A recording medium, comprising a lead-in area, a data recording area that is formed on an outer periphery side of the lead-in area and in which a plurality of pieces of content data is recorded, and a lead-out area formed on an outer periphery side of the data recording area, wherein first copyright management information and second copyright management information with which copyrights of the plurality of pieces of content data are managed are recorded at different positions whose secrecies are different from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium for recording content data, a recording method and an apparatus for recording content data, and a reproducing method for reproducing content data, in particular to those that allow a conventional reproducing apparatus to reproduce content data and copyright of content data to be protected.
2. Description of Related Art
A new type optical disc from which a conventional CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) player and a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) can reproduce data and that has a compatibility with a computer has been developed. In the new type optical disc, content data is encrypted and recorded so as to protect the copyright thereof. It is considered that key information for encrypted content data will be recorded in a lead-in region.
In other words, when content data is encrypted and recorded, there is a problem about the position of the key information. To safely manage key information, it is preferred to store it at a position the user cannot easily access. Thus, when video data is recorded to for example a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), key information is recorded in a read-in area and encrypted data is recorded in a program area. Thus, in such a new type optical disc, to prevent the user from easily accessing key information, it is considered that the key information is recorded in the lead-in area.
In the case of the DVD, since it has been developed on condition that content data is encrypted to protect the copyright it. Thus, when key information is recorded in the lead-in area, no considerable problem occurs. However, in the case of such a new type optical disc, if key information were recorded in a lead-in area, the conventional player and drive, which cannot deal with the new type optical disc, could not reproduce content data.
In other words, the conventional CD-DA disc and CD-ROM disc have not been developed on condition that encrypted content data is recorded. Thus, the conventional player and drive do not have a function for decrypting encrypted content data. When encrypted data that is read from the new type optical disc is decrypted by the conventional player and drive, it is considered that a decrypting process for content data is performed by software.
However, while the conventional player and driver are reproducing content data from an optical disc, the lead-in area cannot be accessed by the software. In other words, in the CD-ROM standard, the disc is accessed sector by sector, each of which is composed of 98 frames. While the conventional player and drive are reproducing content data, they access the disc sector by sector. Thus, the conventional player and drive cannot access the lead-in area. Consequently, when key information is recorded in the lead-in areas, since the conventional player and drive, which cannot deal with such the new type optical disc, cannot access the key information, they cannot decrypt content data.
A player and a drive that can deal with the new type optical disc will be released after it is decided that key information is recorded in the lead-in area. The player and drive will be designed so that they access the lead-in area, obtain key information, and decrypt encrypted content data with the obtained key information. Thus, when the player and drive that can deal with the new type optical disc become common, the problem of the conventional player and drive that cannot access key information in the lead-in area and reproduce content data will be solved.
In a transitional period until the player and drive that can deal with the new type optical disc become common, the conventional player and drive, which cannot deal with the new type optical disc, reads encrypted content data from the new type optical disc and decrypts the encrypted content data. In such a transitional period, however, since the key information in the lead-in area cannot be accessed, there will be a problem of which encrypted content data cannot be decrypted.
To solve such a problem, it is considered that key information is recorded in a program area so that the conventional drive and player, which cannot deal with the new type optical disc, can decrypt content data.
However, the secrecy of key information recorded in the program area is lower than that recorded in the lead-in area. Thus, when key information is recorded in the program area, although the conventional drive and player, which cannot deal with the new type optical disc, can decrypt content data, the key information recorded in the program area is illegally taken out. As a result, it is considered that since the content data will be illegally reproduced and copied, the copyright thereof cannot be protected.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium, a recording method and apparatus, and a reproducing method that allow a reproducing apparatus that cannot deal with encrypted content data to decrypt encrypted content data and that the copyright thereof to be securely protected.

Recording medium, recording method, recording apparatus, and reproduction method


A cleaning vehicle generally has a grey water reservoir having a pre-filter; an aspiration conduit leading into the grey water reservoir upstream from the pre-filter and a vacuum pump adapted to create a vacuum inside the grey water reservoir to draw grey water; a vortex separation subsystem connected downstream from the pre-filter; a filtration bag subsystem connected downstream from the vortex separation subsystem; a filtrate reservoir connected downstream from the filtration bag subsystem; a high pressure hose having an end connected downstream from the filtrate reservoir and another end having a high pressure spray nozzle; a filtrate path extending from the grey water reservoir to the high pressure spray nozzle via the pre-filter, the vortex separation subsystem, the filtration bag subsystem and the high pressure hose; and at least one pump adapted to entrain a flow of fluid along the filtrate path.

Various forms of filtration techniques exist, and most forms are adapted to specific filtration scenarios. Generally, existing filtration techniques lead to satisfactory results for filtering liquids having a relatively low concentration of non-abrasive and non-fat solids.
For instance, one example of a conventional filtration system 10 for a conventional cleaning vehicle 12 is described in international application publication number WO 2014/059539 A1 and illustrated in FIG. 1. In this example, the conventional filtration system 10 has a housing 14 having a surface of revolution shaped cavity therein defined around an axis, the housing 14 having a tangentially-oriented inlet 16 leading into the cavity in a given tangential direction, purge outlets 18, and a filtrate outlet 20 extending out from the cavity along the axis. The conventional filtration system 10 has a filter element 22 including a filtration membrane and a support membrane, both being apertured, being of a same surface of revolution shape and being mounted concentrically around the axis, with a spacing distance therebetween. The filtration membrane is rotatably mounted to the housing 14 externally to the support membrane which allows rotating of the filtration membrane about the axis with a rotation speed relative to the support membrane. A filtrate path extends from the inlet to the filtrate outlet across the filter element 22 and a purge path extends from the inlet 16 to the purge outlets 18, externally from the filtering element; and a declogging valve 24 operable to temporarily increase a flow rate through the purge outlet 18.
As described in this publication, the conventional cleaning vehicle 12 has a grey water reservoir 26 associated with a vacuum pump 28, an aspiration conduit 30 having an outlet 32 in the grey water reservoir 26, a transfer pump 34 having an inlet 36 connected to a pre-filtration grille 38 located in the grey water reservoir 26 and an outlet 40 connected to the inlet 16 of the conventional filtration system 10. A high pressure pump 42 is also connected between a filtrate reservoir 44 and a high pressure hose 46.
During use, the aspiration conduit 30 is generally provided into a conduit 48 such as a sewage conduit. When the vacuum pump 28 is operated, grey water 50 is drawn from the conduit 48 to fill the grey water reservoir 26 therewith. When the grey water reservoir 26 is filled, or during filling thereof, the grey water 50 can be drawn, by the transfer pump 34, through the pre-filter 38 and into the inlet 16 of the conventional filtration system 10 for filtration thereof. The filtrate is conducted towards the filtrate reservoir 44 via the filtrate outlet 20. Periodically, or as the filter element 22 is detected to be clogged either by a sensor or by an operator, the declogging valve 24 is operated to declog the filter element 22 so that filtration of the grey water can continue. Once the filtrate reservoir 44 is sufficiently filled, the high pressure hose 46 can be provided into the conduit 48, or another conduit, in order to clean it using a high pressure jet of filtrate 52 projected at high velocity upon action of the high pressure pump 42. In such cleaning applications, reducing the amount of solid in the filtrate can prevent the high pressure pump 42, the hose 46 and the conduit 48 to be damaged.
Although the conventional cleaning vehicle 12 is satisfactory to a certain extent, there remains room for improvement, especially in providing improved or alternate filtration techniques adapted to cleaning applications where the solids are present in relatively high concentrations, include a significant amount of fat, fibers or abrasive substances, and/or simply when the solids include a mix of organic and inorganic substances, especially in relation with features such as system costs, filtration efficiency, durability and maintenance costs.

Cleaning vehicle and high pressure cleaning systems


Disclosed herein is a class of gas carburettor (9) for low calorific value gas for A/F ratio control to be used engines operating on producer gas with a load following capabilities. The gas carburettor has A/F ratio from 1.2:1 for producer gas to about 5:1 for biogas. The gas carburettor of the present invention has right A/F control at varying load conditions due to its optimized dimensions at the throat (7) and area ration control flapper (6) along with the zero pressure regulators. Additionally, using a by-pass facility starting the engine is established. By the use of a zero pressure regulator on the gas line, the gas pressure in the air and gas lines are maintained nearly the same downstream of the carburettor which helps in managing the appropriate air-to-fuel ratio based on the gas and air passage areas.

