The present invention relates to the field of preventing or reducing incidence or severity of an allergic immune response, and compositions for preventing or reducing incidence or severity of an allergic immune response. For example, the present invention provides compositions comprising inactivated and/or killed cells of Helicobacter pylori or a cell lysate thereof, and methods and/or uses thereof for delaying or preventing or interrupting or slowing onset of one or more allergic conditions in a subject.

Allergic reactions are generally immune reactions that are initiated by IgE-dependent stimulation of tissue mast cells and related effector molecules (e.g., basophils). Binding events between cell surface bound IgE molecules and antigen results in rapid release of biological response modifiers which bring about increased vascular permeability, vasodilation, smooth muscle contraction and local inflammation. This sequence of events is termed immediate hypersensitivity and begins rapidly, usually within minutes of exposure in a sensitised individual. In its most severe systemic form, anaphylaxis, such immediate hypersensitivity can bring about asphyxiation, produce cardiovascular collapse, and even result in death. Individuals that are prone to strong immediate hypersensitivity responses are referred to as "atopic". Clinical manifestations of allergy or atopy include hay fever (rhinitis), asthma, urticaria (hives), skin irritation (e.g., eczema such as chronic eczema), anaphylaxis, and related conditions.
The prevalence of atopy has increased in the developed world since the beginning of the 20th century when allergy prevalence was estimated to be less than 0.1% in Europe, UK and US (Schadewaldt H, 1980, Geschichte der Allergies in vier Dustri-Verlag; as cited by Matthias Wjst, 2009, Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology. 5:8). About 30-40% of the world population is now affected by one or more allergic conditions. Asthma, rhinitis, and eczema are now prevalent in developed countries, with allergic disorders being the most common chronic diseases among children in developed countries. For example, more than 25% of infants in Australia today present with eczema, more than 20% of one-year olds are food-sensitised, more than 25% of children have asthma, and more than 40% of adults have a history of allergic rhinitis (Pawnkar R, Walter Canonica G, Holgate S T, Lockey R F, 2001, World Allergy Organization (WAO) White Book on Allergy). Allergies also affect about 20% of all individuals in the United States. Atopy is predicted to increase to about 26 of the Australian population by 2050.
Although childhood asthma often improves during childhood, asthma and rhinitis persist throughout adulthood, with substantial increase in asthma associated mortality for those aged more than 60 years (Martin P E et al., 2011, J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 127:1473-1479).
There is a significant economic burden associated with allergic conditions. For example, in 2007 the associated economic cost in Australia was estimated to be $9.4 billion with an additional $21.3 billion from lost wellbeing (e.g., disability and premature death). In the UK, the total annual expenditure for atopic eczema has been estimated at £465 million (521 m). In Germany, the total average costs for an atopic eczema patient have been estimated to be about 4400. In the US, the direct and indirect costs of asthma to the US economy were projected to have reached US$20.7 billion in 2010, and the direct cost of treating childhood asthma alone exceeds US$1,100 per patient per annum. The cost of treating incidence of eczema alone in patients aged 0 to 5 years is approximately US$360 per patient per annum with an annual cost of over $400,000 in Australia, 5 million in Western Europe and US$3 million in the US.
Several studies have documented temporal changes in allergy patterns in developed countries, from a prevalence of allergic asthma and hay fever in children (Mullins R J, 2007, Med J Aust. 186: 618-621) toward increasing eczema and food allergies during the last 10 years. In this second wave of the allergy epidemic, 10% of children have some form of food allergy (Osborne N J et al., 2011, J. Clin. Immunol. 127:668-676; Prescott S and Allen K J, 2011, Pediatr. Allergy Immunol. 22:155-160). This changing epidemiology for allergic disorders remains largely unexplained.
As illustrated in panel (A) of FIG. 1 hereof, infants who have moderate to severe eczema are at higher risk of developing food allergies and/or allergic asthma later in life e.g., during childhood, and a significant proportion of these individuals will have atopic or respiratory allergies as adults. This is the so-called "atopic march" or "allergic march" (Martin P E et al., 2011, J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 127:1473-1479). The current generation with food allergies appear to present with symptoms earlier in life than previous generations having respiratory allergies, and appear less likely to outgrow their allergy during early adulthood (Prescott S and Allen K J, 2011, Pediatr. Allergy Immunol. 22:155-160).
The so-called "hygiene hypothesis" attributes the increase in atopy in developed countries to an increase in the use of antibiotics to treat microbial infections in infancy and/or childhood (Strachan D P, 1989, BMJ, 299:1259-1260; Strachan D P, Harkins L S, Golding J, 1997, Clin. Exp. Allergy. 27:151-155; Renz H and Herz U, 2002, Eur. Respir. J. 19:158-171). According to the hygiene hypothesis, changes in the biodiversity of the microbial environment, human microbiome, and reduced exposure to microbes that regulate the host immune system cause childhood allergy leading to the atopic march e.g., because antibiotics reduce the incidence of microorganisms that are beneficial for a balanced immune system development in addition to reducing the incidence of pathogens (Guarner F et al., 2006, Nat. clin. Pract. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 3: 275-284).
Selection of an appropriate T-cell population occurs during the early stages of immune responses in naive unsensitised hosts such as neonates and new borns and infants having an undeveloped immune system. If selection favours priming the host immune system toward the induction of allergen-specific TH1 cells, then IgG and IgA responses may ensue. TH1 cells seem to play a role in defense against various microbial antigens including bacterial, viral and fungal infections, and uncontrolled TH1 responses are involved in organ-specific autoimmunity e.g., in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis, Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (Dubey et al., 1991, Eur. Cytokine Network, 2:147-152), experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) (Beraud et al., 1991, Cell Immunol. 133:379-389), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Hahn et al., 1987, Eur. J Immunol. 18:2037-2042), contact dermatitis (Kapsenberg et al., Immunol Today, 12:392-395), and in some chronic inflammatory disorders. The principal inflammatory cytokine produced by TH1 cells is IFN-γ (See, for example, Romragnani, ed, TH1 and TH2 Cells in Health and Disease. Chem. Immunol., Karger, Basel, 63, pp. 158-170 and 187-203 (1996)).
On the other hand, the emergence of TH2 cells can lead to IgE production and eosinophilia and ultimately atopic disease. See e.g., WO2005/030249. Allergy, asthma, eczema, psoriasis, allergic rhinitis, hay fever and atopic dermatitis are each associated with a profound immunological deregulation characterized by over production of TH2 cells (Romragnani, supra; van der Heijden et al., 1991; J Invest Derm. 97:389-394; Walker et al., 1992, Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 148:109-115; and Renz H and Herz U, 2002, supra), and uncontrolled TH2 type responses are responsible for triggering allergic disorders against environmental allergens and chemical allergens. TH2 type responses are also preferentially induced in certain primary immune deficiencies such as hyper-IgE syndrome (Del Prete et al., 1989, J. Clin. Invest. 84:1830-1835) and Omenn's syndrome (Schandene et al., 1993, Eur. J. Immunol. 23:56-60).
TH2 effector functions may be negatively regulated by TH1 cells. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that a reduced frequency of microbial infections, less severe infection, and prevention of infection e.g., by frequent use of antibiotics may prevent maturation of TH1 immunity, and give rise to allergen-specific TH-2 immune responses following subsequent exposure to allergens (Renz H and Herz U, 2002, supra).
There is currently no cure, and only limited treatment, for severe atopy. Treatment options are generally restricted to use of steroids, anti-histamines, immune modulation drugs and administration of adrenalin. At best these treatment regimens provide temporary relief and are generally not suitable for sustained use. Accordingly, there remains an unmet need in the art for compositions and methods for prevention of allergic disorders.
H. pylori is a gastric bacterial pathogen that chronically infects more than half of the world's human population. Infection with H. pylori is usually acquired early in childhood and, if left untreated, can last for a life time with the majority of infected individuals remaining asymptomatic. On the other hand, H. pylori infection is the main cause of peptic ulcer disease, which is manifested in more than 10% of infected subjects (Kuipers et al., 1995. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 9 Suppl 2: 59-69). H. pylori infection is also associated with an increased risk of non-cardiac gastric adenocarcinoma which is one of the most frequently lethal malignancies, and with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (Suerbaum & Michetti, 2002, N Engl J Med, 347: 1175-1186; Atherton (2006), Annu Rev Pathol. 1:63-96), as well as chronic urticaria (hives).
Epidemiological population studies suggest that prevalence of live H. pylori in the gastric mucosa is inversely-proportional to the incidence of allergy in developed countries. See e.g., Zevit et al., (2011), Helicobacter, 17: 30-35; Shiotani et al., (2008), BMJ, 320: 412-7; Chen & Blaser (2007), Arch Intern Med, 167: 281-7; McCune et al., (2003), Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 15: 637-40; Reibman et al., (2008), PLoS ONE, 3: e4060; Konturek et al., (2008), Med Sci Monit, 14:CR453-8. However, a number of other studies have suggested that the correlation between falling H. pylori infection rates and raising allergy rates might not be correct. See, e.g., Zevit et al., (2011) supra; Raj et al. (2009), J Infect Dis, 199:914-5. These conflicting reports suggest uncertainty as to whether or not reduced colonization of the gastric mucosa by H. pylori is directly involved in the atopic march.

