A condensation nucleus counter (CNC) device implemented with a multi-directional fluid flow system is configured in a compact, conical geometry. A saturation region includes an inlet that delivers into an annular pool a sample stream of air containing small-diameter particles. The stream of air flows out and expands radially from the inlet and mixes with a working vapor to become saturated in the saturation region. The saturated fluid mixture then flows to a condensation region defined by spaced-apart inner and outer radially converging walls having a conical geometry, thereby forming an annular flow volume of decreasing cross sectional area in the direction of fluid flow to the outlet of the CNC device. The working vapor condenses on the small-diameter particles to enlarge their sizes with less tendency to condense on the inner walls of the condensation region.

This invention relates to particle detection and, in particular, to particle detection achieved by a condensation nucleus counter that implements a multi-directional fluid flow system to enlarge condensation nuclei of submicron particles entrained in a fluid stream such that they can be detected and counted.
The current technological trend toward the design of electronic and other devices with increasingly smaller device dimensions has created an increased need for detecting a presence of submicron diameter contaminant particles in facilities where such devices are manufactured. Such need is especially urgent in the field of microelectronic device fabrication, in which the presence of particulate contaminants results in a significant reduction in product yield.
Use of a condensation nucleus counter (CNC) represents one method of detecting the presence of submicron particles. In CNC devices, a process of diffusion thermal cooling of a fluid stream carrying submicron particles enlarges the diameters of the particles to sizes that allow their detection using conventional techniques. During thermal diffusion cooling, a submicron particle-carrying fluid sample is passed over a heated pool of volatile liquid, resulting in saturation of the fluid sample with volatile liquid vapor. The resulting vapor-fluid sample mixture is then cooled by thermal diffusion from the cold walls of a condenser. This cooling results in condensation of the vapor onto the surfaces of the submicron particles, thereby enlarging them to form droplets of sufficient size to allow optical detection of the particles.
The resolution afforded by a CNC device depends upon droplet size. Droplet size is a function of condensation time, which is dependent on the flow rate of the vapor-fluid sample mixture and the length of the flow path through the condenser. Specifically, reducing the flow rate causes maximum supersaturation to occur at a location closer to an inlet tube of the CNC device. A shorter flow path facilitates the design of a lightweight, lower cost instrument. However, reduction of the flow rate also results in increased processing time, which leads to inefficient and more costly particle detection.
Thus, a first problem encountered in prior art CNC devices is an inability to reconcile these competing benefits and detriments to arrive at a lightweight, low-cost instrument that performs efficient and cost-effective particle detection. A second problem with prior art CNC devices is that the submicron particles have a tendency to bounce off the impaction stage and become re-entrained in the flow system of CNC devices. The number of incidences of so-called xe2x80x9cparticle bouncexe2x80x9d events increases with flow rate. One prior art method of minimizing particle bounce is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,388 and entails applying grease to the impaction stage. This method is of limited utility because it introduces contaminants into the CNC device and thereby renders it unsuitable for use in many high-technology industries including microelectronic device fabrication.
What is needed, therefore, is a lightweight, low-cost CNC device implementing an improved method for efficiently and cost-effectively detecting the presence of submicron particles while limiting the incidence of particle bounce.
An object of the invention to provide a compact, lightweight CNC device that uses a multi-directional, and preferably radial, fluid flow system to enlarge condensation nuclei of submicron particles carried by a sample fluid stream for detection.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a device that forms a radially expanding fluid flow path in a working fluid saturation region to increase diffusion time of the working fluid into the sample fluid to form a saturated fluid mixture.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a device that implements a radially convergent fluid flow in a condensation region to decrease the length of the fluid flow path.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a device that incorporates a conical geometry in the condensation region to form an annular fluid flow path of decreasing cross sectional area to increase the velocity of the sample fluid stream as it flows through the condensation region.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a device that operates within a range of above ambient fluid pressures to count with high resolution a greater percentage of entrained particles.
The present invention is a condensation nucleus counter (CNC) device implemented with a multi-directional, and preferably radial, fluid flow system. A preferred embodiment of the CNC device includes a saturation region and a condensation region configured in a compact, conical geometry. The saturation region includes a working fluid pool and an annular fluid pool separated by a working fluidxe2x80x94working vapor interface. The saturation region is heated to form from the pool of working fluid a vapor that enters the annular fluid pool. A preferred working fluid is a liquid, such as water, which evaporates to form water vapor. The saturation region includes a tubular inlet that exhausts a sample stream of air containing small-diameter particles into the annular fluid pool above a working fluid surface, which defines the working fluidxe2x80x94working vapor interface. The stream of air flows out radially from the inlet, expands across the working fluid surface, and mixes with the working vapor to become saturated in the saturation region. The flow velocity of the air stream slows as it expands and thereby increases the diffusion time of the working vapor to form the saturated fluid mixture.
The saturated fluid mixture then flows through an annular inlet to the condensation region and out of the CNC device through a tubular outlet. The condensation region is defined by spaced-apart inner and outer radially converging walls having a conical geometry, thereby forming an annular flow volume of decreasing cross sectional area in the direction of fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet. The working vapor condenses on the small-diameter particles to enlarge their optical scattering cross sections with less tendency to condense on the inner and outer walls of the condensation region. Thus, particles having diameters on the order of nanometers are the seeds for droplets having diameters on the order of microns.
The measurement resolution of the CNC device depends of the sizes of the particles to be detected. Particle size is a function of the fluid flow rate and the length of the flow path through the CNC device. The radial fluid flow system and conical geometry of the condensation region ensure that the residence time of the particles within the CNC device is great enough to achieve supersaturation of the particles in a compact device. An alternative embodiment receiving and processing a sample stream at above ambient pressures counts a greater percentage of particles because the higher fluid pressure contributes to a minimization of working vapor dropout onto the interior flow surfaces of the condensation region.
Additional objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Condensation nucleus counter with multi-directional fluid flow system


A method and apparatus at an apparatus for handling an incoming call (2:7, 3:7, 4:7) originating from an anonymous calling party(100) where the anonymous calling party calling party(100) can be identified on the basis of a personal identity assigned to the anonymous calling party(100), wherein the personal identity is assignable to the anonymous calling party(100) after a personal identity has been assigned to the anonymous calling party in response to a manually or automatically initiated assignment instruction, but without requiring any interaction from the anonymous calling party(100). The suggested method and apparatus are applicable in any type of wireless or fixed communications network which enables a calling party to register as an anonymous calling party.

In many communications networks which are presently used for telephony or telephony like services a calling party is normally provided with the option of not having to reveal his identity to the called party during call set-up and during the call. This feature, which enables a subscriber who has registered as an anonymous subscriber at his operator as an anonymous subscriber to maintain anonymous during the call, is available both in stationary, as well as wireless communication networks. When registered as an anonymous subscriber, such a calling party will typically be presented to a called party as "Anonymous", "Unknown" or with any other corresponding expression, rather than with his telephone number or any type of network identity. While the option of barring exposure of the network identity to the called party is often beneficial to the anonymous calling party, the called party may in many situations consider the information presented to him as much to sparse, since there is no way for the called party to make any kind of distinction between different anonymous calling parties.
Today, certain support for handling anonymous calls to at least some extent, exist in some communication standards. One such service is Anonymous Call Rejection (ACR). Services like ACR can, however can only be used for handling any anonymous call and thus all anonymous calls are handled the same way, without making any distinction between different anonymous calling parties.
A simplified scenario for setting up a call between an anonymous calling party 100 and a called party 103 can be described according to the scenario below with reference to the simplified signaling diagram of FIG. 1. It is to be understood that FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration where nodes and entities which are normally necessary for providing communication functionality but which are not necessary for the understanding of the call set-up procedure have been omitted for simplicity reasons. This also applies for the other scenarios described below with reference to FIGS. 2-4.
From hereinafter a calling party is to be referred to as a user device which is registered to a user, wherein the user device is configured to provide access to at least some communications network and to enable for the calling party to set up outgoing telephone calls as anonymous calls. In a corresponding way a called party is to be referred to as a user device registered to another user, wherein the second user device is configured to handle incoming anonymous calls.
An anonymous calling party 100, accessing a communication network via an access node, here represented by the first network node 101, is initiating a call to a called party 103 via another network node, here represented by second network node 102 as indicated with a first step 1:1. At the second network node 102 a calling party identification procedure is initiated, as indicated with another step 1:2, for the purpose of identifying the calling party to the called party. In the present scenario the calling party 100 is identified as being an anonymous calling party, which does not want to reveal its network identity to any called party upon call set-up, and thus instead of forwarding the identity of the calling party 100 to the called party 103, the text "Anonymous" or "Unknown" is typically presented at the display of a user device of the calling party 100, as indicated with a next step 1:3. In a next step 1:4, the called party 103 has accepted the incoming call and the call is set up and may continue for an arbitrary time interval, until the call is terminated by any of the parties, as indicated with a subsequent step 1:5.
If the same calling party 100 at a later occasion makes a new call to the called party 103, as indicated with a subsequent step 1:6, it will not be possible for the called party to be aware that this is the same calling party as for the previous call, when steps 1:7 and 1:8 are executed. The called party 103 will only be informed from the network that yet another call from some anonymous calling party is being set up.
With the exception for malicious calls that can be handled via services like Malicious Call handling service (MCID), which is an integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) service that is sometimes found in conventional communication networks or the like, there is presently no way of making a called party aware of whether he has previously received any call from an anonymous calling party.
Consequently, there is no known way of how to distinct different anonymous calling party from each other and thus how to allow the called party to decide how to treat such an anonymous incoming call. Especially in situations where calls are frequently received from anonymous calling parties it can be very annoying for the called party to be disturbed by receiving anonymous calls, not knowing whether such calls are unwanted calls, while at the same time not wanting to risk to miss any wanted call.
Also in situations where calls from anonymous calling parties are only received occasionally it may be annoying not to be able to identify the calling party. A situation may even arise where the calling party does not even want to appear as anonymous to a particular called party, but only to other called parties in general. Also in these situations there is no known method for allowing the called party to make any kind of distinction between different anonymous users.

