An etching method and an etching system are adapted to produce a high etch selectivity for a mask, an excellent anisotropic profile and a large etching depth. An etching system according to the invention comprises a floating electrode arranged vis-à-vis a substrate electrode in a vacuum chamber and held in a floating state in terms of electric potential, a material arranged at the side of the floating electrode facing the substrate electrode to form an anti-etching film and a control unit for intermittently applying high frequency power to the floating electrode. An etching method according to the invention uses a material arranged at the side of the floating electrode opposite to the substrate electrode to form an anti-etching film as target and only rare gas as main gas and is adapted to repeat a step of forming a film on the substrate by sputtering by applying high frequency power to the floating electrode and a step of subsequently etching the substrate by suspending the application of high frequency power to the floating electrode and introducing etching gas into the vacuum chamber in a predetermined sequence (FIG. 1).

Fluorine atoms (radicals) reacts spontaneously with silicon at room temperature so that it is not possible to produce an anisotropic etching profile in a silicon substrate unless the substrate is cooled to −140° C. when forming a deep hole in the substrate in a vertical direction with a lateral wall standing perpendicularly relative to the substrate, suppressing the hole from extending transversally. Therefore, when etching silicon, using fluorine gas, it is necessary to suppress isotropic etching by forming an anti-etching or protecting film on the lateral wall for the purpose of producing a desired anisotropic etching profile in the silicon.
Anisotropic etching methods of forming an anti-etching film on the lateral wall to produce an anisotropic etching profile in silicon are known (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
With the anisotropic etching method described in Patent Document 1, polymerization steps and etching steps are conducted alternately and continuously to form a polymer layer in each polymerization step on the surface exposed by the immediately preceding etching step to protect the lateral surface against etching in the succeeding etching step.
With the anisotropic etching method described in Patent Document 2, there are alternately and repeatedly conducted a step of conducting anisotropic etching by introducing mixture gas containing etching gas (SF6) and passivation gas (CHF3, C4Fn, etc.) into a process chamber, exciting it by means of electromagnetic radiation and, at the same time, applying a high bias voltage to the substrate, and a step of producing unsaturated monomers in plasma by exciting the mixture gas by means of electromagnetic radiation and, at the same time, forming a protective polymer coat on the lateral wall having an exposed surface to be subjected to etching by applying a low bias voltage to the substrate.                Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,893        Patent Document 2: Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-323454
However, with the prior art method described in Patent Document 1, the temporal ratio of each etching step and the immediately succeeding polymerization step depends on the velocity of the gas mixture being introduced and changes from time to time to adversely affect the uniformity of etching because different gas mixtures are repeatedly used in the etching steps and the polymerization steps. Additionally, a complex apparatus is required to realize the method because solenoid valves have to be used to switch from one of the two gas mixtures to the other and vice versa. Still additionally, a problem of generation of particles arises due to the gas mixture introduced in the polymerization steps.
With the prior art method described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to shift the bias voltage being applied to the substrate from the level good for the etching step to the level good for the polymerization step and vice versa and hence requires a control system having a complex configuration to consequently raise the cost of the apparatus for realizing the method. Additionally, a problem of generation of particles arises due to the gas mixture introduced in the polymerization steps. Still additionally, a high energy RF power has to be applied for forming a polymer film to raise the energy cost.
Furthermore, with the method of forming an anti-etching film, using passivation gas, only several % to a little more than 10% of the introduced passivation gas takes part in the film forming activity. The passivation gas that does not take part in the film forming activity is exhausted from the vacuum chamber. Since passivation gas shows a high atmosphere warming coefficient and constitutes a negative factor for environment protection, the exhausted passivation gas needs to be collected and processed. The operation of processing passivation gas involves large cost and hence it is not desirable to use passivation gas.
A high bias etching method that uses HBr is also known for obtaining an anisotropic etching profile. However, it is not possible to etch silicon deep with this method because of the problems it entails including that a high etch selectivity cannot be expected for a mask and it is not suited for forming micro electromechanical systems and manufacturing micro electronic apparatus, although it can suitably be used for more microscopic patterns.


A method and system for monitoring a movable partition. In one embodiment, the system includes a sensor linked to a movable partition, a drive system, and a controller. The drive system is configured to move the movable partition. The sensor, which in one embodiment includes a drum connected to the partition by a cable, is independent of the drive system. The sensor transmits a signal indicative of the rotational motion of the drum to the controller, which receives the transmitted signal and calculates at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition.

Many vehicles include movable partitions (e.g., a window, a sunroof, a sliding door, etc.) that are displaced using a partition drive system. For example, a window in a door of a vehicle may be moved up and down using a direct-current ("DC") permanent magnet electric motor. In order to effectively move partitions, drive systems need to produce a significant amount of force. As a result, partition drive systems can produce forces that pose safety hazards. For example, an automatic window closure system could trap a finger or hand.

Movable partition monitoring systems and methods


A matte drafting sheet composite at least one side of which comprises a single polymeric matrix layer containing particulates to provide a matte or drafting surface and a quaternary ammonium salt of high charge density at a concentration sufficient to provide a resistivity of said matrix layer of at most about 1.times.10.sup.13 ohms/square.

Matte drafting films have long been used as media for engineering drawings, and their compositions are well known in the art. Conventional drafting film construction consists of an underlayer and an overlying surface layer on at least one side of a base support such as polyethylene terphthalate. Pencil tooth for drafting purposes is obtained primarily through the underlayer which is comprised of a finely divided pigment dispersed within a cross-linked binder. The surface layer is comprised of a polymeric matrix which provides ink receptivity and adhesion, and also pencil and ink erasability. At times, the surface layer employs an antistatic agent to reduce static charge to correct the problem of static cling and attraction of foreign matter.
More recently, use of matte drafting surfaces have also been provided on the opposing side of electronically imaging media which has placed additional requirements on the drafting surface. These requirements include the following: (1) Effective inhibition of dust and dirt attraction due to static electricity. Static is particularly serious in electronic imaging processes, because dust or foreign matter will frequently cause voids and consequent loss of information. (2) Inhibition of spurious electrostatic charges which cause toner background problems, especially in electrostatic printing. (3) Reliable transport and stacking in automated imaging devices. (4) Good toner adhesion in electrophotographic imaging processes where the matte drafting surface is the imaged side. (5) Reduction in the number of layers in the matte or drafting matrix to help reduce cost and improve quality control.
Antistatic agents have long been used as a means of reducing static charge in a variety of applications. In the past, however, the use of antistatic agents in drafting media have often been accompanied by undesirable properties which has discouraged their use in such media. This has been particularly true with respect to newer electronic copying and printing applications.
The literature abounds in the listing of antistats and their applications. These antistats may be broadly classified as cationic, anionic and non-ionic. The cationic classification includes protonated amines and quaternary ammonium, sulfonium and phosphonium cations. The quaternary ammonium cations may be divided into six different sub-classes of varying structure and molecular weight. While there is an enormous diversity of both molecular structure and applications for antistats, there is little teaching to be found as to which are most appropriate for drafting surfaces. Most work for the drafting application has been empirical and has addressed a rather narrow set of product performance requirements.


An image pickup optical system according to the present invention includes: a first lens group having a positive power; a second lens group having a negative power; a third lens group having a positive power; and a fourth lens group having a positive power which consists of a front group with a negative power and a rear group with a positive power. The first lens group moves to the object side and a distance between each neighboring lens groups changes, for varying power of the image pickup optical system. One group of the front group and the rear group in the fourth lens group consists of one lens which moves substantially perpendicular to an optical axis for a shake compensation. The image pickup optical system fulfills the predetermined conditional formula according to a focal length of the first lens group.

In recent years, as personal computers have widely spread over, digital cameras capable of easily inputting picked-up images in the digital cameras to the personal computers have gained popularity. Further, it becomes general that a digital camera is installed into an information processing apparatus, such as, a mobile computer, a cellular phone and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance). As the digital camera gains popularity, a smaller digital camera is demanded. When the size of a camera becomes small, vibration accidentally transmits to the image pickup optical system of the camera and image-shake occurs. Accordingly, various zoom lenses having anti-shake mechanism for performing the shake compensation have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Applications Open to Public Inspection Nos. H7-92431 and 2001-100099 disclosed a zoom lens of four lens groups having positive power, negative power, positive power and positive power in the order from the object side. In the disclosed zoom lens, the fourth lens group with a positive power includes a plurality of lenses which are arranged to shift in the direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the lenses, in order to conduct image compensation.
However, the zoom lens for shake compensation disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications Open to Public Inspection Nos. H7-92431 and 2001-100099, includes a lens group which is designed to shift in the direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens for shake compensation and which is formed of a plurality of lenses. Accordingly, the mass of the lens group for shake compensation becomes large. As a result, the power consumption of the actuator for driving the lens group for shake compensation increases and the structure of anti-shake mechanism becomes complex, which results in that a zoom lens barrel becomes large.

Image pickup optical system and image pickup apparatus


A speaker structure contains a removable food container as a resonant box. The speaker structure contains a baffling device. The baffling device contains a baffle and means for retaining an open top of the food container that is attached to the baffle. When the food container is incorporated with the baffling device, the food container works as a conventional resonant box. Furthermore, a user can freely remove the food container from the baffling device and the removed food container may serve its original food-containing function.

