A video and graphics system includes a video decoding system for processing compressed video data. The compressed video data includes MPEG-2 video data containing SDTV video data or HDTV video data. The video decoding system includes a video decoder for processing the compressed video data to generate displayable video, and a memory controller for transferring the compressed video data to and from an external memory. The video decoder requests to the memory controller to transfer the compressed video data using one of predetermined addressing patterns. The predetermined addressing patterns allow for more efficient transferring of the compressed video data to and from the external memory when compared to sequentially transferring a fixed number of data bytes starting at a fixed address. The use of the predetermined addressing patterns results in reading the compressed video data from the external memory in a predetermined order in a less number of clock cycles. The use of the predetermined addressing patterns also results in transferring the compressed video data over the data bus between the memory controller and the video decoder in a less number of clock cycles.

Video and graphics systems are typically used in television control electronics, such as set top boxes, integrated digital TVs, and home network computers. Video and graphics systems may have processing capabilities for decoding compressed video data such as MPEG-2 video data. During decoding of MPEG-2 video data in conventional systems, memory transfer inefficiencies exist because conventional memory organization and addressing schemes do not take into account memory access requirements for MPEG-2 video decoding.
This application includes references to both graphics and video, which reflects in certain ways the structure of the hardware itself. This split does not, however, imply the existence of any fundamental difference between graphics and video, and in fact much of the functionality is common to both. Graphics as used herein may include graphics, text and video.

Video and graphics system with MPEG specific data transfer commands


A novelty hat with blinking light including a hat portion. A blinking light is secured to the hat portion. The blinking light has wiring extending outwardly therefrom. A battery is coupled with a free end of the wiring of the blinking light. A power switch is coupled with the wiring intermediate the blinking light and the battery.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novelty hat with blinking light and more particularly pertains to providing a novelty hat with an illuminating ball on an end thereof with a novelty hat with blinking light.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of illumination hats is known in the prior art. More specifically, illumination hats heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of illuminating the hat are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,429 to Johnston discloses a flashing light safety device for cyclists helmets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,040 to Cannone discloses illumination devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,917 to Romano discloses an illuminated safety helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,188 to Rikelman discloses a novelty hat construction.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a novelty hat with blinking light for providing a novelty hat with an illuminating ball on an end thereof.
In this respect, the novelty hat with blinking light according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a novelty hat with an illuminating ball on an end thereof.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved novelty hat with blinking light which can be used for providing a novelty hat with an illuminating ball on an end thereof. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


Various embodiments disclosed related to sealant tape. The sealant tape can include a cured product of a sealant composition including a curable liquid that includes a polysulfide, a polythioether, a copolymer thereof, or a combination thereof. The sealant composition also includes a curing agent for curing the curable liquid. Various embodiments provide cured products of the sealant composition, sealant tapes including the cured product, and sealant tapes including any suitable material with an adhesive pattern thereon.

In the aerospace industry, access panels commonly need to be sealed to hatches or to other parts, or other parts need to be sealed together (e.g., body to wing fairings), against air or liquid penetration using seals that have good high or low temperature performance as well as high chemical tolerance. The conventional practice when sealing a panel to an area is a form-in-place technique, including applying a polysulfide or polythioether sealant to the area to be sealed, applying a release coat to the panel, placing the panel on the area to the sealed, and waiting for sealant to cure. The panel is then removed, the sealant trimmed and cleaned up, and the release coat is removed from the panel. The panel is then reinstalled over the area to be sealed. The form-in-place technique is laborious and time consuming. Although various expanded adhesive tapes are available to simplify the procedure, such tapes can be extremely expensive and can allow leakage through the adhesive.


A vehicle system includes a detection device structurally configured to capture an image, a door lock, where the door lock is positionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, a controller communicatively coupled to the detection device and the door lock, the controller including a processor and a non-transitory computer readable and executable instruction set, which when executed, causes the processor to receive a captured image of a user from the detection device, determine whether the captured image of includes protective equipment worn by the user, and direct the door lock to move into the unlocked position in response to determining that the protective equipment in the captured image meets a configurable protective equipment baseline.

Vehicles such as automobiles, buses, and the like can be utilized to transport passengers from place to place. Some vehicles may be operated by users that are different from the passengers of the vehicle. For example, buses may be operated by a driver and may carry numerous passengers. Similarly, taxis, rideshares, and the like may be operated by a driver and may carry numerous passengers. In many vehicles, the driver and passengers are generally positioned within an interior of the vehicle.

Vehicle systems for verifying passenger protective equipment and methods for using the same


Improved process for preparing chelidonic acid is disclosed.

This invention relates to improved processes for preparing chelidonic acid, a precursor to chelidamic acid and a metal sequestering agent.
A known synthetic route to chelidonic acid uses a multi-step reaction of diethyloxalate, sodium ethoxide and acetone in ethanol.
Riegel, Zwilgmeyer, Organic Syntheses Coll., Vol. II, 126 (1943) and Huang et al. CA 98(3):16549v describe the preparation of chelidonic acid. In a first step rapid addition of 1.03 equivalents of diethyloxalate and 1 equivalent of acetone to a slight excess of sodium ethoxide yields ethyl dioxovalerate as the major product. In a second step another equivalent of diethyloxalate and hot sodium ethoxide solution is quickly added to the reaction causing a Claisen condensation with ethyl dioxovalerate. Acetone diethyloxalate ester is formed and exists as a disodium complex. In a third step ethanol is distilled off resulting in a cake-like product. In a further step, disodium acetone diethyloxalate complex is converted to its hydrogenated form by rapid, cold neutralization with hydrochloric acid. In a fifth step the neutralized acetone diethyloxalate is returned to the reactor after filtering and another equivalent of HCl added to promote cyclization and refluxed. The resulting chelidonic acid is cold filtered.

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.


An electrical connector having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact adjacent to the first electrical contact. The first electrical contact may define a first broadside and a second broadside opposite the first broadside. The second electrical contact may define a third broadside and a fourth broadside opposite the third broadside. The electrical connector may further include a non-air dielectric and a commoned ground plate. The non-air dielectric may be disposed between the second broadside of the first electrical contact and the fourth broadside of the second electrical contact. The commoned ground plate and the first electrical contact may be adjacent to one another and may be separated by an air dielectric.

An electrical connector may provide signal connections between electronic devices using signal contacts. The electrical connector may include a leadframe assembly that has a dielectric leadframe housing and a plurality of electrical contacts extending therethrough. Typically, the electrical contacts within a leadframe assembly are arranged into a linear array that extends along a direction along which the leadframe housing is elongated. The contacts may be arranged edge-to-edge along the direction along which the linear array extends. The electrical contacts in one or more leadframe assemblies may form differential signal pairs. A differential signal pair may consist of two contacts that carry a differential signal. The value, or amplitude, of the differential signal may be the difference between the individual voltages on each contact. The contacts that form the pair may be broadside-coupled (i.e., arranged such that the broadside of one contact faces the broadside of the other contact with which it forms the pair). Broadside or microstrip coupling is often desirable as a mechanism to control (e.g., minimize or eliminate) skew between the contacts that form the differential signal pair.
When designing a printed circuit board (PCB), circuit designers typically establish a desired differential impedance for the traces on the PCB that form differential signal pairs. Thus, it is usually desirable to maintain the same desired impedance between the differential signal contacts in the electrical connector, and to maintain a constant differential impedance profile along the lengths of the differential signal contacts from their mating ends to their mounting ends. It may further be desirable to minimize or eliminate insertion loss (i.e., a decrease in signal amplitude resulting from the insertion of the electrical connector into the signal's path). Insertion loss may be a function of the electrical connector's operating frequency. That is, insertion loss may be a greater at higher operating frequencies.
Therefore, a need exists for a high-speed electrical connector that minimizes insertion loss at higher operating frequencies while maintaining a desired differential impedance between differential signal contacts.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Broadside-coupled signal pair configurations for electrical connectors