Method and apparatus for handling anonymous calls


A transcoding system (1) comprises a mobile communication device (2) that retrieves a web resource from a web server (6) using a mobile communication network (3) and the internet (4) via a transcoder (5). The transcoder (5) transcodes the web resource before delivering it to the mobile communication device (2). The process of transcoding the web page is carried out based on style sheet classes and/or meta tags in the web page. This allows a web site owner (7) to control the actions of the transcoder (5) in transcoding the web page.

Most web resources are intended for use by desktop and laptop personal computers (PCs). This means they are often unsuitable for use by mobile communication devices. Web resources, typically web sites and web pages, may include elements such as script, graphics, animations, video data, audio data, layouts etc. that are not supported by a mobile communication device. For example, a web site may include an object encoded using Java® or Adobe® Flash script, but a mobile communication device may not have the correct software to use such an object. Similarly, an image on a web site may be too large to be displayed on a mobile communication device.
In light of this, web resources specifically encoded for use by mobile communication devices are sometimes provided. Usually, web resources specifically encoded for use by mobile communication devices are based on web resources intended for use by PCs. For example, an organisation may have two web sites, one for use by PCs and the other specifically encoded for use by mobile communication devices. There is therefore duplication of effort in providing the same content for use by both PCs and mobile communication devices. For this reason, only large and well resourced organisations or those with a particular reason to target mobile communication devices tend to provide web resources that are specifically encoded for mobile communication devices. There is therefore a need to make it easier to provide web resources suitable for use by mobile communication devices.
In order to address this need, it is known to convert web resources intended for use by PCs to be suitable for use by mobile communication devices. This conversion is known as transcoding. In one example, the transcoding is carried out by a mobile network operator, although transcoding can be carried out by other entities, such as search engines or third parties that offer a transcoding service. When the user of a mobile communication device seeks to retrieve a given web resource via the mobile communication network, instead of the mobile communication device being provided with the web resource itself, it is provided with a transcoded version of the web resource.
In more detail, the mobile communication device may send a request for a web resource, which request includes an internet domain name, e.g. "www.bobspizzashop.com". The mobile network retrieves the web resource from the web server using the internet domain name (or, more specifically, an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the server at which the web resource is located, which IP address can be retrieved from the domain name system (DNS) of the internet using the internet domain name). However, instead of delivering the web resource straight to the mobile communication device, the mobile communication network first transcodes the web resource.
Typically, the transcoding involves identifying the type of mobile communication device that made the request and adapting the web resource to be suitable for that device. For example, if the web resource is encoded using script that is not supported by the type of mobile communication device, the web resource may be converted to script that is supported by the mobile communication device. Similarly, an image included in the web resource may be resized to suit the limitations of the display of the mobile communication device.
Although transcoding can significantly improve the presentation of web resources to users of mobile communication devices, the results are not always ideal. The variety and complexity of web resources designed for PCs is such that there is great difficulty in providing a transcoding system that is able to produce effective results in all circumstances.
Moreover, transcoding is often undertaken independently of the owner of the web resource. As such, the owner of the web resource has little control over the results of the transcoding process. Accordingly, the owners of web resources cannot control user experience of their web resources.
It is known to use style sheets to allow a single web resource to be rendered differently by different browsers. A style sheet is a programming construct used to control the presentation of elements provided in mark-up language, such as hypertext mark-up language (HTML). When a browser renders a web resource, such as a web page, it uses rules contained in the style sheet to determine how to present elements provided in mark-up language. In order to effect this styling, a style sheet class is included in the web page to identify a given element, while the style sheet itself provides the rules as to how elements having this style sheet class should be rendered. For example, the initial text in the web page might be identified by the style sheet class "heading" and the style sheet for the style sheet class "heading" might indicate the font size or colour of the text.
A conventional style sheet language is known as cascading style sheets (CSS). CSS specifies a priority scheme to determine which rule is applied to a style sheet class when more than one rule is provided for that style sheet class. In practice, the different rules may originate from different style sheets. This priority scheme gives rise to the cascade from which CSS gets its name. Different browsers may therefore apply different rules from the style sheet, leading to different presentation of the web resource.
However, style sheets only provide limited assistance in the provision of web resources to a mobile communication device. In particular, style sheets do not modify a web resource optimised for use by PCs before it is delivered to the mobile communication device. Instead, style sheets only take effect when the web resource is rendered by the mobile communication device. This limits the value of the style sheets, as the mobile communication device must download the web resource before applying any rules contained in the style sheets. For example, where a web resource optimised for a PC contains an object encoded using Java® or Adobe® Flash script that cannot be displayed by the mobile communication device, the use of style sheets will not prevent that object being downloaded to the mobile communication device, even if it will prevent any effort being made to display it. This is an unnecessary drain on the bandwidth of the mobile communication device's connection to the internet. Effective use of such bandwidth is of particular importance in the context of mobile communication devices.


An improved apparatus and method for the capillary electrophoretic separation of chemical compounds comprises carrying out on-line sample preparation by means of semipermeable membranes connected to the capillary separation column for selective introduction of ampholytes into the capillary separation column. Semipermeable membrane means may also be used on-line for preliminary desalting of the sample prior to its introduction into the separation column.