Immunotherapy composition and use thereof


A plunger (1) for a medical delivery device comprises: a rod element (2) having a distal end (22) and a proximal end, and a stopper (3) mounted to the rod element (2) at its distal end (22). The rod element (2) has a first form fit structure (24) and the stopper (3) has a second form fit structure (31). The stopper (3) is locked to the rod element (2) by the first form fit structure (24) of the rod element (2) and the second form fit structure (31) of the stopper (3) engaging each other.

Delivering a liquid or other fluid out of a container is required in many medical or pharmaceutical applications and performed in a plurality of different ways. Particularly where it is essential that the liquid is comparably precisely provided, specific devices are commonly used. For example, liquid pharmaceutical substances are often provided in glass or plastic vials which are closed by a septum or rubber plug and a cap clamped around it or another similar seal cover. Conventionally, for delivering the pharmaceutical substance out of vials, syringes are used. Thereby, a needle of the syringe penetrates the septum or cover and the pharmaceutical substance is withdrawn into the syringe through its needle. Once transferred into the syringe, the pharmaceutical substance is delivered in an appropriate manner. For example, the pharmaceutical substance can be, e.g. subcutaneously or intramuscularly, injected or it can be orally applied or provided as droplets, e.g., in the eyes or nose of the patient.
Delivering liquids from vials or containers by means of syringes usually is comparably difficult. It is typically necessary that an educated person such as a doctor or a nurse is involved. In particular, in cases where the dosage of liquid delivered has to be comparably precise such as when comparable small volumes as in a range of ten microliter to about one milliliter are involved patients are typically not capable of performing the delivery themselves when using a syringe or a similar device. This is, self-administration can be challenging for the user. However, self-administration of liquids or medicaments is beneficial in many therapeutic applications since the effort for the patient and the costs of the therapy can be extensively reduced.
For improving this situation, there are devices used which allow for more conveniently delivering a comparably precise volume of liquids. For example, it is known to provide medicaments in prefilled syringes which can be administered by the patients themselves. However, such prefilled syringes are often not preferred for plural reasons. For example, producing prefilled syringes is comparably complicated and expensive compared to vials in terms of manufacturing. Or, syringes have to be provided with plural possible dosages suitable for different applications and patients, which makes manufacture comparably cumbersome. Other examples of delivery devices are injection pens which are often used in therapy of diabetes.
A further medical delivery device is described in WO 2017/102742 A1 which is designed for automatically injecting a predefined dosage of a liquid into a patient. The device has a vial seat and a dosing mechanism with a dosing member and a rod element for defining an amount of liquid to be delivered before administration. The rod element or plunger has a stem and a stopper located at a distal end of the stem. The dosing member has a chamber body and a needle connected to the chamber body. By rotating the rod element and dosage member relative to each other about a longitudinal axis the rod member is translationally moved relative to the chamber body. Thereby, a dosage chamber is created between the needle and the stopper in the chamber body of the dosage member. The needle is connected to the vial positioned in the seat such that liquid is withdrawn from the vial via the needle into the dosage chamber. Thus, by said rotation the amount of liquid to be dosed can be adjusted by a user of the device.
In known medical delivery devices the plungers typically include a rod and a stopper located at a distal end of the rod. Thereby, the stoppers are often connected or attached to the rods such that the complete plunger can be operated as one unit. For example, it is known to connect the stopper to the rod by using an adhesive, by snapping the stopper on the rod, by screwing the rod into the stopper, and the like. Since the stopper has to tightly fit into a chamber containing a liquid to be delivered, it has on one hand to be elastic to a certain extent. For that purpose, the stopper preferably is soft and flexible such that it can be pressed and deformed to the chamber wall. In particular, the more flexible the stopper is the better the chamber can be tightly closed by the stopper.
On the other hand, when moving the stopper relative to the chamber, friction and pressure forces act on the stopper which may deform the stopper such that tightness and dosing accuracy may be impaired. When the plunger is used for withdrawing the liquid into the chamber, these forces may in addition tear the stopper from the rod such that proper plunger function can no longer be guaranteed. Furthermore, as described above, in addition to a translational movement a rotational movement between stopper and chamber can be involved which additionally stresses or deforms the stopper. Thus, to minimize such impairments the stopper should be comparable strong or stiff such that it can be well connected to the rod. These needs to the properties of the stopper may contradict the needs for its tightness such that typically a compromise is made which has drawbacks in either of the properties required.
Therefore, there is a need for a plunger having a stopper connected to a rod element which allows for providing sufficient tightness when being arranged in a chamber as well as sufficient dosing accuracy when being used.

Plunger and method of manufacturing a plunger


The improved creped non-laminar singular web structure comprising long fibers and short fibers demonstrated by high TWA and Z peeling. Creping causes a certain portion of long synthetic fibers and short fibers to substantially be oriented in a predetermined vertical or Z direction across the thickness of the web structure. In particular, when a stratified preparation containing wet stiff CTMP fibers is used, the vertically oriented CTMP fibers increase the total water absorption (TWA) of the web structure without collapsing. The high TWA print/double-creped paper products manufactured from the above web structure are suitable for heavy wipe and dry uses.

Disposable paper products have been used as a substitute for conventional cloth wipers and towels. In order for these paper products to gain consumer acceptance, they must closely simulate cloth in both perception and performance. In this regard, consumers should be able to feel that the paper products are at least as soft, strong, stretchable, absorbent, bulky as the cloth products. Softness is highly desirable for any wipers and towels because the consumers find soft paper products more pleasant. Softness also allows the paper product to more readily conform to a surface of an object to be wiped or cleaned. Another related property for gaining consumer acceptance is bulkiness of the paper products. However, strength for utility is also required in the paper products. Among other things, strength may be measured by stretchability of the paper products. Lastly, for certain jobs, absorbency of the paper products is also important.
As prior art shows, some of the above-listed properties of the paper products are somewhat mutually exclusive. In other words, for example, if softness of the paper products is increased, as a trade-off, its strength is usually decreased. This is because conventional paper products were strengthened by increasing interfiber bonds formed by the hydrogen bonding and the increased interfiber bonds are associated with stiffness of the paper products. Another example of the trade-off is that an increased density for strengthening the conventional paper products also generally decreases the capacity to hold liquid due to decreased interstitial space in the fibrous web.
To control the above trade-offs, some attempts had been made in the past. One of the prior art attempts to increase softness in the paper products without sacrificing strength is creping the paper from a drying surface with a doctor blade. Creping disrupts and breaks the above-discussed interfiber bonds as the paper web is fluffed up. As a result of some broken interfiber bonds, the creped paper web is generally softened. Other prior art attempts at reducing stiffness in the paper products include chemical treatments. Instead of the above-discussed reduction of the existing interfiber bonds, a chemical treatment prevents the formation of the interfiber bonds. For example, some chemical agent is used to prevent the bond formation. In the alternative, synthetic fibers are used to reduce affinity for bond formation. Unfortunately, all of these past attempts failed to substantially improve the trade-offs and resulted in the accompanying loss of strength in the web.
Further attempts were made to reinforce the weakened paper structure that had lost strength after the above-discussed treatments. The web structure can be strengthened by applying bonding materials to the web surface. However, since the bonding material generally reduces the interstitial space, the bonding application also reduces absorbency in the web structure. In order to maintain the absorbency characteristic, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,158,594 and 3,879,257 (hereinafter the '257 patent), the bonding material may be advantageously applied in a spaced-apart pattern, and the applied area is followed by fine creping for promoting softness. Although these improvements are useful for light paper products such as tissue and towel, it is less suitable for heavier paper products which require higher abrasion resistance and strength.
One of the commonly used techniques to solve the above problem is to laminate two or more conventional webs with adhesive as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,414,459 and 3,556,907. Although the laminated multi-ply paper products have the desirable bulk, absorbency and abrasion-resistance for heavy wipe-dry applications, the multi-ply products require complex manufacturing processes.
In the alternative, to increase abrasion resistance and strength without sacrificing other desirable properties and complicating the manufacturing process, the '257 patent discloses the bonding material applied to a web in a spaced-apart pattern. The web structure used in the '257 patent includes only short fibers and a combination of short fibers and long fibers and forms a single laminar-like structure with internal cavities. Some short fibers are randomly oriented in the cavities to bridge outer layers so as to enhance abrasion resistance. At the same time, the remaining space in the cavity provides high absorbance. Although the '257 patent anticipated heavy uses, industrial applications require durable and highly absorbent paper products. The 257 used long fibers for enhancing only strength of the web structure. However, such heavy duty paper products necessitate the web structure with a higher total water absorption ("TWA") and a higher abrasion resistance while retaining bulk and other desirable properties.
In summary, as discussed above, there remains a number of problems for towel products. The prior attempts have either trade-offs among the desirable properties or require a complex process. Thus, the current invention is to further improve the overall desirable properties of tissues and towels without sacrificing any desirable property without the use of the multi-ply structure. It is designed to provide a product of higher total water capacity, softness and bulk than can be obtained with practice of the '257 patent.

