The invention concerns a device and a method for the preparation of a liquid composition for oral administration of a liquid composition formed by a liquid component and a component in powder form, for the treatment of persons affected by metabolic disorders, in particular appropriately selecting the compounds to be added to the drink according to the specific metabolic disorder.

The existence of rare metabolic disorders that entail an abnormal metabolic behavior with regard to some substances to be metabolized, such as amino acids, fats or carbohydrates, is known.
This metabolic alteration causes an accumulation of the substance to be metabolized or its by-products, and this can cause toxic action in different parts of the body. The organs most affected by these rare metabolic disorders are the central and peripheral nervous system, the liver and the kidneys.
In many countries, newborns are subjected to screening in the first days after birth in order to identify the presence of a possible metabolic disorder and, if necessary, to start pharmacological treatment and a controlled diet as soon as possible.
The main treatment in almost all rare metabolic disorders is the elimination or significant reduction in the diet of the specific substance, such as an amino acid, a sugar or a type of fat, which the patient is not able to metabolize. In the case, for example, of metabolic disorders affecting the amino acids, the diet of the patients provides to eliminate foods that are naturally rich in proteins (meat, fish, milk, eggs, etc.), as well as to consume foods with very low quantities of proteins. Moreover, the integration of daily protein requirements occurs through the administration of food for special medical purposes containing nutritional substances, with the exclusion of the substance that is toxic for the organism of the person affected by a metabolic disorder.
These foods are also enriched with macro- and micro-nutrients, which can vary depending on the age of the patient: for example, a product intended for unweaned infants generally has a high quantity of fats and carbohydrates (especially lactose) and a limited quantity of proteins to mimic the composition of breast milk. A product intended for children and adults has fewer fats and a greater quantity of amino acids.
Similarly the profile of minerals, trace elements and vitamins varies in the different product ranges to meet the nutritional needs of patients from birth until adulthood.
The dietician must calculate for each patient the daily protein requirements necessary for growth and the normal turn-over of the proteins of the organism, based on the age, weight, and sex of the patient.
The most widespread rare metabolic disorders are those affecting the amino acids, therefore they imply a difficulty on the part of the human organism in metabolizing one or more amino acids. Among them we can mention phenylketonuria (PKU), tyrosinemia (TYR), homocystinuria (HCys) and organic acidemias: these can occur as maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), methylmalonic and propionic acidemia (OAc), isovaleric acidemia (LEU).
Other rare metabolic disorders can concern an altered carbohydrate metabolism, such as glucose and galactose intolerance, or an altered metabolism of certain lipids, such as for example oxidation disorders of the fatty acids.
We will now give a brief description of the rare metabolic disorders affecting amino acids listed above, and their effects on the human body.
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in the metabolism of phenylalanine. A deficit in the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase or in its cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin causes an anomalous accumulation of phenylalanine in body fluids and in the central nervous system, which is the zone most affected by this pathology. Depending on the residual capacity to metabolize phenylalanine and therefore on the blood concentration of this amino acid, the disorder is classified as severe, moderate or mild. If the blood concentration of phenylalanine is not controlled, patients are subject to cognitive impairment and irreversible mental retardation (Williams, Mamotte, & Burnett, 2008).
Following the diagnosis of the disorder, a more or less restrictive aprotein diet must be initiated depending on the patient's residual enzymatic activity and the protein intake must be supplemented with special medical foods without phenylalanine.
Tyrosinemia (TYR), a metabolic disorder affecting tyrosine metabolism, exists in three variants: type I, type II and type III characterized respectively by a defect in the enzyme fumarilacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH), tyrosine aminotransferase and p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic dioxygenase acid. Some toxic tyrosine metabolites interfere with normal metabolic processes in different body zones. If the disorder is not treated, the patient will experience progressive liver damage, kidney damage, peripheral seizures, hepatocellular carcinoma and the formation of crystals in the cornea. Life expectancy in the absence of pharmacological or dietetic treatment or liver transplantation is less than ten years. The treatment involves the drug therapy with Nitisinone associated with the restriction of proteins in the diet, which are replaced by food for special medical purposes without tyrosine and phenylalanine, which is a precursor of tyrosine itself (Alobaidy, 2017).
Homocystinuria is a disorder caused by the defect of the enzyme cystathionine betasyntaxis that metabolizes methionine. There are two forms of the pathology: a milder form in which the patient responds to therapy with vitamin B6, and a more severe form that is insensitive to this treatment. The pathology leads to delayed development, intellectual disability, ectopia lentis, severe myopia, skeletal anomalies and a high risk of thromboembolism. The treatment provides to administer vitamin B6 in B6-responsive patients and to restrict natural proteins in the diet substituted by food without methionine (Ladys & Street, 2005).
Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a metabolic disorder that is part of organic acidemias. In this pathology, the patient has a genetic defect that affects the branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. This protein complex is necessary for the proper metabolism of leucine, isoleucine and valine (branched chain amino acids).
The pathology is divided into classic, intermediate, intermittent and thiamine-responsive MSUD. Classic MSUD occurs in the first days of life with encephalopathy, coma and respiratory arrest. Patients can suffer from intoxications and metabolic crises consequent to an increase in protein degradation (infection, surgery, wounds, psychological stress). MSUD therapy provides to administer thiamine if the patient responds to this treatment, or to restrict the diet and use foods without the branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine (Chuang, Chuang, & Wynn, 2006).
Methylmalonic acidemia and propionic acidemia (OA) have in common that it is impossible to correctly metabolize the following amino acids: isoleucine, valine, methionine and threonine.
Methylmalonic acidemia is caused by a defect in the methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase or in the transport/synthesis of its adenosyl cobalamin cofactor or by a defect in the methylmalonyl coenzyme A epimerase. This pathology can manifest in three forms: the non-B12-responsive infantile form, in which the symptoms appear at birth, the intermediate B12-responsive form, in which the symptoms appear after a few weeks or months of life, and the mild form due to a deficiency of methylmalonyl coenzyme A epimerase.
The disorder manifests with episodes of metabolic decompensation in apparently healthy patients. Among the secondary complications are intellectual disabilities, renal dysfunction, neurological problems, optic nerve atrophy and others. Treatment provides to administer vitamin B12 in patients who respond to this therapy, and in all cases to restrict the diet with administration of foods without isoleucine, valine, methionine and threonine (Baumgartner et al., 2014).
Propionic acidemia is caused by a defect in the propionyl coenzyme A carboxylase. The disorder can occur in neonatal age or later depending on different factors (residual enzymatic activity, intake of propiogenic precursors, catabolic stress factors). In the neonatal form, the patient has symptoms of lethargy, poor appetite, vomiting, hypotonia and may have encephalopathy and cardiorespiratory arrest if not treated. When the disorder occurs later, there may be delayed development, intellectual disability, poor growth, gastrointestinal problems, protein intolerance, acute psychosis, hypotonia, and movement disorders. Treatment of the pathology provides a low protein diet and the use of foods rich in amino acids except isoleucine, valine, methionine and threonine (Baumgartner et al., 2014).
Finally, isovaleric acidemia (LEU) is due to a malfunction of the enzyme isovaleryl coenzyme A dehydrogenase, involved in leucine metabolism. There are three forms of the disorder: the acute neonatal form, the intermittent chronic form and the mild asymptomatic form. In the most severe forms, the pathology manifests with vomiting and lethargy which can degenerate into a coma and death of the newborn. The chronic form is associated with retarded development. Both forms have acute episodes of decompensation during metabolic crises (Vockley, Jerry, Ensenauer, 2009). The therapy provides to restrict the diet with carnitine supplementation, glycine and a mixture of leucine-free amino acids.
As seen, in all metabolic disorders affecting the amino acids described above the remedy is based on the patient's intake of specific foods rich in amino acids, with the exclusion of the amino acids that cause the pathology. Foods for the treatment of the most frequent metabolic disorders are mostly in the form of powder to be reconstituted with water, but also ready-to-use liquid or semi-liquid products are marketed. The latter contain a certain quantity of carbohydrates, are enriched in mineral salts, trace elements and vitamins and are often a source of omega 3 and/or omega 6 fats.
While for phenylketonuria, which is the most frequent rare metabolic disorder among those mentioned, there is an ample supply of liquid products on the market both as regards the brands available and as regards the aromatizations; for other rare disorders, patients' choice is often limited to a few powdered products, one or two flavors at most, considering that the products are unlikely to be liquid. This is due to the fact that the incidence in the population of these pathologies is so rare that it is not viable for a food company to produce these products, especially in liquid form.
Another problem that limits the production of these liquid formulations concerns the fast degradation of some nutrients in these products in liquid form.
The above disadvantages generally apply also to formulations and production processes of the formulations for the treatment of non-metabolic disorders. In particular, it is known that there are disorders other than rare metabolic disorders in which an adaptation of the diet can help improve the patient's clinical picture. This is the case, for example, of kidney pathologies, in which a reduction of protein intake by means of a hypoproteic diet can avoid overloading kidneys that are already compromised by a limited filtration capacity. In another example, the treatment of pathologies such as drug-resistant epilepsy is assisted by the total or partial elimination of carbohydrates from the diet and an increase in the intake of fats, in order to promote ketogenesis and obtain energy from lipids, to the detriment of sugar metabolism. The possibility of using this type of diet, defined in specific cases as ketogenic diet, is also under study in the therapeutic support for pathologies such as some gastrointestinal disorders, some types of cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,795 describes a device for adding a first component to a second component present in a main package. This known device keeps the first component separated from the second component until the moment of use. Document EP-A-2.160.338 describes a closing stopper with a sealed release chamber for an additive for a drink. Document US-A-2010/237075 describes a perforator for a sheet material for a stopper of a push-pull type container. However, none of these known documents describes the preparation and oral administration of liquid compositions with a precise nutritional profile, intended for the treatment of people affected by metabolic or non-metabolic disorders.
In light of the shortcomings highlighted, the need is felt to make available for people affected by metabolic and also non-metabolic disorders like those described above for example, a device and a method that are simple and effective for the preparation and oral administration of liquid compositions with a precise nutritional profile, intended for the treatment of people affected by metabolic or non-metabolic disorders.
In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to make available a simple and effective device and method for the preparation and oral administration of liquid compositions suitable for those affected by these pathologies, a device and method which are able to diversify liquid compositions or drinks depending on the metabolic or non-metabolic pathology to be treated.
Another purpose of the invention is to make available a device and a method that are advantageous and effective for diversifying the liquid compositions or drinks suitable for a specific metabolic or non-metabolic disorder, according to the aromatic substances added.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

