A brake hydraulic pressure generator is proposed which is simple in structure and can suppress fluctuations in the brake pedal operating amount due to fluctuations in the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit. The brake hydraulic pressure generator includes an input shaft operated by a brake pedal, a stroke simulator for imparting a stroke and a reaction force corresponding to the brake pedal operating amount to the input shaft, a master cylinder for generating brake hydraulic pressure, and a pressure detector member for applying a reaction force corresponding to the hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder to a valve member of the control valve. The reaction force is transmitted through the pressure detector member to the control member. The input to the brake pedal is transmitted to the control valve through the stroke simulator so as to oppose the reaction force. The control valve operates to balance the reaction force and the input.

This invention relates to a vehicle brake hydraulic pressure generator of the type in which the output of a booster is adjusted by a control valve, and the thus adjusted output is used to produce a master cylinder pressure, thereby producing a brake hydraulic pressure corresponding to the brake pedal operating amount, and particularly a brake hydraulic pressure generator which can prevent fluctuations in the operating amount (stroke) of the brake pedal or deterioration of the brake pedal operating feeling even when the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit and/or hydraulic pressure changes. The invention further relates to a vehicle brake hydraulic pressure generator of the above-describe type further having the function of optimizing (quickly increasing) the output hydraulic pressure in the initial stage of brake operation, and/or the function of producing an increased brake hydraulic pressure only with the operating force applied by a driver when the brake booster function has been lost.
The booster in such a brake hydraulic pressure generator amplifies the brake operating force to produce an amplified master cylinder pressure. Such boosters include negative pressure types and hydraulic types. Some of brake hydraulic pressure generators including such a booster are structured such that the brake pedal operating amount directly corresponds to the amount of fluid discharged from the master cylinder. This type of generators have a drawback in that any increase in the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit at the onset of e.g. anti-lock brake control, regenerative cooperative brake control or vehicle stability control (VSC) has a direct influence on the operating amount of the brake operating means, typically a brake pedal, thus giving uncomfortableness to a driver.
In order to solve this problem, JP patent (unexamined) publication 2002-173016 proposes various brake hydraulic pressure generators which can suppress fluctuations in the brake pedal operating amount even when the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit fluctuates due to hydraulic pressure control actions not initiated by the driver.
One of the embodiments in this publication (shown in FIG. 4 of the publication) is briefly described here with reference to FIG. 14. More detailed description is found in this publication.
The brake hydraulic pressure generator of FIG. 14 includes a power plate 15a, a valve piston 5b (as a second valve element) received in the power plate 15a so as to be axially movable relative to the power plate 15a, and an input shaft 4 having an integral first valve element received in the valve piston 5b. The brake hydraulic pressure generator further includes a control valve comprising an atmospheric valve seat 5b3 formed on the first valve element, a negative pressure valve seat 5b4 formed on the valve piston 5b, and a valve body 5 fixed to the inner surface of the valve piston 5b for adjusting the output of the power plate 15a by controlling the pressure in a variable pressure chamber (power chamber) 15b.
When the input shaft is pushed in, a pressure difference is produced between the variable pressure chamber 15b and a constant pressure chamber (negative pressure chamber) 15c. Under this pressure difference, the power plate 15a is pushed toward the master cylinder under an amplified pressure. The master cylinder thus produces brake hydraulic pressure corresponding to the brake operating amount, which is supplied to the brake circuit (wheel cylinders 9). The master cylinder pressure acts on the input shaft 4 as a reaction force.
The strokes of the input shaft 4 and the valve piston 5b are always substantially equal to each other. The input shaft 4 stops when the thrust force applied to the valve piston 5b under the pressure in the variable pressure chamber 15b balances with the force of a spring 7. That is, the stroke of the input shaft 4 is determined by the force of the spring 7. The reaction force that opposes the brake pedal operating force is the master cylinder pressure that is applied to the tip of the input shaft 4. The master cylinder pressure is determined by the pressure in the variable pressure chamber 15b. Thus, the relation between the stroke of the brake pedal and the reaction force applied to the brake pedal are not influenced by and can be set independently of the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit.
In this arrangement, because the first valve element, which is integral with the input shaft 4, and the second valve element (valve piston 5b), which is axially movable relative to the first valve element, are adapted to move substantially together with each other when the brake pedal is depressed, in order to prevent fluctuations in the brake pedal operating amount due to fluctuations in the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit, it is necessary to provide a complicated stroke-power converter for controlling the position of the valve piston 5b. This pushes up the cost and size of the entire device.
An object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic pressure generator which can suppress fluctuations in the brake pedal operating amount due to fluctuations in the amount of brake fluid consumed in the brake circuit or fluctuations in the hydraulic pressure with a simple structure, thereby achieving desirable stroke characteristics of the brake operating means.
Also, conventional brake hydraulic pressure generators have no brake pressure jump function, i.e. cannot quickly increase the brake pressure in the initial stage of brake operation, so that it is impossible to optimally control the output hydraulic pressure in the initial stage of brake operation.
Another object of this invention is therefore to provide a brake hydraulic pressure generator which has a brake pressure jump function.
When the booster function has been lost, i.e. if no negative pressure is introduced into the constant pressure chamber 15c, the operating force applied to the brake pedal by the driver had to be transmitted to the master cylinder piston 16a while compressing the spring 7 and the return spring (not shown) for the power plate 15a. That is, part of the force applied to the brake pedal is used to compress the springs, and cannot be fully used to generate brake hydraulic pressure.
A further object of the invention is therefore to provide a brake hydraulic pressure generator which is capable of generating a greater brake hydraulic pressure when the booster function has been lost.

Vehicle brake hydraulic pressure generator


A method and an apparatus for converting a video signal having a predetermined aspect ratio into a signal adapted for a television receiver having a wider aspect ratio. An analog to digital converter converts the received video signal into a digital signal. A main picture processor converts the video signal of the first aspect ratio into a main screen of the television receiver. A picture-out-picture processor converts the video signal having the first aspect ratio into at least one picture-out-picture screen of the television receiver. A multiplexed picture formation portion multiplexes the video signals for the main and picture-out-picture screens into a video signal having the second aspect ratio appropriate for the television receiver. A control signal generator controls the picture-out-picture processor and the multiplexed picture formation portion. When an NTSC broadcast is displayed on the television receiver having a 16-to-9 aspect ratio, the pictures are prevented from being spread to the left and right sides of the screen. Utilization of the POP screens facilitates search or comparison of the important pictures when watching the TV.

The present invention relates to a control method and apparatus capable of displaying a video signal having a narrow aspect ratio on a television receiver having a wide aspect ratio. More particularly, it relates to a picture-out-picture control apparatus and method capable of displaying a plurality of picture-out-pictures (hereinafter referred to as POP) on a blank screen which is produced when an NTSC (National Television System Committee) broadcast is displayed on a television receiver having a wide aspect ratio such as a high definition television (HDTV).
The present NTSC television has a 4-to-3 aspect ratio. However, a 16-to-9 aspect ratio, such as in the high definition television, provides a user with a much more vivid image or stereo-like-vision. Even though high definition television broadcasts are not yet widely practiced, apparatus and methods for displaying the NTSC broadcast have been developed. Further, a video signal of the video cassette recorder, having a size of a visual system transmission algorithm (VISTA) on a television receiver with a 16-to-9 aspect ratio, have also been developed. If temporal compression of the video signal is not performed when displaying the NTSC broadcast on the 16-to-9 television receiver, the displayed pictures become spread out in the left and right directions on the screen. Accordingly, to display the NTSC broadcast with a 4-to-3 aspect ratio on the television receiver with a 16-to-9 aspect ratio, the NTSC broadcast signal should be temporally compressed, so that a user can watch the normal video pictures. However, since the temporally compressed video signal is short along the horizontal direction, the left or right side of the screen remains blank.
Also, in existing television receivers capable of displaying still pictures, when a still picture function is performed, an entire moving picture stops being displayed on the screen.

Picture-out-picture control apparatus and method thereof


An inspection system including a first subsystem including a first identity verification system and a passenger screening system each configured to receive information from a passenger and store the verified information in a database, and a second subsystem including at least a second identity verification system configured to receive information from the passenger, the second subsystem configured to compare the verified identity information to the information received from the passenger at the second subsystem to verify the identity of the passenger.