High water absorbent double-recreped fibrous webs


In LPP EUV systems, sinusoidal oscillations or instabilities can occur in the generated EUV energy. This is avoided by detecting when the LPP EUV system is approaching such instability and adjusting the LPP EUV system by moving the laser beam of the LPP EUV system. Detection is done by determining when the generated EUV energy is at or above a primary threshold. Adjusting the LPP EUV system by moving the laser beam is done for a fixed period of time, until a subsequently generated EUV energy is below the primary threshold, until a subsequently generated EUV energy is below the primary threshold for a fixed period of time, or until a subsequently generated EUV energy is at or below a secondary threshold below the primary threshold.

Field
The present application relates generally to laser systems and, more specifically, to avoiding oscillation conditions in extreme ultraviolet light energy generated within a source plasma chamber.
Related Art
The semiconductor industry continues to develop lithographic technologies which are able to print ever-smaller integrated circuit dimensions. Extreme ultraviolet ("EUV") light (also sometimes referred to as soft x-rays) is generally defined to be electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths of approximately between 10 and 100 nm. EUV lithography is generally considered to include EUV light at wavelengths in the range of 10-14 nm, and is used to produce extremely small features (e.g., sub-32 nm features) in substrates such as silicon wafers. These systems must be highly reliable and provide cost-effective throughput and reasonable process latitude.
Methods to generate EUV light include, but are not necessarily limited to, converting a material into a plasma state that has one or more elements (e.g., xenon, lithium, tin, indium, antimony, tellurium, aluminum, etc.) with one or more emission line(s) in the EUV range. In one such method, often termed laser-produced plasma ("LPP"), the required plasma can be generated by irradiating a target material, such as a droplet, stream or cluster of material having the desired line-emitting element, with a laser beam at an irradiation site within an LPP EUV source plasma chamber.
FIG. 1 illustrates some of the components of an LPP EUV system 100. A laser source 101, such as a CO2 laser, produces a laser beam 102 that passes through a beam delivery system 103 and through focusing optics 104 (comprising a lens and a steering mirror). Focusing optics 104 have a primary focus point 105 at an irradiation site within an LPP EUV source plasma chamber 110. A droplet generator 106 produces droplets 107 of an appropriate target material that, when hit by laser beam 102 at the primary focus point 105, generate a plasma which irradiates EUV light. An elliptical mirror ("collector") 108 focuses the EUV light from the plasma at a focal spot 109 (also known as an intermediate focus position) for delivering the generated EUV light to, e.g., a lithography scanner system (not shown). Focal spot 109 will typically be within a scanner (not shown) containing wafers that are to be exposed to the EUV light. In some embodiments, there may be multiple laser sources 101, with beams that all converge on focusing optics 104. One type of LPP EUV light source may use a CO2 laser and a zinc selenide (ZnSe) lens with an anti-reflective coating and a clear aperture of about 6 to 8 inches.
For reference purposes, three perpendicular axes are used to represent the space within the plasma chamber 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The axis from the droplet generator 106 to the irradiation site 105 is defined as the x-axis (vertical in the example of FIG. 1); droplets 107 travel generally downward from the droplet generator 106 in the x-direction to irradiation site 105, although in some cases the trajectory of the droplets may not follow a straight line. The path of the laser beam 102 from focusing optics 104 to irradiation site 105 is defined as the z-axis (horizontal in the example of FIG. 1), and the laser beam 102 is moved or steered by the focusing optics 104 along the y-axis which is defined as the direction perpendicular to the x-axis and the z-axis.
In operation, the resulting EUV energy produced by the LPP EUV system 100 can experience oscillations which cause undesirable variations in wafer EUV light exposure. Further, a drifting of the focusing optics (caused by, for example, laser source power variation or focusing optics cooling water temperature variation) can cause the laser beam to slowly drift into a region of such oscillations. Rather than attempt to reduce or eliminate such oscillations, or directly address drifting focusing optics effects on laser beam positioning, what is needed is a way for the LPP EUV system 100 to continue operating by simply avoiding such issues.

Systems and methods to avoid instability conditions in a source plasma chamber


The specification discloses an optical transceiver that provides a FPC board to electrically connect the OSA with the circuit board. The FPC board provides pads to be connected with corresponding pads formed on the circuit board and at least one opening in adjacent to the pads. In the present invention, the shape and the position of the opening fit with the outer shape and the position of a corresponding electrical component mounted on the circuit board. By mating the opening in the FPC board with the component on the circuit board, the pads on the FPC board may be aligned with pads on the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transceiver, in particular, the invention related to an optical transceiver providing a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board to electrically connect an optical subassembly with a circuit board.
2. Related Prior Art
Typical optical transceiver provides an optical subassembly (OSA), which installs a semiconductor optical device and a circuit board electrically connected with the OSA. The OSA, by receiving an optical connector that provides an optical fiber therein, optically communicates with the optical fiber by the semiconductor optical device, and the optical device converts thus received optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal, or an externally received electrical signal into the optical signal to be propagated within the optical fiber.
One type of the OSA includes a laser diode (LD) to emit optical signal and a photodiode (PD) to monitor the optical signal from the LD, which is often called as a transmitter optical sub-assembly (TOSA). Another type of the OSA includes a photodiode to receive the optical signal transmitted in the optical fiber and to convert the optical signal into an electrical signal, and a pre-amplifier to amplify the electrical signal, which is often called as a receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA). The optical transceiver generally comprises these OSAs, the TOSA and the ROSA, the circuit board, a frame for mounting the OSAs and the circuit board, and a cover for enclosing these OSAs, the circuit board and the frame. The electrical connection between the OSAs and the circuit board is generally performed by the FPC board. The United States patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,214 has disclosed an exemplary configuration of the FPC board and the circuit board connected with the FPC board.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another conventional configuration of the FPC board. In this conventional configuration, the FPC board 70 is connected in the top surface thereof with the back surface of the circuit board. The circuit board 83 provides a plurality of pads in the back surface, the surface not illustrated in FIG. 7, while, the FPC board 70 provides pads in the top surface. Thus, the FPC board 70 is connected in the top surface thereof with the back surface of the circuit board 83.
However, the conventional FPC board mentioned above aligns its position by the visual inspection or by using a special tool, which prolongs the alignment and makes it troublesome, finally results in the increase of the process cost. Moreover, the alignment of the FPC board relies on the outer shape of the circuit board and that of the FPC board, which means that various tools are necessary for respective circuit board and the FPC board and makes it complex to control or manage the manufacturing process.
The precise alignment using the special tool and the visual inspection has a substantial subject in addition to the prolonged procedure in the process. That is, a conventional transceiver installs the circuit board with the FPC board within the frame after the connection of two boards. Without careful handling of the assembly of two boards, unexpected stress may be induced in soldered portions of two boards, which may break the soldered portion between two boards by the stress.
Additional member such as resin to reinforce and to cover the soldered portion are often used to relax the stress induced in the soldered portion, or dummy pads, which are electrically connected nowhere, may be provided in adjacent to the practical pads connecting two boards. When the FPC board is bent in advance to the assembly so as to facilitate the assembling process, the alignment between tow boards becomes hard. The process to bring the additional resin requires an auxiliary time to apply and to solidify the resin, which increases the process cost.

Optical transceiver with an FPC board connecting an optical subassembly with a circuit board


Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems that interact with users to provide access to media appropriate to and/or customized for a particular user using the entertainment system, the location at which the entertainment system is being accessed, and/or a predefined event. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, an entertainment system in a location is configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from the outside of the location, and provide (1) attract or flight media operations, (2) browsing services, and/or (3) search screens appropriate to and/or customized for a particular user using the entertainment system, the location at which the entertainment system is being accessed, and/or a predefined event. Such screens may be provided with a three-dimensional look-and-feel in certain exemplary embodiments.

