation illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6, and described in paragraph [0043] of US 2004/0126015 for instance, three cameras are mounted on each of the sill beams. Since these cameras are operating in difficult conditions resulting from the presence of wind and water in port or railway areas, their lifetime is limited and maintenance requirements are high. Plural cameras mounted on the sill beams consequently increase the installation and operational costs for the container terminal operator.
Further disadvantageously, front-sides and rear-sides of the containers cannot be scanned in the sill beam solution. Since the cameras are mounted on the sill beams, only container identifications marked on the side of the container can be scanned. In case the container identification or other useful information such as the IMDG code or seal is marked on or attached to a front-side or rear-side of the container, the sill beam mounted cameras cannot be used. A straightforward solution enabling to scan front-sides and rear-sides of containers could consists in mounting also cameras on the portal beams of the crane, i.e. the horizontal beams parallel to the boom of the crane at a typical height of 13 to 16 meter from the quay. Such additional cameras however would further increase the installation and maintenance costs for the terminal operator and would further slow down the container handling process since the spreader would have to move the container(s) through a second scan window at a typical height of 13 to 16 meter. An alternative solution enabling to scan front-sides and rear-sides of containers consists in a crane system with rotating flywheel to rotate the container as for instance suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 7,783,003 entitled "Rotating Carriage Assembly for Use in Scanning Cargo Conveyances Transported by a Crane". Such solution however requires a dedicated type of crane with rotating flywheel and therefore is not applicable to installed cranes that lack such flywheel.
It is further important to notify that there is an evolution towards development and installation of higher cranes. Whereas today's cranes have typical hoisting heights of 30 meters above rail or quay level, next generation cranes will have heights that extend beyond 50 meters. These cranes will be able to operate at different heights. The maintenance or reparation of electronics or components that operate at such heights will become even more difficult, in particular in harbours where the environmental conditions of wind and water are hard. Moreover, the availability of boom trucks that can be used for maintenance purposes and can reach heights above 30 meters is scarce.
International patent application WO 2009/052854 entitled "Device, Method and System for Recording Inspection Data About a Freight Container" describes a container handling crane with cameras movably mounted on a vertical support or horizontal beam. As is specified in WO 2009/052854 on page 3, lines 14-27, the movement of the cameras is controlled by using the container position and speed, obtained from a crane control system.
Although the container scanning system known from WO 2009/052854 aims at scanning the container short sides—see WO 2009/052854, page 2, line 31 to page 3, line 2—and the presence of IMO placards, the door type, door direction, condition of door seal—see page 9, lines 27-32—the system known from WO 2009/052854 is still disadvantageous for several reasons.
Firstly, WO 2009/052854 fails to describe how the cameras are made movable along the vertical supports or horizontal beams of the crane. Straightforward implementations would rely on cables along which the camera would move, or on movable arms that would take the cameras to the desired positions. Such implementations that make use of cables or movable arms however poorly perform in hard environmental conditions resulting from the presence of wind, water and salt in port or railway areas. Straightforward implementations with movable cameras in other words require regular inspection and maintenance as a result of which their downtime and operational costs are high.
Secondly, the system known from WO 2009/052854 does not allow to scan containers that are moved along an optimal path. The optimal path followed by the crane to unload/load a container depends on the origin/destination location of the container on the ship and the destination/origin location of the container on the quay. This optimal path is different for each container: it will be ascending for certain containers near the crane leg where the movable camera is mounted on, whereas it will be descending for other containers near that same leg. As a result of these differences in nature of the optimal paths followed by different containers, merely using the container position and speed to control the position of the camera/sensor is insufficient to guarantee a successful scan. The system known from WO 2009/052854 consequently can only make successful scans when the crane is controlled to deviate from the optimal path as a result of which unloading/loading containers becomes slower and the overall performance of the crane is reduced.
The system known from WO 2009/052854 also is restricted to make a single image at time t+1 (see step 30 in FIG. 2). Only in embodiments where a second camera is provided, a second image can be made of a container side (see steps 210 and 212 in FIG. 4). The system hence has clear technical limitations that can only be resolved at the cost of more cameras/sensors, and the inherent corresponding cost of increased maintenance and downtime.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a container scanning system that resolves the above identified shortcomings of the prior art. More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention to disclose a container scanning system that scans a container identification or other information marked on or attached to the front-side, rear-side or sides of a container, wherein the scanned information becomes available early in the container handling process, and which enables to increase the overall terminal performance with a less costly and less labour-intensive solution in terms of required electronics and cameras, and with increased reliability. It is in particular an objective of the present invention to disclose a container scanning system with movable cameras that reduces the downtime for maintenance in comparison to straightforward implementations, and that allows the crane to move each container along the optimal unload/load path in order to further optimize the terminal performance. It is a further objective to enable making plural scans without a need to multiply the camera/sensor infrastructure.


A system and method for visually establishing a trading strategy are described. According to one method, a trader can position a first icon corresponding to a first order and a second icon corresponding to a second order in relation to a first value axis displayed on a graphical interface. A graphical means can also be used in relation to the icons to show that the icons correspond to a trading strategy. The graphical means can include lines, numbers, or any other user-configurable graphical representation illustrating order precedence, for example.

In recent years, a trend towards electronic trading has become well-established, causing one major exchange after another to replace or at least supplement the traditional open outcry, where a trade is done face to face, with automated, electronic systems which automatically match bids and offers. While the motivation behind using electronic trading may vary from market to market, greater efficiency and volume are some of the considerations.
In particular, subscribing traders are connected to an exchange's electronic trading platform by way of a communication link and through an application program interface to facilitate real-time electronic messaging between themselves and the exchange. The electronic messaging includes market information that is sent from the electronic market to the traders. Market information commonly includes information regarding the inside market and market depth. The inside market is the lowest sell price in the market and the highest buy price in the market at a particular point in time. Market depth refers to quantities available at the inside market and may also refer to quantities available at other prices away from the inside market. The quantity available at a given price level is usually provided by the host exchange in aggregate sums. In other words, a host exchange usually provides the total buy or the total sell quantity available in the market at a particular price level in its data feed. The extent of the market depth available to a trader usually depends on the host exchange. For instance, some host exchanges provide market depth for all or many price levels, while some provide only quantities associated with the inside market, and others may provide no market depth at all. Additionally, host exchange can offer other types of market information such as the last traded price ("LTP"), or the last traded quantity ("LTQ").
Just as with an open-outcry exchange, an electronic exchange can list any number of tradeable objects. Often times, traders will simultaneously trade more than one tradeable object, and they may simultaneously trade tradeable objects that are listed at more than one exchange. Ordinarily, each tradeable object has its own separate stream of market information. Therefore, in these instances, the traders will generally receive more than one stream of market information such that each stream of market information attempts to characterize a given tradeable object.
Once the traders receive market information, the market information may be displayed to them on their trading screens. Upon viewing the information, traders take certain actions including the actions of sending buy or sell orders to the electronic market, adjusting existing orders, deleting orders, or otherwise managing orders. In general, traders may use trading screens to enter orders into the market, and to obtain and view market information. Traders may also use software tools on their client devices to automate these and additional actions.
To profit in electronic markets, however, market participants must be able to assimilate large amounts of data, including market information, and react to the received data more quickly than other competing market participants. It is therefore desirable to offer user-friendly tools that can assist a market participant in making desirable trades.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for icon oriented representation of trading strategies

Trading Technologies International, Inc.


A manually operable pump for dispensing creamy substances from a container on which the pump is mounted, and for preventing emergence or leakage of creamy substances along the outer surface of the pump stem when the pump is at rest and the container on which it is mounted is inclined to the upright position, with the pump at least partly immersed in the creamy substances. The pump comprises two separate seal regions provided between the pump main body and the piston and respectively the stem of the same pump.

Many types of manually operable pumps for dispensing creamy substances are known: some pumps have a very complex structure and are therefore costly, whereas other pumps have a simpler and more economical structure but present the drawback of allowing accidental leakage or emergence of the creamy substance at or about the outer surface of the pump operating and dispensing stem when the pump (mounted on a creamy substance container) is in a downward position relative to the container.

