A system for proofing which includes color scanning apparatus for scanning an input image and for producing a plurality of color separation signals corresponding to color values in the input image, proofing apparatus for producing a proof of the input image and color modification apparatus, connected between the color scanning apparatus and the proofing apparatus, for capturing the color separation signals while the color scanning apparatus scans the input image and for modifying the color separation signals to produce the proof.

Proofing of a color printout before printing a large number of copies of the color printout is well-known in the art and is a time-consuming process. The proofing process is illustrated in FIG. 3 and typically includes the scanning of a color original, via a color separation scanner 10 to produce a plurality of color separation signals, typically in the Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black (CMYK) color coordinate system.
An exposing unit 12 then utilizes the color separation signals to produce a plurality of films 14, one for each color separation signal.
The films 14 are typically utilized by a printing press 16 for producing a multiplicity of color prints 18. However, because the number of prints 18 produced is very large, a test print, known as a proof 20, is first prepared and used to check that the prints 18 will be as desired. It is generally required that the proof 20 be as close to the print 18 as possible, where closeness is measured in the position of the elements on the page and in the color match between the proof 20 and the prints 18.
There are several parameters that are checked on proof 20. One is the placement of the image on the page, another is the accuracy of the color. If the color accuracy does not match that desired by the customer, then something in the process must be modified. The films 14 can be modified, by a process called dot etching, or new films 14 can be produced by rescanning the color original after at least some of the scanning parameters of the scanner 10 have been changed.
The proof 20 is typically produced in a conventional photomechanical process 22, which mimics the printing process. Examples of a mechanical process 22 are the CROMALIN process of DuPont or the MATCHPRINT process of 3M, both of the USA. If the proof 20 is not desirable for whatever reason, the proofing cycle, the cycle of scanning the original and evaluating the proof, is repeated until an acceptable proof 20 is achieved. This method is time-consuming and can take up to a few days.
Another proofing method is called a press proof. In this method, printing plates are produced from the films 14 and are used to produce proofs by simulating the press run.
A further proofing method, shown with dotted lines, includes the use of a Direct Digital Color Proofer (DDCP) in conjunction with a Color Electronic Prepress System (CEPS) 26. The CEPS receives the color separation signals, allows an operator to manipulate the signals as desired, and then provides the manipulated signals to both the exposing unit 12 and the DDCP 24. An example CEPS is the RESPONSE System manufactured by Scitex Corporation Ltd. of Herzlia, Israel. Example DDCPs are the Approval System manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, N.Y., U.S.A. or the Smartjet 3024 or 4012 proofers manufactured by Iris Graphics Inc. of Bedford, Mass., U.S.A.
The DDCP 24 is controlled by the CEPS 26 and is operative to produce proof 20. If the proof 20 is not desirable, for whatever reason, then either the original is rescanned as described hereinabove, or the operator uses the CEPS 26 to modify the signals as desired.
When the proof 20 is acceptable, the CEPS 26 provides the modified signals to the exposing unit 12 for exposing of films 14 for use in the press run.
The DDCP 24 typically has a different color coordinate system from the printing press 26. Therefore, modification of the color separation signals is necessary to ensure that proof 20 closely resembles the prints 18. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/650,468 filed Feb. 4, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,241 to the applicant describe such color modification methods.
Using the DDCP 24 reduces the length of the proof cycle. However, the DDCP 24 works only in conjunction with the CEPS 26. A stand-alone scanner 10 cannot be connected directly to a DDCP and therefore, must produce a proof 20 by first producing films 14.


An output buffer having a first pull-up transistor and a first pull-down transistor connected in series between two nodes of a power supply, their common connection node being connected to the output node. A logic circuit receives an input signal at a logic level and controls the voltage at the gates of the first pull-up transistor and the first pull-down transistor to provide the logic level at the output node. A second pull-up transistor and a second pull-down transistor are connected in series between the two nodes of the power supply, their common connection node being connected to the output node. A control circuit provides an output indicating when the supply voltage is below a predetermined level. A control circuit is responsive to the output of the control circuit to control the voltage at the gates of the second pull-up transistor and the second pull-down transistor to provide the logic level at the output node only when the output of the control circuit indicates when the supply voltage is below the predetermined level.

In an integrated circuit chip, signals are transferred out of the circuit by output buffers, configured as part of the integrated circuit on the chip. General purpose output buffers generally perform relatively standard functions that are useful on all outputs, such as isolation of the integrated circuit from the load it is driving and the provision of sufficient power in the driving of the output signal to maintain circuit performance, even when the load includes significant capacitance. In other words, for circuits driving loads with a high capacitance, such as a system bus, for example, the general purpose output buffer is intended to provide sufficient power to charge up that capacitance quickly enough to effectively deliver the output signal to the load within a short enough time interval considered acceptable for the integrated circuit's intended function.
The design of general purpose output buffers for a given integrated circuit is typically optimized for a single supply voltage, for example VCC=3.3 V. This is because the entire integrated circuit is generally intended to run at a given supply voltage. However, the supply voltage for a given integrated circuit may not be the same from chip to chip, because of variations in the manufacturing process for the chip. Unfortunately, the circuit performance tends to depend upon the supply voltage, so that chips having higher supply voltages perform better than necessary, while chips having lower supply voltages perform more poorly than desired. The problem may be addressed by designing the output buffer with larger transistor devices, ensuring adequate performance at supply voltages at the lowest end of the expected range of variation of the supply voltage. However, for chips having a supply voltage at higher supply voltages their output buffers will draw excessive current because of the larger transistor devices, and therefore may dissipate excessive power.

Supply enabled optimization output buffer


A search query can be received. User parameters can be identified based on the search query. The search query can be refined to include the user parameters. A search result from a search for media content using the refined search query can be received. Based on at least one search result received from the search and based on the user parameters, an augmented media content can be generated. Playing of the augmented media content can be synchronized with a user's activity by controlling playing of the augmented media content while detecting the user's activity pace.

The present application relates generally to computers and computer applications, and more particularly to machine learning and generating of multimedia content such as video and audio content.
Currently, the availability of information over a computer network such as the Internet, allows users to search for information such as online video or audio transcripts for steps or instructions in performing a task. For example, a user may refer to an instructional video while performing an activity in which the user may only have limited knowledge or experience and follow the steps shown in such a video. By way of example, a user may desire to make a face mask and initiate a query for searching for information related to such a task, for example, on an online platform or channel, which returns a list of search results. The user may select one among the top list of search results that is suitable for the user and decide to follow the instructions to make face masks in the user's environment, such as at user's home. While playing the video and following the instructions in performing the task, the user may stop or pause the video to perform the suggested set of steps. After the user finishes the first few steps, the user may resume the video to continue on the next set of steps. The process may continue until the user accomplishes the desired outcome.

Automatic context aware composing and synchronizing of video and audio transcript

International Business Machines Corporation


A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Balfanwite’ characterized by its semi-double white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and medium to compact, upright growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balfanwite'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Weener, Niedersachen (Northern Germany) during the summer of 1999. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Geranium cultivars that flower uniformly and have large flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and a vigorous, upright growth habit.
The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was 'Penwei' (HU9801865 A2 and QZ1995/0756). The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was 'Sel Wenke', not patented. The new Geranium was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during June 2000 in a controlled environment at Weener, Niedersachen.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2000 at Weener, Niedersachen and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


A particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit includes a first particle disc configured to meter particles and a second particle disc configured to receive the particles from the first particle disc and to transfer the particles toward a trench in soil. The particle delivery system includes a vacuum source configured to reduce air pressure within a first vacuum passage to couple the particles to one or more first apertures of the first particle disc. The vacuum source is also configured to reduce air pressure within a second vacuum passage to couple the particles to one or more second apertures of the second particle disc. A rotation rate of the first particle disc is controllable to establish a particle spacing between the particles within the trench. A rotation rate of the second particle disc is controllable to expel the particles at a particle exit speed.