The publications referred to in what follows and identified by footnotes are incorporated by reference herein for their teachings as to capillary electrophoretic techniques.
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been established as an important separation method in bioanalytical chemistry. Separation and detection of very small amounts of biological samples, about pL-nL volumes, can be achieved with CE. This is generally not possible with more conventional separatory methods, even high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). There are several CE separation methods in use for different kinds of samples. They include capillary zone electrophoresis, moving boundary capillary electrophoresis, capillary isotachophoresis and capillary isoelectric focusing.
Isoelectric focusing (IEF) is a special electrophoretic technique for separating amphoteric substances such as peptides and proteins in an electric field, across which there is both a voltage and a pH gradient, acidic in the region of the anode and alkaline near the cathode. Each substance in the mixture will migrate to a position in the separation column where the surrounding pH corresponds to its isoelectric point. There, in zwitterion form with no net charge, molecules of that substance cease to move in the electric field. Different amphoteric substances are thereby focused into narrow stationary bands.
Capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) is becoming recognized as a powerful separation technique for proteins and peptides due to its fast separation speed and ease of use for quantitative determination..sup.1 Until now most applications of CIEF have been done using commercial capillary electrophoresis (CE) instruments. These instruments have a 20-60 cm long capillary and an on-column UV absorption detector. When using these instruments for CIEF, all protein zones separated by the focusing process must be moved through the detection point of the on-column detector located at one end of the capillary. Isoelectric focusing can be done in commercial CE instruments by a "two step" method or a "one step" method.
In the "two step" method, the capillary inner wall is coated with non-cross-linked acrylamide to eliminate electroosmotic flow..sup.2 The capillary is first filled with mixture of sample and carrier ampholytes, and two electrolyte reservoirs connected to the capillary ends are filled with anolyte and catholyte, respectively. Then, a DC voltage is applied across the capillary. After the focusing process finishes, all protein zones are stationary inside the capillary. Finally, a mobilization process is used to move all these zones through the detection point. Mobilization can be achieved by using hydrodynamic force.sup.2 or adding salts.sup.2,3 to one end of the capillary column.
In the "one step" method, an uncoated capillary is used as the separation column. A plug of sample and carrier-ampholytes solution is introduced into the capillary between anolyte and catholyte. Additives, such as methylcellulose, are mixed into sample and electrolyte solutions to increase viscosity of the solution and reduce the electroosmotic flow..sup.4,5 Upon application of a DC voltage, protein components are focused inside the capillary while the whole volume of solutions inside the capillary is mobilized slowly from the anodic end to the cathodic end.
The "one step" method appears to have advantages over the "two step" method since it overcomes many problems of the "two step" method, such as blind section in the capillary,.sup.3 and the instability of the coating on the capillary inner wall..sup.4 The "one step" method is more compatible with current commercial CE instruments.
However, CIEF performed in commercial CE instruments using mobilization process has problems. Mobilization causes uneven resolution along the capillary column, and makes the pH gradient non-linear so that isoelectric point (pI) values of protein samples are difficult to estimate from their elution times. The mobilization process lengthens analysis time, since focusing takes 2-6 minutes while mobilization usually takes 10-30 minutes..sup.3-5 During the whole process all protein zones remain focused at the positions where their pI values are the same as pH values..sup.3-5 Keeping proteins at high concentration and in a state of zero net charge for a long time increases their chance of precipitation. In the "one step" CIEF method, concentrations of carrier ampholytes and additives, and capillary length and sample plug length have to be optimized to adjust mobilization speed in order to obtain the best resolution for different samples..sup.4,5
We earlier found that the aforementioned problems arising from the mobilization process can be overcome directly through the use of a new on-line, real-time imaging detector to replace the conventional on-column detectors. Such new detector systems, developed by the present inventors, are the subject of a number of recent publications, which disclose: a universal refractive index gradient imaging detector,.sup.6,7 an optical absorption imaging detector,.sup.7,8 and a fluorescence imaging detector..sup.9 To accommodate the imaging detector system in the CIEF instruments of this new variety, instrument, short capillaries, 4 cm long were employed. Isoelectric focusing performed in 4 cm long capillaries showed the same resolution as for CIEF performed in 20-60 cm long capillaries..sup.7 Analyzing a protein sample only takes 2-4 minutes using the imaging detection system. Isoelectric points of components can be determined directly from their positions along the capillary column. The CIEF-imaging detector system was also developed into a multichannel separation and detection method,.sup.10,11 which overcomes the low sample throughput problem of conventional CIEF.
The sample injection procedure used with CIEF-imaging detector instruments is generally as follows. The mixture of sample and carrier ampholytes is first forced into the capillary with a syringe, and then both electrolyte reservoirs connected to the two ends of the capillary are filled with anolyte and catholyte, respectively. Some skill and care are required to ensure that no bubbles are inside the capillary, and that the sample solution inside the capillary is not mixed with the electrolytes in the reservoirs..sup.7 Each time a sample is changed, the electrolyte in each of the two reservoirs must be changed. This sampling procedure takes about 2-5 minutes for single capillary instruments.

Fast sampling device and sampling method for capillary electrophoresis


Three-wire communication cables are useful for operation with a vehicle as vehicular data communication cables. The cables include a cable core formed of three insulated wires twisted together at a defined pitch and a jacket surrounding the cable core. The cables can meet Mobile Industry Processor Interface (“MIPI”) C-PHY℠ standard (Version 1.2) as well as International Standards Organization (“ISO”) 6722-1 (2011) and 14572 (2011).

Vehicles, such as automobiles, increasingly require high bandwidth communication cables to transmit data throughout the vehicle. For example, vehicles increasingly include a number of sensors, such as cameras and radar sensors, for such purposes as augmented awareness, automatic safety features, and self-driving capabilities. Vehicles also increasingly include other high bandwidth devices such as high-resolution displays to display vehicle information or entertainment.
Adan S. Sanchez et al., Three-wire Twisted Cable Modeling and Experimental Validation for MIPI C-PHY in Automotive Applications, DesignCon 2017 Proceedings (2017), describes the modeling and simulation of a C-PHY interface transmitting over a 3-wire twisted cable harness that considerably extends the typical channel length of C-PHY, as demanded by automotive applications. The 3-wire cable is fully characterized both in measurements and simulations. Results including 3D EM modeling of cost-optimized C-PHY cables and eye diagrams for channels of varying lengths are presented.


Sugar beet plants which are resistant to both imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides are described. The sugar beet plants are derived from susceptible cells by sequential selection of SU-R cells, plant regeneration, and re-selection for IM-R. The resistant sugar beet plants derived from the cells can be grown in fields where imidazolinones and sulfonylureas have been used for weed control.

(1) Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing sugar beet plants (Beta vulgaris L.) which are resistant to both imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides used for weed control. In particular, the present invention relates to sugar beet plants derived from a susceptible sugar beet by mutation of a gene encoding acetolactate synthase (ALS) also known as acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) using the herbicides sequentially with cells in a culture medium.
(2) Description of Related Art
The prior art has described the genetic alteration of the acetolactate synthase gene by recombinant means as shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,659; 5,141,870 and 5,378,824. This type of modification in sugar beet plants is shown by Example IV of the '824 patent. The results were less than satisfactory in producing plants which breed true for the herbicide resistance.
Saunders et al. in Crop Science 32:1357-1360 (1992) also describe the production of the sugar beet plant (CR1-B) which is resistant to sulfonylureas from the susceptible self-fertile clone (REL-1) by selection for mutant cells in a culture medium containing the herbicide. Various resistant plants were produced and cross-bred. Hart et al. (Weed Science 40378-383 (1992) and 41:317-324 (1993)) further characterized the resistant line and determined the resistance was due to altered ALS activity and showed no cross resistance to other ALS-inhibiting herbicides, and was coded for by a single, semidominant gene.
There are no publications describing imidazolinone resistance obtained by modifying ALS in sugar beet plants. There is no description in the literature of plants which are resistant to both imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides. Various corn lines with imidazolinone resistance have been developed as described by Newhouse et al. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 83:65-70 (1991).
A commercial route to crop protection is the use of clinical "safeners" such as described in European Patent No. 375,875. This method introduces another chemical into the soil. The preferred method is to develop sugar beet plants which are resistant to the imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides.

Imidazolinone and sulfonyl urea herbicide resistant sugar beet plants

Board of Trustees Operating Michigan State University


A halftone screen pattern generation system for computing halftone screened images with rotated screens including multiple angle and ruling combinations, including irrational tangent angles, is disclosed. A screen pattern is generated by storing a plurality of strips from an ideal angled screen pattern, and then concatenating a sequence comprising a selected order of the plurality of strips in a sequence. The error between the actual generated screen and ideal desired screen is computed. Each subsequent strip is selected from the plurality of strips so as to reduce the accumulated error. In one embodiment, a screen pattern is generated by storing one strip of an ideal angled screen pattern, and then concatenating a selected sequence comprising the strip and substrips of the strip. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the measure of error between the actual generated screen and the ideal angled screen is the length of a vector in a transformed UV space between the actual screen sample point and the idealized screen sample point. The error is determined by vector addition of the accumulated error, from strip to strip, which is added to the present error contribution from the present strip.