Manually operable pump for dispensing creamy substances


A compact mobile vacuum boring, mud recovery, excavation and surface cleaning method comprising a device which will create a vacuum condition within a vacuum container and the vacuum container may be mounted on an incline slope to provide space beneath it to locate a water storage container. A vacuum conduit may be used to transport liquid or solid particles into the vacuum container. The vacuum conduit may be mounted adjacent to an articulated boom with one or more elbows and arms and the boom arm may have multiple utilities and tools attached. The vacuum tank may be mounted at a slope sufficient to assist emptying it's contents by gravity. An air filter housing may be adjacently mounted above the vacuum tank for efficiency and compactness. A dispensing device may be added to dispense a liquid or a solid from the vacuum container without eliminating the vacuum environment within the vacuum container, and said vacuum container having the ability to fill, store and dispense its contents simultaneously. The vacuum container may further comprise a means to separate a liquid from solids.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum boring and mud recovery method comprising a device which will create a vacuum condition within a vacuum container and the vacuum container is mounted on a sufficient incline to allow debris to be empted out by gravity and to provide space beneath the debris tank to locate a water storage container and having a vacuum conduit to transport a liquid and or solid particles into the vacuum container. A dispensing device may be added to dispense a liquid or a solid from the vacuum container without eliminating the vacuum environment within the vacuum container, and said vacuum container having the ability to fill, store and dispense its contents simultaneously. The vacuum container may further comprises a means to separate a liquid and from solids. Said vacuum conduit articulated boom used to transport debris into the vacuum container may have the added feature or attachments chosen from an earth digging bucket, a telescoping vacuum conduit, sensor to locate buried utilities, monitors and controls to operate the attachments an their function, water spray nozzle, man hole cover remover, cutting tool, grinding tool, saw, blasting tool, surface cleaning tool, demolition tool, torque wrench, tractor to pull vacuum hose, jetter nozzle, or camera and power source to operate them. The above described vacuum system may be mounted on a variety of mobile platforms, chosen from but not limited to a trailer, truck, skid steer, fork lift, track hoe, railroad car, or zero turn radius vehicle which may have the added feature of being convertible between a powered vehicle & a trailer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current state of the art vacuum boring and mud recovery systems have a vacuum container having the ability to be filled and store liquid and solid particles. After filling said vacuum container to a predetermined capacity, the vacuum producing device must be discontinued, the filling must discontinue, the vacuum environment within the vacuum container is eliminated, the container opened and the contents dumped out. After the container is emptied, the vacuum-producing device may be restarted and the filling and storing may restart. Currently, vacuum containers capable of vacuuming mud and boring earth are operated as a batch process. The vacuum debris container is mounted horizontal and filled with debris. After it is full of debris a hydraulic jack tilts the tank for unloading. The vacuum tank, water tank, and other support equipment are each mounted separately on a trailer or truck bed, thus consuming a lot of floor space.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a means to accomplish a compact, concentrated weight, vacuum boring & excavation system by creating a vacuum container mounted at a sufficient incline to allow debris to be empted out by gravity and to provide space beneath the debris tank to locate a water storage container.
It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a means of separating the stored contents by predetermined category and dispensing them without stopping the vacuum fill and store operation or eliminating the vacuum environment within the vacuum container.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an articulated powered vacuum conduit boom with sufficient structural strength to allow an operator to move and control the location of the suction end of the vacuum conduit and said suction end of said vacuum conduit have an earth digging bucket mounted adjacent it, and said conduit boom with said earth digging bucket being mounted on a mobile vehicle, and a preferred vehicle being a powered zero turn radius vehicle having the ability to be converted into a tow able trailer configuration for the purpose of transporting from job to job.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a vacuum conduit boom with sufficient structural strength, power and articulated movement to allow an operator to move and control the location of the suction end of the vacuum conduit into a manhole lateral line along with a jetter spray nozzle.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an articulated powered vacuum conduit boom with sufficient structural strength to allow an operator to remotely move and control the location of the suction end of the vacuum conduit with one or more attachments adjacently attached to the suction end of said vacuum conduit and said attachments being chosen from an earth digging bucket, a telescoping vacuum conduit, sensor to locate buried utilities, monitors and controls to operate the attachments and their function, water spray nozzle, manhole cover remover, cutting tool, grinding tool, saw, blasting tool, surface cleaning tool, demolition tool, torque wrench, tractor to pull vacuum hose, jetter nozzle, or camera and power source to operate them.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to separate hydrocarbons from the contents vacuumed into the vacuum container.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a means to purify or sterilize the contents vacuumed into the vacuum tank.

Mobile vacuum boring and excavation method


During operation of a node in a secondary communication system (100) data enters a spreader (301) and is appropriately spread. The spread data is then modulated onto all available channels using a multi-carrier OFDM modulation technique. This entails the spread data being modulated onto those channels that are currently being used by the primary communication system (120). Finally, a transmitter (303) transmits the spread data only over carriers that will not interfere with the primary communication system.

In a cognitive radio system, a cognitive secondary radio will utilize spectrum assigned to a primary system using an opportunistic approach. With this approach, the secondary radio system will share the spectrum with primary incumbents as well as those operating under authorization on a secondary basis. Under these conditions, it is imperative that any user in the cognitive radio system not interfere with primary users. Some types of cognitive radio systems (e.g., IEEE 802.22) require that devices sense the channel to detect a licensed, primary user. The devices are allowed to transmit if their transmissions will not interfere with any primary user. This is generally accomplished by the secondary user determining a signal strength of the primary users on a particular channel, and if the signal of any primary user is above a predetermined threshold, the cognitive radio device determines that its transmissions on that channel would cause interference to the primary user, and so inhibits transmission.
Many cognitive radio proposals are based on a multi-carrier (e.g. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed OFDM)) physical layer due to their inherent frequency shaping ability. Data can be transmitted on most of the carriers while others are left blank to reduce interference to specific frequency bands. To maximize throughput and avoid data loss, the receiver should have a priori knowledge of the carrier formatting.
A problem exists in that sometimes the receiver may not know the carrier formatting (i.e., what carriers are being utilized for transmission) prior to frame reception. For example, if a calling channel is used to initiate communication between two devices, the transmitting device will first perform spectrum measurements to determine which carriers need to be empty and which can carry data. In the absence of other handshaking messages, the transmitting device has no way to let the receiver know the resulting carrier format prior to the calling channel request. What is needed is a method and apparatus for communication by a secondary user of spectrum by which the receiver can demodulate transmissions without a priori knowledge of carrier format.

Method and apparatus for communication by a secondary user of spectrum


Toner attracted onto an electronic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum is transferred onto a transfer sheet, using a transfer bias from a transfer bias roller. A transfer belt for transporting the transfer sheet includes an anisotropic conductive layer composed of conductive members and an insulating member. The anisotropic conductive layer is conductive only in the thickness direction thereof and insulating in the other directions. This makes it possible to offer a transfer device that can prevent a transfer electric field from spreading and toner from being projected, and that boasts excellent sheet transportability.

