A panel sanding machine comprises an abrasive belt and a pad mounted by the machine in such a way that it rotates in orbital fashion around an axis transverse to the plane in which the panels lie and presses the abrasive belt against the panel being machined. The abrasive belt is supported by the pad in such a way that it can slide on the latter in a direction parallel to the panel being machined. The machine also includes a feature for alternately allowing and preventing the sliding of the abrasive belt relative to the pad in two working conditions, of which the first allows the belt to slide so as to change the part of it that is in contact with the panel being worked, and the second locks the belt to the pad so that the panels can be sanded.

The present invention relates in general to machines for working panels by removing material and in particular to wooden panel sanding machines.
Up to the present time, industrial sanding machines for wooden panels comprise a power-driven pad, in the form of a bar, that is mounted horizontally over the worktable of the machine on which the panels move forward horizontally and that is equipped with an abrasive belt.
The pad is placed across the worktable of the machine and is supported by two vertical high-speed power spindles driven by a single motor, which drives the two spindles through a toothed belt, which synchronizes their operation. The spindles rotate eccentrically about an axis transverse to the machine worktable.
The orbital motion of the pad allows the abrasive grit on the belt to work the surface of the panel in crisscross fashion. This type of sanding enables the part to be finished better and, when working wooden parts with uprights and crosspieces, where, obviously, the grain directions of the wood cross each other, it permits smoothing of the wooden surface without leaving ugly crossmarks, thus solving a major problem with older generation machines.
The pad is equipped with means for fixing and tensioning the abrasive belt. The belt, which consists of a rectangular strip, is attached with its long sides to the specially shaped sides of the pad and kept tensioned on the pad by a cushion of compressed air blown through special pipes located between the pad and the belt.
During operation, the abrasive belt is pressed against the panel and the sanding action is provided by the combined effect of the thrusting and orbiting motion applied by the pad.
At present, the abrasive belt is changed by hand, resulting in downtime which has negative effects on the economy of the process.
Moreover, since the diameter of the pad's orbit is in the order of just a few millimeters, the dust that accumulates as material is removed from the panel cannot be eliminated until the panel leaves the area where it is in contact with the abrasive belt. Even then, since the dust is removed only by the effect of gravity, the amount of dust eliminated is limited.
The elimination of dust from the abrasive belt is therefore difficult and unsatisfactory. Moreover, since sanding belts typically have a fine grit size with a high number of abrasive particles per unit of surface area, they tend to become easily clogged up with dust which reduces their cutting efficiency. Consequently, to achieve satisfactory machining quality, the abrasive belt must be changed frequently, resulting in further negative effects on the economy of the process.
Another disadvantage is that the abrasive belts have to be specially designed and made according to the fixing and tensioning devices of the pads to which they must be fitted.
The disadvantages described above have recently a become even more critical on account of the development of sanding machines equipped with two orbiting heads placed in line along the panel feed path. In these, the use of a blower located between the two heads to clean at least the surface of a panel as it leaves the first head and before it is fed to the other head, has proved to be a temporary and unsatisfactory solution to these problems.
The aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages by providing a solution whereby the abrasive belt is changed automatically and which, by effectively eliminating the dust from the abrasive belt, renders sanding machines more productive and economical to run.

Panel sanding machine with automatic changing and cleaning of the abrasive belt


The instant invention is related to 5-membered heterocyclic compounds and pharmaceutical compositions which possess inhibitory activity on 5 alpha-reductase.

So far as the origin of androgenic alopecia, many theories are exposited such as (1) imbalance of hormones, (2) genetics, (3) circulatory failure, (4) nutrition. And it has been suggested that testosterone (androgenic hormone) played an important role on the generation of hairs. The relation between testosterone and androgenic alopecia is as follows:
Large quantities of metabolites by 5.alpha.-reductase such as DHT etc. in hair follicles of androgenic alopecia-patient exist more than that in females or healthy males. J. Clin. Endocr., 38, 811(1974)!.
It was reported that DHT converted from testosterone by 5.alpha.-reductase also plays an important physiological role in the generation of acnes (acne, pimple etc.) other than androgenic alopecia Br. J. Dermatol., 91, 123(1974); J. Invest. Dermatol., 56, 366(1971)!.
It has been clear that DHT also plays an important role in the generation and the development of prostatic hypertrophy J. Steroid Biochemistry, 11, 609(1979); J. Clinical Endocrinol and Metabolism, 56, 139(1983)!.
And, it is thought that DHT is also related to prostatic cancer.
Recently, it was confirmed that the existence of at least two 5.alpha.-reductase isozymes (I type and II type) in human. There are differences between these isozymes about gene formation, of course, biochemical properties, expression styles, hereditary properties and pharmacological properties. Nature, 354, 159-161(1991); J. Clin, Invest., 89,293-300(1992)!. Among two type isozymes, it is considered that II type one exists more than I type one in human testis.
Therefore, it was confirmed that inhibition of a change from testosterone to DHT by 5.alpha.-reductase inhibitor is useful for above diseases.
Now, research and development of 5.alpha.-reductase inhibitors are carried out energetically. Many kinds of compounds are synthesized and tested. 5.alpha.-Reductase inhibitors are largely divided into compounds having steroidal structure and compounds having non-steroidal structure.
A representation of steroidal compound is finasteride, shown by below formula, and the compound is available in the market. ##STR3##
As a non-steroidal compound, ONO-3805 shown below formula is known. ##STR4##


A communications system (100) includes a multi-rate source coder (MRSC) (102), a variable size/rate buffer (VSRB) (112), a speech buffer (104), and a buffer control block (106). The variable size/rate buffer (112) includes a source coder bit buffer (SCBB) (114) and an adaptive transmit frame buffer (116). The source coder bit buffer (114) receives speech frames coded at different rates from the multi-rate source coder (102), and deposits an integer or non-integer number of frames in the adaptive transmit frame buffer (ATFB) (116). A receiver includes a seamless rate transition module (SRTM) (308) and an variable buffer (310). The seamless rate transition module (308) correlates speech data previously coded at different rates, and it then truncates or alternatively appends, concatenates, and warps the speech data to remove any annoying artifacts at the rate change boundary.

The present invention relates generally to communications systems and, in particular, to multi-rate speech coding systems.
Good quality voice services are in high demand, due in part to the emergence of global communication capabilities, such as those provided by cellular systems, satellite systems, landline systems, wireless systems, and combinations thereof. Digital speech coders typically used in these types of systems often operate at fixed rates that utilize a given amount of channel bandwidth. When enough channel bandwidth is available, fixed rate speech coders provide good quality voice services.
The transmission channel medium, however, is often capacity limited or causes excessively high bit error rates. When channel capacity changes, fixed rate coders are often unable to provide synthesized speech at a fixed delay, and they cannot dedicate additional forward error correction bits for protection against the noisy channel. In wireless applications, the channel capacity can change dramatically, and it thus imposes a variable limit on the maximum bit rate that can be passed through the channel.
Variable rate speech coders can reduce the coding rate when channel capacity diminishes, but the quality of speech can suffer. The quality suffers in part because of xe2x80x9cartifactsxe2x80x9d in the synthesized waveform at the boundary between coding rates. For example, when the variable rate speech coder changes from one coding rate to another, a user may experience a xe2x80x9cpopxe2x80x9d sound or a silent period due to a discontinuity in the synthesized speech waveform.
A significant need therefore exists for an improved method and apparatus for providing speech coding on a variable bandwidth channel.

Method and apparatus for seamless multi-rate speech coding


A bioreactor or culture vessel for incubation of one or more cell cultures, tissue biopsies, cell clusters, tissue-like structures, “prototissues” or similar samples is described. The bioreactor comprises an incubation chamber, a liquid reservoir and conduction means separated from each other by semipermeable membranes. Specifically, the invention provides a humidity chamber design which simplifies the construction of the bioreactor.

