A desktop stapler includes an automatic opening staple track whereby when the stapler is opened by pivoting the body about the base, the track is de-latched by ribs of the base, and the track slides out from a chamber within the body. The stapler includes a track alignment system that holds the front of the body precisely over the anvil by use of forward and rear torque arm contact areas between the base and track. The stapler also features a striker bottom edge that is shaped to follow the curved shape of the anvil so that the striker may enter the anvil recess without impacting the anvil. A staple chamber in the stapler has staple exit ribs that allow only one staple at a time to be ejected from the staple chamber.

The present invention includes an improved design for lateral positioning of the stapler body over the anvil. U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,794 (Kilbride) shows a raising spring that operates exclusively for that function, with the body positioned laterally over the anvil in the conventional way using sidewalls of the base as "bearings." U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,525 (Marks) for a "Spring Energized Desktop Stapler," whose contents are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a spacer spring that is stiff in the lateral direction to engage the staple track. The spring provides a forward point for lateral positioning of the track over the anvil by engaging the track. The rear area for such positioning is provided at the hinge connection point between the body and the base. Therefore, the moment arm to position the track laterally is the distance from the tip of the spacer spring, tab 54 fitted in opening 84 of the track, to the hinge connection. The moment arm includes a linkage from the track to the body since the track is mounted in the body. Therefore, the lateral stiffness of the assembly depends on the how rigidly the track is connected to the body. If the track is loose in the body such that it can move sideways in chamber 144 then the utility of a good connection between forward tab 54 and opening 84 is compromised.
A further improvement of the present invention is an automatic opening mechanism for the staple-loading track. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,742 (Marks) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,525 (Marks), a track chamber includes an elongated cavity exposed at the bottom of the stapler body. The chamber is exposed by pulling a staple track rearward, normally with the stapler oriented upside down so the chamber is exposed upward. In the cited art, a track pull includes extended arms that are squeezed together to release track pull latches. In application '854, the procedure to expose the chamber for loading staples includes three steps: pivot the body up and around the base until the body is upside down, squeeze the arms of the track pull, and pull the track out. Staples are loaded pointing upward, toward the exposed direction of the chamber and pointing away from ceiling 142 of the chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,075 (Olesen) shows a traditional stapler track chamber. The body pivots about the base while the staple chamber or track remains over the base. The chamber is exposed in the upward direction. Staples are loaded pointing downward with the points against the "staple stick support bottom 21."
In a spring powered desktop stapler, one mode of operation includes firing without staples in the chamber. This mode may be called "dry fire." The striker usually stops near flush with the bottom of the stapler body when a staple is in the chamber and is installed. However, the striker should travel slightly past that position to allow an energy absorbing motion during dry fire. The bottom of the striker can strike parts of the staple-forming anvil in this case. If the bottom of the striker is straight in the conventional way, it could hit the anvil at both the center and the edges of the striker width.
An even worse shape for a desktop stapler striker is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,884 (Sato). Projections 85, FIG. 19a, are intended to press the staple edges. This design is well known in staple guns. However, in a desktop stapler, such projections would hit the anvil even if the striker did not project past the stapler bottom thus damaging the impacting components.


A header for an agricultural machine includes a middle section disposed on a main frame and two side sections adjacent the middle section, a flexible knife bar extending across the width of the header and a conveying device behind the knife bar and designed at the side sections as an endless belt disposed adjacent to the middle section for transporting crop cut by the knife bar laterally. The side sections have supporting arms pivotably disposed on the main frame to support the knife bar of a side section and are rigidly connected to the knife bar. Each supporting arm is connected to the main frame permitting swivelling about a first rotational axis in the vertical direction and about a second rotational axis extending perpendicular to the first.

The invention relates to a header for an agricultural machine, for example, a combine harvester.
Headers for agricultural machines are known For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,805,921 discloses a header with one or more ground groups, which have a frame and a finger bar arrangement. Each around group has a plurality of supporting arms, which are pivotably connected to the frame. The finger bar arrangement is rigidly attached to outer ends of the supporting arms. The supporting arms are pivotably mounted on the frame in a manner permitting swivelling about a horizontal axis in order to allow the finger bar to deflect in a locally limited manner in the vertical direction when uneven terrain is encountered.
Such known arrangement is disadvantageous, however, in that the rigid connection of the finger bar arrangement with the supporting arms and, the only one degree of freedom of the supporting arm results in low flexibility and a greater load on the finger bar due to bending and torsional forces.
A further disadvantage results from the rigid arrangement of the finger bar on the supporting arms, since the deflection of the finger bar causes steps to form due to the inflexibility of the supporting arms, thereby increasing the load on the knife drive.

Header with side sections formed with pivotably disposed supporting arms

CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH


The present invention is an improvement in a method using a reporter dehydrogenase for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample in which endogenous dehydrogenases present in the sample interfere with the detection of the analyte. The improvement is the inclusion of an inhibitor of the endogenous dehydrogenase in the assay medium. The improvement finds particular utility in the measurement of ethyl alcohol using alcohol dehydrogenase as the reporter enzyme when lactate and lactate dehydrogenase present in the sample interfere with the detection of the analyte. Particulary effective inhibitors which prevent this interference are fatty acids, such as, agaric acid and lauric acid, and alkyl sulfate salts, such as, sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium decyl sulfate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to diagnostic assays for the detection of both haptens and macromolecules based on the measurement of the activity of a dehydrogenase enzyme. These assays are widely used in both clinical and non-clinical settings for the detection of analytes of interest. A significant problem in these assays is interference caused by endogenous dehydrogenases leading to elevated signals and false-positive responses. Furthermore, due to the presence of endogenous dehydrogenases in whole blood, assays based on measurement of dehydrogenase activity cannot be used with whole blood samples.
One solution that has been proposed to circumvent this problem has been to perform the assay on protein-free ultrafiltrates. However, this is cumbersome and incorporates an extra filtration step requiring special equipment into the assay procedure. It also necessitates that the test be done by trained personnel. It would be desirable to have an assay which does not require the use of specialized equipment and trained personnel. Such an assay would allow testing in a wider array of environments, more rapidly and at lower cost.
2. Summary of Related Art
False-Positive Ethanol in Clinical and Postmortem Sera by Enzymatic Assay: Elimination of Interference by Measuring Alcohol in Protein-Free Ultrafiltrate; William C. Thompson, Deepak Malhotra, David P. Schammel, Walter Blackwell, Michael E. Ward and Amitava Dasgupta; Clinical Chemistry, 40(8), 1594-5 (1994); disclosed that removing lactate dehydrogenase by ultrafiltration eliminates interference in the Emit.RTM. Ethyl Alcohol assay.
Serum-Ethanol Determination: Comparison of Lactate and Lactate Dehydrogenase Interference in Three Enzymatic Assays; Jeffrey S. Nine, M. Moraca, M. A. Virji and K. N. Rao; Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 19, 192-196 (1995); showed that elevated serum-lactate and LDH concentrations can result in varying degrees of false-positive ethyl alcohol concentrations in enzymatic assays.
Nonpolar Interactions of Inhibitors with the Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide-binding Sites of L-.alpha.-Glycerophosphate Dehydrogenase; Soo Ja Kim and Bruce M. Anderson; Journal of Biological Chemistry, 244(2), 231-5 (1969); discloses the inhibition of L-.alpha.-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase by a homologous series of aliphatic carboxylic acids.
Detergents as Selective Inhibitors and Inactivators of Enzymes; M. T. Vincenzini, F. Favilli, M. Stio, P. Vanni and C. Treves; Physiological Chemistry and Physics and Medical NMR, 17, 279-295 (1985); investigated effect of detergents on pyridine-dependent dehydrogenases.
Effects of Some Antitumor Agents on Growth and Glycolytic Enzymes of the Flagellate Crithidia; Cyrus J. Bacchi, Edward I. Ciaccio and Lois E. Koren; Journal of Bacteriology, 98(1), 23-28 (1969); disclosed that agaric acid was highly inhibitory to malate and .alpha.-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase.
Catalytic Enzyme Activity Concentration in Tissues of Man, Dog, Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Rat and Mouse; J. Lindena, Ute Sommerfeld, Cornelia Hopfel and I. Trautschold; J. Clin. Chem. Clin. Biochem., 24(1), 35-47 (1986); disclosed the presence of dehydrogenase activity in postmortem tissue.
The Cytosolic and Glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma brucei: Kinetic properties and comparison with homologous enzymes; A. M. Lambeir, A. M. Loiseau, D. A. Kuntz, F. M. Vellieux, P. A. Michels and F. R. Opperdoes; Eur. J. Biochem 198(2), 429-35 (1991); studied the effects of agaric acid on the trypanosome NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase enzymes.
False Positive Ethanol Results by Emit.RTM.; Kathy Thedes-Reynolds and George F. Johnson; Clin. Chem., 39, 1143 (Abstract 0111) (1993); reported that the false positive ethanol result was probably due to lactate dehydrogenase catalyzed conversion of serum lactate and reagent NAD to NADH and pyruvate.