An optical reader with a single optical assembly that receives images from at least two different environments. For example, one environment may be constructed in a first chamber into which a document or bulk item with a bar code may be placed. The other environment may be constructed in a second chamber with an active drive mechanism that transports a document with optical readable markings to a reading location. The environments may be separated by a baffle that prevents light from leaking between the environments, and the electronics and software are constructed to read and decode information that is found in the images from both environments either sequentially or simultaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a system and a process for simultaneously or sequentially reading diverse types of data on single or multiple forms or documents or bulk items like packets of tickets or retail goods.
2. Background Information
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary terminal 2 that includes a reader 4 for bar codes and a slot 6 leading to an internally mounted optical reader 5 of markings on a different form. These terminals 2 are found in locations where it is important, if not essential, among other purposes, to identify, verify or authenticate the markings or data on the form and/or document that is being presented. One such exemplary venue is a retail establishment where agents may sell lottery instant, online game tickets; packets of tickets; play slips; and/or other types of lottery games in addition to other commonly purchased retail or bulk items. Commonly, when an instant ticket is purchased by a player, the ticket has a bar code that is uncovered on the ticket. Operationally, the agent typically scans the bar code on the ticket by presenting the ticket to the reader 4, the bar code information is sent to a central location via the terminal where the ticket is verified as being a winning ticket, and authorization is passed back to the agent to pay the player a winning amount. The winning amount of a particular ticket is often found on the ticket.
Herein the term "document" is defined to include but not be limited to any type of form or document, e.g., lottery ticket, game ticket or play slip, and the phrase "bulk items" is defined to include but not be limited to any type of retail item, e.g., packets of tickets, t-shirts, toy, mug, or other item typically vended in a retail environment.
The internal optical reader 5 handles documents by an active drive mechanism. In the foregoing example, such active drive mechanisms are useful for reading lottery play slips. Such play slips have many forms, but usually include a set of numbers, icons, or other devices that are selected by the player marking the play slip for a future drawing or event. One common type is a Keno play slip, where a group of numbers are pre-selected by the player and fed into the terminal 6. This information is sent to a central location via the terminal where it is logged and serialized. The serial number is sent back to the terminal that prints out a receipt slip with the numbers and the serial number, etc., and typically a bar code of the serial number and the date and game being played.
Active drive mechanisms are defined herein as tractor or pinch drive mechanisms using rubber wheels, endless belts or tracks, or vacuum systems to transport documents to the internal optical reader 5.
Since play slips are handled by players, markings will vary, and the tickets may be bent, rolled or otherwise mishandled. The terminal has a slot 6 leading to the internal optical reader 5. An active drive mechanism flattens, securely holds, registers, aligns and carries the play slip into and past a reader and returns it to the player along with a play receipt.
With respect to the Keno example above, the Keno numbers are drawn and if the numbers drawn match some or all the numbers selected on the receipt, the play slip is a winner and the receipt can be presented to the agent for payment. Upon presentation, the bar code on the winning receipt is scanned by the reader 4, and sent to a central location whereupon, if the receipt is confirmed to be a winner, it is validated and authorization is returned to the agent to pay the user.
The active drive mechanism provides many advantages in that the document is held at a fixed, known distance from a light source and the optical imager, it is held flat and aligned, and the drive moves the document in front of the imager at a uniform rate. Such a mechanism, thus, removes many variables with respect to reading a document and enhances reliability in the reading of the document.
One limitation of such terminals is that two separate optical readers are required to accomplish the above-discussed objectives. Another limitation is that the cost of each reader is a significant portion of the cost incurred in the manufacture of the terminal and, in fact, often times results in a 40-50% increase in the overall cost of the terminal. Another limitation is that the use of two readers in the validation process may decrease the reliability (neither can be 100% reliable) of the information being read. Still another limitation is that terminals utilizing two separate optical readers are typically larger devices, which require a larger "footprint" and thereby take up a larger portion of the counter space available on a retailer's checkout counter.
It would be advantageous to provide a single optical reader that is capable of simultaneously or sequentially reading different types of documents or forms, is capable of simultaneously or sequentially reading different types information on the same document or form, and is also capable of performing those reading functions simultaneously with or sequentially to reading bulk items.

System and process for simultaneously reading multiple forms


In a data recording and reproducing apparatus that includes a host computer and a drive in order to improve data reliability, in data recording, the host computer appends a first error correction code to the data and the drive appends a second error correction code to the data. When a failure has occurred in error correction performed by the drive using the second error correction code, the drive reads out the first error correction code and performs error correction using the first error correction code. Since error correction using the first error correction is possible even when error correction using the second error correction code ends in failure, the reliability of data is improved.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data archive system, a data recording/reproducing apparatus and a data library apparatus.
(2) Description of the Related Art
As background art in the field of the present technology, there is disclosed Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-218590. There is a description in the above mentioned publication that since parity having the same structure as a usual data cluster is additionally appended and an appended position is indicated by the same format as that in defect management, reliability of data can be improved while maintaining high compatibility with a conventional device. In addition, there is also disclosed Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H7 (1995)-36632. There is a description in the above mentioned publication that the present invention can avoid that a restoring operation is not performed on a new blank optical disk and long lasting useless processing is performed in case of a malfunction of the drive itself under the management of a storing system which is redundant among optical discs to be loaded on a plurality of drives and hence a restoration time in case of the malfunction of the drive itself can be reduced.

Data archive system, data recording/reproducing apparatus and data library apparatus


A master cylinder that can prevent impairment of a piston seal, and a method of producing the master cylinder are provided. A master cylinder has a circumferential groove (47) in which a piston seal is provided, the piston seal having an outer circumference which enables operating fluid to be supplied, and a communication groove (96) which opens into the circumferential groove (47) and extends from the circumferential groove (47) toward a bottom portion of a cylinder body (15) to connect a pressure chamber and the circumferential groove (47). The communication groove (96) is formed with its center made eccentric relative to the center of the circumferential groove (47). A chamfered portion (100) is formed over an entire extent of a corner portion formed by the circumferential groove (47) and the communication groove (96), along a circular path concentric with the communication groove (96).

The present invention relates to a master cylinder for supplying operating fluid to a brake system of a vehicle, a master cylinder body, and a method of producing the master cylinder.
As a master cylinder for supplying operating fluid to a brake system of a vehicle, there is one of a structure in which a piston is directly fittingly inserted in a cylinder body of bottomed cylindrical shape, putting the sleeve for a cylinder in disuse. This type of a master cylinder comprises: a cylinder body of bottomed cylindrical shape, a supply passage provided in this cylinder body for supplying operating fluid therethrough from a reservoir; a pressure chamber defined inside the cylinder body by a piston which slides therein; a piston seal provided in a circumferential groove formed in the cylinder body, and having an inner circumference in sliding contact with the piston and an outer circumference which enables the operating fluid to be supplied from the supply passage into the pressure chamber; and a communication groove which opens into the circumferential groove and extends from this circumferential groove toward a bottom portion of the cylinder body to connect the pressure chamber side and the circumferential groove. This communication groove is formed with its center made eccentric relative to the center of the circumferential groove, and is provided to send the operating fluid, which is supplied through a portion between a bottom portion of the circumferential groove and the outer circumference of the piston seal, into the pressure chamber when the piston returns to its initial position after generating a fluid pressure in the pressure chamber. (See, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-299568.)

Master cylinder, master cylinder body, and method for producing master cylinder


An improved process for preparing esters of an alcohol and a carboxylic acid employing sulfuric acid in an amount effective to both catalyze the reaction and to remove or immobilize the water of reaction whereby an ester is provided in increased yield and purity. Esters of long chain acids are useful for the preparation of diketones which find utility as metal extractants.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of esters of carboxylic acids and in particular to the preparation of lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbons) esters of carboxylic acids (8 to 22 carbons) which are useful in the preparation of beta diketones which are water insoluble and water immiscible and suitable for extraction of metal values.
2. Statement of Related Art
Esters of acids are important from the industrial standpoint as a great variety of commercial products are based on such esters. The classical method of preparing esters involves the reaction of an acid with an alcohol, usually in the presence of a catalyst to afford an ester and water. EQU RCOOH+R'OH.fwdarw.RCOOR'+H.sub.2 O
The process is reversible and quantitative yields by simple reaction of the acid and alcohol are not obtained in the equilibrium reaction mixture. The catalyst's sole function is to hasten the attainment of equilibrium and does not affect the final composition at equilibrium. Generally, equilibrium is forced to the right in the equation by the removal of water as it is formed such as by application of mild vacuum to the reaction mixture. Alternative methods include the addition of other materials to form an azeotropic mixture with the water which azeotropic mixture is removed. Another attempt to effect high conversion requires the addition of large molar excesses of either the acid or alcohol, usually the least expensive material, or material with the lowest boiling point being used in excess in commercial practice.
Lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon) esters of carboxylic acids have been employed in the past to prepare .beta.-diketones which are useful in the extraction of metal values as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,012. As described therein, the diketone is prepared by condensation of the ester with a compound containing an acetyl moiety in the presence of sodium hydride and an inert organic solvent. In the preparation of the ketone it is desirable that the ester be of a high purity.