During "classical" cell culture in an essentially flat culture vessel, cells in general and biopsies in particular tend to de-differentiate. Visibly, biopsies exhibit the 'melting ice-cream effect' as cells migrate from a block of tissue out onto the flat supporting surface of the culture vessel. Gene expression is altered in these "migrating" cells, which begin to behave biochemically as isolated cells rather than as cellular components of a differentiated tissue. De-differentiated cells express different biochemical pathways than those normally expressed by corresponding cells in an intact organism.
In contrast with "classical" cell culture conditions, "microgravity" conditions preserve the differentiation state of many types of cells in culture. Microgravity bioreactors maintain microgravity conditions by continuous rotation of a typically cylindrical or tubular incubation compartment. This rotation continuously forces cells towards the center of the incubation chamber, suspending the cells in a fluid environment using a minimum shear force. This induces them to interact and to aggregate into colonies. For microgravity culturing, cells are often initially sown out onto small (ca. 100 μm diameter) beads (this accelerates the formation of microtissue structures but is not essential). As prototissues are formed by cell growth around these beads, the beads are often ejected or become completely covered with cells. Prototissues formed in this manner become very highly differentiated so as to resemble adult tissue.
Microgravity bioreactors have been used in a variety of contexts. Early studies showed that microgravity bioreactor systems helped cells form three dimensional structures by reducing shear stress on the cells [Reduced shear stress: a major component in the ability of mammalian tissues to form three-dimensional assemblies in simulated microgravity. Goodwin T J, Prewett T L, Wolf D A, Spaulding G F. J Cell Biochem. 1993 March; 51(3):301-11.
Now a significant body of literature demonstrates increased differentiation of cells grown in a microgravity bioreactor system. For a review see: [Growing tissues in microgravity. Unsworth B R, Lelkes P I. Nat Med. 1998 August; 4(8):901-7.] For example, microgravity culturing induces neural precursor cells to form cellular clusters or "neurospheres". These prototissues are characterized by a crude, but organized, architecture, having a surface layer of immature proliferating cells (nesting-and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive) that enclose strata of more differentiated cells (beta-tubulin III-and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive). These "neurospheres" show promise for development of neurotransplantable tissue. See e.g. [Neural precursor cells form rudimentary tissue-like structures in a rotating-wall vessel bioreactor. Low H P, Savarese T M, Schwartz W J. In vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2001 March; 37(3):141-7.] and see [Rapid differentiation of NT2 cells in Sertoli-NT2 cell tissue constructs grown in the rotating wall bioreactor. Saporta S, Willing A E, Shamekh R, Bickford P, Paredes D, Cameron D F. Brain Res Bull. 2004 December 150; 64(4):347-56].
Or for another example, microgravity culturing of a multipotential human retinal cell line induced expression of a nearly in vivo phenotype, which could not be achieved when the cells were grown under other conditions [Generation of 3D retina-like structures from a human retinal cell line in a NASA bioreactor. Dutt K, Harris-Hooker S, Ellerson D, Layne D, Kumar R, Hunt R. Cell Transplant. 2003; 12(7):717-31.]
Some technical problems with microgravity bioreactors have been reported. For example, when temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc tissues were engineered using either flat culture or a microgravity bioreactor, there were no significant differences in total matrix content and compressive stiffness, notwithstanding marked differences in gross appearance, histological structure, and distribution of collagen types I and II (with the bioreactor discs having more collagen type II). The authors concluded that improvements of the microgravity bioreactor culture system were needed [Detamore M S, Athanasiou K A. Use of a rotating bioreactor toward tissue engineering the temporomandibular joint disc [Tissue Eng. 2005 July-August; 11(7-8):1188-97].
A significant limitation of microgravity bioreactors of the prior art is moisture loss, which affects cell growth. De-hydration (even only by 5-10%) during incubation can result in changes in pH and other concentration-dependent parameters, such as concentrations of salts, nutrient substances, and the like. Many cell types are highly sensitive to their environment. For such cells, even a small change in such environmental conditions can influence cell growth and gene expression. This problem is especially pronounced in a small volume bioreactor, where small changes in volume can cause relatively large changes in concentration-dependent parameters. Without some solution to this de-hydration problem, a small volume bioreactor would experience rapid loss of moisture, notwithstanding maintenance of humidified conditions (100% relative humidity) in the incubator where the bioreactor was used. This tendency for rapid de-hydration in a small volume bioreactor, that is, this tendency for rapid change in relative volume greatly increases the need for time-consuming manual monitoring and manipulation, for example to replenish or exchange culture medium. This tendency effectively renders long-term maintenance of cultures in a small volume bioreactor impractical or impossible. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a microgravity bioreactor with very high relative water retention in the cell incubation compartment.
WO 07/076865, WO 95/07344, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,131, 5,437,998, 5,665,594, 5,989,913, and 6,642,019 each disclose improvements of microgravity bioreactors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,211 describes a cell culture vessel comprising a cell culture chamber and a nutrient supply chamber separated by a membrane. Further, the cell culture vessel comprises a silicone film for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the vessel. The cell culture vessel is adapted for rotation.
However, none of these patents or published applications addresses the solution to maintaining high humidity, high gas exchange rates and low water loss from small bioreactors.
Accordingly, it is advantageous to provide an improved microgravity bioreactor that addresses this.


A flash EEPROM includes a an array of nonvolatile memory cells each having a cell transistor of a double gate structure and a program area for the floating gate of the cell transistor. The flash EEPROM is subjected to programming, flash erasing and read mode, each of a byte by byte mode. The flash EEPROM includes first through third selection transistors, for disconnecting the source, drain and control gate of the selected cell transistor from those of the unselected cell transistors in a byte for suppressing a disturbance between cell transistors.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, such as a flash EEPROM., and more particularly, to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a program area in each memory cell.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A flash EEPROM is known in the art having a memory cell array including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells arranged in a matrix and each having a double layer gate structure. Referring to FIG. 1 showing a schematic sectional view of a memory cell in a conventional EEPROM, the memory cell includes a floating gate FG formed on a semiconductor substrate having source and drain regions "S" and "D", with an intervention of a gate oxide film not shown, and a control electrode CG formed on the floating electrode FG with an intervention of another oxide film not shown.
In programming of the memory cell in FIG. 1, for example, electrons are withdrawn from the floating gate FG by applying a programming voltage between the control gate CG and the drain, whereas in erasing of the memory cell, electron is injected into the floating gate FG by applying an erasing voltage between the control gate CG and the drain. There are some proposals for the scheme for programming and erasing a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells by a single step.
Referring to FIG. 2, a first proposal of EEPROMs called FLOTOX (floating gate tunnel oxide) is such that a plurality of word lines WL and a corresponding number of source lines SL are provided in combination for respective rows of the memory cells, whereas a gate line GL and eight bit lines BL are provided in combination for each eight columns of memory cells, such as memory cells M40 to M47. For simplicity, only one byte of memory cells which have a similar configuration are shown in the drawing.
The EEPROM has a byte selection transistor Tr14 for each byte, or memory cells M40 to M47, and each memory cell has therein a cell selection transistor Tr13 and a cell transistor Tr15 having a FLOTOX structure for storage of data. Each of transistors Tr13, Tr14 and Tr15 is implemented by an n-channel transistor.
The cell selection transistor Tr13 of each memory cell has a gate connected to a word line WL, and a source-drain path connected between the bit line BL and the drain of the cell transistor Tr15. The byte selection transistor Tr14 has a gate connected to the word line WL, and a source-drain path connected between the gate line GL and the control gate of the cell transistor Tr15. The cell transistor Tr15 has a source connected to the common source line SL disposed for each byte of the cell transistors M40 to M47. The cell transistor Tr15 has a thin gate oxide film disposed between the floating gate FG and the semiconductor substrate for enabling programming and erasing by a tunnel effect of electrons from/into the floating gate.
FIGS. 3 to 5 show three different modes of eight memory cells M40 to M47 of the EEPROM shown in FIG. 2, including a programming mode, a flash erasing mode and a read mode. FIG. 6 shows applied voltages in each mode of FIGS. 3 to 5, which is effected in an ordinary manner in the EEPROM, i.e., a byte by byte manner.
In the programming mode, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, specified bit lines, among bit lines BL1 to BL8, corresponding to selected memory cells which are to be programmed (programmed with "0") are biased at Vpp (15 volts, for example), while the specified word line WL1 is biased at Vpp to turn on the selection transistors Tr13 and Tr14, the specified source line SL1 is open or floated, and the gate line GL is biased at zero volt. As a result, the electrons stored on the floating gates FG are withdrawn to thereby program the selected memory cells with "0". For memory cells to be erased (or programmed with "1") and memory cells not selected at this time, the corresponding bit lines among bit lines BL1 to BL8 are biased at zero volt, whereby these memory cells are erased or remains in the previous state. At this stage, word lines corresponding to the unselected memory cells are biased at zero volt.
In the flash erasing mode, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the bit lines BL1 to BL8 are biased at 1 volt, while the specified word line WL1 is biased at Vpp to turn on the selection transistors Tr13 and Tr14, the source line SL 1 is floated, and the gate line are biased at Vpp. As a result, electrons are injected into the floating gates of selected memory cells for flash erasing. In this stage, the gate lines and word lines for unselected memory cell groups are biased at zero volt.
In the read mode, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, specified bit lines corresponding to the selected memory cells among bit lines BL1 to BL8 are biased at 1 volt, while the specified word line WL1 is biased at Vdd to turn on selection transistors Tr13 and Tr14, and specified source line SL1 and gate line GL are biased at zero volt. As a result, the electrons on the floating gates of selected memory cells can be detected through the bit lines BL1 to BL8 for judging a programmed state or an erased state for each of the selected memory cells. At this stage, bit lines corresponding to unselected memory cells are floated, whereas the gate lines corresponding to the unselected memory cells may be at zero volt or may be about 1 to 2 volts.
In the first proposal, there is a disturbance between the source and the floating gate because the source of the cell transistor Tr15 is directly connected to the common source line disposed for the memory cells M40 to M47. In the programming mode wherein electrons are withdrawn from the floating gate by applying a programming voltage to the drain of the cell transistor Tr15, the cell transistor Tr 15 assumes a depletion state wherein the threshold voltage of the cell transistor Tr15 is below zero volt. This causes a potential rise of the source of the cell transistor Tr15 up to .vertline.Vtm.vertline., which enters to the sources of other cell transistors of unselected memory cells via the source line SL. As a result, the disturbance is caused wherein the electrons stored in the floating gates FG of the other cell transistors are withdrawn by the positive voltage .vertline.vtm.vertline. of the sources to lose the stored data in the unselected memory cells.
A second proposal, which is described in Patent Publication JP-A-7-288291, is such that the memory cell has a single layer gate structure. The proposed EEPROM uses a Fowdler-Nordheim tunnel effect, similarly to the first proposal, for injecting/withdrawing electrons between the floating gate and the drain. Referring to FIG. 7, the proposed EEPROM has a plurality of word lines WL and a corresponding number of program lines PL disposed in combination for respective rows of memory cells, such as memory cells M30 to M37, and a selecting circuit for selecting memory cells specified by is address signals among the memory cells. Eight bit lines BL and a drain-gate line DGL, which functions as a common bit line for a byte of memory cells, are provided for each byte including eight memory cells M30 to M37.
Each of memory cells M30 to M37 has a selection transistor Tr11 and a cell transistor Tr12, both of which are n-channel MOSFETs.
The selection transistor Tr11 has a gate connected to a corresponding word line WL, and a source-drain path connected between a corresponding bit line BL and the source of the cell transistor Tr12. The cell transistor Tr12 has a drain and a control gate CG both connected to the drain-gate line 34. A part of the floating gate FG extending from the cell transistor tr12 forms a capacitive coupling between the same and a diffused region called a program area Pt.
FIG. 8 shows applied voltages in each mode of the EEPROM of FIG. 7, wherein programming, flash erasing and read modes are effected byte by byte. In the programming mode, the bit line BL for selected memory cells are floated, while the word line WL is biased at zero volt to turn off the selection transistor Tr11, the program line PL is biased at Vpp (15 volts, for example), and the drain-gate line DGL is biased at zero volt. As a result, stored charge is withdrawn from the program area Pt, whereby the selected memory cells are programmed. At this stage, unselected memory cells remains in the previous state by biasing the corresponding drain-gate line DGL at Vpp/2.
In the flash erasing mode, all the bit lines BL are floated while the specified word line WL is biased at zero volt to turn off the selection transistor Tr11, the program line PL is biased at zero volt, and the drain-gate line DGL is biased at Vpp. As a result, electrons are injected into each program area Pt for flash erasing.
In the read mode, the specified bit lines BL corresponding to the selected memory cells are biased at 1 volt, while the specified word line WL is biased at Vdd (5 volts, for example) to turn on the selection transistor Tr1, and the program line PL and the drain-gate line DGL are biased at zero volt. As a result, the electrons stored in the program area Pt are detected through the bit lines BL for judging the cell data.
In the second proposal, the drain of the cell transistor Tr12 and the program area Pt are driven by the drain-gate line DGL and the program line PL, which function as common bit lines. Thus, in the programming/erasing of selected cell transistors Tr12, there is a possibility that the drains and the program areas Pt of cell transistors of unselected memory cells may be also driven by the common bit lines to cause a disturbance similarly to the first proposal.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a program area