Device and method for the preparation and oral administration of a liquid composition


Provided is an antenna-device substrate which is capable of flexibly adjusting multiple resonance frequencies, and also provided is an antenna device. The antenna-device substrate is provided with a substrate main body (2), a ground plane (GND) on the surface of the substrate main body (2), first to third elements (1 to 5), and a short part (6) connecting the first element (3) and the second element (4). The first element is provided with a feed point (FP) at the base end and extends comprising a first connector (C1) of a first passive element (P1). The second element is connected to the ground plane and is provided with a first antenna element (AT1) at the tip end, and extends comprising a second connector (C2) of a second passive element (P2) and comprising a fourth passive element (P4). The third element extends comprising a third connector (C3) of a third passive element (P3). The first element extends with a gap provided between the first element and each of the second element, the third element, and the ground plane such that a floating capacitance can be generated therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna-device substrate which is capable of supporting multiple resonance frequencies and an antenna device provided with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to multiple-resonate the resonance frequency of an antenna provided in communication equipment, there has been proposed an antenna including a radiation electrode and a dielectric block or an antenna device using a switch and a controlled voltage source.
For example, as a conventional technique using a dielectric block, Patent Document 1 discloses a high-efficiency composite antenna which is obtained by forming a radiation electrode into a molded resin article and then integrating the molded resin article and a dielectric block with an adhesive.
Also, as a conventional technique using a switch and a controlled voltage source, Patent Document 2 discloses an antenna device including a first radiation electrode, a second radiation electrode, and a switch which is interposed between the middle part of the first radiation electrode and the base end part of the second radiation electrode and electrically connects or disconnects the second radiation electrode to/from the first radiation electrode.

Antenna-device substrate and antenna device


A hybrid closed circuit heat exchanger having a dry indirect section and an evaporative indirect section. The evaporative indirect section has multiple sub-sections. An evaporative fluid distribution system is configured to selectively distribute evaporative fluid over all, part, or none of the sub-sections. A process fluid flow path control system is configured to selectively direct the process fluid through one or more sub-sections. The process fluid flow path control system may send all of the process fluid through two or more sub-sections in equal amounts or in different amounts. There is preferably no evaporative heat exchange section bypass flow path.

Waste heat may be rejected to the atmosphere by dry or sensible heat exchangers. In a dry or sensible heat exchanger, there are two fluids: an air stream and a process fluid stream. In a closed system, the process fluid stream is enclosed so that there is no direct contact between the air stream and the process fluid stream; the process fluid stream is not open to the atmosphere. The enclosing structure may be a coil of tubes. Sensible heat is exchanged as the air stream is passed over the structure enclosing the process fluid stream. In the art these structures are known as "compact heat exchangers."
In most climates, evaporative heat exchangers offer significant process efficiency improvements over dry heat exchangers. One type of evaporative heat exchanger is a direct evaporative heat exchanger, also known in the industry as an open cooling tower. In a direct heat exchanger, only an air stream and an evaporative liquid stream are involved; the evaporative liquid stream is usually water, and the two streams come into direct contact with each other.
Another type of evaporative heat exchanger is an indirect closed circuit evaporative heat exchanger, where three fluid streams are involved: an air stream, an evaporative liquid stream, and an enclosed process fluid stream. The enclosed fluid stream first exchanges sensible heat with the evaporative liquid through indirect heat transfer, since it does not directly contact the evaporative liquid and then the air stream and the evaporative liquid exchange heat and mass when they contact each other.
Another type of evaporative heat exchanger is a combined direct and indirect closed circuit evaporative heat exchanger. Examples of combined systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,435,382, 5,816,318 and 6,142,219.
Both dry and evaporative heat exchangers are commonly used to reject heat as coolers or condensers. Evaporative coolers reject heat at temperatures approaching the lower ambient wet bulb temperatures, while dry coolers are limited to approaching the higher ambient dry bulb temperatures. In many climates the ambient wet bulb temperature is often 20° to 30° F. below the ambient design dry bulb temperature. Thus, in an evaporative cooler, the evaporative liquid stream may reach a temperature significantly lower than the ambient dry bulb temperature, offering the opportunity to increase the efficiency of the cooling process and to lower the overall process energy requirements. Evaporative condensers offer similar possibilities for increased efficiency and lower energy requirements. In spite of these opportunities to increase process efficiencies and lower overall process energy requirements, evaporative cooling and evaporative condensing are often not used due to concern about water consumption from evaporation of the evaporative liquid and freezing potentials during cold weather operation.
In addition, both sensible and evaporative heat exchangers are typically sized to perform their required heat rejection duty at times of greatest thermal difficulty. This design condition is typically expressed as the summer design wet bulb or dry bulb temperature. While it is often critical that the heat rejection equipment be able to reject the required amount of heat at these design conditions, the duration of these elevated atmospheric temperatures may account for as little as 1% of the hours of operation of the equipment. The remainder of the time, the equipment may have more capacity than required, resulting in unnecessary usage of additional evaporative liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,219 discloses a closed circuit heat exchanger having three heat exchange sections: a dry indirect contact heat exchange section; a second indirect contact heat exchange section that is operable in either a wet or dry mode; and a direct contact heat exchange section. As a fluid cooler, a connecting flow path connects the dry indirect contact heat exchange section to the second indirect contact heat exchange section. A bypass flow path extends from the dry indirect contact heat exchange section to the process fluid outlet. A modulating valve is at the outlet so that process fluid can be selectively drawn from the dry indirect contact heat exchange section alone, from the second indirect contact heat exchange section in series with the dry indirect contact heat exchange section, or from both the dry and second indirect contact heat exchange sections and mixed. Separate air streams pass through the second indirect and direct contact heat exchange sections before entering the dry indirect contact heat exchange section. As a condenser, process fluid is directed to the dry indirect contact heat exchange section alone or to the dry and second indirect contact heat exchange sections in parallel by valves in the process fluid supply lines. In another embodiment, the process fluid flows in series from the dry to the second indirect contact heat exchange section. The system is operable in different modes to extract heat from the process fluid in the most efficient way with respect to annual water consumption. At low temperatures, the system operates dry with primary heat extraction performed by the dry indirect contact heat exchange section. At higher temperatures, the air streams may be adiabatically saturated with evaporative liquid to pre-cool them below the dry bulb temperature before entering the dry indirect contact heat exchange section. At still higher temperatures, the apparatus may be operated in a wet mode with the primary heat extraction performed by the second indirect contact heat exchange section. Heat is extracted from the process fluid while selectively distributing or not distributing the evaporative liquid over the second indirect contact heat exchange section.