This invention relates generally to personnel screening systems, and more particularly to, an integrated passenger identity verification and screening kiosk.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has recently mandated more stringent inspection procedures to be implemented by the travel industry to reduce the possibility of passengers boarding a carrier such as a plane, for example, carrying concealed weapons, explosives, or other contraband. To facilitate preventing passengers boarding a plane carrying concealed weapons, explosives, etc., the TSA requires that all passengers be screened prior to boarding the aircraft.
For example, passengers arriving at the airport terminal first submit to a manual verification process that generally includes presenting their boarding pass and a form of identification such as a driver's license or passport, for example, to security personnel. The security personnel then manually verify that the passenger has a valid boarding pass, the name on the identification corresponds to the name on the boarding pass, and that the picture on the license or passport corresponds to the passenger presenting the license and boarding pass to the security personnel.
After the manual verification process is completed, the passenger is requested to walk through a metal detector to ensure that the passenger is not carrying any concealed weapons. While the metal detector is reasonably effective at detecting specific quantities of metal, the metal detector can not distinguish between a possible weapon or other non-threatening items such as shoes that may include metallic portions. As a result, security personnel frequently request that passengers remove their shoes and place their shoes into the baggage screening system such that security personnel can visually verify the metallic object prior to the passenger boarding the plane and to also ascertain whether the shoes may conceal any explosive material or devices. Passengers are also asked to remove coats and jackets, passing them through the baggage screening system. This has the effect of making it easier for checkpoint personnel to observe possible concealed objects, such as explosives, under their remaining clothes, which are now less bulky and thus less likely to obscure the presence of concealed items.
As such, at least one known airport screening system relies on manual observations to verify the identity of the passenger and also utilizes electronic scanners and metal detectors to ascertain whether the passenger or the luggage includes any weapons or explosives. Moreover, each passenger is subjected to the same level of screening without regard to the threat that may be posed by the passenger. As a result, the known system is time-consuming for the passengers, and does not alert the security personnel when a low threat passenger or high threat passenger is being screened such that the security personnel may either increase or decrease the level of screening that the passenger or the passenger's personal effects are subjected to.


A closed conduit system for use in a water supply system includes a recirculating unit configured to connect to an isolated section between a first point and a second point of the water supply system. The recirculating unit includes a first filter unit defining a first closed circuit including the isolated section and adapted to perform a first treatment. A second filter unit defines a second closed circuit including the isolated section and is adapted to perform a second treatment. At least one pump is capable of generating a flow of water through the first and the second closed circuit, and a valve selectively controls flow through either the first or the second closed circuit.

Almost all water providers are required to have their mains large enough to provide a sufficient flow for fire protection. This means that the flow rate or velocities in the large mains during normal use are reduced significantly, allowing particulates to settle and aggregate at the bottom of the main and also substances such as iron, manganese, bio-film, etc. (collectively "substances") to adhere to the inside surfaces of the pipe. After a length of time the particulates and substances build up and, if there are any surges in the system, the particulates and substances are stirred up causing the water to appear dirty. To remedy this occurrence the entire system may be flushed annually from hydrants and blow-offs located throughout the entire system. This method wastes millions of gallons of water each year, may cause property damage, may flood streets causing traffic problems and is usually performed at night to avoid the public eye, making the flushing procedure very costly.
In addition to the above problems, new regulations require that the water be de-chlorinated before it is allowed to drain into any storm drainage system. A NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit is required and containment systems need to be in place to protect against washing silt and other materials into the storm drains.
Also, from time to time, it is necessary to flush water systems which deliver potable tap water. This is especially the case with newly installed water mains. Before water passing through a pipe can be used for drinking water purposes, it is necessary to thoroughly flush the mains with tap water. In order to maintain water quality, it is also necessary, from time to time, to flush local tap water delivery systems such as neighborhood and subdivision tap water systems.
Generally, discharges from potable water systems result from overflow, flushing, disinfection, hydrostatic testing, mechanical cleaning or dewatering of vessels or structures used to store or convey potable water. This frequently includes fire hydrant flushing in which high velocity streams are generated on the order of 2,000 gallons per minute for a period of 10-15 minutes. By periodically testing fire hydrants (fire flow testing), it can be determined if sufficient water is available in the system for firefighting purposes.
Additionally, potable tap water usually contains residual chlorine. The Federal Clean Water Act and state agency regulations regarding discharges of potable water, such as regulations promulgated by the Maryland Department of the Environment, require that total maximum daily amount of residual chlorine must be less than 0.1 mg/liter. At levels higher than 0.1 mg/liter, aquatic life is endangered and fish kills can occur. Since potable tap water and water discharged from fire hydrants which originates with county water systems is necessarily initially chlorinated, heavy discharges of this water will adversely affect aquatic life unless the amount of residual chlorine is reduced to less than 0.1 mg/liter. In the past, this was either not done or, when attempted, was done by injecting sodium sulfite into the discharge stream. This is a difficult process to perform and monitor because it is necessary to dispense sodium sulfite in controlled amounts according to the volume of water being treated. If there is too much sodium sulfite, it can itself cause pollution problems by interfering with pH levels and if the amount is insufficient, excessive residual chlorine will remain. It has been found that the injection approach requires not only highly skilled personnel, but extensive training. Moreover, the end result is unpredictable. Thus, while some attempts have been made at improving water main flushing systems, the real problems of water waste and water quality still remain to be addressed.
Thus, what is needed is a system for periodically inspecting, cleaning and maintaining water mains or other piping systems that does not require depressurization of the main and allows for filter by-pass and isolation to prevent wasting the water, or dumping water containing chemicals and pipe sediments into the environment during and following water main flushing and repair. The present invention addresses these, and other, needs.

Water main recirculating system with filter by-pass and isolation and method of using same


The present invention relates to aqueous polyesters for high-solids stoving coatings which contain. a) 35.0 to 65.0% by weight of a polyester resin containing urethane, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups and containing the reaction product of PA0 b) 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of a basic neutralizing agent which is sufficient to convert 35 to 100% of the carboxyl groups of component a) to carboxylate groups, PA0 c) 0 to 7.5% by weight of an organic auxiliary solvent and PA0 d) 26 to 64.9% by weight water,. 77 to 89% by weight of a branched polyester polyol having a hydroxyl number of 125 to 175, an acid number of less than 4 and a molecular weight of 2,500 to 6,500, PA1 2) 2.5 to 4.5% by weight of a 2,2-bis-(hydroxymethyl)alkane carboxylic acid, PA1 3) 0 to 3.5% by weight of a diol component having a molecular weight of 62 to 250 and PA1 4) 9 to 19% by weight of a diisocyanate component, PA1 wherein the percentages of a1), a2), a3) and a4) add up to 100%, based on the weight of a1), a2), a3) and a4),. wherein the percentages of a), b), c) and d) add up to 100%, based on the weight of a), b), c) and d).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aqueous polyesters for high-solids stoving lacquers which contain urethane, carboxylate and hydroxyl groups and only small quantities of organic auxiliary solvents and volatile neutralizing agents, to a process for the production of these polyesters and to their use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that water-based binders which have a relatively high solids content and contain little or no organic auxiliary solvent can be produced by using internal or external nonionic emulsifiers (cf. for example Die Angewandte Makromolekulare Chemie 123/124 (1984), pages 285 to 306 and pages 437 et seq) and D. H. Solomon, "The Chemistry of Organic Film Formers", John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1967) pages 280 et seq. Since these emulsifiers remain in the film even after curing, they can adversely affect the properties of the coatings, including their resistance to water, detergents and weathering. Another problem of nonionic emulsions of the type in question is their generally poor stability, for example, to shear stressing during the production of lacquers, such that they tend to coagulate. In addition, it is not possible to obtain high-gloss coatings from these products.
Water dilutability of polymers can also be obtained by chemically incorporated, base-neutralized acid groups, more particularly carboxyl groups, or by chemically incorporated acid-neutralized tertiary amino groups (cf. for example DE-OS No. 2,749,692, EP-A No. 218,906 or L. Dulog, Die Angew. Makro. Chemie 123/124 (1984), pages 437 et seq). During the curing of coatings containing such binders, the films become insoluble in water through dissociation of the hydrophilic salt groups and evaporation of the volatile neutralizing agents. However, depending on the type of neutralizing agent used and the hardening conditions, large quantities of neutralizing agent may remain in the film.
If the predominant quantity of neutralizing agent remains in the film, the resulting hydrophilic salt groups represent potential points of attack, for example for moisture, such that the quality of the coatings can be adversely affected. By contrast, evaporation of the amine in relatively large quantities results in environmental concerns, especially when relatively large quantities of volatile, organic auxiliary solvents are also used.
To reduce environmental pollution, expensive absorption or incineration plants are necessary.
For these reasons, there is a need for water-based coating compositions which contain very little organic solvent and, in addition, only require a small quantity of volatile neutralizing agents.
In addition, a water-based coating composition is expected to have a high solids content in water. This is desirable for energy-saving reasons, for example, reduced transport costs and a relatively low heat demand for evaporating the water during the curing of the binders. In addition, more favorable application or film properties, including greater layer thicknesses, can be obtained. Dry film thicknesses of 50 to 70 .mu.m are generally difficult to achieve with water-based binders because there is a pronounced tendency towards the formation of boiling-induced bubbles, craters and other film defects. These defects are normally eliminated or reduced by the addition of volatile high-boiling solvents, organic auxiliary solvents or similar additives, although their addition makes the binders less environmentally acceptable.
Water-based binders are also expected to provide high resistance to hydrolysis and storage although this is not always the case, particularly with low-solvent binders.
Highly flexible coatings are being increasingly used in many fields of application, for example, in industrial coatings, in automotive non-chip coatings and fillers, for crack-covering coatings, etc. Newly developed binders should enable highly flexible coatings to be produced, whether in combination with crosslinking resins or as a flexibilizing additive to existing binder compositions having insufficient flexibility.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a water-based binder for high-solids stoving lacquers which satisfy the previously stated requirements. The coatings produced with this binder should contain less than 6.0% by weight, preferably less than 4.5% by weight and more preferably no organic solvent; contain less than 1.1% by weight, preferably less than 0.9% by weight, of neutralizing agent; and have a solid contents of .gtoreq.50% by weight, preferably .gtoreq.54% by weight. In addition, the binder should contain free hydroxyl groups to allow crosslinking reactions at temperatures >110.degree. C. The binders according to the invention should be suitable for the production of flexible coatings and, in addition, should be capable of being applied without difficulty in considerable layer thicknesses. In combination with crosslinking resins to form stoving lacquers, the binders according to the invention should be stable in storage.
It has now surprisingly been found that these objectives may be achieved with the binders of the present invention described in more detail hereinafter.