A combination of Vitamin C and a quinone used as a supplemental treatment for a cancer patient. The combination may be administered before, during and after the patient undergoes a conventional cancer treatment protocol. The combination may be administered orally, intravenously, or intraperitoneally. Oral administration may be in the form of capsules containing a predetermined ratio of Vitamin C to Vitamin K3. The supplemental treatment is effective to inhibit metastases of cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth. The ratio of Vitamin C to Vitamin K3 is in the range of about 50 to 1 to about 250 to 1. A method for evaluating the effectiveness of the supplemental treatment includes monitoring the patient's serum DNase activity throughout the course of treatment.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods for the prevention and treatment of human cancer, and more specifically to methods utilizing a combination of Vitamin C and Vitamin K3 for the prevention and treatment of human cancer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Metastases are one of the greatest problems in cancer patients. They appear in almost all cases of this disease and are the primary cause of mortality in cancer patients. The metastatic process begins when cancer cells escape from the primary tumor, invade the basement membrane of regions capillary vessels and traverse into the blood or lymph and migrate to distant organs or tissues. There they form vascular emboli from which the cancer cells cross the basement membrane of capillary vessels for the second time and colonize the new tissue or organ. Different mechanisms are involved in the so-called metastatic cascade, including angiogenesis, cellular adhesion, local proteolysis and tumor cell migration. Development of chemotherapeutic agents that target and intervene in one or more processes in the metastatic cascade should lead to a favorable outcome for a large number of cancer patients.
In the art there has been much attention focused on the role of vitamins in cancer prevention and treatment. For example, it is known that Sodium Ascorbate, hereafter referred to as Vitamin C, has been shown to provide improved effects to certain cancer treatments. Vitamin C potentiates the growth inhibitory effect of certain agents and increases the cytotoxicity of other agents. It is considered that Vitamin C may even reverse malignant cell transformation.
Similarly, it has been reported in the art that 2-Methyl-1,4-Naphthoquinone, hereafter referred to as Vitamin K3, provides improvements in the field of cancer treatment.
Research has been conducted on the combination of Vitamin C and Vitamin K3 to determine the usefulness of the combination as a cancer chemotherapy potentiating agent.
One publication, entitled EFFECTS OF SODIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C) AND 2-METHYL-1,4-NAPHTHOQUINONE (VITAMIN K3) TREATMENT ON PATIENT TUMOR CELL GROWTH IN VITRO (1989), teaches that Vitamin C tends to accumulate in tumors, may reverse malignant cell transformation, may demonstrate cytotoxic action toward tumor cells, and requires high dosages to achieve an inhibiting effect when administered alone. The article teaches that Vitamin K3 inhibits growth of mammalian tumor cells in a culture, and requires high dosages to achieve a desirous effect when administered alone.
A second publication, entitled NON-TOXIC POTENTIATION OF CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY BY COMBINED C AND K3 VITAMIN PRE-TREATMENT (1987) discloses in vivo (mice) intraperitoneal injection of Vitamin C at 1 g/Kg and K3 at 10 mg/Kg before or after a single treatment of several cytotoxic drugs.
POTENTIATION OF RADIO THERAPY BY NONTOXIC PRETREATMENT WITH COMBINED VITAMINS C AND K3 IN MICE BEARING SOLID TRANSPLANTABLE TUMOR (1996) discusses the use of a Vitamin C/Vitamin K3 combination in conjunction with radiotherapy cancer treatments.
CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY POTENTIATION INDUCED BY COMBINED VITAMIN C AND K3 WITH FERROUS SULFATE PRETREATMENT (1992) teaches administration of Vitamin C and Vitamin K3 prior to treatment with certain chemotherapeutic agents.
NON-TOXIC SENSITIZATION OF CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY BY COMBINED VITAMIN C AND K3 PRETREATMENT IN A MOUSE TUMOR RESISTANT TO ONCOVIN (1992) discusses the use of an intraperitoneal injection of Vitamin C and Vitamin K3 as a pretreatment in order to increase tumor sensitization to the action of Oncovin.
EFFECTS OF SODIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C) AND 2-METHYL-1, 4-NAPHTHOQUINONE (VITAMIN K3) TREATMENT ON PATIENT TUMOR CELL GROWTH IN VITRO. II. SYNERGISM WITH COMBINED CHEMOTHERAPY ACTION (1993) reports the results of additional in vitro studies involving simultaneous exposure to Vitamin C and Vitamin K3.
Each of the publications identified above is incorporated in its entirety by reference into this specification.
There remains a need in the art for improved methods of enhancing the efficacy of cancer treatments. The present invention is directed to a method of treating a patient having cancer by supplemental treatment with a combination of VC/VK3. The supplemental treatment is utilized prior, during, and following the use of conventional cancer treatments, such as radiology and chemotherapy. Specifically, the present invention is directed toward a clinical dosing protocol. Still further, the present invention is directed to methods of preparation of both oral and intravenous delivery systems of the VC/VK3 combination.
The present invention is further directed to methods of determining the effectiveness of the supplemental treatments. The improved methods further provide indications of when additional supplemental treatments should be administered.

Nontoxic potentiation/sensitization of cancer therapy by supplementary treatment with combined vitamins C and K


A physical server with an offload card including a SoC (system-on-chip) and a FPGA (field programmable gate array) is disclosed. According to one set of embodiments, the SoC can be configured to offload one or more hypervisor functions from a CPU complex of the server that are suited for execution in software, and the FPGA can be configured to offload one or more hypervisor functions from the CPU complex that are suited for execution in hardware.

Cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS run on a large fleet of physical servers (referred to herein as cloud servers) that are distributed across geographically dispersed data centers. A significant portion of these cloud servers implement a virtualization software layer, known as a hypervisor, that allows for the hosting of virtual machines (VMs). Among other things, this enables IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) scenarios where customers of the cloud platform can purchase and use VMs to execute their application workloads.
Traditionally, in each cloud server that implements a hypervisor, a certain percentage of the cloud server's CPU (central processing unit) cores will be reserved for hypervisor use. While this reservation ensures that the hypervisor has sufficient compute resources to carry out its functions, it also reduces the number of CPU cores available for use by, e.g., customer VMs. At scale, this can result in a meaningful reduction in the overall customer-facing compute capacity of the cloud platform.