Jukeboxes have been around for decades and provide users with the ability to select desired music for reproduction in a convenient and advantageous manner. Jukeboxes have conventionally been provided in commercial establishments, such as restaurants and bars, in order to provide desired music on demand for patrons thereof for a fee. Over the last several years, a new generation of jukebox devices have become available that provide significant improvements in the operation thereof for all parties involved. More specifically, the conventional standalone phonorecord and CD jukeboxes are being replaced by digital downloading jukeboxes that are controlled by and communicate with a central server. An example of this new generation jukebox system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,204, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A leading provider of this new generation of jukebox systems is TouchTunes Music Corporation.
FIG. 1 shows an overview of an exemplary embodiment of a digital downloading jukebox system 10 (hereinafter referred to simply as a "jukebox system"). As shown in FIG. 1, the jukebox system 10 includes a central server 12 that contains a master library of audio content (typically music), as well as or alternatively audiovisual content (typically music and associated video or graphics), that can be downloaded therefrom. The jukebox system also includes a series of remote jukebox devices 16, 16a-16f. Each of these jukebox devices are generally located in a bar, restaurant, club or other desired location, and are operable to play music in response to receiving a payment from a user, such as coins, bills, credit/debit card, etc., and having one or more songs selected by the user for play. In an alternative embodiment, a music service is paid for on a subscription basis by the location, and the selected music is free for the end-user. The jukebox device 16 typically includes a screen 18 that presents information to the user and allows the user to select songs therefrom, as well as an audio system 20 that plays the selected songs. The screen 18 may also be used for displaying song-related video or graphics. The screen 18 may also be used to display advertisements for the jukebox itself in order to attract customers thereto, to display other types of advertisements, and/or to display any other desired information.
The jukebox devices 16 (sometimes referred to as simply "jukeboxes" herein) are operable to communicate with the central server 12 through a communications network 14, such as, for example, the Internet. The jukeboxes 16 periodically communicate with the server 12 in order to provide information to the server 12 regarding the specific songs that have been played on the jukebox. The central server then uses this information in order to determine the appropriate royalties and/or other payments that are owed for songs played on each jukebox. Thus, one advantage of this new generation of jukeboxes is that the sound reproduction and/or other applicable music rights can be adhered to in a more accurate and reliable manner, thereby assuring the proper royalties are paid to the artists or music owners. The central server 12 can also provide new songs to the jukebox 16 in order to assure that the appropriate or most popular songs are maintained on the jukebox based on the specific customers at that location. Thus, the songs available on each jukebox can be customized through communication with the central server in order to provide the songs and/or types of music that customers generally request at each jukebox location. As described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,204, the central server can also advantageously be used to update the operating software on the jukeboxes in order to, for example, change the operation of the jukebox, such as to provide new or improved features. Thus, another advantage of this new generation of jukeboxes is that the songs (or other audio and/or visual content), and the operation of the jukebox itself can be remotely changed as desired without the need to have someone (such as a routeman) personally service the jukebox. Instead, such updates can be done using the central server 12.
As indicated above, the jukebox devices 16 each include a mass storage device, such as a hard drive, which stores the songs and associated video/graphics data (if any), as well as any other desired graphical information for reproduction on the jukebox. The mass storage device of the jukebox typically has limited storage capacity relative to the storage device of the central server 12. As a result, only a fraction of the songs stored on the central server are typically stored on the mass storage device of the jukebox at any one time. There may be other reasons as well, such as for security of the data or limited room in the jukebox itself, for having limited storage capacity on the jukebox and/or limiting the number of songs stored thereon. For example, physical space may be limited on wall-mount jukeboxes or the like, which are designed to be small in size as compared to free-standing models. As explained above, the songs on the jukebox can be changed through communication with the central server, but typically any one jukebox only stores a relatively small subset of the complete library of songs maintained by the central server at any one time.
In order to maximize the revenue that a jukebox generates, it is important to make the most desired songs available on the jukebox over time. If customers cannot find songs they like on the jukebox, usage of the jukebox (and the revenue generated thereby) will dramatically decrease. On the other hand, it is impossible to predict in advance exactly what a customer at any particular location will desire to play on the jukebox. In fact, there are likely many instances where a customer would have selected a song that exists on the central server but is not currently present on the jukebox. As a result, the jukebox may not be enjoyed and used to its fullest extent. In order to address this problem and increase revenue, jukebox systems have in the past provided a feature which enables the user to search for songs on the central server from the jukebox and request an immediate download of a desired song from the central server to the jukebox for an additional fee. This feature enables the user to play any song in the master library of songs maintained by the central server using the jukebox, regardless of whether or not the specific song is presently stored in the mass storage of the jukebox itself. Thus, the user can first look for desired songs on the local storage of the jukebox and then, if desired, search further on the central server for desired songs. The jukebox device typically charges an additional fee (such as five credits instead on one credit) for an immediate download and play of a song from the central server as opposed to a standard play directly from the jukebox's local storage.
As might be discerned from the above, the "conventional wisdom" is to attempt to maximize revenues and ensure a broad-based appeal by providing more and more media offerings or songs via a jukebox. In other words, the conventional wisdom and industry thinking is to make available as many media offerings or songs as possible via a jukebox so that the one jukebox will be appropriate for any venue. The theory is based in part on the common perception that it is easier to develop a single, standard jukebox with as many offerings as possible, than to provide multiple different jukeboxes each making available a different set of limited media content. This common understanding, in turn, may have its roots in the fact that conventional, non-digital jukeboxes clearly had severely limited repertoires and that even many early digital jukeboxes has expanded repertoires that were still limited by licensing and accounting requirements, download speeds, etc.
The inventors of the instant application have recently discovered that the conventional wisdom no longer is entirely accurate and that the underlying assumptions are somewhat flawed. For example, the inventors of the instant application have recently discovered that providing more and more media offerings is not necessarily desirable in all instances. This discovery is based, in part, on the inventors' recognition that providing more and more offerings means providing more and more opportunities for patrons to play music that is inconsistent with the authenticity or identity of a location. For instance, the authenticity and identity of a "biker bar" can be severely undermined if a patron were to play what could be considered pop or "teeny-bopper" music, just as a country line dancing venue might have its authenticity and identity undermined if hip hop and rhythm and blues songs were played.
The inventors of the instant application have experienced difficulties providing jukeboxes in locations for these vary reasons. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, the inventors' experiences provide evidence that the ability to selectively "filter" music by excluding songs, genres, and/or the like often is seen as an unacceptable, incomplete, and/or otherwise undesirable to proprietors of locations.
Apart from or in addition to the actual media being played, the inventors of the instant application have also discovered that the physical appearance of the utilitarian jukebox is sometimes undesirable. Indeed, the inventors of the instant application have discovered that the physical appearance of a jukebox or jukebox terminal can be undesirable simply because the device itself looks like a jukebox (e.g., has a payment acceptor, a touch screen display that selectively operates in an "attract mode," includes flashing and/or otherwise changing neon lights, etc.). In a perhaps related matter, the inventors of the instant application have discovered that the content displayed on a jukebox or jukebox terminal also may be considered undesirable. As above, the physical appearance of the jukebox device and/or content displayed on the jukebox device may threaten to undermine the authenticity or identity of a location. As a perhaps more concrete example, it has been observed by the inventors of the instant application that so-called "ultralounges" typically react negatively towards the visual appearances of conventional jukeboxes. As another example, the inventors of the instant application have discovered that the "wrong" types of advertisements and/or media may be displayed at a given location as, for example, ultralounges stereotypically find it more desirable and "authentic" to display attractive men and women wearing fashionable clothing and accessories as compared to album art, concert advertisements, etc.
Still another discovery that the inventors of the instant application have made is that the conventional ways that people typically discover music (including songs, artists, etc.) are becoming outmoded. In addition to, or rather than, watching a music television station such as MTV or the like, listening to the radio, or paying attention to advertisements, potential patrons are discovering music in new and different ways. User interfaces that enable patrons to browse or search for music on a jukebox device typically enable browsing and/or searching based on artist name, song name, album, and/or the like. But such techniques do not necessarily result in the patron being exposed to new or different music and is still another conventional technique for music discovery. The inventors of the instant application have realized that today's potential patrons oftentimes are more interested in music discovered through non-traditional social networking outlets and/or through pure "buzz" generated on the Internet or through such social networking outlets.
Given the above discoveries and realizations, it will be appreciated that further improvements to jukebox devices can be made. It also will be appreciated that some or all of such improvements are contrary to accepted wisdom and/or industry-standard practice. For instance, providing more limited media selections probably would be seen as a "step back" when viewed through the lens of conventional thinking, whereas the inventors have realized that it actually may be considered more desirable by some to provide a more limited selection when attempting to preserve the authenticity and/or identity of a location. As another example, jukebox devices conventionally have been viewed as having one of several "classic designs" and digital jukebox devices have been designed to be "updates" to such classic designs, whereas the inventors have realized that jukeboxes are perhaps not as utilitarian or ubiquitous as they have been viewed. Still further, it will be appreciated that conventional browsing and/or searching techniques may be updated and/or replaced, e.g., to reflect newer ways that potential patrons discover and experience music.
Certain exemplary embodiments provide improvements in the form of digital jukebox devices with techniques for providing appropriate and/or customized media, and associated methods. For instance, certain exemplary embodiments may (1) provide "inclusive" filtering techniques, (2) display appropriate jukebox user interface screens and offer appropriate jukebox content, and/or (3) enable discovery of music through new portals such as new media or social networking sites, and pure buzz, etc. Certain exemplary embodiments may provide (1) attract or flight media operations, (2) browsing services, and/or (3) search screens appropriate to and/or customized for a particular user using the entertainment system, the location at which the entertainment system is being accessed, and/or a predefined event. Such exemplary embodiments are enabled using enabled through metadata associated with recognized jukebox users, locations, instances of media, and/or particular events or locations (e.g., for a short period of time such as, for example, a single disco night). In brief, criteria may be selected for inclusion, e.g., by location staff. Such criteria may be associated with metadata associated with media to provide for selective inclusion of some media, a look-and-feel of the user interface, etc. Once an initially restricted set of media is selected for inclusion, metadata associated with a patron using the jukebox may further selectively limit the pool of media available to a given patron. Finally, metadata associated with an event may still further selectively limit the pool of media available to all patrons for a period of time. In this way, certain exemplary embodiments may begin with a master set of media provided for the overall jukebox system. However, the set of media available for a given location may be initially selected by specifying inclusion criteria. An optional custom-defined event may have metadata associated with it so as to specify yet further inclusion criteria. The overlap of the media available for the location by virtue of the initially selection and the media associated with the optional custom-defined event may then be available for playback on the jukebox(es) available at the particular location. Furthermore, when a recognized user uses the jukebox, metadata associated with the user may be used to define yet a further overlap (e.g., as in the case of three-circle Venn Diagram). The ultimate overlap may be used to limit the options available, reorder the options available to the recognized user (e.g., so that new songs are displayed first, favorite songs are displayed first, etc.).
The inclusion criteria set by a location and/or by a user may be media-specific in certain exemplary embodiments. For instance, inclusion criteria may be indicative of a genre, artist or artists, instrumentation, media popularity indexed to an outside source (e.g., Billboard Charts, plays via a social networking site such as MySpace, information gleaned from a recognized user's Facebook friends, funny videos presented on YouTube or Break.com, etc.). It will be appreciated that media-specific criteria is specific to a particular instance of media. The inclusion criteria set by a location and/or by a user may be media-independent in certain exemplary embodiments. For instance, in certain exemplary embodiments, inclusion criteria may relate to order (newest music first regardless of popularity, most played music last, etc.), and/or the like. Such inclusion criteria may be considered media-independent in the sense that it may constitute data that is not necessarily tied to any specific or particular instance of media.
In certain exemplary embodiments, a user interface may be provided that conveys a three-dimensional (3D) effect. Such a user interface may help convey a greater sense of delving "into" the media. For instance, entry, zoom, and exit effects may be provided for media in a flight state in connection with certain exemplary embodiments. In browsing and/or search screens, media may be displayed so that it appears to zoom in or out based on, for instance, relevance, current selection, criteria matching, etc., in certain exemplary embodiments.
In general, certain exemplary embodiments relate to the inclusion of innovative user interface that help immerse the user in an interactive jukebox world where user interface elements help provide for multi-dimensional interaction with collections of instances of media, synchronized external and/or internal lightshow feedback and/or projection, play queue reveal and/or manipulation, blurring/focusing of elements, synchronized lyrics display etc. Certain exemplary embodiments described herein also include cameras and/or LEDs that may help, for example, enable artist and/or patron likenesses to be used or incorporated into jukebox interfaces, cameras to be leveraged in attract or flight modes or to serve as mirrors, lighting elements to be used as camera flashes, LEDs to simulate tactile feedback for touch screen displays or patron welcome display messages, provide a jukebox-based security system, apply contextual ads, etc. Adaptive auto-complete search recommendations may be provided in certain exemplary embodiments, as may set lists and/or enhanced collection type browsing.
The exemplary embodiments, aspects, and advantages disclosed herein may be provided in any suitable combination or sub-combination to achieve yet further exemplary embodiments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Digital jukebox device with improved user interfaces, and associated methods