Aqueous polyesters, a process for their production and their use in high-solids stoving lacquers


The present invention relates to an adjustable ophthalmic lens comprising at least one optical element comprising a combination of at least two optical surfaces wherein both optical surfaces are chiral optical surfaces adapted to provide chiral modulation of the light beam, the combination of the chiral optical surfaces is adapted to provide at least one adjustable focus and the combination of the chiral optical surfaces is adapted such that the focal distance of the adjustable foci depends on the mutual position of the chiral optical surfaces. These chiral optical surfaces result in a chiral modulation of the light beam. Combinations of chiral optical surfaces are applied to obtain adjustable optical powers in single-focus ophthalmic lenses and multiple-focus ophthalmic lenses.

Ophthalmic lenses (also: "OLs") correct for optical errors of the eye, for example refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia and presbyopia as well as other errors such as astigmatism. OLs can be positioned outside the human eye as, for example, spectacle lenses or contact lenses, which OLs can be monofocal (with one focal distance), multifocal (with multiple focal distances) or progressive (with a range of focal distances). Monofocal OLs provide sharp vision at a single focal distance and are most common, for example, as reading spectacles and most contact lenses. Multifocal OLs provide at least two foci, for example, bi-focal spectacles and multifocal contact lenses, or, alternatively, provide a continuous range of focal distances, as in, for example, progressive spectacles.
Intraocular lenses (also: "IOLs") are OLs which are positioned inside the human eye and which can be monofocal, multifocal, progressive and accommodating (with variable focus). The inventions set forth in the present document can be applied to all OLs, for example spectacles, for example bi-focal spectacles; IOLs will be used henceforth to illustrate the principles and embodiments of said lenses.
IOLs are generally implanted by a surgeon after removal of the natural lens. Monofocal IOLs, diffractive and refractive multifocal IOLs providing multiple (generally two or three foci) are most common. Accommodating IOLs, providing a variable focus and driven by the accommodative process of the eye, are in development.
IOLs can be monofocal, providing monofocality, having a single focal distance. Monofocal IOLs in combination with the natural optical elements of the eye allow to project a single sharp image of a single object plane on the retina. IOLs can also be multifocal, providing multifocality, having multiple distinct focal distances. With multifocal IOLs a mix of multiple sharp images of multiple object planes on the retina can be obtained. Additionally, the focal distance of the lens can be fixed at manufacturing, as in fixed focus monofocal IOLs, or as in fixed multifocal IOLs. Alternatively, the focal distances of the IOLs can be adjustable as in adjustable focus monofocal OLs (of which the single focal distance is adjustable) and adjustable multifocal IOLs (of which at least one focal distance is adjustable). Accommodating IOLs have a fixed focal distance at the resting state (in an emmetrope eye) and a variable focal distance at the accommodative state. In accommodation the focal distance of the IOL depends on the degree of accommodation of the eye. In adjustable accommodating IOLs the fixed focal distance of the lens is adjustable which is important for obtaining emmetropia.
Diffractive IOLs combine a plurality of diffractive zones to provide multifocality. Diffractive multifocal IOLs have a large number of steep transition zones which zones cause significant image degradation due to scattering of light. In some cases diffractive IOLs may project ghost images, i. e. unwanted diffractive orders, on the retina leading to serious disorders in visual perception.
Refractive multifocal IOLs do not result in image degradation caused by scattering because of smooth surfaces and a limited number of transition zones. Such refractive multifocal IOLs include designs with a plurality of optical zones as in US2006192919 and WO2007037690, designs with radial-symmetry as in WO0108605 and WO9206400, designs with aspheric optical surfaces and with sloping optical surfaces along the azimuth as in WO0203126 and DE10241208 and designs including a smooth cubic phase mask as in US2003225455.
Chiral Optical Surfaces
A chiral optical surface is a surface of an optical element providing chiral phase modulation of light. For example, a chiral surface of a refractive optical element made of a material with a constant refractive index is a chiral optical surface. In mathematical terms, a three-dimensional surface is defined to be chiral if it is not invariant under parity transformation. This means that the mirror image of the surface can not be mapped onto the original by any rotations and translations, see FIG. 2. Definitions of chirality are given, for example, by M. Petitjean (J. Math. Phys. 43, 4147-4157, 2002) and Salomon et al. (J. Mater. Chem. 25, 295-308, 1999), both documents are included in this document by reference. The degree of chirality can be quantified in terms of topological charge or continuous chirality measure.
Chiral optical surfaces, in the context of this document, are characterized by certain steepness in radial and azimuthal directions. The steepness can progress either linearly or non-linearly according to any function which does not break the required chiral symmetry of the surface. Chiral optical surfaces can also include, but not necessarily so, at least one transition zone, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.
A chiral optical surface can be constructed from virtually any optical shape including parabolic, spherical, prismatic shapes etc. For example, consider a cubic surface defined byz=SU(x,y)≡U(axy2+bx3/3)  (1)in the coordinate system OXYZ, see FIG. 1, with the Z axis along the optical axis; U is the surface steepness measured, for example, in [mm−2]; a and b are the dimensionless constants, usually a=b when the X- and Y-axes have equal scales. According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,294, a pair of such cubic elements (a=b), mutually shifted along the X axis, can produce a variable-focus lens. Applying parity transformations (x,y)→(−x,y) or (x,y)→(x,−y), it can be easily found that this surface is not chiral. However, a combination of the two cubic surfaces can be made chiral, for example, a composite surface defined by
                    z        =                  {                                                                                S                                              U                                                  1                                                                                (                                                                        x                          +                                                      x                            0                                                                          ,                        y                                            )                                                        ,                                      y                    ≥                    0                                                                                S                                              U                                                  2                                                                                (                                                                        x                          -                                                      x                            0                                                                          ,                        y                                            )                                                        ,                                      y                    <                    0                                                                                (        2        )            where x0 is the constant of shift, U1 and U2 are the surface steepness parameters (generally U1≠U2), is a chiral surface. The surface defined by Eq. (2) is shown in FIG. 4.
By analogy with US2003225455, which describes one cubic surface on one optical element for an extended depth of field (EDF) intraocular lens, it can be noted that the chiral composite surface defined by Eq. (2) also provides continuous multifocality, or EDF. The multifocality ranges are determined by the parameters U1 and U2 in combination with x0 and can be chosen different providing two distinct multifocality zones (along the optical axis). Similarly, with an optical element comprising three cubic surfaces three distinct multifocality zones can be obtained etc.
The man skilled in the art can easily conclude that the combination (as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,294) of an optical surface defined by Eq. (2) with a cubic optical surface given by Eq. (1), as shown in FIG. 5, results in a lens with two distinct foci. These foci can be separated along the optical axis, Z-axis, and in the XY-plane (when linear tilt, i. e. wedge prism, is added to one of the optical surfaces).
Mathematical Framework
Assuming that a pair of identical optical elements is superimposed to form a variable-focus lens centred at the point O′ and, in cylindrical coordinates, each of the elements is specified by the functionz=S(r,θ),  (3)where z is the thickness of the element, r is the radius and θ is the polar angle and the point O′ characterized by the vector r0 is the centre of the optical surface with the area D, see FIG. 1. Let O be the centre of rotation, then if one element is rotated by +Δθ and another element is rotated by −Δθ the resulting thickness becomesΔz=S(r,θ+Δθ)−S(r,θ−Δθ).  (4)Taking the rotation-dependent thickness of a resulting variable-focus lens in the formΔz=ΔθA(r−r0)2,  (5)i. e. the optical power of the lens changes linearly with Δθ, A being the amplitude coefficient, applying Taylor expansions to Eqs. 4 and 5 it can be found
                                                                        Δ                                                                                ϑ                                                                                A                                                              (                                              r                        -                                                  r                          0                                                                    )                                                        2                                            =                                                                            S                                                        (                                          r                      ,                                              ϑ                        +                        Δϑ                                                              )                                                  -                                  S                                                        (                                          r                      ,                                              ϑ                        -                        Δϑ                                                              )                                                                                ≅                                                                            2                                                                                Δϑ                                                                              ∂                                              S                                                                          (                                                      r                            ,                            ϑ                                                    )                                                                                ∂                      ϑ                                                                      +                                  2                                                                                (                                                  Δ                                                                                ϑ                                                )                                            3                                                              3                      !                                                                                ∂                        3                                                                                S                                                                          (                                                      r                            ,                            ϑ                                                    )                                                                                ∂                                              ϑ                        3                                                                                +                …                                                                        (        6        )            Note that if |θ|<<1 Eq. (5) simplifies toΔz=ΔθA(r−r0)2≡ΔθA(r2+r02−2rr0[1−θ2/2]).  (7)The approximation of the unknown function S(r,θ) at |θ|<<1 can be determined from the differential equation
