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1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor fabrication and, more particularly, to the field of fabricating p-channel and n-channel transistors with different characteristics on a common substrate. 2. Description of Related Art In complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication, p-channel and n-channel transistors are fabricated on the same semiconductor substrate. To achieve transistors of both polarities (conductivity types), it is necessary that at least some process is steps differentiate between p-type and n-type transistors. Separate implant steps, for example, are needed to define n-well and p-well structures and to dope the source/drain regions of n-channel and p-channel transistors. Whenever possible, however, it is generally desirable to use a single process step to define transistor features regardless of the transistor type. Single process steps imply a single mask step, which is always desirable to reduce load on the photolithography processing. Moreover, a single step generally minimizes undesirable variations between the p-channel and n-channel transistors. Imagine, for example, that a particular design has been optimized under the assumption that the thickness of the gate oxide (or other dielectric) is the same on n-channel and p-channel transistors. The best way to ensure that the assumption is correct is to form the relevant feature for p-channel and n-channel transistors simultaneously. In some cases, however, it may be desirable to process n-channel and p-channel transistors separately to account for differences in the characteristics of the respective transistor types. As an example, there is an asymmetry in the sub-micron behavior of p-channel and n-channel transistors. For sub-micron p-channel transistors, the high diffusivity of its boron carriers causes sub-threshold leakage current to be of paramount concern. For n-channel transistors, the drive current or saturated drain current (IDS), which is an important performance parameter, is strongly influenced by the effective length of the source/drain extension region due to the parasitic resistance that it creates. Whereas it would be desirable to have shorter extensions to increase the n-channel drive current, it would be desirable to have longer extensions to reduce the p-channel sub-threshold leakage current. It would therefore be desirable to implement a process that simultaneously addressed these concerns without substantially increasing the cost or complexity of the process.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved dispensing apparatus. More particularly, a dispenser that incorporates a timing means in conjunction with audio and visual output to assist the user in proper washing techniques for compliance with recommended guidelines and to monitor the number of usages. 2. Background Art Each year, millions of reported illnesses and serious infections are attributable to improper hand washing. The unreported cases are estimated to be much higher. Food borne illness kills over 10,000 people each year, and 70% of the outbreaks originate in food service sector. The passage of viral and bacterial contaminants result from physical contact with an infected source and are carried from one site to another with each successive physical contact. The problem is most evident in hospital and related medical establishments, as well as those businesses associated with preparing and distributing food and food products. A person that handles a single contaminated source will spread the contaminant to every person, article and surface touched by that person. The subsequent contaminated sources represent additional contamination sites that spread the contaminant. The liability of contamination or illness caused by inadequate washing techniques is very high. And, a single food borne illness can tarnish a long-standing reputation and wreak financial havoc. Proper washing of hands has been demonstrated to kill the contaminants and prevent the spread of disease and contaminants. According to the Centers for Disease Control, proper hand washing is the single most important process in preventing the spread of the pathogens. Microbial contamination refers to microscopic organisms, especially any of the bacteria that cause disease, e.g.: germs. A germ is the rudimentary form in which a new organism is developed, and encompasses any microscopic organism and any one of the bacteria that can cause disease. A bacterium is typically a one-celled microorganism, wherein some cause diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, or anthrax while other bacteria are necessary for fermentation and nitrogen fixation. Some industries are much more sensitive to proper washing techniques. Restaurants are particularly prone to the dissemination of food-borne contaminants and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specific guidelines articulated in the Food Code. The Food Code has several sections that address the washing of hands for food service and related personnel. According to the Food Code regulations, a person must wash after using the bathroom, sneezing, coughing, using a disposable tissue, using tobacco, eating or drinking, handling soiled utensils, and when switching from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods, and any other activity that potentially contaminates the hands. In addition, the Food Code describes a proper hand washing technique as lasting at least 20 seconds, washing up to the forearms, and a special emphasis on between the fingers and underneath fingernails. In addition to timing the washing, it is important to consider the different steps in the washing procedure. A proper washing cycle commences with combining water and soap and scrubbing the hands vigorously. There are various soaps or cleansing liquids that can be used, preferably having anti-bacterial or anti-microbial properties. Nails should be cleaned and scrubbed. After scrubbing, the hands should be thoroughly rinsed with