Gaseous fuels are turning out to be a major fuel source for power generation via internal combustion engines, which includes reciprocating engines and gas turbine machinery. This is mainly because of the requirement for cleaner combustion and thereby lesser pollutants. The gaseous fuels include natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, bio-gas, land fill gas and producer gas derived from biomass. The air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) and other properties of various gaseous fuels are summarized in the Table below:
TABLE 1Energy density & air-to-fuel ratios (A/F) of various fuel gasesLCV,A/FA/FEnergy,Energy,Fuel GasMJ/kg(mole)(Mass)MJ/kgMJ/N3Hydrogen1212.434.43.423.19Natural gas50.29.517.22.763.40(~100% Methane)Bio gas,126.96.36.199.473.05(~60% Methane,40% CO2)Propane46.523.815.62.805.50Butane45.530.915.42.777.18Producer Gas5.01.11.352.132.56LCV: Lower Calorific Value
It is evident from the Table 1 that the A/F required for natural gas is about 9.5:1 on volume basis. The same for bio-gas (60% methane and rest carbon dioxide) is about 6.1:1, similarly the A/F for landfill gas would fall in-between based on the methane content and other combustible constituents in the fuel gas. Whereas, the A/F required for producer gas containing about 18-20% H2 & CO each, 2% CH4, rest, inert is about 1.12:1. Since the A/F for producer gas is widely different compared to either natural gas or bio-gas, the commercially available gas carburettor meant for either natural gas/land fill gas/bio-gas is unsuitable for producer gas. The commercial gas carburettors for fossil fuel need fuel gas at high pressure (˜105 Pa (1 bar)), as the fuel is available under pressure. These carburettors are designed for the fossil fuel is whose energy density is higher than the biogas or producer gas, having implications on the sizes and designed consideration. These carburettors will have small passages for the same energy input compared with low energy content gas.
Typically, for producer gas whose energy content is about 1/10th that of any fossil fuel, requires 10 times the flow into the same fossil fuel carburettor, which is impossible due to issues related to pressure drops, etc a fluid dynamic issue. The producer gas generated in a gasifier is typically available at a pressure slightly above the ambient pressure (˜3000-4000 Pa).
Therefore if an engine fitted with natural gas carburettor were to be used for producer gas operation then it will lead to operation that at not optimal with respect to the performance and the delivered power by the engine would be very low. This therefore calls for a different carburettor to suit A/F requirement for producer gas fuel.
There have been many designs of carburettors for various fuel gases meant to be used in gas engines.


lighting unit includes a circuit board having a number of LED packages extending outward from a front side. The printed circuit board is covered by a transparent cover, forming an outer cavity between the cover and the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is supported by a housing, in which a second cavity is formed. In a first embodiment, the circuit board, being flexible, is wrapped around a cylindrical housing, with LED packages being directed radially outward. In a second embodiment, the circuit board is rigid, with LED packages being aligned in a common outward direction. In either embodiment, the outer cavity may be filled with a fluid used to promote cooling the LED packages.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lighting units employing LED (light emitting diode) packages and, more particularly, to beacon lights having LED packages extending radially outward from a cylindrical surface, and to display lights using individual LED packages to display a coherent image.
2. Background Information
Stationary lighting units are used for a number of important purposes, many of which require the placement of a light at a remote location where electrical service is non-existent and where the replacement of batteries used to operate the light is, at best, difficult and expensive. Examples of such applications are beacon lights placed along waterways to indicate buoy locations, navigational hazards, such as rock formations, and dock facilities. In such applications, the visible color and timing (i.e. whether the light is flashing and the sequence of flashes) is determined by the specific use of the light, with specific requirements for lights placed along navigable waterways being determined by government agencies, such as the U.S. Coast Guard. Such lights are generally incandescent types, which are powered, for example, by re-chargeable batteries operating the lights at night and being recharged using solar cells during the day.
Another common use of stationary lighting units is exemplified by flashing yellow warning lights placed along roadways to indicate construction areas and other locations causing traffic to be rerouted or, at least, to be warned away from a hazard, such as road edge next to a steep drop-off. A light of this type is generally configured as an integral unit, including a battery and electronics to provide the flasher function, along with a reflector and fresnel lens forming a housing around an incandescent lamp. Such an integral is typically clamped to a movable barricade, which is placed with other barricades around or along the hazard from which motorists are to be warned.
Two particular disadvantages of using incandescent lamps in applications of this type are the electrical current required and the frequent need for replacing lamps which burn out. The electrical current requirements of the lamp determine that a relatively large battery is required for the application, and that, if the battery is to be recharged during use, as in the marine navigational examples, the photovoltaic cells used to produce current for recharging must be relatively large. What is needed is a lighting system including a sufficiently-visible array of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), which typically use much less electrical energy than incandescent lamps. Furthermore, LEDs, since they are far more efficient than incandescent lamps, produce much less heat, allowing their use within and adjacent to plastic optical elements. In typical applications, LEDs last several times as long as incandescent lamps.
While most commercially-available LEDs are built using a single light-emitting chip integrated into a package with a single plastic lens through which light from the chip is refracted, cluster LEDs have been built with a number of segments extending outward from a cylindrical surface. Each such segment includes a light-emitting chip and a plastic lens structure.


A device may participate in a shared data state in which editing operations performed locally are distributed and synchronized with other devices participating in the shared data state. Data may be maintained in log-structured storage files on each device. Changes made locally may be conditionally appended to log-structured storage and committed or rolled back during synchronization. Devices may exchange sets of related change descriptors preceded by associated contextual information. Conflicts may be resolved through application of conflict resolution rules or through a user-involved process. User notification of conflict resolution may be based on user intent inferred from contextual information and associated change descriptors.

In networked computing environments, one or more users may wish to view and edit data using multiple computing devices. A user may have access to a personal computer, a web server and a mobile device, and may wish to view and manipulate the same set of data from each device. One such scenario involves taking photographs using a mobile device, performing image editing on a personal computer and allowing other users to comment on the photographs via a web site.
In these scenarios, the shared data may be kept locally on each device and periodically synchronized. However, changes made on one device or by one user may conflict with those made by another device or user. In addition, devices may occasionally lose access to the network or go offline for periods of time. Accordingly, methods for synchronizing shared data may be complex and prone to errors or inconsistent behavior.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Log-based synchronization with inferred context