                                          ∂                          S                                            (                                  r                  ,                  ϑ                                )                                                          ∂            ϑ                          =                              A            2                                                        (                                                r                  2                                +                                  r                  0                  2                                -                                  2                                                                                rr                      0                                                                                [                                              1                        -                                                                              ϑ                            2                                                    /                          2                                                                    ]                                                                                )                        .                                              (        8        )            The general solution of Eq. (8) takes the form
                                          S                                      (                              r                ,                ϑ                            )                                =                                                    A                2                                                                            (                                      r                    -                                          r                      0                                                        )                                2                                          ϑ                        +                                                            Arr                  0                                6                                                          ϑ                3                                      +            C                          ,                            (        9        )            where C is the integration constant. Using Eq. (9) the resulting thickness given by Eq. (4) becomes
                              Δ                                                              z                =                              Δϑ                                                                                A                                            (                                                      r                    2                                    +                                      r                    0                    2                                    -                                      2                                                                                rr                        0                                                                                [                                                  1                          -                                                                                ϑ                              2                                                        /                            2                                                                          ]                                                                                )                                              +                                                                                (                    Δϑ                    )                                    3                                                A                            3                                                                  rr                0                            .                                                          (        10        )            The residual term (Δθ)3 Arr0/3 is a cone with a vertex at the origin O. The steepness of the cone changes cubically along with Δθ.
Consider now an extreme case when the centre of rotation O is located at infinity, or |r|,|r0|→∞. In this case the rotation is equivalent to a linear shift which is convenient to represent in Cartesian coordinatesx=r sin θ→rθy=(r−r0)cos θ→(r−r0)′  (11)Eq. (9) to take the form
                                                        z              =                                                                            S                                                        (                                          r                      ,                      ϑ                                        )                                                  →                                                      S                    ~                                                                          (                                          x                      ,                      y                                        )                                                                                =                                                                                A                                          2                                                                                r                        0                                                                                (                                                                                x                          3                                                /                        3                                            +                                              xy                        2                                                              )                                                  +                                  C                  .                                                                                (        12        )            which coincides with the main term of cubic surfaces described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,294 by L. Alvarez. A pair of Alvarez elements, being reciprocally displaced, produces a variable-focus parabolic lens with the optical power changing linearly with the lateral shift.
In another extreme, when the centre of rotation O coincides with the lens centre O′, or r0=0, Eq. (9) simplifies to
                                          S                                      (                              r                ,                ϑ                            )                                =                                                    A                2                                                          r                2                                          ϑ                        +            C                          ,                            (        13        )            and the resulting angle-depended thickness, as defined by Eq. (4), becomesΔz=ΔθAr2.  (14)
Equation (13) determines the thickness of a parabolic screw-type chiral optical element. In the simplest configuration when one surface of the optical element is flat, another surface is a parabolic screw-type chiral surface, or alternatively, a parabolic chiral optical surface, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
It should be noted that implementations of adjustable refractive power from rotation have been described in a prior art document "Adjustable refractive power from diffractive moiré elements," by S. Bernet and M. Ritsch-Marte, Appl. Optics 47, 3722-3730 (2008), which document is included in the present document by reference. However, the authors limited the study to diffractive optical elements (DOEs) only. Their design resulted in a varifocal Fresnel lens with an additional sector lens of a different optical power. An optimized DOE design was suggested to avoid the additional sector lens.
As seen from Eq. (14), the optical power of a variable-focus lens centered at O′ is proportional to ΔθA and changes linearly with the angle of rotation Δθ. However, this expression is valid only for the angular sector Δθ≦θ<2π−Δθ. The sectors 0≦θ<Δθ and 2π−Δθ≦θ<2π result in an optical power proportional to ΔθA−πA. So, the variable-focus lens with two mutually rotated screw-type chiral optical elements produces two distinct foci, see FIGS. 7-9. Note also that the light intensities in the foci are proportional to 2(π−Δθ) and 2Δθ respectively.
For example, using formulas from W. J. Smith, Modern Optical Engineering, 3-rd. ed. (McGraw-Hill, New York, 2000), the optical power Φ, i. e. inverse focal length, of the lens combination comprising two mutually rotated screw-type chiral optical elements made of a material with the index of refraction n becomesΦ1=2(n−1)ΔθA,  (15)when Δθ≦θ<2π−Δθ andΦ2=2(n−1)(Δθ−π)A,  (16)when 0≦θ<Δθ and 2π−Δθ≦θ<2π.
It can be proven mathematically that a single chiral optical element with the thickness function according to Eq. (13) produces an effective multifocality, i. e. EDF. Making use of the general expression for the optical transfer function (OTF) of an incoherent optical system, i. e. an eye with an implanted chiral optical element, see J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, (Roberts & Company, 2005), in the paraxial approximation it can be easily found thatH(ωr,ωα,φ)≅H(ωr,ωα+2φ/A,0),  (17)where H is the defocused OTF, φ is the defocus parameter (see J. W. Goodman for explanations), and ωr and ωα are the spatial frequency in polar coordinatesωx=ωy cos ωα,ωx=ωy sin ωα,  (18)where ωx and ωy are the corresponding spatial frequencies in the Cartesian coordinates. So, as seen from Eq. (17), defocusing does not lead to degradation of the resulting image (on the retina) but only rotation of the image. This rotation can be made very small by maximizing the steepness parameter A. FIG. 6 represents an ophthalmic lens comprising a single chiral optical element with continuous multifocality.


An object configuration module for configuring an object retrieves a view object associated with a user from a database. The view object may comprise a plurality of attributes. The object configuration module may further retrieve configuration information for the view object from the database. The configuration information may comprise properties of the attributes, and the properties may be customized by the user for the view object. The object configuration module may then set the properties for each of the attributes based on the retrieved configuration information.

Computer or web applications can be utilized to display information retrieved from a database system. The information may be displayed by the application in a table layout, for example. Typically, an application developer, at the time of design, would develop code to retrieve data from the database and to display the information in a table with designated properties and format. An end user of the application would not have the ability to configure the pre-designated properties or format of the data unless the end user had access to, and the ability to modify, the underlying code.


Methods of screening and identifying tumor-activated prodrug forms of therapeutic agents are described.

Many tumor agents, such as anthracyclines and vinca alkaloids, have been developed in the last few years and are especially effective for the treatment of cancers. However, these molecules are often characterized in vivo by an acute toxicity, especially a marrow and mucosal toxicity, as well as a chronic cardiac toxicity in the case of the anthracyclines and chronic neurological toxicity in the case of the vinca alkaloids.
Thus, it has been sought to develop more specific antitumor agents, so that they are more effective against tumor cells, and consequently to decrease the side effects of these products (toxicity, destruction of non-tumor cells, etc.).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,105 describes doxorubicin derivatives linked to an optionally substituted amino acid, which possess in vitro a higher antitumor activity and lower toxicity than doxorubicin.
However, since these derivatives have an intracellular action site, these molecules are still liable to enter tumor cells and normal cells.
Thus, in the last few years, new therapeutic agents have been proposed in the form of prodrugs.
Prodrugs are molecules capable of being converted to drugs (active therapeutic compounds) by certain chemical or enzymatic modifications of their structure.
However, these prodrugs are also characterized by a low stability in the blood and serum, which contain enzymes which inactivate these molecules.
The documents Chemical Abstract 97:150635, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 23, pp. 1171-1174 (1980); Drugs Exp. Clin., Vol. 9, pp. 303-311 (1983); Journal of Medical Chemistry, Vol. 23, pp. 1166-1170 (1980) and Patent Application BE-882.541 describe prodrugs comprising a carrier linked to the drug via a peptide arm. Preferably, the arm consists of four amino acids and is linked via its free carboxyl function to the free amine function of derivatives of anthracyclines such as daunorubicin.
In addition, the arm of these prodrugs is linked via its free amine function to a carrier consisting of a macromolecule (protein such as BSA, immunoglobulins, etc.) which permits the selective endocytosis of the prodrug by target cells.
It is also known that methotrexate may be used for the treatment of inflammatory reactions such as rheumatic diseases, but its high toxicity limits its applications.