Hybrid cooler with bifurcated evaporative section


A vehicle attitude control device derives a stability factor during turning of a vehicle based on the behavior of the vehicle to take the derivation result as an estimated stability factor (step 112), compares the estimated stability factor with a reference stability factor (steps 114 and 116), varies an attitude control necessary-or-not judgment sensitivity based on the comparison result (steps 118, 130 and 134), and executes the attitude control for the vehicle (step 126).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle attitude control device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Heretofore, as vehicle attitude control devices of this kind, there has been known a vehicle turning control device which is provided with wheel speed sensors, a steering wheel angle sensor, a yaw rate sensor and the like (refer to Patent Document 1). In this vehicle turning control device, an arithmetic circuit 58 in an ECU 28 calculates a target yaw rate γt to control a yawing moment based on each of detection values which are detected by those various sensors 50. A control circuit 64 controls a controlled object 70 (automatic brake system) so that the detected actual yaw rate γ coincides with the target yaw rate γt. In the arithmetic circuit 58, an operation section 58b calculates a stability factor. More specifically, in the operation section 58b, a stability factor "A" is obtained from the following expression 1.A=((V−δ)/(γ−L)−1)/V2  (Expression 1)
As apparent from the above expression 1, a calculated stability factor A in this case is obtained based on a vehicle body speed V, a steering angle δ of front wheels and an actual yaw rate γ. Accordingly, the stability factor calculated here is not a stability factor provided in advance as a unique or peculiar value for the vehicle 1, but is an estimated stability factor as a result of the calculation on the basis of an actual stable turning motion of the vehicle 1, that is, is a calculated stability factor.
And, in the arithmetic circuit 58, a stability factor in a steady gain 58a is learned from the calculated stability factor. The target yaw rate γt is calculated by making this learned stability factor reflect on the steady gain 58a. Therefore, even when the stability factor of the vehicle 1 varies, a suitable target yaw rate is calculated all the time of such variation.
Therefore, in this vehicle turning control device, a stability factor is estimated based on an actual turning situation of the vehicle, and thus, it can be realized to calculate a more exact motion state compared with the case where a motion state of the vehicle is calculated by using the stability factor fixed to a predetermined value. That is, it can be realized to calculate a yaw rate deviation which is a difference between the target yaw rate γt and the actual yaw rate γ as the motion state of the vehicle.                [Patent Document 1] Japanese unexamined, published patent application No. 10-258720 (pp. 5 and 6, FIG. 3)
However, in the aforementioned vehicle turning control device, although the estimated stability factor is calculated on the basis of a stable turning motion, it has the possibility of differing from the actual stability factor of the vehicle. In this case, in the relation between the estimated stability factor and a stability factor exerted really on a vehicle (hereafter as an actual stability factor), there exist domains where the control is properly executed and other domains where the control is hard to be properly executed or is not executed.
More specifically, since the estimated stability factor almost coincides with the actual stability factor in the domains A1, A2 and A3 as shown in FIG. 14, the control (i.e., oversteer or understeer) is properly executed. On the other hand, in the domains A4, A5 and A6, since the actual stability factor is small, the vehicle is in an oversteer tendency (state). Accordingly, the actual yaw rate tends to increase. In addition, since the estimated stability factor is large than the actual stability factor, the target yaw rate tends to decrease excessively. This results in increasing the absolute value of the yaw rate deviation. That is, the absolute value of the yaw rate deviation is larger than the absolute value of the yaw rate which the vehicle has inherently, so that it is apt to exceed a fixed control intervention threshold value (control intervention threshold value to execute the OS control). Accordingly, it is likely that the oversteer control is executed by mistake notwithstanding that the vehicle is in a state that the oversteer control (the OS control) should not be executed. In another domain A6, such a tendency appears more remarkably since the estimated stability factor is further larger than the actual stability factor compared with those in the domains A4 and A5.
Furthermore, in the domains A7, A8 and A9, since the actual stability factor is large, the vehicle is in the understeer tendency (state). Accordingly, the actual yaw rate tends to decrease. In addition, since the estimated stability factor is smaller than the actual stability factor, the target yaw rate increases excessively. This results in increasing the absolute value of the yaw rate deviation. That is, the absolute value of the yaw rate deviation is larger than the absolute value of the yaw rate which the vehicle has inherently, so that it is apt to exceed a fixed control intervention threshold value (control intervention threshold value to execute the US control). Accordingly, it is likely that the understeer control is executed by mistake notwithstanding that the vehicle is in a state that the understeer control (the US control) should not be executed. In another domain A9, such a tendency appears more remarkably since the estimated stability factor is further smaller than the actual stability factor compared with those in the domains A7 and A8. In any case, in the domains A4 to A9, it is likely that the attitude control is executed excessively (more than as needed).
In addition, the reason why the target yaw rate decreases as mentioned above is that the target yaw rate decreases as the stability factor increases, because the target yaw rate Tω is calculated based on the following expression 2. Conversely, the reason why the target yaw rate increases is that the target yaw rate increases as the stability factor decreases. Symbol V denotes a vehicle body speed, symbol ξ denotes a steering angle of the vehicle, and symbol L denotes a wheelbase of the vehicle.Tω=(V×ξ)/(L×(A×V2+1))  (Expression 2)

Vehicle attitude control device based on stability factor


A centralized configuration of a Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) site hierarchy may be batched across a plurality of appliances in a multi-site deployment. A single GSLB site hierarchy configuration may be distributed and operated on each appliance at each site. This reduces the configuration maintained for the multi-site deployment. Furthermore, in this manner, each appliance across multiple sites has an understanding of the entire topology of the multi-site deployment. Responsive to this configuration and understanding, each appliance may perform and optimize operations according to the site topology. For example, the appliances may selectively determine which sites to establish connections with in order to share metrics. In another example, appliances may select which remote sites to monitor services according to the topology.

An application delivery controller may act as an intermediary between clients and servers. The application delivery controller may have multiple features for controlling or managing network traffic between the clients and servers. These features may be configured by an administrators. As the number of supported features of the application delivery controller grow, the administrator performs or is responsible for more configuration. As the application delivery controller is deployed in more, larger and different environments, the use of the application delivery controller becomes more complex as well as its configuration. In many enterprise infrastructures, multiple controllers may be deployed to handle different functionality. Each of these controllers may have a different configuration for which the administration maintains. An administrator of these application delivery controller may be challenged in configuring or maintaining a configuration of these controllers in any one or more environments.

Systems and methods for batchable hierarchical configuration


A test reagent container including a discharge port, formed by depressing a projecting part formed on a container bottom part, through which content can be easily and reliably discharged. The test reagent container includes: a bottom part; a peripheral wall raised approximately perpendicularly from a periphery of the bottom part; and a storage part defined by the bottom part and peripheral wall. A projecting part is formed on the bottom part in a projecting manner toward outside the container. A proximal end of the projecting part is formed in a bendable manner relative to the bottom part, and an easily breakable part is formed on a periphery of the projecting part except for the proximal end of the projecting part. The easily breakable part is broken when the projecting part is depressed from outside the container to be pushed into the inside of the container to form a discharge port.

Recently, there have been researches on various liquid feeding mechanisms and methods where a filling container and ultrafine flow passages are formed on a piece of microchip, and a sample or a liquid specimen is fed and subjected to reaction under controlled conditions for a gene analysis, a blood examination or the like (patent literature 1).
In such an analysis or examination, it is crucial to prevent an artificial error such as the contamination of a sample or a specimen, an error in specimen injection or an error in an amount of test reagent. Particularly when a specimen is used in DNA identification or the like, reliability is required in injection of a specimen into an analyzer. To cope with such requirement, patent literature 2 discloses a specimen filling device for injecting a specimen into a microchip. The specimen filling device is mounted with a specimen package having a specimen chamber filled with a specimen, and when a projecting part formed on the specimen chamber is subjected to an external force, a portion of a bottom part is released, thereby discharging the specimen.
This specimen filling device is recognized as effective for preventing an artificial error such as contamination of a specimen, an error in specimen injection or an error in an amount of test reagent. However, the specimen filling device has the following drawback with respect to discharging of a specimen.
Specifically, when an external force is applied to the projecting part formed on a bottom part of the specimen chamber to break off the bottom part from a part to be broken around the projecting part, there is a possibility that the bottom part is deflected in the vicinity of the projecting part because the specimen chamber is formed of a material having resilience, thus only a portion of the part to be broken can break and other portions of the part remain unbroken, which means that a discharge port for discharging a specimen cannot be completely formed. Even when the discharge port could be completely formed, there still exists a possibility that a restoring force generated by resiliency acts to make the projecting part return to its original position and close the discharge port.
Further, in terms of ensuring a large discharge port, it is desirable to increase a height of the projecting part and deeply push the projecting part into the inside of the specimen chamber. In this case, however, at the time of inflating a film by compressed air to discharge a specimen to the outside as shown in FIG. 4(c) in patent literature 2, there exists a possibility that the inflation of the film is hindered by the projecting part pushed into the inside of the specimen chamber and the specimen cannot be sufficiently discharged to the outside.