Compared to an un-baffled speaker, a baffled speaker has a thicker and more balanced bass performance. The sound pressure between the two can be as high as 100 times. Therefore, a speaker structure must to be baffled to produce a complete bass sound.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional speaker structure 100, which generally is composed of a speaker unit 110 for generating sound and a resonant box 120 for accommodating the speaker unit 110, wherein the top of the speaker unit 110 is generally flush with a side of the resonant box 120. The speaker unit 110 includes a diaphragm 111, a damper 112, a magnetic member 113, a voice coil 114 and a frame 115. The diaphragm 111, damper 112, magnetic member 113 and voice coil 114 are mounted onto the frame 115. The voice coil 114 is located on one end of the diaphragm 111 corresponding to the magnetic member 113, and located in the magnetic field generated by the magnetic member 113. When the electric signal passes through the voice coil 114, a magnetic force alteration occurs that interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic member 113. The voice coil 114 alters according to the electronic signal. Also, the magnetic member 113 is attracted or repulsed in order to drive the diaphragm 111 outwards or inwards and lead to a conical portion of the diaphragm 111 moving like a piston, thus generating acoustic waves by compressing or releasing air. The resonant box 120 at the rear end of the speaker unit 110 aims to prevent offsetting of the air pressure alterations in front of the diaphragm 111 and on the rear side of the diaphragm 111. However, the resonant box 120 is fixed to the speaker unit 110 and thus cannot be used for other purposes.
Appliances that serve many purposes are useful to people. For example, they can save space and entertain people. Therefore, if a speaker structure contains a removable food container as a resonant box and the food container can be used for holding things such as coffee when removed from the speaker structure, it will be appreciated.


An adaptive record ranking method for full text information retrieval, which quantifies the relevance of retrieved records to query terms occurring in said record. The method utilizes a multilevel weighting technique which permits user input to affect record weighting at each level of the ranking process. The method utilizes weighted attributes of properties of terms occurring in the records of the data base and compensates for the distance between adjacent words of complex terms. The method has been implemented on large full text data bases and the resulting rankings achieve a relatively high level of precision in ranking the relevance of retrieved records to a user query.

This application pertains to computer-based information retrieval systems generally and, in particular, to systems which retrieve information from full text data bases. Specifically it pertains to a new, adaptive, record ranking scheme for full-text information retrieval in which records are ranked according to their relevance to query terms. The system of this invention is based on a multilevel (ML) record relevance weighting model.
In the prior art, many similarity measures have been proposed to help select relevant information out of potential hits in full-text information retrieval. Numerous term-weighting schemes have also been designed with the hope of quantifying relevance. There have also been efforts to use relevance feedback to refine or automatically generate queries in the searching process. However, because the concept of relevance is subject to user interpretation and, therefore, fuzzy in nature, it is clear that no one fixed similarity measure or weighting formula will ever be perfect.
It is preferable, then to have a flexible weighting scheme that can adapt to user expectations via a relevance feedback process. The multilevel (ML) record relevance weighting model proposed in "And-less Retrieval: Toward Perfect Ranking," by S.-C. Chang and W. C. Chen, Proc. ASIS Annual Meeting 1987, October 1987, pp. 30-35, is the only prior model aimed at providing a natural foundation for dynamically specifying and controlling the weighting and ranking process. The ML model enabled these advantages by modeling record-term-weighting criteria with multiple levels. Therefore, complex, and even conflicting, weighting criteria may be sorted out on different levels. Since each level contains only simple criteria, it is easy to describe, and to make users understand, the weighting rules under the ML model. It is therefore, possible to allow users to have direct guidance over the alteration of these criteria.
Boolean operators have been known to be not flexible enough for information retrieval. Efforts have been made to "soften" the Boolean operators in "Extended Boolean Retrieval," by G. Salton, E. A. Fox, and H. Wu, CACM, 26 (912), December 1983, pp. 1022-1036, and "Fuzzy Requests: An Approach to Weighted Boolean Retrieval," by A. Bookstein, Journal ASIS, July 1980, pp. 240-247. But, they still preserve the operators, while the model cited above was designed to replace these Boolean operators. It is a known fact that, with any two query terms, the following relations hold between the Boolean and adjacency operators: EQU ADJ AND OR
That is, adjacency implies the existence of both terms; while the existence of both terms implies at least one of them is present. It was shown that the ML model was capable of capturing this natural relation between the Boolean and adjacency operators (thereby obviating their use). In order to do this, a uniform way of quantifying phrase and word occurrences to model adjacency was established.
In the cited reference, a scheme using a text editor, within an experimental information retrieval system FAIRS ("Towards a Friendly Adaptable Information Retrieval System," Proc. RIAO 88, March 1988, pp. 172-182), to modify Prolog code was presented as evidence to show that one can change the weighting formula during a search. However, applying a text editor to Prolog code is not a task that can be mastered by every user. In this application, we disclose a spreadsheet-like weighting control scheme in FAIRS which allows any user to easily control how term weighting is done with the ML model. FAIRS is written mainly in Prolog. The ability of Prolog to rewrite its rules dynamically is utilized to implement this feature.

Adaptive ranking system for information retrieval


A technological approach can be employed to protect data. Datasets from distinct computing environments of an organization can be scanned to identify data elements subject to protection, such as sensitive data. The identified elements can be automatically protected such as by masking, encryption, or tokenization. Data lineage including relationships amongst data and linkages between computing environments can be determined along with data access patterns to facilitate understanding of data. Further, personas and exceptions can be determined and employed as bases for access recommendations.

Increasingly businesses, financial institutions, and other entities are storing sensitive data for customers, business purposes, or the like. Further, addition of more services or business lines can lead to sharing of data between elements, systems, and/or the like within a business's networked environment. The sheer quantity of data within enterprises makes it difficult to manage.


A neutron detector with a unique neutron detecting element is disclosed. The neutron detecting element has an inner cylindrical neutron scintillator where a neutron detection body including a ZnS phosphor, and a neutron converter material which contains 6Li or 10B is arranged outside of the cylindrical substrate; a scintillator fluorescence detection body made by placing coiled wavelength shift fibers where two wavelength shift fibers are wound in parallel along the cylindrical substrate on said inner cylindrical neutron scintillator; and an outer cylindrical neutron scintillator where a neutron detection body is arranged inside of the cylindrical substrate, the outer cylindrical neutron scintillator being arranged on the scintillator fluorescence detection body. The fluorescence signals converted into pulse signals by two optical detectors are led to a coincidence circuit, and when two fluorescence signals are measured simultaneously during the predetermined period of time, a neutron signal is output.

The present invention relates to a neutron detector which can be effectively used for instance in the field of a neutron scattering experiment in which a neutron source which uses a nuclear reactor or a particle accelerator, etc. or various nuclear security.
A cylinder type 3He gas proportional counter or a position-sensitive 3He gas proportional counter has been chiefly used as a neutron detector so far.
Especially, a position-sensitive 3He gas proportional detector which has been used as a one-dimensional detector has great advantages that the position of incidence of a neutron can be obtained easily by giving resistance to a core wire by which signals are collected, measuring the signals at both ends of the core wire and processing the signals, and neutron detection efficiency can be improved by increasing the pressure of 3He gas. And, the sensitivity of gamma rays which form the background is low. In addition, this counter tube was indispensable in a neutron scattering experimental apparatus which had to arrange the one-dimensional neutron detector in a vacuum tank, because it has simple construction and excellent vacuum-proof.
On the other hand, 3He gas multi-wire two-dimensional neutron detector etc. have been used as a neutron image detector used in the neutron scattering experimental apparatus which does not need the vacuum-proof.
Moreover, the detector which detects a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional neutron image by coding the position of incidence of the fluorescence emitted from 6Li glass scintillator or ZnS/6LiF half transparent type neutron scintillator, etc. by using optical fibers or wavelength shift fibers, and detecting it by a photomultiplier tube has been used as a neutron image detector with a scintillator. In addition, as radiation detectors other than the neutron detector which adopts the scintillator or the wavelength shift fiber, the following radiation detectors have been used, that is, (1) a radiation detector comprised of a combination of a liquid He scintillator, a TPB wavelength converter and one coiled wavelength shift fiber, (2) a radiation detector comprised of a combination of a plastic scintillator and a ring wavelength shift fiber, and (3) a radiation detector comprised of a combination of a cylindrical scintillator and a wavelength shift fiber built therein.
In these detectors, the fluorescence emitted from an only transparent scintillator is finally collected to one place by using wavelength shift fibers, and the signal processing is carried out by one optical detector to detect the radiation. Accordingly, it was very difficult to apply such a radiation detection method in which these wavelength shift fibers are used to the neutron detector requiring a high detection efficiency in which the ZnS/6LiF half transparent type neutron scintillator, etc. are used and the sensitivity of gamma rays which form the background have to be reduced.    [PATENT DOCUMENT 1] JP2000-187077A    [PATENT DOCUMENT 2] JP2002-071816A    [PATENT DOCUMENT 3] JP2011-141239A    [PATENT DOCUMENT 4] JP2000-065937A    [NON-PATENT LITERATURE 1] Nucl. Instr. and Meth., A430(1999)311-320    [NON-PATENT LITERATURE 2] Nucl. Instr. and Meth., A516(2004)475-485    [NON-PATENT LITERATURE 3] Nucl. Instr. and Meth., A539(2005)172-176


An apparatus for securing a transmission line in a downhole component includes: an element coupled to an exterior surface of the transmission line, the transmission line configured to be disposed in a communication conduit that extends through the downhole component, the element configured to restrict axial movement of the transmission line within the communication conduit.