A multi-chips module package comprises a lead frame, a first chip, a second chip, a plurality of electrically conductive wires and an encapsulation. The lead frame has a plurality of first leads, second leads and chip pads connecting to the first leads. The first chip is placed on the lead frame and electrically connected to the lead frame through the bumps connecting the bump-bonding pads and the chip pads and the first leads; the second chip is placed over the first chip and electrically connected to the lead frame through the wires connecting the wire-bonding pads to the second leads; and the encapsulation covers the first chip, the second chip, the lead frame, and the wires. In such a manner, it not only reduces the distance of transmitting the electrical signals from chips to the outside but also it can save cost due to the lead frame manufactured by a simple manufacturing processes. In addition, a manufacturing method of the multi-chips module package is provided.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a multi-chips module package. More particularly, the present invention is related to a multi-chips module package for integrating wire-bonded chip and flip chip therein and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Related Art
As we know, in the semiconductor industries, the manufacture of semiconductors mainly comprises the manufacture of wafers and the assembly of integrated circuits devices. Therein, the integrated circuits (ICs) devices are completely formed by the processes of forming integrated circuits devices on the semiconductor wafers, sawing the wafers into individual integrated circuits devices, placing the individual integrated circuits devices on the substrates, electrically connecting the integrated circuits devices to the substrates respectively and encapsulating the integrated circuits devices and substrates to form a plurality of individual assembly packages. Due to the encapsulation covering the integrated circuits devices, the integrated circuits devices are able to be protected from the damp entering therein. In addition, the individual assembly packages may further provide external terminals for connecting to printed circuit board (PCB).
However, recently, integrated circuits packaging technology is becoming a limiting factor for the development in packaging integrated circuits devices of higher performance. Semiconductor package designers are struggling to keep pace with the increase in pin count, size limitations, low profile, and other evolving requirements for packaging and mounting integrated circuits.
Due to the assembly package in miniature and the integrated circuits operation in high frequency, MCM (multi-chips module) packages are commonly used in said assembly packages and electronic devices. Usually, said MCM package mainly comprising at least two chips encapsulated therein is provided, for example a processor unit, a memory unit and related logic units, to upgrade the electrical performance of said assembly package. In addition, the electrical paths between the chips in said MCM package are short so as to reduce the signal delay and save the reading and writing time.
Generally speaking, as shown in FIG. 1, it illustrates a cross-sectional view of a conventional multi-chips module package. Therein, said multi-chips module package 100 mainly comprises two chips 10 and 12, a substrate 16, an encapsulation 18, a plurality of electrically conductive wires 19. The substrate 16 has an upper surface for carrying the chips 10 and 12 which are located in parallel, and the chips 10 and 12 are electrically connected to the substrate 16 through said wires 19. In addition, the encapsulation 18 covers the chips 10 and 12, said wires 19 and a portion of the substrate 16. Hence, the area of the substrate 16 will be increased according to the numbers of the chips to be carried thereon so as to make the complete package larger and larger.
Accordingly, the semiconductor industries develop a stacked multi-chips package as shown in FIG. 2, which illustrates that the package mainly comprises a first chip 28, a second chip 26 and a substrate 20. Therein, the first chip is attached to the substrate 20 via an adhesive layer (not shown) and the second chip 26 is mounted onto the first chip 28. Besides, the upper surface of the substrate 20 further has a plurality of wire-bonding pads 22 and 24, and the first chip 28 and the second chip 26 are electrically connected to the substrate 20 through a plurality wires 29 wire-bonding to the wire-bond pads 22 and 24 respectively. Thus, the electrical signals can be transmitted to the external electronic devices, such as printed circuit boards, through a plurality of solder balls attached to the lower surface of the substrate 20. Moreover, an encapsulation 28 is formed to cover the first chip 28 and the second chip 26 to well protect the chips 26 and 28 from being moisture entering into the chips 26 and 28 to cause the chips 26 and 28 damaged.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, it illustrates a multi-chips stacked package patented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,403 to James M. Wark et.al entitled "Device and Method for stacking wire-bonded integrated circuit dice on flip-chip bonded integrated circuit dice" and said stacked package mainly comprises a flip chip 48, a wire-bonded chip 46, and a substrate 40. The flip chip 48 is bonded to the upper surface of the substrate 40 through a plurality of bumps 52 formed on the flip chip 48 connecting to the flip-chip pads 44 formed on the substrate 40; and the wire-bonded chip 46 is mounted to the back surface of the flip chip 48 and electrically connected to the wire-bonded pads 42 formed on the substrate 40. To be noted, the bumps 47 are formed on the flip chip 48 through typical bumping process and said bumps 47 can be solder bumps or gold bumps. Moreover, an encapsulation 49 is formed to cover the wire-bonded chip 46 and the flip chip 48 to well protect the chips 46 and 48 from being moisture entering into the chips 46 and 48 to cause the chips 46 and 48 damaged.
As mentioned above, the layout of the circuits arranged in the substrate applicable to such package as shown above is so complex that the cost of substrate is very expensive due to the complexity of manufacturing substrate. Moreover, the electrical traces are longer so that the impedance, the inductance and the noise will be increased to lower the electrical performance.
Moreover, a multi-chips stacked package patented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,403 to Lo et.al entitled "Flip Chip Type Quad Hat Non-Leaded Package" is incorporated into this application for reference. Therein, it discloses a flip chip package which mainly comprises a plurality of leads for taking as electrical terminals for electrically connecting the chip and the external electronic devices. To be noted, the leads have first surfaces and second surfaces, and the chip are bonded to the first surfaces through a plurality of bumps and the second surfaces are exposed out of the encapsulation to connect to said external electronic devices as mentioned above. However, the leads are easily separated from the encapsulation so as to be not able to well connect to external electronic devices.
Therefore, providing another multi-chips module package and manufacturing method thereof to solve the mentioned-above disadvantages is the most important task in this invention.

Multi-chips module package and manufacturing method thereof

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A chassis includes a cover unit, a base unit which includes a bottom panel and a cover panel fixed to the bottom panel, a through hole defined in the cover panel, and a latch mechanism assembly. The latch mechanism assembly includes a hook protruding from the cover unit, an operating apparatus mounted to the bottom panel, a supporting member mounted to the bottom panel, a latch member resiliently mounted to the supporting member, and a connecting pole connecting the latch member to the operating apparatus. The hook is capable of extending through the through hole of the cover panel. The latch member includes a latch portion capable of securing the hook. The latch member is capable of engaging the hook when the hook is located within the through hole, and the operating apparatus is capable of retracting the connecting pole and thus causing the latch member to disengage the hook.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to latch mechanism assemblies, and more particularly to a latch mechanism assembly for a portable computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, an electronic device, such as a portable computer, includes a cover unit and a base unit pivotably connected to the cover unit, and a latch mechanism is provided to lock the cover unit to the base unit.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,239, a latch mechanism for locking a cover unit to a base unit includes a latch frame movably installed inside of the cover unit, a plurality of latches are formed on the latch frame at predetermined intervals, one end portion of each latch protrudes from a front surface of the cover unit, and a slide knob is operatively connected to the latch frame for concurrently operating the latches. The latches are inserted into and locked by latch grooves formed at positions corresponding to the latches on an upper surface of the base unit. The latches are urged against the base unit by elastic forces applied by double springs mounted to two ends of the latch frame. However, to open the cover unit, the slide knob is slid to counter the elastic forces of the springs and disengage the latch mechanism from the base unit. The sliding force depends on the friction between the slide knob and the operator's fingers. It is laborious for an operator to provide enough force to move a slide knob.
What is needed, therefore, is a labor saving latch mechanism assembly.


A cordless telephone apparatus comprising a base station telephone set, which is connected to a wire telephone network, and a plurality of portable radio telephone sets coupled by said base station telephone set and a radio network, and the portable radio telephone sets having a comparator for comparing a receive signal with a reference signal and a gain switching circuit for switching an antenna gain in accordance with the compared result of the comparator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cordless telephone apparatus having an antenna gain control circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a cordless telephone comprises a base station, which is connected to a wire telephone network, and a plurality of movable portable sets. The base station and the portable sets are connected to each other by a wireless or radio network. In the conventional cordless telephone apparatus, in a case where the portable set initiates a call, a predetermined key pad button is pressed in the portable set. A signal for setting a talking channel is then input into a control circuit of the movable portable set. A resultant talking channel setup is transmitted through an antenna via the wireless network to the base station.
The base station receives the transmitted radio signals from the portable set, and modulates the received signal. The modulated signal closes a line switch provided in a hybrid circuit via a baseband circuit of the base station. The wire telephone network and the base station are connected to each other by the line switch, and talking can be performed between the base station and the wire telephone over a line wire. The control circuit of the base station transmits a signal to the portable set by wireless, to indicate that the base station and the wire network are connected to each other.
In a case where telephone communications using two portable sets A and B are simultaneously performed, if the portable set A is positioned close to the base station and the portable set B is positioned further away from the base station, the base station receives a high field intensity radio signal from the portable set A and a low field intensity radio signal from portable set B. When the receiver of the base station receives the radio signal from the portable set B, its receiving sensitivity for the radio signal from portable set B is relatively the communication quality with the portable set B is accordingly worsened. The signal/noise may be deteriorated to the point that the base station cannot receive radio signals transmitted the portable set B and a connection between the portable set B and the base station will not be made.

Cordless telephone apparatus including an antenna gain switching circuit

c/o Intellectual Property Division, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, 1-1 Shibaura 1-chome


An attachment assembly for mounting to a conventional bench saw having a frame, a work supporting table on the frame displaying an opening therethrough and a pair of longitudinal grooves on a top face thereof, a moveable structure mounted to the frame and carrying a power operated shaft. The attachment assembly includes a tool base detachably mounted to the top face of the table; releaseable securing means fixed in a pair of grooves connected to a tool base for mounting the tool base to the table; and a tool device mounted on the tool base including a tool shaft and transmission means operatively connecting the tool shaft to the power operated shaft whereby rotation of the power operated shaft is transmitted to the tool shaft for operation of the tool device.

Conventional bench saws comprise a base, a work supporting table resting on top of the base and displaying a longitudinal opening therethrough, and one longitudinal groove on each side of said opening; a moveable structure is mounted on the base and carries a power operated main shaft, and means for causing vertical displacement of the shaft-carrying structure relative to the table.
Bench saw operators are dependent upon outside sources in order to perform certain operations, such as the resharpening of their saw blades. This situation generally entails that the operators hold up their decision on taking their blades out for resharpening, to keep up with production. This has a direct impact on the quality of the work performed, as well as on the pleasure of doing it.
Furthermore, the useful life of a saw blade drops dramatically, when resharpening is unduly delayed, which translates into an economically harmful factor.
Existing saw blade resharpening machines are stable and heavy, because of the high precision and severe work duty associated with the resharpening process. These machines are therefore expensive, and require a significant floor space area.
Other operations which could be performed using the conventional bench saw, as a convenient base and power source, include wood sanding and wood planing.

Attachment assembly for conventional bench saw


The features described herein are directed to a method and system for use in a computing environment for representing files stored in stacks by using a stack icon. The stack icon may include multiple thumbnail images as top elements, and may use common characteristics among the files to define the appearance of the stack. The system may also use metadata or file characteristics (e.g., time of last edit, size, etc.) to identify one file for top representation in the stack icon. The system may additionally include an empty stack icon, a generic stack icon, property based icons, and custom thumbnail icons.