A method and structure for predicting a satisfaction a consumer will experience contingent on accepting one or more offers from potential sellers. A request is received from a consumer describing one or more transactions in which the consumer may wish to engage. One or more offers are received from one or more potential sellers in response to the request. One or more predictive assessments are received from one or more predictors corresponding to one or more of these offers, each predictive assessment predicting a satisfaction that the consumer will experience contingent on accepting one or more offers from the potential sellers. For one or more of these offers, at least one aggregated prediction is calculated, based on the corresponding predictive assessments, according to a prediction aggregation mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to techniques for conducting electronic commerce and providing information to consumers deciding whether to enter into commercial transactions. More specifically, tools for incentivizing and aggregating forecasts are applied to the commercial realm, wherein assessments are provided of a buyer's expected satisfaction with a specific good or service, should the customer decide to purchase it.
2. Description of the Related Art
Potential buyers of goods and services often seek out at least two types of information: (1) which particular species of good or service will best suit their needs, and (2) which suppliers of goods and services will provide them the best deal. Obtaining these types of information is costly, but failure to obtain adequate information can lead to consumer dissatisfaction. A variety of tools and resources help to solve each of these problems.
In one conventional approach, rating institutions may assess particular products. For example, users of amazon.com can find information on how satisfied previous consumers have been with particular products. Similarly, readers of Consumer Reports and numerous other publications may obtain information about the quality of particular products, including overall ratings.
A significant limitation of these approaches is that the overall ratings do not generally seek to customize recommendations for particular customers. Individual customers must still expend considerable effort to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each vendor or product to determine whether it will meet the customers' own needs.
In another approach, collaborative filtering technologies have helped to customize recommendations for particular consumers. For example, Netflix.com can recommend particular movies to customers based in part on their evaluation of other movies that they have seen. The collaborative filtering techniques will place more weight in making recommendations for a particular customer on the evaluations of other customers who have similar preferences.
Collaborative filtering technology, however, will not work well for product categories in which past buying history provides few clues about the buyer's needs. A customer's movie preferences will not be of much use in determining which lawnmower a first-time homeowner should buy. In addition, collaborative filtering will not work well for new products, at least so long as there is insufficient data about other users' reactions.
Therefore, in many contexts, customers rely on non-technological sources of information. For example, customers may ask knowledgeable friends about purchases. But sometimes, a customer may not know of or may not have immediate access to any friends who are experts on the relevant area of purchase. And so, many customers rely on advice from salespeople at retail sales establishments to educate themselves about products.
This approach has its own perils, because retail employees' incentives may lead them to seek to achieve goals other than maximizing consumer satisfaction, such as maximizing their employers' profit. Some retail establishments may be able to achieve reputations for providing honest advice, but the equilibrium level of honesty may be lower than the level that, with perfect information, would maximize the joint surplus of the retailer and the consumer.
Meanwhile, feedback mechanisms can help customers decide whether to do business with particular vendors. Customers on eBay.com, for example, can view sellers' "feedback scores." Sellers with high feedback scores can generally be presumed to be reliable.
Customers, however, must still often choose among many competing vendors with similar feedback profiles. Moreover, the vendors may be less likely to provide advice to customers about which specific products to buy, and so consumers will still need to rely on some other means of identifying a specific product that fits their needs.
Thus, a need continues to exist for providing information to customers about potential purchases, preferably in a way that can overcome at least some of the above problems.

Method and system of forecasting customer satisfaction with potential commercial transactions


A process and device for heating at least one portion of the internal fitting of a boot, for thermoforming the fitting. The heating of the internal fitting, at a temperature of about 120.degree.-140.degree. C., is done while the fitting is arranged within the boot. The heated air is emitted from an air distribution element, in which each outlet is positioned relative to the internal fitting at least at a minimum predetermined distance. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes an arrangement for positioning a pair of air distribution elements into respective ones of a pair of boots, including respective seats that receive the vamps of the boots, thereby positioning the boots with their heels extending upwardly, and respective abutments that limit the introduction of the air distribution elements within the boots.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and a heating device for thermoforming the interior of a boot having a rigid external upper.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Indeed, such boots, for example, ski boots, or mountain boots, ice skate boots, in-line roller skate boots, etc., must comprise an external upper generally constituted by a shell made out of a rigid plastic material, but which could also be made of thick and rigid leather for mountain boots, for example. Such upper must hold the foot-ankle assembly and, in particular, prevent twisting of the ankle and enable a proper transmission of the forces exerted by the foot, either for steering the ski or the gliding board, or for tilting stability when hill-walking.
Such uppers are thus more or less rigid and, therefore, very uncomfortable.
To improve the comfort of such boots, they must comprise an internal fitting generally constituted by a removable liner and made of more flexible materials such as foams.
Such internal fittings are provided to envelop a certain type of foot. Unfortunately, everyone's foot is more or less different from the "standard" foot which led to the construction of the internal fitting. Because the rigid external upper of the boot cannot deform, painful friction points are often created for the user's foot, regardless of the flexibility of the internal fitting.
To remedy these drawbacks, it is known, especially for the ski boot, to make the internal fitting out of a thermoformable material such as polyethylene which, once brought to a temperature of about 120.degree.-140.degree. C., can be configured according to the user's foot and to the external shell, until it perfectly assumes the shape of the user's foot.
Such a process is described, for example, in EP 004 829. This patent teaches to heat the internal fitting, by means of an electrical circuit incorporated therein, after the foot has been positioned inside the boot. Such a process has practically proven unrealistic and very expensive.
Other solutions proposed by JP 246 876, for example, consist of heating the internal fitting after removing it from the boot, either simultaneously from the inside and outside after placing it in an appropriate heating enclosure, or only from the outside, until it reaches the desired uniform thermoforming temperature, on the order of 120.degree.-140.degree. C.
These solutions are not satisfactory either, because they have numerous drawbacks:
need of providing a cumbersome and costly heating enclosure; PA1 need of manipulating the internal fitting to remove it and reposition it within the boot; PA1 risk of burning when manipulating the internal fitting brought beyond 120.degree. C., and when repositioning it within the boot; PA1 heat loss during these manipulations of the internal fitting which require reheating the fitting; PA1 risk of inverting the left/right internal fittings when repositioning in the boot; PA1 length of the process, because only one fitting can be adapted at a time due to the necessary manipulations. PA1 sending hot air, at a temperature comprised between 120.degree. and 140.degree. C., on at least said portion of the fitting arranged within the boot; PA1 guaranteeing at the same time a predetermined minimum distance between each exit of hot air and said portion of the fitting. PA1 Indeed, this process enables a very simple and very quick implementation due to the fact that it does not require any manipulation of removing or inserting the internal fitting within the boot. It is further compatible with a fitting fixed inside the boot. Finally, it has been noted, in a manner that is not obvious a priory, that the direct heating of the fitting arranged inside the boot did not run the risk of damaging or softening the rigid external upper of the boot, since the temperature obtained on the outside of this fitting does in fact not exceed 80.degree. C. for a thermoforming temperature on the order of 130.degree. C. PA1 at least one hot air distribution nozzle capable of being introduced inside each boot provided with its internal fitting; PA1 means for positioning the nozzle within the boot.
Furthermore, it is neither conceivable to place the boot assembly within the heating enclosure because, on the one hand, the materials constituting the rigid external upper would run the risk of being damaged by the heat and, on the other hand, this external upper would loose its rigidity properties under the effect of such heat, and the thermoforming of the internal fitting would then no longer be justified.
It is also known to use heating apparatuses that are generally constituted by a pipe sending hot air within the ski boots, in order to dry them or reheat them slightly before use. Such apparatuses are not designed for a temperature above 40.degree. and could not be applied directly to a thermoforming of internal fittings at a temperature on the order of 120.degree.-140.degree. C. without risks of damaging the latter.

Process and device for heating a boot internal fitting


A salicide heater structure for use in thermo-optic and other heat-influenced semiconductor devices is disclosed. In one example embodiment, a system is provided that includes a silicon substrate, and a salicide heating element formed on the substrate, for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device. Another example embodiment is a salicide semiconductor system that includes a silicon substrate and a salicide structure formed on the substrate, wherein the salicide structure is for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device.

Thermo-optic effect generally represents the change in optical properties of a material due to heat radiation. This phenomenon can be exploited in various beneficial ways. For instance, a common element used in optical waveguide applications is a thermo-optic device.
In such a device, a portion of a waveguide is heated using of a local resistive heating element. The heat generated by the heating element causes the optical signal within the waveguide to phase shift in accordance with the thermo-optic effect. The induced phase shift can be represented by the change of refractive index with change in temperature (i.e., dn/dT). Additional heat induced phase shift may further result from thermal expansion of waveguide. The waveguide output remains at a fixed wavelength if temperature is constant. The resistive heaters are fabricated by the deposition and patterning of metal films (e.g., aluminum, tungsten, nickel, chrome, ni-chrome, gold, or platinum) or semiconductor materials (e.g., polysilicon). Other conventional heater designs include localized Peltier elements.
In operation, a predetermined amount of power is applied to the heater of the thermo-optic device, with that predetermined power being correlated to a desired heater temperature, which is in turn correlated to a desired phase response in the optical waveguide. Numerous techniques are available for applying the desired amount of power, ranging from simple switching circuits that deliver pre-calibrated power levels to more complex feedback circuits that adjust power delivered to the heater element in real-time as the local temperature and/or waveguide output wavelength are monitored. Sensors (e.g., temp, wavelength, etc) are typically used in such feedback systems
In any case, conventional thermo-optic heaters are associated with a number of problems. For instance, large metal film and polysilicon heaters are required to be a non-trivial distance from the waveguide, in that such heaters generally have a large thermal profile and very high power consumption. Positioning the heaters too close to the waveguide impedes the effective index variation. In addition, fabricating such conventional heater elements requires additional semiconductor process steps (e.g., deposition, masking, etching, etc). Moreover, these added steps increase the opportunity for manufacturing loss and lower yields.
What is needed, therefore, are new thermo-optic heater designs. In a more general sense, there is a need for devices that can be used to maintain a desired temperature at a semiconductor device.