The following description will explain a conventional image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic method. FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 14, the image forming apparatus includes a charging section 91, a developing section 92, a transfer section 93, a cleaning section 94, and a discharging section 95 around a photosensitive drum 90 that is an image information forming body composed of an aluminum base body, etc. whose surface is coated with an organic photoconductive layer (hereinafter, will be referred to as an OPC layer), Se, a-Si, etc.
In the image forming apparatus, as the photosensitive drum 90 rotates in the direction A as shown in FIG. 14, the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 is uniformly charged by corona discharge, etc. of the charging section 91 and then exposed by an exposure section (not shown) composed of an image scanner, an LED, etc. in accordance with image information, thereby forming electronic latent images such as an electrostatic latent image, an electric charge latent image, and a conductive latent image thereon.
Toner 81 including one or two components is supplied from the developing section 92 to the electronic latent image, which is thus visualized and forms a toner image. The toner 81 is charged fine particles colored with carbon black, a pigment, etc., averaging 7 .mu.m to 15 .mu.m in particle diameter, and containing a polyester resin, a polypropylene resin, a styrene-acrylic copolymer, etc. as binder resins.
As a transfer sheet 96 that is a transfer material is transported between the photosensitive drum 90 and the transfer section 93 from the right side of FIG. 14 by a paper supply section (not shown), the toner 81 that has formed a visual image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 is transferred from the photosensitive drum 90 onto the transfer sheet 96 by corona discharge of the transfer section 93.
The transfer sheet 96 onto which the toner 81 has been transferred is ejected on the left side of FIG. 14 by a paper ejecting section (not shown). The toner 81 is heated and pressed by a fixing section (not shown) to melt, and the image that has been formed with toner on the transfer sheet 96 is fixed.
On the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 after the toner 81 is transferred onto the transfer sheet 96, there remains toner that has not been transferred. This is because not the whole toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 is transferred in the transfer stage where the transfer section 93 transfers the toner 81 onto the transfer sheet 96 in the image forming processes. Normally the toner 81 is transferred onto the transfer sheet 96 at about 80% efficiency with the remaining about 20% being left on the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 as residual toner 82 in the transfer stage. The residual toner 82 is cleaned off the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 by a cleaning section 94.
A cleaning blade made of an elastic member such as urethane rubber, or a fur brush composed of a brush with bristles made of a high polymer organic material, etc. such as nylon and acrylic is used as the cleaning section 94. Cleaning is executed by, for example, the tip of the cleaning blade or an elastic roller that scrapes the residual toner 82 and other adhering substances 83 off the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 when pressed against, or brought into contact with, the surface of the photosensitive drum 90.
The discharging section 95, typically disposed downstream from the cleaning section 94, induces discharging of the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 with light or corona discharge and thus eliminates unnecessary electric charge therefrom.
The image forming apparatus has the above explained configuration. Next, a transfer stage by the transfer section 93 will be explained.
A corona transfer method has been typically employed conventionally with the transfer section 93. According to that method, a transfer electric field is formed by charging the transfer sheet 96 from the backside of the transfer sheet 96 oppositely to the polarity of the toner 81 with corona discharge using a corotron charger, and then the toner 81 is transferred onto the transfer sheet 96 by the Coulomb's force.
However, in recent years, there is a greater interest in other methods, such as a roller transfer method and a belt transfer method, than in the corona transfer method using a corotron charger. According to the roller transfer method, the transfer is carried out by the Coulomb's force, as an elastic roller called a transfer roller provided on the surface thereon with a conductor or dielectric is pressed to the photosensitive drum 90 on the backside of the transfer sheet 96, and then a transfer electric field is formed by applying a bias voltage to the elastic roller (see for instance Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 50-32947/1975 (Tokukaisho 50-32947) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 56-110967/1981 (Tokukaisho 56-110967)). According to the belt transfer method, the transfer is carried out by the Coulomb's force as a transfer electric field is formed by charging an endless belt called a transfer belt (see for instance Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 63-83762/1988 (Tokukaisho 63-83762), Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-113771/1989 (Tokukaihei 1-113771), and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-46474/1990 (Tokukaihei 2-46474)).
The roller transfer method and the belt transfer method have advantages of creating less ozone than the conventional corona transfer method and of eliminating the need for a discharging section indispensable in the corona transfer method. Especially, as for the belt transfer method, the transfer sheet 96 is attracted toward the transfer belt due to dielectric polarization and preliminary charging and therefore transported while firmly adhering to the transfer belt and contacting with the photosensitive drum 90. The toner image is transferred in that state. Therefore, the transfer belt doubles as a transport section, and the transfer belt is more easily separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 90 after the transfer is finished than the transfer section of the corona transfer method. Besides, although having a complex structure, the belt transfer method is often used for color image forming apparatuses, etc. because of its high freedom in setting a transfer area.
However, the belt transfer method using the transfer belt has problems: for example, a varying resistance value of the transfer belt depending on the environments, residual electric charges caused by non-uniform properties due to a problem in molding and processing of the belt, and a dirty backside of the transfer sheet 96 due to the residual electric charges (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-179670/1990 (Tokukaihei 2-179670), and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 5-113725/1993 (Tokukaihei 5-113725)). Also, since electric charges having the opposite polarity to the toner are separated all of a sudden for example when the transfer sheet 96 enters into the photosensitive drum firm adhesion section and when the transfer sheet 96 is separated from the photosensitive drum 90 after the transfer, abnormal discharge (atmospheric discharge such as detaching discharge) at that time suddenly changes the attraction of the toner to the paper, the toner image on the transfer sheet 96 becomes unstable, and the toner is likely to be projected, resulting in poor quality in the finished image. The toner projection occurs also when the transfer sheet 96 is separated from the transfer belt.
The toner projection may be possibly reduced by the use of a conductive transfer belt (hereinafter, will be referred to as a conductive belt). However, the conductive belt has a low surface resistance and exhibits large electric charge leak in the surface plane of the transfer belt in a very humid and hot environment, adversely affecting transfer properties.
Also, as shown in FIG. 15, if there exists a pin-hole 90b in an OPC layer 90a of a photosensitive drum 90 facing a transfer belt 100 while a bias is being applied to the transfer belt 100, the electric charge in quite a large area around the pin-hole 90b flows from the transfer belt 100 to the aluminum base body 90c of the photosensitive drum 90 through the pin-hole 90b. The transfer belt 100 is therefore in a quasi-grounded state. The area around the pin-hole 90b is discharged, failing to form a transfer electric field and to transfer the toner 81 onto a transfer material. Especially, when using a transfer belt 100 having low surface and volume resistivities, a very large area extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper transporting direction (in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transfer belt 100, that is, in the same direction as the direction of the shaft of the photosensitive drum 90) turns into the above-mentioned quasi-grounded state on the instant when the transfer is to be carried out to the place where the pin-hole 90b occurs. Resultant problems include failure in transfer due to weakening of the transfer electric field across that area, and electric current flowing in excess into the aluminum base body 90c of the photosensitive drum 90 through the pin-hole 90b.
In addition, the transfer sheet is well attracted if a dielectric belt with a high resistivity is used. However, if a conductive belt is used, the belt is charged for an extremely short period of time, and accordingly the transfer sheet is attracted for a shorter period of time. Therefore, there occurs a problem in paper transportation.

Transfer device with an anisotropin conductive layer


The present invention relates generally to a nucleic acid molecule encoding, or complementary to a nucleic acid molecule encoding, a recombinant NAD+ dependent glucocorticoid dehydrogenase and more particularly to 11 .beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (11 .beta.HSD2). When expressed in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, the nucleic acid molecule of the present invention is used to assay for potential agonists or antagonists of glucocorticoid dehydrogenase activity. Further, the present invention relates to immunoreactive molecules to NAD+ dependent glucocorticoid dehydrogenase which provide the basis for a new range of diagnostic agents for use, such as in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension and in predicting the potential outcome of in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer procedures.

Improvements in recombinant DNA technology have produced dramatic changes to the nature of pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. One area where this technology has had great impact is in the development of diagnostics, in particular diagnostics to determine the suitability of candidates for IVF regimens. Traditionally, there has been no efficient means of predicting the outcome of an IVF programme, which is a costly procedure. Furthermore, recombinant DNA technology has led to advances in the development of diagnostics for assessing the hypertensive state of patients.
Corticosteroids, also referred to as glucocorticoids are steroid hormones, the most common form of which is cortisol. Modulation of glucocorticoid activity is important in regulating physiological processes in a wide range of tissues and organs. Glucocorticoids act within the gonads to directly suppress testosterone production (Monder et al., 1994). High levels of glucocorticoids may also result in excessive salt and water retention by the kidneys, producing high blood pressure.
Glucocorticoid action is mediated via binding of the molecule to a receptor, defined hereinafter as either a mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) or a glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Krozowski et al. (1983) and Beaumont and Fanestil (1983) showed that MR of adrenalectomised rats have an equal affinity for the mineralocorticoid aldosterone and glucocorticoids, for example corticosterone and cortisol. Confirmatory evidence has been found for human MR (Arriza et al., 1988). In patients suffering from the congenital syndrome of Apparent Mineralocorticoid Excess (AME; Ulick et al., 1979), cortisol levels are elevated and bind to and activate MRs normally occupied by aldosterone, the steroid that regulates salt and water balance in the body. Salt and water are retained in AME patients causing severe hypertension.
The enzyme 11.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11.beta.HSD) converts glucocorticoids into metabolites that are unable to bind to MRs (Edwards et al., 1988; Funder et al., 1988), present in mineralocorticoid target tissues, for example kidney, pancreas, small intestine, colon, as well as the hippocampus, placenta and gonads. For example, in aldosterone target tissues 11.beta.HSD inactivates glucocorticoid molecules, allowing the much lower circulating levels of aldosterone to maintain renal homeostasis. When the 11.beta.HSD enzyme is inactivated, for example in AME patients (Ulick et al., 1979) or following administration of glycyrrhetinic acid, a component of licorice, severe hypertension results. Further, placental 11.beta.HSD activity may protect the foetus from high circulating levels of glucocorticoid which may predispose to hypertension in later life (Edwards et al., 1993).
Although the 11.beta.HSD enzyme has never been purified to homogeneity, biochemical characterisation of 11.beta.HSD activity indicates the presence of at least two isoenzymes (11.beta.HSD1 and 11.beta.HSD2) with different cofactor requirements and substrate affinities. The 11.beta.HSD1 enzyme is a low affinity enzyme that prefers NADP+ as a cofactor (Agarwal et al., 1989). The 11.beta.HSD2 enzyme is a high affinity enzyme (Km for glucocorticoid=10 nM), requiring NAD+, not NADP+ as the preferred cofactor, belonging to a class of glucocorticoid dehydrogenase enzymes hereinafter referred to as "NAD+ dependent glucocorticoid dehydrogenase" enzymes.
Michael et al. (1993) show an inverse correlation between 11.beta.HSD enzyme activity in human granulosa-lutein cells and the success of IVF, and suggest that activity of this enzyme might be related to the success of embryo attachment and implantation following IVF. The measurement of ovarian 11.beta.HSD enzyme activity as a prognostic indicator for the outcome of assisted conception in all species, is the subject of UK Patent Application No 9305984. However, the disclosure of Michael et al. (1993), and corresponding UK Patent Application No 9305984 do not identify, or even suggest which isoenzyme in the ovary might be a predictive indicator of IVF embryo transfer, or a means of distinguishing isoenzymes of 11.beta.HSD in the prediction of IVF embryo transfer outcomes. In fact, the enzyme assay procedure might detect all isoenzymes of 11.beta.HSD activity in the cell, some of which may be hitherto uncharacterised.
Clearly, there are direct benefits to be derived from interventionary measures that modulate glucocorticoid levels in humans, for example using gene therapies. The gene encoding the NADP+ dependent glucocorticoid dehydrogenase enzyme 11.beta.HSD1, has been cloned from rat cells (Agarwal et al., 1989). Analysis of the 11.beta.HSD1 gene from AME patients (Nikkila et al., 1993) has failed to identify a potential correlation between activity of this particular genetic sequence and the syndrome. Furthermore, the isolation of the human 11.beta.HSD1 gene has not contributed to the identification of other genes that do in fact play a role in the aetiology of diseases associated with glucocorticoid metabolism, for example AME. In particular, the molecular characterisation of a gene encoding the 11.beta.HSD2 enzyme from human kidney cells, has not been a straightforward procedure. For example, the enzyme has not been purified to homogeneity and, until the present invention, there were no nucleotide sequence or amino acid sequence data for the 11.beta.HSD2 enzyme from any primate species, including man.