In current computer operating system environments, icons are provided for representing items such as files, folders, shortcuts, applications, documents, tasks, and commands. Icons may be used in list views, toolbars, dialog boxes, menus, and other places. Icons may be used to represent all objects of a specific class, such as MICROSOFT WORD™ documents, MICROSOFT EXCEL™ files, jpeg files, or other types of files.
Icons may include thumbnail images used to represent specific objects, such as a specific jpeg or a specific folder. Icons may be dynamically generated by code run on a user's machine or may be cached. Application and component developers can, using custom icons and thumbnails, convey as much information about objects as their pixels will allow. However, existing systems do not provide a technique for graphically grouping multiple icons based on properties of the files represented.
Currently, when a user wants to group items having common characteristics, the user often groups the items into a folder. For example, a user can group documents by file type to include one group for MICROSOFT WORD™ text or word processing documents, one for MICROSOFT EXCEL™ spreadsheet documents, one for MICROSOFT POWERPOINT™ presentation documents, etc. A user may also group music by genre, creating separate groups for Pop, Classical, Hip-Hop, etc. While the conventional folder structure and icon may provide easy access to the documents, the generic folder icon fails to provide descriptive information pertaining to items within the folder.

Stack icons representing multiple objects


The access method comprises the following steps:                i) receiving a notification indicating the presence of at least one digital document available on the network, said notification comprising at least one executable command adapted to detect whether the recipient client device comprises a local application capable of processing the digital document,        ii) executing the command or commands in order to detect the local application, and        iii) in case of positive detection, accessing the digital document from a local server whereas in case of negative detection, accessing the document from the address of a remote server.

The present invention relates to accessing and/or sharing a digital document available in a communication network linking client devices together, said method utilizing a notification indicating the presence of a digital document available on the network, the notification being suitable for adaptation and for exploiting the presence or not of a local application able to process the digital document.
It has general application in the processing of digital documents available in a communication network, in particular communication networks of peer-to-peer type, designated hereinafter by the acronym P2P.
P2P communication systems have emerged in recent years constituting a revolution in file sharing in comparison with the conventional client-server model. In P2P systems, each machine (also termed node or peer) constituting the communication network acts as a client device as well as a server device. Thus, in a P2P network, the apparatuses put resources in common according to a philosophy of sharing as coequals, each machine of a P2P network acting both as client and as server. Such networks are thus distinguished from conventional client-server networks in which the resources are archived in a central server device.
Currently, the distribution of data relies increasingly on P2P networks due to their low-cost installation, the presence of very numerous computers connected to the networks, and due to the development of broadband connections.
However, P2P networks are unstable. This is because client devices (and consequently server devices) connect and disconnect periodically to the network, thus rendering the presence of data highly unpredictable. Furthermore, the addresses of client and/or server devices are unpredictable and liable to be different at each connection.
Due to their specificity, P2P systems generally imply the utilization of a local, dedicated client application, also termed a P2P local application. Such a P2P local application ensures the sharing of digital content, as well as searching and accessing the digital content available on P2P networks.
For example, the P2P local application may provide a notification mechanism based on the exchange of messages according to a proprietary protocol in order to enable a client device to notify one or more persons that it has just shared new digital contents on the network.
The P2P local application may also utilize electronic mail as a main mechanism for notification or as a supplement to the proprietary notification system. In this case, the electronic mail may possibly contain one or more specific files as attachments which may be interpreted by the P2P local application at the recipient or recipients.
P2P systems are also known which enable users not having any P2P local application to access the content on the network with the aid of Internet access tools that are more conventional and widespread such as browsers or Internet navigators.
In such systems, certain specific server devices or client devices in the network act as server devices playing the role of gateway between the Internet access tool (browser, explorer, navigator) and the P2P network. These machines may be viewed as proxy devices which take on the task of retrieving the resource sought on the P2P network for the Internet tool. In these systems, email is utilized conventionally as a notification mechanism. The email may then contain a page in markup language or a link (also termed a URL from "Uniform Ressource Locator") to a page enabling the recipient user to access the resources.
Thus, in a P2P system, a user may utilize a P2P local application to share digital content over the network, and to browse and access the content available on the P2P network.
The user not having the P2P local application or the user not wishing to utilize the interface provided may also utilize tools capable of viewing pages in markup language to access the digital content (Web explorer, email reader, or any other application capable of displaying pages in markup language).
For example, the user may share collections of digital content with a group of persons, it being possible for those persons to have the P2P local application or not.
The Applicant set itself the problem of providing a method enabling recipient client devices to be notified in a uniform manner without having to know a priori whether said recipients posses a P2P local application dedicated to the processing of digital documents.

Method of accessing and sharing a digital document in P2P communication network


Provided is a communication control apparatus including a communication unit configured to receive, from a base station of a radio communication system, grant information that specifies a resource for relay within a frequency resource assigned to a radio communication system operated with a frequency division duplex scheme, the resource for relay being granted to be used for relay of traffic, and a relay control unit configured to relay the traffic with a time division duplex scheme on the resource for relay during a period that is associated with the grant information.

The radio communication technology is faced by a problem of a lack of frequency resources due to recent rapid increase in data traffic. One of examples of major solutions to use frequency resources efficiently is to introduce a relay station. A relay station relays traffic for a terminal located inside a cell or in the vicinity thereof where radio waves are weak (e.g., behind a building, inside a building, or near a cell edge). The usage efficiency of frequency resources can be improved by a relay station reusing frequency resources assigned by a radio communication system for relay.
Patent Literature 1 below discloses a technique in which a relay station relays traffic in accordance with a schedule decided by a base station.

Communication control apparatus and communication control method for assigning resources for relay of data traffic


This invention relates to a hose clamp constituted by a band of material, generally metal, wound on itself, one of the ends of said band presenting relief elements forming a rack, whilst on the other end is fixed a housing which constitutes the support of a screw which is mounted to pivot about its axis, said screw abutting on a stop axially mobile with respect to the housing against the action of a spring. The spring is constituted by a curved blade, for example in the form of a semi-circle, whose concavity faces the inside of the clamp and whose ends are laterally in contact with the sides of the housing. A first end of said blade is axially fixed to the housing and provided with an opening in which the tail of the screw may slide, whilst the second end of the blade surrounds at least partially the shank of the screw in the vicinity of its head and is mounted to slide with respect to the sides of the housing.

A hose clamp is already known, particularly by U.S. Pat. No. 2,522,494 and DE-A-41.08,852 or by published International Applications W080/01199 and W087/00602, which is constituted by a band of flexible material, generally metal, wound on itself. One of the ends of the band presents, at least on its outer surface, a regular succession of crests and/or troughs forming a rack. On the other end of the band is fixed a housing essentially presenting two lateral sides and constituting the support of a screw which is mounted to pivot about its axis. This latter is itself substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the band, i.e. to a tangent to the clamp when the band is wound on itself. The longitudinal position of the screw with respect to the housing is variable and determined by at least one stop, axially mobile with respect to the housing, against the action of a spring. On this stop there abuts an appropriate zone of the tail of the screw. In certain cases, the screw is held in the housing thanks to an approximately cylindrical shape of the latter; in other cases, two bearings may be provided, receiving the threaded shank of the screw, respectively near its head and its tail.
Finally, the housing presents a transverse slot via which penetrates the free end of the band whose relief elements come into mesh with the threads of the screw, this allowing the band to be tightened by rotation of the screw with the aid of an appropriate tool.
This type of clamp incorporating tightening screw is much used in industry, particularly if it is desired automatically to compensate a possible reduction in the diameter of the object tightened, but it generally presents at least one serious drawback.
In fact, the known clamps do not allow the clearances to be taken up at the moment of tightening; in certain cases, it may be observed that the threads of the screw are disengaged from the rack of the band, thus preventing continued tightening of the clamp.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hose clamp incorporating tightening screw of the type which has just been recalled, whose design avoids the drawback which has been set forth hereinbefore.

Hose clamp incorporating tightening screw


A spectrally-selective reflective optical film comprises at least two anisotropic layers, each of the layers having a phase retardation value and an optical axis orientation pattern within the layer; the optical axis orientation patterns exhibiting a discontinuity at the boundary of the at least two layers; and at least one substrate holding the film. At least a part of the anisotropic layers may be chiral. The materials comprising the anisotropic layers may be selected from liquid crystal polymers, azobenzene liquid crystal polymers, liquid crystals, azobenzene liquid crystals, polymer films with stressed birefringence, and combinations thereof. The materials comprising the anisotropic layers may be doped with at least one dopant from the list comprising nanorods, photorefractive nanoparticles, photovoltaic nanoparticles, lasing dyes, and combinations of thereof. The anisotropic layers may be transparent to infrared wavelengths. The anisotropic layers may be arranged in a periodic pattern of retardation values, including zero.