A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a gate line and a data line crossing each other to define a pixel region on a first substrate, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, a first protrusion and a second protrusion formed on the first substrate, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor in the pixel region, a first patterned spacer and a second patterned spacer formed on a second substrate facing the first substrate, wherein the first patterned spacer corresponds to the first protrusion, and the second patterned spacer corresponds to the second protrusion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to an LCD device including a patterned spacer and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, LCD devices have been widely utilized because of thin profile, light weight and low power consumption. Among them, an active matrix LCD device, which has thin film transistors and pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix form to provide high resolution and superiority in displaying moving images, is the subject of significant research and development. The LCD device typically includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer that is interposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate, also referred to as an array substrate, further includes a thin film transistor (TFT) and a pixel electrode. The second substrate, also referred to as a color filter substrate, further includes a color filter and a common electrode.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an LCD device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, an LCD device 1 includes a first substrate 10 and a second substrate 20 that face each other, and a liquid crystal layer 30 that is interposed between the first and second substrates 10 and 20. The first substrate 10 further includes a plurality of gate lines 13, a plurality of data lines 15, a TFT Tr and a pixel electrode 17. The plurality of gate and data lines 13 and 15 are arranged crossing each other, thereby defining a pixel region P. The TFT Tr is formed at a crossing portion of the gate and data lines 13 and 15. The pixel electrode 17 is formed on the pixel region P and connected to the TFT Tr. The second substrate 20 further includes a color filter 23, a common electrode 27 and a black matrix (not shown). Moreover, a seal pattern (not shown) is utilized to seal edges of the first and second substrates 10 and 20, and a plurality of ball spacers (not shown) are arranged between the first and second substrates 10 and 20, thereby spacing the first substrate 10 apart from the second substrate 20. In other words, the first and second substrates 10 and 20 are bonded with the seal pattern at the edges and have the ball spacers sandwiched in-between. Then, the liquid crystal layer is thus formed in a space created by the ball spacers. The plurality of ball spacers each have a spherical shape and are dispersed onto either the first substrate 10 or the second substrate 20. However, the plurality of ball spacers are apt to gather close to each other, thereby making it difficult to evenly disperse the plurality of ball spacers. Also, disposing the plurality of ball spacers in the pixel region P may cause a light leakage. To resolve the above-mentioned problems, a patterned spacer is suggested. The patterned spacer may be fixed either to the array substrate 10 or the color substrate 20.
FIG. 2. is a plane view of an LCD device having the patterned spacer according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 2, a gate line 43 and a data line 55 are formed on the first substrate 40 and cross each other to define a pixel region P. In the pixel region P, a TFT Tr and a pixel electrode 67 are formed. The TFT Tr includes a semiconductor layer 50, a gate electrode 45, a source electrode 58 and a drain electrode 60. The gate electrode 45 is connected to the gate line 43, and the source electrode 58 is connected to the data line 55. The drain electrode 60 is spaced apart from the source electrode 58 and is connected to the pixel electrode 67 through a drain contact hole 65. The pixel region P includes three sub-pixel regions, which are corresponding to three sub-color filters (not shown) of the color filter layer (23 of FIG. 1), respectively. The plurality of patterned spacers 83 are arranged on the array substrate 40 such that they are separated from each other. The array substrate 40 and the second substrate (20 of FIG. 1) are attached with a gap created by the plurality of patterned spacers 83. It can be understood that the plurality of patterned spacers 83 are formed on the gate line 43, not in an active region AA consisting of a plurality of pixel regions P, thereby preventing light leakage.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the related art LCD device, taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the gate electrode 45 and the gate line 43 are formed on the first substrate 40, and a gate insulating layer 47 is formed on the gate electrode 45 and the gate line 43. The semiconductor layer 50 consists of an active layer 50a and an ohmic contact layer 50b and is formed corresponding to the gate electrode 45 on the gate insulating layer 47. The source electrode 58 and the drain electrode 60 are formed on the semiconductor layer 50 such that they are spaced apart from each other and respectively connected to the ohmic contact layer 50b. Also, a passivation layer 63 having the drain contact hole 65 is formed on the source and drain electrodes 58 and 60, and the pixel electrode 67 is formed on the passivation layer 63 and connected to the drain electrode 60 through the drain contact hole 65. A black matrix 73, the color filter layer 76 and a common electrode 79 are sequentially formed on a second substrate 70 facing the first substrate 40. Specifically, the black matrix 73 having a plurality of openings is formed on the second substrate 70, and then the color filter layer 76 is formed on the black matrix 73 and covers the plurality openings. As shown in both of FIGS. 2 and 3, the color filter layer 73 includes three sub-color filters 76a, 76b and 76c of red, green and blue colors. The common electrode 79 is formed of a transparent material and covers the color filter layer 73.
A plurality of patterned spacer 83 are arranged apart from each other between the common electrode 79 of the second substrate 70 and the passivation layer 63 of the first substrate 40. In other words, the plurality of patterned spacers 83 are connected to the common electrode 79 and the passivation layer 63. Then, the liquid crystal layer 90 is thus interposed between the first and second substrates 40 and 70. Herein, the plurality of patterned spacer 83 are formed on the second substrate 70 because a process of fabricating the second substrate 70 is less complicated than that of fabricating the first substrate 40. However, when the related art LCD device having the patterned spacer 83 is erect under a high temperature ambience, since an expansion rate of the patterned spacer 83 is less than that of the liquid crystal layer 90 and an expansion rate of the first and second substrates 40 and 70, the liquid crystal layer 90 slips down due to gravity. In other words, when the LCD device is driven under high temperature ambience, the patterned spacer 83 may be separated from the first substrate 40 or/and the second substrate 70, thereby failing to maintain the cell-gap between the first and second substrates 40 and 70. Moreover, since the patterned spacer 83 has lower elasticity than the ball spacer, the patterned spacer 83 can be distorted by even a low impact. Accordingly, when an active region of the LCD device, which is a region displaying images, is touched, flaws such as thickness non-uniformity of the liquid crystal layer occur. To resolve the above-mentioned problems, a double-structure patterned spacer that has two spacers with different heights is suggested.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an LCD device having the double-structure patterned spacer according to the related art. Since the LCD device of FIG. 4 is similar to the LCD device of FIG. 3 except for the double-structure patterned spacer, the description regarding the other parts of the LCD device of FIG. 4 is omitted.
As shown in FIG. 4, the double-structure patterned spacer consists of first and second patterned spacers 183a and 183b that are formed on a common electrode 179 of a second substrate 170. The first patterned spacer 183a has a first height h1 and contacts both a passivation layer 163 of a first substrate 140 and the common electrode 179 of the second substrate 170. The second patterned spacer 183b has a second height h2 shorter than the first height h1, and only contacts the common electrode 179 of the second substrate 170. In other words, the second patterned spacer 183b is separated from the passivation layer 163 of the first substrate 140.
According to the related art, a gap between the passivation layer 163 and the second patterned spacer 183b is more than about 0.4 μm. That is, a height difference between the first and second patterned spacers 183a and 183b is more than about 0.4 μm. Since a distance between the passivation layer 163 and the second patterned spacer 183b is too far, the above-mentioned flaws can not be effectively prevented. It is required that the height difference between the first and second patterned spacers 183a and 183b is less than 0.4 μm. However, since the first and second patterned spacers 183a and 183b are formed of an organic insulating material of several micrometers through at least two mask processes to obtain the height difference, it is practically difficult to shorten the height difference, and also it causes an increase in production costs of the LCD device.

Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same


The present invention relates to a small three-dimensional imaging device, including a tilt part that is plastically deformed by an external force so as to compensate for tilting between camera modules, and therefore reduces defects in order to improve productivity. The small three-dimensional imaging device of the present invention includes a main member and a camera module. The camera modules includes a first camera module and a second camera module, which are mounted on the top portion of the main member and are space apart from each other to capture a subject image in three dimensions. The main member include a tilt part for tilting the first camera module or the second camera module relative to the other by means of plastic deformation resulting from an external force.

The application field of mobile communication terminals that typically transmit audio information has been rapidly increasing with recent development of high speed data transmission technology. As a result, it has been a general tendency to transmit still images or moving images using the mobile communication terminals, for example, in on-demand mobile broadcasting service or multi-messaging service and so on.
However, users of the mobile communication terminal are not content with this, and they further require a new terminal which can display a stereoscopic image.
In order to satisfy the users' requirement, there have been proposed a new mobile terminal which can display a 3D image, and a new 3D image photographing apparatus which takes the 3D image.
Typically, in a convention 3D imaging device, two camera modules are mounted on a substrate, and then the stereoscopic image can be obtained using images of an object taken by each camera module.
When the two camera modules are mounted on the substrate, they have to be assembled so that tilting deviation between the two camera modules is located within a desired range. If the tilting deviation between the two assembled camera modules is too large, it was impossible to adjust it and thus the assembly has to be junked.


Compact has an unlatching slide with a button surface and formed with front and rear cam surfaces. The hinged cover is held closed by a detent and the powder tray is held in the base also by detents. Light finger pressure on the unlatching slide button causes the front cam to force up the hinged cover disengaging the cover detent to open the compact, and heavy finger pressure on the unlatching slide forces the powder tray up disengaging the tray detents and liberating the tray from the frame so that it may be replaced.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a face powder compact. More specifically, the invention relates to a compact enclosing a powder tray and having a latch button which may, after unlatching the cover, be pressed harder to pop the powder tray up out of the base for replacement or refill.
2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under .sctn..sctn.1.97 to 1.99
There are many compacts disclosed by patents of the prior art.
An example is in U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,378 which issued Aug. 24, 1926 to W. G. Kendall. This patent shows a compact having a metal box-like base having an insert with a circular well normally holding a face powder tray. The base is provided with a hinged cover. A spring latch positioned in the front of the box is arranged to unlatch the cover upon a light press and to also drive the tray up out of the well upon a heavy press.


A statistical method is used to separate periodic from non-periodic vibration peaks in autocorrelation spectra. Generally, an autocorrelation spectrum is not normally distributed because the amplitudes of periodic peaks are significantly large and random relative to the generally Gaussian noise. In a normally distributed signal, the statistical parameter kurtosis has a value of 3. The method sequentially removes each largest amplitude peak from the peaks in the spectrum until the kurtosis is 3 or less. The removed peaks, which are all considered to be periodic, are placed into a set. The total energy of the peaks in the set is considered to be the total periodic energy of the spectrum. As the process of building the peak set proceeds, if its total energy becomes greater than or equal to a predefined energy threshold before its kurtosis reaches 3 or less, the process stops and the periodic peak set is defined.