Genetic sequences encoding glucocorticoid dehydrogenases and uses thereof


A method and system of controlling a process from run-to-run for semiconductor manufacturing. The method of control utilizes a process model to establish a relationship between process control input data and process control output data. The method of control involves minimizing the difference between target process control output data and process control output data predicted by applying the process model to the new process control input data.

Throughout the various stages of plasma processing, such as semiconductor or display manufacturing, etc., critical process parameters may vary significantly. Processing conditions change over time with the slightest changes in critical process parameters creating undesirable results. Small changes can easily occur in the composition or pressure of an etch gas, process chamber, or substrate temperature. As such, plasma processing facilities require constant monitoring. Even under conditions expected to yield nominally the same results, the development of the depositions for example of insulating (or conducting) layers on the fixtures of the plasma processing facility alter the electrical impedance of the processing facility and, hence, alter the existing electrical configuration by which power is coupled into the plasma facility. As such, the plasma densities and plasma uniformities change with time (i.e., age) despite the consistency of input parameters.
During the manufacture of semiconductor ICs, monitoring and controlling process parameters are critical for acquiring the highest IC product yield and quality. For example, the precise control of etch feature critical dimensions is critical in the damascene structure process that is utilized for forming IC wiring levels and interconnect structures through inter- and intra-level dielectric layers, as well as gate contacts. Yet, the required process control is hampered by the above noted changes occurring within the plasma processing facility.
Conventionally, after-the-effect observations of the resultant etch process or resultant etch structure are used as a best guest basis to alter the process control model in an attempt to "correct" the process. Such after-the-effect approaches to process control waste product as the process model is corrected. Further, such after-the-effect changes are not designed to predict changes to the process model.

Method and system for run-to-run control


In an external-device control apparatus, a first section extracts a prescribed descriptor from program specific information in a transport stream. A second section analyzes information represented by the extracted prescribed descriptor to obtain an analyzation result. A third section stores information about setting of operation of an external device. A fourth section generates a signal for control of the operation of the external device in response to the obtained analyzation result according to the information stored in the third section. The fourth section sends the generated signal to the external device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an external-device control apparatus, and also a system including an external device and a control apparatus for the external device. This invention particularly relates to an apparatus for extracting PSI (program specific information) from a transport stream generated in conformity with the MPEG2 (Moving Picture Experts Group 2) standards, and controlling an external device in response to the extracted PSI. In addition, this invention particularly relates to a system including such a control apparatus and an external device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of content programs (for example, television programs) can be transmitted on a multiplexed basis through the use of a transport stream (TS) generated in conformity with the MPEG2 standards. Program specific information (PSI) is contained in the transport stream. The PSI identifies what parts of the transport stream belong to a particular content program among the plural content programs. Specifically, the PSI includes information for identifying necessary packets (desired packets) from the transport stream in which the plural content programs are multiplexed. Accordingly, a reception side can select desired one from the plural content programs by extracting the PSI from the transport stream and then referring to the extracted PSI.
The PSI complies with the ISO/IEC13818-1 standards. In general, the PSI includes a program association table (PAT), a program map table (PMT), and a selection information table (SIT). There are various descriptors in these tables (for example, a PMT and a SIT) which are classified according to use.
Japanese patent application publication number 2004-104752 discloses a digital broadcast receiving apparatus including a storage unit, a first controller, a memory, a second controller, and an interface. The first controller and the second controller are formed by a common CPU. The first controller loads the storage unit with a partial TS (transport stream) extracted from a received TS. The partial TS includes elementary streams (ES) representative of a selected content program, and control information for the selected content program. The first controller generates program accessory information from the control information in the partial TS which occurs before being loaded into the storage unit. The program accessory information includes copy control information and packet identification information. The program accessory information is referred to when the partial TS is outputted to an external recording device from the storage unit. The memory stores the program accessory information in a manner having a correspondence with the partial TS in the storage unit. The second controller issues the interface a command to update the control information in the partial TS according to the program accessory information. Furthermore, the second controller issues the interface a command to read out the partial TS from the storage unit. When receiving the commands from the second controller, the interface reads out the partial TS from the storage unit and updates the control information according to the program accessory information. Then, the interface outputs the read-out partial TS to the external recording device.
In the apparatus of Japanese application 2004-104752, the control information in the partial TS extracted from the received TS includes a PMT having copy control information. The first controller extracts the copy control information from the PMT, and uses the extracted copy control information as a part of the program accessory information. In the case where the copy control information in the partial TS extracted from the received TS is in a "copy-once" state, the copy control information is changed to a "no-more-copies" state before the partial TS is stored into the storage unit. Therefore, in this case, the copy control information in the program accessory information in the memory is in the "copy-once" state while the copy control information in the partial TS in the storage unit is in the "no-more-copies" state. When the second controller receives user's request to move the partial TS from the storage unit, the second controller refers to the copy control information in the program accessory information. In the case where the copy control information in the program accessory information is in the "copy-once" state, the second controller commands the interface to read out the partial TS from the storage unit and to update the copy control information in the read-out partial TS from the "no-more-copies" to the "copy-once" state. In addition, the second controller commands the interface to update move-related information in the PMT in the partial TS from a "non-move" state to an "in-move" state. Furthermore, the second controller commands the interface to output the partial TS inclusive of the updated copy control information to the external recording device. When the second controller receives user's request to copy the partial TS in the storage unit, the second controller refers to the copy control information in the program accessory information. In the case where the copy control information in the program accessory information is in the "copy-once" state, the second controller commands the interface to inhibit the transmission of the partial TS from the storage unit to the external recording device.
In the apparatus of Japanese application 2004-104752, the copy control information is represented by a descriptor in the PMT which is contained in PSI (program specific information). There are various descriptors in the PSI such as a component descriptor indicating the type of a component signal and a content descriptor indicating the genre of a content program. It is desirable to more effectively use such descriptors.

External-device control apparatus and system


Methods of cleaning waxy, oily and/or greasy soils, including lipsticks and lip gloss, are disclosed. Methods of removing lipstick and lip gloss stains in warewash and laundry applications are disclosed through application of cleaning compositions comprising long chain polyamines, namely C6-C20 polyamines having between 1 and 5 nitrogens. In some aspects alkaline cleaning compositions comprise sodium hydroxide detergents and a C6-C20 polyamines such as N1-(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3,diamine) and/or N1,N1,N3-tris(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine.