Images are typically stored in a memory representing tone values for each pixel of the original image. For a black and white image, the stored pixels represent the gray scale value corresponding to each pixel. For a color image, each color plane is stored as an array of pixels each representing the tone value for each pixel of the image in each respective color plane. For example, if each of the pixels of a black and white image is represented by a 8 bit digital word, then the tone value for a given image pixel may be one of 256 values between the black level and the white level.
Continuous tone images do not print well on most printing devices where typically the absence or presence of the ink on the paper is used to represent the printed image. In order to represent halftones (shades between the presence or absence of the printed ink), the original image is screened to produce a pattern, such as a variable size dots which appear to the human eye as a halftone image.
In order to prepare a photograph for printing, it is first necessary to perform the step of halftone screening, which converts the continuous gray shades of the original into dots of varying size and shape. Typically, these dots are arranged on a regular grid of approximately 100 dots per inch. This spatial frequency is known as the screen ruling. Thus, one square inch of the final printed photograph will be composed of approximately 10,000 dots.
Screening to produce halftone images is well known. The screen consists of an array of dots, or halftone cells, each of which represents one section of continuous tone in the original image as a single dot of variable size and shape. A halftone cell, in turn, consists of an array of smaller screen pixels, or samples, each having individual values against which the input pixels derived from the original image will be compared. The individual values of the smaller screen pixels, or samples, of the repeating halftone cell which form the variable dots is referred to herein as a spot function.
The halftone screening step consists of a screen pattern generating step, and a comparison step between the input image and the screen pattern. The screen is usually stored as a fairly small pattern that repeats itself or is repeatedly generated by programming. At any point where the original image is greater than the screen pattern, the output is marked. At any point where the image is not greater than the screen pattern, the output is not marked. In other words, if the value of the image pixel is greater than corresponding value of the screen cell, a mark is generated by the marking engine, whereas if the value of the image pixel is less or equal to the screen cell value, then no mark is generated by the marking engine, or vice versa. In this way, the final screened image, composed of dots, is produced.
In color printing, there are four separate steps of halftone screening, one each for the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. It is advantageous to angle the halftone grid differently for each of the four planes. For example, the most common practice is to angle the cyan dots by 15 degrees, magenta by 75 degrees, yellow by 0 (or 90) degrees, and black by 45 degrees. If these angles are adhered to precisely, as well as the screen ruling being precisely identical for all four planes, then optimum results are achieved.
Precise screen angles can be achieved quite easily in photomechanical systems by simply rotating the photographic screen carrier. However, when the image is processed electronically, and the screened image is to be produced by a digital raster scan recording device, the problem becomes much more difficult. Rational numbers, which can be represented as the ratio of two integers, are relatively easy to accurately represent in a digital computer. Irrational numbers, which cannot be represented as the ratio of two integers, are much more difficult to accurately represent in a digital computer or any digital device. The tangent of a 15 or 75 degree angle is an irrational number. Therefore, screens of 15 and 75 degrees can be expected to be difficult to generate in a digital device. Also, irrational screen rulings where the number of pixels per screen cell is not a rational number can be expected to be difficult to accurately reproduce in a digital computer.
Prior art techniques fall into two classes. In the first class, the angles can be approximated, but not achieved precisely. These techniques are known as rational tangent angle techniques, because the screen angles are limited to arctangents of rational numbers. As a result of the inaccuracy of the screens angles and rulings, objectionable moire patterns result. A method exemplary of this technique is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,194 (Holladay). The screen pattern is represented by a strip of pixels. To generate the screen pattern, this strip is repeated across the width of the image. To angle the screen pattern, this strip is shifted by a certain number of pixels each scan line. An advantage of this technique is that it is very fast. Another advantage is the relatively modest memory requirement for the screen.
In the second class of screen generating techniques, precise angles and rulings can be achieved, but only at the cost of a large amount of computation for each pixel. This technique is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,499,489 (Gall) and 4,350,996 (Rosenfeld). The device coordinate system is represented by XY space, and a halftone cell in the screen to be printed is represented by a vector in UV space, i.e. the coordinate system of the rotated screen. For each pixel, the position of the pixel in XY space is transformed into UV space. The screen pattern for that point can be determined by applying the spot function to the UV coordinates.
Although Gall and Rosenfeld describe certain speed optimizations, the disclosed technique requires many more operations per pixel than do rational angle techniques, and therefore the speed is inferior. Another technique for generating accurate screen angles is described in European Patent 0 427 380 A2 (Schiller). The Schiller patent describes a rational tangent angle method that can achieve fairly accurate screens at the cost of requiring a substantial amount of memory, typically on the order of hundreds of thousands of words.
The present invention uses a novel technique which has the high speed and low memory requirements of a rational tangent method yet produces halftone screens with the precision of irrational angles. The present invention provides a method for implementing a halftone screen pattern generation system for rotated screens including multiple angle and ruling combinations, and to produce a screened image formed with a rotated screen on a digital raster output device. In addition, the present invention provides a method of computing halftone screened images that can be made to work very quickly when implemented as a computer program, requires a relatively small amount of memory, and minimizes the number of cache misses when implemented as a computer program running on a computer incorporating a cache.

Screen generation for halftone screening of images


A method to inject a slurry into a subterranean formation includes measuring characteristic data from a well in communication with the subterranean formation, estimating downhole properties of the slurry using the measured characteristic data, measuring surface properties of the slurry with a measurement apparatus, determining optimal surface properties for the slurry from the estimated downhole properties, comparing the measured surface properties with the determined optimal surface properties, modifying the slurry until the measured surface properties are within tolerance values of the determined optimal surface properties, and injecting the modified slurry into the subterranean formation through the well.

When drilling in earth formations, various waste materials including drilling cuttings (i.e., pieces of a formation dislodged by the cutting action of teeth on a drill bit) are produced. Often, in circumstances where surface storage and disposal resources are limited, these waste products may be re-injected into the formation through a cuttings re-injection (CRI) operation. While the term "cuttings re-injection" is used to describe the operation, it should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the term is used generically to describe any process whereby drilling waste including, but not limited to, drill cuttings, produced sands, water, scale, and other byproducts, are reintroduced into the formation using methods and apparatus described herein.
Typically, a CRI operation involves the collection and transportation of cuttings from solid control equipment on a rig to a slurrification unit. The slurrification unit subsequently grinds the cuttings (as needed) into small particles in the presence of a fluid to create a slurry. The slurry is then transferred to a slurry holding tank for conditioning. The conditioning process affects the rheology of the slurry, yielding a "conditioned slurry." The conditioned slurry is pumped into a disposal formation by creating fractures under high pressure. Typically, the conditioned slurry may be delivered to the disposal formation through a casing annulus or a tubular system to a dedicated disposal wellbore but, in circumstances where such a wellbore is unavailable, the slurry may be delivered to a disposal section of a producing wellbore. The conditioned slurry is often injected intermittently in batches into the disposal formation. The batch process may involve injecting roughly the same volumes of conditioned slurry and then waiting for a period of time (e.g., shut-in time) after each injection. Each batch injection may last from a few hours to several days or even longer, depending upon the batch volume and the injection rate.
The batch processing (i.e., injecting conditioned slurry into the disposal formation and then waiting for a period of time after the injection) allows the fractures to close and dissipate, to a certain extent, the build-up of pressure in the disposal formation. However, the pressure in the disposal formation typically increases due to the presence of the injected solids (i.e., the solids present in the drill cuttings slurry), thereby promoting new fracture creation during subsequent batch injections. The new fractures are typically not aligned with the azimuths of previous existing fractures.
Release of waste into the environment must be avoided and waste containment must be assured to satisfy stringent governmental regulations. Important containment factors considered during the course of the operations include the following: the location of the injected waste and the mechanisms for storage; the capacity of an injection wellbore or annulus; whether injection should continue in the current zone or in a different zone; whether another disposal wellbore should be drilled; the required operating parameters necessary for proper waste containment; and the operational slurry design parameters necessary for solids suspension during slurry transport.
As many of the rigs used to drill oil and/or gas wells currently enjoy much smaller footprints than oil and/or gas wells of the past, the desired footprint for CRI operations has been reduced as well. As the CRI operation space has decreased, the need has arisen for space allocated to various pieces of equipment and systems to also decrease. Further, the decrease in available space and time spent preparing the site for CRI has accentuated the need for decreasing the footprint and preparation time for monitoring, as well as other associated equipment.
At locations where petroleum products are being recovered, refined or processed, a number of flammable gases may be present, including mixtures of oxygen, methane, ethane, propane, hydrogen sulfide and others. Standardized classifications for various types of hazardous locations have been adopted and assigned by regulatory agencies according to the nature and type of hazard that is generally present or that may occasionally be present.
Because electrical components, by their nature, may generate heat and sparks sufficient to ignite a flammable gas or other flammable mixture under even normal operating conditions, such components must be carefully designed, selected and installed when used in an area that is classified as hazardous. More specifically, the components must exceed certain minimum standards as to such characteristics as power consumption, operating temperature, current and voltage requirements, and energy storage capabilities. These standards are also established by regulatory authorities and vary depending upon the particular hazardous environment.

Apparatus and method to monitor slurries for waste re-injection


An apparatus for translating and rotating a cartridge (such as an optical disk cartridge) which utilizes a U-shaped rack engaged with a non-translating (but rotating) pinion, a carrier for the cartridge connected to the rack, and a motor for spinning the pinion on its axis. The apparatus enables the cartridge to be inserted with a shutter face forward, and translates and rotates the cartridge into the final (loaded) position with the shutter face in the opposite direction.

Optical disks are an increasingly popular medium for digitally storing information. Information is stored in binary format, with binary zeros represented by non-reflective pits stamped into a plastic disk and binary ones represented by reflective high points on the disk. The data is retrieved by an optical head which directs a laser source onto the surface of the disk and which utilizes a light sensitive photo diode to detect light reflecting from the disk surface. The binary information is converted to electrical signals and decoded into audio and/or video output.
In present large-scale optical disk storage and retrieval systems each disk is installed in a separate cartridge having a separate drive. Each cartridge is comprised of an enclosed casing which includes the disk and all of the components, including the drive mechanism, optical head, and electronics, which are necessary for retrieving the data from the disk. The cartridges are installed into the storage system via a slot in the system and are multiplexed to the central processing unit.
These disk cartridges are square in shape and have two large square faces which correspond to the top and bottom of the disk, and four thin rectangular faces which surround the disk. On one of the four faces is a shutter. The shutter provides a port through which the cartridge is interfaced to the central processing unit.
Many mass storage library systems require that the cartridge be inserted into the system shutter side last, which is opposite to the direction made customary by devices such as video cassette recorders and audio cassettes. Others allow for introduction of the shutter first, but rely on complex systems of cams and gears to rotate the cartridge for pick up by the cartridge selection mechanism of the library system.