Tumor-activated prodrug compounds and treatment


A computer system provides system-wide computer application security using role-based identifiers. The programmer identifies secured functions within a software application using a hierarchical identifier. The hierarchical identifiers are grouped together into privilege sets. The privilege sets and other hierarchical identifiers are grouped together into job functions, which are in turn grouped into larger subsets called user roles. These user roles are stored in a data store. User identifiers are created. Each user identifier is linked to one user role in the data store. A surrogate identifier is created to correspond to each user role and is stored in the data store. The surrogate identifiers are not disclosed to the users. A user is given permission to access secured functions within an application by retrieving a surrogate identifier from the data store, which shares the same user role as the user. Access rights are determined using the surrogate identifier to validate permissions on a security provider.

The present invention generally relates to access control of functions contained in computer software applications. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for enterprise-level, platform-independent, cross-platform-fault-tolerant, extensible security of computer software applications.
The foundational application of the computer is the "operating system", which is comprised of numerous programs. The programs that comprise the operating system contain the subprograms that perform the fundamental operations of the computer. These subprograms correspond to common system operations such as writing information to a disk, displaying information on a computer screen or printing a report. Operating system subprograms are secured by the built-in security of the operating system, "built-in system security".
Generally, built-in system security does not perform "application security", which restricts access to specific functions, to sensitive screens of information, to specific fields on a screen or to specific reports within a software application. For example, built-in system security is designed to secure access to the entire payroll file, but it is not equipped to control access to a specific subset of information within that file. In other words, the built-in system security would not typically be able to restrict access to the records for a single department. Similarly, built-in system security is not designed to secure internal application functions such as the ability to edit specific records within a file, write a check, issue a purchase order, or modify a price list.
Generally, the granularity of control required by application security exceeds the scope of the security for which built-in system security is designed. For the purpose of this discussion, "system security" will be used to refer not only to the built-in security provided by the operating system, but also to the security provided by the various enterprise "directory services", which are special function databases used to store enterprise information such as a user IDs, passwords, system hardware information, and other frequently-accessed, seldom-changed information. Several examples of common directory services include the following: X.500, LDAP (lightweight directory access protocol), and Microsoft Active Directory Services. System security also refers to any system level security service provider.
For purposes of this discussion, "functions" will be used to refer to application software capabilities and other elements that typically require access control, not just to the business functions of an application. Other examples of elements that typically require access control include specific screens, web pages, data fields within screens, data fields within web pages, records within a file, rows within a database table and so on. Typically, each application handles access control to secure functions within the application. Secured "functions" are also sometimes referred to as "secured resources".
The exponential increase in computer usage, the increasing pace of software development, the interrelation of existing database technologies, and the heightened concern for data integrity and privacy have increased the need for an efficient and stable means for managing application security and control. In addition, the growth of computer technologies has dramatically increased the amount of administrative overhead required to maintain systems, creating a need for efficient management tools across applications and systems.
The most advanced application security solutions currently available do not operate on multiple operating systems concurrently. Furthermore, existing application security solutions cannot easily be extended to incorporate new systems, new platforms and new applications. In addition, existing solutions do not operate across operating systems and cannot function when the security provider fails. There is a need for scalable, enterprise-level, platform-independent, cross-platform-fault-tolerant, computer application security.


A digital processing device is at the input of a radio frequency receiver chain, suited to a transmission system using a direct sequence spectrum spread, comprising analog-to-digital conversion means (ADC) performing an undersampling of a signal received, resulting in an overlapping of the wanted signal by the transmission channel noise, demodulation means connected to the output of the ADC, a low pass filter connected at the output of the demodulation means and a filter matched to the spreading code used, wherein the ADC includes a comparator capable of comparing the amplitude of the undersampled signal to a reference in order to carry out a quantizing of the 1-bit signal, said comparator bringing about the creation of a quantizing noise, and including an additional filtering unit arranged between the low pass filter and the matched filter, implementing a multi-noise, stochastic matched filtering operation.