An agricultural work system has an agricultural work machine to which at least one mounted implement can be fitted via at least one implement interface. A work machine configuration is associated with the work machine, and a mounted implement configuration is associated with the mounted implement. A drive unit is provided which acts via a drivetrain on ground engaging elements, particularly on tires. A system control and a control/display unit associated with the work machine are provided. It is proposed that the system control is adapted to determine the mounted implement configuration, to calculate the implement interface load transmitted via the implement interface based on the determined mounted implement configuration, and to evaluate and/or optimize the work machine configuration based on the calculated implement interface load.

The invention is directed to an agricultural work system with an agricultural work machine to which at least one mounted implement can be fitted via at least one implement interface, an agricultural work machine of such a work system, and a method for the operation of such a work system.
A work system as disclosed in EP 2 708 103 B1 has a control arrangement which is directed to the evaluation and/or optimization of the work machine configuration of the work machine depending on the type of mounted implement used. To this end, the respective relevant parameters of known mounted implements are filed in a data storage of the control arrangement. The work machine configuration comprises, for example, the ballasting of the work machine or the tire pressures of the tires of the work machine. In this connection, the evaluation and optimization of the work machine configurations is directed to the objective of a nominal service life of the work machine.
While the known work system allows a first basic approach for the evaluation and optimization of work machine configurations depending on the mounted implement provided in each instance, the accuracy of the evaluation or optimization poses a challenge. Accordingly, the existing optimizing potential cannot be fully exploited.


A touch sensing device includes a display panel including a touch screen on which a plurality of touch sensors are formed, a touch sensing circuit including at least one sensing unit which receives self capacitance signals of a first touch sensor and a second touch sensor adjacent to the first touch sensor at differential input method and detects changes in capacitances of the first and second touch sensors, and a touch controller which analyzes touch raw data received from the touch sensing circuit and calculates coordinates of a touch input position. The sensing unit generates delays corresponding to a difference between the capacitances of the first and second touch sensors, accumulates the number of delays, converts an accumulated value of the delays into digital data, and generates the touch raw data.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a touch sensing device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
User interface (UI) is configured so that people (users) are able to communicate with various electronic devices and thus can easily and comfortably control the electronic devices as they desire. Examples of the user interface include a keypad, a keyboard, a mouse, an on-screen display (OSD), and a remote controller having an infrared communication function or a radio frequency (RF) communication function. User interface technologies have continuously expanded to increase user's sensibility and handling convenience. The user interface has been recently developed to include touch UI, voice recognition UI, 3D UI, etc., and the touch UI has been basically installed in portable information devices. A touch screen is installed on a display element of household appliances or the portable information devices, so as to implement the touch UI.
A capacitive touch screen has durability and definition better than an existing resistive touch screen and is able to recognize a multi-touch input and a proximity touch input. Hence, the capacitive touch screen has the advantage of being able to be applied to various applications. Examples of the capacitive touch screen include a mutual capacitance touch screen using a mutual capacitance as a touch sensor and a self capacitance touch screen using a self capacitance as a touch sensor. As shown in FIG. 1, a self capacitance touch screen supplies a constant current to a self capacitance Cp until a voltage charged to the self capacitance Cp reaches a target voltage Vth, and turns on or off a switch SW in response to an output signal Fo of a comparator every predetermined period of time, so as to detect whether or not a touch operation is performed. Then, the self capacitance touch screen compares a time it takes for the voltage charged to the self capacitance Cp to reach the target voltage Vth with a previously determined critical value. As shown in FIG. 2, a time it takes for a charge voltage VCp of the self capacitance Cp to reach the target voltage Vth is counted according to oscillator clocks produced inside the self capacitance touch screen. The time required in the touch operation is longer than the time required in the non-touch operation. When the required time is equal to or greater than the critical value, the self capacitance touch screen decides a currently sensed touch sensor as a touch sensor corresponding to a touch input position.
In the related art self capacitance touch screen, sensing sensitivity has to increase so as to increase the touch sensitivity a user feels and accurately recognize a touch input trace or a dragging trace. However, because the related art self capacitance touch screen necessarily requires counting clocks of a high frequency so as to improve the sensing sensitivity, power consumption increases. Furthermore, because the related art self capacitance touch screen may perform a sensing operation only once within a given period of time, a detection capacity of a finger capacitance less than the self capacitance is reduced.


An approach is provided for enabling a contextual query based on visual elements and user input in augmented reality at a device. The approach includes a method for receiving at least one input specifying content information, wherein the input is received via at least one user interface presenting image data. The method further includes processing and/or facilitating a processing of the image data to cause, at least in part, an identification of one or more visual elements. The method also includes causing, at least in part, a construction of at least one query based, at least in part, on the content information and the one or more visual elements.

Service providers (e.g., wireless, cellular, etc.) and device manufacturers are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services. One area of rapid development has been in providing various services, contents, information, etc. to users of devices in various settings. For instance, a user may use a device (e.g., a mobile phone) to search for information on a particular point of interest (POI) (e.g., a hotel), an object (e.g., a book), a service (e.g., taxi, bus, train, etc.), or the like. Additionally, as some user devices and applications may support augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) functionalities, a user may utilize those functionalities to interface with the user devices for requesting or receiving the services or contents. In one example, a user may request for navigation information from his current location to a certain POI (e.g., a restaurant), where the direction may be requested and presented via an AR map application at a user device (e.g., a navigation device in an automobile.) However, for initiating or continuing a service, a traditional interface to a user device may be cumbersome, time consuming, or not feasible at all times as a user interfacing with the device may be multitasking (e.g., driving, on a conference call, etc.) For instance, a user driving a car may not be able to continue to interface with and enter detailed information into a map application on a navigation device. In another instance, a user may wish to utilize contents at the device and provide minimal user input for initiating or continuing a service at the user device based, at least in part, on the contents and the user input. Therefore, service providers and device manufactures face significant technical challenges in enabling users to efficiently interface with a user device for requesting and receiving services and contents.

Method and apparatus for contextual query based on visual elements and user input in augmented reality at a device


A method of processing a silver halide color photographic material comprising the steps of: (1) developing a silver halide color photographic material having an alkali consumption of 3.0 mmol/m.sup.2 or less, the silver halide color photographic material comprising (a) a support; (b) at least two layers on at least one side of the support, the at least two layers containing (i) silver halide emulsions being sensitive to different wavelength bands from one another, the silver halide emulsions containing at least 90 mol % silver chloride and (ii) oil soluble couplers that form dyes on coupling with oxidized primary amine color developing agent; and (2) washing the color photographic material for about 45 seconds where water from the washing step is treated with a reverse osmosis membrane and reused in the washing step.