Periodicity is a term for quantifying how much energy in a signal is periodic. The autocorrelation coefficient function is a mathematical process that can be used to determine how much of the energy in a signal waveform is periodic. The pattern of the periodic peaks—or lack thereof—can be very helpful in identifying fault types. The term "periodic peaks" is a general characterization describing one or more family of harmonic peaks. Periodic peaks related to running speeds of a machine are referred to as synchronous periodic peaks. A family of periodic peaks that are not harmonically related to the running speed (such as bearing and belt frequencies) is referred to as non-synchronous periodic peaks.
Traditionally, recognizing these patterns and how to apply them requires an experienced vibration analyst. The desire is to first calculate an indicator that is representative of general periodic patterns. This value, referred to herein as a "periodic signal parameter" (PSP), is calculated based on statistical measures derived from an autocorrelation waveform of the originating waveform. Based on the peaks in the originating spectrum in combination with the peaks from the spectrum taken from autocorrelation waveform and the PSP value, a Periodic Information Plot (PIP) can be produced. This plot contains only the periodic peaks (synchronous and non-synchronous periodic peaks) from the originating spectra.
An estimate of how much periodicity is present in the original waveform can be determined from the largest amplitude found in the autocorrelated waveform. The square root of the largest amplitude in the autocorrelated waveform is used to estimate Percent Periodic Energy (defined as a percentage of energy in the original spectra that is related to periodic signals). In general, if the value of the PSP is greater than 0.1, or the Percent Periodic Energy is greater than 50%, a periodic signal is present.
By knowing the estimated energy in the original spectrum related to periodic peaks, a "basic" Periodic Information Plot (PIP) can be generated. This "basic" PIP is created by plotting the periodic peaks one peak at a time—starting with the largest peak and continuing in descending order—until the energy in the resulting plot is equal to the Percent Periodic Energy. However, since the Percent Periodic Energy value is an estimate, the resulting "basic" PIP often contains excessive noise.
Described herein is a statistical method to more precisely determine which peaks in the autocorrelation spectrum are periodic. Once the precise periodic peaks are obtained, a "cleaner" (less noisy) PIP can be constructed. The PIP algorithm is described in more detail hereinafter.
The statistical method for separating periodic from non-periodic data in autocorrelation spectra has been developed based on an understanding of the distribution associated with each set of peaks. As a whole, the autocorrelation spectrum is not normally distributed because the periodic peaks are significantly large and random in amplitude relative to the noise floor. However, the noise floor is generally normally distributed (assuming Gaussian noise). Based on this, a method has been devised to separate the periodic peaks from the noise (non-periodic peaks).
A statistical parameter that best characterizes the noise floor is kurtosis. For a normally distributed signal, the kurtosis should have a value of 3. Therefore, after sorting peaks from largest to smallest amplitudes, the kurtosis of the set of peaks is calculated, and the largest peaks are sequentially removed from the set until the kurtosis is equal to a kurtosis threshold. In a preferred embodiment, the kurtosis threshold is 3. In other embodiments, the kurtosis threshold may be 2.9, or 3.1, or some other value near 3. As each large peak is removed from the peak set, the cumulative energy of the remaining peaks in the set is calculated. All the peaks that were culled out (forming a periodic peak set) are considered to be periodic. The energy of the periodic peak set is considered to be the Periodic Energy of the original spectrum. As the process of culling peaks proceeds, if the total energy of the "growing" periodic peak set becomes greater than or equal to the Percent Periodic Energy before the peak set kurtosis reaches a kurtosis threshold of 3 or less, then the process stops, and the periodic peak set is thus defined.
The kurtosis algorithm described herein can be applied to any FFT, not just autocorrelated FFT's. By applying this algorithm to a velocity FFT for instance, the major located peaks can be culled out and used for determining the most influential peaks in an FFT. (These peaks will not necessarily be all the periodic peaks such as can be found when applied to the current disclosure.) These influential peaks can be used as a basis for improving speed detection as well as major harmonic families. The harmonic families can be related to mechanical components generating gear mesh, gear teeth, eccentricity (static and dynamic) and bearings anomalies to name a few.
Implementing the periodicity technology described herein is particularly useful when applied to PeakVue™ data. "PeakVue Plus" refers to a process that combines the PeakVue™ process with the periodicity described herein. Any periodicity that is not a harmonic of a running speed (referred to herein as "non-synchronous periodicity") is typically associated with a bearing fault (such as inner or outer race faults or ball spin or cage faults). The severity of a bearing fault may be determined by the peak amplitude of the associated PeakVue™ waveform. This severity is proportional to the fault levels dictated by the turning speed of the bearing. When a gearbox is under surveillance, any synchronous periodicity is related to the gear teeth health. The severity of gear teeth faults is related to the peak amplitude of the PeakVue™ waveform and is proportional to the fault levels dictated by the associated gear speed. When large peak amplitude values are present in the PeakVue™ waveform and PSP≤0.1, then lubrication issues are suspected in roller element bearings and/or gearboxes.
By determining the periodicity of a waveform, the PIP can be produced to allow an analyst to easily visualize the condition of the machinery being monitored. From this simplified plot, the analysist can predict faults to be acted upon or investigated if desired. Preferred embodiments of a process for generating the PIP is described hereinafter.
Some embodiments described herein provide an apparatus for acquiring and analyzing periodic information in vibration associated with a machine. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus a vibration sensor, a data collector, and a processor. The vibration sensor is attached to the machine and generates a vibration signal. The data collector, which is in communication with the vibration sensor, receives and conditions the vibration signal. The data collector includes an analog-to-digital converter for converting the vibration signal to digital vibration data. The processor receives the digital vibration data and executes operational instructions for processing the digital vibration data to:                generate a vibration waveform based on the digital vibration data;        perform an autocorrelation function on the vibration waveform to generate an autocorrelation waveform;        perform a Fast Fourier Transform on the vibration waveform to generate a vibration spectrum that includes vibration amplitude peaks;        perform a Fast Fourier Transform on the autocorrelation waveform to generate an autocorrelation spectrum that includes autocorrelation amplitude peaks;        compile a first list of the vibration amplitude peaks from the vibration spectrum;        compile a periodic peak list of the autocorrelation amplitude peaks that includes only autocorrelation amplitude peaks that are not associated with noise in the vibration waveform;        generate a peak list by sequentially adding to the peak list each vibration amplitude peak from the first list that matches an autocorrelation amplitude peak in the periodic peak list;        as vibration amplitude peaks are added to the peak list, determine a total amount of peak energy associated with the vibration amplitude peaks in the peak list; and        after the total amount of peak energy exceeds a predetermined threshold, generate a periodic information plot comprising the vibration amplitude peaks in the peak list.
In some embodiments, the processor compiles the periodic peak list by:                (a) compiling a second list of autocorrelation amplitude peaks that includes a plurality of largest autocorrelation amplitude peaks from the autocorrelation spectrum;        (b) calculating a kurtosis value based on amplitudes of all peaks in the second list;        (c) if the kurtosis value is greater than a kurtosis threshold, moving a peak that has an amplitude larger than amplitudes of any other peaks in the second list from the second list to the periodic peak list; and        (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until the kurtosis value is less than or equal to the kurtosis threshold.
In some embodiments, the kurtosis threshold is 3.
In some embodiments, the processor classifies the amplitude peaks as synchronous peaks and nonsynchronous peaks. The processor assigns one or more first display colors to the synchronous peaks in the periodic information plot, and assigns one or more second display colors to the nonsynchronous peaks, wherein the first display colors are different from the second display colors.
In some embodiments, the processor separates amplitude peaks that are synchronous peaks into multiple families and assigned a different display color to each family of synchronous peaks in the periodic information plot.
In some embodiments, the data collector comprises a digital data recorder or a vibration data collector.
In some embodiments, the processor is a component of the data collector or is a component of an analyst computer that is in communication with the data collector via a communication network.
In another aspect, embodiments described herein provide a computer-implemented method for analyzing periodic information in digital vibration data collected for machine performance analysis. A preferred embodiment of the method includes the following steps:                (a) generating a vibration waveform based on the digital vibration data;        (b) performing a Fast Fourier Transform on the vibration waveform to generate a vibration spectrum;        (c) compiling a periodic peak list of vibration amplitude peaks by statistically separating periodic peaks from noise peaks in the vibration spectrum, the compiling including:                    (c1) generating an initial list of vibration amplitude peaks that includes a plurality of largest vibration amplitude peaks from the vibration spectrum;            (c2) calculating a kurtosis value based on amplitudes of all the vibration amplitude peaks in the initial list;            (c3) if the kurtosis value is greater than a kurtosis threshold, moving from the initial list to the periodic peak list a vibration amplitude peak having an amplitude that is larger than amplitudes of any other peaks in the initial list; and            (c4) repeating steps (c2) and (c3) until the kurtosis value is less than or equal to the kurtosis threshold; and                        (d) plotting on a display device machine vibration information comprising or derived from the vibration amplitude peaks in the periodic peak list.
In some embodiments, the kurtosis threshold is 3.
In some embodiments, the vibration waveform is an autocorrelation waveform and the vibration spectrum is an autocorrelation spectrum.
In some embodiments, step (d) includes plotting machine vibration information that is indicative only of periodic information in the digital vibration data.
In some embodiments, the digital vibration data are indicative of vibration of a pump, and step (d) comprises plotting machine vibration information that is indicative of cavitation in the pump.
In another aspect, embodiments described herein provide a computer-implemented method for analyzing periodic information in digital vibration data collected for machine performance analysis. A preferred embodiment of the method includes the following steps:                (a) generating a vibration waveform based on the digital vibration data;        (b) performing a Fast Fourier Transform on the vibration waveform to generate a vibration spectrum;        (c) identifying vibration amplitude peaks in the vibration spectrum;        (d) classifying each of the vibration amplitude peaks as a synchronous peak or a nonsynchronous peak;        (e) plotting the synchronous peaks on a display device in one or more first display colors or one or more first line styles; and        (f) plotting the nonsynchronous peaks on the display device in one or more second display colors or one or more second line styles that are different from the first display colors and first line styles.
In some embodiments, the method includes separating the vibration amplitude peaks that are classified as synchronous peaks into multiple families, and step (e) comprises plotting each family of synchronous peaks in a first display color or first line style that is different from first display colors or first line styles in which other families of synchronous peaks are displayed.