Traditional Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Material Systems generate a reflection notch (optical filter), but they are polarization dependent and work with circularly polarized light. Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) are materials with easily tunable optical band gap. The band gap feature is polarization dependent, determined by the chirality of the liquid crystal molecules. It is desirable to overcome this limitation.

Swinging nematic liquid crystals and method for making

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


The invention relates to the reading of addresses on mailings whereby the images with the addresses are videocoded in several video-coding sites by means of a job distribution device. At fixed intervals a current individual error rate, for first-pass video coding for each video-coded addresses which are not successful on the first pass in the video coding units with the highest current individual error rates, is determined with respect to the total coding error rate to be maintained, by means of the video coding units coming free which have the lowest current individual error rates.

The present invention relates to a method for reading the addresses on items of mail as claimed in the preamble of claim 1, as well as to a device for carrying out the method as claimed in the preamble of claim 5.
Systems for automatically reading addresses (OCR) are well known in the field of letter processing and are described, for example, in DE 195 31 392 C1. With modern OCR letter sorting systems, processing rates of ten letters per second, i.e. 36,000 letters per hour and more can be achieved. However, the recognition reliability varies greatly depending on the type of lettering and the overall quality of the address information on the surface of the letters. In the case of successful recognition, the respective letter can be provided with a machine-readable barcode. This barcode permits further mechanical processing extending as far as any desired sorting arrangement. In particular, the use of barcodes permits the letters to be sorted extending as far as the sorting level of the postal round during which letters are sorted in accordance with the sequence of their distribution by the postal delivery person.
Since the recognition rates of the automatic reading system vary to a very great extent it is necessary for them to be supported by video coding devices, In this context, the video images of the items of mail which are rejected by the OCR processor are manually coded by video coding personnel at corresponding video coding workstations. In this context, the addresses which are input are converted into a sorting code by means of a directory.
In online video coding systems (OVS) the video image is shown to the operator, while the physical item of mail is held in delaying paths. In these delaying paths, the item of mail is normally kept moving for a time period which is sufficient for the operator to enter the necessary sorting information for the respective image. The customary delaying paths permit a delay between 10 and 30 seconds. The longer the delaying path, the greater the cost and the requirements for maintenance and the physical size of the equipment.
The main problem when using OVS is that the available time is sufficient only to carefully input the zip code (ZIP) or the postcode (PC) unless delaying paths which have an unpractical length are used.
For this reason, special coding methods have been developed for keeping the necessary online delay time as short as possible.
In order to increase the coding productivity and/or to permit all the address elements, i.e. ZIP/PC, road/P.O. Box, addressee/P.O. Box, addressee/company, to be stated, the following essential methods are known:
Preview Coding
In the case of preview coding, the images of two items of mail are represented simultaneously; one above the other. In this context, the lower image is the active one, i.e. its data is coded. After suitable training, it is possible for operators to code the information on the lower image while they are already taking in the address information from the upper image. The upper image then becomes active and the process is continued. With preview coding, it is possible to double operator productivity as a result of a complete overlap of the cognitive and motive functions when coding successive images.
Extraction Coding
Since only the ZIP/PC address elements can be reliably input by the operator given the online delay times which can be achieved in practice, in the case of extraction coding specific key components of parts of the address which relate to the road are input, Extraction coding is usually based on specially developed rules in which a code of a fixed length is used as an access key to an address directory. For example, the Royal Mail uses an extraction formula which is based on the first three and the last two letters In this context, special rules must be committed to memory by the operator in order to avoid excessive address information and to take into account specific differentiating features such as, for example, directions, for example east, west or categories, for example Street, Lane, Road.
Extraction coding has, despite a specific degree of effectiveness, a number of relatively large disadvantages; in particular, complex extraction rules which frequently require the end of a street name to be taken into account, while these components are usually written least clearly. In addition, a significantly high rate of ambiguous extractions take place during which a plurality of entries in one directory correspond to the extraction code so that it is not possible to make an unambiguous sorting decision, Furthermore, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the inputting productivity of the operators is reduced as soon as decisions have to be made by the operator instead of a simple repetitive input on a keyboard.
Offline Coding
Since sufficiently high productivity is not reached in any of the above mentioned coding techniques when pure online coding is used, offline coding systems are also used such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,649. In this system, items of mail with addresses which have not been recognized are provided with additional information, a tracking identification (TID). The items of mail which are not recognized are stored externally, while the images of these items of mail are presented to operators for coding, there being no chronological restrictions. The items of mail are then presented to TID reading devices. The TID is logically linked to the input address information. Taking this as a basis, the customary barcode sorting information item can then be applied to the item of mail so that the respective item of mail can be processed as items of mail which have been OCR-read in the customary way. Although the offline video coding method constitutes an effective method of coding all the parts of an address, capacities for the further processing of items of mail which are provided with addresses which are not read, and correspondingly complex logistics, are additionally required.
A sorting system with a plurality of sorters, composed of a sorting section, image recording means and OCR unit, and a plurality of coding stations, has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,252. The data which has been rejected in the OCR units is assigned to the video coding stations by means of a distributor unit. The data which has been corrected by means of video coding is then sent back via the distributor unit to the sorters from which the rejected data originates.
By including the frequency of the rejected data in each sorter and the performance values features of the video coding stations, the selection of the video coding stations is made in such a way that the throughput rate is as high as possible and the coding stations are utilized to as high a level as possible and as uniformly as possible. By means of this arrangement, in which the individual sorters and the video coding stations are rigidly connected to one another, it is also possible to deal with rejection peaks at a specific sorter.
In order to increase the reading performance it is also known for all the unsuccessfully video coded images, i.e. in which the coding does not correspond to an entry in a corresponding address directory, to be video coded a second time.
This can be carried out by means of the same member of the video coding personnel (said person is given a second chance for correction) or by a different member of the video coding personnel. This image or the reading result is definitively rejected only if this second attempt also fails. A relatively large coding capacity for the second coding process is therefore necessary here, especially since the causes of the failure of correspondence with the entries in the address directories may not only be the coding errors but also errors of the senders or errors in the address directories or address directories which are not up to date.
The statements made with respect to video coding apply of course also to reading devices without an automatic OCR reader.

Method and device for reading the addresses on items of mail


Methods for identifying and/or distinguishing a homogeneous population of cells based on their replication domain timing profile using high resolution genomic arrays or sequencing procedures are provided. These methods may be used to compare the replication timing profile for a population of cells to another replication timing profile(s), a replication timing fingerprint, and/or one or more informative segments of a replication timing fingerprint, which may be simultaneously or previously determined and/or contained in a database, to determine whether there is a match between them. Based on such information, the identity of the population of cells may be determined, or the identity of the population of cells may be distinguished from other populations of cells or cell types. Methods for determining a replication timing fingerprint for particular cell types are also provided.