In recent years a demand for shorter processing times has arisen in connection with photographic processing of color photographic materials in view of decreasing finishing delivery times and down-sizing of laboratory operation. Increasing temperatures and increasing replenishment rates are general methods of reducing the time required for each processing operation, but a number of other methods, such as enforced agitation and the addition of various accelerators, for example, have also been suggested.
For example, international patent WO87-04534 discloses a color photographic material which contains emulsions having a high silver chloride content (instead of the silver bromide based or silver iodide emulsions which were widely used in the past) processed with a view to increasing the rate of color development and/or reducing the replenishment rate.
By using high silver chloride emulsions and such development processing baths it has been possible to shorten the development time from 3 minutes 30 seconds for a conventional silver bromide emulsion based material (for example, color process CP-20, produced by Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd.) to 45 seconds (for example, color process CP-40FAS, produced by Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. with an overall processing time of 4 minutes). But even this is not satisfactory compared to the overall processing times of other color systems (for example with the electrostatic copying systems, thermal transfer systems, and ink-jet systems).
Consequently, development of a method of processing silver halide color photographic materials which enables ultra-rapid processing using a color development process that requires no more than 20 seconds using a silver halide color development system and produces high quality color prints inexpensively and with a considerably shortened overall processing time was desirable.
A method in which the color development processing time is reduced to not more than 25 seconds, and in which, the overall processing time, including the color development processing time, the bleach-fix processing time, and the water washing time is reduced to not more than 2 minutes by processing high silver chloride emulsions in color developers which are essentially benzyl alcohol free is disclosed in JP-A-1-196044. (The term "JP-A" as used herein signifies an "unexamined published Japanese patent application".)
However, when overall rapid processing is achieved by simply shortening the development process in this way, there is no inhibition of an increase in staining when this technique is used alone. There are also considerable practical problems with staining of the white base material. It has been concluded that this staining arises because of the increased residual amount of excess colored material (dyes etc.) in the photographic material which result from shortening the development processing time and because of inadequate washing-out of these residual materials due to the shortened processing time following development. Such staining is especially pronounced in the case of processes of the type where the replenishment rates are low.
Techniques for preventing the occurrence of staining in which the processing liquids in the water washing and/or stabilization processes are subjected to a reverse osmosis treatment are known, and such techniques have been disclosed, for example, in JP-A-60-241053 and JP-A-62-254151. The unwanted components (especially fixer and bleach-fixer components) in the water washing water and/or stabilizer are removed by subjecting the processing liquids to reverse osmosis and it is thought that this reduces the adverse effects of these components on the photographic material.
However, with processing in which the water washing time is shortened, and especially in the case of overall ultra-rapid processing from color development through to drying, as described above, it is still not possible to obtain satisfactory photographic characteristics by just using a reverse osmosis treatment technique. Thus, the problem of base staining has not been satisfactorily overcome.

Method of processing silver halide color photographic materials


To facilitate current sensing for valley current-controlled power converters, an example apparatus includes a comparator having a first terminal, a second terminal, and an output. A first transistor has a first drain coupled to the first terminal of the comparator. A second transistor has a second drain coupled to the first terminal of the comparator. A third transistor has a third drain coupled to the second terminal of the comparator.

A power converter is a circuit that is used in various electrical components to convert an input voltage to a desired output voltage. For example, a boost converter converts an input voltage into a high output voltage by controlling transistors and/or switches to charge and/or discharge inductors and/or capacitors to maintain the desired output voltage. Some boost converters are valley-current-controlled. Such boost converters use the detection of valley currents (e.g., a minimum threshold current) to trigger the charging/discharging of the inductor/capacitor.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Current sensing for valley current-controlled power converters


Mediated electrochemical oxidation to treats, oxidizes and destroys biological waste, medical, infectious, pathological, animal, sanitary, mortuary, ship, veterinary, pharmaceutical and combined waste. Electrolytes contain oxidized forms of reversible redox couples produced. Oxidized forms of redox couples are produced by anodic oxidation or reaction with oxidized forms of other redox couples. Oxidized species of the redox couples oxidize the biological waste molecules and are reduced and reoxidized. The redox cycle continues until all oxidizable waste and intermediate reaction products have undergone oxidation. Temperatures between ambient and 100° C. avoid formation of dioxins or furans.

The cost of disposing of biological waste in the U.S. is a multi-billion dollar per year industry. The capital cost of the equipment required is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. All institutions and businesses that generate and handle this category of waste must provide safe effective and inexpensive disposal of the waste. In recent years there has been increasing concern over the disposal of biological waste. The two principle methodologies for the disposal of this waste are incineration and dumping in landfills. Needs exist for improved methods of handling biological wastes.

Mediated electrochemical oxidation of biological waste materials


An automatic revolver has a body, a barrel arranged in the body and having an inner passage provided with a thread-like formation, an ammunition-containing element from which a bullet is displaced into the barrel, the barrel being turnable relative to the body so that when a bullet passes through the barrel and rotates in one direction, the barrels is rotated by a reactive moment in an opposite direction.

The present invention relates to a personal weapon, such as revolvers, pistols, etc.
The present invention relates to a personal weapon, such as revolvers, pistols, etc.
Semi-automatic hand guns (pistols) are known and operate due to a reactive energy of powder gas. Extraction or discharge of a shell, withdrawal of a bullet from a clip, placement of the bullet into the bullet chamber, locking and cocking of a spring is performed during a reciprocal movement of the locking-striking mechanism. As a result, pistols have lower reliability when compared with revolvers. Moreover, during reloading of a pistol (exchange of the ammo clip) it is necessary to move the lock again. First it requires the use of both hands, and second increases the time needed to fire the weapon. If a misfire occurs, the possibility of an accident shot becomes very probable. Therefore, complicated safety systems are needed, with corresponding complicated and expensive parts. They delay the first shot and therefore reduce the value of the pistol as a means for self defense. Thus it is evident why the police of many countries, including our own, as well as detective and security agencies, until this day, utilize the revolver rather than the more modern pistol. However, semi-automatic hand guns exceed the revolver in their accuracy.
In the revolvers, the bullets are arranged in chambers of the drum and placed into a striking position by a ratchet mechanism as a result of pressing a trigger or cocking of a strike in revolvers of double or single action. The revolver mechanisms are simple and reliable. The use of the turning pairs, instead of sliding ones, eliminates clogging. In order to perform a next shot it is not necessary to extract the shells. In the event of a malfunction resulting from a defective bullet, the system does not need to be reloaded. In order to fire the next shot, one simply has to press the trigger. An accidental shot is completely excluded in the revolver systems. At the same time since the turning of the drum and cocking of a cock is performed manually, the force required on the trigger of a revolver is higher than in pistols, which in turn reduces the accuracy of as hot. The rate of fire in revolvers is also lower since the gas mechanism of the pistol is faster than the human finger. Due to the accuracy and high rate of fire of the semi-automatic hand guns, they almost completely replaced revolvers in the army.
In the revolvers, the bullets are arranged in chambers of the drum and displaced to a striking position by a ratchet mechanism as a result of pressing a trigger or caulking of a striker in revolvers of double or single action. The revolver mechanisms are simple and reliable. The use of turning pairs drastically eliminates clogging. In order to perform a next shot it is not necessary to extract the shells. In the event of malfunction as a result of a defective bullet, the system does not need a recharging. For displacement of a next bullet, it is necessary to press the trigger again. An accidental shot is completely excluded in the revolver systems. At the same time since the turning of the drum and caulking of a caulk is performed manually, the force required on the trigger of a revolver is higher than in the pistols, which in turn reduces the accuracy of shooting. The rate of shooting in the revolvers is also lower since the gas mechanism of the pistol is activated faster than the human finger. Due to the accuracy and high speed of shooting of the semi-automatic pistols, they completely replaced revolvers in the army.