Salicide structures for heat-influenced semiconductor applications

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A method for monitoring a vehicle exhaust system may include (1) measuring exhaust-gas temperature at an outlet side of an exhaust pipe section which is intended to accommodate a component with a purifying activity, (2) measuring exhaust-gas temperature at an inlet side of the exhaust pipe section, and (3) comparing a time curve of the outlet-side temperature with a time curve of the inlet-side temperature, wherein the comparison comprises determining a time derivative of the outlet-side temperature or of the inlet-side temperature. Alternatively, the method may include (1) measuring exhaust-gas temperature at an outlet side of an exhaust pipe section which is intended to accommodate a component with a purifying activity, (2) determining a calculated value for the exhaust-gas temperature at the outlet side based on at least one of the heat-storing and fluid-dynamic action of the component, and (3) comparing a time curve of the measured outlet-side temperature with a time curve of the calculated value.

The present invention relates to a method for monitoring an exhaust system of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and having monitoring electronics.
German patent publication DE 100 13 893 A1 has disclosed a method for monitoring an exhaust system of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine. In this method, the catalytic activity of a catalytic converter arranged as a component with a purifying activity in an exhaust pipe section is assessed. The catalytic activity is assessed by determining the light-off temperature of the carbon monoxide oxidation reaction. The carbon monoxide oxidation reaction process is recorded by corresponding sensors arranged upstream and downstream of the catalytic converter. In addition, the exhaust-gas temperature downstream of the catalytic converter is measured, for which purpose a temperature sensor is arranged at the outlet side of the exhaust pipe section which is intended to accommodate the catalytic converter. Monitoring electronics determine the difference between the exhaust-gas temperature downstream of the catalytic converter and the light-off temperature. The activity of the catalytic converter is assessed on the basis of this result and of the carbon monoxide conversion rate recorded by sensor means, and the exhaust system is monitored in this way.
Patent EP 0 442 648 A2 has disclosed a method for monitoring a catalytic converter, in which the exhaust-gas inlet temperature and the exhaust-gas outlet temperature of the catalytic converter are measured. The measured temperature values are evaluated by forming the difference between them, and this difference is then subjected to an integration operation. The integration operation smooths the temperature curve or the value curves, thereby avoiding misinterpretations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,200 A has disclosed a method for monitoring a catalytic converter, in which the temperature of the support structure of the converter or the temperature of the coating applied to it is determined at at least one location. Furthermore, the exhaust-gas temperature is determined upstream of this location, and a time derivative of the temperatures and the difference between the time derivatives are formed. A change in the sign of this difference is interpreted as the catalytic activity of the catalytic converter starting, so that the light-off of the catalytic converter is detected.
Patent EP 0 756 071 A2 has disclosed an apparatus for determining a deterioration in a catalytic converter arranged in an exhaust system. The apparatus comprises a temperature sensor for measuring the catalytic converter temperature and a control unit which gives an estimated value for the catalytic converter temperature. These may be temperatures at the downstream end of the catalytic converter. A conclusion is drawn as to the state of aging of the catalytic converter from the relationship between the measured and estimated catalytic converter temperatures.
By contrast, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method which allows more general monitoring of an exhaust system.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a method described and claimed below.
The method according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that the monitoring electronics compare a time curve of the outlet-side exhaust-gas temperature T2 with a time curve of an inlet-side exhaust-gas temperature T1 at the inlet side of the exhaust pipe section and/or with a time curve of a calculated value T2* for the exhaust-gas temperature at the outlet side of the exhaust pipe section. The calculated value T2* is determined on the basis of the heat-storing and/or fluid-dynamic action of the component with a purifying activity.
This procedure makes advantageous use of the phenomenon whereby a component with a purifying activity which is installed in an exhaust pipe section influences the exhaust-gas temperature and its time curve. In this context, a component with a purifying activity will primarily be a particulate filter or an exhaust-gas catalytic converter which influences the exhaust-gas temperature even without the occurrence of reaction exothermicities, on account of its heat-storing action. However, by way of example a switchable cooling circuit or a component which acts passively in some other way, preferably in heat terms, may also be considered as a component with a purifying activity. If heat-storing effects do not occur, by way of example it can be concluded from this that the component is absent. Therefore, if the curves for the temperatures at the inlet side and at the outlet side of the exhaust pipe section are determined and compared with one another in a suitable way, it is possible to assess whether a component with a purifying activity has been installed in this exhaust pipe section. Furthermore, the method according to the invention, by suitable comparison of the temperature curves, makes it possible to indicate any behavior which is unusual in this respect whereby an incorrect component is arranged in the exhaust pipe section. Likewise, the method according to the invention also allows the detection of leaks in the pipe section located between the inlet side and the outlet side, on account of the fluid-dynamic effect of a leak. If irregularities are determined during the monitoring of the exhaust system, it is, of course, possible to provide information to that effect in any desired way, for example in the form of a warning signal.
The comparison referred to may be between a curve of the outlet-side temperature T2 and a curve of an inlet-side temperature T1. However, it is also possible for the curve of the outlet-side temperature T2 to be compared with a curve of a temperature T2* which is to be expected on the outlet side. The latter is preferably determined with the assistance of models or characteristic diagrams, taking account of thermal and fluid-dynamic aspects and also taking account of the expected behavior of the component with a purifying activity and the current operating state of the motor vehicle. In a similar way, it is also possible, of course, to determine the inlet-side temperature T1 and its curve by calculation or with the aid of characteristic diagrams. By contrast, the outlet-side temperature T2 is measured directly by means of a suitable measurement sensor on the outlet side of the exhaust pipe section, i.e. within the cross-sectional area which delimits the exhaust pipe section on the outlet side. It is preferable for the time sections in which the comparison of the temperature curves is evaluated to be selected taking additional criteria into account.
In one configuration of the method, the time derivatives dT1/dt and dT2/dt of the inlet-side temperature T1 and the outlet-side temperature T2 are determined, and the difference dT1/dt−dT2/dt between the derivatives is determined and the result assessed. By forming the time derivatives of the temperatures, it is possible to particularly successfully characterize the curve of the temperatures. The formation of the difference, on the other hand, is particularly suitable for a comparison.
In a further configuration of the method, the monitoring electronics generate a signal which indicates the absence of the component with a purifying activity or the presence of an incorrect component if the difference dT1/dt−dT2/dt between the derivatives is within a predetermined range of values. The basis for this configuration is formed by the discovery that a component with a purifying activity in many operating situations manifests itself as a heat sink or as a heat source. Primarily on account of its heat capacity action, the presence of a component with a purifying activity manifests itself through a greater or lesser, positive or negative difference dT1/dt−dT2/dt. If this difference is not observed to a sufficient extent, i.e. if the difference dT1/dt−dT2/dt is within a range of values which is predetermined by two limit values and is preferably relatively small, around zero, it is possible to conclude that a component with a purifying activity is not present in the exhaust pipe section. This is then indicated by the generation and outputting of a corresponding signal. Analogously to this, it is possible to interpret a corresponding deviation from the expected influence of a component with a purifying activity on the temperature curves as meaning that an incorrect component has been fitted, since the correct component would have resulted in a difference outside the predetermined range of values.
In a further configuration of the method, the monitoring electronics generate a signal which indicates the absence of the component with a purifying activity or the presence of an incorrect component if the difference dT1/dt−dT2/dt between the derivatives is within a predetermined range of values and the time derivative dT1/dt of the inlet-side temperature T1 is outside a predetermined range of values. The dynamics of the entry-side temperature curve are also taken into account by taking account of the rate of change dT1/dt of the temperature T1 at the inlet side of the exhaust pipe section when evaluating the difference dT1/dt−dT2/dt. Since with high dynamics of the entry-side temperature curve the heat-storing action of a component makes its presence particularly strongly felt in the exhaust pipe section, this also allows a particularly reliable assessment of the exhaust pipe section and therefore makes the conclusion which is drawn particularly reliable. Moreover, influences of exothermicities which may be generated by the component with a purifying activity are advantageously minimized by taking account of the rate of change dT1/dt of the temperature T1 at the inlet side of the exhaust pipe section.
In a further configuration of the method, the monitoring electronics determine the time derivatives dT2/dt and dT2*/dt of the outlet-side exhaust-gas temperature T2 and of the calculated value T2* and determine the difference dT2*/dt−dT2/dt between the derivatives. Accordingly, the rate of change of the temperature T2 at the outlet side of the exhaust pipe section and the rate of change of the temperature T2* to be expected there are determined, and the curve of the temperatures is recorded in this way. The comparison is carried out by forming the difference. It is in this way likewise possible to assess whether a component with a purifying activity is present in the exhaust pipe section or whether an incorrect component is arranged there.
In a further configuration of the method, the monitoring electronics generate a signal which indicates the absence of the component with a purifying activity or the presence of an incorrect component if the difference dT2*/dt−dT2/dt between the derivatives is outside a predetermined range of values. This is possible since if a component with a purifying activity is present, the temperature T2 measured at the outlet side of the exhaust pipe section should correspond to the temperature T2* which is to be expected there and has been determined by calculation. This means that if the expected component is present, a value for the difference dT2*/dt−dT2/dt can be expected to lie within a range of values given by two predeterminable limit values. If this is not the case, it can be assumed that the component which is intended to be provided in the exhaust pipe section is not in fact present.
In a further configuration of the method, the monitoring electronics determine the time derivative dT1/dt of the inlet-side exhaust-gas temperature T1 and generate a signal which indicates the absence of the component with a purifying activity or the presence of an incorrect component if the difference dT2*/dt−dT2/dt between the derivatives is outside a predetermined range of values and the time derivative dT1/dt of the inlet-side temperature is outside a predetermined range of values. The additional inclusion of the rate of change dT1/dt of the inlet-side temperature T1 of the exhaust pipe section in the comparison has the advantage of improving the reliability of the decision which is made.