Methods for removing interferences due to endogenous dehydrogenases in enzyme assays


A symmetric light guide optical element (“LOE”) and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of transparent plates, each plate having two parallel surfaces, stacking a first subset of the plurality of plates on a transparent base block to form a first stack of plates, forming a sloped surface on one side of the first stack plates and the base block, stacking a second subset of the plurality of plates on the sloped surface to form a second stack of plates, and extracting a slice of the first stack, the base block, and the second stack, such that the slice includes at least a part of the base block interposed between plates of the first stack and plates of the second stack.

One of the important applications for compact optical elements is with head-mounted displays (HMD), in which an optical module serves as both an imaging lens and a combiner, whereby a two dimensional display is imaged to infinity and reflected into the eye of an observer. The display can be obtained directly from either a spatial light modulator (SLM) such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode array (OLED), a scanning source or similar devices, or indirectly, by means of a relay lens or an optical fiber bundle. The display comprises an array of elements (pixels) imaged to infinity by a collimating lens and transmitted into the eye of the viewer by means of a reflecting, or partially reflecting, surface acting as a combiner for non-see through or see-through applications, respectively. Typically, a conventional, free-space optical module is used for this purpose. As the desired field-of-view (FOV) of the system increases, such a conventional optical module necessarily becomes larger, heavier, and bulkier, rendering the device impractical, even for moderate performance. These are major drawbacks for all kinds of displays, but especially so for head-mounted applications wherein the systems must necessarily be as light and as compact as possible. The strive for compactness has led to several different complex optical solutions, all of which, on one hand, are still not sufficiently compact for most practical applications, and on the other hand, are difficult to manufacture. Furthermore, the eye-motion-box (EMB) of the optical viewing angles resulting from these designs is usually very small—typically less than 8 mm. Hence, the performance of the optical systems are very sensitive even to small movements relative to the eye of the viewer, and do not allow sufficient pupil motion for convenient reading of a displayed text. In some of these systems it is preferred to have a symmetric system, where the input light is coupled into the substrate at the central part of the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,643,214, and in particular FIG. 10, discloses a symmetric light guide optical element (LOE). The symmetric LOE is actually two parts of a combiner slice, bonded together as shown herein in FIG. 1. The bonded slice combiners, with or without the isolation layers, forms the symmetric LOE final configuration, which consists of any number of internal BS coated facets and external mirror coatings, and a bonded surface between both parts as shown in FIG. 2. There are two main problems in this structure. First, the bonded surfaces cause optical interferences such as overlap and underlap of light rays projected through the bonded interface, reflected as white/black stripes in the clear aperture area. Second, both parts must have perfect match to begin with and to be aligned actively to one another before bonding. This process is not robust enough in mass production terms since a sensitive individual handling is involved.

Method of fabricating a symmetric light guide optical element


Methods and systems are provided for injector correction learned while a direct injector delivers fuel as a group of fuel injections per cylinder event. The correction is learned using a pressure based injector balancing approach while relies on a sensed pressure drop across the group of fuel injections. Errors for individual pulses of the group of injections is learned as a function of inter-injection spacing and individual pulse-width commands.

Engines may be configured with direct fuel injectors (DI) for injecting fuel directly into an engine cylinder and/or port fuel injectors (PFI) for injecting fuel into an intake port of an engine cylinder. Fuel injectors often have piece-to-piece variability over time due to imperfect manufacturing processes and/or injector aging, for example. Over time, injector performance may degrade (e.g., injector becomes clogged) which may further increase piece-to-piece injector variability. As a result, the actual amount of fuel injected to each cylinder of an engine may not be the desired amount and the difference between the actual and desired amounts may vary between injectors. Variability in fuel injection amount between cylinders can result in reduced fuel economy, increased tailpipe emissions, torque variation that causes a lack of perceived engine smoothness, and an overall decrease in engine efficiency. Engines operating with a dual injector system, such as dual fuel or port fuel direct injection (PFDI) systems, may have even more fuel injectors (e.g., twice as many) resulting in greater possibility for injector variability.
Various approaches estimate injector performance by correlating a pressure drop across a fuel rail coupled to an injector with a fuel mass injected by the corresponding injector, also known as pressure base injector balancing (PBIB). One example approach is shown by Surnilla et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 9,593,637. Therein, a fuel injection amount for a direct injector is determined based on a difference in fuel rail pressure (FRP) measured before injector firing and FRP after injector firing. After learning individual injector errors, engine fueling is adjusted so as to bring all injector errors towards a common error, thereby balancing injector errors. To reduce confounding of FRP estimation results with other causes of pressure change, such as other direct injectors firing simultaneously, as well as pump strokes of a (cam actuated) high pressure direct injection fuel pump, the pump is disabled before injector firing is initiated.
The inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, PBIB based methods require consecutive injection events to be spaced apart by more than a threshold duration, or distance in crank angle degrees. However, direct injection (DI) fuel systems may deliver multiple fuel injections on a given injection event. For example, the total fuel for an injection event may be split and delivered over multiple direct injections to address particulate matter concerns, knock concerns, etc. In many instances, the multiple direct injections may be closer than the minimum threshold duration required for PBIB balancing. As an example, the injections may be closer than about 6 milliseconds, while PBIB balancing requires at least 8 milliseconds of inter-injection spacing. The smaller inter-injection spacing for multiple DI events may preclude PBIB from being used to learn DI errors and adapt or trim injector fueling on subsequent events. It may also not be practically feasible to learn injector errors by mapping every combination of multiple pulse-widths and fuel rail pressure. As a result, injector variability may persist.
The variability may be further exacerbated by the fact that in multiple direct injections, a prior injection affects the subsequent one. In particular, the DI fuel injector may have three primary influences: the injector opening time, a fuel flow rate when the injector is fully open, and injector closing time. All three factors affect fuel mass metered into an engine cylinder. PBIB based methods provide a measure of fuel mass injected as a result of all three phenomena. After turning off an injector, the electrical and magnetic circuits retain some energy for about 4 or 5 milliseconds. If the injector is powered back on in this time period, the re-opening time is significantly shortened. This affects the fuel mass delivered by the injector.
The inventors herein have recognized that characterization of injectors in two additional dimensions, specifically, prior injection pulse-width and prior injection separation, may enable pulse combinations to be more reliably and feasibly assessed for variability. In particular, for a given injection of a multiple DI event (which may include two or more symmetric or asymmetric injections per injection event), a prior pulse-width affects the residual energy at the injector magnetics at the end of injection (EOI). This may be largely related to injector current existing immediately prior to the injector being turned off. The prior injection separation affects the magnetic energy decay at the injector. In other words, injector off-time (up to, for example, 5 ms) influences the required on-time of the subsequent (closely-spaced) injection. At 600 rpm, a given injector injects once per 200 ms. At 6000 rpm, a given injector injects once per 20 ms and the largest possible injector duration is 12 ms. Thus, single injections do not end up influencing each other through the aforementioned mechanism.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method comprising: learning a fuel mass error of each injection pulse following a first injection pulse of a group of fuel injections from a direct injector on a cylinder event, the learning based on a total fuel rail pressure drop over the group of fuel injections, and further based on an inter-injection spacing; and adjusting a transfer function for the direct injection during a subsequent group of fuel injection on another cylinder event. In this way, injector variability may be reliably learned through a pressure based balancing method across a combination of pulse-widths and fuel rail pressures including during multiple (or split) direct injection events. Said another way, injector characterization is done for both single injections and multiple injections. From this information, and by noting the injection separation, the effect of injection separation can be accounted for.
As one example, a controller may perform PBIB learning for an injector performing a group of multiple injections on a single cylinder injection event. In one example, the group of injections includes two injections for the given cylinder injection event. The controller may measure a drop in FRP for the double injection and then compute a fuel mass associated with the FRP drop. The controller may then estimate the expected fuel mass drop of the first injection and subtract this from the total double injection fuel mass to determine the fuel mass change from the second injection. In still other examples, the controller may retrieve the expected fuel rail pressure drop and the associated fuel mass from a calibration table populated with data from a single injection per injection event at the given injector at defined pulse-width breakpoints.
In this way, adjustments are made to a direct fuel injector on time on the subsequent injection due to close spacing of that subsequent injection. For example, at 6 MPA FRP, two 400 μs pulses with a 6 ms injection spacing are expected to inject 3 mg each. However, these pulses were spaced by 1 ms, thus when PBIB learning is run, the fuel mass may be learned to be 6.5 mg. This extra fuel is then attributed to the shortened opening time of the second injection (due to close injection spacing). The first injection likely still injected it's expected 3 mg. However, the second injection with its shortened opening time must have injected 3.5 mg. Thus, it is learned that on a 1 ms injection spacing, an extra 0.5 mg of fuel is expected in the subsequent injection.
After calculating the fuel mass from the second injection event of the multiple injections, a second fuel mass error is then scaled so that it can be applied to a reference FRP and not the actual FRP during the injection. One example reference FRP value is 10 MPa. The need for a reference FRP comes from the fact that injectors are calibrated/tested at discrete FRPs and then adjusted for the actual FRP by the square root of the pressure ratio (actual FRP/reference FRP).
Since the residual electrical energy remaining after the first of the double injection affects the opening time of the injector at the time of the second injection, the actual opening time of the second injection needs to be measured to accurately determine the mass error of the injection. In one example, methods that use the injector current signal measure opening and/or closing time. The mass error is then converted into a pulsewidth error via a mapping that accounts for the relation between injection mass and pulsewidth. The learned pulsewidth adjustment is then further adjusted with a decay factor that accounts for a further pulsewidth reduction due to pulsewidth separation between the first injection and the second injection. The decay factor may be determined based on the injector current at the time of injector opening for the second injection since the current affects the solenoid's energy level. The learned error is then used to update an adaptive table which adjusts a pulsewidth for subsequent multiple injections from the given injector.
As an example, if an updated error for a second injection event is determined to be 37 μs, then during a subsequent double injection event from the given injector, the second injection pulsewidth may be reduced by 37 μs to enable injector balancing and fuel injection control. Alternately, one can store the correction in terms of injected fuel mass, but it needs to be referenced to a discrete FRP. The delta FRP (pre-injection FRP minus post-injection FR) approach naturally identifies an actual mass injected. Alternatively, the mass may be converted to a pulse width correction via a fuel injector slope (e.g. 21 mg/sec @10 MPa).
In this way, injector balancing and fuel injection metering can be improved. In particular, injection specific fuel errors can be learned for a group of multiple injections using a reliable fuel rail pressure drop based sensing method even when the multiple injections are separated by less than the minimum separation required for PBIB learning. The technical effect of learning the fuel error for a group of multiple injection events, and then parsing out the individual error of each injection event of the group, is that pulsewidth adjustments for the injection events may be adaptively updated. In particular, fueling errors for each injection event of a group of multiple injection events may be updated to account for the effect of residual electrical energy of a first injection of the group of injections on subsequent injections of the same group, such as on subsequent injection opening time. The residual electrical energy can be accounted for based on both the pulsewidth of an earlier injection as well as a temporal separation from the earlier injection. By adjusting a pulsewidth applied to an injector on each injection of a group of multiple injections, the error between individual errors may be balanced, improving engine performance and lowering exhaust emissions.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method and system for fuel injector balancing