To prevent lowering and unstableness of magnetic force and trouble caused by influence of muddy water or the like entered between the magnetic encoder (21) and a magnetic sensor (6), a sealing apparatus (4) comprises an approximately C-shaped protecting annular member (11) fitted to one of an inner member (1) and an outer member (2), a first encoder member (12) having a cylinder portion (12a) fitted to the protecting annular member (11), a second encoder member (13) held between the protecting annular member (11) and the first encoder member (12), a seal annular member (14), and a seal member (15) which is vulcanized and bonded to the seal annular member (14) and has seal lips slidably contacting with the protecting annular member (11) and the encoder member (12).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a sealing apparatus for closely sealing an annular space formed between an inner member and an outer member which are relatively rotated to each other. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sealing apparatus having a rotation detecting apparatus for detecting a rotational speed of front and rear wheels in an anti lock brake system of a motor vehicle. The sealing apparatus in accordance with the present invention is employed also in a field of an electrical appliance, an industrial machine, a bicycle or the like.
2. Description of Background Art
In conventional, as shown in FIG. 3, there has been developed a sealing apparatus 105 for closely sealing an annular space between an inner member 101 and an outer member 102 which are relatively rotated to each other via a rolling element 103, in which a magnetic encoder 106 is integrally formed with the sealing apparatus 105. The sealing apparatus 105 is structured such that first and second seal annular members 107 and 108 each formed in an L-shaped cross section are respectively fitted to the inner member 101 and the outer member 102, and a seal lip 109 is provided in the second seal annular member 108, and the seal lip 109 is brought into slidable contact with the first seal annular member 107. The magnetic encoder 106 is formed by an encoder member 111 made of a rubber elastic body such as a rubber or a resin in which a magnetic material powder is mixed, and is vulcanized and bonded to an outer side in an axial direction (a rightward direction in the drawing) of the first seal annular member 107. The encoder member 111 is structured such that magnetic poles are alternately formed in a circumferential direction, and is detected by a magnetic sensor 110 which is arranged close thereto.
However, in the structure mentioned above, since the magnetic encoder 106 and the magnetic sensor 110 are arranged at a position exposed to an atmospheric air in an outermost side in an axial direction, the magnetic encoder 106 and the magnetic sensor 110 are under a severe condition directly exposed to a spattering muddy water or foreign matter. If the muddy water makes an intrusion thereinto, rust generation is caused, thereby lowering a performance of detecting the rotational speed. Further, if the foreign matter makes an intrusion thereinto so as to be attached to a portion between the magnetic encoder and the magnetic sensor, there is a risk that the magnetic encoder or the magnetic sensor are damaged due to rotational jamming of the foreign matter in the worst case so as to lead the detected rotational speed into error. As a countermeasure thereof, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 11-303879 and 2002-333033, there has been proposed a structure in which a magnetic encoder is wrapped by a protection plate arranged in an outer side in an axial direction of the magnetic encoder, and the protection plate integrally formed with the magnetic encoder is assembled in an inner member. However, in this structure, the muddy water or the foreign matter making an intrusion can not be sufficiently excluded, and there is a problem that the magnetic encoder is exposed to an abnormal compression or deformation at a time when the protection plate integrally formed with the magnetic encoder is assembled, whereby a detecting accuracy is deteriorated. Further, since the protection plate and the magnetic encoder are fitted and thereafter fitted to the inner member, the fitting force is weakened. Further, since end portions of the protection plate and the first seal annular member are exposed to the rolling element side, there is a risk that a grease within a bearing portion makes an intrusion from a portion between both the rings.


A mixed material of liquid crystals and resin is dropped on at least one substrate in an amount greater than the amount needed to cover a display area for the LCD panel. The substrate is adhered to another substrate, and excess material is removed to the outside of a display area. The phase-separation of the liquid crystals and resin is carried out by irradiating light while pressure is added to at least one substrate, so that a liquid crystal display panel applied to a liquid crystal display device or a light shutter can be manufactured without applying a complex vacuum device.

Since a liquid crystal display panel can be thinned, lightened and driven with low voltage, the panel has been applied to wrist watches, calculators, personal computers, personal word processors, and the like. However, the color and contrast of a twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal panel or a super-twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal panel varies, depending on the direction from which the liquid crystal panel is viewed. In a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) panel, liquid crystal molecules are dispersed in a resin matrix between glass substrates to which electrodes are fixed, or a resin matrix is placed in a liquid crystal in a particle or network condition. When voltage is not applied, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented randomly. Hence, there is a difference between the refractive index of the resin and that of the liquid crystal molecules, thus scattering light (FIG. 12A). On the other hand, the liquid crystal molecules orient toward the direction of electric field with the application of voltage, so that the refractive index of the liquid crystal molecules becomes the same as that of the resin and light transmits (FIG. 12B). Therefore, the PDLC panel has high transmissivity and constant color and contrast without being influenced by the direction from which the panel is viewed.
A vacuum deposition method is known as a conventional method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel. In this method, glass substrates to which a pair of electrodes are fixed are washed, and a resin seal is then formed on the edge of one substrate (one section of the seal is left open for injection). In order to maintain a predetermined gap, spacers are dispersed on the other substrate. Then, the substrates are fixed to each other, and the resin seal is cured by heating. The panel is placed in a vaccum container in order to keep a vacuum inside the panel. An injection mouth is set in contact with the liquid crystal, and the liquid crystal is then injected into the panel by changing pressure to a normal level.
However, when a highly volatile material is used in the conventional method, the composition of the material changes in the process. Thus, a complex vacuum device is necessary to keep a vacuum inside the panel. It also takes a long time to generate a vacuum condition in the container, so that the productivity of the panels is low.
Conventional methods were proposed which include a method of dropping liquid crystals on a substrate after forming a sealing resin on the substrate and of pressing the resin so as to cure it (Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (Kokai) No. Sho 61-190313, Kokai No. Hei 5-5892 and Kokai No. Hei 5-5893), a method of forming a ringed two-layered adhesive seal (Kokai No. Hei 5-5890), a method of dropping liquid crystals in an amount greater than the required amount on one substrate and of sticking substrates to each other in vacuum, while adding pressure to the substrates so as to remove excess liquid crystals through an exhaust section (Kokai No. Hei 6-235925), and a method of coating a mixed material of polymer and liquid crystals on a substrate applied with a sealing material or on another substrate and of carrying out both seal cure and the phase-separation PDLC after adhering the substrates to each other (Kokai No. Hei 4-37820). In Kokai No. Sho 61-190313, the cut surface of the substrates is sealed after pressing the substrates so as to provide a uniform gap. However, excess liquid crystals are liquid and the seal is in an uncured condition, so that the substrates are likely to slide on each other when the seal comes in contact with the liquid crystals. In this invention, on the other hand, the mixed material of liquid crystals and resin is cured when pressure is added to the substrates, so that the substrates do not slide.
In Kokai No. Hei 5-5892, Kokai No. Hei 5-5893 and Kokai No. Hei 5-5890, a pore is formed so as to remove liquid crystals, and a sealing material is cured by adding pressure after removing excess liquid crystals. However, the pore is open when the sealing material is cured, and air bubbles may enter between substrates when pressure is set back to the normal level. The substrates also bulge when pressure returns to the original level, and a precise gap cannot be formed. In this invention, the mixed material between the substrates is cured while pressure is added to the panel, so that no air bubbles enter and a precise gap is formed.
Particularly in Kokai No. Hei 5-5890, air bubbles remain between the first and second seals. In addition, since liquid crystals are liquid, remaining air bubbles enter a display area. However, since the mixed material of liquid crystals and resin is cured in this invention, no air bubbles enter the display area.
Unlike in this invention, the phase-separation of liquid crystals and resin is not carried out while adding pressure to a panel in Kokai No. Hei 4-37820 and Kokai No. Hei 6-235925. In particular, Kokai No. Hei 6-235935 is different from this invention in that the panel is placed in a vaccum.

Liquid crystal display panel and method and device for manufacturing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An adjusting structure of projector includes a base, a slider, a foot member and a controller. The slider is disposed on the base and has an opening. The foot member is installed through the opening of the slider. One end corresponding to the foot member and the slider is respectively disposed a plurality of groove and a blocker. The top of the controller has an inclined part that presses against an inclined plane on one side of the slider. When a user presses the controller, the inclined part pushes the inclined plane of the slider, making the slider slide along one axis to make the blocker separated from the grooves in a parallel direction. A pressing member moves the projector upward or downward along the foot member to a predetermined location, and then the pressing member is released and returns by the elastic member.

A projector is usually placed on a table, and projects an image on a screen by means of a projection lens. As the location and the size of a screen varies, there is a need to adjust the height of a projector by means of an adjusting structure in order to project an image on a proper location of a screen.
As shown in FIG. 1, the adjusting structure of a conventional projector 1 is a threaded shaft 11 located at both sides of the projector 1 for supporting the projector 1 on a table 2, and the height of the projector 1 is adjusted by rotating the threaded shaft 11, so as to project an image on a screen (not shown in the figs) by means of a projection lens 12. However, the projector 1 elevates or descends only one pitch by rotating the threaded shaft 11 one cycle. A user needs to rotate the threaded shaft 11 many cycles and only elevate or descend the height of the projector 1 slightly. The adjusting speed is quite slow and it takes plenty of time to adjust the projector 1 to a predetermined height. Besides, there is a friction between the threaded shaft 11 and the table 2 due to the weight of the projector 1, and a user must overcome the friction before rotating the threaded shaft 11. This makes adjusting more laborious.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are the perspective view and the vertical view showing another conventional projector adjusting structure 13. An adjusting button 131 is disposed on one side of a foot member 132 and is connected with a fixing member 133. The fixing member 133 is provided with a protruding member 1331 which can be engaged with a toothed member 1321 on the foot member 132. An elastic member 135 is disposed between another side of the fixing member 133 and a main body 134. When pressing the adjusting button 131, the adjusting button 131 drives the fixing member 133 to draw back toward the main body 134, and the protruding member 1331 is separated from the toothed member 1321. This makes the foot member 132 expand or contract in the vertical direction, so as to adjust the height of the projector. After adjusting, the adjusting button 131 is released, and the fixing member 133 returns to be engaged with the toothed member 1321 by means of the elastic member 135. However, because the adjusting button 131 is disposed on one side of the fixing member 133, when pressing on an unbalanced position of the adjusting button 131, the fixing member 133 pivots on the elastic member 135, causing the fixing member 133 to have a one-sided inclination (as noted by dotted lines). This makes the protruding member 1331 unable to be separated from the toothed member 1321 in a parallel direction, and it takes more efforts to make the protruding member 1331 separated from the toothed member 1321 in order to adjust the height of the projector. Besides, when pressing the adjusting button 131 backwards with one hand, the other hand must stabilize and move the projector, resulting in the difficulty while adjusting.
Therefore, the height-adjusting method of a conventional projector still has problems such as requiring strenuous effort when adjusting, slow adjusting speed, and one-sided inclination.