The present disclosure relates generally to a particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit.
Generally, planting implements (e.g., planters) are towed behind a tractor or other work vehicle via a mounting bracket secured to a rigid frame of the implement. Planting implements typically include multiple row units distributed across a width of the implement. Each row unit is configured to deposit seeds at a desired depth beneath the soil surface of a field, thereby establishing rows of planted seeds. For example, each row unit typically includes a ground engaging tool or opener that forms a seeding path (e.g., trench) for seed deposition into the soil. An agricultural product delivery system (e.g., including a metering system and a seed tube) is configured to deposit seeds and/or other agricultural products (e.g., fertilizer) into the trench. The opener/agricultural product delivery system is followed by closing discs that move displaced soil back into the trench and/or a packer wheel that packs the soil on top of the deposited seeds/other agricultural products.
Certain row units, or planting implements generally, include a seed storage area configured to store the seeds. The agricultural product delivery system is configured to transfer the seeds from the seed storage area into the trench. For example, the agricultural product delivery system may include a metering system that meters the seeds from the seed storage area into a seed tube for subsequent delivery to the trench. Certain types of seeds may benefit from a particular spacing along the trench. Additionally, the planting implement having the row units may travel at varying speeds based on the type of seed being deposited into the soil, the type and structure of the soil within the field, and other factors. Typically, the row units output the seeds to the trench at the speed that the implement is traveling through the field, which may affect the spacing between the seeds and may cause the seeds to be deposited at locations along the trench other than target locations (e.g., outside the target locations).

Particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit


This invention relates to the preparation of new, modified organisms, through challenge growth processes, that are viable in the extreme temperature, pressure and pH conditions and salt concentrations of an oil reservoir and that are suitable for use in microbial enhanced oil recovery. The modified microorganisms of the present invention are used to enhance oil recovery and remove sulfur compounds and metals from the crude oil.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microbially enhanced recovery of oil at elevated temperatures and pressures. More particularly, this invention relates to the selection, isolation and use of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, preferably thermophilic microorganisms, which can be maintained at elevated temperatures, pressures, salinity and pH extremes using crude oil and other indigenous matter as a source of energy, perhaps their sole source of energy, for enhanced oil recovery.
2. Background of the Related Art
Oil bearing geological formations often yield crude oil in response to naturally occurring forces, such as gas pressure, gravitational pressure due to the surrounding rock or hydraulic pressure from ground water or steam. The pressure forces the crude oil from the geological formation through a fissure or well at the surface. To increase the recovery of crude oil, pumping is employed. When the level of the oil drops, however, pumping becomes unproductive. In these cases, secondary recovery methods, such as gas, drive or water flooding are utilized to raise the levels of crude oil in the reservoirs.
To facilitate an increase in the yields from these secondary recovery methods, it has long been proposed to subject the geological oil bearing formation to the action of oil-releasing bacteria. This bacterial treatment, called microbial enhanced oil recovery ("MEOR") would be used to supplement the aforementioned secondary recovery methods. The major obstacle that has prevented the implementation of MEOR has been the difficulty in finding, isolating or engineering microorganisms which can survive the harsh variety of environmental conditions present in oil reservoirs. These conditions include temperatures which range from approximately 49.degree. to 90.degree. C., a pH range from approximately 2 to 10, and large variations in brine concentrations, mostly potassium or sodium chloride with average percent total solids ranging from 1.3 to 15.6, as reported by McInerney during the International Conference On Microbial Enhancement Of Oil Recovery, May 16-21, 1982, Bartlesville Energy Technology Center, Bartlesville, Okla. (1983). McInerney observed that magnesium and iron are usually present in most reservoirs at concentrations sufficient to support microbial growth; that sulfur, nitrate and phosphate are not usually present in sufficient concentrations to support microbial growth; and that oxygen concentration are low, indicating anaerobic conditions. McInerney further noted that although different microorganisms grow and reproduce under certain reservoir conditions, for example temperatures from 0.degree. to 100.degree. C., pH from 1 to 10, salinity from 0 to 35%, and pressures up to 1,000 atmospheres, each particular species could only grow at a particular narrow range of conditions. Microorganisms that are naturally present in the reservoir also usually act on the oil to produce undesirable products such as hydrogen sulfide, which are not beneficial to oil recovery.
Microorganisms can be classified in terms of temperature ranges that permit viability. Psychrophiles designate microbial species which grow at a temperature range of from -5.degree. to 22.degree. C.; mesophiles grow from 10.degree. to 45.degree. C.; and thermophiles grow between 40.degree. and 80.degree. C., or higher for extreme thermophiles; see Ljungdahl, "Physiology of Thermophilic Bacteria", Adv. Microbial. Physiol., 19 149-243 (1979). Similar classifications have been used for the growth of microbial species due to pressure [see Marquis et al., "Microbial Life Under Pressure", in Microbial Life in Extreme Environment, Kushner (ed.), 105-159, Academic Press, N.Y., N.Y. (1978) and Marquis, et al., "Microbial Barobiology", Bioscience, 32, 267-271 (1982)]; pH [see, Langworthy "Microbial Life In Extreme pH Values", Microbial Life in Extreme Environments, Kushner (ed.), 279-317, Academic Press, N.Y., N.Y. (1978)]; and due to salt concentrations [see Kushner, "Life in High Salt and Solute Concentrations: Halophilic Bacteria", Microbial Life in Extreme Environments, Kushner (ed.), 313-368, Academic Press, N.Y., N.Y. (1978)]. While some of the microorganisms described by McInerney referenced above are tolerant to individual environmental effects, none of these microorganisms could withstand the combination of high temperatures and high pressures sometimes rising to over 2,000 psi which are commonly encountered in oil reservoirs.
In the past several years, various university research groups, the National Institution for Petroleum Research, and a number of research groups abroad have laid the ground work for MEOR. See, King and Stevens (Eds), Proc. of the First International MEOR Workshop, Apr. 1-3, 1986, DOE/BC/10852-1 (1986), especially the Lazar article at pages 124-151 of these proceedings, which indicated that MEOR was a promising technology. The conclusion at these workshops was that considerably more research was needed because most field tests were either inconclusive or proved to be outright failures.
An understanding the chemistry, biochemistry and biogeochemistry of interactions between microorganisms, oils and sedimentary matrices in which these oil deposits occur has been somewhat lacking. Many of the bacteria which have been studied were not tested in the laboratory under reservoir conditions. Nevertheless, the available data suggests several mechanisms for microorganisms to function in MEOR biotechnology. See, Bryant and Douglas, IITRI/NIPER, 449-456, SPE 16284, Society of Petroleum Engineers (1987). These mechanisms include: (1) production of gases (CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, and CH.sub.4) which can increase pressure in the reservoir and reduce oil viscosity; (2) microbial production of low molecular weight acids, which cause rock solubilization; (3) production of biosurfactants which decrease surface and interfacial tensions; (4) microbially mediated changes in wettability; and, (5) production of polymers which facilitate mobility.
It was suggested by Grula in Proc. of The First International MEOR Workshop, Apr. 1-3, 1986, 152-213, DOE/BC/10852-1 (1986) that some of the desirable properties of bacteria to be used in MEOR should include the capacity for large productions of "oil releasing" metabolites (e.g., low molecular weight alcohols, acids, surfactants and gases). These microorganisms should not require expensive nutrients, should be able to survive under anaerobic conditions, and should be capable of withstanding relatively high pressures, temperatures, pH variations and salinaties. Additionally, these microorganisms should be easily grown in facilities above ground, remain viable over extended periods of time and be easily transportable. Once placed in the reservoir, these microorganisms should continue to be viable under extreme conditions, and continue their activity upon refeeding. It is to be understood that all of the requirements may not be met by a single type/strain of microorganism and that mixed type/strains may be appropriate for MEOR.
Under certain reservoir conditions, a number of microorganisms have been found to be present in formation waters [see Lazar (1986) supra]. According to Lazar, the usefulness of these bacteria appeared to be limited, since these organisms can only grow in reservoirs of a given depth, salinity, temperature and permeability range. Also, the growth of these bacteria is limited by increases in the concentration of products generated by their own metabolism.
Known thermophilic organisms live under harsh conditions, such as low pH (approximately about .ltoreq.1-3) and high temperatures (up to 110.degree. C.); some are also known to grow under alkaline conditions; [see Brock, Life at High Temperatures, Science 20, 132-138 (1985), and Thermophilic Microorganisms and Life at High Temperatures, 465 pp, Springer Veralag, New York, N.Y. (1978)]. These organisms can use inorganic and organic energy sources (e.g., sulfides, elemental sulfur and ferrous ions). Some of these bacteria are also capable of switching from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism. Further, the natural habitats of these organisms are geothermal brines which allow them to tolerate high salt concentrations. Accordingly, the general properties of thermophilic organisms, although not fully explored, have indicated that they possess a number of the desirable properties for MEOR outlined during the 1986 Workshop, and further verified in recent status reports [see, King, MEOR Technical Status and Assessments Of Needs, DOE/BC/10852-2, DE7-0001227 (1987), and Jenneman, "The Potential for in situ Microbial Applications", Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery, Developments In Petroleum Science, 22, Donaldson, et al. (eds.), 37-74, Elsevier, New York, N.Y. (1989)].
The use of thermophilic microorganisms to break down complex hydrocarbons in the laboratory environment, has been disclosed in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,413,278 to Zobell, discloses the use of bacteria from the genus Desulfovibrio. Some species of this bacteria are disclosed as being active in a temperature range from 70.degree. F. and 180.degree. F. (21.1.degree. C. to 82.4.degree. C.). These bacteria are strict anaerobes, and are inhibited by H.sup.+ ion concentrations lower than pH 6.0. Additionally, there is no disclosure that these microorganisms are functional at anything but ambient pressures. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,550 to Updegraff et al., the same thermophilic bacteria described in the Zobell patent are used, the improvement being the introduction of molasses in the well water as a source of nutrients and minerals. As in Zobell, the bacteria although described as highly thermophilic, were not tested for growth under high pressures and aerobic conditions.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,975,835 to Bond, describes the use of the same bacteria from the genus Desulfovibrio as described above. Bond also discloses the use of other bacteria such as Asperillus flavus, Bacillus methanicus and Bacillus ethanicus in suitable growth medium. The growth medium containing the bacteria is combined with an aqueous gelling agent and injected under pressure into a well, in order to fracture low permeability oil bearing rock formations. The pressure applied is described as from 0.6 to 1 p.s.i. for each foot of overburden, i.e. for each foot measured from the surface to the formation to be fractured. In an example, a pressure of 900 p.s.i. is applied to fracture the rock. After fracturing, the pressure immediately drops to near ambient pressure. This type of sudden pressure reduction often inactivates the bacteria. Also, the bacteria disclosed by Bond are not described as being capable of growing at high pressures. They are only able to survive in the gel under relatively low pressures (usually less than 1000 p.s.i.) applied for short periods of time until the rock is fractured. Additionally, Bond teaches to maintain the temperature of the gel under 130.degree. F. to avoid destroying the bacteria.
A bacterium useful for cleaving C-S bonds for sulfur removal from dibenzothiophene, resulting in substantially sole products of inorganic sulfate in 2-hydroxybiphenyl is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,888 to Kilbane, II. The preferred microorganism is identified as Bacillus sphaericus ATCC# 53969. The patent describes this bacteria as being able to metabolize the C-S bonds at temperatures from about 20.degree. to 34.degree. C. Accordingly, it appears that this microorganism and method cannot be used in the high pressure and high temperature environment existing in oil reservoirs.
Accordingly, a method for preparing, isolating and utilizing a microorganism which can metabolize crude oils and other high molecular weight hydrocarbons as a source of energy, simultaneously metabolize and solubilize sulfur and organometallic compounds in the crude oils, and emulsify heavy crudes under the extreme conditions existing in oil reservoirs, including temperatures of up to 70.degree.-85.degree. C., high pressures of up to about 200-2,500 p.s.i., high salinities and extreme pH variations, has not previously been provided.