Various ware, including drinkware in restaurants and bars are often soiled at the top portion of the drinkware from lip cosmetic soils that rub off a patron's lips and onto the drinkware as the patron drinks out of the glass. The lip cosmetic soil is typically very difficult to remove because of the waxy, oily and/or greasy consistency of lip cosmetics. Recently, lip cosmetic soils have become even more difficult to remove as a result of advances in the lip cosmetic industry such as new "long-wearing" lipsticks.
In the past, drinkware have been run through various washing processes depending on the particular method used. Pretreatments or soaking have been employed to remove lip cosmetic soils or at last loosen the soils prior to running the drinkware through a normal wash cycle. Often these pretreatments require inverting the ware to contact the soil. Additional processes include, for example, rewashing the ware, manually washing or polishing the ware, and/or adding additional time to the warewash cycle to remove such soils.
Warewashing formulations employing alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal metasilicates, alkali metal silicates, and/or alkali metal hydroxides are known to provide effective detergency, particularly when used with phosphorus-containing compounds. However, the use of phosphorous raw materials in detergents has become undesirable for a variety of reasons, including environmental reasons. This has resulted in heavy regulation of phosphorus based chemistries. Thus, industries are seeking alternative ways to clean wares and control hard water scale formation associated with highly alkaline detergents. Many commercially-available detergent formulations have employed sodium tripolyphosphate as a cost effective component for controlling hard water scale and providing detergency. However, as formulations are adapted to contain less than 0.5 wt-% phosphorus, there is a need for identifying replacement cleaning components. Many non-phosphate replacement formulations result in heavy soil accumulation on hard surfaces.
Accordingly, it is an objective to develop improved solid and/or liquid cleaning compositions for the effectively removal of waxy, oily and/or greasy soils, including lip cosmetic soils.
A further object is to provide improved warewash, pretreatment and hard surface cleaning compositions.
A further object is to provide cleaning compositions that do not require the use of a pretreatment step to soak the lip cosmetic soils on drinkware.
A further object is to provide efficient methods of using such cleaning composition.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Alkaline cleaning composition and methods for removing lipstick


A management server receives a server instruction inquiry from an image forming apparatus, and transmits a communication switching instruction to the image forming apparatus as a response to the server instruction inquiry, such that the communication switching instruction switches the communication system for communicating with the image forming apparatus to push communication. After push communication has been established by conducting an initial communication with the image forming apparatus according to the communication switching instruction, the management server issues server instructions to the image forming apparatus by push communication.

A management system is proposed which is provided with a management server that communicates with image forming apparatuses via a network such as an Internet. Here, in a network environment where a firewall is provided in a local network in which image forming apparatuses are deployed, it is impossible to directly issue a setting modification instruction, a reboot instruction or the like to an image forming apparatus from the management server. Therefore, in this type of network environment, the image forming apparatus polls the management server to inquire about the existence of instructions.
Patent Document 1 discloses a device management system in which, if an inquiry about the existence of instructions is received in passing from a management target device, and if an instruction exists, the management server returns the instruction in the operative session upon receipt of the inquiry.

Management apparatus, management system, control method, and storage medium


A radar system (20) has a chaotic code source (22) with a chaotic code output (23), which generates a chaotic code according to a chaotic difference equation. The radar system (20) further includes a transmitter (24) with a carrier signal source (28) of a carrier signal (29), and an encoder (30) having as a first input the carrier signal (29) of the carrier signal source (28) and as a second input the chaotic code output (23) of the chaotic code source (22), and as an output a transmitted radar signal (36) having the chaotic code output (23) encoded onto the carrier signal (29). A radar system receiver (26) includes a correlator (46) having as a first input the chaotic code output (23) of the chaotic code source (22) and as a second input a received radar signal (44), and as an output an indication of the correlation of the first and second inputs. The correlation is used to determine the distance, speed, or other characteristic of an object that reflected the radar signal.

This invention relates to a radar system, and, more particularly, to a radar system in which the waveform of the transmitted radar signal is determined according to chaotic coding.
In a radar system, a transmitter generates a transmitted radar wave which is propagated through free space. If the transmitted radar wave strikes an object, a portion of its energy is scattered and reflected from the object. A radar receiver has an antenna that receives a portion of the reflected energy. The received signal is analyzed to determine some characteristic of the object that reflected the radar wave, such as its distance or speed.
In many types of radar systems, the transmitted radar signal is produced by encoding a carrier signal with a code such as a binary code. The code may be encoded onto the frequency, phase, amplitude, or other characteristic of the carrier signal. The coding is carried by the transmitted and received radar signals, and the correlation of the received code with the transmitted code serves as the basis for obtaining information about the object that reflects the radar wave.
For example, if the wave form phase of the transmitted radar signal is encoded with a time series of a known type of code, that same code is correlated to the wave form of the received radar signal to determine the time interval between transmission and receipt of the radar signal. The time interval translates directly to a distance from the transmitter to the object and thence to the receiver, since the propagation velocity of the radar signal is at the constant speed of light. In the common case where the radar transmitter and receiver are at the same location, the radar signal propagation distance is twice the distance between the transmitter/receiver and the target.
Great care is taken in selecting the form of the code used to encode the radar signal. In many cases, the code is a repetitive sequence of individual binary pulses that is readily analyzed by the radar receiver. The rate of repetition of the sequence limits the maximum range of the radar, because at greater ranges there can be uncertainty as to which repetition is being matched to the received signal. The repetition rate of the binary pulses within the sequence determines the ranging resolution of the radar, because the receiver cannot resolve distances less than the distance associated with one binary pulse width. The number and character of the binary pulses within each sequence, prior to repetition, determines in part the ability of the radar to unambiguously correlate the transmitted and received signals. Finally, the nature of the coding may be important in minimizing the ability of countermeasures to negate the effectiveness of the radar system, a concern for military radars.
Thus, in selecting the coding used in a radar system, there is a constant tension between these various considerations. To obtain good ranging resolution of the radar, the pulse width of one bit of the code should be small. But to obtain good maximum range, there should be a low code sequence repetition rate. There is therefore a need for a radar utilizing a long coding sequence that is readily correlated between the transmitted and received radar signals.
Many different types of coding have been developed, studied, and used in an attempt to optimize the performance of radar systems. While these codings are operable in various situations, there is still a need for improvement in radar system performance by selection of improved signal coding. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.


The present invention provides touch sensor means for detecting the touch location along the length of an outfitted piano key as it is pressed, so as to then offset the notes of an associated piano keyboard accordingly during play. When such an outfitted key is pressed in combination with other piano keys, the touch location along the length of the outfitted key, and the separation intervals and timing of the key presses, are analyzed to determine the intended chord, such that before any notes are sounded, the notes of the pressed keys are configured for the sounding of that chord. This arrangement enables playing a wide range of notes using just a few keys, so as to provide a substantially reduced-size keyboard with full-sized keys sufficient for real-time playing. This arrangement also enables configuring the note offsets of those pressed keys to conform to a selected musical key, so as to simplify the layout of the keyboard by eliminating its black keys, while still supporting the playing of non-conforming notes. This arrangement further enables applying pitch variation to those note offsets in order to emulate the “string stretching,” “whammy bar,” and “fretless neck” playing techniques for guitars and basses. This arrangement even further enables playing advanced chords in a simplified manner. Finally, this arrangement enables providing a wide assortment of keyboards that can differ in the type, number, size, and functionality of their outfitted keys.

The present invention is directed toward a keyboard with touch sensors for detecting the touch location along the length of an outfitted key as it is being pressed, so as to thereby enable the functionality of the keyboard to be continually reconfigured during play in accordance with the touch location being detected. This reconfiguration can be utilized to enhance that functionality, simplify its use, and substantially reduce the number of keys and keyboard footprint required for its implementation. Such touch detection is particularly applicable to touchscreen, piano-type keyboards; however, it is generally applicable to any keyboard being associated with electronic control, especially where portability is an issue.
There are numerous piano keyboard apps available for iPads, and similar touchscreen devices. The popularity of these apps can be attributed, at least in part, to the portability of those tablets; however, due to the tiny size of their playing surface as compared to a standard piano keyboard, the number of keys available for playing at any given time, is extremely limited, which presents a serious obstruction to the playing of even the simplest piano arrangements.
In an attempt to alleviate this functionality obstruction, apps have typically: reduced key width to display additional keys; reduced key length to display multiple key rows; and provided keyboard repositioning swipes during play for revealing normally off-screen keys. While these measures do increase the number of readily available keys, the reduced key size and additionally required swipes have rendered such apps virtually unusable for real-time play.
Furthermore, since playing even simple arrangements requires a fair amount of skill, keyboards provide preprogrammed buttons for simulating actual playing. While such button pressing does enable beginners to circumvent this learning curve, because it is so far removed from the skills required for piano playing, very little learning is actually accomplished. A keyboard that offered skill simplification rather than complete elimination would be far more advantageous.
For example, consider the learning curve required for the playing of close, root-position chords, which is relatively small compared to that of advanced chord inversion and voicing. Suppose it were possible to play a close, root-position chord, but then configure the keyboard during play to automatically substitute an advanced chord inversion or voicing before any notes are sounded. This would substantially reduce the learning curve required for advanced playing, but would, at the same time, promote the learning of the basic playing skills.
To date, there is no such reconfigurable, piano-type keyboard that offers both full functionality and simplified playing, and especially not at a substantially reduced size. As such, there is a recognized need for a tablet-sized, piano-type keyboard, of either the touchscreen or physical variety, that can be continually reconfigured during play, so as to provide such capabilities.