A probe and socket assembly (10) for serving as a mechanical interface. The assembly comprising a socket (11) having a housing (14) adapted for connection to a first supporting structure and a probe (12) which is readily connectable to a second structure and is designed to be easily grappled and manipulated by a robotic device for insertion and coupling with the socket. Cooperable automatic locking means (35, 49) are provided on the probe shaft (43) and socket housing (14) for automatically locking the probe in the socket when the probe is inserted a predetermined distance. A second cooperable locking means (92, 25) on the probe shaft (43) and housing (14) are adapted for actuation after the probe has been inserted the predetermined distance. Actuation means (80, 62) mounted on the probe are responsive to the grip of the probe handle by a gripping device, such as a robot for conditioning the probe for insertion and are also responsive to release of the grip of the probe handle (51) to actuate the second locking means to provide a "hard" lock of the probe in the socket.

When it is necessary to perform work in an unfriendly dangerous environment, it is desirable to minimize or eliminate the human involvement wherever possible. In the zero gravity environment of space or in a subsea environment, such tasks as operating work tools for the erection, repair or maintenance of structures and equipment, are usually very time consuming endeavors, difficult and frequently require exposing the human participants to considerable risks. In many instances, their time and skills could be better spent at other tasks. Accordingly, simplicity in design for structural joints and mechanical interfaces, for example, such that robotic devices can be used in erecting space structures is an ever present goal. However, most mechanical connectors, particularly of the probe and socket type as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,963,052 and 4,854,777, are usually complex devices which are not readily adaptable to robotic intervention. While various forms of coupling apparatus have been designed for use by robotic devices, such as the coupling apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,595, these are usually designed for very specific applications.

Robot friendly probe and socket assembly

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A halftone screen with precisely controlled angles and rulings, including irrational screen angles and rulings, for screening photographic images is generated by representing a desired screen pattern in an irregular or non-grid like array of screen elements. In one embodiment, a random array of screen elements is used. In another embodiment, a Poisson-disk distribution of screen elements is used to improve quality. The error between an ideal screen point and an actual screen point in the transformed UV space is calculated and used as the basis for selecting an actual screen point as having the least error between the ideal and actual screen points in UV space. The number of error calculations may be reduced by storing pointers the nearest points to each screen point in transformed UV space, and by storing a plurality of successive screen values at a given angle and screen ruling corresponding to each point in the transformed UV space.

In each of the above cited copending patent applications by the present inventor, a method and apparatus for halftone screening of images using strips of an ideal angled screen pattern to form the scan lines of a desired screen is described. Successive ideal strips are selected and assembled into a desired screen on the basis of the calculated error between the ideal screen point at the end of one strip, and the actual screen point at the beginning of the next strip. The present application relates to a general improvement in the method and apparatus for halftone screening of images. A background description of halftone image screening is set forth below.
Images are typically stored in a memory representing tone values for each pixel of the original image. For black and white image, the stored pixels represent the gray scale value corresponding to each pixel. For a color image, each color plane is stored as an array of pixels each representing the tone value for each pixel of the image in each respective color plane. For example, if each of the pixels of a black and white image is represented by a 8 bit digital word, then the tone value for a given image pixel may be one of 256 values between the black level and the white level.
Continuous tone images do not print well on most printing devices where typically the absence or presence of the ink on the paper is used to represent the printed image. In order to represent halftones (shades between the presence or absence of the printed ink), the original image is screened to produce a pattern, such as variable size dots which appear to the human eye as a halftone image.
In order to prepare a photograph for printing, it is first necessary to perform the step of halftone screening, which converts the continuous gray shades of the original into dots of varying size and shape. Typically, these dots are arranged on a regular grid of approximately 100 dots per inch. This spatial frequency is known as the screen ruling. Thus, one square inch of the final printed photograph will be composed of approximately 10,000 dots.
Screening to produce halftone images is well known. The screen consists of an array of dots, or halftone cells, each of which represents one section of continuous tone in the original image as a single dot of variable size and shape. A halftone cell, in turn, consists of an array of smaller screen pixels, or samples, each having individual values against which the input pixels derived from the original image will be compared. The individual values of the smaller screen pixels, or samples, of the repeating halftone cell which form the variable dots is referred to herein as a spot function.
The halftone screening step consists of a screen pattern generating step, and a comparison step between the input image and the screen pattern. The screen is usually stored as a fairly small pattern that repeats itself or is repeatedly generated by programming. At any point where the original image is greater than the screen pattern, the output is marked. At any point where the image is not greater than the screen pattern, the output is not marked. In other words, if the value of the image pixel is greater than corresponding value of the screen cell, a mark is generated by the marking engine, whereas if the value of the image pixel is less or equal to the screen cell value, then no mark is generated by the marking engine, or vice versa. In this way, the final screened image, composed of dots, is produced.
In color printing, there are four separate steps of halftone screening, one each for the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. It is advantageous, in order to minimize objectionable moire patterns, to angle the halftone grid differently for each of the four planes. For example, the most common practice is to angle the cyan dots by 15 degrees, magenta by 75 degrees, yellow by 0 (or 90) degrees, and black by 45 degrees. If these angles are adhered to precisely, as well as the screen ruling being precisely identical for all four planes, then optimum results are achieved.
Precise screen angles can be achieved quite easily in photomechanical systems by simply rotating the photographic screen carrier. However, when the image is processed electronically, and the screened image is to be produced by a digital raster scan recording device, the problem becomes much more difficult. Rational numbers, which can be represented as the ratio of two integers, are relatively easy to accurately represent in a digital computer. Irrational numbers, which cannot be represented as the ratio of two integers, are much more difficult to accurately represent in a digital image processing device or digital computer. The tangent of a 15 or 75 degree angle is an irrational number. Therefore, screens of 15 and 75 degrees can be expected to be difficult to generate in a digital device. Also, irrational screen rulings where the number of pixels per screen cell is not a rational number ca be expected to be difficult to accurately reproduce in digital image processing device.
Prior art techniques fall into two classes. In the first class, the angles can be approximated, but not achieved precisely. These techniques are known as rational tangent angle techniques, because the screen angles are limited to arctangents of rational numbers. As a result of the inaccuracy of the screen angles and rulings, objectionable moire patterns result. A method exemplary of this technique is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,194 (Holladay). The screen pattern is represented by a strip of pixels. To generate the screen pattern, this strip is repeated across the width of the image. To angle the screen pattern, this strip is shifted by a certain number of pixels each scan line. An advantage of this technique is that it is very fast. Another advantage is the relatively modest memory requirement for the screen.
In the second class of screen generating techniques, precise angles and rulings can be achieved, but only at the cost of a large amount of computation for each pixel. This technique is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,499,489 (Gall) and 4,350,996 (Rosenfeld). The device coordinate system is represented by XY space, and a halftone cell in the screen to be printed is represented by a vector in UV space, i.e. the coordinate system of the scaled and rotated screen. For each pixel, the position of the pixel in XY space is transformed into UV space. The screen pattern for that point can be determined by applying the spot function to the UV coordinates.
Although Gall and Rosenfeld describe certain speed optimizations, the disclosed technique requires many more operations per pixel than do rational angle techniques, and therefore runs considerably slower. Another technique for generating accurate screen angles is described in European Patent 0 427 380 A2 (Schiller). The Schiller patent describes a rational tangent angle method that can achieve fairly accurate screens at the cost of requiring a substantial amount of memory, typically on the order of hundreds of thousands of words.
The present invention provides a method for implementing a halftone screen pattern generation system for rotated screens including multiple angle and ruling combinations, and to produce a screened image formed with a rotated screen on a digital raster output device. In addition, the present invention provides a method of computing halftone screened images that can be implemented as a hardware circuit as well as a computer program.
Both Gall and Rosenfeld use a screen pattern consisting of screen elements arranged in a regular orthogonal array, i.e. a matrix or grid analogous to the mechanical screens used in the prior art. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a screen pattern is represented in an irregular or non-grid like array of screen elements. In one embodiment, a random array of screen elements are used. In another embodiment, a Poisson-disk distribution of screen elements is used to improve quality.
In both Gall and Rosenfeld, the position of each pixel in XY space is transformed into UV space, and the screen pattern for that point is determined by applying the spot function to the UV coordinates. Typically however, there is no entry in the stored screen pattern grid of screen elements which corresponds exactly to the ideal screen point. Both Gall and Rosenfeld treat this problem by truncating (rounding downward) the coordinates of the ideal point to fit an actual screen point, regardless of the error introduced thereby. Rosenfeld indicates that individual U and/or V coordinate addresses can be rounded off (truncated) to the nearest address. Both Gall and Rosenfeld attempt to reduce the error (and loss of quality) caused by truncation, by introducing a random number to the screen memory address, which tends to disperse the resulting error throughout the screen.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an actual screen point in UV space (i.e. a screen point for which an actual screen element is stored), is selected on the basis of an error calculation between the ideal screen point and the nearest actual screen points in UV space. In a specific embodiment, the length of the vector between the ideal screen point and each of the actual screen points is calculated. The smallest vector length between ideal and actual screen points represents the actual screen point selected having the minimum error. To reduce the number of necessary calculations, the four nearest points to the ideal point that succeeds each screen point are also stored in association with each entry in the stored screen pattern.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the length of respective error vectors is approximated by the sum of the absolute values of the component orthogonal coordinate distances between ideal and actual screen points (instead of the typical sum of the squares calculation of vector length) thereby reducing the computational burden.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of screen values is stored corresponding to each point in the transformed UV space. Thus, for each selected actual screen point, a plurality of screen pixels representing successive points of an ideal angled screen pattern are generated. Specifically, if 16 screen pixels of the spot function are stored for each point in UV space, then the error calculation referred to above need only be performed once for every 16 output pixels.
The method of the present invention can be practiced in a system including a scanner, an image processing device, and a raster scan output device. An original image is optoelectronically scanned and stored in memory. The image to be reproduced is divided into picture elements, or pixels, of a size suitable for halftone reproduction. On reproduction, each halftone dot is printed as a combination of smaller picture elements.
A halftone screened image is produced by (a) retrieving the pixel of the stored image pixel that corresponds to the present output pixel, (b) generating one pixel of the screen pattern, (c) comparing the image pixel and screen pixel, and (d) marking or not marking the output pixel on the basis of which was greater. The process is repeated for every output pixel. The sequence of output pixels is a raster scan, i.e. one horizontal scan line sequence of pixels followed by another horizontal scan line of pixels, which is the standard sequence for most image processing systems. The key problem solved by the present invention is to accurately generate the screen pixels in raster scan sequence.