Translation and rotation mechanism for cartridge loading


An exercise system is presented utilizing a plurality of adjustable resistance members. Specifically, an athletic garment is presented, such as athletic shorts, having a plurality of padded elements therein which cover a user's muscles and provide resistance when exercising. In addition, the garment has a plurality of opposing attachment sites and a plurality of resistance bands connected between opposing attachment sites. When a user wears the athletic garment while exercising, the padded elements and the resistance bands stretch and resist movement thereby providing an improved workout.

This invention is related to exercising. More specifically this invention is related to an exercising system that utilizes resistance to enhance exercising.
Exercising and working out is a common practice among individuals to keep themselves in shape. Specifically, individuals can either go to a track, gym or in the comfort of their own home to lift weights, use exercise bikes, treadmills, go running, walking, or do hurdles, engage in sports such as karate and the like in order to provide conditioning for themselves to get physically fit. Further, individuals rehabbing injuries similarly engage in conditioning to strengthen a muscle area that has been previously damaged.
Over the years many different training regiments have been developed and equipment invented in order to enhance the exercise experience. For example, weights are presented that vibrate in order to provide a different way of working muscle. Treadmills are built in with heart and pulse monitors in order to provide information about the individual while running. Other improvements have been presented in the clothing worn by athletes. For example, individuals in track and swimming wear skin-tight garments in order to make themselves more aerodynamic and faster.
Despite these improvement problems still remain. Specifically, lugging around heavy weights or being tied to a specific machine is often difficult and undesirable. Further, the cost of purchasing such equipment is often extremely expensive and thus not desired.
Thus a primary object of the present invention is to provide an exercise system that does not require heavy weights.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise system that is efficient.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise system that does not require the user to be tied to a particular machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise system that is of minimal cost.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise system that convenient to use.
These and other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.


The present application discloses systems and methods to for a high speed electronic switch with the internal capability to reduce noise. This noise reduction is accomplished through a noise suppression circuit. A noise source is connected a signal source; a noise suppression circuit is electrically connected to the switching source; and a switch driver is electrically connected to a noise suppression circuit. The noise reduction unit prevents noise from being propagated from the noise source to an output switch, thereby preventing the noise from reaching the downstream signal line.

Wireless technology involves the sending and receiving of signal transmissions through switching devices. Current and future wireless technology is becoming more heavily reliant on high speed switching to provide platform flexibility and functionality. Inherent in this high speed switching is the problem associated with noise. Reducing the amount of noise within a signal transmission creates a correlated gain in the linearity of signals and improves the quality of signal transmission.
Noise is often created by devices such as amplifiers. Amplifiers are necessary to provide functionality such as adjusting clock signal characteristics but carry the cost of added noise. As the switching time within the wireless technology continues to decrease, the effect of this noise increases. Finding ways to improve signal quality through reduced noise remains a challenge in all fields of signal processing.


A process for charging a cell is disclosed. In this process, a discharged cell is connected to a charger. Discharge pulses are periodically withdrawn from the cell. Charging pulses are provided by the charger, and they are delivered to the cell only when the cell voltage at the end of the discharge interval is less than a specified reference voltage.

The recharging of primary batteries is frequently discouraged by battery manufacturers. Thus, for example, on page 2 of a publication entitled "Eveready Battery Engineering Data" (Union Carbide Corporation, New York, 1968), a warning is made that "IF `EVEREADY` PRIMARY BATTERIES ARE SUBJECTED TO ANY FORM OF RECHARGING, ALL WARRANTIES . . . ARE NULL AND VOID. NOTE THE DISCUSSION ON PAGE 23."
Page 23 of the Union Carbide publication discloses that, under certain limited conditions, one may recharge a primary battery. Quoting the National Bureau of Standards (letter circular LC965), the publication states that: "Although the dry cell is nominally considered a primary battery it may be recharged for a limited number of cycles under certain conditions. 1. The operating voltage on discharge should not be below 1.0 volt per cell when battery is removed from service for charging. 2. The battery should be placed on charge very soon after removal from service. 3. The ampere-hours of recharge should be 120%-180% of the discharge. 4. Charging rate should be low enough to distribute recharge over 12-16 hours. 5. Cells must be put into service soon after charging as the recharged cells have poor shelf life."
As is disclosed by this Union Carbide publication, the prior art method for recharging primary batteries is unattractive. In the first place, an operating voltage on discharge above 1.0 volt severely limits the available energy which can be withdrawn from the battery, representing only shallow discharge. In the second place, it is not always possible to place a battery on charge very soon after removal from service In the third place, end users of batteries often are unwilling to recharge a battery for a prolonged period of up to 16 hours, preferring shorter recharging cycles. In the fourth place, the recharged batteries produced by the prior process have poor shelf life.
It is an object of this invention to provide a process for recharging primary batteries which can permit an operating voltage on discharge substantially below 1.0 volt.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process for recharging primary batteries which minimizes the adverse effect of delayed recharging.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process which can effectively recharge a primary battery in as little as about 8 hours.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a battery recharging process which will provide recharged primary batteries with substantially improved shelf lives.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a battery recharging process suitable for recharging rechargeable alkaline-manganese ("RAM") batteries.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a battery recharging process suitable for recharging rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a battery recharging process suitable for recharging rechargeable lead-acetate batteries.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a battery charging process suitable for recharging batteries containing lithium and thionyl chloride.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a battery charging process suitable for recharging lithium-sulfur batteries.


According to the present invention, for reliably carrying out a request for access to processing data which is an object of processing in a data processing apparatus even if the processing data is not retained in a storage unit, the storage unit includes a first timer for detecting the fact that an elapsed time for the readout processing in the readout unit reaches a first predetermined time set in advance, and a first response unit for, when the processing in the readout unit continues after the detection of the first predetermined time by the first timer, transmitting a signal indicative of normal in-operation to the data processing apparatus. Moreover, the data processing apparatus includes an implementation unit for, when receiving the signal indicative of the normal in-operation from the first response unit, conducting the processing on the re-issue of the processing data access request.

1.) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a large-capacity information processing system in which a library unit and a storage unit are disposed in hierarchical relation.
2.) Description of the Related Art
In general, a large-capacity information processing system (information managing system) has principally employed a library unit functioning as a large-capacity external storage unit. This library unit, accommodating a large number of recording mediums such as a magnetic tapes or optical disks, has a function to gain access automatically to data in each recording medium.
However, the readout processing or write processing on information between this library unit and a data processing apparatus (for example, host computer) requires extremely much time, which has forced the library unit to use as a backup unit.
Meanwhile, although a hard disk unit (storage unit) having a hard disk (magnetic disk) is capable of gaining high-speed access, it requires an overwhelming higher cost in comparison with a magnetic tape, an optical disk or the like, so difficulty is experienced in realizing a large-capacity information processing system employing only a hard disk.
For this reason, an information processing system (which will hereinafter be referred to as a "hierarchical storage system") has been employed, which realizes low cost and high-speed access simultaneously in such a manner as to arrange high-speed access-gainable hard disk units (storage units) and library units hierarchically (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 5-88975).
However, since the hierarchical storage system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 5-88975 is designed to efficiently manage data between a library unit and a hard disk unit through the use of management on a host computer which issues a request on access to data, the host computer serving as a user is required to pay attention to each of the library unit and the hard disk unit.
In addition, management software, which is for managing the hierarchical storage (library unit and hard disk unit), is provided on the host computer, and this bears heavily not only upon the resources of the computer but also the user's network resources because there is a need to make, through the use of a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like, a connection between the host computer and the library unit and a connection between the host computer and the hard disk unit.
Therefore, there has been proposed a technique in which, instead of on a host computer, management software for the management of a hierarchical storage is provided on a hierarchical storage to achieve the management through the hierarchical storage itself without using the resources of a host computer serving as a user (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-235457).
Meanwhile, in a case in which, after the issue of a host I/O (Input/Output; input/output request), the waiting time for a response to this I/O exceeds a predetermined period of time, a host computer has so far been made to detect the time-out (error) for canceling the processing on this I/O request, which avoids a wasteful long waiting time for the host I/O, thus achieving efficient processing.
Although it is desirable that a host computer detects the time-out even in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-235457, if a hard disk unit does not retain data which is an object of an access request (I/O request) issued from the host computer (data which is an object of processing in the host computer), in the case of the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-235457, there is a need to read out this processing data from a library unit. Thus, in the case of the issue of access to the library unit, an extremely longer waiting time occurs in the host computer in comparison with the case in which the hard disk unit retains the processing data.
For this reason, even if the hierarchical storage system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-235457 employs a facility designed so that a host computer detects the time-out, in a case in which the processing data is read out from the library unit, a long waiting time occurs in the host computer even though it is in a normal operation according to an access request from the host computer, which can cause the host computer to detect the time-out (error).