Piano keyboard with key touch point detection


A downhole fluid pump including a pump chamber, and a piston disposed in the pump chamber so that the piston will move in one selected from a charge stroke and a discharge stroke when the piston is exposed to a differential pressure. The downhole fluid pump may form part of a formation evaluation while drilling tool.

Wells are generally drilled into the ground to recover natural deposits of oil and gas, as well as other desirable materials, that are trapped in geological formations in the Earth's crust. A well is typically drilled using a drill bit attached to the lower end of a "drill string." Drilling fluid, or "mud," is typically pumped down through the drill string to the drill bit. The drilling fluid lubricates and cools the drill bit, and it carries drill cuttings back to the surface in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole wall.
It is often desirable to have information about the subsurface formations that are penetrated by a well. For example, one aspect of standard formation evaluation relates to the measurements of the formation pressure and formation permeability. These measurements are essential to predicting the production capacity and production lifetime of a subsurface formation.
One technique for measuring formation properties includes lowering a "wireline" tool into the well to measure formation properties. A wireline tool is a measurement tool that is suspended from a wire as it is lowered into a well so that is can measure formation properties at desired depths. A typical wireline tool may include a probe that may be pressed against the borehole wall to establish fluid communication with the formation. This type of wireline tool is often called a "formation tester." Using a probe, a formation tester can measure the pressure of the formation fluids, generate a pressure pulse to determine the formation permeability, and withdraw a sample of formation fluid for later analysis.
In order to use a wireline tool, the drill string must be removed from the well so that the tool can be lowered into the well. This is called a "trip" downhole. Because of the great expense and rig time required to "trip" the drill pipe, wireline tools are generally used only when the information is absolutely needed or when the drill string is tripped for another reason, such as changing the drill bit. Examples of wireline formation testers are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,934,468; 4,860,581; 4,893,505; 4,936,139; and 5,622,223.
Another technique for measuring formation properties uses measurement tools and devices that are positioned near the drill bit in a drilling system. Measurements are made during the drilling process. A variety of downhole drilling tools, such as logging-while-drilling tools and measurement-while-drilling tools, commercially are available. "Logging-while-drilling"("LWD") is used to describe measuring formation properties during the drilling process. Real-time data, such as the formation pressure, allows the driller to make decisions about drilling mud weight and composition, as well as decisions about drilling rate and weight-on-bit, during the drilling process. It is noted that LWD and "measurement-while-drilling"("MWD") have different meanings to those having ordinary skill in the art. MWD typically refers to measuring the drill bit trajectory as well as borehole temperature and pressure, while LWD refers to measuring formation parameters, such as resistivity, porosity, permeability, and sonic velocity, among others. The distinction between LWD and MWD is not germane to the present invention, thus, this disclosure does not distinguish between the two terms.
Formation evaluation while drilling tools capable of performing various downhole formation testing typically include a small probe or pair of packers that can be extended from a drill collar to establish fluid communication between the formation and pressure sensors in the tool so that the formation fluid pressure may be measured. Some existing tools use a pump to actively draw a fluid sample out of the formation so that it may be stored in a sample chamber in the tool for later analysis. Such a pump is typically powered by a battery or by a generator in the drill string that is driven by the mud flow.
What is still needed, therefore, are techniques for downhole formation evaluation while drilling tool that are more reliable and efficient, yet able to conserve space in a downhole drill collar.

Downhole fluid pumping apparatus and method


A method and system generate a boundary of a Schmoo plot. In accord with the method, a plurality of seed points having a resolution that is less than or equal to ½ the acquisition resolution indicated by a smoothness of a representative Schmoo boundary are selected. A coarse boundary search is performed to identify a plurality of test points that are within an acquisition resolution of the boundary. The test points that comprise the coarse boundary are interpolated to produce a fine estimate of the boundary.

A Schmoo plot, also known as a Shmoo plot, schmoo, or shmoo, is a technique that is used to characterize the results of integrated circuit testing. Measurements performed on a device under test (DUT) may be performed as one or more parameters are varied. If a first parameter P1 is tested over a first range of M values and a second parameter P2 is tested over a second range of N values, then there are M*N possible measurements that can be made. The results of testing the DUT at these M*N values of P1 and P2 may be plotted in a two-dimensional grid. The resulting plot is called a Schmoo plot, and indicates regions of successful and unsuccessful testing. Schmoo plots can have more than two dimensions, such as when a DUT is tested as three parameters are varied over a 3-D grid to produce a 3-D Schmoo plot.
Determining the Schmoo plot can become very time-consuming in a finely grained mesh since each measurement point must be computed sequentially. The time-consuming nature of Schmoo plots is problematic, and can result in failure analysis of a small number of DUTs.


The disclosed technology provides techniques, systems, and apparatus for containing and recovering from uncorrectable memory errors in distributed computing environment through migration of virtual machines and associated memory to a target host machine. An aspect of the disclosed technology includes a hypervisor or virtual machine manager that receives signaling of an uncorrectable memory error detected by a host machine. The virtual machine manager then uses information received via the signaling to identify virtual memory addresses or memory pages associated with the corrupted memory element so as to allow for containment and recovery from the error, and for live migration of the virtual machine.

Cloud computing has impacted the way in which enterprises manage computing needs. It provides reliability, flexibility, scalability, and redundancy in a cost-effective way. It enables an enterprise to manage its information technology needs without, for instance, traditional capital investment and maintenance considerations. As more and more computing shifts to cloud systems, these systems now store, process, and output data on a scale that years ago was likely unimaginable. An effect of this shift is that memory errors that occur in the cloud, if not contained and/or recovered from, can impact customer or user experience on a scale corresponding to an enterprise's footprint on the cloud. For instance, it is not untypical that detection of an uncorrectable memory error on a host leads to shutting down of the host resulting in abrupt termination of all hosted virtual machines (VMs). With memory sizes on the gigabyte or terabyte scale, that may impact thousands of VMs or applications that require lengthy time periods to reestablish.
When a physical memory experiences a memory fault, e.g., an "uncorrectable error," other yet undetected memory errors typically exist and that memory is likely "permanently" damaged. In such cases, migration of VMs while retaining their operational status can reduce downtime while containing the number and severity of memory error propagation.

Live migrating virtual machines to a target host upon fatal memory errors


The present invention provides a novel gene encoding a cationic amino acid transporter protein. The present invention also provides antibodies specific for the cationic amino acid transporter protein. Further, the present invention provides methods of treating a disease characterized by undesirable levels of nitric oxide and methods of inhibiting cationic amino acid transport.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to novel DNA sequences encoding cationic amino acid transporters. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel methods of using these DNA sequences and antibodies against the proteins expressed to treat pathophysiological diseases.
2. Description of the Related Art
The y.sup.+ transport system facilitates exclusively the transport of the cationic amino acids (AAs) arginine, lysine and ornithine in a sodium independent manner. An isolation of a cationic AA transporter cDNA clone (termed herein the mCAT-1 gene by Dr. J. Cunningham at Harvard Medical School has recently been reported. Other cDNA clones, isolated by more direct experiments, encode proteins that modify AA transport but are unlikely to directly transport AAs. These proteins are termed accessory or activator proteins.
The mCAT-2 gene was originally named the Tea gene. The gene is now designated murine cationic amino acid transporter (mCAT-2) because of its function as disclosed by the present invention.
Arginine is required for protein synthesis, plays a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of other AAs and is the direct precursor of urea in the urea cycle. Arginine is required for the synthesis of the primary energy phosphagen, creatine phosphate, by donating an amidine group to glycine in the first step of creatine synthesis. The liver is not a net provider of arginine due to the very high level of arginase. Arginine exchange between the kidney and the circulation requires transport mechanisms both to export arginine and import it from glomerular filtrate. Hence, every organ in the body, apart from liver and kidney, derives arginine from the plasma via transport mechanisms. In contrast, lysine is an essential AA, i.e., must be obtained from dietary sources. It is not synthesized by mammals; hence all cells must be capable of transporting lysine to carry out protein synthesis.
Arginine has potent secretagogue activities on several endocrine glands. Intravenous or oral administration of arginine to adult humans induces pituitary growth hormone, prolactin and insulin secretion. In addition, arginine has effects on the immune system independent of polyamine synthesis.
Arginine is the sole precursor for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO). NO is the most potent vasodilator known and is essential for macrophages and T cells to carry out their normal functions. The cytotoxic activity of macrophages is dependent on NO, the production of NO in the vascular endothelium regulates blood pressure, and NO is a neurotransmitter. Like all free radicals, NO is extremely reactive and consequently highly unstable and is rapidly converted to nitrate and nitrite. NO production is regulated, in part, by IL2, TNF-alpha and INF-gamma.
The prior art remains deficient in the lack of effective mechanisms to regulate NO production. The present invention overcomes this longfelt need in the art.