In a system for transmitting a digital signal using a direct sequence spread spectrum, the "0" and "1" bits are encoded with respective symbols sent by the transmitter, and decoded at the receiver by a finite impulse response filter.
In the case where the bits are encoded using a spreading code of length N, the symbols encoding the "0" and "1" bits are each in the form of a series of N symbol elements distributed over either of two different levels and transmitted at a predetermined fixed frequency F.
The N symbol elements encoding the "1" bit are anti-correlated to the corresponding N symbol elements encoding the "0" bit, i.e., the symbol elements of the same rank within both of these two symbols have opposite values.
For example, if and when a symbol element of the symbol encoding the "1" bit is at level 1, the corresponding symbol element of the symbol encoding the "0" bit is at level −1. In the same way, if and when a symbol element of the symbol encoding the "1" bit is at level −1, the corresponding symbol element of the symbol encoding the "0" bit is at level 1.
The development of digital radio frequency (RF) communications, together with the expansion of mobile telephony, in particular, often demands the use of multi-standard, very low consumption RF receiver chains. To reach these objectives, an attempt has been made to reduce to a minimum the difficult-to-program, analog RF circuitry, by bringing the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) as close as possible to the receiving antenna. This is then referred to as a "digital/digital/digital" receiver chain.
However, a solution such as this may have the effect of increasing the operating frequency of the ADC in an unreasonable manner. As a matter of fact, given the frequency of the signals involved in radio frequency communications, and taking into account the Shannon-Nyquist Theorem (sampling frequency equal to at least twice the maximum frequency of the signal being sampled), an operation such as this would necessitate the use of an ADC whose operating frequency would be on the order of several gigahertz, which is currently commercially impractical.
For this reason, it is conventionally impractical to process the signal digitally from the moment of reception. Nevertheless, this problem may be solved by undersampling the digital input signal. This technique, known by the name of undersampling, is based on the principle of spectrum overlapping and comprises sampling the signal received, not on the basis of the Shannon Theorem, but at a frequency greater than twice the signal bandwidth. This is typically valid only if the signal in question is a narrowband signal, i.e., if the bandwidth to carrier frequency ratio is significantly lower than one. Such being the case, the signals involved in the context of RF communications may be considered as such. As a matter of fact, their carrier frequency is typically on the order of 2.45 GHz for a bandwidth of a few MHz. Within this context of narrowband signals, in which an embodiment of the invention is situated, it becomes possible, according to the undersampling theory, to sample the signals at a rate much lower than that suggested by the Shannon Theorem and, more precisely as explained above, at a sampling frequency that depends only on the bandwidth of the narrowband signal.
In order to illustrate the foregoing, FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a signal receiving and processing chain, wherein the signal is captured by an antenna 10, then amplified by a circuit 20 referred to as LNA (for "Low Noise Amplifier") prior to being submitted to the digital signal processing unit 30, referred to as DSP (for "Digital Signal Processing"). The output of the DSP unit may be processed conventionally by a processing unit 40, referred to as a CPU (for "Central Processing Unit").
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the various functional units involved in the conventional digital solution of the DSP unit 30 of FIG. 1, which implements undersampling.
The DSP unit includes an analog-to-digital converter 31. The signal being a narrowband signal, the sampling frequency Fe is not selected according to the Shannon-Nyquist Theorem, but according to the undersampling theory. Therefore, Fe is determined irrespectively of the modulation carrier frequency. In fact, it is assumed to be equal to at least twice the bandwidth of the binary message after spread spectrum. For example, for a bandwidth of 2 B, the sampling frequency Fe is given by Fe≧4 B. Furthermore, the analog-to-digital converter conventionally uses an M-bit binary representation of the samples, linearly translating the sampled analog values contained between two signal levels into 2M digital codes.
The ADC is followed by a stage 32 for estimating the new carrier frequency fp, designating the new center frequency of the signal after undersampling, and by the phase φ corresponding to the carrier phase. The estimation stage will likewise make it possible to determine the minimum number of samples necessary for describing a bit time (Tb), i.e., the time to transmit one bit of the spread message, which depends, in particular, on the length of the spreading code used.
According to the undersampling theory, the carrier frequency of the signal is modified and assumes the following as a new value:
  fp  =      fm    -          k                    Fe        2            where fm represents the initial carrier frequency and where k designates a parameter of the undersampling given by:
  k  <            fm      -      B              2            B
The phase shaft after undersampling is estimated by using a phase estimator.
The signal present at the output of the estimation stage will be filtered by a band-pass type filter 33, so as to retain only the base motif of the undersampled signal. As a matter of fact, since the spectrum of the undersampled signal comprises a multiplicity of spectral motifs representative of the message, a pass-band filtering operation is carried out in order to retain only a single spectral motif. Therefore, the characteristics of this pass-band filter are as follows:                Center frequency: fp        Bandwidth: 4 B
The filter 33 may include either an infinite or finite impulse response filter (IIR, FIR).
The signal is subsequently brought back to baseband by demodulation means 34. The undersampled message being conveyed to the carrier frequency fp, this demodulation step comprises a simple multiplication step using a frequency fp of phase φ sinusoid, these two characteristic quantities coming from the estimation stage.
A low pass filtering stage 35 at the output of the demodulation stage makes it possible to eliminate the harmonic distortion due to spectral redundancy during demodulation of the signal. As a matter of fact, the demodulation operation reveals the spectral motif of the baseband signal but also a spectral motif at twice the demodulation frequency, i.e., at about the frequency 2 fp.
A matched filter stage 36 corresponding to the code of the wanted signal makes it possible to recover the synchronization of the signal being decoded with respect to the wanted information. More precisely, this is a finite impulse response filter, characterized by its impulse response coefficients {ai}i−0,1, . . . n.
Its structure, described in FIG. 3, is that of a shift register REG receiving each sample of the input signal IN. The shift register includes N bistable circuits in the case of symbols with N symbol elements, which cooperate with a combinational circuit COMB, designed in a manner known by those skilled in the art and involving the series of coefficients ai such that the output signal OUT produced by the filter has an amplitude directly dependent upon the level of correlation observed between the sequence of the N last samples captured by this filter and the series of the N symbol elements of one of the two symbols, e.g., the series of the N elements of the symbol encoding a "1" bit of the digital signal.
Thus, the matched filtering operation comprises matching the series of coefficients ai to the exact replica of the selected spreading code, in order to correlate the levels of the symbol elements that it receives in succession at its input to the levels of the successive symbol elements of one of the two symbols encoding the "0" and "1" bits, e.g., the symbol elements of the symbol encoding the "1" bit.
The output signal from the finite impulse response filter 36 can then be delivered to a comparator, not shown, capable of comparing the amplitude of this output signal to a lower threshold value and to an upper threshold value, in order to generate a piece of binary information. The comparator is thus equipped to deliver, as a digital output signal representative of a decoded symbol of the input signal, a first bit, e.g., "1", when the amplitude of the output signal of the filter 36 is higher than the upper threshold value, and a second bit, e.g., "0", when the amplitude of the output signal of the additional filter is lower than the lower threshold value.
However, the conventional undersampling chain such as the one just described, upon which the digital processing of the signal from the moment of its reception relies, may experience serious malfunctions once the noise power in the transmission channel becomes elevated. This may result in a degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio after processing, primarily when the interfering signal, corresponding to the noise of the transmission channel, cannot be considered a narrowband signal.
As a matter of fact, as a result of the undersampling, the so-called spectrum overlap phenomenon is conventionally observed wherein all of the frequencies higher than half the sampling frequency are "folded" over the baseband, causing a potentially unacceptable increase in the noise power in the signal being processed. This may result in an unacceptable error rate at the output of the decoding process.
This signal-to-noise degradation phenomenon in the transmission channel, amplified by the undersampling technique employed, is the principal reason for which the reception solutions based on digital/digital/digital receiver chains are at present dismissed, despite the undeniable advantages that they might obtain in terms of programming and consumption, in particular.
In order to attempt to improve this signal-to-noise ratio degraded after processing, various solutions might be attempted, short of being satisfactory. In particular, it might be anticipated to increase the power of the signal upon transmission, which, however, involves a consequential increase in the electrical power consumed by the circuit. It might also be anticipated to use larger spectrum-spreading codes, but this may be detrimental to the speed, which would thereby be greatly reduced.
Furthermore, another disadvantage of the undersampling chain of the prior art is due to the use of the analog-to-digital converter.
As a matter of fact, in order to optimize the analog-to-digital conversion of the signal received, the processing chain makes use of an M-bit resolution ADC, wherein, for example, M=4, which makes it possible to replace the exact analog value of the sample with the closest possible approximate value extracted from a finite set of 2M discrete values. The approximation obtained is therefore better to the extent that the ADC resolution is greater. There is interest then in limiting the additive quantizing noise, which corresponds to the gap between the quantizing value attributed to the sample and the exact value of the sample.
That being said, the use of an M-bit ADC likewise leads to the use of M-bit digital filter and digital multiplier structures for the remainder of the processing and, in particular for the digital bandpass filtering operation. Thus, out of concern for limiting the quantization noise, the use of an M-bit ADC may end up being disadvantageous, on the one hand, with respect to the electric power consumed and, on the other hand, with respect to the surface area occupied by the digital receiver chain when it is implemented in an integrated circuit.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Digital receiver device based on an input comparator


A maritime unit and a method for operating a maritime unit. The maritime unit includes a frame structure. The maritime unit includes at least three legs moveable between a standby position and an extended position. A jack mechanism moves the legs between the standby position and the extended position. The maritime unit has at least its legs operated on a disk brake principle for enabling a substantially stepless drive therefor, whereby the maritime unit has each of its legs provided with a brake system, including one or more brake flanges extending longitudinally of the leg. The maritime unit has its frame structure provided with a brake system including one or more brake shoe elements operable in a vertical direction with the jack mechanism.

Mobile offshore rigs, especially at present, are designed both as, so-called semi-submersible drilling platforms and so-called jack-up drilling rigs, the latter being provided with legs or columns drivable in a vertical direction with respect to the frame structure of a drilling rig for steadying the drilling rig on the seabed in operating condition. Semi-submersible offshore rigs include an underwater section for supporting the actual working platform on the surface. This type of drilling rig is not secured to the seabed at all in a drilling condition, and therefore, such a drilling rig must be provided with expensive and sophisticated articulation and motion compensating mechanisms between a ground drilling mechanism and an offshore rig in order to enable drilling on rough seas. Both manufacturing and operating costs for this particular type of offshore rigs exceed many times those of the above-mentioned jack-up type drilling rigs.
In particular, Finnish patents Nos. 96896 and 100197 disclose solutions, especially for further development of traditional jack-up type drilling platforms. The solution disclosed in the former of these patents is intended for improving safety and usability aspects in an offshore rig in such a way that living quarters, included in the drilling rig, are designed as a movable unit, whereby, in a preferred application, it is removed, at least for the duration of a drilling operation, in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of a drilling unit.
The latter patent offers a solution, which is intended for improving the usability of a jack-up type drilling rig, particularly in reference to the safety of attachment and detachment procedures. Therefore, below the bottom of a frame structure is provided an air space, which is exhaustible for a shipping condition of the drilling rig and which is injected with air for building an air cushion or the like underneath the drilling rig for the duration of the above-mentioned procedures.
At present, offshore operations are still carried out by using prior known maritime units of so-called liftboat type. FIG. 3 shows a few liftboat solutions of this type, which are applicable at various depths and which are particularly intended for providing assistance in all types of offshore processes by having themselves, in the operational condition thereof, steadied or stabilized on the seabed.
Presently, a particular drawback in the above type of maritime units steadied on the seabed is the primitivity of jack mechanisms operating the legs or columns thereof. The reason for this is that these are conventionally designed with highly traditional mechanisms. Such traditional jack mechanisms, capable of sufficiently smooth hoisting, are generally implemented by using rack-and-pinion operated gear assemblies, which are very slow and highly expensive to design because of long racks. On the other hand, there are presently available a number of jack mechanisms driven directly by hydraulic cylinders, but such hydraulic mechanisms, as available at present, require that, as the stroke of each hydraulic cylinder has come to a stop, each movable leg or column be provided with a tenon-and-mortise locking for the duration of returning this particular cylinder to its starting position for the next stroke and the next tenon-and-mortise locking. As a result, traditional hydraulic mechanisms are not capable of stepless operation. Slowness is further enhanced by the fact that the legs or columns are never level with each other on the bottom of the sea. As the cylinders for one leg or column reach the end positions thereof and stop for relocating the tenons, all the rest of the legs come to a stop as well, even though a relocation of the tenons thereof is not yet called for or even desired. Consequently, such mode of operation is extremely tedious and laborious, in addition to which the automation of processes associated with operating the legs or columns is highly inconvenient and expensive, as such a process requires highly sophisticated accessory equipment, particularly for providing a reliable locking action.
Thus, all prior art operating modes are very slow. In addition, the gearshift-based solutions, capable of continuous hoisting action, are extremely expensive in terms of costs.