Biochemically enhanced oil recovery and oil treatment


A method of detecting the infestation of a host by arthropod ectoparasites uses a fluorescent dye which stains the ectoparasites and/or their eggs but not the adjacent skin or hair to which they are attached. The dye can be incorporated into a shampoo or a rinsing solution and is applied to the scalp or other region of the host. After a suitable period of time has elapsed, the dye-containing solution or shampoo is rinsed off and the hair and adjacent area of the host examined under ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet light. Such illumination will cause the stained ectoparasites and/or eggs to glow and, thus, become easily detectable for diagnosis and subsequent removal. The method may be applied to detect scabies (i.e. skin-burrowing mites), head lice, body and pubic lice and to any other arthropod ectoparasites and their eggs containing a substantial percentage of chitin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of ectoparasite detection. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for the detection of arthropod ectoparasites and their eggs which have infested live hosts such as humans or other animals. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.
2. Description of the Related Art
Arthropod ectoparasite infestation is an enormously persistent and troubling condition today even in industrialized nations. For example, pediculosis capitis or head lice infestation presently afflicts an estimated 12 million patients or hosts in the United States alone. Most of these hosts are school children. These arthropod ectoparasites are easily spread from child to child and are hard to eliminate once the host child has been infested. The lice themselves, which generally remain at or near scalp level, are small and difficult to find. Naturally, once infestation has begun in a host, the condition persists and is exacerbated by the reproductive cycle of the lice. Thus, the lice produce eggs, or nits, which are tenaciously affixed near the bottom of the hair shafts by a cement produced by female lice. Given this, it has long been recognized that the key to pediculosis diagnosis and treatment lies in the detection and removal of nits.
In early days, control of this parasite was accomplished by a variety of wholly manual treatments. For example, lice detection and removal has long been effected by laboriously searching the scalp of an infested host and hand-removing individual louse eggs, or nits, attached to the hairs of the host. Painful and slow combing with a fine-tooth comb has also been commonly used to remove nits. This method is generally considered to be a slightly faster and more effective variant of the hand-removal method. Other methods of nit and/or louse removal include shaving the scalp or soaking the hair and scalp with dangerous materials such as kerosene. More recently, efforts have concentrated on developing chemical pediculicides to treat lice infestation. One significant drawback of such pediculicides is that evolutionary selective pressures inevitably give rise to strains of head lice which are resistant to the pediculicides. Thus, newly developed pediculicides rapidly lose effectiveness. Accordingly, removal of nits by hand or with a fine-tooth comb remains the most effective method of removing head lice. Since nits are generally less than a millimeter in diameter, they are quite hard to detect, especially in children with thick, fine hair. Thus, it is still common for a thorough delousing of the scalp using a fine-tooth comb to require over one and one half hours. Further, this combing process often needs to be repeated daily because it is so easy to overlook nits.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for an improved method of detecting arthropod ectoparasite infestations which overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies of the related art by providing a rapid, sensitive and accurate diagnostic method that provides initial, early and yet definitive diagnosis of infestation.
Further, there remains a need in the art for an improved method of detecting arthropod ectoparasite infestations which overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies of the related art by providing a method of detecting such infestations which enables advantageous treatment without the need for costly and dangerous chemical insecticide and acaricide treatments.


An intake control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a variable valve operating mechanism capable of varying a lift and operation angle of an intake valve continuously and a control unit that controls an intake air amount by varying the lift and operation angle of the intake valve in accordance with an operating condition of the engine. The control unit has a learning section that learns a controlled position of the variable valve operating mechanism at a learning position that is a predetermined lift and operation angle located between a minimum value and a maximum value of the lift and operation angle that can be actually realized by the variable valve operating mechanism.

The present invention relates to an intake control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine, which is configured to control an intake air amount by variable control of a lift and operation angle of an intake valve, and particularly to a technique for learning a controlled position of a variable valve operating mechanism for variable control of the lift and operation angle of the intake valve. The present invention further relates to an intake control apparatus and method for controlling an idle speed of an internal combustion engine.
In a gasoline engine, an intake air amount is generally controlled by a throttle valve disposed in an intake passage. However, as is well known, such an intake control encounters a problem that there is caused a large pumping loss particularly under middle to low load conditions where the opening degree of the throttle valve is small. To solve such a problem, it has been tried to develop a technique of controlling the intake air amount without depending upon the throttle valve and it has been proposed, by using such a technique, to realize an arrangement in which an intake system is not provided with a throttle valve similarly to a diesel engine, i.e., a so-called throttle-less arrangement.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 2002-256905 and 2003-74318, which are assigned to the same assignee of this application, is disclosed a variable valve operating device consisting of a first variable valve operating mechanism capable of varying a lift and operation angle simultaneously and continuously and a second variable valve operating mechanism capable of varying a maximum lift phase (i.e., a phase at which the lift becomes maximum). By such a variable valve operating device, an amount of intake air to b e supplied to cylinders can be controlled independently of the opening degree of the throttle valve, and particularly under a low load condition a so-called throttle-less operation or an operation where the opening degree of the throttle valve is kept sufficiently large can be realized, thus reducing a pumping loss considerably. Further, by controlling so that a valve lift amount is so small at idle, the intake air amount can be controlled accurately.
In the meantime, in an arrangement of controlling the intake air amount by variable control of the valve lift characteristics, a vacuum is not produced in the intake system if the arrangement is of the completely throttle-less type, i.e., of the type not provided with a throttle valve. This causes a new problem that conventional systems such as a system for circulating blow-by gas or purge gas from an evaporator can not be used or a vacuum that is used as a drive source for various actuators cannot be obtained. To solve such a problem, it has been proposed to dispose a so-called electronically controlled throttle valve as a vacuum control valve in an intake passage to realize, in combination with an opening degree control of the throttle valve, a control of an intake air amount through control of the valve lift characteristics of the intake valve while obtaining a predetermined vacuum in the intake passage.
Further, in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-36896 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,026 is disclosed such a technique as follows. Namely, in an arrangement for controlling an amount of intake air to be supplied to an internal combustion engine by using a throttle valve, a fully closed position of a throttle valve is controlled mechanically by using a stopper mechanism. An opening degree of the throttle valve detected by an throttle position sensor when the throttle valve is positioned at such a controlled position is learned as a fully closed position with a view to improving the accuracy in control of the throttle valve.
Further, in an automotive gasoline engine, as is well known, an intake air amount at idle is adjusted based on an actual engine speed by controlling an opening degree of an idle control valve disposed in a secondary air passage that bypasses the throttle valve and a feedback control is performed so that the engine speed is held at a target idle speed. It is also known that on the basis of a feedback control value during the feedback control, an intake air amount at idle for obtaining the target idle speed (e.g., an opening degree correction value of the idle control valve) is learned to perform a control by using a learned value with a view to improving the responsiveness of the feedback control and the accuracy of the open-loop control.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-93736 discloses a similar idle speed control that is realized by controlling an opening degree of an electronically controlled throttle valve.