Field of the Invention
The present invention broadly relates to a method for identifying cells based on their replication domain timing profiles using a high resolution genomic array. The present invention also broadly relates to a method for distinguishing cells from other cells based on replication timing profiles using a high resolution genomic array. The present invention further broadly relates to determining one or more replication timing fingerprints of a cell by comparing replication domain timing profiles obtained using a high resolution genomic array.
Related Art
Conventional mechanisms to classify or identify cells involve a variety of heterogeneous biochemical and molecular procedures. For example, morphology-based approaches (e.g., histology) rely on microscopic examination of cell shape and features to determine cell type. This approach is useful in cases in which cells display a distinctive shape (e.g., long axons in neurons) and/or an easily recognizable feature (e.g., a lipid vesicle stained for fats), but most cells are difficult to distinguish based on their appearance alone. Histology-based procedures to cell identification also require a highly trained person making them impossible to apply in a high-throughput manner.
Protein-based approaches, including biochemical and/or immunological techniques, involve detection of specific proteins that may indicate a particular cell type. A protein may be recognized by an antibody specific for such protein present either on the cell surface (e.g., by immunohistology) or in extracts or samples from disintegrated cells (e.g., by immunoblotting or ELISA). These assays are generally sensitive, fast and simple. However, because each antibody only recognizes one particular protein antigen, such approaches generally do not provide sufficient information to distinguish various types of cells. In other words, a single protein marker is rarely a guarantee of a particular cell type. On the other hand, larger scale protein detection methods (e.g., proteomics) suffer from insufficient sensitivity and a lack of capability for automation.
RNA-based approaches are based generally on the detection of mRNA as a reflection of gene expression that may be indicative of a particular cell type and may be performed individually or using an array system. See, e.g., Spellman et al., Mol. Biol. Cell 9:3273-97 (1998); DeRisi et al., Science 278:680-686 (1997); Burton et al., Gene 293:21-31 (2002). Indeed, these technologies can produce a great deal of information about the overall pattern of gene expression of a cell. However, the decisive drawback of this system is the instability of RNA. Every experiment with RNA must take into account possible degradation of RNA that may occur during sample collection, storage, and experimentation. This is especially problematic when working with archived samples (e.g., preserved biopsies) or with limited amounts of cellular material. A further problem with RNA-based approaches is that mRNA fluctuates in response to temporary changes in environmental conditions. In addition, it has been demonstrated recently that mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) display considerable cell-to-cell heterogeneity in the expression of certain pluripotency-specific marker genes. See, e.g., Silva et al., "Capturing pluripotency," Cell 132:532-536 (2008); and Toyooka et al., "Identification and characterization of subpopulations in undifferentiated ES cell culture," Development 135:909-918 (2008).
Therefore, RNA-based approaches for cell identification are limited by perturbations in gene expression caused by transient cell culture conditions, cell-to-cell heterogeneity in gene expression, and random degradation of mRNA in cell-derived extracts or samples that adversely affect the robustness, reproducibility, and interpretation of such techniques. As a result, biological and stochastic variability must be countered by intense bioinformatic analysis. In general, RNA-based arrays are useful discovery tools, but they are not yet widely applicable as a clinical or large scale assay method for the identification of cells. See, e.g., Miller et al., Cancer Cell 2:353-61 (2002); Nadon et al., Trends Genet 18:265-71 (2002); Murphy D, Adv Physiol Educ, 26:256-70, (2002).
In recent years, some markers for epigenetic modifications to chromatin, such as DNA methylation and histone acetylation, have been used to study and distinguish cells. Such approaches are based on the fact that higher organisms must impose and maintain different patterns of gene expression in various types of tissues and/or cells despite having essentially the same DNA sequence encoded by the genome of all cell types within the body of an individual. This is achieved largely through changes in chromatin structure caused in part by chemical modification of chromatin. Generally speaking, the most condensed chromatin domains, known as heterochromatin, are inaccessible to DNA binding factors and tend to be transcriptionally silent, whereas more extended chromatin domains, known as euchromatin, correspond to more accessible portions of the genome that tend to be transcriptionally active.
Therefore, assaying for various epigenetic modifications to chromatin within a collection of cells may provide a basis for distinguishing not only different types of cells, but normal versus transformed cells. For example, aberrant methylation of DNA frequently accompanies the transformation event from healthy to cancerous cells. Indeed, there are examples where specific methylation status may be used identify and/or distinguish various forms of cancer (see, e.g., Jones et al., Nature Genetics 21:163-167 (1999); Esteller et al., Oncogene 21:5427-5440 (2002); Laird et al., Nature Reviews Cancer 3:253-266 (2003)), as well as different stages and lineage commitments of normal cells (see, e.g., Attwood et al., CMLS 59:241-257 (2002)). However, these techniques based on epigenetic chemical modifications to identify cell states are limited by the fact that (1) they require very high resolution (200 bp nucleosomal units), (2) they reflect dynamic chromatin states that can change or become heterogeneous within a homogeneous cell type, (3) there is a large diversity of histone modifications that would need to be individually investigated to gain a comprehensive profile, and (4) these rely on the use of different and expensive antibodies and other reagents that would create challenges for high-throughput analysis.
Accordingly, new and improved methods for identifying and/or distinguishing cells are still needed.

Method for identifying cells based on DNA replication domain timing profiles

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.


Identification of a protein having an activity of oxidizing oleanane-type triterpene, and a gene encoding the protein, the protein and the gene, and use thereof are provided. For example, a protein having an activity of oxidizing oleanane-type triterpene obtained from a plant in the family Fabaceae, a gene encoding the protein and use thereof are provided. The protein is shown in, for example, SEQ ID NO: 4, 14 or 18, and the gene encoding the protein is shown in, for example, SEQ ID NO: 3, 13 or 17. A transformant into which the gene is introduced can be produced, and thereby a triterpene oxidase can be obtained.

Plants belonging to the genus Glycyrrhiza that are perennial herbaceous plants in the family Fabaceae are known as important raw materials for Chinese herbal medicines and widely used around the world. Parts to be used as herbal medicine in the plants are mainly roots and stolons. It has been revealed that a main active ingredient contained in these parts is glycyrrhizin in G. uralensis, G. glabra, and G. inflata belonging to the genus Glycyrrhiza. Glycyrrhizin is a sweetener belonging to oleanane-type triterpene saponin (triterpenoid saponin). Various studies such as pharmacognostic study, pharmacological study, and breeding study on glycyrrhizin have been carried out due to its usefulness.
In order to stably and continuously supply high quality glycyrrhizin as medicine by a biological production system, establishment of optimal conditions for production, selection of a high-production strain of glycyrrhizin, breeding of high production plants of glycyrrhizin by introduction of a synthase gene, or the like, are necessary to be carried out by using a biosynthesis-related gene of glycyrrhizin or a gene expression amount of the gene as a marker. In order to do so, identification of a biosynthesis-related gene of glycyrrhizin is essential. As to a synthase gene involved in a biosynthetic pathway of glycyrrhizin, biosynthetic pathways and genes involved in the biosynthetic pathways, after β-amyrin synthase, have hardly been clarified. β-amyrin belongs to oleanane-type triterpene (triterpenoid), and is a precursor from which biosynthesis of glycyrrhizin and soyasaponin diverges in the triterpene saponin biosynthetic pathway (see FIG. 1a). To date, as a synthase gene in a pathway from β-amyrin to soyasaponin, a cytochrome P450 oxidase gene CYP93E1, which hydroxylates β-amyrin and sophoradiol at the position 24, has been isolated from soybean (see Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 1) (see FIG. 1a). Furthermore, as a synthase gene in a pathway from β-amyrin to glycyrrhizin, a cytochrome P450 oxidase gene (CYP88D6), which oxidizes carbon at the position 11 of β-amyrin, has been isolated from Glycyrrhiza by the present inventors (see Patent Literature 2) (FIG. 1a and FIG. 8). However, since the biosynthetic pathway of glycyrrhizin and a synthase gene related thereto have not sufficiently been elucidated, it has not been possible to efficiently obtain glycyrrhizin by a biological production system.

Triterpene oxidase derived from plant belonging to genus


A keyword confirmation method and apparatus are provided. A keyword confirmation method includes: obtaining first audio data, the first audio data being recognized as a keyword; obtaining a pronunciation similarity probability of a similar pronunciation unit corresponding to at least one fragment of the first audio data and second audio data; determining that multiple contiguous silence fragments exist in second audio data contiguous in time with the first audio data; utilizing the silence probability, as well as a pronunciation similarity probability corresponding to fragment(s) of the first audio data and/or a pronunciation similarity probability corresponding to fragment(s) of the second audio data, evaluating whether the second audio data is silence; and confirming the first audio data as an effective keyword.

In the field of human-computer interactions, many kinds of electronic apparatuses such as, for example, in-vehicle terminals and the like already utilize keywords to wake up electronic apparatuses, activate human-computer interaction functions, or execute particular types of functions.
For example, when a user says "start the system," "zoom in on the map," and such specific keywords, the electronic apparatus, after detecting the above-mentioned keywords of the user, executes pertinent system start and map zoom-in functions. In such a voice-controlled fashion, convenience is greatly increased for the user.
But, a problem to be solved in the present field is how to determine keywords sounded by a user without causing misevaluations: for example, recognizing a non-keyword normal conversation as keywords, or erroneously recognizing keywords as non-keywords and declining to start up.
To solve this problem, one solution set forth in existing technologies is comparing speech sounded by a user with keywords in a keyword library, and if a match can be made, then deeming that a voice command sounded by the user is a keyword, and the electronic apparatus correspondingly executes a pertinent instruction; if a match cannot be made, then it is not a keyword, and the electronic apparatus does not execute an instruction.
But, this solution easily recognizes non-keyword content in user conversations as keywords; for example, when a user says "no need to start the system yet" or "I just want to know if the zooming in on the map function works," the keywords "start the system" and "zooming in on the map" contained in this kind of normal conversation will be recognized as keywords by the electronic apparatus, and thereby instructions are erroneously executed.