System for separating periodic amplitude peaks from non-periodic amplitude peaks in machine vibration data


A volatile composition dispenser and a method of volatilizing a liquid volatile composition is provided. The volatile composition dispenser includes a reservoir and a fan. The fan is disposed at least partially in the reservoir. The fan includes a motor, a hub rotatably connected to the motor about a rotation axis, a fan blade connected with the hub. The fan blade is movable relative to the hub about a pivot axis. The pivot axis is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis. The at least one fan blade comprises an absorbent material.

Various devices in the marketplace provide a non-energized, continuous emission of a liquid volatile composition (e.g. perfume or insect repellant) to the atmosphere, whereby such emission can plateau and taper off over time. Increasing the emission level of a liquid volatile composition over its emission level in a non-energized state has been attempted with energized air freshening devices that include diffusion assistance means, such as heating elements, piezoelectric elements, and/or motorized fans. The addition of such diffusion assistance means in a device may require a larger amount of liquid volatile composition and/or a larger device to accommodate the diffusion assistance means, and, in turn, higher manufacturing and product cost. Energized devices often include a delivery engine, such as a wick, membrane, gel, etc., that may limit the diffusion of certain types of volatile materials or comprises a porous substrate that may leak fluid when in certain orientations. Some energized devices can also suffer from emission plateaus or tapering. Thus, there remains a need for improved devices that dispense liquid volatile compositions into the atmosphere.


The present invention relates to an articulated model registration method and apparatus which three-dimensionally restore an articulated model of a body, such as a hand, an upper body, and a whole body, from an image and to acquire a two-dimensional landmark from a two-dimensional image to generate and estimate a three-dimensional articulated model corresponding thereto.

A technology which three-dimensionally restores an articulated model of a body, for example, a hand, an upper body, or a whole body, from an image, has been continuously studied before potable photographing and display devices such as a smart phone become popular in recent years. Further, there are existing studies using a three-dimensional input such as an RGBD camera which acquires depth information as well as a two-dimensional image and a stereo camera which acquires three-dimensional information using a plurality of optical inputs.
Recently, as a result of rapid progress of a processor, studies which three-dimensionally restore an articulated model of a hand or a body by utilizing machine learning using a fast computing ability of a processor, especially, a deep learning technique are being performed.
Among such articulated model restoring techniques, there is a technique which three-dimensionally restores the articulated model using an inverse kinematics (IK) technique after acquiring a two-dimensional landmark using a deep learning technique. However, according to this technique, since a cost function is optimized using a Jacobian matrix or a conjugate gradient method, the computation is complicated so that a long processing time is required and specifically, power consumption of the portable device is excessive and there is a risk to fall into a local minimum.

Articulated model registration apparatus and method


A modular pump system permits combining multiple discrete pump assemblies in serial and/or parallel configurations to tailor system output to user needs. The assemblies may be combined by hand quickly, without the needs for tools, to permit use in remote areas.

Basic pump design requires two primary inputs: design head and fluid flow requirements. Based on these two inputs, practitioners may design a pump assembly that includes a pump and motor with sufficient power to raise a volume of fluid, e.g., water, to a desired height to satisfy both the design head and volumetric or fluid flow requirements. Often, the pump assembly is an electrically powered, off-the-shelf component.
Water is a valuable resource for raising crops, for raising animals, for cooking, for hygiene, and for human consumption. In many regions of the world, however, water is not readily accessible due to any of a number of factors that may include, for example, the depth to an aquifer or water table (which may change from time to time and from season to season), the cost of drilling and installing a well, the cost of a pump assembly to raise water to the Earth's surface, the cost and availability of electrical power for operating a pump motor or other device, and so forth.

Portable alternative-energy powered pump assembly


Substituted hexahydrobenzopyran derivatives of the Formulae A, B, or C are useful as angiotensin II antagonists: ##STR1##

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a central role in the regulation of normal blood pressure and seems to be critically involved in hypertension development and maintenance as well as congestive heart failure. Angiotensin II (A II), is an octapeptide hormone produced mainly in the blood during the cleavage of angiotensin I by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) localized on the endothelium of blood vessels of lung, kidney, and many other organs. It is the end product of the reninangiotensin system (RAS) and is a powerful arterial vasoconstrictor that exerts its action by interacting with specific receptors present on cell membranes. One of the possible modes of controlling the RAS is angiotensin II receptor antagonism. Several peptide analogs of A II are known to inhibit the effect of this hormone by competitively blocking the receptors, but their experimental and clinical applications have been limited by partial agonist activity and lack of oral absorption [M. Antonaccio. Clin. Exp. Hypertens. A4, 27-46 (1982); D. H. P. Streeten and G. H. Anderson, Jr. - Handbook of Hypertension, Clinical Pharmacology of Antihypertensive Drugs, ed. A. E. Doyle, Vol. 5, pp. 246-271, Elsevier Science Publisher, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1984].

Substituted hexahydrobenzopyran derivatives as angiotensin II antagonists


A multi-branch overwrap for protecting elongated items is disclosed. The overwrap is formed from a flexible, resilient substrate. Interengageable attachments are positioned on opposite sides of the substrate for releasably attaching one surface of the substrate to the other. The substrate may be biased to form a plurality of interconnected tubes or reverse folded to form channels that receive the elongated items. Biasing or folding brings the opposite sides of the substrate into overlapping relation. The overwrap may be formed from a unitary blank or assembled from component parts. Preferred materials for the substrate include polyester felt, and preferred attachments include hook and loop fasteners distributed on the surface of the substrate.

Elongated items such as wiring harnesses used in automotive, marine and aerospace applications are preferably ensheathed in a protective covering which extends along the length of their run. The covering may be, for example, flexible convolute tubing formed of a polymeric material. Such tubes have sufficient stiffness to hold the various wires comprising the harness in an organized bundle and thus provide for a neat installation. The tubes are also sufficiently flexible to conform to curved paths which the harness may be forced to take when routed through an automotive or aircraft structure. The tubes provide a tough, abrasion resistant exterior which protects the wires of the wiring harness from damage which would otherwise occur when the harness rubs against structure in response to vibration.
However, at branch points in the wiring harness where two or more branches of the harness separate from another branch to follow different paths, the convolute tubing is present on each branch but stops short of the actual junction. This leaves a length of each branch at or near the junction exposed to damage by cuts and abrasion. In fact, the protective tubing itself can be a source of abrasion damage because the harness can chafe against the sharp edge of the convolute tubing formed at the tube end where it was cut to accommodate the branching of the harness.
This problem is often addressed by wrapping the wiring harness at the junction with flexible, self-adhesive tape, for example, vinyl electrical tape. While this solution provides some degree of protection to the harness at the junction, it suffers the following disadvantages. The tape stiffens the harness at the junction, making it less accommodating to the path it must assume. The tape is never applied, in practice, in a standard or uniform manner, resulting in some junctions having too much tape and some too little. Furthermore, the tape requires considerable time to install, and once installed, the tape, due to its adhesive nature, prevents ready access to the harness for repairs or splices. To effect a repair or a splice, the tape must be laboriously removed by hand each time the junction is serviced. The tape is usually applied over both the harness and the convolute tubing and does not provide any protection against chafing of the harness wires by the sharp edge at the end of the tube. Clearly, there is a need for an article which protects wiring harness junctions which eliminates the use of adhesive tape and its many disadvantages.


A non-naturally occurring microbial organism includes a microbial organism having a reductive TCA or Wood-Ljungdahl pathway in which at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding these pathway enzymes is expressed in a sufficient amount to enhance carbon flux through acetyl-CoA. A method for enhancing carbon flux through acetyl-CoA includes culturing theses non-naturally occurring microbial organisms under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce a product having acetyl-CoA as a building block. Another non-naturally occurring microbial organism includes at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to enhance the availability of reducing equivalents in the presence of carbon monoxide or hydrogen, thereby increasing the yield of redox-limited products via carbohydrate-based carbon feedstock. A method for enhancing the availability of reducing equivalents in the presence of carbon monoxide or hydrogen includes culturing this organism for a sufficient period of time to produce a product.