Gene encoding cationic amino acid transporter protein


The present invention relates to methods for diagnosing, staging, prognosticating and treating melanoma based on evaluating the expression of specific patterns of oncogenic or suppressive microRNA (miR) molecules in a patient in need thereof.

Melanoma accounts for 4% of all skin cancer diagnoses but contributes to 75% of deaths from skin cancer, where the incidence of melanoma and death rates from melanoma continue to rise, each year in the Western world.
In its early stages malignant melanoma can be cured by surgical resection, but once it has progressed to the metastatic stage it is extremely difficult to treat. Diagnosis of melanoma is commonly based on pathology and immunological staining and prognostication is mainly based on Breslow score (depth of invasion of the primary lesion).
MicroRNA (miR) molecules are major regulators of a large proportion of animal genes or the transcriptome. Association of various miRs with diseases or susceptibility to disease is known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0072204, discloses a method for diagnosing a subject with various cancers based on the expression level of mir17 (mir17-92 cistron).
Typical treatments of melanoma include surgery removal of the tumor, immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy among others. The majority of all melanomas are caused by a missense mutation (V600E) in the B-Raf oncogene. Thus, various agents targeted to the inhibition of the V600E gene product have been developed and include, for example, the compound PLX4720 (known also as Vemurafenib), currently under human clinical studies. Additional novel approaches for melanoma therapy include agents which augment the anti-tumor immune response such as Ipilimumab, which blocks CTLA4 inhibition of lymphocyts, thereby enhancing the immune response directed to the tumor.
Creighton et al. (Cancer Res., Mar. 1, 2010; 70(5):1906-15) found miR-31 to be under-expressed in ovarian cancer cell lines, and showed that its forced expression induced p53-mediated apoptosis in different cell lines.
It has been shown by Liu et al. (Clin. Cancer Res., 15:1177-1183, 2009) and others that miR-133 is down-regulated in various cancer cell lines. Others have shown that miR133a is a tumor suppressor in bladder cancer (Chiyomaru et al., British Journal of Cancer 102(5):883-91, 2010) and in esophageal cell carcinoma (Kano et al., Int. J. Cancer, Mar. 2, 2010, Epub: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20198616).
MiR-184 was also found to be associated with squamous cell carcinoma of tongue (Wong et al., Clin. Cancer Res., 14(9):2588-92, 2008).
Lee et al. (PLoS Comput. Biol., Apr. 1, 2010, 6(4):e1000730) indicates that miR-204 is an onco-suppressor in head and neck tumor metastasis.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0105360 discloses a method of diagnosing whether a subject has or is at risk of developing cancer, including melanoma, based on measuring the copy number of at least one miR gene, including, miR-301.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0026951, discloses the association of various miRs with different diseases, including the association of miR-17 with colon cancer; miR-31 with colon and thyroid cancers; miR-133a with cardiac hypertrophy and lupus; miR-184 with lupus and miR-204 with Alzheimer's disease.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0306006, discloses the association of various miRs, including, miR-31; miR-34a; miR-184prec; miR-185 and miR-204, with solid tumors, specifically, breast cancer; lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.
According to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0076674 mi34a and miR185 are associated with breast cancer. Takahashi et al. (PLoS One, 4 (8):e6677, 2009) discloses that miR185 induces cell cycle arrest in lung cancer cell lines.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0263803 discloses that miR-29a and miR-29c, are differentially expressed in lymph nodes obtained from melanoma patients compared to healthy control subjects.
A method for diagnosing a cancer, including melanoma, in a subject, comprising determining an amount of one or more miRs including miR-324-3p, is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0196426, wherein if there is a measurable difference of said miR, the subject is diagnosed as having the cancer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,356 discloses that miR-374, among other miRs, is a specific biomarker for melanoma. However, according to US 2011/0107440, the expression of miR-374, miR-29a, miR-29c, miR-324-3p and miR-451, among other miRs, is indicative of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Identification of miRNAs that regulate the aggressive phenotype of melanoma cells is disclosed by the inventors of the present invention in a paper entitled: "Regulation of cancer aggressive features in melanoma cells by microRNAs", published after the priority date of the present application (Greenberg et al. PLoS One. 2011 Apr. 25; 6 (4):e18936).
There is an unmet need for effective method of diagnosing, staging, prognosticating and treating metastatic melanoma.

Microrna patterns for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of melanoma

Tel Hashomer Medical Research Infrastructure and Services Ltd.


A dynamic logic gate includes a nano-electro-mechanical-switch, preferably a four-terminal-nano-electro-mechanical-switch. The invention further refers to dynamic logic cascade circuits comprising such a dynamic logic gate. In particular, embodiments of the invention concern dynamic logic cascade circuits comprising single or dual rail dynamic logic gates.

The invention relates to the field of computerized system science, and more specifically, to dynamic logic gates and to dynamic logic cascades comprising such dynamic logic gates.
It is known to use complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) and silicon on insulator (SOI) for constructing dynamic logic gates. FIG. 1 shows an example of a two input AND dynamic logic gate 10 designed with CMOS/SOI technology. The dynamic logic gate 10 of FIG. 1 comprises: a first CMOS 12 whose gate is connected to a clock signal clk; a second CMOS 14 whose gate is supplied with a first input signal B to be added to a second input signal A, and whose source electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the first CMOS 12; a third CMOS 16 whose gate is supplied with the second input signal A, whose source electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the second CMOS 14, and whose source electrode is connected to the drain electrode of a fourth CMOS 18, wherein the gate of the fourth CMOS 18 is supplied with a complementary clock signal clk (complementary to the clock signal clk).
The drain electrode of the third CMOS 16 is connected to an operational amplifier (also known as inverter) 20 so as to ensure output signal level of the dynamic logic gate 10.
Such dynamic logic gates may be used in microprocessors, microcontrollers and other digital logic circuits.
It is known that a dynamic logic gate as the one illustrated on FIG. 1 suffers from a leakage current (represented by arrow 22) which limits the scaling of CMOS' threshold voltage Vt—below which the current through a CMOS drops exponentially—and supply voltage Vdd. The leakage current thus prevents lowering energy per computing operation. Moreover, this type of dynamic gate is very sensitive to noise.
To limit the leakage current in a dynamic logic gate of the type exemplified in FIG. 1, it is known to add a further keeper (also known as "bleeder") CMOS 24. However, adding a further CMOS device complicates the circuit and goes against miniaturization thereof.

Nano-electro-mechanical-switch adiabatic dynamic logic circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


Computing devices receive power from multiple fuel cells, consuming natural gas and outputting electrical energy natively consumable by the computing devices. The fuel cells are sized to provide power to a set of computing devices, such as a rack thereof. The computing devices of a failed fuel cell can receive power from adjacent fuel cells. Additionally, the fuel cells and computing devices are positioned to realize thermal symbiotic efficiencies. Controllers instruct the computing devices to deactivate or throttle down power consuming functions during instances where the power consumption demand is increasing faster than the power being sourced by fuel cells, and instruct the computing devices to activate or throttle up power consuming functions during instances where the power consumption demand is decreasing faster than the power being sourced by the fuel cells. Supplemental power sources, supplementing the fuel cells' inability to quickly change power output, are not required.