Intake control apparatus and method for internal combustion engine


A panel interlocking arrangement includes first and second panels to be disposed in an overlapping relationship and a pair of locking and retaining tabs struck from the first and second panels, respectively. The retaining tab defines in the second panel a locking aperture for receiving the locking tab. The locking tab is foldably joined along a fold line to the first panel and extends to its free end edge opposed to the fold line. The locking tab includes a wing defined along one of its opposite side edges. The wing extends away from the free edge of the locking tab beyond the fold line. One of the end edges of the locking aperture is adapted to engage the locking tab when the locking tab is received in the locking aperture whereas the other end edge of the locking aperture is foldably joined to the retaining tab. The retaining tab extends from the other end edge of the aperture to its distal end edge. The retaining tab is adapted to be engaged at its distal edge with one of the opposite surfaces of the locking tab when the one end edge of the aperture is in engagement with the locking tab. The locking aperture is provided with an edge for pressing the wing of the locking tab toward the other end edge of the aperture when the one end edge of the aperture is in engagement with the locking tab.

The present invention relates generally to panel interlocking arrangements by which a pair of panels can be secured together in an overlapping relationship, and more particularly to an interlocking arrangement for panels wherein a winged locking tab forms a cooperative locking engagement with a retaining tab while being engaged at its base by a portion of the perimeter of a locking aperture and at its wing by another portion of the perimeter. The present invention also relates to a carton employing the interlocking arrangement and a carton blank from which the carton is formed.
In the packaging of articles, and particularly of one or more articles in wrap-around type paperboard cartons, interlocking arrangements are frequently used for maintaining closure of the carton about the articles. It can be appreciated that such interlocking arrangements must be securely and reliably engaged, and must remain in such condition until the carton is opened.
One well-known form of interlocking arrangement comprises a locking tab and a cooperating retaining tab. An example of this type of locking arrangement can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,095 which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this patent, first and second opposite end panels of a blank are secured together in an overlapping relationship by locking and retaining tabs. The locking tab is struck from and foldably joined to the first panel whereas the retaining tab is struck from and foldably joined to the second panel. A locking aperture is defined by the retaining tab in the second panel. The blank is applied to a group of articles, and then the first and second panels are brought into an overlapping relationship whereupon the locking tab is folded into the locking aperture. Upon insertion of the locking tab, the retaining tab is thrust aside and is thereby also folded to bring its distal end into abutment against the lower side of the locking tab. By this means, the locking tab is retained in the folded position in the locking aperture with the perimeter of the aperture in engagement with the locking tab.
Wraparound cartons are tightly wound around groups of articles with no slack to assure that the articles are held inside the cartons. Therefore, the interlocking arrangement such as mentioned above continually undergoes tension. If a carton with such an interlocking arrangement is subjected to vibration during, for example, its transportation, the locking tab could be unfolded to some degree, which in the worst case could result in disengagement of the retaining tab from the underside of the locking tab. Once the tabs are disengaged, the carton could be loosened to the extent that the accommodated articles are dislodged from the carton.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved panel interlocking arrangement wherein unfolding of the locking tabs are resisted to ensure against disengagement of the tabs.

Panel interlocking arrangement having means for pressing locking tab wings


In one embodiment, a method for flow optimization and prediction for vector streaming single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) extension (VSSE) memory operations is disclosed. The method comprises generating an optimized micro-operation (μop) flow for an instruction to operate on a vector if the instruction is predicted to be unmasked and unit-stride, the instruction to access elements in memory, and accessing via the optimized μop flow two or more of the elements at the same time without determining masks of the two or more elements. Other embodiments are also described.

In specialized markets, a vector processor operating with a vector instructions set provides high-performance results. When vector instruction sets are implemented in a computer system, software may be written to take advantage of these vector instruction sets. For compatibility and standardization reasons, users expect this software to operate on all products distributed by the creator of the vector instruction set. Implementing the vector instruction set on existing architecture platforms is needed to ensure compatibility and standardization. In some cases, the vector instruction set may have to be implemented on an essentially scalar processor.
Typically, vectors are formed of many elements. Memory operations for these vectors are similarly divided into multiple elements. In addition, a 'vector stride' (VS) of the memory operation (how much each element in the operation is spaced from each other) is tracked. The base address specifies the location of the first element, while the second element is at the base address+VS, the third element is at the base address+2*VS, and so on.
In some cases, performing a general memory operation on a long vector can be time consuming (i.e., many clock cycles). This is because the elements being accessed are sequenced out according to their VS in a long and cumbersome general purpose flow. Each element must be individually accessed in a load or store operation, while the bits in-between the elements are left untouched by the load or store operation. In the case of operating on a 512b vector, for example, performing a general memory operation on that vector can be quite inefficient.
A condition that may contribute to efficient memory operations is when the VS of the memory operation indicates "unit-stride" elements. This means that the VS matches the element size of the vector being operated on so that all elements in the vector are continuous and consecutive in memory (the source or destination vector register matches the layout in memory). In addition, when VS=0, all memory instructions are unit-stride length. When operating with a 512b VL, it can be inefficient to individually access elements which are unit-strided.
Another condition contributing to efficient memory operations is the 'vector mask' (VM) of the instruction. The VM of an element indicates whether a memory operation should be applied to that element. For example, if the VM for an element is the Boolean value of true, then the memory operation should be applied to that element. Otherwise, the element retains its old value. If the VM for all elements in the vector is true, then all of the elements are operated on. This is known as "unmasked" code. Generally, most performance-critical code is unmasked. When operating with a 512b VL, it can be inefficient to assess the VM for each element in the vector.

Flow optimization and prediction for VSSE memory operations


Provided are providing an ECG unit which is formed of content information and related information related thereto, and is linked to another ECG unit through the related information, calculating an association-degree score between the pieces of content information based on a degree of association of an attribute between the pieces of content information, collecting a history of operation performed for making a transition from a link-source-ECG unit to a link-destination-ECG unit, as a usage log of the ECG unit, calculating a transition score between the ECG units in a manner that a weight of a larger correction coefficient is assigned to a number of usage logs, as there are more attributes of content information having low degree of association with each other between the link-source-ECG unit and the link-destination-ECG unit, and generating an ECG unit linked to another ECG unit, based on the association-degree score and the transition score.

The present disclosure relates to an information providing system, an information providing method, and a program.
In the past, there has been known an information providing system for providing a user terminal or the like with a content unit formed of content information and related information of the content information. The content unit is generated automatically or semi-automatically by evaluating the degree of association of an attribute between pieces of content information. That is, the content unit is generated such that a certain piece of content information is associated with one or more pieces of related information that correspond to one or more pieces of other content information having high degree of association with the certain piece of content information. In this way, the content unit is linked to another content unit through the related information of the content unit (corresponding to the content information of the other content unit).

Information providing system, information providing method, and program


An undercoat composition and resulting layer formed therefrom, is disclosed which finds particular application in multilayered photoreceptors, such as are used in xerographic printing systems. The undercoat composition comprises an n-type pigment and a binary binder comprising an isocyanate and a phenolic resin.