This invention relates generally to biosynthetic processes and, more specifically to organisms having enhanced carbon fixation capabilities.
1,3-butanediol (1,3-BDO) is a four carbon diol traditionally produced from acetylene via its hydration. The resulting acetaldehyde is then converted to 3-hydroxybutyraldehdye which is subsequently reduced to form 1,3-BDO. More recently, acetylene has been replaced by the less expensive ethylene as a source of acetaldehyde. 1,3-BDO is commonly used as an organic solvent for food flavoring agents. It is also used as a co-monomer for polyurethane and polyester resins and is widely employed as a hypoglycemic agent. Optically active 1,3-BDO is a useful starting material for the synthesis of biologically active compounds and liquid crystals. Another use of 1,3-butanediol is that its dehydration affords 1,3-butadiene (Ichikawa et al. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A-Chemical 256:106-112 (2006); Ichikawa et al. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A-Chemical 231:181-189 (2005), which is useful in the manufacture synthetic rubbers (e.g., tires), latex, and resins. The reliance on petroleum based feedstocks for either acetylene or ethylene warrants the development of a renewable feedstock based route to 1,3-butanediol and to butadiene.
Isopropanol (IPA) is a colorless, flammable liquid that mixes completely with most solvents, including water. The largest use for IPA is as a solvent, including its well known yet small use as "rubbing alcohol," which is a mixture of IPA and water. As a solvent, IPA is found in many everyday products such as paints, lacquers, thinners, inks, adhesives, general-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, cosmetics, toiletries, de-icers, and pharmaceuticals. Low-grade IPA is also used in motor oils. IPA is also used as a chemical intermediate for the production of isopropylamines (Ag products), isopropylethers, and isopropyl esters. Isopropanol is manufactured by two petrochemical routes. The predominant process entails the hydration of propylene either with or without sulfuric acid catalysis. Secondarily, IPA is produced via hydrogenation of acetone, which is a by-product formed in the production of phenol and propylene oxide.
4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-hydroxybutanoate, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 4-HB) is a 4-carbon carboxylic acid that is used as a building block for various commodity and specialty chemicals. In particular, 4-HB can serve as an entry point into the 1,4-butanediol family of chemicals, which includes solvents, resins, polymer precursors, and specialty chemicals.
1,4-butanediol (BDO) is a valuable chemical for the production of high performance polymers, solvents, and fine chemicals. It is the basis for producing other high value chemicals such as tetrahydrofuran (THF) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL). The value chain is comprised of three main segments including: (1) polymers, (2) THF derivatives, and (3) GBL derivatives. In the case of polymers, BDO is a comonomer for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) production. PBT is a medium performance engineering thermoplastic used in automotive, electrical, water systems, and small appliance applications. Conversion to THF, and subsequently to polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), provides an intermediate used to manufacture spandex products such as LYCRA® fibers. PTMEG is also combined with BDO in the production of specialty polyester ethers (COPE). COPEs are high modulus elastomers with excellent mechanical properties and oil/environmental resistance, allowing them to operate at high and low temperature extremes. PTMEG and BDO also make thermoplastic polyurethanes processed on standard thermoplastic extrusion, calendaring, and molding equipment, and are characterized by their outstanding toughness and abrasion resistance. The GBL produced from BDO provides the feedstock for making pyrrolidones, as well as serving the agrochemical market. The pyrrolidones are used as high performance solvents for extraction processes of increasing use, including for example, in the electronics industry and in pharmaceutical production.
BDO is produced by two main petrochemical routes with a few additional routes also in commercial operation. One route involves reacting acetylene with formaldehyde, followed by hydrogenation. More recently BDO processes involving butane or butadiene oxidation to maleic anhydride, followed by hydrogenation have been introduced. BDO is used almost exclusively as an intermediate to synthesize other chemicals and polymers.
Thus, there exists a need for the development of methods for effectively producing commercial quantities of compounds such as 1,4-butanediol, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 1,3-butanediol, or isopropanol. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well. Additional product molecules that can be produced by the teachings of this invention include but are not limited to ethanol, butanol, isobutanol, isopropanol, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, lactic acid, adipic acid, 6-aminocaproic acid, hexamethylenediamine, caprolactam, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, 1,3-propanediol, glycerol, and long chain hydrocarbons, alcohols, acids, and esters.

Microbial organisms comprising exogenous nucleic acids encoding reductive TCA pathway enzymes


A method and apparatus for wireless communication device operation comprises receiving one or more metrics from at least two members of a group whose members are wireless communication devices. The members of the group have agreed to share resources within the group and have their wireless connections controlled by the WCD. The wireless connections of the at least two members are managed, based on the one or more metrics, to optimize performance of the at least two members. The one or more metrics comprise at least one temperature based metric.

Some wireless communication devices have a capability of communicating in more than one manner, such as by one or more wide area communication networks, by Wi-Fi® RF protocol, and/or by Bluetooth® RF protocol. Some of these wireless communication devices are capable of automatically selecting from among the available manners of communication to reduce their resource usage, such as using a Wi-Fi communication link when one is available, which may reduce power consumption and/or circuit operating temperatures.
Wireless communication devices are sometimes organized into groups for a variety of purposes. For example, a group may be formed of communication devices that are participating in a cellular phone system provider's family plan or communication devices that are used by employees in a business.
Temperatures are sensed at a number of locations within some wireless communication devices. These locations may include a temperature measured at a point proximate to a radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA) within the wireless communication device. This temperature and others may be used to manage the radiated power output of the RFPA.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of the embodiments.

Apparatus and method for managing transmitter temperature and power within a group of communication devices


A battery device includes a battery cell including a cell terminal, a case that houses the battery cell, a battery terminal provided to the case and electrically connected to the cell terminal, and a control section that is housed in the case and allows and inhibits charge and discharge of the battery cell, wherein the control section includes a detection section that detects an output voltage value of the cell terminal at an interval, and assuming that the latest output voltage value detected by the detection section is V1, and the output voltage value detected by the detection section immediately before the latest output voltage value V1 is V0, the control section allows charge and discharge of the battery cell if |ΔV| (ΔV=V1−V0) is smaller than a reference value, and to inhibit charge and discharge of the battery cell if |ΔV| is equal to and greater than the reference value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a battery device.
2. Related Art
Portable electronic equipment such as a mobile phone or a digital still camera uses a battery device (a battery pack) as a power source.
There is provided a battery device including a case, a battery cell housed in the case and provided with a cell terminal, a battery terminal provided to the case and electrically connected to the cell terminal, and a control section housed in the case and enabling or disabling the battery cell to perform charging or discharging operation (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3371146).
The control section has a function of preventing overcharge or over discharge of the battery cell to protect the battery cell. Therefore, the control section is designed in accordance with the electrical characteristic (specification) of each battery cell.


An adapter includes a syringe carrier adapted to seat at least a portion of the syringe. The syringe carrier includes at least one rearward facing abutmer member to abut at least one forward facing surface on a syringe. The syringe carrie includes an opening therein to allow a drive member of an injector to communicate forward force to the plunger through abutment without connective engagement between the drive member and the plunger. The adapter further includes a releasable mounting mechanism positioned to the rear of the syringe carrier to mount the adapter in a desired position relative to the front wall of the injector. An adapter includes a first section and a second section that are rotatable relative to each other about a hinge axis generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the adapter. An adapter includes a first section and a second section that are generally the same in construction, the first section and the section being connectable to form a syringe carrier to seat at least a portion of the syringe.

A number of injector-actuated syringes and powered injectors for use in medical procedures such as angiography, computed tomography, ultrasound and NMRIMRI have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,736, for example, discloses an injector and syringe for injecting fluid into the vascular system of a human being or an animal. Typically, such injectors comprise drive members such as pistons that connect to a syringe plunger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,980, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an angiographic injector and syringe wherein the drive member of the injector can be connected to, or disconnected from, the syringe plunger at any point along the travel path of the plunger via a releasable mechanism. A front-loading syringe and injector system is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,858, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,858, a syringe used with a front-loading injector preferably includes a readily releasable mounting mechanism for securing the syringe to the front wall of the injector. The use of specifically designed mounting mechanisms, however, prevents the use of syringes of other various types with front-loading injectors. Such syringes may, for example, include a syringe body, a plunger reciprocally mounted therein, and a plunger extension for transfer of force to the plunger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,653, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses several adapters designed to allow the use of various syringes with a front-loading injector. In one embodiment, the adapter of U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,653 includes a syringe carrier having a front end, a rear end, and syringe retaining channel located between the carrier front and rear ends for engaging at least a portion of the syringe flange. Mounting flanges near the rearward end of the carrier lo releasably mount the carrier in a desired position relative to the front wall of the injector. The adapter of U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,653 further includes a follower reciprocally mounted within the carrier. The follower has a front end that engages the syringe plunger extension when the syringe is installed in the carrier. A drive head opening in the carrier communicates with a pair of drive head slots positioned near the rear end of the follower for releasably mounting the follower in a desired position relative to the drive head of the injector.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,653 is a substantial improvement in the art, it remains desirable to develop improved adapters for use with syringes of various types to permit use of such syringes with front-loading injectors.