Information processing system, storage unit, and storage control program recorded computer-readable recording medium


The systems of the invention include test cells with a first sorbent material defining a first flow path for a solution, a second sorbent material defining a second flow path distinct from the first flow path for a sample, and a test line or test site with immobilized antigens or antibodies or other ligand binding molecules such as aptamers, nucleic acids, etc. located at the junction of the first and second sorbent materials. The first and second sorbent strips touch each other at the test site location.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to immunoassay devices and the methods for their use. More particularly, this invention relates to chromatographic rapid test strips for detection of a ligand in a body fluid.
2. State of the Art
Many types of ligand-receptor assays have been used to detect the presence of various substances, often generally called ligands, in body fluids such as blood, urine, or saliva. These assays involve antigen antibody reactions, synthetic conjugates comprising radioactive, enzymatic, fluorescent, or visually observable polystyrene or metal sol tags, and specially designed reactor chambers. In all these assays, there is a receptor, e.g., an antibody, which is specific for the selected ligand or antigen, and a means for detecting the presence, and in some cases the amount, of the ligand-receptor reaction product. Some tests are designed to make a quantitative determination, but in many circumstances all that is required is a positive/negative qualitative indication. Examples of such qualitative assays include blood typing, most types of urinalysis, pregnancy tests, and AIDS tests. For these tests, a visually observable indicator such as the presence of agglutination or a color change is preferred.
Even the qualitative assays must be very sensitive because of the often small concentration of the ligand of interest in the test fluid. False positives can also be troublesome, particularly with agglutination and other rapid detection methods such as dipstick and color change tests. Because of these problems, so-called "sandwich" assays and other sensitive detection mechanisms which use metal sols or other types of colored particles have been developed.
In a "sandwich" assay, a target analyte such as an antigen is "sandwiched" between a labeled antibody and an antibody immobilized onto a solid support. The assay is read by observing the presence and/or amount of bound antigen-labeled antibody complex. In a "competition" immunoassay, antibody bound to a solid surface is contacted with a sample containing an unknown quantity of antigen analyte and with labeled antigen of the same type. The amount of labeled antigen bound on the solid surface is then determined to provide an indirect measure of the amount of antigen analyte in the sample.
Because these and other assays can detect both antibodies and antigens, they are generally referred to as immunochemical ligand-receptor assays or simply immunoassays.
Solid phase immunoassay devices, whether of the sandwich or competition type, provide sensitive detection of an analyte in a biological fluid sample such as blood, urine, or saliva. Solid phase immunoassay devices incorporate a solid support to which one member of a ligand-receptor pair, usually an antibody, antigen, or hapten, is bound. Common early forms of solid supports were plates, tubes, or beads of polystyrene which were well known from the fields of radioimmunoassay and enzyme immunoassay. In the last decade, a number of porous materials such as nylon, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, glass fibers, and other porous polymers have been employed as solid supports.
A number of self-contained immunoassay kits using porous materials as solid phase carriers of immunochemical components such as antigens, haptens, or antibodies have been described. These kits are usually dipstick, flow-through, or migratory in design.
In the more common forms of dipstick assays, as typified by home pregnancy and ovulation detection kits, immunochemical components such as antibodies are bound to a solid phase. The assay device is "dipped" for incubation into a sample suspected of containing unknown antigen analyte. Enzyme-labeled antibody is then added, either simultaneously or after an incubation period. The device is then washed and inserted into a second solution containing a substrate for the enzyme. The enzyme-label, if present, interacts with the substrate, causing the formation of colored products which either deposit as a precipitate onto the solid phase or produce a visible color change in the substrate solution.
Flow-through type immunoassay devices were designed to obviate the need for extensive incubation and cumbersome washing steps associated with dipstick assays. Valkirs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,901, disclose a device comprising antibody (specific to a target antigen analyte) bound to a porous membrane or filter to which is added a liquid sample. As the liquid flows through the membrane, target analyte binds to the antibody. The addition of sample is followed by addition of labeled antibody. The visual detection of labeled antibody provides an indication of the presence of target antigen analyte in the sample.
Korom et al., EP-A 0 299 359, discloses a variation in the flow-through device in which the labeled antibody is incorporated into a membrane which acts as a reagent delivery system.
The requirement of multiple addition and washing steps with dipstick and flow-through type immunoassay devices increases the likelihood that minimally trained personnel and home users will obtain erroneous assay results.
In migration type assays, a membrane is impregnated with the reagents needed to perform the assay. An analyte detection zone is provided in which labeled analyte is bound and assay indicia is read. See, for example, Tom et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,241, and Zuk, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,275. The sensitivity of migration type assays is frequently reduced, however, by the presence or formation in the sample of undesirable solid components which block the passage of labeled analyte to the detection zone. Assay sensitivity also declines when migration assay devices are flooded with too much liquid sample.
Migration assay devices usually incorporate within them reagents which have been attached to colored labels (i.e., conjugates), thereby permitting visible detection of the assay results without addition of further substances. See, for example, Bernstein, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,853. Among such labels are gold sol particles such as those described by Leuvering in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,734, dye sol particles such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,932 by Gribnau et al., dyed latex such as described by May et al., WO 88/08534, and dyes encapsulated in liposomes by Campbell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,017. These colored labels are generally limited in terms of the immobilization methods which are suitable. Moreover, they require a relatively large amount of ligand molecule and can involve expensive reagents, thereby adding to the cost. Thus, there still remains a need for extremely reliable but inexpensive rapid detection devices. There also still remains a need for a highly sensitive assay which can utilize a small sample volume while providing accurate results.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A vehicular headlamp having a light source bulb inserted into a reflector from a side of an optical axis Ax at a position below the optical axis enables an area to the side of the optical axis of the reflective surface of the reflector to be utilized effectively for light distribution control. The shape of the reflective surface of the reflector in a vertical cross section that includes the optical axis Ax is defined by a curve, which is formed such that a normal line of each point of the reflective surface is positioned between a bisector of a line segment that joins each point with a light source and a line segment that joins each point with an upper end edge of a shade, and a bisector of the line segment and a line segment that joins each point with an upper end edge of a rear surface opening of a projection lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular headlamp structured to radiate light to form a low-beam distribution pattern. In particular, the present invention relates to a projector-type vehicular headlamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a projection-type vehicular headlamp is structured such that a projection lens is disposed on an optical axis that extends in a vehicular longitudinal direction, a light source is disposed at a rear side of a rear side focal point of the projection lens, and light from the light source is reflected toward the optical axis by a reflector.
In addition, Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. Hei. 2-47704 ("Patent Document 1") and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-229715 ("Patent Document 2") describe a side-insertion-type lamp configuration in which, in a projection-type vehicular headlamp with the structure described above, the light source is constituted by the light-emitting portion of a light source bulb that is fixedly mounted on the reflector from a side of the optical axis.
Moreover, the vehicular headlamp described in Patent Document 2 is structured such that a shade that blocks a portion of the light reflected from the reflector is provided in the proximity of the rear side focal point of the projection lens, thereby enabling radiation of light in order to form a low-beam distribution pattern.
If a side-insertion-type lamp configuration as described in either of the Patent Documents above is used, the longitudinal size of the lamp is reduced, thereby enabling the lamp to be made more compact.
However, the vehicular headlamps described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have the following problems, which arise due to the fact that a light source bulb is fixedly mounted on a reflector with the light-emitting portion of the bulb lying in the same horizontal plane as that containing the optical axis of the lamp.
Specifically, although an area of the reflective surface of the reflector to the side of the optical axis is suitable for forming a diffusion region of a low-beam distribution pattern, if the light source bulb is fixedly mounted on the reflector in the same horizontal plane as the optical axis, the area to the side of the optical axis cannot be utilized effectively for light distribution control because a hole for inserting the light source bulb must be formed in the area to the side of the optical axis of the reflective surface, which makes it difficult to secure sufficient brightness for the diffusion region of the low-beam distribution pattern.
Furthermore, if the light source is structured as a line segment light source that extends in a bulb central axis direction, the luminous flux utilization factor with respect to light emitted from the light source is reduced in comparison with that which can be obtained from a line segment light source that extends in an optical axis direction, and the low-beam distribution pattern is darkened by a corresponding amount.