Method for use of a maritime unit and maritime unit


This invention relates to a medicament for treating and/or preventing a cancer, comprising a combination of an antibody against a cancer antigen CAPRIN-1 protein that is specifically expressed on the surface of the cancer cell, and an antitumor agent, wherein the antibody and the antitumor agent are combined together or separately, and to a use of the medicament.

Cancer is the leading cause of death. Current therapies for cancer comprise combinations of principal surgical therapy with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Furthermore, the current therapies comprise applying a similar therapy to all patients having the same type and the same stage of a cancer. At least 40% of the patients fail a primary therapy and thus are subjected to a series of further therapies. If the patients again fail the therapies, cancer metastasis takes place, finally resulting in an increased possibility of death. Thus, the current radiation therapy and the chemotherapy are unable to compatible with various types of cancers or individual cancer patients, and the surgical therapy itself is also currently insufficient for complete cure of cancers in almost all cases.
Various antibody drugs targeting antigen proteins on cancer cells for treatment of cancers have appeared throughout the world as a technique for overcoming the above-described problems of cancer therapies. Specific examples are as follows. It has been demonstrated that HERCEPTIN (registered trademark) comprising as an active ingredient a monoclonal antibody specifically binding to Her2, the sales of which were approved in 1998 as a therapeutic agent for patients with metastatic breast cancer, has such a clinical effect that HERCEPTIN can decrease the number of death of recurrent and metastatic breast cancer patients among Her2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer patients. It has also been demonstrated that HERCEPTIN does not cause any severe side effects other than cardiac toxicity compared with conventional chemotherapeutics. As another noteworthy feature, the therapeutic effects of a combined use of HERCEPTIN with chemotherapeutics against breast cancer have been demonstrated (Patent Literatures 1-3). However, most antigenic proteins on cancer cells to be targeted by antibody drugs such as Her2 are also expressed in normal cells, so that not only cancer cells but also normal cells expressing antigens are also cytotoxically impaired by administration of antibodies. The resulting side effects may cause for concern.
Cytoplasmic- and proliferation-associated protein 1 (CAPRIN-1) is expressed when normal cells at the resting phase are activated or undergo cell division, and it is an intracellular protein known to form intracellular stress granules with RNA within cells, so as to be involved in mRNA transport and translational regulation. Meanwhile, many other names that represent CAPRIN-1 exist, such as GPI-anchored membrane protein 1 or membrane component surface marker 1 protein (M11S1), as if such proteins had been known to be cell membrane proteins. These names originated from a report that the gene sequence of CAPRIN-1 is a membrane protein having a GPI-binding region and expressed in colorectal cancer cells (Non-patent Literature 1). However, the gene sequence of CAPRIN-1 provided in this report was later revealed to be wrong. The following has recently been reported; i.e., deletion of a single nucleotide in the gene sequence of CAPRIN-1 registered at GenBank or the like causes a frame shift, so that 80 amino acids are lost from the C-terminus, resulting in generation of an artifact (74 amino acids) which corresponds to the GPI-binding portion in the previous report, and additionally, another error is also present 5′ of the gene sequence, so that 53 amino acids were lost from the N-terminus (Non-patent Literature 2). It has been also recently reported that the protein encoded by the gene sequence of CAPRIN-1 registered at GenBank or the like is not a cell membrane protein (Non-patent Literature 2).
In addition, on the basis of the report of Non-patent Literature 1 that CAPRIN-1 is a cell membrane protein, Patent Literatures 4 and 5 describe that CAPRIN-1 (as a cell membrane protein) under the name of M11S1 can be used as a target of an antibody medicine in cancer therapy, although working examples do not describe treatment using an antibody against the protein. However, as reported in Non-patent Literature 2, it has been commonly believed from the time of the filing of Patent Literature 4 to date that CAPRIN-1 is not expressed on the surface of a cell. The contents of Patent Literatures 4 and 5 based only on incorrect information that CAPRIN-1 is a cell membrane protein should not clearly be understood as common general knowledge for persons skilled in the art.

Medicament for treating and/or preventing cancer


Disclosed are electronic devices. The electronic device includes a metal component configured as an antenna arm, wherein a current delivery path for delivering high-frequency current is formed on the metal component so that the high-frequency current is delivered in accordance with a predetermined path along the current delivery path on the metal component. In this way, the delivery path of the high-frequency current on the antenna can be adjusted to satisfy requirement on antenna performance.

Currently, more and more electronic devices are equipped with ability of wireless networking via mobile communication network access or short-range wireless access such as WiFi.
No matter what way of access to be adopted, the electronic device needs an internal or external antenna for wireless signal transmission/reception.
However, the inventor has discovered that the antenna of existing electronic devices are non-controllable, which is disadvantageous because it may cause certain aspects of the antenna (e.g., antenna performance or radiation pattern) failing to satisfy practical requirement.


An illumination optical system is provided with: a lens that condenses first luminous flux emitted from an optical fiber at an angle of divergence of θ1; a lens that condenses second luminous flux that has a color that is different from the color of the first luminous flux and that is emitted from an optical fiber at an angle of divergence of θ2 (≠θ1); and a dichroic mirror that is provided at the position at which the optical axis of the lens intersects at a right angle with the optical axis of the lens, that transmits the first luminous flux that is irradiated from the lens, and that reflects the second luminous flux that was irradiated from the lens in the direction in which the first luminous flux was transmitted.

An illumination optical system that uses a rod integrator to obtain uniform illumination light is a known illumination optical system for a projector.
Patent Document 1 describes a DLP (Digital Light Processing) projector provided with this type of illumination optical system.
The above-described DLP projector includes first to third laser array light sources having substantially identical angles of divergence, an illumination optical system, a Total Internal Reflection (TIR) prism, a display element composed of a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), and a projection lens.
Here, the angle of divergence is an angle that is twice the angle formed by the outermost light ray and the center light ray (half-angle of divergence) when divergent luminous flux is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plane that contains the center light ray of the divergent luminous flux.
The first laser array light source emits red laser light, the second laser array light source emits green laser light, and the third laser array light source emits blue laser light.
The illumination optical system includes first to third reflecting mirrors, first and second dichroic mirrors, a concave lens, a rod integrator, and a relay optical system.
The rod integrator is composed of, for example, a glass body in the shape of a quadrangular prism. One of the two end surfaces of the rod integrator is the incident surface, and the other is the exit surface.
In the rod integrator, luminous flux that entered the incident surface is propagated within the rod while being repeatedly reflected by the inner surfaces of the rod and then exits from the exit surface. The multiple reflections in the process of being propagated within the rod make the luminance of the incident luminous flux uniform. At the exit surface of the rod, a plurality of two-dimensional light source images are produced in matrix form depending on the number of reflections.
A concave lens, first dichroic mirror, second dichroic mirror, and first reflecting mirror are arranged in that order from the exit surface of the rod integrator.
The first reflecting mirror reflects the blue laser light from the third laser array light source toward the second dichroic mirror. The second dichroic mirror reflects the green laser light from the second laser array light source toward the second dichroic mirror.
The second dichroic mirror has spectral reflection properties that enable transmission of light of the blue wavelength band and reflection of light of the green wavelength band. Blue laser light from the first reflecting mirror is transmitted by the second dichroic mirror and irradiated into the first dichroic mirror. Green laser light from the second reflecting mirror is reflected by the second dichroic mirror, and this reflected light is irradiated into the first dichroic mirror on the same optical path as the blue laser light.
The third reflecting mirror reflects the red laser light from the first laser array light source toward the first dichroic mirror.
The second dichroic mirror has spectral reflection properties that enable transmission of light of the blue wavelength band and light of the green wavelength band and reflection of light of the red wavelength band. The blue laser light and green laser light from the second dichroic mirror are transmitted though the first dichroic mirror and irradiated into the concave lens. The red laser light from the third reflecting mirror is reflected by the first dichroic mirror, and this reflected light is irradiated into the concave lens on the same optical path as that of the blue and green laser light.
The concave lens acts to disperse the red, green, and blue laser light from the first dichroic mirror. The red, green, and blue laser light from the concave lens is entered into the rod integrator from the incident surface of the rod.
The relay optical system is arranged on the exit surface side of the rod integrator. The relay optical system acts to form an image of the light source image that was formed on the exit surface of the rod integrator on the effective display region of the display element.
The TIR prism is provided between the relay optical system and the display element. The luminous flux from the relay optical system is irradiated into the display element by way of the TIR prism. The display element spatially modulates the luminous flux to form image light. The image light that is formed by the display element is irradiated into the projection lens by way of the TIR prism.
In the above-described illumination optical system, the optical path lengths of the laser light of each color from each laser array light source to the incident surface of the rod integrator are the same, and the angles of divergence of each laser array light source are also the same. As a result, the laser light of each color that is emitted from each laser array light source is entered into the rod integrator with the same angle of divergence, is propagated within the rod, and is then exited from the rod integrator with the same angle of divergence.
Because the angle of divergence of the laser light of each color that is exited from the rod integrator is the same, the irradiation ranges of the laser light of each color that is irradiated on the display element by way of the relay optical system also coincide. As a result, the irradiation range of the laser light of each color can be caused to coincide with the effective display region on the display element by appropriately setting the magnification of the relay optical system.
Recent projectors include projectors in which laser light is supplied from an external light source device to the illumination optical system by way of optical fiber.
An external light source is provided with a red laser light source, a green laser light source, and a blue laser light source. The green laser light and blue laser light are supplied to the illumination optical system by a first optical fiber. The red laser light is supplied to the illumination optical system by a second optical fiber.
The angles of divergence of each of the green laser light and blue laser light that are emitted from the first optical fiber are substantially identical. The angle of divergence of red laser light emitted from the second optical fiber differs from the angle of divergence of the green laser light and blue laser light.
When the above-described external light source device is applied to the DLP projector described in Patent Document 1, the illumination optical system is configured such that green and blue laser light that is emitted from a first optical fiber is entered into one of the surfaces of a second dichroic mirror, and red laser light emitted from a second optical fiber is entered into the other surface of the second dichroic mirror.
The red laser light and the green and blue laser light are synthesized by the second dichroic mirror and then irradiated into the rod integrator by way of the concave lens.