There is disclosed herein, layered imaging members such as multi-layered photoreceptors utilized in electrophotography. The layered imaging members include an undercoat composition that produces enhanced hole or electron blocking layer properties. The embodiment finds particular application in conjunction with systems for printing and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications.
An electrophotographic imaging member device comprising at least one photoconductive insulating layer is imaged by uniformly depositing an electrostatic charge on the imaging surface of the electrophotographic imaging member and then exposing the imaging member to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as, light which selectively dissipates the charge in the illuminated areas of the imaging member while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in the non-illuminated areas. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking toner particles on the imaging member surface. The resulting visible toner image can then be transferred to a suitable receiving member such as paper.
A number of current electrophotographic imaging members are, for example multilayered photoreceptors that, in a negative charging system, comprise a substrate support, an optional electrically conductive layer, an optional charge or hole blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer, and optional protective or overcoating layer(s). The imaging members of multilayered photoreceptors can take several forms, for example, flexible belts, rigid drums, flexible scrolls, etc. Flexible photoreceptor belts may either be seamed or seamless belts. In a typical flexible photoreceptor belt design, an anti-curl layer may, for example, also be employed on the backside of the flexible substrate support, the side opposite to the electrically active layers, to achieve the desired photoreceptor belt flatness.
After formation of an electrically conductive surface, a charge blocking layer, hereinafter referred to as a hole blocking layer, may be applied thereto for photoreceptors. Generally, hole blocking layers for positively charged photoreceptors allow holes from the imaging surface of the photoreceptor to migrate toward the conductive layer and hole blocking layers for negatively charged photoreceptors allow electrons from the imaging surface of the photoreceptor to migrate toward the conductive layer. As a result, the hole blocking layer is an electronic barrier to holes or electrons between the adjacent photoconductive layer(s) and the underlying conductive layer. The compositions which comprise the hole blocking layer may be applied by any suitable conventional techniques to produce a dry thickness of less than about 0.2 micrometer.
Many currently available charge or hole blocking layers consist of particulates of metal oxides dispersed in polymeric binders. For example, one such composition utilizes titanium dioxide and silica dispersed in a phenolic resin. However, many of such compositions suffer from short cycle life with early CDS (charge deficient spots) printouts during cycling and/or exhibit a number of large spot printout defects.
In this regard, stable cycling is preferred for photoreceptors. Any cycling up or cycling down is undesirable. Additionally, printout defects are also undesirable. These defects are caused by the penetration of carbon fiber(s) through the multilayer array of the photoreceptor to the substrate. This produces a conductive path across the photoreceptor, thus resulting in black spot defects.
Additionally, silica is utilized in conventional compositions to suppress "plywooding". Plywooding refers to the formation of unwanted patterns in electrostatic latent images caused by multiple reflections during light exposure of a charged imaging member. When developed, these patterns resemble plywood. Silica is a micro particle that may be added to the composite to scatter light, thus minimizing the plywood-like print patters. However, the use of silica in conventional compositions is believed to contribute to early charge deficient spots during cycling.
Hence, it would be desirable to provide an undercoat composition for producing charge or hole blocking layers with longer cycle life stability. Additionally, it would be beneficial to provide an undercoat layer which inhibits carbon fiber penetration to the substrate and which minimizes large spot printing defects.
The present exemplary embodiment contemplates new and improved undercoat compositions for forming hole blocking layers, and the longer life, imaging members produced therewith, which overcome the above-referenced problems and others.


A storage manager represents XML-compliant documents as a collection of objects in memory, allowing the storage manager to manipulate the document, or parts of the document, with a consistent interface and to provide for features that are not available in conventional XML documents, such as element attributes with types other than text and documents that contain binary rather than text information. The XML-compliant document may be associated with a schema document which defines the arrangement of the document elements and attributes. The schema data associated with a document can contain a mapping between document elements and program code to be associated with each element. The storage manager further has methods for retrieving the code from the element tag. The retrieved code can then be invoked using attributes and content from the associated element and the element then acts like a conventional object.

Modern computing systems are capable of storing, retrieving and managing large amounts of data. However, while computers are fast and efficient at handling numeric data they are less efficient at manipulating text data and are especially poor at interpreting human-readable text data. Generally, present day computers are unable to understand subtle context information that is necessary to understand and recognize pieces of information that comprise a human-readable text document. Consequently, although they can detect predefined text orderings or pieces, such as words in an undifferentiated text document, they cannot easily locate a particular piece of information where the word or words defining the information have specific meanings. For example, human readers have no difficulty in differentiating the word "will" in the sentence "The attorney will read the text of Mark's will.", but a computer may have great difficulty in distinguishing the two uses and locating only the second such use.
Therefore, schemes have been developed in order to assist a computer in interpreting text documents by appropriately coding the document. Many of these schemes identify selected portions of a text document by adding into the document information, called "markup tags", which differentiates different document parts in such a way that a computer can reliably recognize the information. Such schemes are generally called "markup" languages.
One of these languages is called SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language) and is an internationally agreed upon standard for information representation. This language standard grew out of development work on generic coding and mark-up languages, which was carried out in the early 1970s. Various lines of research merged into a subcommittee of the International Standards Organization called the subcommittee on Text Description and Processing Languages. This subcommittee produced the SGML standard in 1986.
SGML itself is not a mark-up language in that it does not define mark-up tags nor does it provide a markup template for a particular type of document. Instead, SGML denotes a way of describing and developing generalized descriptive markup schemes. These schemes are generalized because the markup is not oriented towards a specific application and descriptive because the markup describes what the text represents, instead of how it should be displayed. SGML is very flexible in that markup schemes written in conformance with the standard allow users to define their own formats for documents, and to handle large and complex documents, and to manage large information repositories.
Recently, another development has changed the general situation. The extraordinary growth of the Internet, and particularly, the World Wide Web, has been driven by the ability it gives authors, or content providers, to easily and cheaply distribute electronic documents to an international audience. SGML contains many optional features that are not needed for Web-based applications and has proven to have a cost/benefit ratio unattractive to current vendors of Web browsers. Consequently, it is not generally used. Instead, most documents on the Web are stored and transmitted in a markup language called the Hypertext Markup Language or HTML.
HTML is a simple markup language based on SGML and it is well suited for hypertext, multimedia, and the display of small and reasonably simple documents that are commonly transmitted on the Web. It uses a small, fixed set of markup tags to describe document portions. The small number of fixed tags simplifies document construction and makes it much easier to build applications. However, since the tags are fixed, HTML is not extensible and has very limited structure and validation capabilities. As electronic Web documents have become larger and more complex, it has become increasingly clear that HTML does not have the capabilities needed for large-scale commercial publishing.
In order to address the requirements of such large-scale commercial publishing and to enable the newly emerging technology of distributed document processing, an industry group called the World Wide Web Consortium has developed another markup language called the Extensible Markup Language (XML) for applications that require capabilities beyond those provided by HTML. Like HTML, XML is a simplified subset of SGML specially designed for Web applications and is easier to learn, use, and implement than full SGML. Unlike HTML, XML retains SGML advantages of extensibility, structure, and validation, but XML restricts the use of SGML constructs to ensure that defaults are available when access to certain components of the document is not currently possible over the Internet. XML also defines how Internet Uniform Resource Locators can be used to identify component parts of XML documents.
An XML document is composed of a series of entities or objects. Each entity can contain one or more logical elements and each element can have certain attributes or properties that describe the way in which it is to be processed. XML provides a formal syntax for describing the relationships between the entities, elements and attributes that make up an XML document. This syntax tells the computer how to recognize the component parts of each document.
XML uses paired markup tags to identify document components. In particular, the start and end of each logical element is clearly identified by entry of a start-tag before the element and an end-tag after the element. For example, the tags <to> and </to> could be used to identify the "recipient" element of a document in the following manner:
document text . . . <to>Recipient</to> . . . document text.
The form and composition of markup tags can be defined by users, but are often defined by a trade association or similar body in order to provide interoperability between users. In order to operate with a predefined set of tags, users need to know how the markup tags are delimited from normal text and the relationship between the various elements. For example, in XML systems, elements and their attributes are entered between matched pairs of angle brackets (< . . . >), while entity references start with an ampersand and end with a semicolon (& . . . ;). Because XML tag sets are based on the logical structure of the document, they are easy to read and understand.
Since different documents have different parts or components, it is not practical to predefine tags for all elements of all documents. Instead, documents can be classified into "types" which have certain elements. A document type definition (DTD) indicates which elements to expect in a document type and indicates whether each element found in the document is not allowed, allowed and required or allowed, but not required. By defining the role of each document element in a DTD, it is possible to check that each element occurs in a valid place within the document. For example, an XML DTD allows a check to be made that a third-level heading is not entered without the existence of a second-level heading. Such a hierarchical check cannot be made with HTML. The DTD for a document is typically inserted into the document header and each element is marked with an identifier such as <!ELEMENT>.
However, unlike SGML, XML does not require the presence of a DTD. If no DTD is available for a document, either because all or part of the DTD is not accessible over the Internet or because the document author failed to create the DTD, an XML system can assign a default definition for undeclared elements in the document.
XML provides a coding scheme that is flexible enough to describe nearly any logical text structure, such as letters, reports, memos, databases or dictionaries. However, XML does not specify how an XML-compliant data structure is to be stored and displayed, much less efficiently stored and displayed. Consequently, there is a need for a storage mechanism that can efficiently manipulate and store XML-compliant documents.