Method for monitoring an exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle


A wireless sensor network (WSN) includes a sensor node cluster having a plurality of sensor nodes positioned along a section of a pipeline; a base station; a designated cluster head for the sensor node cluster, the designated cluster head configured to forward sensor data packets towards the base station; and a server having circuitry. The circuitry is configured to determine when the designated cluster head has a battery energy level below a predetermined level, elect a replacement cluster head for the designated cluster head when the battery energy level is below the predetermined level, and forward an energy status of the designated cluster head to the replacement cluster head.

The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
Node clustering is a beneficial technique for applications that require a high scalability of tens to hundreds of sensor nodes. This may be due to heavier loads placed upon sensor nodes near a monitoring unit.
Typically, a long-distance pipeline distribution system is used to transport water from a water reservoir to a metropolis. For example, in Saudi Arabia, long pipelines are used to transfer water from the Shoaiba Desalination Plant in Al-Jubail, a city in eastern province of Saudi Arabia, to Riyadh. See I. Jawhar and N. Mohamed, "A hierarchical and topological classification of linear sensor networks," 2009 Wirel. Telecommun. Symp. WTS 2009, 2009.
Online pipeline monitoring helps maintain proper operation and also has environmental and safety advantages. Long distance pipelines and pipelines carrying critical supplies need to be continuously monitored to avoid any potential damage. However, the expected topology for pipeline placement may be linear which poses many challenges in placing sensors optimally.
In recent years, attention has been devoted on node placement in linear topology (i.e. pipeline monitoring systems). In Xue, the authors disclosed an algorithm that supports the proper selection for the relay sensor node placement and accordingly selects the transmission power levels of sensor nodes that provides the maximum lifetime. See G. Xue, "Relay node placement in wireless sensor networks for pipeline inspection," Am. Control Conf., vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 5905-5910, 2013. However, these studies have not taken into consideration sudden damage scenarios. The monitoring in this case is only temporary.
Similarly, Guo et al. have studied equal-power and equal-distance node placement schemes. Two heuristics were disclosed for sensor node placement with a view towards improving the lifetime of the network by proposing an evenly consumed power model, which increases the number of sensor nodes closer to the base station and configures these sensor nodes to carry the data at lower power. See Y. Guo, F. Kong, D. Zhu, A. S. Tosun, and Q. Deng, "Sensor Placement for Lifetime Maximization in Monitoring Oil Pipelines," Proc. 1st ACM/IEEE Int. Conf. Cyber-Physical Syst.—ICCPS '10, pp. 61-68, 2010.
Djame et al. took advantage of energy harvesting capabilities. See D. Djenouri and M. Bagaa, "Energy harvesting aware relay node addition for power-efficient coverage in wireless sensor networks," in IEEE International Conference on Communications, 2015, vol. 2015—Septe, pp. 86-91. Generally, it was proposed to use harvesting-enabled sensor nodes for only relaying the packets and non-harvesting sensor nodes for sensing and transmitting their readings to relay sensor nodes.
In relation to node placement on pipeline monitoring, a non-uniform scheme called linearly decreasing distance (LDD) has been presented by Alnuem. See M. Alnuem, "Performance Analysis of Node Placement in Linear Wireless Sensor Networks," vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1-8, 2014. LDD gradually reduces the distance among sensor nodes, wherein the sensor nodes are placed near the gateway.
In Cheng et al., a constrained multivariable nonlinear programming problem has been formulated. See P. Cheng and C. Chuah, "Energy-aware Node Placement in Wireless Sensor Networks," pp. 3210-3214, 2004. The results show that the performance of the optimal node placement strategies is better than uniform node placement strategies.
Alduraibi et al have studied the coverage problem when the event detectability varies with proximity to the sensor node and when some desired level of sensing fidelity is to be maintained. See F. Alduraibi, N. Lasla, and M. Younis, "Coverage-based Node Placement Optimization in Wireless Sensor Network with Linear Topology," 2016. Three optimization models have been presented to determine the node density.
Node placement in WSNs has been widely investigated. However, only a few studies have been devoted to pipeline applications where the sensor nodes are deployed linearly. Moreover, few of these studies have adopted a realistic power model without considering all-discrete power levels. In addition, most of the studies use greedy heuristic approaches which increase the density of sensor nodes with lower power levels nearest to the base station (BS). Also, all sensor nodes are responsible for forwarding the data packets towards the BS all the time. Moreover, these solutions do not introduce the reliable communication in a practical manner because the access can only be one way. In addition, most of the previous studies did not consider the required fidelity of the sensor nodes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wireless sensor network for pipeline fluid leakage measurement

KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS


A line-protecting element for use in a fishing reel having a line spool with at least one circular end wall, and a component with a circular-cylindrical surface enclosing the end wall at a radial distance therefrom, is to be mounted on the end wall to bridge the distance between this wall and the enclosing surface in order, when using the fishing reel, to prevent a line wound on the line spool from being wedged between the end wall and the enclosing surface. The line-protecting element consists of a ring of low-friction material having substantially radially projecting tongues distributed along the circumference of the ring. The tongues are so dimensioned as to be easily flexible in the circumferential direction of the ring, but rigid in its axial direction. The outer radius of the ring is smaller than the radius of the enclosing surface, whereas the radius at the free ends of the tongues is greater than the radius of the enclosing surface.

The present invention relates to a line-protecting element for use in a fishing reel having a line spool with at least one circular end wall, and a component with a circular-cylindrical surface enclosing said end wall at a radial distance therefrom, said line-protecting element being adapted to be mounted on said end wall to bridge the distance between this end wall and said enclosing surface in order, when using the fishing reel, to prevent a line wound on the line spool from being wedged between said end wall and said enclosing surface.
A prior-art line-protecting element of this type consists of a pipe cleaner bent into a ring and placed in a circumferential groove in the end wall of the line spool. This pipe cleaner ring is cheap and exerts but a slight friction when the line spool and the component on which the surface enclosing the end wall is formed, are rotating and/or oscillating axially in relation to each other. However, the pipe cleaner ring suffers from the drawback of being ruined relatively quickly by the action of water and soil and is complicated to exchange.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,269 discloses an annular line-protecting element obviating the above-mentioned shortcomings. This known line-protecting element is in the form of a ring of elastic material which is applied to the end wall of the line spool. The ring has a U- or V-shaped cross-section, with the legs of the U or V extending substantially axially. The radially outer leg abuts only with its free end on the enclosing surface, which means that only a slight friction is exerted between the ring and the enclosing surface. This friction is further reduced in that the part of the ring forming the radially outer leg is divided by axial slots into a plurality of flanges distributed along the circumference of the ring. The ring described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,269 is however disadvantageous in that the fishing line wound on the line spool, especially if the line has a small diameter (about 0.1-0.2 mm), may become wedged, during the operation of the fishing reel, between the radially outer leg of the ring and the enclosing surface.
This drawback has been overcome in the line-protecting element described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,288. This line-protecting element also is in the form of a ring of elastic material and is placed in a circumferential groove in the end wall of the line spool. The ring has an L-shaped cross-section, with one leg engaging the enclosing surface throughout its entire length. As a result, no wedge-shaped gap will exist between the ring and the enclosing surface where the line may become wedged. Since one leg engages the enclosing surface throughout its entire length, there will exist a substantial engagement surface, making the friction between the ring and the enclosing surface relatively high. This is of lesser importance in large-size fishing reels, e.g. reels for deep-sea fishing, but constitutes a considerable drawback in small-size fishing reels, especially in such reels where the line spool and the component on which the surface enclosing the end wall is formed, not only rotate but also oscillate axially in relation to each other.

Line-protecting element for use in a fishing reel


Disclosed herein is a wireless power feeding system, including: a power feeding apparatus including a wireless power transmitting grid transmitting an electric power for wireless power feeding, and a first wireless communication grid carrying out wireless communication; and a power receiving apparatus including a wireless power receiving grid receiving the electric power fed thereto from the power feeding apparatus, and a second wireless communication grid adapted to communicate with the first wireless communication system in a wireless manner, the power receiving apparatus serving to feed the electric power thus received to a power source circuit. In the wireless power feeding system one of the power feeding apparatus and the power receiving apparatus includes a control grid controlling availability of power consumption in the power receiving apparatus as a secondary side in accordance with a condition previously set after the power feeding apparatus and the power receiving apparatus carry out authentication.