During subterranean drilling and completion operations, a borehole string such as a drill pipe or other conduit is lowered into a borehole in an earth formation. Such strings may include various components, such as pipe segments and subassemblies. As the string is lowered into the borehole, additional pipe segments are coupled to the string by various coupling mechanisms, such as threaded couplings.
Various power and/or communication signals may be transmitted through the pipe segments via a "wired pipe" configuration. Such configurations include electrical, optical or other conductors extending along the length of selected pipe segments. Such pipe segments typically include bores or other conduits extending through the segments and/or coupling configurations. Various tubes or other extended devices, such as cables and fluid conduits, are disposed within the bores to provide for, e.g., transmission of communications, actuation mechanisms or fluids through the string.
Transmission lines routed through string components are typically retained under tension, in order to reduce movement within the bore. In the case of data and/or communication lines, the lines may be secured radially and axially at the end of the pipe segment to facilitate connection to transmission lines in other components or pipe segments.

Tube locking mechanism for downhole components


A reader/writer transmits power and modulated data to a no-battery information storage medium having a communication function in a noncontact state, and receives modulated data from the no-battery information storage medium. The reader/writer has a driver, a loop antenna, and a current detection unit. The driver transmits the power and the modulated data. The loop antenna is connected to the output line of the driver. The current detection unit is arranged between the loop antenna and the output line of the driver. While the reader/writer supplies a transmission carrier current from the driver to the loop antenna, if it receives the modulated data from the no-battery information storage medium, it uses the current detection unit to extract, as a reception signal, a change in transmission carrier current of the loop antenna caused by the modulated data signal received by the loop antenna.

The present invention relates to a reader/writer and, more particularly, to a reader/writer which serves as, e.g., an information processing system to perform radio communication with a no-battery information storage medium such as a battery-less radio card or radio tag.
Recently, in the field of information processing apparatuses, information processing systems including an information processing apparatus such as a reader/writer for performing, in a noncontact state, radio communication with a no-battery information storage medium such as a battery-less radio card or radio tag applied as, e.g., an access control system has been developed.
In this case, while receiving the power by a radio wave transmitted from a transmission antenna on the information processing apparatus side such as the reader/writer, the no-battery information storage medium side such as the battery-less radio card or radio tag transmits data as an amplitude-modulated signal with a low degree of modulation to the reader/writer side.
The reader/writer side receives a radio wave transmitted from the battery-less radio card or radio tag side through a reception antenna.
The reader/writer side amplifies the received signal to a sufficient magnitude, and then performs detection processing and information processing for demodulating the received signal.
In this radio information processing system, however, communication between the reader/writer and the no-battery information storage medium such as the battery-less radio card or radio tag at a relatively short destance is influenced by the interference between the transmission and reception systems. The interference is due to the proximity of the transmission and reception antennas on the reader/writer side and results in inefficient transmission/reception.
In conventional signal processing where the amplitude-modulated signal with a low degree of modulation received on the reader/writer side is directly amplified to perform detection for modulation causes, saturation at a low power supply voltages, poses a problem in signal processing.

Reader/writer for performing efficient transmission/reception with no-battery information storage medium


In an interchangeable lens assembly video camera system including an interchangeable lens assembly and a camera, a filter of an AF signal processing circuit (113) of the camera extracts a focus evaluation value signal from an image sensing signal corresponding to one or a plurality of focus detection areas in an image sensing surface, and on the basis of the transmitted focus evaluation value signal from the camera and data stored in a ROM (120), the microcomputer (116) performs a zooming operation of a zoom lens (102) while maintaining an in-focus state of a focus lens (105).

The present invention relates to a video camera system whose lens assemblies are interchangeable.
Conventionally, a so-called hill-climbing method is known as the method of an automatic focusing device used in video apparatuses such as video cameras. The method performs focusing by extracting a high-frequency component from an image sensing signal obtained by an image sensing device such as a CCD and driving a taking lens such that the mountain-like characteristic curve of this high-frequency component is a maximum.
This automatic focusing method requires neither emission/reception of infrared rays nor special focusing optical members for detecting the movement of an image which changes in accordance with the state of a focus. The method also has an advantage in that an object can be accurately focused regardless of whether the distance to the object is long or short.
An example in which an automatic focusing method of the above sort is applied to an interchangeable lens video camera will be described below with reference to FIG. 15.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an interchangeable lens video camera system as one prior art.
In FIG. 15, an automatic focusing system comprises a lens assembly 500 and a camera main body 550. Focusing is performed by driving a focus lens 501 in the direction of an optical axis by a lens driving motor 511. An image of light transmitting through this lens is formed on the image sensing surface of an image sensing device 502 and changed into an electrical signal by photoelectric conversion. This electrical signal is output as a video signal. The video signal is sampled-and-held and amplified to a predetermined level by a CDS/AGC (Correlated Double Sampling/Auto Gain Control) circuit 503, and converted into digital video data by an A/D (Analog/Digital) converter 504. The data is input to a process circuit (not shown) of the camera and converted into a standard television signal. The data is also input to a bandpass filter (to be referred to as BPF hereinafter) 505.
The BPF 505 extracts a high-frequency component from the video signal. A gate circuit 506 extracts only a signal corresponding to a portion set in an in-focus designated area in an image sensing surface. A peak hold circuit 507 holds peak values at intervals synchronized with integral multiples of a vertical sync signal, generating an AF (AutoFocus) evaluation value.
An AF microcomputer 508 of the camera main body 550 fetches this AF evaluation value and determines the driving velocity of a focus motor 511 in accordance with an in-focus degree and the driving direction of the motor along which the AF evaluation value increases. The AF microcomputer 508 transmits the driving velocity and the driving direction of the focus motor 511 to a microcomputer 509 of the lens assembly 500.
In accordance with the designations from the AF microcomputer 508 of the camera main body 550, the microcomputer 509 operates the focus motor 511 via a motor driver 510 to drive the focus lens 501 in the optical axis direction, thereby performing focusing.
In the above prior art, however, the camera main body has the function of controlling automatic focusing in order to allow an interchange of lenses. Therefore, if, for example, the response characteristics of automatic focusing are so determined as to be optimum for a specific lens, the characteristics may not be optimum for other lenses, resulting in a low versatility.
A problem arising when an interchangeable lens is a zoom lens will be described below with reference to FIG. 16.
FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an interchangeable zoom lens video camera system as another prior art.
In a conventional variable power lens assembly, a variable power lens 21 and a compensating lens 22 are mechanically connected by a cam. When a zooming operation is manually or electrically performed, the variable power lens 21 and the compensating lens 22 integrally move.
These variable power lens 21 and compensating lens 22 are called zoom lenses. In this lens system, a lens (front lens) 1 which is closest to an object when the image is taken is a focus lens. The focus lens 1 moves in the direction of an optical axis to perform focusing.
An image of light transmitting through these lenses is formed on the image sensing surface of an image sensing device 3, photoelectrically converted into an electrical signal, and output as a video signal. This video signal is sampled-and-held (correlated double sampling) by a CDS/AGC circuit 4, amplified to a predetermined level by AGC (Auto Gain Control), and converted into digital video data by an A/D converter 5. The digital video data is input to a subsequent camera process circuit (not shown) and converted into a standard television signal. The data is also input to an AF signal processing circuit 6.
The AF signal processing circuit 6 extracts a high-frequency component which changes in accordance with the focus state from the video signal. A microcomputer 7 for controlling the system fetches this high-frequency component as an AF evaluation value.
The microcomputer 7 determines the driving velocity of a focus motor in accordance with the in-focus degree and the driving direction of the motor along which the AF evaluation value increases. The microcomputer 7 sends the velocity and the direction of the focus motor to a focus motor driver 9 of a lens assembly 12 and drives the focus lens 1 via a focus motor 10.
The microcomputer 7 also reads the state of a zoom switch 8 and, in accordance with the operation state of the zoom switch 8, determines the driving directions and the driving velocities of the zoom lenses 21 and 22. The microcomputer 7 transmits these driving directions and driving velocities to a zoom motor driver 11 of the lens assembly 12 and drives the zoom lenses 21 and 22 via a zoom motor 12.
A camera main body 13 can be separated from the lens assembly 12 and connected to another lens assembly. This widens the range of shooting.
In recent integrated cameras for consumers having the above structure, the cam for mechanically connecting the compensating lens with the variable power lens is no longer used in order to miniaturize a camera and enable shooting at a close distance such as when an object is almost at the front surface of the lens. In these cameras, the locus of movement of the compensating lens is previously stored as lens cam data in a microcomputer, and the compensating lens is driven in accordance with this lens cam data. Also, a focusing operation is performed by using this compensating lens. Lenses of this type, i.e., so-called inner focus type (rear focus type) lenses have become most popular.
According to the technical concept of the above prior art, however, all control operations are done in the camera main body, and the lens assembly is driven in accordance with control signals supplied from the camera main body. Therefore, to use an inner focus type lens as an interchangeable lens assembly, the camera main body must have the data of the locus of movement of the focus lens, i.e., the lens cam data, for maintaining the in-focus state by compensating for a change in the focal plane caused by a zooming operation.
This, however, imposes on the camera main body the serious burden of having the lens cam data which differs from one lens assembly to another. Accordingly, the method becomes unrealistic as the number of interchangeable lenses increases.