Method and apparatus for efficient management of XML documents


An electronic device includes: a circuit board having a wiring board on which wiring is formed, and an electronic component that is electrically and mechanically connected to the wiring via a first solder. A base is provided to accommodate the circuit board, and has a side wall that faces a side surface of the wiring board. A leaf spring arranged on the circuit board, and is configured to be contactable with the base. The leaf spring includes a fixing portion arranged on the circuit board and a pressing portion extending from and connected to the fixing portion and pressing the side wall, and the pressing portion in a biased state toward a housing establishes a contact thereto when the circuit board is put in and accommodated by the base.

An antenna device, which is an example of an electronic device, includes a circuit board and a housing electrically connected to each other. The antenna device includes a circuit board, a housing that changes the radiation direction of radio waves of an antenna element of the circuit board, and a conductive gasket that electrically connects the circuit board and the housing. Electronic components such as antenna elements and microcontrollers are mounted on the circuit board.


The present invention provides an end-side heat extraction light emitting diode or LED lamp. The LED lamp includes a lamp housing, a cooling module, and an LED lighting set. The cooling module is configured inside the housing space of the lamp housing, having a cooling fan and a cooling base. The LED lighting set is configured on the LED joint surface of the cooling base. The end-side heat extraction LED lamp also includes a circular frame and an end-side heat extraction airflow guidance passage. The circular frame forms a space extending and expanding to the end side. The end-side heat extraction airflow guidance passage forms an airflow guidance space extending and expanding to the end side, forming a heat radiating path where the heat extraction airflow generated by the running cooling fan of the LED lamp can be exhausted from the light projection end of the lamp housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a light emitting diode (LED) lamp, and more particularly to an LED lamp which adopts an innovative configuration enabling end-side hot air extraction for better heat radiating efficiency.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Compared with traditional lamps, LED lamps have such advantages of lower energy consumption and a longer lifespan. LED lamps are therefore enjoying an increasingly higher market share.
However, with respect to structure to meet the demand for higher brightness, LED lamps must improve the configuration of the LEDs. When the number of LEDs reaches a certain scale, the lighted lamp will generate a high temperature, which may affect the lifespan and safety of the components. Hence, the heat extraction mechanism is a very important concern for high-brightness LED lamps.
In the prior-art LED lamp heat radiating structures, the LEDs are configured on a radiator base, and some heat radiating holes are configured on the periphery of the LED lamp housing to extract the hot air. However, such a heat radiating structure is a passive solution as it cannot forcibly and effectively remove the heat absorbed by the radiator base. The low heat radiating efficiency cannot meet the demand of high-brightness and high efficiency LED lamps.
There is another kind of prior-art LED lamp heat radiating structure, as shown in FIG. 1. It adds a cooling fan 12 at a corresponding position on the radiator base 11 of the LED lamp 10. When the cooling fan 12 is running, it will generate an airflow W to forcibly eject the hot air. On the spaced periphery of the LED lamp 10, air exit holes 14 and air inlet holes 15 are configured.
However, such a prior art LED lamp heat radiating structure still has the following problems. As the radiating surface 13 on the side of the radiator base 11 for configuration of the cooling fan 10 is planar, when the cooling fan 12 is running, the airflow W driven by the cooling fan 12 will hit the radiating surface 13 and then make a lateral turn and be ejected through the air exit holes 14 configured on the periphery of the LED lamp 10. However, as the air inlet holes 15 configured on the periphery of the LED lamp 10 are very close to the aforementioned air exit holes 14 (generally only approximately a 3cm spacing), the hot airflow W ejected from the air exit holes 14 will easily be absorbed again into the LED lamp 10 from the air inlet holes 15, or from the lateral side of the air exit holes 14, causing a circulation of the hot airflow W. As a result, it will be difficult for the cooling fan 10 to let in cool air, and the heat radiating efficiency as well as performance will definitely and greatly be affected.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, when the lamp set (such as a pendant lamp set) installed with the LED lamp 10 has a lampshade 16 to enclose the LED lamp 10, the ejected hot airflow W generated by the aforementioned prior-art LED lamp 10 will be blocked by the lampshade 16, causing an aggravated circulation of the hot airflow W. Hence, extraction of the hot air becomes more difficult.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.

End-side heat extraction light emitting diode (LED) lamp


Hitch apparatus is disclosed with particular application to open-topped bulk-haulage trailers, the hitch apparatus comprising a pair of hitch beams which are joined at a hitch pin at the front of the trailer and diverge laterally and rearwardly to join to the front corners of a hopper or the like. The ends of the hitch beams remote from the hitch pin are joined by a cross-beam which reacts the transverse component of the bending moment generated within the hitch beams by the longitudinal offset between gravity forces in the hopper and the hitch pin. The hitch beams and the cross beam are preferably formed from fabricated I-beam sections to maximise the structural efficiency.

This invention relates to articulated trailers (such as those which transport material in open-cut mines) adapted for trailing off-road for transporting bulk material and being larger than trailers which are permitted to operate on public road systems.
This invention has particular but not exclusive application to bulk-haulage trailers for coal and other minerals, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as scrapers and other articulated vehicles.
A bulk materials haulage trailer typically comprises a rectangular bottom discharge hopper to the rear of which an axle assembly is attached, and to the front of which a hitch assembly is attached for connection to a prime mover. The hopper is made as wide as is practicable to maximise payload, and the side plates of the hopper are essentially deep-beam members which carry the main bending loads due to the weight of the trailer and its payload.
The major structural problem facing the designer of such a trailer is the transfer of the loads from the widely-spaced side plates to the trailer hitch, which is mounted on the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. It is known that the fatigue life of welded joints is much lower than that of the parent metal for a given applied stress regime, and that certain weld configurations, including welds made from only one side of a joint, are more susceptible to fatigue failure than welds of simple configuration, or where the welds are accessible from both sides. Various structural configurations are in use on existing vehicles to effect this load transfer, but many are excessively heavy for their capacity, while others contain regions of high stress such that welds employed in the joining of the various plates used to form the structure may be the subject of metal fatigue early in the life of the vehicle. Where the structural configuration includes a pair of main beams extending rearwardly from the trailer hitch and diverging transversely to connect with the front ends of the side plates, the front end of the hopper is subjected to bending moments about longitudinal axes, otherwise known as a transverse bending moment component. The presence of this bending moment can lead to structural failures, or the necessity for making the hopper excessively heavy to resist the moments.


A stackable container is formed from a unitary continuous corrugated or sold fiberboard blank for storage of shipped goods. The stackable container includes a bottom portion, first and second opposing side panels, a back panel, and a front panel. The side panels and the back panel have corresponding rigid ledges along uppermost edges of the panels which are capable of supporting another similar or identical stackable container on top of this one. The side panels and the back panel are made from a corresponding pair of planar layers. The ledge corresponding to each panel is connected to and bridges between the corresponding pair of planar layers. The front panel has a display opening for viewing and accessing contents of the stackable container. The stackable container also includes a lid used during shipment of the container.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to corrugated or solid fiberboard containers and, more particularly, is concerned with corrugated or solid fiberboard containers which are particularly adapted for being stacked on top of one another in stores.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Goods such as meat, poultry, fish, hardware, housewares, sporting goods, and other similar merchandise are typically shipped in standard boxes known as half-slot containers. Half-slot containers have a body section and a lid. The body section includes pair of opposing side panels, a front panel, a back panel, and a bottom portion. The opposing side panels, the front panel, and the back panel are typically composed of one layer of corrugated or fiberboard. The bottom portion is formed from two flaps, where each flap is connected to one of the opposing side panels. The flaps come together to form the bottom portion, and they are typically taped to one another so that the bottom portion is sturdy. The lid may be either a design style or a half-slotted style, and the lid may extend to an fraction of the depth of the body section.
A display opening is often cut into one or more of the body section panels so that goods within the container can be viewed or accessed through the display opening. When there is a display opening in the body section of the container, the lid must extend to such a depth of the body section that goods within the container are not exposed during shipping from producers to stores. When the goods reach the stores, store owners often prefer to store the shipped goods in the containers prior to sale. In order to use their selling space most efficiently, the store owners remove the container lids and stack the containers on top of one another. Store customers are able to view and access goods through the display opening.
The problem with the above practice is that containers at the bottom of a stack buckle under the weight of the containers stacked above them. Due to this buckling, contents of the buckling container may be either damaged or destroyed. In addition, containers at the top of the stack may fall over because of a lack of support.
Thus, a need exists for a corrugated or fiberboard container which provides superior stacking strength and stability without the use of a lid during stacking, and which allows store customers to view and access contents of the container when positioned in a stack of such containers.