A system for inserting viewer-specific advertising content comprises a viewer device. The viewer device identifies viewer characteristics regarding the viewer. Upon receipt of advertising content, the viewer device identifies advertisements matching the viewer characteristics. The viewer device inserts the advertisements matching the viewer characteristics into broadcast content.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for inserting into broadcast programming advertising content targeted to specific viewers. More specifically, the invention relates to identifying viewer characteristics and inserting into broadcast programming advertising content corresponding to the viewer characteristics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In existing national and local network broadcast systems, advertisement insertion is controlled by cue tones. A cue-tone is an audible signal that is placed into the television program stream, typically by the content provider such as a studio to identify to local broadcasters when to insert an advertisement. Cue-tones are placed at specific points in programming streams to indicate where advertisements may be inserted—typically at the beginning and ending of shows, and at the 10, 12, 15, and 30 minute marks of a program. Cue tones also indicate the duration of the advertising break. For example, cue-tones may dictate insertion of a 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, or 120 second segment. Content providers use cue-tone generators to insert the tones into the broadcast prior to forwarding broadcast content to local broadcasters. Local broadcast operators employ cue-tone based advertising insertion systems to detect the cue-tones and insert the desired advertising. The cue tones occur a number of seconds before the advertising is to actually be inserted, allowing the automated insertion systems time to cut-over and play advertising content that is applicable to the local broadcaster's broadcast region.
Generally, existing advertising insertion systems operated by broadcast programmers are located at a centralized distribution point that sometimes is referred to as a headend. The broadcaster is limited to inserting generic advertisements that will be presented to all viewers receiving content "downstream" from this centralized distribution point. These centralized advertising insertion systems provide the ability to target viewers based on "upstream" characteristics such as the broadcast source (for example, the broadcast network) or the specific program into which the advertising content is to be inserted. For example, existing advertisement insertion systems may insert an advertisement for a program from the same provider, or advertisements specially directed at persons in the "target audience" of the program presently airing.
Applicants have recognized, however, that existing centralized insertion systems lack the capability to target viewers and viewer groups within the broadcast area. Indeed, due to the centralized nature of existing advertisement insertion systems, the systems are limited in their capability to target viewers based upon "downstream" characteristics such as, for example, the characteristics of the viewers themselves. Indeed, the capability to provide advertising geared toward individual viewer characteristics would be particularly valuable for broadcast providers such as direct to home satellite (DTH) providers whose service area typically includes a large geographic and broad demographic region. For example, it would be a great improvement in the art to match advertisements to a particular viewer based upon the viewer's age, location, viewing habits, etc. Such a system would be beneficial to viewers, broadcasters, and advertisers alike.

System and method for inserting advertising content in broadcast programming


A head stack assembly of a disk drive has a hub including a side margin defining a channel for carrying VCM conductors at least partially around an angular offset such that the conductors are contained within a peripheral outline of the hub and the conductors can extend completely within an overmolding thickness. A first portion of a flexible interconnection biases against a side margin of the hub such that a rotation of the HSA causes a length of the first portion to change. A floating portion of length of the flexible extension follows a semicircular path between a first contact position on the hub and a second contact position on the support surface such that a floating loop diameter is defined between the contact positions. The hub and the support surface can be configured for changing the floating loop diameter with rotation to vary resilient biasing torque to the HSA.

There is an ever-increasing need for relatively large amounts of digital storage in portable devices. One approach in satisfying this need, that has been taken by the prior art, is through the use of a miniaturized hard disk drive. Unfortunately, however, it is submitted that many features used in some current miniaturized hard disk drives simply represent smaller versions of larger form factor counterparts, with somewhat limited substantive technological advancement.
One example, commonly seen in miniaturized hard disk drives, resides in the use of an S loop for purposes of electrically interfacing the actuator arm or head stack assembly of the drive. FIG. 1a is a diagrammatic, plan view illustrating a prior art hard disk drive, generally indicated by the reference number 10. Drive 10 includes a disk 12 that is supported for controlled rotation thereof, and an actuator assembly 14 having a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) end 16 and a transducer end 18. These components are supported within a housing 20. A flexible interconnection arrangement includes a flex cable connection or S loop 22 which bridges between a fixed mounting point within housing 20 and actuator assembly 14. It is noted that drive 10 is a "load-unload" type drive having a ramp outward of disk 12 for receiving actuator 14 in an unloaded position. Hence, actuator 14 is shown at an inside diameter (ID) and, in phantom, using dashed lines, at its unloaded position which is indicated by the reference number 14′. In this regard, S loop 22 changes shape and position responsive to pivotal movement of actuator assembly 14 and is shown using solid lines as it appears with actuator 14 at its ID position and is shown using dashed lines as it appears with actuator 14′ at its unloaded position, indicated by the reference number 22′. Movement of S loop 22 between the ID and unloaded positions causes the flex cable to sweep across a swept area 26 that is indicated by hatching. It should be appreciated that swept area 26 represents a relatively large and elongated footprint in drive 10. Moreover, in a small form factor "thin" drive, no other components can generally be positioned above or below the swept area, since the drive is simply too thin to accommodate anything in swept area 26 other than the flex cable extension itself.
FIG. 1b is a diagrammatic, plan view illustrating another prior art hard disk drive, generally indicated by the reference number 40. Drive 40 includes like components with respect to drive 10 of FIG. 1a. Hence, like reference numbers have been applied and descriptions of like components will not be repeated for purposes of brevity. It should be appreciated, however, that swept area 26 again represents a significant footprint in drive 40. As is also the case with respect to drive 10, it is considered that the dimensional requirements of an S loop swept area are an impediment with respect to miniaturization.
A general concern with respect to a prior art S loop resides in the possibility that the loop can "toggle". That is, the curvature along the loop essentially reverses. In this event, interference concerns are likely. Efforts to reduce the overall size and swept area increase the concern with respect to toggling.
There are earlier approaches in the prior art which do not appear to require the use of an S loop. One example is seen in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,800 (hereinafter, the '800 patent) which uses a linear actuator. Since there was little concern, at the time, with respect to form factor, it is believed that a very large swept area is required by the linear actuator configuration of the '800 patent. Another approach was taken in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,021 (hereinafter, the '021 patent) wherein there again appears to be no particular concern with reduction of form factor. In the '021 patent, a free portion of the flex cable moves and is suspended between fixedly attached ends, one of which rotates with the actuator. Unfortunately, it is submitted that a large, elongated swept area is required when using this configuration.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Flexible electrical interconnection with ends urged into engagement with curved surfaces of a support and hub in a miniature hard disk drive and method


A system includes a memory including a plurality of rings, an endpoint associated with a ring of the plurality of rings, and a gateway. The gateway is configured to receive a notification from the endpoint regarding a packet made available in the ring associated with the endpoint, access the ring with an RDMA read request, retrieve the packet made available in the ring, and forward the packet on an external network.

Computer systems may routinely copy memory entries from one memory to a different memory. For example, while forwarding incoming networking traffic to a physical or virtual machine, packets may be received and later copied to another memory location. Processors may execute instructions to read, write, and copy memory entries, such as packet addresses to forward networking traffic to different machines. For example, memory entries may be temporarily stored in ring buffers on a first-in-first-out basis before being copied to the memory associated with a different machine. Specifically, incoming networking traffic may be stored on a ring buffer and later copied to other memory locations.

Remote direct memory access based networking gateway


A system for cooling a fuel injector extending into a combustion gas flow field includes a liner that defines a combustion gas flow path within a combustor and a fuel injector that extends through the liner. The fuel injector includes a main body having an annular first portion that extends outward from the liner and a second portion that extends from the first portion inward into the combustion gas flow path. The main body defines a cooling channel that is fully circumscribed within the main body and that extends between the first portion and the second portion. A cooling air inlet is defined within the annular first portion and is in fluid communication with the cooling channel. A cooling air outlet is in fluid communication with the cooling channel and is defined within the second portion downstream from the cooling air inlet.

A gas turbine generally includes a compressor section, a combustion section having a combustor and a turbine section. The compressor section progressively increases the pressure of the working fluid to supply a compressed working fluid to the combustion section. The compressed working fluid is routed through and/or around a fuel nozzle that extends axially within the combustor. A fuel is injected into the flow of the compressed working fluid to form a combustible mixture.
The combustible mixture is burned within a combustion chamber to generate combustion gases having a high temperature, pressure and velocity. The combustion gases flow through one or more liners or ducts that define a hot gas path into the turbine section. The combustion gases expand as they flow through the turbine section to produce work. For example, expansion of the combustion gases in the turbine section may rotate a shaft connected to a generator to produce electricity.
The temperature of the combustion gases directly influences the thermodynamic efficiency, design margins, and resulting emissions of the combustor. For example, higher combustion gas temperatures generally improve the thermodynamic efficiency of the combustor. However, higher combustion gas temperatures may increase the disassociation rate of diatomic nitrogen, thereby increasing the production of undesirable emissions such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx) for a particular residence time in the combustor. Conversely, a lower combustion gas temperature associated with reduced fuel flow and/or part load operation (turndown) generally reduces the chemical reaction rates of the combustion gases, thereby increasing the production of carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (UHCs) for the same residence time in the combustor.
In order to balance overall emissions performance and thermal efficiency of the combustor, certain combustor designs include multiple fuel injectors that are arranged around the liner and positioned generally downstream from the primary combustion zone. The fuel injectors generally extend radially through the liner to provide for fluid communication into the combustion gas flow field. This type of system is commonly known in the art and/or the gas turbine industry as Late Lean Injection (LLI) and/or as axial fuel staging.
In operation, a portion of the compressed working fluid is routed through and/or around each of the fuel injectors and into the combustion gas flow field. A liquid or gaseous fuel from the fuel injectors is injected into the flow of the compressed working fluid to provide a lean or air-rich combustible mixture which spontaneously combusts as it mixes with the hot combustion gases, thereby increasing the firing temperature of the combustor without producing a corresponding increase in the residence time of the combustion gases inside the combustion chamber. As a result, the overall thermodynamic efficiency of the combustor may be increased without sacrificing overall emissions performance.
In order to overcome the high momentum of the combustion gases within the combustion gas flow field, a high volume of compressed air must be directed through the fuel injector to adequately push the fuel into the combustion gas flow stream. In addition or in the alternative, the fuel must be supplied at a relatively high pressure to adequately push the fuel into the combustion gas flow field.
Current solutions to address these issues include extending at least a portion of the fuel injector radially inward through the liner and into the combustion gas flow field. However, this approach exposes the fuel injectors to the hot combustion gases which may impact the mechanical life of the component and lead to fuel coke buildup. Therefore, an improved system for cooling a fuel injector that extends into a combustion gas flow field would be useful.