Interchangeable lens video camera system


Using a chrome plating bath containing organic sulfonic acid, plating is conducted by application of a pulse current to thereby form a crack-free lower chrome layer on a steel substrate. The lower chrome layer has a compressive residual stress of 100 MPa or more and a crystal grain size of from 9 nm to less than 16 nm. Subsequently, by application of a direct current, a cracked upper chrome layer is formed on the lower chrome layer, to thereby obtain a chrome plated part. The lower chrome layer imparts the chrome plated part with heat resistance and corrosion resistance, and the upper chrome layer imparts the chrome plated part with wear resistance and good sliding properties.

The present invention relates to chrome plated parts comprising substrates having industrial chrome plating applied on the surfaces thereof. The present invention also relates to a chrome plating method and a production method for obtaining such parts.
Chrome plating, especially hard chrome plating, provides a hard metallic coating (i.e., a chrome layer) having a low coefficient of friction. Therefore, chrome plating has been widely used as industrial chrome plating for parts which are required to have high wear resistance.
With respect to general-purpose hard chrome plating, a chrome layer formed on a metallic substrate contains many cracks reaching the substrate, called channel cracks. Such a chrome layer enables a corrosive material to migrate into the metallic substrate and cause corrosion. This leads to formation of red rust when the substrate is made of steel.
In producing chrome plated parts, generally, a plated substrate is subjected to polishing, such as buffing, so as to provide a smooth surface. It is known that during polishing, cracks in a chrome layer become clogged due to the occurrence of plastic flow over the surface of the chrome layer. Therefore, in producing general-purpose chrome plated parts, after polishing, no special measures have been taken to prevent rusting.
However, when a chrome layer is subject to thermal hysteresis, contraction of the chrome layer occurs. In this case, cracks which have been clogged due to plastic flow in the chrome layer are caused to open. Consequently, parts which are used at temperatures higher than room temperature (for example, at 120° C. for 100 hours or more) are likely to suffer a lowering in corrosion resistance.
As a countermeasure, it has been attempted to conduct nickel plating or copper plating as a pretreatment, to thereby form a lower layer having a thickness almost equal to that of a chrome layer to be formed, and conducting hard chrome plating on the lower layer. However, in this countermeasure, a plating process must be conducted in two steps, leading to low productivity and high process costs.
As another countermeasure, it has been proposed to conduct chrome plating by using two different plating baths, to thereby deposit two chrome layers having different crystal orientations, thus preventing the formation of cracks reaching the substrate [reference is made to, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure (Kokai) No. 4-350193]. However, this countermeasure also requires a two-step plating process.
Further, there is a method of conducting electro-plating with a pulse current, so-called pulse plating, so as to obtain a crack-free chrome layer [reference is made to, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure (Kokai) No. 3-207884]. However, the chrome layer formed simply by pulse plating is subject to tensile residual stress. This leads to the formation of large cracks in the chrome layer due to the application of heat.
Further, there is a method of conducting pulse plating in a Sargent bath by application of an irregular pulse current, to thereby obtain a crack-free decorative chrome layer [reference is made to, for example, Examined Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. 43-20082]. The chrome layer obtained by this method has low (or no) stress. However, the obtained chrome layer has a stress gradient (as the thickness of the chrome layer becomes large, the value of stress shifts from a side of compressive stress toward a side of tensile stress). Therefore, average compressive stress in the chrome layer is undesirably low. Consequently, when the above-mentioned chrome layer is used as a lower layer and a cracked chrome layer is formed as an upper layer by plating on the lower chrome layer, the lower chrome layer is subject to tensile stress from the upper chrome layer, so that propagation of cracks through the upper chrome layer to the lower chrome layer occurs. Further, in the chrome plating bath in Kokoku No. 43-20082, average compressive residual stress can be increased only to a level as low as 100 MPa, even by controlling the waveform of an applied pulse current, a bath temperature and a current density.
In view of the above, the present invention has been made. It is an object of the present invention to provide chrome plated parts which maintain excellent corrosion resistance even when the chrome plated parts are subject to thermal hysteresis. It is another object of the present invention to provide a chrome plating method and a production method for efficiently obtaining such chrome plated parts.

Chrome plated parts and chrome plating method


A system including a memory, a first processor operatively connected to a first cache, a second processor operatively connected to a second cache, a directory implemented in hardware operatively connected to the first cache, the second cache, and the memory, wherein the directory comprises at least one location, and wherein the at least one location is configured to store a first entry and a second entry.

In recent years, shared-memory multiprocessors have gained wide-spread attention because of the simplicity of the shared-memory parallel programming model. However, allowing the processors in a multiprocessor system to share memory complicates the design of the memory hierarchy. One of the most prominent issues that must be addressed in the design of memory hierarchy is cache coherency (also referred to as cache consistency). The issue of cache coherency arises when more than one processor in the multiprocessor system includes a cache.
The caches in the multiprocessor system are said to be coherent if all the copies of a memory location in the multiple caches remain consistent when the content of that memory location are modified. Multiprocessor systems use a cache coherency protocol to maintain cache coherency. Maintaining cache coherency typically involves taking special action when one processor writes to a block of data in the memory that exists in the cache of one or more processors in the multiprocessor system. The corresponding data in the other caches, which is now stale, must either be invalidated or updated, depending on the cache-coherency protocol. Further, cache-coherency protocols also include functionality to perform certain actions when a read miss occurs (i.e., when data is not present in the cache and thus, is retrieved and loaded into the cache). The cache-coherency protocol typically includes functionality to perform the aforementioned actions. The various cache coherency protocols typically differ in the manner in which a determination is made whether data in memory is shared, the manner in which a determination is made as to which caches contain copies of the data, and the manner in which copies of the data are updated and/or invalidated.
Two primary mechanisms used to implement cache coherency protocols in multiprocessor systems include a snoopy cache mechanism, and a directory-based mechanism. Multiprocessor systems implementing a snoopy cache mechanism require each cache in the multiprocessor system to track all cache coherency transactions and determine when cache-coherency transactions should be performed for a given piece of shared data. Further, multiprocessor systems using a snoopy cache mechanism typically do not store the state of each piece of cache data in an associated cache directory. In stead the state of each piece of cache data is stored in the corresponding cache. Further, the processors are responsible for tracking the state of caches with which they are associated with. In addition, invalidating a piece of cache data in a cache is typically performed using a broadcast mechanism.
In contrast, multiprocessor systems implementing a directory-based cache mechanism maintains a separate directory associated with the memory. This directory stores the state of data within the memory. More specifically, the directory implementing the directory-based cache mechanism is configured to store state information about a subset of data within the memory. Thus, when a piece of data in the main memory is cached in a cache associated with a processor in the multiprocessor system, the directory uses a property of the piece of data that was cached (e.g., a physical address of the piece of data in memory) to index into a specific location in the directory. A determination is subsequently made as to whether the location in the directory is currently being used. If the location is empty, then the state of the piece of data is entered into the directory.
Alternatively, if the location is not empty, then a determination is made about whether the location is being used to track the state of the same piece of data that was cached (i.e., the same piece of data was previously cached in another cache in the multiprocessor system). If the location is being used to track the state of the piece of data was cached, then the state information of the piece of data may be updated to reflect that the piece of data is now cached in an additional cache.
However, if the location is not being used to track the state of the same piece of data that was cached, then the current contents of the location are cleared and the state information of the piece of data that was cache is stored at the location. In addition, the removal of cache entries from the cache results in the generation of messages to the directory to remove the previous contents of the location in the directory. The message indicates that the corresponding cache entries in the cache have been removed.