A door structure, for use in combination with upright refrigerator and freezer spaces, which utilizes heat transfer by forced convection, of the kind used in everyday commodity stores to display goods on sale. The door has two glass panes which together with a frame embracing the edges of the glass panes, either completely or partially, form a door leaf. The glass pane which faces towards the warm atmosphere of a shop area is provided on the surface thereof facing away from the shop area with an electrically conductive coating, which is operative to heat the outer pane electrically. The door has solely two mutually parallel glass panes, of which the glass pane facing towards the colder refrigerator or freezer space is provided on the surface thereof which faces towards the colder space solely with an infrared radiation reflective coating or layer.

Such vertical door structures include two or more glass sheets which, together with a frame embracing the edges of the glass sheets, form a door leaf. The goods are visible through the door, which can be opened to allow a customer to take either a refrigerated or frozen article from the display, as the case may be. The doors to which this invention pertains are vertically disposed doors, usually hinged on a vertical hinge axis.
When the door is closed, the door surface which faces towards the colder storage space will have a lower temperature than the door surfaces which face towards the warmer shop area.
One problem with doors of this kind is that the outer door surface, i.e., the surface of the outermost pane which faces the warm and humid store air, is cooled to a lower temperature than ambient temperature, such that the surface becomes fogged by condensation of moisture contained in the shop air onto that surface. Naturally, such fogging will obscure the view through the door. Another problem is that when the door is opened, moisture in the store air will condense on the inner surface of the door, i.e., the surface of the innermost pane which normally faces towards the colder refrigerator or freezer space.
The first of these problems has been solved, by using a door in the form of a sealed glazing unit, containing two or three panes of glass, wherein the outer pane, on the rear side of the pane, is provided with an electrically conductive coating, which heats the outer pane electrically. The sealed glazing units used in such door structures normally comprise three glass panes.
The use of a sealed glazing structure of high thermal insulating ability, however, results in a high temperature gradient across the door, which means that, in use, the temperature of the inner door surface will be very low. This results in fogging of said surface when the door is opened, e.g., by a customer, and in some cases results in moisture freezing solid on said surface. Subsequent to reclosing the door, this moisture or frost will disappear in time, due to the low dew point prevailing in the refrigerator or freezer space, as the case may be. Because such refrigerator or freezer spaces in vertical cabinets are equipped with forced circulation of internal cooling air, the mist and frost will disappear relatively quickly, as compared to the case of horizontal freezers or refrigerators where normally there is no forced air circulation and instead free convection is utilized. An example of the later type of horizontal chest freezer is found in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,785, dated Jan. 30, 1990.
It is known that the time normally taken for such mist or frost to disappear completely from the inner surface of a vertically disposed glass door pane unit is of relatively long duration. The problem resides in the inability of the mist to disappear quickly enough, before the door is again opened by the next customer which results in further fogging of the door surfaces, and so on. These circumstances can, in some cases, result in the build-up of frost or ice on the inner surface of the door. In many instances, the transparency of the door is greatly impaired or lost completely as a result of such fogging and frosting of the door surface, which seriously detracts from the effectiveness of the display.
Since the decisive factor as to whether or not the door is kept free from mist formation on its glass surface is the time lapsed between successive opening of the door, it is important to endeavor to reduce the time taken to dispel the mist formed on the glass surfaces as a result of opening the door.

Door construction for vertical refrigerator and freezer spaces


A method for reacting alkanolamine with ester in the presence of a metal silicate compound and, optionally, a catalyst, to produce a hydroxyalkyl amide composition with a decreased level of alkanolamine and residual catalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing a fuel or lubricant additive composition that contains a decreased level of reactant components.
2. Description of Related Art
Fuel economy standards mandated by the federal government have resulted in efforts by the automotive industry to improve the fuel economy of motor vehicles. One way to reduce fuel consumption is by reducing friction in particular areas of the engine, e.g., bearings, valve trains, pistons, rings, water and oil pumps. A moderate decrease in the friction of these components will be reflected in a corresponding fuel economy improvement. Therefore, there has been an ongoing search for friction modifier compositions that will decrease friction in these key areas and thus improve fuel economy.
Various types of additives have been used as friction modifiers. Some of the more commercially and conventionally used friction modifiers are fatty acid esters, fatty acid amides and fatty acid ester-amides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,530 discloses an example of a lubricant additive and composition that can reduce friction.
Hydroxyalkyl amides have been used extensively as friction modifiers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,769 discloses a fatty acid amide detergency additive which is the reaction product of a C6–C20 fatty acid ester and a mono- or di-(hydroxy hydrocarbonyl) amine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,293 discloses a lubricating oil adapted for use as a crankcase lubricant in internal combustion engines containing a friction-reducing amount of a fatty acid amide or ester of diethanolamine.
Although the production of hydroxyalkyl amides as friction modifiers for fuel and lubricant additives amongst other things has been quite extensive, most of processes for producing hydroxyalkyl amides produce a composition that retains a certain percentage of unreacted alkanolamine, together with other undesirable residuals. Certain end-use users desire hydroxyalkyl amides as friction modifying fuel and lubricant additives with a decreased level and/or a zero level of alkanolamine and/or residual catalyst. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a process for producing hydroxyalkyl amides with a low level or a zero level of alkanolamine and/or residual catalyst.

Method of making hydroxyalkyl amide containing reduced level of unreacted alkanolamine