Keyword confirmation method and apparatus


A non-magnetic plate, or spacer block, of is attached to the side of the switching assembly of a high security switch system. Alternatively, the actuator assembly may have an extended housing. As a result, a second actuator assembly may not be substituted for the first actuator assembly by placing the second actuator assembly on the side of the first actuator assembly and slid under the security switch assembly as the first actuator assembly is moved away for the purpose of defeating the security switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic proximity switch system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The actuation range of conventional magnetically actuated proximity security switches, for example, balanced type magnetically actuated reed switches, must be wide enough so that false alarms are not generated by mechanical vibrations or small displacements of the door or any other moveable object to which the actuator assembly is fixed. The conventional actuator assembly housing has the same thickness as the switch assembly housing. Because the actuation range of the switch assembly housing extends beyond the actuator assembly housing, conventional switches are vulnerable to defeat by placing a second actuator assembly on the side of the first actuator and sliding it under the security switch assembly as the first actuator assembly is moved away. The second actuator assembly may be a duplicate of the first actuator assembly, a mechanically modified version of the first actuator assembly, or a specially designed lock picking actuator assembly.

Magnetic proximity switch system with slide-by anti-defeat machanism


To provide an computer system including a storage system that includes a logical device logically set in a physical device, an host computer that requests the storage system for a data input/output, and a management device that manages information of components of the storage system, the host computer requesting a data input/output via a logical path serving as a communication paths with the logical device and, the some of the host computer restricted to send the data input/output request to the logical device, wherein the management device includes an information acquisition module that acquires the information of the components in the storage system, and a judging module that selects a logical device to move based on a number of logical paths set on the logical devices and a number of communication counterpart devices set through effective logical paths in the information acquired by the information acquisition module.

The present invention relates generally to an computer system including array type storage systems, and more particularly to an computer system that selects a logical device to be moved to an other array group from among logical devices set in the storage systems and to an computer system that selects a logical device in which a path is set afresh.
There has hitherto been widely utilized a capacity-increased disk array device by loading a single storage system with plural disk drives (physical devices). Therefore, a general practice is not that a single server occupies one storage system but that plural servers share one storage system with each other in a network (e.g., Storage Area Network (SAN)) for the use of the storage systems.
There was proposed a method of improving an input/output performance of the plural logical devices set on the physical devices by equalizing loads of disk array devices having this type of plural disk drives. Specifically, an computer system has plural array groups including plural physical devices, wherein the plural logical devices are set in each of the array groups. Proposed in this type of computer system is a technology (refer to JP 11-95934 A) of equalizing the loads of the physical devices by storing a result of observing an input/output request accepting frequency with respect to every array group, every logical devices, and every physical device in a table provided in a control information memory within a control device, and replacing, with each other, the logical devices belonging to different array groups and having different input/output request accepting frequencies.

Computer system, management device, and logical device selecting method and program


An optical waveguide sheet, includes: an optical path; and a clad member that covers the optical path, wherein the clad member has a portion formed by removing a part of the clad member which is on a first surface of an optical waveguide sheet on which the optical component is to be mounted and is provided within an area which is unused for propagation of light input to and output from the optical component.

An optical unit is formed by attaching optical components such a lens and an optical element to an optical waveguide sheet with respect to the position of a mirror formed in advance on an optical path in the optical waveguide sheet.
A related technology is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-85647 or Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-195462.

Optical waveguide sheet, optical unit, and method for manufacturing the same


A low-magnification interference microscope objective is rendered parfocal with a high-magnification objective by folding the light beam to the side of the optical axis of the objective, thereby maintaining the original optical path length while shortening the mechanical length of the objective. The beam is reflected by a mirror, causing it to travel some distance out to the side, and then it is reflected back toward the beamsplitter by an additional pair of mirrors. After a final reflection within the beamsplitter, the resulting beam is coaxial with the original optical axis, while the physical length of the objective has been substantially reduced. This approach makes it possible to obtain a desired distance from the mounting shoulder of the objective to the focal point.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related in general to the field of interferometry and, in particular, to a novel interference microscope objective with a folded optical path to reduce the physical length of the objective.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is desirable to provide interferometric instruments with the flexibility of operating at different magnifications. Accordingly, interferometers used to measure surface roughness are often equipped with a rotatable turret capable of accommodating multiple interference microscope objectives with different optical power. In such a configuration, it is very important that the objectives be substantially parfocal, as defined below, to minimize the need for focussing after switching from one objective to another.
In surface profilometry applications, interference microscope objectives are typically used with magnifications in the 1.5.times. to 10.times. range. Based on current commercial availability, microscope objectives commonly used for these applications are used with a tube lens with a specific reference focal length (for example, typically 200 mm for Nikon, 180 mm for Olympus, and 160 mm for Zeiss objectives). Therefore, the focal length of these objectives varies inversely with their power according to the relation f.sub.objective =f.sub.Reference /power. For example, a 50.times. Nikon objective has a focal length of 4 mm; a 20.times. Nikon objective of 10 mm; and so on. Obviously, low power objectives have a relatively long focal length, which makes it difficult to design them with a physical length sufficiently short to fit alongside high power objectives that may be less than half their length. The problem is further exacerbated by the necessity of introducing a beamsplitter between the objective's lens and the test sample for interference purposes.
In practice, objectives in the 2.5.times. to 50.times. range are substantially similar in size and can be mounted coplanarly on a turret such that the distance between their mounting shoulder and their focal point is the same. For the purposes of this disclosure, multiple objectives characterized by this condition are defined as "parfocal" objectives. Referring to the Wyko 2.5.times. microscope objective 10 shown in FIG. 1, for example, which includes a beamsplitter for interference purposes, the distance D between its mounting shoulder 12, which in operation abuts the mounting plane 14 of the objective turret 16, and its focal point F (shown coincident with a sample surface S) is approximately 48 mm. The corresponding distances for comparable Wyko 5.times., 10.times., 20.times. and 50.times. objectives are about 49, 45, 45 and 45 mm, respectively.
Therefore, these reference objectives are readily rendered parfocal by adding collars of different lengths to each one to provide a common nominal parfocal distance D' to the focal point F. This modification is illustrated in the Wyko 10.times. objective 20 shown in FIG. 2, also including a beamsplitter for interference purposes, where an extension collar 22 is inserted between the shoulder 12 of the objective and the plane 14 of the turret 16 so as to increase the distance D by about 6.35 mm to a nominal parfocal distance D' of approximately 51.35 mm. Using this approach, all objectives with powers in the range between 2.5.times. and 50.times. are modified in a relatively simple manner for parfocal use in a single turret having a mounting plane 14 that produces a substantially focussed condition when the object under test is placed at about the distance D' from the plane 14. Thus, once an object is in focus for one objective, it remains substantially so when the turret 16 is rotated and other objectives are placed in operation.
For the purpose of this disclosure, the focal point F is assumed to be coincident with the location of the sample surface S. This describes the "infinite conjugates" imaging condition, in which the objective forms an image of the sample an infinite distance above the objective. This image then acts as an object for the tube lens, which forms a (typically) magnified image of the sample at a fixed location in space. As one skilled in the art would readily understand, though, the disclosure applies equally to the case where the focal point is above the sample surface, and an image of the surface is formed a finite distance above the objective without the use of a tube lens. Thus, while the "infinite conjugates" imaging condition is used here to simplify the description of the invention, the description can be generalized with no loss of accuracy to the "finite conjugates" imaging condition. It can also be applied to the case where the focal point is below the sample surface S.
Unfortunately, 1.5.times. and 2.times. objectives have a relatively long focal length that in practice is not suitable for the same solution. For example, the distance D for Wyko 1.5.times. and 2.0.times. objectives is about 115 mm, about 64 mm too long for fitting within the nominal parfocal distance D' of 51.35 mm used for the more powerful, and shorter, objectives. Thus, it is clear that low-power objectives could not be mounted parfocally on a turret alongside more powerful objectives. If sufficient space were provided to mount both, focussing a "short" objective would cause an adjacent "long" objective on the turret to physically contact the test sample or the microscope stage. The same could happen while rotating the turret to place the long objective in operation. It is noted that for the purpose of this disclosure "low-power" objectives are considered to be those with magnifications of 1.5.times. and 2.times., while "high-power" objectives are those with magnifications of 2.5.times. to 50.times.. Although these definitions do not correspond to normal microscopy usage, where high power typically would refer to magnifications somewhat greater than 2.5.times., they are appropriate for the description of the invention, which regards the physical length of the objectives in relation to their power of magnification.
Several practical difficulties prevent the design of a turret/microscope assembly with sufficient height D' to accommodate all objectives of interest in a substantially parfocal condition (that is, theoretically, very tall collars 22 could be used with high-power objectives to obtain the same nominal parfocal distance D' for all objectives). One problem with this approach is that degraded illumination would result for the more powerful objectives due to a substantial misalignment along the optical axis of their entrance pupils with respect to the less powerful objectives. This misalignment of the entrance pupils would also cause the light beam to pass through different portions of the collection optics for the high-power versus the low-power objectives. In addition, the telecentricity of microscope objectives, which prevents changes in magnification during focussing, makes it difficult to substantially shorten the length of the low-power objective in a practical and economically feasible manner. Finally, the problem is further complicated by the fact that interference objectives require a beamsplitter in the optical path. Since Michelson interferometers, which employ a cube beamsplitter placed between the last lens and the test object, are most suitable for low-magnification objectives, the additional space occupied by the beamsplitter further decreases the length available for placement of the other optical components of the objectives while maintaining a given parfocal length.
Accordingly, there is still a need for a low-power interference objective that is substantially commensurate in length with higher-power objectives for concurrent use mounted in parallel on a rotatable turret. This invention is directed at providing a novel approach to that end.