Injector systems and syringe adapters for use therewith


A fuel system for an automotive vehicle equipped with a diesel engine includes a fuel tank, a fuel injection pump, a fuel supply passage for conducting fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel injection pump, and a fuel return passage for conducting fuel from the fuel injection pump to the fuel tank. A hydraulically powered lift pump moves fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel injection pump through a fuel supply passage. The lift pump includes a hydraulic motor powered by fuel flowing through the fuel return passage and a primary fuel pump coupled to and powered by the hydraulic motor, with the primary fuel pump providing fuel to the injection pump through the fuel supply passage.

Many modern light trucks and passenger cars with diesel engines use high pressure distributor pumps for fuel injection. Such distributor pumps always include a transfer pump, frequently a vane pump, situated within the injection pump housing. The purpose of the transfer pump is to increase the fuel supply pressure to a level where it will adequately fill the distributor system, as well as operating other features of the injection pump, such as the timing control system. The transfer pump has a closed loop pressure regulating system that provides pressure as a function of rotational speed. The pressure typically ranges from 200 kPa at lower engine speeds to 850 kPa at higher engine speeds.
The transfer pump mounted within the fuel injection pump is frequently used to pull fuel from the fuel tank. Such a prior art system is shown in FIG. 9, in which fuel injection pump 80 has transfer pump 81 incorporated therein. Fuel drawn from tank 94 by pump 81 passes through supply line 98 and filter 92 before reaching pump 81. Because the fuel lines and components extending from fuel tank 94 to fuel injection pump 80 are at negative pressure, this is generally known as a "depression fuel system". Depression fuel systems are prone to problems caused by the negative pressure, which can cause air ingress through minor leaks, resulting in unstable fuel injection and even failure of the engine to start. For this reason, more reliable vehicles with diesel engines have also included a primary or lift pump, to cause the fuel system to always operate at a positive pressure, preventing air ingress. If air or vapor does get into the fuel line between the fuel tank and the primary pump, a continuous bleed located in the pressurized part of the system will send the vapor and air back to the fuel tank.
Primary pumps used with diesel injection systems typically comprise a camshaft driven, self-regulating, reciprocating diaphragm type pump. However, on newer diesel engines with one or more overhead camshafts, the diaphragm pump becomes difficult to package. Also, the diaphragm fuel pump may not have adequate fuel flow for cooling modern high pressure distributor pump with electronic controls and spill type metering systems. Although diaphragm pumps are being replaced with electrically driven primary pump systems, this arrangement is not entirely satisfactory because electric pumps are expensive and require a separate dedicated pressure regulator. And, electric lift pumps suffer from a drawback inasmuch as they operate at essentially a constant volume which must be sized so as to exceed engine requirements at low speeds, while providing marginal fueling at higher speeds.
The present invention provides a reliable, low cost primary fuel pump. This pump can be used at minor added cost to change depression fuel systems to pressurized fuel systems, improving the reliability. The present low cost pump can also be used to replace electrically driven pumps in pressurized fuel systems, reducing the system cost.

Diesel vehicle primary fuel pump driven by return fuel energy


A minimum tillage farm implement capable of being used for plowing, cultivating, planting and insecticide and herbicide and fertilizer application, which includes a tool bar frame having three parallel spaced apart laterally positioned tool bars held together by detachable interconnecting frame members. Coulters, chisel plows and discing pairs are mounted in series to the front tool bar. Variable width rototillers are attached to the middle tool bar and planters are attached to the rear tool bar, both serially alligned with the discing pairs. The coulters, chisel plows, discs and rototillers prepare a fine seed bed, even in stalks and stubble, to allow beneficial planting of row crop seeds by the planters. In a second mode the front and rear tool bars are detached leaving only the middle tool bar with rototillers, which can be adjusted for width and position to perform as cultivators of the areas between adjacent seed beds.

This invention relates to minimum tillage farming equipment, more particularly to minimum tillage farming implements which perform multiple functions simultaneously and can be used in different modes.
In the ever continuing search to balance increased agricultural production against environmental stewardship, and to conquer the economic barriers of ever-increasing fuel, equipment and material costs, minimum tillage farming has become an attractive alternative to conventional row crop farming methods.
Traditional row crop farming is based upon multi-pass operations beginning with preparing the field for planting and ending with the harvesting of the crop. It is not uncommon for some farmers to make five or more passes over a given field before harvesting including conventional plowing or chisel plowing, discing, applying chemicals and fertilizers, planting and cultivating. The costs in fuel, equipment, and supplies and materials are evident; while the more intangible costs of labor, time, soil stress and soil erosion have risen to be significant concerns.
Compaction of the soil also results and has been found to reduce productivity significantly. Research has shown that something as seemingly innocent as a footprint can compact soil enough to inhibit plant growth. Compaction by the large, heavy equipment of today produces what is called "hardpan" which can cut productivity by 50% or more.
Minimum tillage methods and equipment have been in use and practiced for a number of years, but the economic and environmental pressures of recent times have prompted their adoption on a wide scale basis. As explained above, minimum tillage attempts to minimize the number of ground-working implement passes over a given field to reduce fuel, labor, equipment and environmental costs.
The difficulties with minimum tillage farming are many and diverse. Among the major problems are first, finding and developing equipment which works effectively and efficiently in the minimally tilled ground. The equipment must be specialized and strong to attack the hardened stalk and stubble filled ground. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to produce an adequate seed bed when the ground is not worked over a number of times.
Moisture concerns and weed control are additional significant problems that are encountered in minimum tillage farming methods. Compounding this problem is the ever present obstacle of clogging of the equipment by the remnant trash in the field.
Because weed control is so important in minimum tillage farming, both chemical herbicide incorporation and positive weed control are problems which must be conquered.
Some attempts have been made to conquer these problems by utilizing specialized equipment, some being partially or wholly powered by independent engines, which prepares the soil for an additional pass by conventional planting equipment. Others have attempted to combine the soil preparation implements and planters for one pass planting. All of these attempts still do not overcome one or more of the problems mentioned above.
Additionally, present minimum tillage equipment do not provide adequate multiple-use flexibility, such as utilizing parts of the all-in-one tillage/planting implement for subsequent specialized uses such as cultivating.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which performs all necessary row crop operations up to harvest with savings of time and labor, fuel, equipment costs and loss of soil.
A further object of the invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which both prepares a good seed bed for the planting of row crops and plants the crop in one pass of the field.
A further object of the invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which utilizes conventional planting units for the planting of the row crops.
Another object of the invention is to provide a minimum tillage farming implement which provides effective and efficient incorporation of herbicides into the seed bed while sufficient moisture is present in the soil to enhance the effectiveness of the herbicide and while additionally reducing the amount of herbicide used.
A further object of this invention is to eliminate hardpan problems by placing the seeds directly behind a chisel plow.
A further object of this invention is to apply fertilizer during the field trip in which the crop is planted.
Another object of the invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which can be easily converted to provide positive weed control as a power cultivator.
A further object of this invention is to provide a power cultivator which will not plug with soil or crop trash or residue, will provide positive weed control between the rows and will reduce soil erosion by leaving a mulch of trash and dead weeds and grass between the rows.
A further object of this invention is to provide a power cultivator that does not create ridges between the rows as it passes through the field.
A further object of this invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which does not clog or build up with trash or soil.
A further object of this invention is to provide a mini tillage farm implement which, by reducing the required number of trips over a field, prepares a seed bed with the correct amount of soil moisture necessary for optimal germination and growth.
Another object of this invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which is powered by the power takeoff of the tractor pulling the implement.
A further object of this invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which can be readily transported and readily turned around in fields.
Another object of this invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which is adjustable for providing variable width seed bed preparation and variable width cultivator coverage.
A further object of this invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which prepares a seed bed and plants seeds in between last year's rows and does not disturb last year's stalks or stubble and encourages weed growth outside of the newly formed seed beds, thus further reducing soil erosion.
A further object of this invention is to provide a minimum tillage farm implement which is durable, easy to service and maintain, easy to adjust, and is economical.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings.

Minimum tillage tool bar and method for using same