A process for manufacturing a modified polyester, comprising the steps of: obtain a esterification product of diacid, diol, and a branching agent having at least three carboxyl groups , wherein the branching agent is present in an amount of up to 1 mol %, and carrying out a polycondensation reaction of the esterification product and a diamine to obtain the modified polyester, wherein the diamine is present in an amount of about 0.07 to about 0.22 mol %, the diacid comprises a combination of at least one aliphatic diacid and at least one aromatic diacid which is present in an amount no greater than about 10 mol % based upon the total moles of the diacid and the diol. The modified polyester is a thermally induced shape-memory material having an activation temperature of about 40 to 99° C., a percent elongation at break of about 29.9 % to 40.9% and bending modulus of about 40.3 MPa to about 20.1 Mpa.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to aliphatic polyesters and processes for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to modified polyesters and processes for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Aliphatic polyesters are known to be biodegradable and they have significant potential in various fields, such as molded plastic, nonwoven webs, and tissue engineering. However, most known condensation-polymerized aliphatic polyesters do not have desirable thermal and mechanical properties for practical applications since there are no benzene rings present in their backbones. Furthermore, it is very difficult to increase the molecular weight of the aliphatic polyester over 15,000 due to its poor heat stability. As such, the use of these aliphatic polyesters is limited.
Various prior efforts have been made to address this problem.
For example, introduction of amide bonds into the polyester chains can enhance the hydrogen bonding between the aliphatic polymer chains, thereby producing polyester amides with improved flexibility. To this end, the amount of amides present in the conventional polyester amides is generally about 40-70 mol %. However, it is well known that the hydrolysis of amide bonds of the polyamides is quite slow (as compared with the ester bonds of the aliphatic polyesters), and thus, the biodegradability of such polyester amides would be compromised.
Another possible way of improving the mechanical properties of the aliphatic polyesters involves in the addition of branching agents having three functional groups.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,056 disclosed the production of high-molecular weight aliphatic polyesters with a tri-functional or tetra-functional ingredient. The branching agents are capable of cross-linking the molecular chains of the aliphatic polyesters thereby increasing the molecular weight, and hence, the mechanical strength, of the resultant polyesters. In this case, the cross-linking level of the reaction should be carefully controlled in order to obtain aliphatic polymers with desirable mechanical properties. This is because that a polymer without sufficient cross-linking level may be too brittle, whereas a polymer with excessive cross-linking level may become thermosetting, and in both cases, it is difficult to mold the polymer. In order to provide suitable level of cross-linking, the polymerization is usually carried out in a moderate way where the reaction temperature is relatively low. However, the manufacture of such polymer under such condition is extremely time-consuming and cost-intensive, thereby hindering the possibility of its mass production.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need in the art for providing an inexpensive and easy-to-manufacture modified polyester with appropriate mechanical properties, as well as a corresponding process for manufacturing it in a time- and cost-effective way.

Modified polyesters and processes for manufacturing the same


A wobble device (20) for a hand-held power tool (2) and which includes a rotatable drive member (22), a driven member (26) oscillatingly pivotable about a wobble axis (T) and a wobble bearing (30) for connecting the driven member (26) with the drive member (22) and having a drive-side bearing region with a drive-side guide (34) circumferentially arranged about the drive axis (A) and provided on the drive member (22), a driven-side bearing region with a driven-side guide (38) circumferentially arranged about the drive axis (A) and provided on the driven member (26) and roll elements (28) guided simultaneously in both guides (34, 38), and with one of the bearing regions having on its first side (46, 48; 50, 52) with respect to an associated guide (34; 38), a reinforced cross-section in comparison with a second side (48, 46; 52, 50) of the one region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wobble device for a hand-held power tool including a drive member rotatable about a drive axis, a driven member oscillatingly pivotable about a wobble axis, and a wobble bearing for connecting the driven member with the drive member. The wobble bearing has a drive-side bearing region with a drive-side guide circumferentially arranged about a drive axis and provided on the drive member, and a driven-side bearing region with a driven-side guide circumferentially arranged about the drive axis and provided on the driven member. The wobble bearing further includes roll elements guided simultaneously in both guides.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The wobble devices of the type discussed above are often used in hammer drills for converting a rotational movement of a spindle drive in a reciprocating linear movement of a driving piston. The driving piston drives a striker that applies a pulsed impact energy to a working tool holder.
German Publication DE 34 27 342 A1 discloses a hammer drill with a wobble drive for driving an air-cushion percussion mechanism. The wobble drive has drum press-fit on an intermediate shaft and having a spherical outer surface in which a circumferential groove is formed. The wobble drive further includes an annular wobble plate on the inner side of which an outer circumferential groove is formed. A ball is provided between the two grooves, which is simultaneously guided in both grooves.
The wobble drive described above is subjected, during operation, to a relatively high load, in particular, to pulsed reaction forces which are generated during operation of the percussion mechanism. On the other hand, the bearing region should be dimensioned so that mounting of the drive member, the driven member, and of the roll elements, which are arranged therebetween, is possible. Therefore, breaking of material, in particular, in the region of the guide can take place. The breaking of material noticeably reduces the service life of the wobble drive.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is a wobble drive having an increased service life.
Another object of the invention is a wobble drive in which its high stability is insured.

Wobble device for a hand-held power tool and a hand-held power tool with the wobble device


A backlash prevention tool is formed by provision of a C-shaped frame-like support portion installed to an engagement surface portion hollowed out and formed from a side wall surface of an adapter main body toward upper and lower wall surfaces, a come-off preventing locking piece protruded in a diagonally outer direction from a center side edge of the support portion so as to face to locking protrusions formed at the center of both side surface portions of the adapter main body, and backlash preventing locking pieces protruded in diagonally outer directions of respective side edges in both sides and upper and lower sides of the come-off preventing locking piece at the center of the support portion so as to come into pressure contact with respective sides of an inner side of an opening edge of an adapter attaching hole of a panel and are formed into a leaf spring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlash prevention mechanism of an adapter for an optical connector in high-density mounting of an optical connector plug.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Conventionally, a so-called snap-in system has been employed as a backlash prevention mechanism of an adapter for an optical connector which is used in high-density mounting of an optical connector plug. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the so-called snap-in system is provided with locking protrusions 11a and 11b which are formed in a side surface of an adapter main body 10 for an optical connector, and spring locking pieces 40a and 40b for fixing a panel, the spring locking pieces 40a and 40b being formed so as to face to the locking protrusions 11a and 11b, is inserted to an adapter attaching hole Q of a panel P while pressing the spring locking pieces 40a and 40b, and is fixed by pinching an opening edge portion of the adapter attaching hole Q between the locking protrusions 11a and 11b and the spring locking pieces 40a and 40b.
In the meantime, in the case of the snap-in system mentioned above, a gap is generated between an opening edge inner side of the adapter attaching hole Q pinched by the locking protrusions 11a and 11b and the spring locking pieces 40a and 40b, and the adapter main body 10, when the adapter main body 10 for the optical connector is inserted to the adapter attaching hole Q of the panel P. As a result, there has been a problem that backlash is generated in vertical and lateral directions in the adapter main body 10.
Further, in the case that the panel P is vibrated, there has been a problem that chattering sound is generated by the backlash of the adapter main body 10 as mentioned above.
Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a backlash prevention mechanism of an adapter for an optical connector (patent document 1), the backlash prevention mechanism being provided with a backlash prevention tool 100 which is attached to an adapter main body for the optical connector and is formed into a C-shaped frame shape.
Namely, the backlash prevention tool 100 is provided with first locking piece portions 300a and 300b which are formed into a C-shaped frame installed to the adapter main body 10 for the optical connector, and are folded in a diagonally outward direction so that both left and right end side surface portions of the C-shaped from come into pressure contact with the opening edge inner sides of the adapter attaching hole Q of the panel P in a lateral direction, and second locking piece portions 400a and 400b which are cut and raised from the center of both the left and right end side surface portions of the C-shaped frame so as to face to the locking protrusions 11a and 11b which are formed in both the left and right side surface portions of the adapter main body 10, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B.
As mentioned above, the adapter main body 10 is inserted to the adapter attaching hole Q while pressing the second locking piece portions 400a and 400b of the backlash prevention tool 100, and pinches and fixes both the left and right side portions of the opening edge portion of the adapter attaching hole Q between the locking protrusions 11a and 11b and the second locking piece portions 400a and 400b, and the first locking piece portions 300a and 300b of the backlash prevention tool 100 are formed so as to be pressure crushed and come into pressure contact with the opening edge inner side of the adapter attaching hole Q.

Backlash prevention mechanism of adapter for optical connector


The present invention relates to an inhibitor of NGAL gene expression or a NGAL antagonist for use in the prevention or the treatment of heart failure.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is damaged from diseases such as high blood pressure, a heart attack, poor blood supply to the heart, a defective heart valve, atherosclerosis, rheumatic fever, heart muscle disease and so on. The failing heart becomes inefficient, resulting in fluid retention and shortness of breath, fatigue and exercise intolerance. Heart failure is defined by the symptom complex of dyspnea, fatigue and depressed left ventricular systolic function (ejection fraction <35-40%), and is the ultimate endpoint of all forms of serious heart disease. Despite considerable advances in treatment, heart failure remains associated with high morbidity and mortality.
Heart failure has many causes and pathophysiological origins. For example, aldosterone could have a role in endothelial dysfunction in chronic heart failure and accordingly, mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is an important drug target particularly for the treatment of heart failure. For example, the aldosterone antagonist spironolactone (also known as ALDACTONE®, PFIZER) is used commonly in the treatment of congestive heart failure. Actually, spironolactone has been shown to be pharmacologically effective and well tolerated, to reduce the overall risks of death, death due to progressive heart failure, and sudden death from cardiac causes, as well as the risk of hospitalization for cardiac causes. Likewise, eplerenone exemplifies another blocker of aldosterone binding at the mineralocorticoid receptor. The therapeutic benefits of eplerenone for the treatment of heart failure have been recently demonstrated in clinical trials.
The neurophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a member of the lipocalin family which has been previously identified as a molecular target of aldosterone through the activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor, a ligand-activated transcription factor. NGAL is able to form a complex with the metalloprotease 9 (MMP9) and increases MMP9 activity by increasing its stability. It was previously showed that tissue expression of NGAL as well as plasma level of NGAL is increased in pathophysiological situations when aldosterone and/or MR is activated in the cardiovascular system and in the metabolic syndrome, both in experimental models and in human patients. Moreover a correlation between the plasma NGAL-MMP9 and plasma aldosterone level has been identified.
Lipocalins are a widely distributed group of proteins which have the ability to bind and transport small hydrophobic molecules and could therefore represent a potential therapeutic target. However, the involvement of NGAL in the pathophysiological effects of aldosterone and MR activation in the heart has not yet been investigated.