In a liquid crystal display device having a first planar electrode and a second electrode formed on the first electrode with an insulating film in between, the response time of a liquid crystal is made shorter than that in a related art.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and specifically, to an effective technology applied to a liquid crystal display panel of high-definition IPS system.
An IPS (In-Plane-Switching) system (also referred to as lateral-field system) liquid crystal display panel displays an image by generating an electric field in parallel to substrates at least in part between a pixel electrode and an opposite electrode, driving a liquid crystal with the electric field, and modulating light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer.
An IPS liquid crystal display panel that includes a planar opposite electrode and a pixel electrode having a linear part formed with an insulating film in between, and displays an image by generating an electric field between the planar opposite electrode and the pixel electrode having the linear part, driving a liquid crystal with the electric field, and modulating light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer is known (see Patent Document 1 as below).
The following publication is cited as a related art document to the present invention.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2005-338256

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate having a first electrode, an insulating film provided in an upper layer than the first electrode, and a second electrode provided in an upper layer than the insulating film; a second substrate; and a liquid crystal sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal display device drives the liquid crystal by generating an electric field by the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode has plural slits closed at both ends, the first electrode is a planar electrode superimposed on the plural slits, and, given that the length of the respective slits is Ls, the length Ls of the respective slits satisfies 12 μm≦Ls≦30 μm, more preferably, 12μm≦Ls≦20 μm.


In an example embodiment, a GLMix model is utilized that models viewers and actors of feed items. This allows for random effects of individual viewers and actors to be taken into account without introducing biases. Additionally, in an example embodiment, predictions/recommendations are made more accurate by using three models, which are then combined, instead of a single GLMix model. Each of these models has different granularities and dimensions. A global model may model the similarity between user attributes (e.g., from the member profile or activity history) and item attributes. A per-viewer model may model user attributes and activity history of actors on feed items. A per-actor model may model user attributes and activity history of the viewers of feed items. The per-actor model may therefore, rely on information regarding how and what type of viewers interacted with items acted on by the particular actor.

Social networking services are online platforms that people use to build social networks or social relations with other people. In recent years it has become popular for social networking services to provide feeds to users where updates or items of interest can be presented to users who have logged into the service. The feed may contain, for example, indications that a social networking connection for a user has been promoted, has changed jobs, and the like. The feed may also contain articles of interest to the user, either because they have some connection to one or more of the user's social networking connections (e.g., an article written by a friend) or because they are linked to an area of interest for the user, as identified by the social network service (e.g., the article is on a subject the user has identified as an area of interest in their user profile).
It can be challenging for the social networking service to determine which of many potential items should be displayed in the feed and the order in which they should be displayed. This is typically handled via one or more algorithms implemented by the social networking service for selection and ranking of potential items to display. These algorithms, however, are based on determining the likelihood that the user will interact with the item in some way (e.g., select it, share it, like it, etc.) using a single machine learned model. A single machine learned model, however, means that all members share the same weight globally. Thus, despite the fact that members may receive personalized scores based on their own data (such as past interactions), the scores are biased due to data from other members impacting how the single machine learned model calculates scores.


A control surface has a network connection for connecting to a host computer and has an address and an input for communicating data with the host computer. The network interface processes packets received from the host computer. Packets received include a first type and a second type, and the type is indicated by data in the packet. Upon receipt of a packet of the first type an acknowledgment packet is sent. Upon receipt of a packet of the second type, an acknowledgment packet is not sent. The packets of the second type include at least status information for a plurality of meters in the audio control surface. The status of the meters on the audio control surface is overwritten with the status information provided in any packets of the second type.

In the production of music and sound, musicians and sound engineers create audio compositions that include sequences of multiple channels of audio data. To create such compositions, musicians and sound engineers need to adjust levels and apply other effects to multiple channels of audio data. Musicians and sound engineers typically use a digital audio workstation for these tasks.
A digital audio workstation typically includes a host computer that may include peripherals for audio processing. Software on the host computer keeps track of both data files that store the multiple channels of audio data and the various parameters used to combine them into a composition. The software also performs audio processing functions and provides a graphical user interface to assist the musician or sound engineer to manipulate the composition.
A digital audio workstation also sometimes includes a control surface that provides a tactile user interface through which the musician or sound engineer manipulates the composition. Such control surfaces often include numerous mechanical control devices including, but not limited to, rotary encoders, potentiometers, faders, loop controllers, joysticks, touchpads, and switches, etc. Such control surfaces often include numerous display devices including, but not limited to, light emitting diode (LED) displays, alphanumeric displays and graphical displays. For example, each rotary encoder may be surrounded by a ring of LEDs that displays the setting defined by the position of the rotary encoder.
Information from the control devices is periodically sent to the host computer for use in editing or playback of the composition. Information from the host computer is periodically sent to the control devices to update the displays. Control surfaces connect to host computers through a number of different mechanisms, including, but not limited to networks, such as Ethernet, and busses, such as a MIDI serial bus and a universal serial bus (USB).
In large control surfaces, there may be a large number of control devices and display devices. Thus, a significant amount of bandwidth is used to exchange information between the host computer and the control surface.
For example, the Pro Control control surface from Digidesign (a division of Avid Technology, Inc.) connects to the Pro Tools software from Digidesign through an Ethernet connection. Ethernet protocol packets encapsulate MIDI data representing the control information and display information. In this interface, to ensure reliable packet delivery, packets are check summed and acknowledged. If an acknowledgement is not received in a reasonable period of time, the packet is retransmitted. No other packet is transmitted until an acknowledgement is received. If a packet is retransmitted several times, the connection is presumed to be broken.
With a large number of control and display devices, MIDI formatted messages are inefficient, because they carry only 7-bit data. Also, the use of acknowledgement messages introduces delay and reduces the utilization of the network connection between the host and the control surface.

Communication protocol between a host computer and a control surface in an audio editing/mixing system


An absorber body with flow paths for water or a flowable heat carrier for the direct or indirect heating of fluid or fluids or the like flow agents by solar energy in which the flow paths are produced by the deformation of plastic material, is improved in respect of its production and use in that a panel (12) is provided with slot-like openings, the width of which approximately corresponds to the width of the flow path, and welded on the panel is a foil (14) which is deformed through the openings to form respective shaped foil portions (15) of approximately channel-like cross-section as partial delimitation of the flow path and is sealingly covered on the side remote from the channel-like cross-section. In that arrangement, a carrier plate, a cover foil (50) or an insulating body (54) may be provided on the side of the panel (12) which is remote from the channel-like cross-section of the foil portion (15). The panel is provided with openings correspond to the pattern of the flow paths and is covered over its surface with the foil (14), whereupon the foil is deep-drawn through the openings.

The invention relates to an absorber body with flow paths for water or a flowable heat carrier for the direct or indirect heating of fluid or fluids or the like flow agents by solar energy, in which the flow paths are produced by the deformation of plastic material. The invention also concerns a process which is particularly suitable for the production of the absorber body.
So-called solar heating systems use energy storage means which comprise for example rubber mats in which tubular flow routes receive cold water from a feed pipe and pass it to a return in those flow routes, with the water being heated by incident solar radiation. Absorbers of that kind are used in particular for the direct heating of swimming pool water which is usually circulated by means of pumps.
In contrast to that mode of direct heating of water for industrial use, indirect systems require a fluid heat carrier such as water which is possibly mixed with an antifreeze agent and which flows through the pipe system, which covers a certain area, in a closed circuit. In a heat exchanger, the fluid heat carrier gives off its energy to a related water circuit, while accepting losses.
Solar collectors are generally installed at an inclined angle, for example on a roof surface, and, with increasing temperature, their heat carrier is driven upwardly in a natural circuit (thermosiphon effect) to an heat exchanger disposed at the upper end of the collector surface, in order to flow downwardly again after having given off energy.
Those collectors which are exposed to the effect of the sun may have separating walls which extend between two parallel surfaces transversely with respect thereto, to define the flow path, or they may have tube portions which are formed at a surface thereof, the parallel mouth openings of which are connected together by respective transverse tubes so that they can be connected to feed and return means.
The materials used for the flow paths should be resistant to weathering, temperature and chemicals, that is to say they should be resistant to aging. Particularly, in the case of indirect systems for roof installation, the influence of weathering can be reduced by having the surface structures through which ducts pass and which are made from synthetic rubber such as polymerized ethylenes and propylenes disposed in a housing beneath a glass plate or panel which at the same time can cause an accumulation of heat in the housing.
A disadvantage of known absorber mats and bodies is their comparatively expensive manufacture, while a further deficiency, in the case of indirect heating systems, in particular for swimming pools, lies in the fact that the water at least retains its undesirable load of bacteria while it passes through the collector.