Illumination optical system, projector, and projector system


A drop-in adjustable trigger assembly has a camming safety linkage to selectively move and engage a bolt sear to positively prevent movement of the bolt sear. The drop-in trigger assembly housing carries a pivoting bolt sear engagement member which is connected to a sear safety linkage. The housing has a sear safety linkage slot defined therein which guides the pivoting sear safety linkage in response to actuation of an upwardly projecting thumb safety lever's actuation. A trigger bracket preferably carries a removable, reversible trigger shoe and is configured to pivot within the housing about a pivot point within the housing, and the trigger bracket carries an adjustable rocker having (preferably) a first stage movement adjustment and a second stage length adjustment. The pivoting safety mechanism's safety linkage pivots rearwardly to push upon or cam the bolt sear upwardly, thus disengaging the bolt sear from the trigger sear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearms and more particularly to trigger mechanisms for use in rifles and other manually actuable instruments.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Rifle marksmanship has been continuously developing over the last few hundred years, and now refinements in materials and manufacturing processes have made increasingly accurate aimed fire possible. These refinements have made previously ignored ergonomic or human factors more significant as sources of error.
The term "rifle" as used here, means a projectile controlling instrument or weapon configured to aim and propel or shoot a projectile, and triggers or firearm actuator systems are discussed principally with reference to their use on rifles and embodied in mechanisms commonly known as trigger assemblies. It will become apparent, however, that trigger mechanisms for manually actuable instruments may include devices other than rifles, and may be used on instruments or weapons other than rifles which are capable of controlling and propelling projectiles (e.g., rail guns or cannon). The prior art provides a richly detailed library documenting the process of improving the ergonomics of actuating rifles and other firearms (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1) and other manually actuable instruments.
Modern firearms such as rifles make use of cartridges that include a projectile seated in a casing. The casing has an internal cavity defined therein that contains a charge of rapidly combusting powder. A primer is seated in a recess formed in a rear portion of the casing. A hole in the primer casing places the primer in communication with the internal cavity containing the power. A projectile is seated in the front portion of the casing such that the powder is more or less sealingly contained in the casing between the primer and the projectile.
An action, such as a bolt action, is used to fire the cartridge. For example, the action can include a striker that carriers a firing pin. The striker can be coupled to a biasing member, such as a spring. The spring provides a motive force for the striking to cause the firing pin to impact the primer. More specifically, the spring can be compressed, or cocked, by drawing the striker rearwardly. Engagement between a sear and the striker can maintain the striker in a cocked position.
The action can then be used to advance the cartridge into a firing chamber ahead of firing. While in the firing chamber, a trigger mechanism can be used to release the sear to cause the firing pin to strike the primer, causing the primer to ignite. The ignition is directed to the powder, which burns within the casing. The powder burns within the casing to generate a rapidly expanding gas, which propels the projectile out of the casing and through the barrel.
Safety mechanisms are often used in the trigger mechanism to selectively control whether the trigger mechanism may release the sear. However, safety mechanisms may interfere with trigger feel, trigger pull or other factors which directly and adversely affect the shooter's ability to precisely control trigger actuation.
When firing a shot, a trained shooter will carefully control breathing motions, check sight alignment as part of the continuous aiming process, and then carefully squeeze the trigger to "break" the shot at a moment which is chosen by the shooter to maximize the likelihood of a "hit" on the target. The shooter's ability to repeatably and precisely execute this planned sequence of steps is determined in part by the trigger assembly's ergonomics and consistent, repeatable operation. Bad triggers exhibit uneven response to trigger finger pressure (or "creep") and do not actuate or "break" cleanly and consistently. Often, a marksman or precision shooter will struggle to adjust the performance on a trigger to maximize that specific shooter's ability to precisely control trigger actuation or "break".
Traditional rifle triggers have been categorized as single stage triggers or two stage triggers. Two-stage triggers are often used on military weapons. As the name implies, the trigger take-up is in two stages. The first stage is usually about ¼″ of lighter "slack", before the second stage trigger pull begins, which ends with the trigger break. There is a difference in the weight of the trigger pull between the two stages which can be easily felt, where the first stage travel is light and the second stage requires notably greater force. A single-stage trigger does not typically have nearly as much travel as a two-stage trigger, so the shooter simply applies trigger pressure or force until the trigger breaks. Single stage triggers are more often used on sporting rifles.
Product liability lawsuits have exacerbated the shooter's ergonomics problems by forcing most manufacturers to design trigger assemblies which are nearly impossible for the shooter or user to tune or adjust. Some shooters will replace the entire trigger assembly in a rifle having a "lawyer's trigger" in the hopes of improving trigger adjustability.
There is a need, therefore, for a drop-in trigger assembly which can be used to enhance the ergonomics of trigger actuation and allow the shooter or user to tune or customize the trigger for his or her needs.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any of the cited disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some examples described herein may be practiced.

Drop-in adjustable trigger assembly with camming safety linkage


A ball pitching machine having a first “U” bracket having front and rear arms, the first “U” bracket further having rocker beam base spanning between the front and rear arms; a second “U” bracket having left and right arms, each left and right arm having a distal end, the first “U” bracket's front arm comprising the second “U” bracket; a third “U” bracket having left and right arms, the third “U” bracket having sling pinching pivot arms adapted for moving the left and right arms between sling pinching and sling releasing positions; left and right elastomeric ties, each having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends of the left and right elastomeric ties being respectively fixedly attached to the distal ends of the second “U” bracket's left and right arms; a sling having left and right ends, the distal ends of the left and right elastomeric ties being respectively fixedly attached to the sling's left and rights ends; and a trajectory adjusting carriage fixedly attached to and supporting the first “U” bracket.

Electric motor powered baseball and softball pitching machines are known. In one such known machine, baseballs or softballs are successively mechanically fed into a pinch point gap established between counter-rotating friction wheels. Such wheels simultaneously frictionally engage a baseball, forcefully expelling the ball toward a batting practice strike zone. In another example of such machines, the electric motor drives an air blower for pressuring a valued compressed air chamber of a pneumatic ball cannon. In another example, the electric motor powers a ball pitching swing arm. All of such known ball pitching machines undesirably require the provision of electrical power, either via a storage battery, or an extension cord. Also, all of such known ball pitching machines are undesirably heavy, bulky, and are unwieldy. Also, such known electric motor powered ball pitching machines are typically incapable of providing consistent and repeated ball placement, ball speed, and ball spin, while providing for selective variability of such ball trajectory characteristics. Also, such known electric powered ball pitching machines typically undesirably fail to preliminarily visually display the ball prior to a pitch.
The instant inventive ball pitching machine solves or ameliorates all of the problems discussed above, while additionally effectively performing all of the desirable functions described above by providing an elastic band actuated device which functions in combination with a specialized mechanical ball releasing mechanism, and which functions in further combination with a specialized trajectory aiming mechanism.