A door opening/closing device for use in a vehicle is provided with a driving member. The driving member has a permanent-magnet motor provided with two terminals and an output member, which is rotationally driven by the permanent-magnet motor. The driving member is mounted on either a vehicle body or a vehicle door and is coupled to the other via the output member. As the output member rotates, the vehicle door opens or closes. The door opening/closing device is also provided with a switching device configured to switch the permanent-magnet motor between an energizable state, in which the permanent-magnet motor can receive electricity through the two terminals, and a brake state, in which the terminals are short-circuited. The switching device switches the permanent-magnet motor into the brake state when the vehicle door is in any position other than the fully closed position.

Conventionally, door-opening/closing devices for use in a vehicle have been proposed in, for example, Patent Document 1. According to such a device, a vehicle slide door 81 is supported to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle body 82 as shown in FIG. 8. The slide door 81 moves in the fore-and-aft direction by driving force of a driving member 83 provided on the vehicle body 82 or manual operating force to open and close a door opening 82a formed on the side portion of the vehicle body 82. That is, the slide door 81 moves in a range from a fully closed position, at which the door opening 82a is closed, to a fully open position, at which the door opening 82a is fully opened.
The driving member 83 includes a reversible motor 84 and a drum 85, which is rotationally driven by the motor 84.
A power transmission cable 86, the ends of which are connected to the slide door 81, is wound around the drum 85. The driving member 83 drives the slide door 81 by winding and unwinding the cable 86 through rotation of the motor 84 in accordance with the rotation direction of the motor 84.
An electromagnetic clutch is provided in a power transmission path between the motor 84 and the drum 85 and selectively enables and disables the power transmission path. The electromagnetic clutch is switched to a connected state when the slide door 81 is electrically opened or closed to transmit rotation of the motor 84 to the drum 85. The electromagnetic clutch is switched to a disabled state when the slide door 81 is manually opened or closed, and prevents rotation of the drum 85 from being transmitted to the motor 84. This is to allow the slide door 81 to be opened or closed with small operating force by separating rotation torque of the drum 85 from the motor 84 when, in particular, the slide door 81 is opened or closed manually.
A full-close lock 91, which retains the slide door 81 at the fully closed position by engaging with the vehicle body 82, and a full-open lock 92, which retains the slide door 81 at the fully open position by also engaging with the vehicle body 82, are provided on the slide door 81. The full-open lock 92 is disengaged from the vehicle body 82 upon reception of manual operating force from a manipulation lever 93 or electrical operating force from a release actuator 94, and allows the slide door 81 to be closed.

Door-opening/closing device for use in vehicle


Circuit configuration for error reporting, having a signal transmitter (1) for issuing error signals, having an error reporting line (46) that is connected with an error report evaluation device (6), having a coupler (2) for galvanic separation of the error reporting line (46) from the signal transmitter (1), and having a power supply (5) for making available an operating voltage for the coupler (2).

It is known to use relay couplers or optical couplers for issuing a message or an indication on the error indicating line when an error occurs. Such couplers also serve to carry out galvanic separation of different parts of the circuit configuration. In the case of optical couplers, a power supply capable of functioning is absolutely required. In this previously known state of the art, the error message is issued to the error indicating line as a static signal, i.e. the potential of the error indicating line is changed between a first value and a second value when an error occurs, and remains at this second value for the duration of the error. It is disadvantageous, in this connection, that the error indication does not allow any statement concerning the type of error, so that it was not possible to evaluate whether this is a serious error and what the reason for the occurrence of the error might be.

Abstract: A connection circuit (3) is provided between coupler (2) and error reporting line (46), which places the error reporting line (46) at a predetermined potential, the error report potential, if the operating voltage of the coupler (2) is insufficient.

Abstract: The connection circuit (3) can furthermore be controlled by the coupler (2), in such a manner that if the signal transmitter (1) issues an error signal, the connection circuit (3) places the error signal onto the error reporting line (46).


In a method for manufacturing an integrated, optical waveguide component having fiber couplings, a substrate component and a cover component are used, the cover component being obtained by forming a positive-negative replica of the substrate component. To separate the optical waveguide pattern region from the regions of the fiber couplings, grooves, as well as corresponding webs, are provided transversely to the fiber couplings. The method eliminates the need for carrying out the fiber adjustment and the waveguide formation in one process.