Methods for the treatment of heart failure

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale


A card connector, comprising: an insulative housing having a base, a pair of first and second raised sidewalls, and third raised sidewalls to form a receiving cavity therebetween, an insertion opening located opposite to said third raised sidewall, said base having thereon a window, each of said first and second raised sidewalls having a resilient locking arm invading laterally toward said receiving cavity; a contact module disposed within said window of the housing with a plurality of contact sections extending above a top face of the base; a metal shielding member assembled to the housing, the metal shielding member having resilient reinforcement pieces respectively located outside of said resilient locking arms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical card connector, and more particularly, to an electrical card connector provided with card locking mechanisms for making the card stable in the electrical card connector to prevent the electrical card from dropping out.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical cards are known in the art and contain intelligence in the form of a memory circuit or other electronic program. Some form of card readers retrieve the information or data stored on the card. Such cards are used in many applications in today's electronic society, including video cameras, digital still cameras, smart phones, PDAs, music players, ATMs, cable television decoders, toys, games, PC adapters, multi-media cards and other electronic applications, etc.
Example of prior art card-receiving connectors as patent CN 2563786 of Chinese mainland comprises an insulative housing; a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing; a retention mechanism defined in the sidewall of the insulative housing. A locking section defined on the retention mechanism protrudes into the card receiving space. A notch is defined on a side of the electrical card corresponding to the locking section of the retention mechanism. When the electrical card is completely inserted into the card-receiving connector, the locking section keeps a good retention with the notch; the electrical card is retained in the card-receiving connector well. But the plastic deformation of the locking section is always affected by amounts of the inserting force. In other words, too great inserting force will cause the plastic locking section broken, and thereby lead to an unstable retention between the locking section and the notch of the card.
Therefore, an improved electrical card connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior arts.

Electrical card connector with at least a card locking mechanism


In an input/output virtualization-enabled computing environment, a device, method, and system for securely handling virtual function driver communications with a physical function driver of a computing device includes maintaining communication profiles for virtual function drivers and applying the communication profiles to communications from the virtual function drivers to the physical function driver, to determine whether the communications present a security and/or performance condition. The device, method and system may disable a virtual function driver if a security and/or performance condition is detected.

Virtualization refers to the use of computer software (e.g., "virtual machines" or "system images") to emulate or otherwise implement the functions or features of a physical computing device, typically so that the physical computing resources can be shared. For example, multiple virtual machines (VMs) can run concurrently on the same physical computing system. In the context of input-output (I/O) devices, virtualization technologies can be used to allow multiple virtual machines to share the same I/O hardware resources.
"Cloud" computing often refers to the provision of computing resources as a service, usually by a number of computer servers that are networked together at location(s) that are remote from the location from which the services are requested. A cloud server or portions of its resources may be allocated using virtualization. In a cloud environment, multiple system images (SIs) may be executing on disparate processing components of independent networked servers.
Virtualized environments, such as VMs and system images (SIs), can be corrupted with malicious software or be otherwise compromised from a security or performance standpoint. As the number of VMs or SIs increases, the risk of security breaches, denial of service (DOS) attacks, and other security- and/or performance-related problems may increase as well.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method, system, and device for securely handling virtual function driver communications with a physical function driver


In one embodiment, an air mover may include a first electrode, a second electrode and an ionization device to selectively ionize molecules in an electric field between the first and second electrodes. The ionized molecules can drive airflow between the first and second electrodes. In certain embodiments, the ionization device has an operational characteristic that prevents ionization of oxygen so that the airflow is ozone-free.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to air movers. In particular, embodiments are related to the creation of ozone-free ionic wind.
2. Discussion
Current ion generators may involve creating a very strong electric field with a sharp electrode tip (e.g., point electrode). This field can be capable of ionizing any nearby molecule in the air, including oxygen. Ozone may be produced, however, by the reaction of an oxygen molecule with an oxygen ion (or two oxygen ions). While some approaches to reducing ozone at the exhaust of the ion generator may involve minimizing ion production (which can reduce performance) or ozone sequestration/destruction, there still remains considerable room for improvement.


The invention relates to a steering angle adjusting device with an operating element for adjusting the steering angle as a function of a corresponding operating element actuating parameter. According to the invention, steering angle adjustment takes place as a function of the operating element actuating parameter with a sensitivity that decreases with decreasing coefficient of friction and/or the maximum adjustable value of the operating element actuating value decreases with a decreasing coefficient of friction and/or an increasing lengthwise speed of the vehicle.

The invention relates to a steering angle adjusting device for a motor vehicle, said device comprising an operating element by which the steering angle can be adjusted as a function of a corresponding operating element actuating parameter such as the deflection of the operating element or the force exerted on said element.
Conventionally, a steering wheel serves as the operating element for adjusting the steering angle in automobiles, with the steering wheel actuating force being transmitted directly by mechanical means to the vehicle wheels. At the same time, the user experiences a feedback at the steering wheel that is a function of the situation and indicates to him how easily the steering angle can be changed in a given situation. Steering systems are already known in which the steering wheel is eliminated, such as when a joystick is used as the operating element to adjust the steering angle. In such systems, the adjustment of the steering angle takes place as a function of the deflection of the joystick or the actuating force exerted on the stick as a corresponding operating element actuating parameter, for which a corresponding characteristic is provided. The actuation of the operating element is decoupled mechanically from the steering angle movement of the vehicle wheels and the latter is performed instead by an adjusting drive that is controlled by a steering angle control unit as a function of the detected operating element actuating parameter.
A steering angle adjusting device of the latter type is known from the article by P. Branneby et al., "Improved Active and Passive Safety by Using Active Lateral Dynamic Control and an Unconventional Steering Unit," 13th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles, Proceedings, Vol. 1, Nov. 4-7, 1991, Page 224, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as non-essential material. In this device a nonlinear characteristic of the steering angle is set as a function of the operating element deflection in such fashion that larger steering angle changes are performed with greater sensitivity than for smaller steering angle changes. In other words, a given change in deflection of the operating element results in a smaller steering angle change in the range of small steering angles than in the range of large steering angles.
In another steering angle adjusting device of this type, as described in H. Bubb, "Arbeitsplatz Fahrer-Eine ergonomische Studie [The Driver Workstation: an Ergonomic Study]," Automobil-Industrie, 3/85, Page 265, an operating element located approximately in the position of the steering wheel serves firstly to control the lengthwise dynamics by displacement parallel to the lengthwise direction of the vehicle and secondly to adjust the steering angle by twisting.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,850 describes a steering angle setting device in which a joystick serves simultaneously for adjusting the steering angle and for controlling the lengthwise dynamics of the vehicle, the specification of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. In connection with the steering functionality, it is proposed that the joystick deflection signal be amplified as a function of speed, preferably in inverse proportion to the square of the lengthwise velocity so that a given joystick deflection leads to an essentially constant transverse acceleration that is independent of the lengthwise velocity of the vehicle.
The technical problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a steering angle adjusting device of the above-mentioned type that permits safe steering of the vehicle in terms of driving dynamics, especially for a system in which the angular movement of the vehicle wheels is not coupled mechanically with operating element actuation to adjust the steering angle.
This problem is solved by a steering angle adjusting device for a motor vehicle with an operating element for adjusting the steering angle as a function of a corresponding operating element actuating parameter. Steering angle adjustment is performed as a function of the operating element actuating value (x) with a sensitivity that decreases as the coefficient of friction (.mu.) decreases. Further, it is contemplated that with an operating element for adjusting the steering angle as a function of a corresponding operating element actuating value, the maximum adjustable value (x.sub.t) of the operating element-actuating value (x) in each case decreases with decreasing coefficient of friction (.mu.) and/or increasing vehicle lengthwise and/or transverse motion (v).
According to the invention, the steering angle adjustment is performed with a sensitivity that depends on the current coefficient of friction in such fashion that steering angle adjustment sensitivity is reduced as the road surface becomes smoother and the coefficient of friction decreases. In this way, when the vehicle reaches a smoother road surface, the risk of excessive steering interventions on the wheels, which could result in unstable driving behavior, is prevented. A similar effect is achieved by the measure for reducing the value of the operating element actuating parameter, which is the maximum that can be set in the given situation, with a declining coefficient of friction and increasing vehicle lengthwise velocity, so that the maximum steering angle that can be set is correspondingly reduced in a simple fashion. This measure can possibly be provided in addition to the above-described measure.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Steering angle adjusting device for a motor vehicle


The present invention provides a method for treating Lyme disease and/or a Borrelia infection in animals comprising administering to an animal in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of cefovecin.