The present disclosure relates to a wireless power feeding system including a wireless power feeding grid for transmitting and receiving an electric power in a non-contact (wireless) manner.
An electromagnetic induction system is known as a system for carrying out supply of an electric power in a non-contact (wireless) manner.
In addition, in recent years, a wireless power feeding apparatus and a wireless power feeding system each using a system called a magnetic field sympathetic resonance system utilizing an electromagnetic resonance phenomenon have attracted attention.
In the non-contact power feeding system utilizing the electromagnetic induction system which has already been generally used at present, a power feeding source and a power feeding destination (electric power receiving side) need to hold a magnetic flux in common. Thus, for the purpose of effectively feeding the electric power, the power feeding source and the power feeding destination need to be disposed in close proximity to each other. Also, axis alignment for the coupling between the power feeding source and the power feeding destination is also important.
On the other hand, the non-contact power feeding system using the electromagnetic sympathetic resonance phenomenon has advantages that it can feed the electric power at a distance as compared with the case of the electromagnetic induction system because of the principles of the electromagnetic sympathetic resonance phenomenon, and even when the axis adjustment is poor a little, the feeding efficiency is not reduced so much.
It is noted that an electric field sympathetic resonance system using the electromagnetic sympathetic resonance phenomenon is known in addition to the magnetic field sympathetic resonance system using the electromagnetic sympathetic resonance phenomenon.
In the wireless power feeding system of the magnetic field sympathetic resonance type, the axis alignment is unnecessary, and it is possible to lengthen the power feeding distance.
Such a wireless power feeding system, for example, can be applied to a power feeding service station for feeding an electric power to a mobile terminal such as a privately-owned mobile phone in a public place in a wireless manner.
Techniques, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2008-185409, 2006-539114, 2004-173610, and 2003-77645 are known as this sort of technique.


The current invention provides a method for automated unit service requests from a telematics unit. A unit request call trigger is set at the telematics unit from a call center. A unit request call is received based on the unit request call trigger. The telematics unit is configured in response to the received unit request call. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for automated unit service requests from a telematics unit.

One of the fastest growing areas of communications technology is related to automobile network solutions. The demand and potential for wireless vehicle communication, networking and diagnostic services have recently increased. Although many vehicles on the road today have limited wireless communication functions, such as unlocking a door and setting or disabling a car alarm, new vehicles offer additional wireless communication systems that help personalize comfort settings, run maintenance and diagnostic functions, place telephone calls, access call-center information, update controller systems, determine vehicle location, assist in tracking vehicle after a theft of the vehicle and provide other vehicle-related services.
A telematics unit installed in a vehicle facilitates communications to and from the vehicle. Drivers can call telematics call centers and receive navigational, concierge, emergency, and location services, as well as other specialized help such as locating the geographical position of a stolen vehicle and honking the horn of a vehicle when the vehicle cannot be located in a large parking garage. Vehicle information is uploaded to a call center through the telematics unit. Telematics service providers can offer enhanced telematics services by supplying a subscriber with a digital handset. The telematics unit must be configured to activate and personalize these various services.
A vehicle is sold with a factory-installed telematics unit. Once the vehicle leaves a dealership the subscriber is enrolled in the telematics system database and the system is activated. The dealer calls a telematics call center using the telematics system to provide data regarding the subscriber to a communication service advisor at the telematics call center. This data is used to personalize the telematics services. The dealer must also provide details as to the telematics services desired by the subscriber to the communication service advisor in a time consuming interaction.
Alternately the telematics service is personalized after leaving the dealership. The subscriber calls the telematics call center using the telematics system to provide data to a communication service advisor at the telematics call center. The subscriber must inform the communication service advisor which telematics services they want in their subscription package during a time consuming interaction with the communication service advisor.
Information needed to personalize the personal calling feature of the telematics unit is obtained from a third party wireless provider. This information is not always available when a dealer or subscriber calls the call center to personalize the telematics service. If the information is not available, the dealer or subscriber must call the call center at a later time or the call center must make an outbound attempt to personalize the telematics unit.
It is desirable therefore, to provide a method and system for automated unit service requests from a telematics unit, that overcomes the challenges and obstacles described above.

Method and system for automated unit service requests from a telematics unit


A capsule for cleaning a beverage preparation machine includes a container which is sealed at one end by a removable cover and contains at least one cleaning agent. A screen or grating located beneath the cover holds the cleaning agent within the container.

DE 10 2012 011 204 A1 discloses a container for introduction into the capsule receptacle of a beverage machine, wherein a cleaning agent is provided in the container. The container is closed and is cut or pierced for the cleaning process to introduce hot water into the capsule. When exceeding a predetermined pressure, the dissolved cleaning agent is then flushed through openings from the capsule into a brewing chamber of the beverage machine and can provide cleaning there. It is disadvantageous in this capsule that the cleaning agent can escape when said capsules is accidentally opened. In addition, this capsule can only be used for machines in which means for piercing or cutting the capsule are provided. As a result, dosage of the cleaning agent can be set only with difficulty.
WO2014/128205 discloses a portion capsule having a base element made of a liquid-impermeable material in which a shell member having a raw material is arranged. A peelable sealing film can be provided on the base element above an opening.
From WO2015/006367 a container with a cleaning agent is known, which can be inserted into a machine for beverage preparation for cleaning. On the container, a cover may be releasably secured to produce access to the cleaning agent. The cover closes an opening of the container and after removing the cover, the cleaning agent can escape from the opening. Further protection of the user from contact with the cleaning agent is not provided.

Capsule for cleaning a beverage preparation machine and method for cleaning a brewing chamber


A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole layer and a return path layer that are exposed from a medium-facing surface of the recording head facing a recording medium and that face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween at the medium-facing surface. A coil layer applies a recording magnetic field to the main pole layer and the return path layer. The return path layer includes a gap adjusting layer and a main layer stacked in that order from a side facing the main pole layer. The gap adjusting layer is positioned so as to face the main pole layer and the recording medium, and is made of a magnetic material having a resistivity lower than resistivities of the main layer and the main pole layer.

1. Field
A perpendicular magnetic recording head is provided. The magnetic recording head performs recording by applying a perpendicular magnetic field to a surface of a recording medium.
2. Related Art
Magnetic heads are classified into a longitudinal recording (in-plane recording) head that performs recording by applying a parallel magnetic field to a surface of a recording medium, and a perpendicular recording magnetic head that performs recording by applying a perpendicular magnetic field to a surface of a recording medium. A perpendicular recording magnetic head is advantageous because of increased recording density.
Generally, a medium-facing surface of a perpendicular magnetic recording head facing a recording medium, a main pole layer and a return path layer are stacked with a nonmagnetic insulating layer disposed therebetween. The main pole layer and the return path layer are magnetically connected in a section at a distance from the medium-facing surface in the height direction. A coil layer is provided in the nonmagnetic insulating layer to apply a recording magnetic field to the main pole layer and the return path layer. When a recording magnetic field is induced between the main pole layer and the return path layer by applying a current to the coil layer, it perpendicularly enters a hard film of the recording medium through a leading end face of the main pole layer exposed from the medium-facing surface, passes through a soft film of the recording medium, and then returns into the return path layer. Magnetic recording is thereby conducted on a portion of the recording medium facing the main pole layer. Perpendicular magnetic recording heads of this type are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 62-159313, 2001-266310, and 2005-101245.
Recently, the distance between the main pole layer and the return path layer at the medium-facing surface of the perpendicular magnetic recording head; namely, the gap, is commonly set to a small value of approximately 50 nm (shielded pole structure). By adopting such a small gap, magnetic flux that flows from the main pole layer to the return path layer increases, and the inclination of a recording magnetic field, which is emitted from the main pole layer, passes through the recording medium and returns to the return path layer, (magnetic field inclination) increases. This achieves magnetic recording with little fringing. When the magnetic flux that flows from the main pole layer to the return path layer increases, magnetic flux leaking from the main pole layer toward the recording medium is reduced, and the strength of a recording magnetic field decreases. Since the magnetic field inclination increases, the SN ratio is maintained.
When the strength of the recording magnetic field is low, it may be impossible to record on a recording medium having a great coercive force. Moreover, since the writing track width tends to depend on the frequency of a current flowing through the coil layer in the perpendicular magnetic recording head, it is reduced in high-frequency recording. This sometimes reduces and the SN ratio.