Resource-limited directories with fine-grained eviction


This invention relates to the relationship between infection with an adipogenic adenovirus, such as adenovirus-36, and obesity-related disease. In particular, this invention relates to assaying a subject to determine the adipogenic adenovirus infection status and then determining the subject's predisposition to developing an obesity-related disease based on the adipogenic adenovirus infection status.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the relationship between infection with adipogenic adenoviruses, such as, for example, adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), and the etiologies of obesity and obesity-related cancers and other diseases. More specifically, the invention relates to a methodology for determining whether a subject is predisposed to developing an obesity-related disease due to an adipogenic adenovirus based on the adipogenic adenovirus infection status of the subject.
2. Related Art
There has been a dramatic simultaneous increase in the prevalence of obesity and of certain types of cancer. A worldwide epidemic of obesity accelerated dramatically starting about 1980. In the USA the prevalence of obesity in adults more than doubled in the 20 years from 1980 to 2000 (from 15% to 31%), whereas the prevalence increased only slightly in the prior 20 years from 1960 to 1980 (from 13.5% to 15%). The prevalence of obesity in children tripled from about 1970 to 2000. Likewise, cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and liver have also rapidly increased in prevalence in recent years.
Changes in reproductive hormones in obesity have been suggested to play a role in the association of breast and prostate cancer (among others) and in the aggressiveness of these cancers. However, changes in reproductive hormones cannot explain cancers such as colon, renal, or pancreatic cancer that are not under hormonal control.
Another possibility for the link between obesity and cancer is the decreased immune function seen in obese individuals. Obese people have a lower antibody response to vaccination with hepatitis B than vaccine people who are not obese. The immune system is critical in inhibiting the growth of neoplasms, so it would not be surprising if this were the mechanism of increased cancers of many types in obesity. However, adenoviruses are well known to decrease immune function as a way to enhance their replication within the host, including human hosts. More relevant, the SMAM-1 avian adenovirus, which has been reported to cause obesity, had a major impact by decreasing immune function of chickens. Thus, there is a direct link between an adenovirus that causes obesity and that also impairs immune function. The inventor has reported that SMAM-1 is associated with obesity in humans, adding a link from adenovirus to human obesity.
Some human adenovirus serotypes are known to be oncogenic, and induce tumors in rats or hamsters. Adenovirus serotypes are divided by Groups. Group A adenoviruses (e.g., Ad-12, Ad-18) are highly oncogenic, producing tumors in most animals within 4 months; group B adenoviruses (e.g., Ad-3, Ad-7) are weakly oncogenic, inducing tumors in most animals within 4 to 18 months; group D viruses are thought to be less oncogenic, but serotype-9 efficiently induces mammary tumors within 3 to 5 months. There has been extensive work on adenovirus-induced cancer, but to date, there has been no evidence that adenoviruses cause human cancer.
If adenoviruses cause human cancers, it is likely that they do so by altering expression of genes in the host that allow unregulated cell growth to occur. Many such tumor markers have been identified. Some are due to genetic variants. Hereditary breast cancer has been linked to germline mutations in one allele of high penetrance susceptibility genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK 2, TP53 or PTEN. It is possible that adenovirus infections facilitate cancer in these genetically susceptible individuals. However, adenoviruses may contribute to spontaneous oncogenesis by inducing expression of various oncogenes or suppressing expression of tumor suppressor genes of the host. Among the alterations due to adenoviruses that are thought to contribute to cancer are changes in DNA-dependent protein kinase, fatty acid binding protein, mTOR, p16, p53, PDZ protein, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, PML, thymidine kinase, and Zip kinase. Of particular interest are those tumor related factors that are altered by the adenovirus E4 region, and specifically the E4orf1 gene. The E4 oncogenes include DNA-dependent protein kinase, p53, PDZ protein, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, PML, thymidine kinase, and Zip kinase. As will be described below, the Ad-36 E4orf1 gene has been shown to be involved in producing obesity by a direct effect on adipocyte metabolism. The E4orf1 region of human adenovirus-5 has been shown to be an oncogene, and a recent paper reported that Ad-5 produces obesity in mice. These findings show a direct link between obesity and cancer, with both being due to a human adenovirus, and provide the likely mechanism via a viral gene.
The general consensus of many investigators in the field of cancer research has been that adenoviruses do not contribute to the etiology of human cancer. Therefore, it would be a major technological advance to demonstrate that adipogenic adenoviruses, such as Ad-36, are associated with obesity-related cancers, such as breast and prostate cancers.

Adipogenic adenoviruses as a biomarker for disease


A luminescent specific binding assay method is used for detecting an analyte in whole blood. The assay is a heterogeneous sandwich or competitive assay in which a first binding reagent is labeled with a luminescent photoprotein and an immobilized second binding reagent serves as a capture reagent. The luminescent photoprotein, upon activation, emits light which may be detected by a luminescence detector. The assay is rapid, sensitive and may be performed on small sample volumes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and kits for performing specific binding assays. More particularly, the invention relates to a specific binding assay in which a luminescent substance, preferably the photoprotein, aequorin, is employed as a label. The luminescent specific binding assay of this invention is useful for determining the presence of various analytes in whole blood.
2. Description of the Background Art
Specific binding assay methods are used for quantitative and qualitative determinations of a wide variety of substances, generally referred to herein as "analytes." These substances may be large complex molecules, such as proteins, viruses, viral antigens, bacterial cells, cell surface receptors, enzymes, hormones, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, lipoproteins and the like, or small haptenic molecules, such as peptides, certain hormones, therapeutic drugs, drugs of abuse and the like.
These assays take advantage of specific binding reactions that occur between biological molecules. The specific binding reaction most commonly used is that which occurs between an antibody and an antigen. In that case, the specific binding assay is referred to as an immunoassay. Reactions between other binding pairs may also be employed. For example, interactions between enzymes and substrates, between hormones and receptors, and between complementary strands of nucleic acids, have been used for this purpose. Other binding reactions, such as those between avidin and biotin and between immunoglobulins and immunoglobulin binding proteins (e.g., Protein A and Protein G) have also been used advantageously in specific binding assays.
Specific binding assays may be configured in a variety of formats. For example, such assays may be competitive or sandwich assays. They may be homogeneous or heterogenous, and they may be sequential or simultaneous. In most specific binding assays, at least one of the members of the binding pair that participate in the specific binding reaction is labeled. The label provides a means for detecting and quantifying the reaction product. Radioimmunoassays employ a binding pair member (e.g., an antigen) that contains a radioactive isotope. In enzyme immunoassays, one of the binding pair members is labeled with an enzyme. The enzyme may, in turn, react with a substrate that produces a detectable signal, such as a color change.
Luminescent specific binding assays utilize any of a variety of chemiluminescent and bioluminescent labels. One such assay utilizes a photoprotein, known as aequorin, as the label. Aequorin is a high-affinity calcium ion-binding protein responsible for the bioluminescence of the jellyfish, Aequorea Victoria. Native aequorin is a photoprotein consisting of a single polypeptide chain of MW 21,000 daltons, containing one mole each of tightly bound coelenterate luciferin and oxygen. This complex is stable in the absence of calcium ions, and light emission is initiated upon the binding of three moles of calcium ions per mole of aequorin. In the presence of calcium ions, aequorin catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin to oxyluciferin with a concomitant flash of blue light (.lambda..sub.max =469 nm) which persists for approximately ten seconds. See, Stults, N. L. et al., Biochemistry 31, 1433-42 (1992) and references cited therein.
Aequorin can be isolated from Aequorea tissue. In addition, it can be produced by recombinant DNA techniques. See Cormier, M. J., U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,227 and Zenno. S. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,623. Modified forms of apoaequorin having enhanced bioluminescence properties have also been produced by recombinant DNA procedures. See Prasher, D., U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,728. As used herein, the term "aequorin" includes the native and recombinant forms of the photoprotein, as well as its modified forms as described in the aforementioned Prasher patent.
Other photoproteins are known that can be used as labels in specific binding assays. Such photoproteins include obeln, mnemiopsin, berovin, pholasin, luciferases and photoproteins isolated from Pelagia, Cypridina and ostracods.
Most specific binding assays are designed for analyzing biological fluids, such as blood or urine, for analytes of biological significance. When the goal of a specific binding assay is to determine the presence of a substance in whole blood, typically the sample must be pretreated to remove cellular components and hemoglobin, which can interfere with the assay. Specific binding assays are usually performed on the serum component of whole blood. Alternatively, whole blood assays have been designed to provide for a filtration or absorption step preceding the specific binding assay to minimize interference from cellular components and hemoglobin. See A Chen, F. M., U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,809. Herein, the terms "blood" and "whole blood" are used interchangeably and are defined to mean a homogeneous liquid that circulates through the body's cardiovascular channels that has not been treated to achieve any separation of its components, these components essentially comprising corpuscles, plasma, serum, and fibrin.
Often, it would be highly desirable to perform a specific binding assay directly on whole blood. Lower sample volumes are needed for assays performed directly on whole blood, because sample losses resulting from pretreatment steps are avoided. Moreover, the time for an assay to be conducted can be minimized if pretreatment steps are eliminated. In emergency room or operating room environments, particularly involving pediatric patients, these factors can be of critical importance.