German Patent Application No. DE 42 17 553 A1 describes a waveguide component having fiber couplings. It comprises a base part of polymeric material and a lid part that is constructed as the negative matrix of the base part. V-guides are provided as fiber-coupling regions at the outer extremities. The mid-section of the base part has a waveguide depression, which is provided with an optically active substance, for example a UV-setting adhesive.
FIG. 1 depicts a similar waveguide component. The fibers to be coupled are pre-aligned (a prealignment fixture). After the core monomer hardens, PMMA cover foils (polymeric cover foils) are glued (polymeric glue) to the substrate exhibiting the same patterns in order to bond the waveguides. For this purpose, a core-monomer adhesive is dripped into the waveguide depressions, squeezed out as a foil less than 1 .mu.m thick and subsequently cured by means of UV or thermal polymerization. Following polymerization, the refractive index of the core polymer is about 5*10.sup.-3 higher, so that, together with the surrounding polymeric substrate, it constitutes a dielectric waveguide. Foils commercially known under the name Mylar (TM) can be stripped off after the core monomer hardens (strip-off covers). These foils must be cut exactly to length with a precision of about +/-10 .mu.m. As shown in FIG. 1, the fibers to be coupled are inserted into the V-guides prior to adhesion of the waveguides and are adhesively bonded to the substrate by the overflowing core monomer.

Integrated optical waveguide component and method of manufacture

Harting Elektro-optische Bauteile GmbH & Co. KG


A network node (16) of a first radio access network is configured to transfer a user equipment (11) from the first radio access network to a second radio access network, wherein the second radio access network has a different radio access technology, RAT, than the first radio access network. The transfer is initiated when the network node receives an indication of an inactive period in an ongoing packet-switched data session from the user equipment, and the network node transfers the user equipment to the second radio access network as a result of said indication.

The 3GPP LTE (3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution) is a project for improving the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System)-standard, in order to cope with future requirements in terms of improved services, such as higher data rates, improved efficiency, and lower costs. The radio access network of an LTE system is commonly referred to as an E-UTRAN (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network), and the UTRAN is the radio access network according to the UMTS.
In a UTRAN, a user equipment, UE, is connected to a radio base station commonly referred to as a Node B, and the Node B is connected to a network node, typically an RNC (Radio Network Controller). The RNC is connected to a core network, which comprises both a circuit switched service domain and a packet switched service domain.
In a radio access network according to the 2nd generation, e.g. a GERAN (Global System for Mobile communication, GSM, Edge Radio Access Network), the radio base station is referred to as a BTS (Base Transceiver Station), which is connected to a core network via a network node, typically a Base Station Controller (BSC), the core network also comprising both a circuit switched service domain and a packet switched service domain.
However, in the above-mentioned E-UTRAN, a UE is connected to a radio base station commonly referred to as an eNodeB (evolved NodeB), which is connected to the core network node, and the core network comprises only a packet switched service domain.
Thus, the E-UTRAN in the LTE uses a RAT (Radio Access Technology) that is not CS (Circuit Switched) capable. Instead, CS-based services, e.g. conventional circuit-switched voice calls, is replaced e.g. by VoIP in and LTE system.
For this reason, an LTE-capable UE that is attached to an E-UTRAN and wishes to initiate a CS service, e.g. a conventional voice call, has to transfer to a radio access network, RAN, with a CS-capable radio access technology, RAT, e.g. a UTRAN or a GERAN. Thus, the serving eNodeB will transfer the UE to a CS-capable radio access network in which the UE has radio coverage, and this RAN will provide the requested CS-service to the UE.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an UE 11 having an overlapping UTRA-radio coverage and E-UTRA-radio coverage. The figure shows a NodeB 14 of a UTRAN and an eNodeB 15 of an E-UTRAN. The NodeB 14 is connected to a network node of the UTRAN, i.e. an RNC 16, and the eNodeB is connected to a core network node 18. The UE 11 is located within an overlapping area of the UTRAN cell 12 and the E-UTRAN cell 13, wherein the UE may transfer from the E-UTRAN to the UTRAN, when it requests a CS service.
The transfer of the UE to the UTRAN due to the UE requesting a CS service could be performed e.g. according to a standardized CSFB (Circuit Switched Fall Back)-mechanism, which uses a PS HO (Packet Switched Hand Over) or a RRC Release operation. However, no specific mechanism is standardized for transferring the UE back to E-UTRAN after a CSFB, when the CS service has ended. Instead, when the CS service is terminated, and no PS (Packet Switched) session is ongoing, the UE is expected to go to Idle mode, and return to the E-UTRAN using e.g. a standardized LTE Cell Reselection. The Cell Reselection can also take place if the UE is in a CELL_PCH-state or in a URA_PCH-state, but not in a CELL_FACH-state.
Besides from the above-described situation, in which an LTE capable UE is connected to an UTRAN because a requested CS service is not available in E-UTRAN, other situations may exist in which an LTE capable UE may be connected to a UTRAN instead of to an E-UTRAN, such as e.g. when the UE does not have any LTE coverage, or due to operator strategies or load issues in the LTE network. However, when the reason for the connection to the UTRAN is not valid anymore, the UE should normally return to E-UTRAN as soon as possible.
Various methods exist for transferring a UE between two radio access network with different radio access technologies, such as e.g. from UTRAN to E-UTRAN, and different methods may apply for different UE states. The conventional method for a UE to transfer from a non-preferred RAT to the preferred RAT, in case the UE is in Idle mode or is connected on a common channel, is the above-mentioned LTE Cell Reselection, which requires that the UE is in the Idle mode, in a URA_PCH state or in a CELL_PCH state, i.e. that the UE has stopped transmitting data over the air, since the UE at this point is free to search for the most suitable available cell, with the highest prioritized radio access technology.
There is a need to improve handover between UTRAN and E-UTRAN.

Transferring a user equipment to a radio access network with a different radio access technology


A processor (and method) of processing multiple data by a single instruction includes first and second register sets each of which includes a plurality of registers, and an arithmetic unit to rearrange data being registered in the first and second register sets according to a relative size of an absolute value of the data between the first and second register sets so that the relative size is defined before executing an instruction considering the relative size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) arithmetic processor, apparatus and a method, an arithmetic processing unit and a compiler used for the SIMD arithmetic processor that obtain a calculation error by a floating-point operation.
2. Description of Related Art
As a high precision operating method using a double precision arithmetic processor, a "double-double" operation is known. The double-double operation is a floating-point type operation that uses two words of double precision type 64 bits. The operation achieves 106 bit accuracy by using two words for high (the MSB side) and low (the LSB side). "MSB" means the "Most Significant Bit", and "LSB" means the "Least Significant Bit".
Double-double addition is expressed by a formula below:(c.hi, c.lo)=(a.hi, a.lo)+(b.hi, b.lo)a.hi+b.hi=fl(a.hi+b.hi)+err(a.hi+b.hi)=fl.hi+err.hi a.lo+b.lo=fl(a.lo+b.lo)+err(a.lo+b.lo)=fl.lo+err.lo
A fl (op(A)) means a normalized value of op(A), and an err (op(A)) means a computing error of op(A)).
In order to execute the double-double addition, a roundoff error of the double precision addition result is calculated. For calculating the roundoff error, Dekker's algorithm and Knuth's algorithm are known.
Knuth's algorithm includes six instructions below.x←a+b bvirtual←x−a avirtual←x−bvirtual broundoff←b−bvirtual aroundoff←a−avirtual y←aroundoff+broundoff
The computing error y is obtained from two inputs a and b, and "+" means addition and "−" means subtraction. Knuth's algorithm, however, has a drawback in that many operations are required for calculating the computing error.
On the other hand, Dekker's algorithm may be operated with three instructions as shown below.x←a+bbvirtual←x−ay←b−bvirtual
It is assumed that |a|>|b| in Knuth's algorithm.
As such, Dekker's algorithm may have an advantage over Knuth's algorithm in that it has a smaller number of operations for calculating the computing error.
As a related art, a patent document 1 discloses a SIMD processor which includes a plurality of processor elements (PE) to process a plurality of data. Each of the processor elements (PE) of the SIMD processor of the patent document 1 includes a plurality of comparing elements and a plurality of arithmetic registers each of which is connected to each of the comparing elements. The comparing element compares a value of the arithmetic register and a single immediate. The immediate is a constant value which is included in a command being executed by the processor. When the command is fetched by the processor, the immediate is used immediately. The comparing element stores a result of a logic operation based on each of a result of the comparison to a condition register which is used for controlling whether an operation of each of the processor elements is executed or not.
A patent document 2 discloses a basic operation element of an SIMD-type parallel data operation apparatus.
[Non-Patent Document 1] Jonathan Richard Shewchuk, "Adaptive Precision Floating-Point Arithmetic and Fast Robust Geometric Predicates", School of Computer Science Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-192405
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei-7-060430

Processor apparatus and method of processing multiple data by single instructions


A drill comprises a shaft with chip conveying flutes and a drill head at its forward end with at least two cutting inserts. Each cutting insert is provided with at least one cutting edge which is delimited between a chipbreaking surface and first relief surface and which includes an outer straight edge. In the proximity of the center axis of the shaft, a curved cutting edge section is provided, to which there is connected an adjacent enforcement bevel. The cutting edge is in direct proximity to a center axis, and is terminated by a chisel edge between the cutting inserts to serve as a centering core portion. The curved cutting edge section is inwardly followed by a primary straight portion without an adjacent enforcement bevel in a direction that is oriented at an angle of between approximately 40–50° in relation to a horizontal line that extends through the center axis of the drill.