The throughput of communications between computing devices continues to increase as modern networking hardware enables physically separate computing devices to communicate with one another orders of magnitude faster than was previously possible. Furthermore, high-speed network communication capabilities are being made available to a greater number of people, both in the locations where people work, and in their homes. As a result, an increasing amount of data and services can be meaningfully provided to an increasing audience via such network communications. The utility of computing devices, therefore, increasingly lies in their ability to communicate with one another.
In particular, it has become more practical to perform digital data processing at a location remote from the location where such data is initially generated, and where the processed data will be consumed. For example, a user can upload a digital photograph to a server and then cause the server to process the digital photograph, changing its colors and applying other visual edits to it. In such an example, the digital processing, such as of the photograph, is being performed by a device that is remote from the user. In another, more common, example, users utilize services and functionality that are conceptually simple, such as search services, but which, in fact, require vast amounts of processing capability.
To provide such data and processing capabilities, via network communications, from a centralized location, the centralized location typically comprises hundreds or thousands of computing devices, typically mounted in vertically oriented racks. Such a collection of computing devices, as well as the associated hardware necessary to support such computing devices, and the physical structure that houses the computing devices and associated hardware, is traditionally referred to as a "data center". With the increasing availability of high-speed network communication capabilities, and thus the increasing provision of data and services from centralized locations, as well as the traditional utilization of data centers, such as the provision of advanced computing services and massive amounts of computing processing capability, the size and quantity of datacenters continues to increase.
However, data centers often consume large quantities of electrical power, especially by the computing devices themselves. Typically, such electrical power is sourced from electrical utility grids and other municipal providers of electrical power. Such electrical power is typically received in the form of alternating current electrical energy and must be both converted to direct current electrical energy and reduced in voltage in order to be directly utilized by the processing units and other circuitry of the computing devices. Such conversions introduce inefficiencies, both in the sub-optimal utilization of purchased electrical power, and in the need to purchase, maintain and support the devices performing such conversions.
A fuel cell can consume a fuel, typically natural gas, and can natively output direct current electrical energy at a potential that can be directly utilized by the processing units and other circuitry of computing devices, such as computing devices in a data center. However, due to the nature of the process by which a fuel cell converts fuel into electrical energy, fuel cells cannot quickly modify the amount of electrical power that they produce. Thus, for example, if a fuel cell was utilized to power one or more server computing devices, and there was a need for the server computing devices to suddenly increase their processing, the fuel cell would not be able to immediately source the increased electrical current now requested by the server computing devices and, consequently, the voltage of the electrical power being output by the fuel cell would droop, thereby causing the computing devices to shutdown, unless alternative sources of electrical power were available. Similarly, if the server computing devices were to suddenly decrease their processing, the fuel cell would not be able to reduce its electrical power output sufficiently quickly, and the decreased electrical current now being requested by the server computing devices would cause the voltage of the electrical power being output by the fuel cell to surge, thereby potentially damaging the computing devices.
Prior utilizations of fuel cell technology to power computing devices have relied upon supplemental sources of electrical power, such as battery backups, to either absorb excess power produced by the fuel cell during times of decreasing power consumption by the computing devices to which such power is being provided, or to source the additional power, which cannot otherwise be provided by the fuel cell due to the limitations described above, which is required by computing devices during times of increasing power consumption. But such battery backups introduce their own costs, inefficiencies and maintenance issues.
Other solutions have attempted to predict computing device processing and, consequently, power consumption, so that a fuel cell could be given advanced notice, thereby providing it with a sufficient amount of time to either increase or decrease its production of electrical power, as appropriate. However, while processing demand can have cyclical aspects to it, it can also often be based on unexpected events. For example, computing devices providing search functionality can be accessed more frequently during business hours than during other times of the day. Consequently, the processing performed by such computing devices and, in turn, their power consumption, can predictably increase during such business hours. But such computing devices can also experience increased access during unexpected events such as, for example, the death of a celebrity. Because such instances are, by definition, unpredictable, no advance notice could have been provided to a fuel cell and, consequently, one or more computing devices powered by such a fuel cell would, again, have to resort to alternative sources of electrical power such as, for example, battery backups.


Provided is a technique of improving the properties of a bipolar transistor. Described specifically, upon formation of a collector electrode around a base mesa by the lift-off method, a resist film is formed over connection portions between the outer periphery of a region OA1 and a region in which the base mesa 4a is formed, followed by successive formation of gold germanium (AuGe), nickel (Ni) and Au in the order of mention over the entire surface of a substrate so that the stacked film of them will not become an isolated pattern. As a result, the stacked film over the base mesa 4a is connected to a stacked film at the outer periphery of the region OA1, facilitating peeling of the stacked film over the base mesa 4a. In addition, generation of side etching upon formation of a via hole extending from the back side of the substrate to a backside via electrode is reduced by forming the backside via electrode using a material such as WSi which hardly reacts with an n type GaAs layer or n type InGaAs layer.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and to a method of manufacture thereof; and, more particularly, the invention relates to a technique that is effective when applied to a semiconductor device which is formed by a method having a step of forming patterns by the so-called liftoff method.
There are, for example, semiconductor devices using a Group III-V compound of the periodic table, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs). Such compound semiconductors are characterized by the fact that they exhibit a greater mobility than Si (silicon), which enables preparation of semi-insulating crystals and liquid crystals, and a heterojunction can be formed by using them.
For example, a hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT) using gallium arsenide is formed as a bipolar transistor using GaAs as a base layer and a heterogeneous semiconductor, such as InGaP (indium gallium phosphide) or AlGaAs (aluminum gallium arsenide), as an emitter layer. It is possible to increase the a current amplification ratio and thereby improve the properties of a transistor by using a heterojunction (heterogeneous junction) to increase the forbidden band width of the emitter over that of the base in an emitter-base junction.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-1898319 ([0034], FIG. 4) describes an HBT using GaAs as a base layer and InGaP as an emitter layer. In this device, the emitter contact layer (16) is formed as a substantially annular structure. In addition, the emitter electrode (17) is designed so that wiring does not need to cross over the emitter electrode (17) upon formation of an extraction interconnect of the base electrode (19).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-246587 ([0041], FIG. 17) discloses a GaAs type HBT whose base layer (3) and an emitter layer (4) have a circular planar shape.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-277530 (Summary, FIG. 1) discloses a GaAs type HBT. It has, on the back side of its substrate, a via hole and a metal film that is adhered on the back side of the substrate.

Method for forming patterns on a semiconductor device using a lift off technique


A high efficiency PLD architecture having logic elements that can be selectively combined to perform higher order logic functions than can be performed alone by a single logic element. The programmable logic device includes a logic block having a first logic element. The first logic element includes a first pair of sub-function generators and is capable of implementing logic functions of a first order. The logic block also includes a second logic element having a second pair of sub-function generators. A programmable sharing circuitry is also included in the logic block. The programmable sharing circuitry selectively couples the first pair of sub-function generators and the second pair of sub-function generators so that the first logic element is capable of performing logic functions of either (i) the first order, or (ii) a second order. The second order is higher than the first order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to programmable logic devices, and more particularly, to a programmable logic device having adjacent logic elements that can be selectively combined to perform higher order logic functions that can not be performed alone by a single logic element.
2. Description of Related Art
A Programmable Logic Device (PLD) is a semiconductor integrated circuit that contains fixed logic circuitry that can be programmed to perform a host of logic functions. In the semiconductor industry, PLDs are becoming increasingly popular for a number of reasons. Due to the advances of chip manufacturing technology, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) designs have become incredibly complex. This complexity not only adds to design costs, but also the duration of time needed to develop an application specific design. To compound this problem, product life cycles are shrinking rapidly. As a result, it is often not feasible for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to design and use ASICs. OEMs are therefore relying more and more on PLDs. The same advances in fabrication technology have also resulted in PLDs with improved density and speed performance. Sophisticated programming software enables complex logic functions to be rapidly developed for PLDs. Furthermore, logic designs generally can also be easily migrated from one generation of PLDs to the next, further reducing product development times. The closing of the price-performance gap with ASICs and reduced product development times makes the use of PLDs compelling for many OEMs.
Most PLDs contain a two-dimensional row and column based architecture to implement custom logic. A series of row and column interconnects, typically of varying length and speed, provide signal and clock interconnects between blocks of logic on the PLD. The blocks of logic, often referred to by such names as Logic Elements (LEs), Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs), or Complex Logic Blocks (CLBs), usually include one or more look up table (LUTs), programmable registers, adders and other circuitry to implement various logic and arithmetic functions.
Almost all current PLDs are based on a four (4) input LUT architecture. A four input LUT enables the implementation of a four-variable logic function. Logic functions implemented in PLDs are, however, very often of greater complexity and define more than four variables. In such situations, more than one LUT is needed to implement the function. With a function with six variables for example, anywhere from two to five LUTs may be required. The more LUTs required to implement a given logic function, the fewer LUTs are available for performing other logic. Current PLD architectures are therefore relatively inefficient when implementing complex logic functions.
A higher efficiency PLD architecture having adjacent logic elements that can be selectively combined to perform higher order logic functions that can not be performed alone by a single logic element is therefore needed.

Programmable logic device architecture with the ability to combine adjacent logic elements for the purpose of performing high order logic functions