This invention relates to a recording apparatus, comprising an opening delivering a recording medium after completion of recording and a cover capable of closing the opening in moving pivotally and a holding rib formed at the cover for holding a rear end as well as both sides of the delivered recording medium. The holding rib comes to be exposed when the cover is opened.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a photocopier, word processor, personal computer, facsimile machine and, more particularly, to a recording apparatus responsible to various recording media.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional recording apparatus of this type is typically structured as shown in FIG. 29. That is, a body forming an outer housing of the recording apparatus is constituted of a lower casing 120, an upper casing 121, an access cover 122, a delivery tray unit, and a printer unit 130 contained in the outer housing members.
The delivery tray unit (in some cases, hereinafter referred to as "delivery tray") is constituted of two members: a rotary tray 126 and a base tray 127, and a rotary shaft 126a and a bearing 127a are formed at each end and fitted to each other to hold the rotary tray 126 to the base tray rotatably. Meanwhile, an attachment 127b is formed at the other end of the base tray 127 and is engaged with an engagement portion 120a formed at the lower casing 120. With these structures, recording media 133 (hereinafter, referred to as "sheets") delivered from the printer unit 130 are stacked, as shown in FIG. 31, on a sheet stacking surface formed on a delivery tray unit.
The rate of the sheets delivered from the printer unit 130 (hereinafter referred to as "delivery rate" in some cases) is very fast to increase the printing rate, so that the sheets may drop off forwardly from the sheet stacking surface. Moreover, because the printing rate is fast, a subsequent sheet may be stacked where ink on the previously recorded sheet is not dried yet. Therefore, recording defects may occur frequently such that the sheets may be messed with the ink and that the recordings on the previous sheet may be worn out.
To solve those problems, the rotary tray 126 and the base tray 127 are made in special forms. That is, the apex of the rotary tray is in an arc shape whereas a part of the base tray is in an arc shape, and thereby, the delivered sheets are held as curving. Where the sheets are held as curving, not only messing with ink due to delivery of the subsequent sheets but also dropping of the sheets from the delivery tray caused by high rate delivery operation, is prevented. It is ordinary, when the recording apparatus is not used, that the rotary tray 126 is moved pivotally to come in contact with the housing front and to be held substantially upright or that the base tray 127 is removed from the lower casing 120 to preserve the delivery tray unit at other locations.
With the conventional art, however, it is ordinary, when the recording apparatus is not used, that the rotary tray 126 is moved pivotally to come in contact with the apparatus body front and to be held substantially upright or that the rotary tray 126 is removed from the lower casing 120 to be preserved at other locations. Thus, there raise the following problems.
The designed appearance is not favorable because a resort that the rotary tray 126 is held substantially upright is taken while the apparatus is not used. Particularly, since the front end shape of the rotary tray 126 is in the large arc shape to solve the above recording defects, it is hard to produce unity feeling between the apparatus body and the rotary tray 126 in an aspect of the appearance.
In a meantime, where the delivery tray unit is contained in the housing, because the front end is in the arc shape, the apparatus height is increased, and such a unit therefore obstructs designing toward a compacter apparatus size.
The appearance is not favorable since the internal structure including the printer unit can be seen largely where the housing front opening is structured to widely open if the delivery tray unit is removed from the apparatus body while the recording apparatus is not in use. Foreign objects such as dust may enter from the opening, so that such a circumstance is not favorable for the printer unit. Where the delivery tray unit is detached from the delivery tray unit, the operator may lose the delivery tray unit inadvertently.


This invention relates to thermo-chemical remediation and decontamination of sediments and soils contaminated with organic contaminants as well as inorganic materials with subsequent beneficial reuse. Novel environmentally stable products of commercial value are produced when certain additives such as calcium and metal oxides are mixed with the contaminated materials. In the process, the mixture is heated to 1150.degree. C..about.1500.degree. C. to produce a molten reaction product with at least part of an excess amount of oxygen mixture or air is continuously bubbled through the melt in order to provide mixing and achieve high thermal destruction and removal efficiencies of the organic contaminants. The melt is then quickly quenched in moist air, steam, or water to avoid the transformation of the amorphous material into crystals. The inorganic contaminants such as chromium, nickel, zinc, etc. are incorporated and completely immobilized within the amorphous silicate network. Atmospheric emissions resulting from this process are nontoxic and capable of meeting currently specified health and environmental requirements.. The amorphous material can be pulverized to yield a powder which evinces cementitious properties either by reaction with alkali solution or by blending it with other materials to produce blended cements. The compressive strengths of the concretes made from the powder of the subject invention and blends thereof are comparable to, or greater than the ASTM requirements for general purpose concrete applications. The powder of the subject invention, blended cements, and concrete/mortar derived therefrom also easily pass the EPA TCLP leach test to achieve environmental acceptability.

All types of man-made contaminated materials that pollute our environment are generated worldwide. These contaminants are found in air, water, river sediments, manufactured town gas sites, etc. There are two general types of contaminants: organic and inorganic. The most prevalent organic contaminants associated with sediments and soils include: Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated hydrocarbons such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans, etc. and fossil-fuel derived hydrocarbons and their derivatives. The most common inorganic contaminants include volatile and nonvolatile heavy metals and mineral-derived materials such as asbestos.
Current thermal methods for the treatment of the above waste materials include the following four treatment systems: vitrification, plasma processing, molten metal processing and steam reforming. None of these methods have proven sufficiently economical for large-scale decontamination applications. In addition, after treatment, these technologies generate large secondary, waste streams that require expensive disposal.
This invention teaches a novel thermo-chemical transformation of contaminated sediments and soils into useful products for general construction applications, namely, blended cements and thus can significantly improve remediation economics by creating such value-added end products.

Process for preparing environmentally stable products by the remediation of contaminated sediments and soils


The present invention relates to a process for hardening an aluminum-based matrix alloy by the dispersion of metallized graphite (MG) with copper and optionally zinc or boron by the agitation in liquid state. By this means, the impregnating of MG particles (reinforcing phase) is increased, facilitating the homogenous distribution in the aluminum-base matrix alloy. The mechanical properties of aluminum or aluminum-based are increased alloys by the process of hardening by dispersion, without affecting the density and electrical conductivity of the alloy.

Considerable efforts have been made in the investigation for the development of aluminum-based materials of high resistance, which would be able to satisfy the demands of advanced designs of the electrical industry.
The metallic matrix aluminum-based composites are under consideration due to the possibility that the addition of reinforcing particles, added to aluminum or its alloys, offers to improve the properties of aluminum and their alloys with respect to the elastic module, yield stress, maximum stress, and deformation.
In a general way, two main types of hardened aluminum-based alloys exist with particles as a second phase; one involves a heat treatment, while the other does not. In thermo handle alloys, fine particles of a second phase, commonly referred to as precipitated, produce products with high resistance and rigidity. This occurs when a solid supersaturated solution precipitates the excess of solute. This process is favored in alloy systems that present an increase in the solubility of the solute as the temperature is increasing too, in comparison with low or room temperature.
On the other hand, the hardening by dispersion in aluminum alloys non-thermo handle is based on the production of a fine distribution of incoherent particles of the second phase that hardens the aluminum matrix or its alloys preventing the movement of dislocations (plastic flow) due to their near spacing. In this case, the particles of the second phase have a small or null solubility in the solid state even at high temperature. This type of reaction is commonly referred to as hardening by dispersion. In both types of alloys it is desirable to maintain reinforcement particles of the secondary phase in a fine size (0.1-0.5 microns) and near spacing to obtain a good combination of hardness and resistance (Principios de Metalurgia Fisica, Roberto And Reed-Hill, Editorial CECSA, Chapter 9, page 323, 1980). These materials are produced by a heat treatment, which involves the dissolution of particles of the second phase in the metallic matrix, followed by the steps of solution and aging, which provides a fine distribution of precipitates of the secondary phase. Said precipitated, affects the resistance of the structure by restoration of tensions inside the metallic matrix.
It has been demonstrated, by theoretical and experimental considerations (International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, Vol 15, Nos. 3/4/5, pp 356-408, Dispersion-Strengthened Aluminum Prepared by Mechanical Alloying by M. Besterci), that the maximum effect of hardening is obtained by means of the following structural parameters:                a) The particle size of the reinforcing particles of the secondary phase (dispersoids) should not exceed 50 nm. The particles of larger size are of little significance from the point of view of the hardening.        b) The average distance among the reinforcement particles must be within the range of 100 to 500 nm and its distribution should be uniform, without presence of heterogeneity and conglomerates.
The Metallic Matrix Composites (MMC) are at the present, potential candidates for a great variety of applications, for example; structural applications, in the automotive industry and in the industry of the electrical conductors to mention some of them. Diverse techniques for the production of MMC can be used; these can be grouped into two main types depending on the state of the matrix during the manufacture process: solid or liquid route. Although the production of MMC by liquid metal processing is receiving great attention due to its relatively low cost, frequently the following disadvantages are presented:
i) heterogeneous distribution of particles of ceramics or fibers, due to the agglomeration and dendrite segregation that is a variation in concentrations on microscopic scale due to the different solidification points which present the elements or composites of an alloy, and that is generated during the solidification of alloys; and
ii) undesirable chemical reactions in the inter-phase due to the high temperature of the fused material.
The liquid route is covered by conventional techniques of metallurgy (fusion and cast); the solid route is covered by Powder Metallurgy (PM). Additionally, the PM could include the processing of the initial materials by Mechanical Alloying (MA) and Mechanical Milling (MM). Also, new and novel materials can be produced by MA and MM, including metallic and ceramic. The MA can be defined as the dry milling of two or more elements or composites in a mill for obtaining nanometric materials such as powdered alloys or composites with homogenous multiphase dispersions. This process occurs by means of the repeated welding and fracture of a metallic and non-metallic powdered mixture using mechanically activated balls.
It has been established as the term "mechanical alloying" when pure elements are involved, and "mechanical milling" when powdered pre-alloyed are involved. The MA is a method to produce metallic powdered composites with a controlled fine microstructure and uniformity. This occurs by the phenomenon of fracture and subsequent welding of a powdered particle mixture during the milling with impact of high energy in a controlled environment, for example, in a ball type mill, in the presence of process control agent (optional) that prevents the agglomeration of particles. During the processing, the oxide shell generally present in the surface of the powdered particles is incorporated inside the particle of the composite and homogenously dispersed. In a similar way, the metallic and non-metallic components are also finely dispersed inside the powdered particles. The materials produced by MA are later consolidated by diverse routes, for example: sintered pressing, extrusion, rolling, cast, etc., only to mention some of them.
The MA and MM processes have been widely recognized as alternative routes in the formation of metastable phases for select applications. The MA and MM processes are novel techniques to produce advanced materials with unusual properties, due to the microstructure refinement, even in immiscible systems. In this way, combining PM with MA or MM, a new generation of materials can be obtained.
The necessity to increase the mechanical properties in aluminum alloy has motivated the study of the Composite Materials (CM) aluminum based. These materials are required due to their low density and high specific stiffness. In addition, the reinforcing ceramic particles significantly increase the wear resistance. By means of PM methods, it is possible to produce unique CM with an extremely fine distribution of particles of reinforcement, that otherwise would not be possible to obtain by means of the conventional techniques of metal and alloys molding.
The CM are usually produced when mixing non-metallic reinforcing particles such as sands, powder, fibers, or similar within a metallic matrix. For example, MC aluminum-based, are basically formed from aluminum or of a commercial aluminum alloy (namely 1350, 6061, 2024, A356, etc.) reinforced with ceramic particles such as silicon carbide or powder of aluminum oxide.
In spite of the growing market, the high manufacture cost of the composite materials (CM) has limited their availability to be competitively evaluated with the non-reinforced metallic materials. Traditionally, the manufacture of CM, has employed techniques related to the Powder Metallurgy (PM), such as the compaction of particle mixtures or ceramic fibers and powdered aluminum. Unfortunately, the high cost of powdered metals, pyrophoric risks, and burst associated with the handling of great amounts of powder, have avoid a significant reduction in the cost of CM produced by these routes. Additionally, the use of liquid metal in the production of CM has been limited to the infiltration in ceramic preform. Similarly, the mixture of ceramic materials inside liquid Aluminum using agitation methods, has not been advantageous due to problems of impregnation of the liquid in the fine particles (wettabillity of particles), which have a great surface area, joining the quick oxidation of the liquid aluminum, highly reactive, during the agitation.
There are several methods or variants in the process of agitation in liquid state, for example compo casting and others more sophisticated, such as the one reported in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,423 entitled "Apparatus for Mixing Particles into Liquid Medium" by M. D. Skibo and D. M. Schuster. However, the main problem still continues to be the incomplete, low or null impregnating (wettabillity) of the reinforcing particles. By means of the present invention, the impregnation is increased considerably and the incorporation of the reinforcing particles inside the aluminum matrix or its alloys is facilitated. Also, the oxidation of reinforcing particles is prevented by the preparation or pre-conditioning in which they are submitted, as explained further on.
The main problem with many conventional aluminum alloys is, when the requirements of density and mechanical resistance, are reaching they are not enough ductile to be usable. Also, these aluminum alloys of high mechanical resistance do not fulfill the minimum requirements of conductivity to be able to be used in electrical applications.
The aluminum-base alloy obtained according to the process of the present invention presents high mechanical resistance and at the same time maintains the aluminum intrinsic properties, for example density, % of elongation (ductility) and electrical conductivity.