Drills of the above-noted type are previously known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,079 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,863. With these prior art drills, however, clearance surfaces at the edges extend in an unbroken manner from the peripheral end of the edge until its curved portion adjacent the core centering portion. This means that the drill head obtains a tip angle only in one main plane that is parallel with the straight edge portion but not in a plane that extends laterally from the main plane. Despite providing a core centering portion, such drills can perform with only a marginal improvement of its centering ability compared with conventional drills which are not provided with such centering core portions. An essentially similar drill is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,888.

Drilling tool for holemaking in metallic workpieces


A computer-based system and related method are provided for migrating data associated with a website from a first Web content management (WCM) platform to a second WCM platform. The data migrated can include templates, user and group data files, content files (media, texts and others), workflows, authorizations, among others. The system and related method can further include a transformation capability that enables modifications to website data elements during migration, including but not limited to templates, HTML, users, metadata, file assets, and content such as images, links, and text during migration. In this manner, web administrators can modify the website design during migration to a new WCM platform within an integrated process.

Web content management (WCM) systems are used to create, manage, and control collections of web-based material, e.g., Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) documents, PHP documents, images, and others. A WCM system generally facilitates document control, editing, timeline management, and publication of a website. For instance, a typical WCM system can provide one or more of the following features: automated templates, easily editable content, workflow management, document management, and content virtualization, among others. Using a WCM system provides developers with tools that allow for the creation of attractive and well-designed web pages and/or websites with uniform or related layouts.
Modern websites often use web content management (WCM) systems. WCM systems allow website administrators to control the content of their web pages, among other features. For instance, WCM systems allow users to add or edit information on a web page without requiring programming knowledge and to manage content workflows and user permissions.
With the growing complexity of website design, content management has evolved from merely managing the storage and access of document data on local computers to controlling increasingly complex data such as HTML codes, modules, permissions, and the linking of sub-pages and hosted images to a web site, with near real-time updates.
Many web content management (WCM) systems exist in the marketplace, such as Sitecore® (of Sitecore Corporation), Drupal™ (open source), Adobe CQ® (of Adobe Systems Incorporated), HP Autonomy TeamSite™ (of HP Autonomy), Oracle Fatwire (of Oracle Corporation), Microsoft SharePoint (of Microsoft Corporation), EPiServer® (of EPiServer Inc.), OpenText® web site management (of OpenText Corp.), Ektron® WCM (of Ektron, Inc.), among others. Each of the systems has unique features and functionalities. As general matter, each of these systems has an internal working environment that enables web administrators to control and manipulate website content prior to publishing the site on the web. Moreover, within its internal working environment, each WCM system has unique terminology and linking methodologies. This enables these systems to provide ease of use for within their respective environments, but make transportability of websites between systems problematic.
The state of the art in website design and WCM systems advances quickly. As such, site administrators periodically elect to move their websites to new WCM systems to keep pace with the rapidly increasing sophistication of web-based systems. In addition, as a company grows, its requirements for a WCM system change. With a small company, a basic WCM system might be satisfactory. However, as companies grow, they frequently have the need to use increasingly complex WCM systems. Thus, companies will find the need to migrate between WCM systems.
However, migration can be a difficult problem. Current approaches for migrating content can be labor-intensive and highly vulnerable to error. As a result, some companies are forced to write individualized code to automate part of the data migration process, but this is highly technical and time-consuming. As a result, most data migration projects either fail or go over budget.
Off-the-shelf systems for data migration exist and can be generally effective from transferring data files, however, shortfalls exist. For example, such systems typically migrate the published website files. As a result, the functionality that existed within the internal working environment of the first WCM system is lost, such as internal linking, templates, WCM-specific terminology, and other features, which the web administrator often must manually correct within the new WCM environment. Moreover, current approaches can be slow—it can take several days to transfer between WCM systems, resulting in times when the website is unavailable.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there exists a need for a data migration system that rapidly transfers all the data needed.

Migrating data for web content management systems


A scanner (A), such as a CT or MR scanner, non-invasively examines a region of interest of subject and generates a plurality of views indicative thereof which are reconstructible into an image representation. A filter control (14) generates a bandwidth scaling factor (BWF.sub..theta.) and a bandwidth offset (BWO) for each view. Preferably, the selected bandwidth scaling factor is the maximum of a plurality of bandwidth scaling factors based on different criteria including noise, missing views, material surrounding the region of interest, or noise texture. The bandwidth scaling factor is then used to address a filter curve look up table (18) to select from a plurality (N.sub.T) of filter values. The digital filter values are interpolated (20) or extrapolated as necessary to match the number of values (N.sub.S) in each sampled view. The digital filter values and the view values are multiplied (22) point by point to create filtered views which are reconstructed (30) into the image representation for storage in an image memory (32) or displayed on a video monitor (34).

The present invention relates to the art of image reconstruction. It finds particular application in conjunction with CT scanners and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present invention is also applicable to the reconstruction of images from magnetic resonance data, digital x-ray data, PET data, and the like.
A CT scanner generates lines or views of image data values. The data values of each view commonly represent radiation attenuation along rays of a fan shaped swatch through a slice of a patient. Different views represent the same fan shaped swatch but at different angular orientations about the patient. The views of data are collected in a data memory and reconstructed into an image representation, most commonly by a process of convolution and backprojection, also known as filtered backprojection. By filtering all the views with a common filter, image artifacts, noise degradation, and the like can be reduced or eliminated. Conventionally, all views are filtered with the same filter function.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,145, only some data is filtered prior to the reconstruction. The data collected from rays which pass through the patient's arm pass through more bone than other rays giving that data a different bandwidth. The '145 patent filters only the rays of data that pass through the patient's arms with a preselected fixed filter function to reduce or eliminate bandwidth related artifacts in the resultant image.
Data from other scanners has also been filtered either as the data is collected or reconstructed into an image representation. However, such filtering again tends to be fixed for a given image.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved filtering technique which overcomes the above referenced problems and others.


Reactive adhesive compositions that can be activated with actinic radiation, manipulated for an extended time and then cured thermally are disclosed. The prepolymer mixture for the reactive adhesive contains a catalyst component and a monomer/oligomer component. The monomer or oligomer is chosen from oxetane monomers, oxirane monomers, oxetane oligomers and oxirane oligomers. The oxirane monomers and oligomers have at least one oxygen or sulfur of an ether or thioether in a position two or three carbons removed from the oxygen of the oxirane.