Screen generation for halftone screening of images using arbitrary distribution of transformed screen coordinates


A cutting unit of a shaving head of a shaving device, which cutting unit includes an external cutting member and an internal cutting member. In an interconnected condition, a holding force prevents the external and internal cutting members from moving apart. The holding force is at least exerted by a first central portion of the external cutting member upon a second central portion of the internal cutting member, and/or vice versa. The holding force may for example be provided by a snap connection or magnetic attraction between the first and second central portions.

For cutting units and shaving heads of the above-identified types, there are a number of desirable design requirements.
A first desirable design requirement is that changing the condition of the external and internal cutting members from the abovementioned interconnected condition into the abovementioned disconnected condition, and vice versa, should be possible through manual operations by a user.
A second desirable design requirement is that said manual operations should neither require nor allow the user to directly touch the internal cutting member at a moment when the internal cutting member is drivably connected to its rotative drive structure. Thus, it is prevented that the user might get hurt in case of inadvertent activation of the rotative drive structure.
A third desirable design requirement is that, after the external and internal cutting members have been correctly brought into the abovementioned interconnected condition, the internal cutting member will be kept correctly positioned against the external cutting member during the subsequent connecting of the internal cutting member to its rotative drive structure. Thus, it is prevented that the cutting members, due to incorrect relative positioning thereof, might get damaged upon activation of the rotative drive structure.
In view of these desirable design requirements, a cutting unit of a shaving head of the initially identified type often is designed with a separate support device, also referred to as "retainer". This separate retainer is manually moveable between a retaining position, in which the internal cutting member is retained by the retainer in a correct operating position relative to the external cutting member, and a release position in which a user can remove the internal cutting member from the external cutting member.
An example of a known shaving head having such a retainer is disclosed in WO 2011/055323 A1. This shaving head 3 and details thereof are shown in FIGS. 1-8 of WO 2011/055323 A1. It is shown that each cutting unit 6 of the shaving head 3 has an external cutting member 7, an internal cutting member 10, and a retainer 21. The retainer 21 is connected to the external cutting member 7 in a pivotable manner so as to enable said manual moveability between said retaining position and said release position. In its retaining position, the retainer 21 can be locked relative to the external cutting member 7, while the internal cutting member 10 is retained in-between the retainer 21 and the external cutting member 7. FIGS. 2-7 clearly illustrate various conditions of one of the cutting units 6. For example, it is clearly seen how the retainer 21, in its locked condition, is able to keep the internal cutting member 10 correctly positioned against the external cutting member 7 for subsequent connection of the internal cutting member 10 to its rotative drive shaft 30.
It is also clearly seen that the internal cutting member 10 can be manually moved out of the cutting unit when the internal cutting member 10 is not drivably connected to the drive shaft 30, see FIG. 7 of WO 2011/055323 A1. Furthermore, it is clear that the cutting unit 6 does not allow the user to directly touch the internal cutting member at a moment when the internal cutting member is drivably connected to its rotative drive structure.
It is noted that in practice various other types of separate retainers are known, which can be locked relative to an external cutting member, while retaining an internal cutting member in-between the retainer and the external cutting member. Most of these other separate retainers are not pivotably connected to the external cutting member. Instead, after a user has manually unlocked such other retainer relative to its corresponding cutting unit, such other retainer is fully detachable from the external cutting member in a translation direction parallel to the rotation axis of the cutting unit. Most of these other retainers are small, more or less ring-like parts, while there exist many different locking mechanisms for the existing many different retainer types.
A general drawback of most of these known retainers is that the manual operations required for removing and inserting the internal cutting members relative to their cutting units are not easy for users to understand and/or perform and/or remember. For example, the locking and unlocking of the retainers relative to their corresponding cutting units often is cumbersome, especially because most of these retainers are small parts which are difficult to operate accurately with the fingers, and which have very tiny locking parts which are difficult to discern with the naked eye.
Another general drawback of most of these known retainers is that these known retainers are in fact additional parts of the cutting unit or shaving head, and that they require additional space within the cutting unit or shaving head.

Cutting unit and shaving head of a shaving device


An embedded wire removal tool is disclosed. The embedded wire removal tool can include a feed mechanism operable to cause movement of a cable. The cable can have a jacket about a core. The cable can also include a wire disposed about the core and at least partially embedded in the jacket. The embedded wire removal tool can also include a jacket cutter operable to receive the cable from the feed mechanism and remove at least a portion of the jacket. In addition, the embedded wire removal tool can include a wire excavator operable to separate the wire from the core.

A typical cable assembly may include a core, a wire/conductor (e.g., a low-voltage conductor) located external to (e.g., spiral wound about) the cable core, and an outer protective jacket or housing covering the wire/conductor and the core. Large, continuous cable assemblies are subject to damage or defects during the manufacturing or installation process. To remedy this, the defect area of the cable is cut out and the remaining acceptable cable ends are spliced or coupled together to avoid scrapping the previously accepted lengths of cable. Processes and tooling exist to splice a cable core, which typically includes of a number of conductors, fibers, and strength members. However, no specialized tooling or process is currently available to aid in splicing of wires/conductors that are located external to the cable core and within an outer cable jacket or housing.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.


An integrated circuit configured to execute program instructions can generate, based on a configuration, any combination of a notification message, a halt signal, or an interrupt signal for a condition detected in the integrated circuit. The detected condition can be an error condition or a non-error condition. The notification message for the condition may be written to memory accessible by a host processor. The non-error condition may be used by the host processor to monitor internal states of the integrated circuit. The halt signal may be used to stop the integrated circuit from executing the instructions.

A processing device executing instructions can encounter different types of error conditions during runtime. For example, the error conditions may be caused due to incorrect behavior of the device hardware or by the code being executed by the device. In most instances, an interrupt may be generated to notify the detection of an error so that the error can be corrected or logged.