Reinforced aluminum alloy and its process of manufacture

Centro De Investigacion En Materiales Avanzados, Inc


A fire sprinkler valve trigger has a body or capsule segmented into opposite segments joined together at a joint by a fusible material with a predetermined and selected melting temperature less than a melting temperature of the opposite segments. An exterior of the body or capsule comprises a layer added to the exterior, and comprising a preselected color corresponding to and designating the melting temperature of the fusible material. The body or capsule, including the joint and the fusible material, being exposed and visible so that the layer on the exterior of the body or capsule is exposed and visible.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fire suppression sprinklers. More particularly, the present invention relates to heat-sensitive trigger for a fire sprinkler valve or head.
Related Art
Fire sprinkler valves are used in fire suppression systems for buildings or facilities. Such fire sprinkler valves have a plug retained by a heat sensitive trigger. Prior art fire sprinkler valves use triggers that are generally of two types: 1) older mechanical linkage triggers; and 2) newer frangible bulb triggers. The older mechanical linkage triggers used an offset linkage or a spring loaded linkage held in place by an alloy that melts at a low temperature, releasing the linkage, and thus the plug. The newer frangible bulb triggers use a glass bulb filled with a liquid that expands when heated, bursting the glass bulb, and releasing the trigger. The trigger mechanism is usually held between a yoke or frame and the plug. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,238 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,710. The glass bulbs, however, can sustain hairline fractures during shipping; resulting in leakage of the liquid. In addition, the liquid in the bulb can be colored to correspond to a head rating of the bulb, i.e. the heat at which the bulb bursts, activating the sprinkler. The color in the liquid, however, can fade in UV light and cold temperatures. Thus, the fire sprinkler valves with a bulb type trigger have a limited life expectancy of 25 years and should be inspected regularly. The older style fire sprinkler valves with a linkage type trigger have a life expectancy of 50 years.

Heat-sensitive trigger for a fire sprinkler valve


The invention provides hydrolases, polynucleotides encoding them, and methods of making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. In one aspect, the invention is directed to polypeptides, e.g., enzymes, having a hydrolase activity, e.g., an esterase, acylase, lipase, phospholipase (e.g., phospholipase A, B, C and D activity, patatin activity, lipid acyl hydrolase (LAH) activity) or protease activity, including thermostable and thermotolerant hydrolase activity, and polynucleotides encoding these enzymes, and making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. The hydrolase activities of the polypeptides and peptides of the invention include esterase activity, lipase activity (hydrolysis of lipids), acidolysis reactions (to replace an esterified fatty acid with a free fatty acid), transesterification reactions (exchange of fatty acids between triglycerides), ester synthesis, ester interchange reactions, phospholipase activity and protease activity (hydrolysis of peptide bonds). The polypeptides of the invention can be used in a variety of pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial contexts, including the manufacture of cosmetics and nutraceuticals. In another aspect, the polypeptides of the invention are used to synthesize enantiomerically pure chiral products.

The major industrial applications for hydrolases, e.g., esterases, lipases, phospholipases and proteases, include the detergent industry, where they are employed to decompose fatty materials in laundry stains into easily removable hydrophilic substances; the food and beverage industry where they are used in the manufacture of cheese, the ripening and flavoring of cheese, as antistaling agents for bakery products, and in the production of margarine and other spreads with natural butter flavors; in waste systems; and in the pharmaceutical industry where they are used as digestive aids.
Oils and fats an important renewable raw material for the chemical industry. They are available in large quantities from the processing of oilseeds from plants like rice bran oil, rapeseed (canola), sunflower, olive, palm or soy. Other sources of valuable oils and fats include fish, restaurant waste, and rendered animal fats. These fats and oils are a mixture of triglycerides or lipids, i.e. fatty acids (FAs) esterified on a glycerol scaffold. Each oil or fat contains a wide variety of different lipid structures, defined by the FA content and their regiochemical distribution on the glycerol backbone. These properties of the individual lipids determine the physical properties of the pure triglyceride. Hence, the triglyceride content of a fat or oil to a large extent determines the physical, chemical and biological properties of the oil. The value of lipids increases greatly as a function of their purity. High purity can be achieved by fractional chromatography or distillation, separating the desired triglyceride from the mixed background of the fat or oil source. However, this is costly and yields are often limited by the low levels at which the triglyceride occurs naturally. In addition, the purity of the product is often compromised by the presence of many structurally and physically or chemically similar triglycerides in the oil.
An alternative to purifying triglycerides or other lipids from a natural source is to synthesize the lipids. The products of such processes are called structured lipids because they contain a defined set of fatty acids distributed in a defined manner on the glycerol backbone. The value of lipids also increases greatly by controlling the fatty acid content and distribution within the lipid. Lipases can be used to affect such control.
Phospholipases are enzymes that hydrolyze the ester bonds of phospholipids. Corresponding to their importance in the metabolism of phospholipids, these enzymes are widespread among prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The phospholipases affect the metabolism, construction and reorganization of biological membranes and are involved in signal cascades. Several types of phospholipases are known which differ in their specificity according to the position of the bond attacked in the phospholipid molecule. Phospholipase A1 (PLA1) removes the 1-position fatty acid to produce free fatty acid and 1-lyso-2-acylphospholipid. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) removes the 2 fatty acid to produce free fatty acid and 1-acyl-2-lysophospholipid. PLA1 and PLA2 enzymes can be intra- or extra-cellular, membrane-bound or soluble. Intracellular PLA2 is found in almost every mammalian cell. Phospholipase C (PLC) removes the phosphate moiety to produce 1,2 diacylglycerol and phospho base. Phospholipase D (PLD) produces 1,2-diacylglycerophosphate and base group. PLC and PLD are important in cell function and signaling. Patatins are another type of phospholipase thought to work as a PLA.
In general, enzymes, including hydrolases such as esterases, lipases and proteases, are active over a narrow range of environmental conditions (temperature, pH, etc.), and many are highly specific for particular substrates. The narrow range of activity for a given enzyme limits its applicability and creates a need for a selection of enzymes that (a) have similar activities but are active under different conditions or (b) have different substrates. For instance, an enzyme capable of catalyzing a reaction at 50° C. may be so inefficient at 35° C., that its use at the lower temperature will not be feasible. For this reason, laundry detergents generally contain a selection of proteolytic enzymes, allowing the detergent to be used over a broad range of wash temperature and pH. In view of the specificity of enzymes and the growing use of hydrolases in industry, research, and medicine, there is an ongoing need in the art for new enzymes and new enzyme inhibitors.