Lyme disease (Borreliosis) is an infectious disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, a tick-born bacterium infecting animals (e.g., human, canine, feline, bovine, equine, and birds). Clinical signs are well characterized in canine and include fever, arthritis, anorexia, lymphadenopathy, and glomerulonephritis in some cases. However, most exposed canines remain asymptomatic with only an estimated 5% developing the clinical syndrome called Lyme disease. In equine, clinical signs can include low grade fever, chronic weight loss, sporadic lameness, muscle tenderness, chronically poor performance, arthritis, and diverse orthopedic problems. Lyme disease has been traditionally treated with antibiotics. Current drug treatment regimens can require high doses of antibiotics for long durations of time. Since recommended treatments are of long duration and are not conducive to compliance, and because infections can persist even after prolonged therapy, new treatment strategies for animals, particularly canine and equine, and more particularly, canine, are needed. The present invention overcomes one or more of the various disadvantages of, or improves upon, the properties of existing antibiotic treatments. In particular, the present invention provides a compliant and efficacious treatment choice for Lyme disease.


A communication network includes an SS7 Security Gatekeeper that authenticates and validates network control messages within, transiting, entering and leaving an overlying control fabric such as an SS7 network. The SS7 Security Gatekeeper incorporates several levels of checks to ensure that messages are properly authenticated, valid, and consistent with call progress and system status. In addition to message format, message content is checked to ensure that the originating node has the proper authority to send the message and to invoke the related functions. Predefined sets of templates may be used to check the messages, each set of templates being associated with respective originating point codes and/or calling party addresses. The templates may also be associated with various system states such that messages corresponding to a particular template cause a state transition along a particular edge to a next state node at which another set of templates are defined. Thus, system and call state is maintained. The monitor also includes signaling point authentication using digital signatures and timestamps. Timestamps are also used to initiate appropriate timeouts and so that old or improperly sequenced message may be ignored, corrected or otherwise processed appropriately. The SS7 Security Gatekeeper may be located at the edge of a network to be protected so that all messaging to and from the protected network most egress by way of the Gatekeeper. Alternatively, the SS7 Security Gatekeeper may be internal to the protected network and configured as a “pseudo switch” so that ISUP messaging is routed through the Gatekeeper while actual traffic is trunked directly between the associated SSPs, bypassing the Gatekeeper.

The network of switching nodes and transmission facilities forming the backbone of the traditional telecommunications industry has undergone extraordinary changes to adapt to the communications requirements arising from the telecommunications revolution. Not only has the need for more and faster communications grown at breakneck speed, but multiple entrants into the field of telecommunications service providers and the explosive demand for data communications (e.g., connectivity with and through the Internet) has prompted significant changes to provide commercially and governmentally mandated access to network facilities and capabilities.
Prior to enactment of recent regulatory changes affecting the telecommunications industry, the incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) had virtually exclusive access to the elements and facilities comprising its network. In most cases, neighboring LECs and inter-exchange carriers interfaced with the incumbent LEC's network pursuant to Standards promulgated by organizations such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Requirements developed and set by organizations such as Bellcore, (now Telcordia Technologies.) Independent carriers were also subject to such Standards, but were not subject to the Requirements. Because of the clout of ILECs however, their vendors' equipment confirmed to requirements, as well. However, with recent regulatory reform and technological advancements "opening up" the network and resulting in the creation of competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and other types of carriers, the incumbent LEC requires ways and means to interface with and among these new and varied networks. Often, these new networks are structured differently from and/or use different messaging, signaling standards, protocols and procedures than the public switched telephone network (PSTN) deployed by the incumbent LEC, thus creating additional interface problems. Even when they attempt to use the same messaging, standards and protocols, they often do so using equipment with differing capabilities and requirements.
The need to interface with and accommodate varied network architectures and protocols has been further heightened by the rapid expansion of data communications requirements to accommodate users of the Internet. Typically, the LEC provides end terminus connectivity between the user's computer or local area network (LAN) and a central facility operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP), termed a Point of Presence (POP). It is often desirable or necessary to provide the ISP with, not only communications access with the end user (i.e., payload data traditionally carried by a switched voice network), but also some limited form of access to signaling and control messaging transported by, for example, the LEC's common channel signaling (CCS) network, typically implemented as Signaling System 7 (SS7.)
SS7 is a standard established and maintained by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defining procedures and protocols used by network elements of PSTNs to exchange data for call setup, routing and control (e.g., ISUP messages) and for the exchange of non-circuit related information between signaling points (e.g., transactional TCAP messages). SS7 messages are transmitted between network elements, known as signaling points (SP) using 56 or 64 kbps bidirectional channels called signaling links. SPs include Service Switching Points (SSPs), Signal Transfer Points (STPs), and Service Control Points (SCPs). SSPs are the switches that originate, terminate, or route (i.e., "tandem") calls. SCPs provide centralized databases and support other centralized call processing functions required by special services (e.g., 800 numbers, enhanced call forwarding services, etc.) SCPs may be queried by an SSP using TCAP to obtain call routing and call handling information. The STPs route these network control messages over the SS7 network between and among the SSPs and SCPs as necessary. A complete description of such an SS7 system and supported Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) supported by the system can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,583, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Prior to the advent of competing carriers and network facilities, the connection between SS7 systems of incumbent LECs and IXCs relied on well defined and consistent interfaces. Typically, each carrier isolated its switched network from its SS7 network so that the latter was not accessible except at defined points of interconnection. Simple mechanisms were implemented which allowed restrictions to be placed on the types of signaling traffic that would be accepted from other networks.
With the advent of a liberalized interconnection environment, necessitated by an open network architecture, the interfaces between networks have been identified as points of vulnerability through which network impairing problems can be introduced. Such problems may be caused by unintentionally misdirected or erroneous messaging being introduced into a LEC's SS7 network at a point of interconnection or nefariously introduced messaging used to obtain unauthorized access to network facilities or to undermine network operations. To prevent improper and unauthorized access to the SS7 system, LECs have instituted specialized interfaces with other networks. These interfaces are commonly known as signaling mediation points, gateway screening systems or signaling system gatekeepers.
Telcordia Technologies (previously Bellcore) Generic Requirements document number GR-82-CORE provides requirements for STPs, used within signaling networks to connect network SPs to each other and to SPs in other networks. Traditional Gateway screening, defined in GR-82-CORE, facilitates the specification of specific messages that will be permitted into the network, based on message structure and the linkset on which the messages arrive. This screening is typically implemented using custom static tables created by the network operator. For example, traditional Gateway screening can be used to allow the transmission of all Transfer Prohibit (TFP) messages from a given Originating Point Code (OPC), addressed to a given Destination Point Code (DPC), and concerning a predesignated third Point Code (PC) into the network. These requirements were used by STP vendors to implement Gateway Screening between interconnected SS7 networks. Subsequently, various manufacturers have produced interface products known as SS7/IP Signaling Gateways (SGs) to interconnect SS7 signaling protocol with Internet Protocol (IP) based networks, such as the Internet. Commercially available equipment includes the MicroLegend SS7/IP Signaling Gateway, Ascend Signaling Gateway (ASG), Nuvo AIN platform SS7 Signaling Gateway by Mockingbird Networks, SGX2000 SS7 Signaling Gateway by Sonus Technologies, and others. In addition to performing protocol conversion between SS7 (and other CCS variants) and IP signaling, these Gateways may include a gateway screening function. Gateway screening, sometimes referred to as mediation, includes the selective control of signaling messages passed between networks based on parameters such as message origination and destination point codes, called and calling party addresses, etc. Thus, message header information may be examined to check whether a message is appropriate prior to routing.
Mediation is further described, for example, in Fikis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,404, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Fikis et al. describe a method and system for mediating signaling protocol dialogue between an internal signaling network operational domain operated by one network operator and an external signaling network operational domain operated by another network operator. SS7 traffic Message Signal Units (MSUs) arriving for mediation is divided into classes; some message classes are subject only to normal SS7 processing while others are further analyzed. MSUs requiring detailed analysis are routed to a mediation application process appropriate to that class. Alternatively, Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) address parameters are processed at a Signaling Mediation Point (SMP) so as to maintain normal SS7 message processing and routing functions while mediating individual messages. The disclosure further describes enabling the SMP to route a received MSU on toward its intended final destination based on information encoded in the Message Transfer Part (MTP) addresses contained in the MSU.
Fikis et al. further describe a Virtual Signaling Point (VSP) used to provide the SMP with information required to route a received MSU on toward its intended final destination using information contained in the MSU (OPC and DPC fields) together with a table maintained in the SMP. As described, an internal (external) SP perceives the VSP as its destination SP for the message rather than the intended external (internal) SP. Although the VSP does not exist as a separate Network Element, the internal and external SPs perceive it as an NE due to alterations made in MSUs by the SMP. Like an actual SP, a VSP is identified by its signaling point code. However, unlike an actual NE, the VSP signaling point code provides a unique mapping between the originating internal (external) SP and the true terminating external (internal) SP in addition to enabling routing of messages to the SMP.
Hetz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,583, assigned in common with the subject matter of the present invention, describe a central SMP in an AIN that stores call processing records for controlling call routing and other call processing functions. To provide short code access to information service providers, each information service provider operates an independent database storing additional call processing records. When an established subscriber dials the short code, e.g. an N11 code, the SMP identifies the information provider that the subscriber has previously selected from the subscriber's call processing record stored in the mediation point. The SMP communicates with that service provider's database to obtain call processing information. The SMP then validates the call processing information for compatibility with network operations and forwards validated call processing information to a node of the network to process the call in accord with the information from the provider's database.
Schwartz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,334, describe a network service access system and method for intelligent networks including an SMP between network SSPs and third party service provider SCP. The SMP is a gateway to the AIN network for the service provider SCPs. Each message from the SCP (Query, Conversation, Response, Unidirectional) is screened. For example, the global title address in the SCCP called party address field is screened against a list authorized SS7 nodes. The SMP may also perform other screening, for example, TCAP (Transaction Capabilities Application Part) and AIN message screening. After normal TCAP and AIN Message screening (both response and unsolicited messages), if an error is found the screening failure is pegged and the message is logged. The erroneous message is then discarded.
Weisser, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,719, describe a method of mediating traffic across an interface between an AIN operated by a LEC and an outside service provider. The interface is defined between an application by a non-local exchange carrier service provider for some form of enhanced telephone service requiring use of the AIN and a shared execution environment interpreter on the other side of the interface. Mediation is conducted by the shared execution interpreter that is run on a LEC operated SCP. The shared execution interpreter enforces sufficient rules so that the LEC does not require knowledge of the details of implementation of the service provider's application. Mediation includes testing of tables to determine whether a directory number referenced in a message request from a service provider application is a customer of the service provider, whether trunk group routing requests are valid for the service providers and whether any or particular levels of access to certain network elements are authorized for the requesting service provider.
While these systems and methods mediate between diverse remote networks and a LEC's SS7 network by checking information related to routing, the systems fail to provide a level of security that would protect the LEC's SS7 and the PSTN (of which it is a part) from properly formatted and addressed but otherwise improper messages. This message validity checking, according to the prior art, is further deficient in its inability to readily accommodate messages received from sources wherein message origination information may be difficult to verify, e.g. messages received from distant, non-contiguous LEC's, non-LEC service providers, etc. Considering that these messages may originate on and/or be transported by relatively insecure networks including, for example, the public Internet, the problem of providing access while limiting any resultant threat to the PSTN caused by spurious, erroneous, or malicious messages is made more difficult. Finally, the prior art is deficient in that it fails to examine the context in which a message is received. Messages which are appropriate at one point in a call or transaction may be inappropriate under other conditions, depending either on the state of the call or transaction, or on the specific data elements passed in prior stages of the call or transaction.