Folded low-power interference microscope objective


A combination belt and roll fuser has a pair of pressure engageable rolls with a belt looped or wrapped around one of the pressure engageable rolls such that the belt is sandwiched therebetween. The belt is deformed due to the force exerted by the pressure rolls such that it forms a single fusing nip. Substrates carrying toner images pass through the single fusing nip with the toner images contacting the outer surface of the belt. An internally heated, thermally conductive roll contacts a portion of the belt externally at a pre-nip location for elevating its temperature. The pressure engageable roll about which the belt is entrained is internally heated during warm-up for minimizing droop. This belt and roll fuser configuration exhibits the characteristics of a Nip Forming Fuser Roll (NFFR) fuser.

This invention relates generally to xerographic image creation apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to the heat and pressure belt fuser for fixing color toner images to a final substrate at high speeds.
In a typical electrophotographic printing process, a photoconductive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive member is exposed to selectively dissipate the charges thereon in the irradiated areas. This records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member. After the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed by bringing a developer material into contact therewith. Generally, the developer material comprises toner particles adhering triboelectrically to carrier granules. The toner particles are attracted from the carrier granules either to a donor roll or to a latent image on the photoconductive member. The toner attracted to a donor roll is then deposited on a latent electrostatic images on a charge retentive surface which is usually a photoreceptor. The toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive member to a copy substrate. The toner particles are heated to permanently affix the powder image to the copy substrate.
In order to fix or fuse the toner material onto a support member permanently by heat, it is necessary to elevate the temperature of the toner material to a point at which constituents of the toner material coalesce and become tacky. This action causes the toner to flow to some extent onto the fibers or pores of the support members or otherwise upon the surfaces thereof. Thereafter, as the toner material cools, solidification of the toner material occurs causing the toner material to be bonded firmly to the support member.
One approach to thermal fusing of toner material images onto the supporting substrate has been to pass the substrate with the unfused toner images thereon between a pair of opposed roller members at least one of which is internally heated. During operation of a fusing system of this type, the support member to which the toner images are electrostatically adhered is moved through the nip formed between the rolls with the toner image contacting the heated fuser roll to thereby effect heating of the toner images within the nip. In a Nip Forming Fuser Roll (NFFR), the heated fuser roll is provided with a layer or layers that are deformable by a harder pressure roll when the two rolls are pressure engaged. The length of the nip determines the dwell time or time that the toner particles remain in contact with the surface of the heated roll.
The heated fuser roll is usually the roll that contacts the toner images on a substrate such as plain paper. In any event, the roll contacting the toner images is usually provided with an abhesive (low surface energy) material for preventing toner offset to the fuser member. Three materials which are commonly used for such purposes are PFA, Viton.TM. and silicone rubber.
Roll fusers work very well for fusing color images at low speeds since the required process conditions such as temperature, pressure and dwell can easily be achieved. When process speeds approach 100 pages per minute (ppm) roll fusing performance starts to falter. At such higher speeds, dwell must remain constant which necessitates an increase in nip width. Increasing nip width can be accomplished most readily by either increasing the fuser roll (FR) rubber thickness and/or the outside diameter of the roll. Each of these solutions reach their limit at about 100 ppm. Specifically, the rubber thickness is limited by the maximum temperature the rubber can withstand and the thermal gradient across the elastomer layer. The roll size becomes a critical issue for reasons of space, weight, cost, & stripping.
Following is a discussion of prior art, incorporated herein by reference, which may bear on the patentability of the present invention. In addition to possibly having some relevance to the question of patentability, these references, together with the detailed description to follow, may provide a better understanding and appreciation of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,566 granted to Albert W. Scribner on Dec. 30, 1980 discloses a heat and pressure fusing apparatus that exhibits high thermal efficiency. The fusing apparatus comprises at least one pair of first and second oppositely driven pressure fixing feed rollers, each of the rollers having an outer layer of a thermal insulating material; first and second idler rollers, a first flexible endless belt disposed about the first idler roller and each of the first pressure feed rollers and a second flexible endless belt disposed about the second idler roller and each of the second pressure feed rollers, at least one of the belts having an outer surface formed of a thermal conductive material, wherein there is defined an area of contact between the outer surfaces of the first and second belts located between the first and second pressure feed rollers for passing the copy sheet between the two belts under pressure; and means spaced relative to the belt whose outer surface comprises the thermal conductive material for heating the outer surface thereof, whereby when an unfused copy sheet is passed through the area of contact between the two belts it is subject to sufficient heat and pressure to fuse developed toner images thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,416 granted to Karz et al on Apr. 15, 1986 discloses a heat and pressure fusing apparatus for fixing toner images. The fusing apparatus is characterized by the separation of the heat and pressure functions such that the heat and pressure are effected at different locations on a thin flexible belt forming the toner contacting surface. A pressure roll cooperates with a stationary mandrel to form a nip through which the belt and copy substrate pass simultaneously. The belt is heated such that by the time it passes through the nip it's temperature together with the applied pressure is sufficient for fusing the toner images passing therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,304 granted to Gilbert et al on May 1, 1990 discloses a fuser belt for a reproduction machine. The belt may have one of several configurations which all include ridges and interstices on the outer surface which contacts the print media. These interstices are formed between regularly spaced ridges, between randomly spaced particles, between knit threads. These interstices allow the free escape of steam from the media during high-temperature fusing of the reproduction process. As the steam escapes freely, the steam does not accumulate in the media causing media deformations and copy quality deterioration. Additionally, media handling is improved because the ridges and interstices reduce the unwanted but unavoidable introduction of thermal energy into the copy media.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,998 granted to Ueda et al on Oct. 5, 1993 discloses a toner image fixing device wherein there is provided an endless belt looped up around a heating roller and a conveyance roller, a pressure roller for pressing a sheet having a toner image onto the heating roller with the endless belt intervening between the pressure roller and the heating roller. A sensor is disposed inside the loop of the belt so as to come in contact with the heating roller, for detecting the temperature of the heating roller. The fixing temperature for the toner image is controlled on the basis of the temperature of the heating roller detected by the sensor. A first nip region is formed on a pressing portion located between the heating roller and the fixing roller. A second nip region is formed between the belt and the fixing roller, continuing from the first nip region but without contacting the heating roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,424 granted to Dalal et al on Sep. 20, 1994 discloses a heated, thick-walled, belt fuser for an electrophotographic printing machine. The belt is rotatably supported between a pair of rolls. One of the spans of the belt is in contact with a heating roll in the form of an aluminum roll with an internal heat source such as a quartz lamp. The belt is able to wrap a relatively large portion of the heating roll to increase the efficiency of the heat transfer. The second span of the belt forms an extended fusing nip with a pressure roll. The extended nip provides a greater dwell time for a sheet in the nip while allowing the fuser to operate at a greater speed. External heating enables a thick profile of the belt, which in turn allows the belt to be reinforced so as to operate at greater fusing pressures without degradation of the image. The thick profile and external heating of the belt also provides a much more robust design than conventional thin walled belt fusing systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,146 granted to Hgashi et al on Nov. 7, 1995 relates to a fixing device to be used in electrophotographic apparatus for providing a clear fixed image with no offset with use of no oil or the least amount of oil, wherein an endless fixing belt provided with a metal body having a release thin film thereon is stretched between a fixing roller having a elastic surface and a heating roller, a pressing roller is arranged to press the surface of the elastic fixing roller upwardly from the lower side thereof through the fixing belt to form a nip portion between the fixing belt and the pressing roller, a guide plate for unfixed image carrying support member is provided underneath the fixing belt, between the heating roller and the nip portion, to form substantially a linear heating path between the guide plate and the fixing belt, and the metal body of the fixing belt has a heat capacity per cm.sup.2 within the range of 0.001 to 0.02 cal/.degree.C.