Hydrolases, nucleic acids encoding them and methods for making and using them


A composition that includes a finely divided, fully imidized, polyimide dispersed in a non-volatile, fluidizing resin that is a liquid or low viscosity semi-solid at room temperature. The fluidizing resin is substantially insoluble in the polyimide at room temperature, but soluble in the polyimide at the elevated temperatures during thermal processing. The composition has the flow characteristics of a highly filled liquid. The composition if useful, e.g., as an adhesive.

This invention relates to processing polyimides.
Polyimides are currently used in high temperature composite and adhesive applications. One well-known polyimide is Polymerization of Monomer Reactants ("PMR")-15, a low molecular weight (c.a. 1500), norbornene-terminated polyimide prepared by reacting benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid anhydride and methylene dianiline. These polyimides are typically supplied to the end user in the form of a prepreg fabric or scrim cloth impregnated with the polyamic acid precursor of the polyimide. Upon thermal processing, the polyamic acid groups are converted to imide groups to form a fully imidized polymer, while crosslinking takes place simultaneously through polymerizable end groups (e.g., norbornene groups in the case of PMR-15).
These polyimides suffer from two problems which limit their utility. First, conversion of the polyamic acid groups to imide groups during thermal processing releases large amounts of volatile material. This leads to voids in the final polyimide, resulting in a weakened product. Second, the viscosity of the polyimides prior to thermal processing is too high to permit easy processing. The problem is particularly acute in the case of polyimide adhesives, which have too great a viscosity to be reticulated with a hot air knife.


Methods and apparatus for using features of images representing content items to improve the presentation of the content items are disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of digital images are obtained, where each of the images represents a corresponding one of a plurality of content items Image features of each of the digital images are determined. Additional features including at least one of user features pertaining to a user of a client device or contextual features pertaining to the client device are ascertained. At least a portion of the content items are provided via a network to the client device using features that include or are derived from both the image features of each of the plurality of digital images and the additional features.

The present disclosure relates generally to computer implemented methods and apparatus for facilitating the ranking of the content items and the rendering of images representing content items.
Modern search engines and recommendation systems present different types of results such as videos, images, dictionary definitions, news articles, etc. Ranking algorithms typically rank the results using tags associated with the results. In addition, the ranking algorithms may personalize the results for a user to whom the results will be presented.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Generic card feature extraction based on card rendering as an image


This disclosure describes a video co-watching system that can efficiently, flexibly, and securely provide access to, and synchronize, co-watching digital video content across multiple participant devices while providing live digital video chat streams between the participant devices. For example, the video co-watching system can enable the participant devices to simultaneously present co-watching digital video content together with a presentation of a video chat. In addition, the video co-watching system can synchronize the co-watching digital video content at each participant device while also facilitating video chatting between the participant devices by transmitting a playback modifier signal to cause one participant device to perform a modification to the playback made at another participant device.

Advancements in software and hardware platforms have led to a variety of improvements in systems that connect and transfer digital content between client devices across computer networks. For example, digital communication systems are now able to implement video chats between client devices to facilitate real-time, digital communication between digital conference participants. Indeed, some digital communication systems can connect groups of more than two client devices to initiate a common video conference between the client devices utilizing various computer networking technologies.
Despite these advances however, conventional digital communication systems continue to suffer from a number of disadvantages, particularly in their efficiency, flexibility, and data security. For example, some conventional systems inefficiently utilize computing resources such as processing power, processing time, and memory in processing excessive numbers of user interactions to share digital content with other devices in a group video chat. Particularly, conventional systems require users to navigate through many layers of user interfaces (sometimes across multiple applications) to access desired data and/or functionality to, for example, locate a digital image to upload or share to other devices in a group video chat. To share digital content such as a digital image, these systems often require a separate application (apart from a video co-watching application) such as a messaging application to share the digital content when such functionality is not available as part of the group video chat directly.
In addition to being inefficient, some conventional digital communication systems are also inflexible. For example, to access shared digital content within a common video chat, conventional systems often require devices to download the digital content and to present the digital content outside of the common video chat. Due to the siloed nature of presenting shared digital content and providing a group video chat in these conventional systems, such systems are often limited to asynchronous digital content sharing. As another example, many conventional digital communication systems provide limited content controls within a group video chat.
Beyond inefficiency and inflexibility, conventional digital communication systems are also insecure. To elaborate, conventional systems often track and obtain large amounts of device data based on accessing digital content (such as digital videos). For example, conventional systems gather information to determine user preferences, track user-specific viewing histories, and generate recommendations of suggested videos. Despite the sophistication of many of these conventional systems, accessing and storing large amounts of personal device and/or user information undermines data privacy and exposes private information to security attacks by malicious actors. Thus, because many conventional digital communication systems monitor and track detailed information pertaining to digital content shared between client devices, these systems are more susceptible to security breaches that expose sensitive information.
Thus, there are disadvantages with regard to conventional digital communication systems.

Synchronizing streams of co-watching digital video content while providing live digital video chat streams across multiple client devices


The present invention relates to a protein (Snow1), mutants thereof, and nucleic acids encoding said protein, that interacts with Ice1 and which activates CBF3 promoter activity thus regulating freezing tolerance in plants.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protein, mutants thereof, and nucleic acids encoding said protein, that interacts with Ice1 and which activates CBF3 promoter activity thus regulating freezing tolerance in plants.
2. Discussion of the Background
Adverse low temperature affects the survivability and distribution of almost all living organisms. Plants being sessile have evolved to sense and encounter low temperature stress and their response to adverse low temperature is manifested at physiological, molecular and biochemical levels. Many temperate plants have potential to increase freezing tolerance of these plants after a prior exposure to non freezing temperatures—a process known as cold acclimation (Guy 1990; Hughes and Dunn 1996; Browse and Xin 2001).
At a molecular level a specific set of proteins are induced in response to low temperature that helps plants to sustain adverse low temperature conditions. Moreover, gene expression has been observed to change in response to cold, which is critical for chilling tolerance (Gong et al. 2002; Hsieh et al. 2002) and cold acclimation (Thomashow 1999; Knight et al. 1999; Tahtiharju and Palva 2001). Proteins induced during cold acclimation include enzymes involved in respiration and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, phenylpropanoids and antioxidants; molecular chaperones, antifreeze proteins; and many others with presumed function in tolerance to dehydration caused by freezing (Thomashow 1999; Guy 1990; Mohapatra et al 1989). These genes and gene products have been termed CAPs (cold acclimation proteins)/CORs (cold responsive/LTIs (low temperature inducible).
Promoters of many of these genes have DRE/CRT (dehydration responsive element/C-repeat), a cis element necessary and sufficient for gene transcription under cold stress (Yamaguchi-Shinozaki and Shinozaki 1994; Stockinger et al 1997). A small group of homologous transcription factors (CBF/DREB) bind to this sequence and induce cold-regulated gene expression (Stockinger et al 1997; Liu et al 1998). Recently the present inventors have identified an upstream factor that binds to the Myc like sequences of the CBF3 promoter and is a critical determinant of CBF3 expression and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis (Chinnusamy et al 2003). Apart from the Myc like sequences in CBF3 promoter there are many putative Myb like sequences (Shinwari et al 1998). MYC-related bHLH transcription factors require MYB co-transcription factors and/or WD-repeat containing factors for transcriptional activation of target genes (Spelt et al. 2000; Walker et al. 1999).
Chinnusamy et al (2003) proposed that possibly a Myb like transcription factor interacts with Ice1 and causes cold-induced expression of CBF genes. Importantly, microarray analysis show more levels of Snow1 (previously referred to as AtMyb15 in U.S. 60/508,316 to which the present application claims priority and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) transcript in ice1 mutant when compared to wild type plants under conditions of cold stress (Chinnusamy et al 2003). This indicates that in absence of Ice1 function, more levels of Snow1 may be produced to compensate the loss of function of Ice1.
Since environmental factors, such as cold, limits the geographical distribution and growing season of many plant species, and often adversely affects crop quality and productivity, there remains an ongoing critical need to increase cold tolerance and/or cold acclimation in plants, particularly those plants that are advantageously useful as agricultural crops.

Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of University of Arizona


A content interaction system and method allow a user to simultaneously interact with a piece of content using three senses (sound, sight and smell) of the user. In one embodiment, the content interaction system may have a plurality of devices wherein the user may integrate one or more of the devices together.

A human being has six different senses by which the human being can sense an environment including touch sensed by various parts the human body and mind. Those six senses include: 1. Eyes—for consuming all what you capture through this sense organ. 2. Ears—What we hear. 3. Nose—What we smell. 4. Mouth—what we eat and taste and 5th our Skin—Through the touch we feel; and the 6th Sense Organ, which is the Mind.
Existing content systems, such as typical television, movies, etc., typically allow a user to experience the content through the sight and sound senses. Other systems may allow the user to experience the content by the smell sense or the taste sense. Furthermore, there are existing systems that allow user to experience the content via the touch sense such as a haptic feedback system. None of the known content systems integrate all five senses into a device to provide a unified 5 senses content experience. Thus, a technology problem of the existing systems is that none of those systems provide integrated five sense content interaction. While systems exist that individually allow a user to interact with content using the five different senses, no one to date has actually integrated all of those systems together which is not trivial since each of the existing systems do not necessarily communicate with each other.