Method of and apparatus for mediating common channel signaling messages between networks using a pseudo-switch


In one embodiment, a processor comprises a scheduler configured to issue a first instruction operation to be executed and an execution core coupled to the scheduler. Configured to execute the first instruction operation, the execution core comprises a plurality of replay sources configured to cause a replay of the first instruction operation responsive to detecting at least one of a plurality of replay cases. The scheduler is configured to inhibit issuance of the first instruction operation subsequent to the replay for a subset of the plurality of replay cases. The scheduler is coupled to receive an acknowledgement indication corresponding to each of the plurality of replay cases in the subset, and is configured to inhibit issuance of the first instruction operation until the acknowledge indication is asserted that corresponds to an identified replay case of the subset.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of processors and, more particularly, to reducing replay occurrence in processors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Managing power consumption in processors is increasingly becoming a priority. In many systems, the power supply is at least sometimes a battery or other stored-charge supply. Maximizing battery life in such systems is often a key selling feature. Additionally, even in systems that have effectively limitless power (e.g. systems plugged into a wall outlet), the challenges of cooling the processors and other circuits in the system may be reduced if power consumption can be reduced in the processors.
Some processors implement replay, in which an instruction (or instruction operation) is issued for execution and, during execution, a condition is detected that causes the instruction to be reissued again at a later time. Instructions can also be replayed if a preceding instruction is replayed (particularly if the instructions depend on the previous instructions). If an instruction is replayed due to a condition that may take some time to clear, it is likely that the instruction will be issued and replayed repeatedly until the condition is cleared. The power consumed in issuing the instruction, only to be replayed, is wasted.


A fish lure constructed of an elongated curvelinear cylindrical body that has a front end and a rear end, two horn-shaped appendages each emanating from the front end of the cylindrical body at 180° apart with horn openings facing the front end, and two horn-shaped appendages each emanating from the rear end of the cylindrical body at 180° apart with horn openings facing the front end.

Fishing is one of the most popular sporting activities in the country and even worldwide. One of the most importance accessories used in fishing, other than the fishing pole itself, is the fishing lure. The fishing lure must be designed such that it looks attractive to a fish and inviting for the fish to bite. It is therefore important to design a fish lure that appears to be a live bait that moves in the water. It is therefore desirable to provide a fish lure that appears to be a live bait when sinking in the water or being pulled in the water.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fish lure that does not have the drawbacks or shortcomings of the conventional fishing lure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fish lure that is equipped with horn-shaped appendages such that it appears as live bait in the water.


An image forming system includes an image forming unit, a post-processing unit, an acquiring unit, a first transmitting unit, and a post-processing control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The post-processing unit is provided at a side for discharging the recording medium of the image forming unit and performs predetermined post-processing on the recording medium. The acquiring unit acquires a discharge timing at which the recording medium is discharged from the image forming unit. The first transmitting unit transmits a post-processing start signal corresponding to the discharge timing. The post-processing control unit causes the post-processing unit to start the post-processing when receiving the post-processing start signal from the first transmitting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system, a control apparatus, and a control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, image forming apparatuses are used in combination with post-processing apparatuses having functions of folding, punching, sorting, cutting, and stapling, for example. Specifically, such apparatuses are arranged in order of performing processing on a recording medium in advance. The recording medium is conveyed from an apparatus provided to the upstream in the conveying direction of the recording medium to an apparatus provided to the downstream in the conveying direction while being sequentially subjected to the processing.
Such image forming apparatuses and post-processing apparatuses each may have a communication rule and a control rule varying depending on the manufacturer of each apparatus, for example. Even if these apparatuses are directly connected, it is difficult to cause them to operate in conjunction with each other and perform a series of operations of image formation and post-processing.
Furthermore, as a method for controlling such apparatuses, there has been disclosed a technology for controlling an image forming device and peripherals, such as a post-processing device, by one driver installed in a main controller (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-067148, for example). The method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-067148 displays a list of image forming devices capable of executing all the settings designated by the driver installed in the main controller. The method then causes a user to select one image forming device from which print data is to be output from the image forming devices in the list. This makes it possible to control each peripheral using one driver without limiting the operation of each peripheral.
The conventional technology can collectively control each of the peripherals, such as an image forming device and a post-processing device. However, it is difficult for the conventional technology to cause an image forming unit that forms an image and a post-processing unit that performs post-processing to operate in conjunction with each other.
Therefore, there is a need for an image forming system, a control apparatus, and a control method that enable an image forming unit and a post-processing unit to operate in conjunction with each other.

Image forming system, control apparatus, and control method


A method for producing an allyl compound having a compositional formula different from that of an allyl starting material compound, which comprises reacting the allyl starting material compound with an oxygen nucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one transition metal compound containing a transition metal selected from the group consisting of transition metals belonging to Group 8 to Group 10 of the Periodic Table and a multidentate phosphite compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a new allyl compound different from an allyl starting material compound by reacting the allyl starting material compound with an oxygen nucleophilic agent in the presence of a catalyst, and an ether or ester compound produced thereby.
2. Prior Arts
Various kinds of new allyl compounds can be synthesized by carrying out a catalytic reaction using a transition metal compound and using an allyl compound as a starting material. This reaction proceeds as illustrated in the following reaction formula, wherein an allyl starting material compound having an eliminating group X is n-coordinated and oxidatively added to a transition metal compound to form a n-allyl complex having three carbons of the allyl part bonded to a metal and the terminal allyl carbon of the n-allyl complex is attacked by a nucleophilic agent expressed by Nu-H or Nu−.