Configurable reporting for device conditions


A method for producing a high-zinc-content yeast extract, including extracting the high-zinc-content yeast extract by suspending zinc-containing yeast into a solution containing a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid salt, or both thereof to thereby obtain a suspension liquid, and separating a solid component and a liquid component of the suspension liquid; the high-zinc-content yeast extract; food; and an agent for maintaining and restoring a green color of vegetables.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a high-zinc-content yeast extract which contains zinc derived from a natural product in a high concentration, which is excellent in water-solubility, which can ameliorate zinc deficiency-associated dermatitis and dysgeusia; and which can be suitably used as an oral or tube feeding composition (e.g., a liquid food) or a food material; the high-zinc-content yeast extract; food (e.g., a liquid food and a beverage) containing the high-zinc-content yeast extract; and an agent for maintaining and restoring a green color of vegetables.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to the data recently published by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the daily zinc requirement is about 10 mg in adult males, and about 8 mg in adult females. Zinc deficiency in vivo has been well known to cause dermatitis and dysgeusia, and potentially causes chronic diarrhea, hypoalbuminemia, pancytopenia, growth disorder, and gonadal dysgenesis (see "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese 2010," Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the report from the Scientific Committee of "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese", published by DAI-ICHI SHUPPAN Co. Ltd., p. 227-230 (2009 Sep. 20)). Therefore, there is a need to develop a safe food material for a liquid food or a beverage which allows for efficient ingestion and absorption of zinc into a living body, and which can ameliorate zinc deficiency-associated dermatitis and dysgeusia. Yeast has been utilized as a food material by human since a long time ago. For example, brewer's yeast has been utilized as a source of supply of dietary fiber, vitamin, or mineral. Especially, yeast into which zinc has been uptaken or extract thereof is thought to be available as a safe zinc-enriched food material.
However, in conventional zinc-containing yeast, a distinctive odor such as a yeast odor and a distinctive taste such as a yeast taste are insufficiently reduced, making it unsuitable as a food material. The conventional zinc-containing yeast is water-insoluble, so that turbidity and precipitation are caused when it is added to food. As a result, the conventional zinc-containing yeast cannot be used in, especially, a soft drink, which is problematic.
In order to solve the above problems, there has been proposed a zinc-containing yeast extract which is extracted from the zinc-containing yeast. Extraction of a yeast extract from mineral-containing yeast (e.g., zinc-containing yeast) has been performed by, for example, the following methods: (1) a hot-water extraction method, (2) an autolysis method, (3) an enzymolysis method, and (4) a hydrolysis method with hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid (see Hiroshi Sugimoto, "Transition of yeast extract production method (I)—from the trend of patent applications in Japan—," New Food Industry 1994, Vol. 36, No. 10, p. 41-48). However, the methods of (1) to (3) have a problem of a low mineral recovery rate (zinc extraction rate). The methods of (2) and (3) have a problem that a yeast odor and an extract taste remain in the resultant yeast extract. The method of (3) has problems of a high cost and a residual enzyme in the resultant yeast extract. The method of (4) has a problem that a counter ion of the mineral (e.g., chlorine ion or sulfate ion) may remain in the resultant yeast extract, making the yeast extract unsuitable for a food material.
Metals such as zinc have a possibility to be used for restoring a green color of vegetables. It has been known that the green color of vegetables (including processed vegetables) is disappeared due to a change of chlorophyll during processing (e.g., blanching, heat sterilization, drying, fermentation, and salting) and during storage. Therefore, in, especially, food processing industry, there has been a demand to maintain the green color of vegetables for a long period of time, because maintenance of the green color of vegetables affects shelf life of food and processed products thereof. However, a safe metal-containing material capable of being added to food has not been known, and maintenance of the green color of vegetables for a long period of time has not been achieved.
Therefore, there has been demanded a method for efficiently producing a high-zinc-content yeast extract which has sufficiently reduced distinctive odor (e.g., yeast odor) and distinctive taste (e.g., yeast taste), and which is suitable as a safe food material; the high-zinc-content yeast extract; food (e.g., a liquid food and a beverage) containing the high-zinc-content yeast extract; and an agent for maintaining and restoring a green color of vegetables.

High-zinc yeast extract, method of producing same and agents and foods containing same


A method for processing a batch of mail wherein a mail sorting machine sorts the batch of mail to a plurality of sorting bins according to a predetermined sorting plan includes steps of reading an identification code from an empty mail tray, loading the empty tray in a buffer storage unit associated with one of the sorting bins, activating a switch associated with the buffer storage unit to confirm that the mail tray is positioned in the buffer, assigning the tray identification code to a destination associated with the sorting bin in the sorting plan, and then sorting mail to the sorting bin and transferring sorted mail from the sorting bin into the mail tray.

In the known sorting machine, trays without fixed identification marks are used. After the end of the sorting operation, the mail pieces are transferred from the sorting bins of the sorting machine into the trays which are provided in buffer storage units assigned to the sorting bins, and the concluded transfer operation is acknowledged for the respective sorting bin by means of key actuation. As a result, by means of a label printer, a label with the current destination address is printed out in coded and/or readable form for this sorting bin or with an identification label and is attached to the container by the operator. The requirement for an identification label automatically involves assignment between the identification label and the destination address, this assignment being filed in the control and being available for further identification. This solution does not allow the expedient use of trays with fixed identification marks in the mail handling process, since it is not possible for these identification marks to be coupled to the destination addresses on the basis of the abovementioned technology.

Method for processing flat deliveries in delivery containers


An air intake system may include an engine air cleaner having a dust valve. The intake system may be configured for arrangement on the engine. The dust valve may also be operable to open or close based on operating characteristics of the engine.

Machines, implements, trucks, other combustion engine-powered devices, standalone combustion engines such as those used for power generation, or other combustion engines include air intake systems. The air intake system draws in outside air and cleans it before delivering the air to the engine for combustion. The cleaning process provides for better combustion and helps to maintain better engine hygiene and long-term performance. Cleaning systems include a pre-cleaner and an air cleaner. A pre-cleaner is a sort of separator that helps to remove dirt, dust, or other larger particles from the incoming air. Pre-cleaners commonly rely on one or more types of inertial separation where the speed of the air in combination with a changing direction of the air causes the larger particles to separate from the flowing air. An air cleaner includes an air filter and helps to remove smaller particles from the incoming air by passing the air through a membrane with a selected porosity. The membrane porosity is selected to balance filtration against maintaining air flow to provide sufficiently clean air to the combustion portion of the engine at a sufficiently high rate and/or pressure.
Dust particles separated from the air in the pre-cleaner often settle into a discharge chute for discarding back into the environment. Dust particles that are relatively large, but small enough to have passed through the pre-cleaner collect on the surface of the air filter. Due to their relatively large size, these dust particles often fall from the surface of the air filter when air flow slows down or stops and these particles collect in the discharge chute as well.
To maintain a relatively debris free air intake system, the discharge chute is emptied from time to time and a dust valve is commonly used. Current dust valves include a gravity-based duckbill-shaped valve that remains closed under particular negative pressures and opens when the negative pressure is removed or when the negative pressure falls below a particular amount. However, these valves are prone to failure for several reasons. First, the operation of the valve is based on the resiliency of a polymer material, which wears out over time causing the valve to fail to open and, thus, fail to release dust from the discharge chute. Second, even when operating as intended, the small cross-sectional area of the valve can be ineffective or insufficient for releasing the dust or it can cause the dust valve to become clogged.
Other related technologies may include U.S. Pat. No. 9,328,867. This patent relates to a filling connector, container, filling method and filling nozzle with a dust valve element that can be moved selectively towards downstream.


A method is provided for producing hIGF-I with high purity and yield. This is a method for producing human insulin-like growth factor I, having a step of removing modified human insulin-like growth factor I from the human insulin-like growth factor I, the step including:                (A) a step of adjusting the pH of a culture liquid of a human insulin-like growth factor I producing bacteria to 8 or more after completion of culture;        (B) a step of letting the culture liquid obtained in step (A) stand; and        (C) a step of removing the producing bacteria from the culture liquid obtained in step (B).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing human insulin-like growth factor I (hereinafter abbreviated as hIGF-I). Specifically, it relates to a method for producing hIGF-I whereby hIGF-I can be obtained with high purity and yield by letting a culture liquid of a hIGF-I producing bacteria stand under specific conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
hIGF-I is a known polypeptide compound existing in nature (E. Rinderknecht et al., "The amino acid sequence of human insulin-like growth factor I and its structural homology with proinsulin", J. Biol. Chem., 1978, 253(8): p. 2769-76; M. Iwai et al., "Direct identification of disulfide bond linkages in human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) by chemical synthesis", J. Biochem. (Tokyo), 1989, 106(6): p. 949-51) and having cell proliferation activity (R. E. Humbel, "Insulin-like growth factors I and II", Eur. J. Biochem., 1990, 190(3): p. 445-62).
hIGF-I can itself be used as a drug, and drug applications are being developed (see for example M. O. Savage et al., "Therapeutic applications of the insulin-like growth factors", Growth Horm. IGF Res., 2004, 14(4): p. 301-8; L. Gasparini et al., "Potential roles of insulin and IGF-I in Alzheimer's disease", Trends Neurosci., 2003, 26(8): p. 404-6; J. Ren et al., "Insulin-like growth factor I as a cardiac hormone: physiological and pathophysiological implications in heart disease", J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol., 1999, 31(11): p. 2049-61). Because hIGF-I has cell proliferation activity, it can be also used in the production of antibody drugs and other biotechnology-based drugs as a medium additive for cells producing the proteins that are the active components of these drugs. Since production of biotechnology-based drugs is rising rapidly, demand for large quantities of hIGF-I is anticipated.
Under these circumstances, various methods have been reported for producing and refining hIGF-I by culturing transformed microorganisms by recombinant DNA methods (hereinafter referred to as recombinant microorganisms). For example, recombinant E. coli is used in U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,414, and recombinant yeast is used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,639.
In these methods, the recombinant E. coli or recombinant yeast is cultured to produce hIGF-I and the resulting hIGF-I is purified. Pigments, proteins and the like that are intrinsically produced by the E. coli or yeast also occur along with the target hIGF-I in the hIGF-I culture process and/or purification process, as does isomers having a different primary structure from hIGF-I.
One of the isomers, which is called misfolded hIGF-I because the combination of three pairs of disulfide bonds formed within the molecule differs from that of natural hIGF-I, is known to differ from natural hIGF-I not only in its physical properties but also in its biological properties (A. Sato et al., "Three-dimensional solution structure of a disulfide bond isomer of the human insulin-like growth factor-I", J. Pept. Res., 2000, 56(4), p. 218-30). Consequently, this isomer must be isolated and removed from the natural hIGF-I. Methods that have been reported for doing this include a method of isomerizing the isomer into natural hIGF-I and a method of isolating and removing the isomer (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,071,313; 5,231,178).
For industrial purposes, there need to be methods of producing hIGF-I at low cost and in large volume.
The applicant of the application previously discovered that when a recombinant coryneform bacterium is used as the host for producing human epithelial cell growth factor, the amount of intrinsic proteins produced in the culture liquid of the recombinant coryneform bacterium is less than the amount of intrinsic proteins produced in the culture liquid of other recombinant microorganisms (JP 2002-291476 A).

Method for producing human insulin-like growth factor I