Absorber body with flow paths for water or a flowable heat carrier and process for the production thereof

Colux Gesellschaft Fur Licht- u. Leichtbau mbH


Image data obtained by a image reading unit is stored in a single file of a hard disk on a page basis. An image data control table is held in a main control circuit, and contains job number data and page number data both for inputting and a page number list for ourputting which represents the output order of pages. The image data is read from the hard disk and reproduced by an image output unit according to the order set in the page number list.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to processors for electrically processing image data, and more particularly to a processor applied to electrophotographic copying machines with an automatic document handler, which is capable of optionally editing automatically read documents such as merging a page of one document into another document or deleting it.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Along with increasing speed and quality of copying operations, electrophotographic copying machines have come to be equipped with various functions such as automatic document handling and sorting to further enhance copying efficiency with less involvement of manpower.
When producing a plurality of copies for a single document, a copying machine with a sorter is used to sort the copied documents.
That is, to prepare a plurality of copies of a document with the sorter, the copying machine copies the document in the order of pages as fed for a required number of copies and discharges the copies into the receiving trays. In this case, it is only at the end of copying operation that whether the document has been correctly reproduced can be checked. This entails an enormous amount of time to repair all the copies once errors in selecting a document or in pagination are committed, when a document consisting of a large number of pages is to be copied for a large number of copies.
In a copying machine having a finisher for binding the copies together in addition to the sorter, a mistake in the bound documents also results in disaster in repairing the mistake.
An automatic document handler is employed when copying a large number of pages. The automatic document handler, capable of continuously copying pages by automatically feeding each page to the platen of the electrophotographic copying machine, requires the operator to only set the document on itself to obtain desired copies.
However, there is a shortcoming with the automatic document handler; i.e., not all kinds of document can be handled. Formed of rollers and belts, the automatic document handler can handle only documents in sheet form. Bound documents must be unbound before the handling, and even in sheet form, too thin or thick sheets are not acceptable.
Therefore, to produce a new document out of a combination of a document that is feedable to the automatic document handler (hereinafter referred to as "automatically feedable document") and a document that is not (hereinafter referred to as "manually feedable document"), with the copying machine having the automatic document handler, the copying operation becomes complicated. In such a case, the former document is first automatically copied and then its copies are manually processed to combine with copies of the latter document thereby to obtain a final document, or the automatic copying operation is temporarily interrupted to allow the latter document to be copied; i e., the manually feedable document is set on the platen and copied, and the automatic document handler is re-activated to copy the remaining part of the former document.
As described above, the copying operation with the sorter prevents early detection of errors in, e.g., pagination of the copied documents. On the other hand, the copying operation without the sorter but with the automatic document handler allows such errors to be checked at a stage as early as the completion of the first set of copies, but may damage the document by feeding it to the platen many times, thereby making the automatic document handler unsuitable for processing important documents.
The above circumstances are not easily rectifiable in light of the fact that the prior art electrophotographic copying machines focus light reflected from the irradiated image of a document by a lens to imagewise expose a photoreceptor and thus the input of the image and the exposure of the photoreceptor are performed simultaneously.
To overcome the above circumstances, a copying machine in which image data input from an image input unit is electronically processed and stored has come to be used.
Such a copying machine with an image data storing unit stores image data while reading the document only once using the automatic document handler and reads the stored image data from the storing unit for its output of a desired number of copies. Thus, by reading the document only once, the feature of electronically processing the image data with this machine can perform the same operation of reading the document by repeatedly feeding it to the platen with the automatic document handler.
FIG. 5 shows an exemplary digital copying machine having a mechanism for electronically processing image data.
In the digital copying machine, image input terminal (IIT) 30 reads a document using, e.g., a CCD (charge coupled device) image sensor; the resulting analog video signals are converted to digital signals; the digital signals are corrected and converted to binary data by image processing system (IPS) 31; and the binary data are stored in storing unit 32.
In image output terminal (IOT) 33, the stored data is output imagewise on the photoreceptor by controlling a light source such as a laser on and off to form pixels as specified by the binary data, thereby to reproduce the image of the document into a copy.
However, even the copying machine with a storing unit for electronically storing image data must temporarily be interrupted when a manually feedable document is to be copied. That is, the machine must stop the automatic document handling operation at the position where the manually feedable document is to be fed and placed on the platen of the machine to cause the machine to read it, and thereafter, the machine must resume the processing in the automatic document handling mode.
In a copying machine with a finisher, the operation of the finisher is activated by detecting a stop signal of the reading unit of the machine. Therefore, interruption of the automatic document handling operation, erroneously regarded as a regular end of the document, causes the finisher to start operating. Thus, it is, in fact, impossible to use the finisher in the prior art copying machines.


A mass flow control apparatus comprising a proportional valve upstream of a flow measurement portion, a pressure sensing element fluidly connected to determine a fluid pressure downstream of the flow measurement portion, and a dynamically adjustable variable valve downstream of the flow measurement portion and adjacent to the pressure sensing element connection. Fluid conductance of the variable valve is adjusted according to a control scheme based upon limitations of the flow measurement portion. Integral flow verification may be enabled with additional fluid pathway elements upstream of the flow measurement portion.

Various embodiments relate to mass flow control apparatus. Mass flow controller may operate by modulating a fluid pressure. Fluid as used herein is intended to encompass materials which are in a gaseous phase because of specific combinations of pressure and temperature despite whether such materials are gaseous under everyday circumstances. Thus, fluids may include water vapor or boron trichloride (BCl3), for example, along with common gaseous materials such as silane (SiH4), argon, nitrogen, etc. The embodiments described below relate to determining the present flow conditions at a flow restriction in a fluid flow pathway to ascertain whether or not a chosen flow control algorithm is valid for those present conditions. At various times, a low fluid flow rate may be required while a silicon manufacturing chamber may also provide back pressure. Providing a low fluid flow rate in a backpressure environment may be challenging. Various embodiments described below are directed to addressing issues related to low flow conditions with back pressure from the upstream direction.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for flow sensor back pressure adjustment for mass flow controller


A dental product is provided packaged in a telescopically arranged multicavity dispensing container having at least two cylinders in an upper body thereof. Peroxide and baking soda are placed as active ingredients in separate respective semi-solid streams, each stream being in separate ones of the cylinders. Uniform dispensing of each stream to deliver relatively equivalent ribbon length of each stream by incorporating a polyphosphate salt to adjust viscosity. Preferred salts are tripolyphosphates, hexametaphosphates and pyrophosphates.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dental product, more particularly a telescopically arranged multi-cavity dispensing container two of which cavities are filled with semi-solid dentifrice compositions respectively containing peroxide and baking soda as active ingredients.
2. The Related Art
Oral compositions with peroxide and baking soda (i.e. sodium bicarbonate) have become commercially quite popular. The combination of actives has been reported to promote healthy gums. When in contact, peroxide and baking soda are reactive towards one another. Therefore these ingredients must be maintained separately until time of use. Dispensing packages have been developed which physically isolate peroxide and baking soda by separating them into different compartments. This approach has been described in a series of patents to Schaeffer including U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,213, U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,180 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,663.
Dosing of flavor, fluoride and other actives has always been a challenge from multi-compartment dispensers that simultaneously extrude more than one stream of toothpaste. Unequal dispensing may adversely effect taste, aesthetics and oral hygiene. The most successful package for controlled delivery has been a telescopically arranged multi-cavity dispensing pump, especially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,694 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,963 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,827 (relating to a refill cartridge), all of which are herein incorporated by reference. Commercially the pump is embodied in Mentadent.RTM. Peroxide and Baking Soda toothpaste.
Consumers have noted that even with telescoping pumps it is often difficult to extrude equal lengths of respective peroxide and baking soda dentifrice ribbons.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a peroxide and baking soda dental product based on a telescopically arranged multi-cavity dispensing container wherein essentially identical toothpaste ribbons from each of the cavities can be dispensed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a peroxide and baking soda dental product packaged in a telescopically arranged multi-cavity dispensing container wherein viscosity of each cavity stream can be better controlled thereby allowing more accurate dosing.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from consideration of the following summary and detailed discussion.

Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.