water. The areas between the finger and underneath the fingernails should be specifically cleaned and checked. The regulations also require a supervisor ensure compliance with the regulations and promote the effective washing protocols. Employers may be fined or lose licenses if employees do not observe these regulations, and such employees are likely to lose their employment. Although there may not be specific codes governing all industries and circumstance, it is common sense that adherence to the regulations will instill a safer environment for all. And, in a litigious environment, adhering to a strict standard is also a cost-effective and practical measure. There are varying international standards for the washing of hands, but in general, the U.S. standard provides a reasonable approach to follow. Unfortunately, the proper washing guidelines are not regularly and rigorously followed. Many food service personnel do not appreciate the significance of proper washing. The restaurants rarely provide adequate training to the personnel, and seldom encompass sufficient supervision during the work shifts. In addition, the employees at restaurants and dining establishments tend to be lower paid and may not care or understand the posted written guidelines, especially if the guidelines are in an unfamiliar language. Presently there is no adequate means of providing proper guidance and instruction during washing, no system designed to walk a user through the washing steps, and no simple means of monitoring or tracking employee washing. Contributing to the problem of inadequate washing is the lack of formal education by those in the food services segment, the low pay scale, and the periods of rushed food preparation. These factors all contribute to a potential for poor washing conditions. Due to the many illnesses caused by food preparation, the FDA continues to apply more formal regulations and guidelines for employers regarding proper washing skills. Employers are demanding a better system of aiding and monitoring employee washing habits. The soap and liquid compounds for hand washing come from a number of different dispensers available in the marketplace. Liquid and semi-liquid dispensers are used in numerous applications and are used to dispense metered portions of cremes, lotions, gels, soaps, anti-bacterial cleansing liquids, anti-microbial cleansing liquids, and similar materials. A typical dispenser allows the user to obtain a specific amount of liquid matter with minimal ease. Manual and semi-automatic dispensing systems are common in the industry, and automated dispensers are beginning to enter the marketplace. The manual dispensers utilize levers and other mechanical assemblies wherein the user must provide some physical contact with the unit in order to dispense the liquid. The physical contact in manipulating the lever does provide a contact with a surface that is typically wet and dirty, and may harbor contaminants. Automated dispensers are becoming more popular, and operate with a variety of electrical and electromechanical components to automatically dispense the liquid after triggering some sensory input. The automatic or xe2x80x98touchlessxe2x80x99 dispensers do not require any physical contact with the dispenser. Unfortunately, the touchless dispensers are fairly expensive and require fairly complex electrical and electrical components in order to function. Besides electronic equipment, there are mechanical components such as plungers and gear trains that work in conjunction with the electronics. The mechanical gears draw substantial energy during the xe2x80x98pinch and squeezexe2x80x99 operation to deliver liquid cleanser, requiring frequent battery replacement. In addition, if the batteries are drained, the electrical elements are not functioning properly, or the mechanical functions are broken, the entire unit is disabled and will not dispense any liquid cleansers. The low reliability and the catastrophic failure mode are a major concern in the touchless dispenser market. Within the field of liquid dispensers, there are many types of dispensers. The most common and cost effective is the bag-in-box system, where the liquid comes in a no-leak pouch with pump tip and is disposable. This system is a closed system, and all the air is removed from the pouch during manufacturing. The bag collapses upon itself once the liquid is evacuated, minimizing waste disposal. The closed system has many advantages, including being a more sanitary system. The standard size pouch is 800 ml, but other sizes are in use, including 500 ml to 900 ml. It is a necessary requirement that the cost to produce a disposable pouch be kept to a minimum, while still delivering consistent results. The dispensers are installed in many public facilities, and are subject to extreme wear and tear. Due to the excessive use, the devices must be robust and relatively maintenance free. Other dispensers use cartridges or refillable containers. The cartridges must be pierced, are generally not refillable, and produce greater waste. Both cartridges and refillable containers introduce air into the system, aiding the production of bacteria and mold. The cost and administrative complexity in using these other forms of dispensing liquids, as well as the decreased sanitary conditions limit their market appeal. Also, these semi-automatic and automatic systems can be designed to complete the cycle, metering exactly the correct amount of liquid, independently of successive and rapid pushes of the actuating member that frequently occur. The liquid soap industry has numerous brands and categories of cleansing liquids. The viscosity and particulate content are also subject to extreme variations. There is an array of particulate matter that can be added to cleansing liquids to form a grit soap compound that is more effective in cleaning. The most common grit material is plastic microspheres, although other materials such as clay, walnut shells and corn cobs have also been used. Besides the variations of compounds used to