The synthesizing reaction of an allyl compound is generally fully described in "Palladium Reagents and Catalysts-Innovations in Organic Synthesis-" published by John Wiley & Sons Company, and various products in a form of allylated nucleophilic agent can be obtained by electing a kind of a nucleophilic agent in the reaction. Among them, when the nucleophilic agent is an oxygen nucleophilic agent such as alcohols, phenols, or carboxylic acids, respective allyl alkyl ether, allyl phenyl ether or allyl carboxylate esters are synthesized, and they are considered to be one of basic reactions useful in synthetic chemistry.
However, as a reaction example of an allyl starting material compound and an oxygen nucleophilic agent, the case in which the oxygen nucleophilic agent is carboxylic acid anion, is generally well known, but there are not so many reaction examples with other oxygen nucleophilic agents due to their low reactivity.
For example, as described in "Organometallics, 1995, 14, p. 4585" illustrating a reaction example with phenols, a synthesis example of allyl phenyl ethers by a palladium catalyst system having a triaryl type monodentate phosphite ligand such as triphenyl phosphite is well known, but its activity is not sufficient.
Also, reaction examples with alcohols are very limited due to low nucleophilic attacking property of alcohol oxygen. As a reaction example between molecules of alcohol oxygen and an allyl starting material compound, dehydration condensation reaction of an allyl alcohol by a catalyst system using a monodentate phosphite ligand of triphenyl phosphite or triethyl phosphite was reported in "Nihon Kagakukai Kouen Yokoushuu, 2001, Vol. 79th, No. 2, p. 1194" and "Nihon Gakujutsu Shinkoukai Souzou Kinou Kagaku Dai 116 Iinkai 2002, 6, Godou Bunkakai Shiryou p. 46". Also, a reaction of alcohols with an allyl alcohol by a catalyst system comprising triphenylphosphite considered to have a highest activity was also reported. However, its catalyst activity is still not high.
As an example of attacking a n-allyl complex by other alcohol oxygen, there are known some cyclizing reactions wherein the cyclization is carried out intramolecularly by attacking n-allyl terminal carbon with alcohol oxygen present at such a position as to form a 5-membered ring or a 6-membered ring in the reaction process. For example, as described in "Tetrahedron Lett., 1995, 36, p. 5527", there is known a synthesis example of a morpholine derivative by a palladium catalyst system having triisopropyl phosphite as a monodentate phosphite ligand. Also, a synthesis example of a 5-membered cyclic product by a palladium catalyst system having a bidentate phosphite ligand having cyclic both terminals composed of a pentan-2,5-diyl group was reported in "J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1998, 120, p. 1732". However, it is necessary for these reactions that an oxygen nucleophilic agent is present at such a position as to easily form a ring, and they are allylation reaction which can proceed only intramolecularly and which is a special system.
When carrying out allylation reaction using the above-mentioned catalyst on an industrial scale, it is strongly demanded to improve a reactivity in order to reduce an amount of expensive palladium used, which is a noble metal, or to make a reactor size smaller, thereby reducing a manufacturing cost. As a method for improving the reactivity, there is a method for having a counter cation of a nucleophilic agent present in the reaction system. As its effect, a nucleophilic agent forming a pair or a coexistent state with such a counter cation increases its nucleophilic attacking force, thereby improving the reactivity.
As some examples, a reaction of cyclopentadiene monoxide and an acetic acid anion is reported in "Organic Syntheses, 1998, 67, p 114", and in order to improve the reactivity, a sodium ion is used as a counter cation for acetic anion in this reaction. However, when such an alkali metal is a counter cation, +1 valent charge is concentrated on one small metal ion, and accordingly there is a tendency of forming a strong ion pair with a nucleophilic agent of a counter anion. Consequently, the attacking force of such a nucleophilic agent is not sufficiently high.
For example, it is reported in "Tetrahedron Lett., 1998, 39, p 5439" that an allyl starting material compound and a formic acid anion are reacted by using a palladium catalyst comprising a triisopropyl phosphite ligand of trialkyl type monodentate phosphite in the presence of ammonium comprising triethylamine having a proton coordinate-bonded, but this reaction is a reaction different from a reaction of an ordinary allyl starting material compound and a nucleophilic agent. That is, the formic acid anion does not form allyl formate by attacking a n-allyl complex as an intermediate but is coordinated to palladium, and carbon dioxide is eliminated and a hydride formed as this result reacts with the n-allyl complex to provide a product of a structure having the allyl starting material reduced.
As mentioned above, although it is possible to produce ether compounds or ester compounds important in organic synthesis by their reaction of an allyl starting material compound and its different oxygen nucleophilic agent, a highly active catalyst system which can sufficiently react an oxygen nucleophilic agent having a low reactivity has not been developed, and therefore practical reaction examples are actually limited. Particularly, in the reaction with alcohols, it is impossible to sufficiently proceed the reaction unless a special environment such as the above-mentioned intramolecular cyclization reaction is provided. Therefore, it has been demanded to develop a new catalyst system which achieves a sufficiently high catalyst activity even in the reaction with such an oxygen nucleophilic agent as having a low reactivity.
The present invention has been made for solving the above-mentioned problems. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an allyl compound, which can efficiently produce various allyl compounds by using a new catalyst system achieving an especially high activity to such an oxygen nucleophilic agent as having a low reactivity in the reaction of an allyl starting material compound and an oxygen nucleophilic agent, and to provide an ether compound and an ester compound.
The present inventors have intensively studied to develop a catalyst system capable of efficiently proceeding a reaction among molecules of various allyl starting material compounds and their different oxygen nucleophilic agents, and have discovered that a catalyst system comprising a multidentate phosphite compound and a transition metal compound of Group 8 to Group 10 of the Periodic Table achieves an unexpectedly very high activity as compared with a conventional catalyst system of monodentate phosphine or bidentate phosphine and a catalyst system of triphenyl phosphite known as a prior art. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this discovery.

Method for producing allyl compound, and ether or ester compound produced thereby


Provided is a cooking appliance, such as a convection cooking appliance. The appliance includes a heating element, an annunciator, and a user interface for receiving a plurality of control settings from a user. The control settings include a time setting. The appliance further includes a controller operatively connected to the user interface for provision of the plurality of control settings to the controller. The controller includes an alarm point determination section for determining an alarm point based on the time setting, an annunciator control section for controlling the annunciator based on the alarm point, wherein the annunciator produces periodic annunciations, and a repeat period determination section for determining a repeat period for the periodic annunciations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooking appliances, and more particularly to a reminder system for ovens, such as convection ovens.
2. Description of Related Art
Convection ovens use heated air that is forced into the oven by fans located in the back of the oven. By moving heated air past the food, convection ovens can perform cooking functions more quickly and at a lower temperature than standard conventional ovens. With a convection oven, there will be about a 25% to 30% decrease in cooking temperature and a 20% decrease in cooking time as compared to a conventional oven. Convection ovens are frequently used in industrial and commercial applications. However, convection ovens are often used for cooking food.
One advantage of convection ovens is that they provide efficient cooking of food. However, most recipes are written for conventional ovens. If a recipe designed for a conventional oven is strictly followed when using a convection oven, the food is likely to be overcooked. A user could adjust oven cook time and temperature by hand. However, such tasks could be burdensome and lead to miscalculations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,970 discloses a convection oven capable of converting conventional oven cook times and temperatures to convection oven cook times and temperatures. Food type is one of the parameters used in the conversion algorithm. However, different recipes within a food type could each have different optimal cook times. For example, different cookie recipes could each have different optimal cook times within the food type "baked goods." The reference does not address variations in optimal cook times for different recipes within a food type. If the optimal cook time is less than the convection-converted cook time, overcooked food could result.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,651 discloses a convection oven that performs a rapid cook time calculation. This calculation is performed when a standard cook time, entered by a user, exceeds a predetermined amount. Also disclosed is signaling the user when the rapid cook time has elapsed without stopping the cooking process. The reference does not address repeated, periodic prompting of the user to check on the food.
Therefore, a need exists for a simple convection oven control system for repeatedly and periodically prompting or reminding a user to check on cooking food so that an optimal cooking time is not exceeded.


Provided is an event-based image processing apparatus and method, the apparatus including a sensor which senses occurrences of a predetermined event in a plurality of image pixels and which outputs an event signal in response to the sensed occurrences, a time stamp unit which generates time stamp information by mapping a pixel corresponding to the event signals to a time at which the event signals are output from the sensor, and an optical flow generator which generates an optical flow based on the time stamp information in response to the outputting of the event signals.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with example embodiments relate to an event-based image processing apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image processing broadly refers to processing of all types of information input or output in a form of an image, and may include, for example, a task of processing a picture or a moving image, and the like. Most image processing techniques may employ a method of applying a standard signal processing technique to an image while regarding the image as a two-dimensional (2D) signal.
An image sensor refers to a device which senses input data for image processing, and may include, for example, a photoelectric conversion device corresponding to a circuit integrated using a technology for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and the like.
A line image sensor and an array image sensor are generally used. The line image sensor corresponds to a one-dimensional (1D) image sensor used for a facsimile or a copy machine, and the array image sensor corresponds to a 2D image sensor used for a television camera or a digital camera.
The line image sensor may include optical diodes disposed in a row to detect light and generate electrons. The line image sensor may scan a target object, for example, a document or a picture, in a direction perpendicular to a sensor line in order to acquire a still image of a region having an area.
The array image sensor may include optical diodes arranged two-dimensionally. Since the array image sensor may acquire the entire image of a screen at a single time, the array image sensor may be used to acquire a moving image, for example, a video.

Event-based image processing apparatus and method