There are two basic classes of adhesives in widespread current use. The first class is pressure sensitive adhesives, such as are employed in adhesive tapes. The adhesive is tacky, and bonding takes place primarily due to physical forces of attraction between the adhesive and the substrate surface, when the adhesive is pressed onto a surface. In this case, adhesion is temporary and, if sufficient force is applied, the adhesive can be removed from the substrate. A second class of adhesives, used primarily for structural purposes, is reactive adhesives. During the establishment of the adhesive bond, a reaction takes place, within the adhesive itself and with the substrate(s) to be bonded, that involves the formation of permanent covalent chemical bonds. Such adhesives are more or less permanent, and removal of the adhesive cannot occur except through disruption of the chemical bonds.
Epoxy structural adhesives are reactive adhesives that are widely used in industrial applications. They provide the best combination of thermal resistance, chemical inertness, adhesive bond strength and mechanical characteristics of all known types of adhesives. For this reason, they are widely employed in the aerospace, transportation and electronic industries. Epoxy adhesives also find applications in the joining and bonding of composites, piping and in many construction adhesives employed in the construction, housing and civil engineering industries. The reliability and ease of fabrication utilizing epoxy adhesives have virtually revolutionized these industries and have rendered conventional types of mechanical fasteners (i.e. bolts, screws, nails, etc.) obsolete in many applications. In many cases, the mechanical properties of adhesively bonded joints exceed those made with conventional fasteners. An even greater use of adhesives would be realized if these materials were more convenient to use and underwent faster bonding.
The trade off between working time of a curing system and its ultimate cure time is one of the classic epoxy formulating challenges. Obviously, it is desirable to have plenty of working time at room temperature to complete assembly operations—especially if valuable components are involved. Once assembly is complete, rapid completion of cure is desired so that the next step in the operation can be started. Unfortunately, when these requirements are translated into polymer science terms, a conflict arises. The cure rate of most epoxy systems follows an Arrhenius type relationship wherein the log of cure rate is inversely proportional to the reciprocal of absolute temperature. For many practical applications, process engineers have used the rule of thumb that cure rate will double with each 10° C. increase in the process temperature.
To achieve both good working life and quick process time, a difference in cure rate of about three orders of magnitude is required between the assembly and cure conditions. By the rule of thumb this estimates to roughly 100 degrees difference between assembly and cure temperatures. For this reason, it is typical to find epoxy systems that are assembled at room temperature and cured at 120° C. Curing temperatures of 150 and 180° C. are also common and provide an even greater difference between assembly and curing reaction rates. If one attempts to further reduce the difference between the processing and cure temperatures, the systems become unworkable, because the processing time (i.e. potlife) is correspondingly shortened. In addition, since under these conditions the curing is progressing during the assembly, the characteristics of the adhesive are also constantly changing—making application difficult, unreliable and irreproducible. Ever since the discovery of epoxy resins in the mid 1940's there has been a search for ways to avoid this dilemma.
In many applications subjecting the substrate(s) to be bonded to high temperatures cannot be tolerated, or it is very inconvenient. Therefore, a number of options have been developed for room temperature or a slightly elevated temperature cure. These will be reviewed briefly as possible solutions:
Frozen Systems—In this approach, a highly reactive epoxy curing system is rapidly mixed at room temperature, filled into an application package and then dropped into a dry ice box or similar cold storage. During assembly, the package is thawed and applied. Cure then proceeds at room temperature. This approach avoids the necessity of mixing the adhesive formulation directly at the work site and provides a reasonably fast cure time (eg. 6-8 hours). The disadvantage of such systems is that since the handling characteristics of the adhesive constantly change as the adhesive thaws, it is difficult to automate the application and cure cycles. In addition, once thawed, cure starts spontaneously and the entire batch must be used in a relatively short time. Any excess is wasted and cannot be recovered.
Blocked Catalyst Systems—A number of ingenious systems have been developed to allow incorporation of a highly reactive catalyst system into a resin while blocking its reactivity at room temperature. One of the first systems encapsulated the catalyst inside a wax with a sharp melting point temperature. Below the melting point the system has excellent working life, but it cures extremely rapidly once the melting point is reached. Catalysts have also been blocked by the use of a chemical adduct with a sharp decomposition point temperature. Employing blocked catalysts allows formulation of systems where only about 60° C. difference is required between assembly and final cure temperature. Blocked catalysts have not found much general usage since they tend to be "tempermental" with respect to their cure characteristics and they are subject to spontaneous curing during storage.
Surface Activated Systems—In those instances where polymer systems are cured in close contact with surfaces, a number of novel cure systems have proven effective in supplying good working life followed by rapid room temperature cure. The most common examples are anaerobic and cyanoacrylate adhesives. These systems possess excellent processing characteristics provided the gap between the component surfaces is less than 0.5 mm. Unfortunately, these same adhesives also have poor thermal resistance and cannot be used at even modest temperatures (eg. 100° C.).
Cure-on-Command Systems—These systems typically have very long shelf and working life, but cure rapidly when the assembly operator or an automated assembly system gives the "command". The command usually is the application of actinic radiation to the polymer system being cured. The earliest examples used ultraviolet light, but UV irradiation can only be used only when at least one of the substrates is transparent to light. The cure of opaque, filled or thick cross sections is problematic using UV triggered systems.
"Dual-cure" systems have also been described. They employ both light and heat to achieve cure of epoxy and other types of monomers and they are used in applications in which it is not possible to directly irradiate the material. The dual-curable system is first applied to the substrate and irradiated to form a gelled shell. The gelling process (i.e. a functionally significant increase in viscosity) gives rise to certain problems of its own, and it would be advantageous to avoid gelling if one could. The material, which is usually located such that it cannot be cured by light, is subjected to a thermal treatment designed to trigger the initiator by heat. In some cases, the material is first subjected to low level UV irradiation on one adherand and then very rapidly covered with the other adherand to make an adhesive joint. These latter materials are characterized by a very short "open time". This means that the time from completion of the irradiation to when an adhesive bond may be made is very short, on the order of a few seconds.
As described above, although many schemes have been advanced, at present there appears to be no workable solution to the dilemma of obtaining simultaneously both a long working life and a rapid cure time. In principle the notion of a Command-Cure involves two seemingly diametrically opposed requirements. The first of these requirements is a latent system that is stable for indefinite periods at room temperature. Such systems would, therefore, be said to be storage stable. The second requirement is high reactivity at that would allow the system to undergo cure (polymerization) only when desired and with minimal exposure to heat.


A nonaerosol shave gel composition comprising. a) about 8 to about 16 wt. % of an anionic surfactant or mixture of anionic surfactant other than soap, PA1 b) about 2 to about 8 wt. % of a betaine or mixtures thereof, PA1 c) about 1 to about 4 wt. % of a foam boosting nonionic surfactant or mixture thereof PA1 d) about 1 to about 4 wt. % of an ethoxylated emollient and slip agent, PA1 e) about 0.1 to about 0.8 wt. % of a gellant comprising an ethoxylated, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, inclusive, glycoside ester of a diacid having an alkyl group of about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms.

Various methods of removing hair from the body have been employed for generations. Most of these methods involve a sharp tool for actual hair removal. Assisting in the removal is a chemical composition which makes hair removal easier. These compositions usually include some sort of surfactant material, emollients to make the skin feel better, slip agents for the tool to slide over the skin in an easier manner, lubricity enhancing agents to bring about a better skin feel during and after the hair removal process as well as a carrier.
Such shave assisting compositions are present in many delivery forms. They can be present as a post foaming gel, that is the gel is expressed from the container and then foams as it is rubbed into the portion of the skin from which the hair is to be removed. Other forms are merely simple shave creams or the traditional soap bar which can be lathered in a mug-shaped vehicle. With respect to the gels, they are usually expressed from the container by an aerosol delivery system. However, this is a relatively expensive form of delivery in that it requires a container which can withstand a considerable amount of pressure and also utilizes propellants which may be potentially damaging to the skin or to the environment.
Therefore, there exists a need for a non-aerosol shave gel which has the above-mentioned abilities of skin cleansing, skin conditioning, slip, and lubricity while being essentially non-irritating. Additionally, the non-aerosol nature of such a composition allows it to be packaged in a non-pressurized container. It has a further benefit of being able to be packaged in a deformable container which allows for the delivery to the skin of a predetermined, specific amount of material. Such containers can be simple squeeze tubes or any other container which can deliver the shave gel by appropriate pressure on the surface of the container or through a valve which allows the composition to be delivered through the pressure created by the hand creating a pumping action.


An eddy current inspection system and method for inspecting a component is provided. The system includes an eddy current probe for sensing eddy currents from the component and an analog to digital converter configured for converting eddy currents to digital signals. The system also includes a processor configured for generating an eddy current image from the digital signals and pre-processing the image to enhance a quality of the image. The processor is configured to identify regions displaying flaw patterns and calculating a defect characterizing parameter for the identified regions.

The invention relates generally to inspection systems and more specifically to a method and system for automated eddy current nondestructive testing.
Eddy current inspection is a commonly used technique for nondestructive inspection of aircraft engine and other industrial components for surface flaws. The technique is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, wherein a drive coil carrying alternating currents induces eddy currents into a part under test. In the case of a flaw in the test specimen, as for example, a crack or a discontinuity, the eddy current flow within the test specimen alters, which can be detected by one or more sense coils. The detected signals are used to generate an eddy current image, which can be analyzed further to detect the presence of flaws in image.
Attempts have been made to develop automatic flaw detection processes for eddy current images. U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,514, Mahdavieh et al., entitled "Method for inspecting components having complex geometric shapes," discloses one such technique, which uses references images from adjacent structurally similar portions to perform the processing. Typically, a surface of a component is scanned with an eddy current probe and a two-dimensional image of the scanned portion is generated using the eddy current signals received during scanning. The image is preprocessed to reduce any signals relative to the background pixel intensities in the image caused by geometric characteristics and background noise common to all similarly shaped structural portions. Any suspected defect regions are identified from the preprocessed image, and a defect characterizing parameter is determined for each suspected defect region. Typically, if any defect characterizing parameter exceeds a predetermined reference value, the suspected defect region is rejected.
The above described method may have certain disadvantages, including a lower probability of detection, due to less effective encapsulation of the flaw patterns seen in the eddy current images acquired by the system. Another disadvantage of the above described process, is the fact that two reference images obtained from adjacent structural portions of the component under inspection are required as inputs to the process, for suppressing strong edge signals which mask the underlying crack signals. Availability of such reference images may be difficult for real-time inspections.
Thus, there is a need to develop a more precise method of eddy current inspection that would automatically detect defects in real time and characterize the size of the defect.

Eddy current inspection method and system