Perpendicular magnetic recording head having return path layer and gap adjusting layer


In an apparatus of detecting a combustion state of an internal combustion engine, a combustion parameter value of the engine is calculated on the basis of measurement data concerning an engine speed, the value of the data concerning the engine speed is corrected with a correction value, the correction value is calculated to make the calculated combustion parameter fall within a predetermined range, and the correction value is set to a predetermined value when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

The present invention relates to detection of a combustion state of an internal combustion engine (hereinafter simply referred to as an engine) and more particularly, to engine combustion state detecting apparatus and method capable of detecting a misfire in all running regions of the engine in which positive torque is generated, and to a recording medium which stores a program for execution of the detecting method.
A technique for measuring an engine speed by utilizing the relation between torque generated through combustion cycles of the engine and engine speed and detecting a running state of the engine to indirectly detect a misfire is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. JP-A-58-51243. In this technique, engine speeds are detected at two ignition time points during one ignition cycle covering the preceding ignition and the present ignition, a change value of engine speed during the one ignition cycle is determined from a difference in engine speeds between the two ignition time points, change values of engine speed sequentially determined are operationally processed in statistical manner, and the presence or absence of a misfire in the engine is decided using results of the operational process.
The aforementioned method is effective to detect a misfire at relatively low engine speeds but production errors in pitch of a disk plate or a ring gear mounted for measurement of the engine speed greatly affect the detection at high engine speeds, making it difficult to detect a misfire. A countermeasure there-against is a method disclosed in JP-A-9-72241 by the present inventors, according to which an engine speed signal (time signal) is corrected by detecting a pitch error component during normal combustion.
The pitch error correcting method disclosed in the above gazette is effective when the engine is running at a high engine speed but at low engine speeds or under no load (idling), the accuracy of misfire detection tends to be degraded.
Incidentally, when a vehicle runs on a bad road or a rough road, the engine backwardly receives torque (negative torque) from driven wheels. Since the backward torque has an inconstant value, the engine undergoes a change in engine speed which is not attributable to the combustion state. When the vehicle carrying a misfire detecting apparatus based on the above pitch error correcting method runs on a bad road, negative torque affects the misfire detection.

Apparatus and method of detecting combustion state of internal combustion engine and recording medium storing program for execution of the detecting method


A cigar substitute, comprising an elongate, inedible, flexible tube having a length such that when one end is held in the mouth, the other end protrudes out of the mouth and having at least one lumen containing a mixture comprising nicotine, nicotine derivative, nicotine substitute or nicotine substitute derivative, an edible carrier, and a flavoring substance.

The hazardous effects of tobacco use and environmental smoke are well documented. As a result, a clear need has developed for reducing the incidence of smoking. One of the principal problems associated with reducing the incidence of smoking is the fact that smokers generally acquire a dependency on a certain level of nicotine in their blood stream. Cigar and cigarette smokers also develop a habit of manually manipulating the cigar or cigarette. In addition, cigar smokers are known to enjoy chewing the end of a cigar.
In the past, various products have been developed that provide nicotine or nicotine substitutes so as to assist smokers in ending their smoking habit. Such devices include products that deliver nicotine and/or its substitutes to the blood via the oral cavity, the nasal cavity or the skin.
Products that deliver nicotine via the oral cavity include gums, tablets or lozenges. Nicotine is released into the oral cavity and subsequently absorbed through the buccal mucosa by chewing the gum or sucking the lozenges. U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,468 to Lichtneckert et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,079 to Talpin et al., disclose chewable tobacco substitute products. U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,605 to Ray et al., discloses oral tobacco substitutes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,544 to Mascarelli discloses a nicotine lollipop. Danish Patent No. WO91/06288 to Anders discloses lozenges and tablets containing tobacco substitutes. These preparations are not cost-effective and do not provide for the manual manipulation that smokers are typically used to. Furthermore, these devices may be swallowed whole, voiding any possible benefit to the user. When swallowed accidentally, these preparations may result in an overdose of nicotine.
Other devices deliver nicotine to the bloodstream via the nasal cavity or the skin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,652 to Rose et al., discloses transdermal patches that slowly release nicotine or nicotine substitutes which are then absorbed through the skin. These devices do not provide for oral or manual stimulation to the user and may cause skin irritation. Another product, `Nicotine Nasal Spray` manufactured by Kabi Pharmacia, is sprayed into the nasal cavity. It does not provide manual or oral stimulation and may cause nasal irritation to the user.
Still other devices designed to assist smokers to quit smoking are aimed at satisfying a cigarette smoker's psychological need to manually manipulate the cigarette. These devices include cigarette substitutes that may or may not contain nicotine or nicotine substitutes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,971 to Vieten discloses such a cigarette substitute. These products typically involve complex manufacturing processes and either do not provide substances to reduce the desire to smoke or use a nicotine product that can be swallowed as a whole. In addition, these products cannot be chewed and therefore do not address the need of a cigar smoker to chew on the end of the cigar.
Thus, although several devices are available that provide nicotine or nicotine substitutes, none of the devices specifically addresses a cigar smoker's habit of chewing on the end of a cigar as it is smoked, while allowing the user to remove the cigar from the mouth and manipulate it in the hands. Therefore, what is needed is a device that will not only provide chemicals to suppress the desire to smoke but will also simulate smoking of a real cigar in that it will allow the user to chew the end of the device and will satisfy the psychological need of a smoker to manually manipulate it.


A method is disclosed for controlling production of oil and/or gas from an underground reservoir by means of a closed loop production control system, in which: an assembly of monitoring sensors (4) monitor the physical properties of hydrocarbon and other fluids within the reservoir; a plurality of high order and/or low order mathematical reservoir models (5,7) calculate each an estimate of the physical properties of hydrocarbon and other fluids in the hydrocarbon containing formation and in the wells; the mathematical reservoir models (5,7) are iteratively updated in response to data provided by the assembly of sensors such that any difference between the properties monitored by the assembly of sensors and those calculated by each of the reservoir models is minimized; an optimal mathematical reservoir model (5,7) or an optimal combination thereof is selected during at least one updating step for which an averaged difference between the calculated properties and the properties monitored by the assembly of sensors (4) is minimal; and an optimization algorithm (8) controls, on the basis of data provided by the selected optimal mathematical reservoir model or optimal combination thereof, production control assemblies of a plurality of wells which traverse the formation.

Such a method is known from International patent applications WO01/62603 and WO02/086277, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,266,619and 6,775,578, US patent application US 2002/0100584 and from the following papers:
"Economically improving oil recovery by advanced reservoir management," published by G. L. Ghiericiby in the Journal of Petroleum Science Technology. 8 (1992) 205-219,
"The road ahead to real-time oil and gas reservoir management" published by R. G. Smith and G. C. Maitland in Trans. Inst. Chem. 76A (July 1998) 539-552.
"From pore to pipeline, field-scale solutions," published by A. Beamer et al. in Oilfield Review (Summer 1998), 2-19.
"Reservoir drainage with down hole permanent monitoring and control systems. Real-time integration of dynamic reservoir performance data and static reservoir model improves control decisions," paper SPE 62937 presented by F. Nyhavn et al. at the 2000 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, Tex., USA, 1-4 October.
"Discussion on integrating monitoring data into the reservoir management process," paper SPE 65150 presented by D. J. Rossi et al. at the SPE European Petroleum Conference, Paris, France, 24-25 Oct. 2000.
"Development of a marginal gas-condensate field using a novel integrated reservoir and production management approach," paper SPE 68734 presented by Nygard et al. at the SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Jakarta, Indonesia, 17-19 Apr. 2001.
"Smart fields: How to generate more value from hydrocarbon resources" presented by P. K. A. Kapteijn at the 17th World Petroleum Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1-5 Sep. 2002, 2, 307-316.
"Self-learning reservoir management," paper SPE 84064 presented by L. Saputelli et al. at the 2003 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colo., USA, 5-8 October.
These publications disclose the concept of controlling the flow of hydrocarbons based on a model that is regularly updated using measured data. A problem associated with the concept disclosed in these publications is either that they do not teach how the necessary computations are performed, or it is proposed to use high-order (large scale) computer models which are very time-consuming. Another problem in using such high-order computer models is that they contain more parameters than can be uniquely determined from a limited amount of measurements. As a result these updated high-order models are only of limited value to be used for the control of hydrocarbon flow.
SPE paper 79674, "Generation of Low-Order Reservoir Models using System-Theoretical Concepts", presented at the SPE Reservoir Simulation Symposium in Houston, Tex., USA, 3-5 Feb. 2003 by T. Heijn, R. Markovinovic, and J. D. Jansen discloses five methods to derive low-order numerical models of two-phase (oil-water) reservoir flow from a high order reservoir model with the aim to develop computationally efficient algorithms for history matching, optimization and the design of control strategies for smart wells. SPE paper 79674 indicates that a reservoir model is called a high-order model if it consists of a large number, typically 103-106 of variables (pressures and saturations) and that optimization using high-order reservoir models is computationally very intensive and that there is a need to reduce high-order reservoir models to low order reservoir models, which typically have 101-103 variables, before use in optimization. However, SPE paper 79674 does not teach how the reduction methods can be used in combination with updating techniques and optimization techniques for the control of hydrocarbon flow in the subsurface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,519 discloses a method for automated control of a reservoir on the basis of a reservoir model. A disadvantage of this method is that the selected reservoir model may be less accurate than alternative high order and/or low order reservoir models, and that in the course of time the most accurate mathematical reservoir model may be different from a mathematical reservoir model that most accurately reflected the flux of fluid and/or other fluid properties during an earlier phase of production of hydrocarbon fluids from the reservoir.

Closed loop control system for controlling production of hydrocarbon fluid from an underground formation