System for cooling a fuel injector extending into a combustion gas flow field and method for manufacture


The present invention provides apparatus for equalizing the tension across the width of a web traveling under tension in a generally flat plane. The apparatus includes a longitudinal extending bladder formed of an elastic material and inflated with a fluid at a predetermined pressure, and a support structure for supporting the bladder beneath the traveling web and across the width thereof so that the bladder is positioned at a predetermined height above the flat plane of the traveling web whereby any variances in the tension across the width of the web will be equalized by the bladder. A plurality of finger elements are mounted to the support structure to extend between the bladder and the traveling web to prevent abrasive wear on the bladder by the traveling web.

The present inventions relates generally to an apparatus for equalizing the tension in a web of material, and more particularly to apparatus of the type which is used to equalize variation in tension across the width of a traveling web.
In general, modem apparatus for forming and/or processing webs of material such as paper, fabrics and the like, require that the web have substantial width and that the web travel at a very high speed, all for the purpose of reducing the costs of forming or processing the web on a per unit basis. While these increases in the width and speed of the traveling web enhance manufacturing costs, these same increases also tend to increase variations in the tension across the width of web which, if not equalized or compensated for, can have adverse effects on the forming and/or processing of the web. These tension variations may be caused during the manufacture of the web or mechanically induced while the web is travelling through a variety of processes.
For example, in a typical apparatus for forming a web of paper, the traveling web of paper is passed around and in contact with the surface of a heater roller, and variation in the tension of the traveling web across its width can result in the web being pressed against the surface of the heated roll with unequal forces so that the heat from the heated roll is applied unevenly to the web across its width. Usually the inherent variation in the tension of the web will result in the outermost edge of the web having the least tension so that they tend to flap, but such inherent variation can cause other undesirable results, depending on the type of web being formed or processed (e.g. paper, fabric, etc.), and the particular application, all as is well known to those skilled in the art.

Apparatus for equalizing tension in a traveling web


A cigar enhancing humidor is airtight and nonporous and has a flavor additive chamber which is controllable to release moisture and flavoring into the humidor which are absorbed by the cigars to enhance their flavor.

The present invention relates, in general, to humidors, and in particular to a new and useful cigar enhancing humidor which improves the flavor of cigars contained therein.
Although an important function of a humidor is to safely store tobacco products, in particular cigars, an equally important function of the humidor is to provide an appropriate environment which preserves the cigars and which can actually improve the quality of the cigars over time.
A cigar comes from the plantations and rolling factories only one way, that is substantially finished as far as the flavor and taste is concerned. Aging causes (say some) flavor to increase such as fine wine. However, most experts say that 99% of the flavor is already in the well preserved cigar and only 1% improvement could be expected from aging. The purpose of the present invention is to actively control and steer cigar flavoring in a direction never before travelled, yet keeping it enjoyable and desirable.
Cigar smoking is a feast to all the senses, taste, feel, smell, and sight. The present invention seeks to address all of these and enhance them to a point which they become more desirable than a non-enhanced cigar.
Some examples of humidor structures can be found in the prior art. U.S. Patent Des. 372,138 discloses a cigar humidor storage cabinet design. U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,369 discloses an enclosure which forms a humidor for tobacco products.
Also see U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,051 for a humidor having multiple storage compartments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,009 discloses a cigar storage and transportation container which has a humidor for tobacco products which creates an airtight compartment and has a removable closure.


Method and apparatus are provided for reprocessing dry pellets made of waste bio-solids in which the pellets and wet sludge waste bio-solids are supplied to the inlet of a material combining conveyor whose angular position can be adjusted. The pellets are coated with the sludge as they travel along the material combining conveyor to its output which feeds a dryer or oven. By adjusting the speed, length and angular position of the material combining conveyor, the amount of sludge coated onto the pellets can be controlled. The material combining conveyor is preferably a sealed shaftless screw conveyor that extends in a generally veritcal direction so that pellets not properly coated fall by gravity to the conveyor inlet. Dry pellets and wet sludge can be supplied from separate bins to a common feed conveyor such as a shaftless screw conveyor which conveys the mixture to the input of the material combining conveyor.

The handling and disposal of bio-solids, such as human waste, presents a major problem. One technique utilized is to form the bio-solids into a wet sludge having approximately an 18% to 35% concentration of the bio-solids and to process the sludge into dry pellets. The pellets contain nitrogen in slow release form. They can be sold to fertilizer manufacturers for mixing with standard fertilizers or for use directly as a general fertilizer applied to agricultural areas.
In a standard plant for producing the pellets, the finished pellets must have a certain specific density (solid content as compared to liquid) and size. If the final product in the pelletizing plant does not meet the density and size specifications, then the pellets must be reprocessed. This is usually accomplished by returning the reject pellets to mix with incoming wet sludge to be recoated with additional sludge and recooked in a dryer to correct the proportion of density and size.
Many times, the reject pellets to be reprocessed amount to 60%-65% of the output of the pellet forming operation. The pellets to be reprocessed, which are dry, are transported vertically to a raised storage bin. This is usually accomplished by a bucket elevator. Such transport produces a substantial amount of dust and spill of the pellets to be reprocessed. From the bin, the pellets are distributed by gravity feed to a mixer, typically of the paddle or pin type. The wet sludge is also transported to the mixer. The mixer must insure that the dry pellets being reprocessed are evenly coated by the wet sludge and have achieved a size of to 3 to 4 mm. From the mixer the reprocessed material, now containing the added wet sludge, is transported to a high heat dryer.
This process of the prior art has a drawback in that the dust and spills produced possibly can give rise to a flashback explosion. Also, the process is lacking in providing different ways of adjusting the moisture and recoated sludge content of the reprocessed pellets.

Method for coating dry pellets made of waste bio-solids with waste bio-solids


A method and apparatus are provided for a subsidizing service provider entity to personalize a subscriber device to ensure the subscriber device cannot be used in a network of a different service provider entity. As the service provider entity subsidizes the subscriber device, it desires to ensure that subscriber device is personalized such that the subscriber device may operate only in its network and not a network of a different service provider entity. The subscriber device is pre-configured with a plurality of provider-specific and/or unassociated root certificates by the manufacturer of the subscriber device. A communication service is established between the service provider entity and the subscriber device allowing for the mutual authentication of the subscriber device and the service provider entity. After mutual authentication, the service provider entity sends a command to the subscriber device to disable/delete some/all root certificates that are unassociated with the service provider entity.

1. Field
One feature relates to communication systems, and more particularly, to an improved method for a service provider entity to personalize a subscriber device to ensure the subscriber device cannot be used in a network of a different service provider entity.
2. Background
Mobile network operators (i.e. network entities, service providers or service provider entities) may wish to subsidize subscriber devices, such as femtocells/Home (e) Node Bs (H(e)NB), relays, end-user devices including modems, tablets, and mobile phones. However, many of these emerging subscriber devices may not use smartcards for authentication, but instead may rely on authentication based on device certificates.
A network entity or service provider entity that subsidizes such a device may want to ensure that the subsidized device cannot be used in a network for a different service provider entity. As there is mutual authentication between the subscriber device, such as a femtocell, and the network of the service provider entity (e.g., Security Gateway in the case of femtocells), one way to achieve ensuring that the subsidized device cannot be used in a network for a different service provider entity is by ensuring that the subscriber device will successfully authenticate only to a specific service provider entity. Current methods for accomplishing this provide for the device manufacturer to install a root certificate for only one service provider entity on the subsidized device. Although this will enable a subsidizing service provider entity to ensure the subsidized device cannot be used in a network for a different service provider entity, it creates inefficiencies in the manufacturing process and prevents a subscriber device which was manufactured for one service provider entity from being sold to another, for example in the situation in which an order is cancelled.
Therefore, a system and method are needed that allow a subsidizing service provider entity to ensure a subsidized device cannot be used in a network for a different service provider entity while preventing the current inefficiencies in the manufacturing process.

Method and apparatus for network personalization of subscriber devices