form grit soap, the size of the grit also varies. There has also been a consumer demand for anti-microbial cleansing liquids and anti-bacterial cleansing liquids, and the industry has reacted by adding creating new compounds with these properties. These anti-microbial and anti-bacterial cleansing liquids are available with or without grit and have certain characteristics and viscosity differences as compared to standard liquid soap. Besides liquid soap, other compounds dispensed include body and hair shampoo, hand creme solutions, lotions, cleansing liquids, and shaving creme. In a typical bag-in-box operation, a user depresses a lever or controller. This applies pressure to the dispenser tube that creates a vacuum in the collapsible pouch that exerts fluid pressure against the ball in the ball check valve. If the pressure is sufficient, the ball is displaced, and the liquid flows around the ball and into the ball check valve chamber. The liquid flows into the space between the spring and the interior wall of the ball check valve chamber. Once the chamber is sufficiently full, the liquid is forced through the compressed spring and out through the lower fitment hole and through the nozzle. The transition from a user applying purely mechanical forces to meter out some liquid to a semi-automated or automated dispensing unit is appealing to the industry and the public. Soap dispensers tend to become dirty and wet during frequent use, and users are reluctant to touch such units. The wet dispensing units also harbor germs and microbes that could be transferred to the next user, especially is the user does not wash properly. If washed properly, all contaminants should be removed during the subsequent washing. There is growing trend for dispensers that do not require a manual touching due to bacteria and microbial contamination. Touchless dispensers are well known in the prior art and incorporate various means to detect when a user is ready to receive the cleaner from the dispenser. Semi-automatic and automatic systems are designed to complete the cycle, metering exactly the correct amount of liquid, independently of successive and rapid pushes of the actuating member. Additionally, the user no longer has to touch the wet and often dirty dispenser. Unfortunately, many of the touchless dispensers are expensive devices that are prone to electrical and mechanical failures as well as constant battery replacement. Once a touchless dispenser loses power or has some mechanical or electronic failure, the entire unit is inoperable and will not dispense liquid cleanser. And, even using a touchless dispenser and metering the proper amount of liquid cleaning agent does not guarantee that the user will employ proper washing techniques. In order to reduce the aforementioned problems, attempts have been made to produce an improved dispensing system. The prior art systems have general shortcomings and do not adequately address the aforementioned problems. Most generally, the prior art dispenser systems do not provide any instructions or timing for a recommended washing cycle, there is no progress indication, usage numbers are lacking, and there are general reliability problems. The invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,201 (""201) provides some interaction between the dispenser and the user, such as a greeting or music when the user is proximate to the dispenser. This device is not intended to aid in compliance with the recommended washing protocol nor does the ""201 invention encompass any timing means for the washing process. There is no number of usages for tracking purposes and no progress indicators for the user to follow during the washing cycle. A timed washing dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,925 (""925) that detects the dispenser usage and activates a timing circuit and counts for the recommended washing cycle. There is audio means to signal the start and stop of the washing sequence. One approach to aid in hand washing compliance is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,653 (""653). This complex monitoring system embodies several monitoring and data collection points. The ""653 system is intended to track employee hand washing usage and allow supervisor collection of data to check compliance. Another compliance-oriented invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,910 (""910) that shows a monitoring module that operates in conjunction with the dispenser to track employee usage and to provide a means of checking the data for compliance. An all-encompassing system in shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,242 (""242), wherein the water lines and a dispenser coordinate the washing and drying cycle. Soapy water is dispensed in the washing phase, rinsing water is dispensed in the rinse cycle, and finally the drying unit is actuated to dry the hands. A timer activated toilet bowl cleaner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,465 that uses an automated timer to release cleaner into the toilet bowl. Although the prior art discusses a start and stop signal for washing, it does not provide proper washing instructions or reminders to the user as an aid in compliance with recommended washing regulations. There is no progress indication to walk the user through the washing cycle to indicate the different steps of washing, such as lathering, scrubbing and rinsing. Finally, there is no simple tracking means for number of usages so that a supervisor can check the usage number and clear the usage number without generating a complex paper trail. Employees and supervisors are more likely to use and utilize a system that does not place undue hardship or difficulty in operation of the dispenser. What is needed is a dispenser system that not only meters out the proper amount of liquid soap, but aids the user in complying with proper washing techniques. Such a system notifies the user via audio, visual, or a combination of audio/visual means of the industry acceptable washing intervals. Not only should the device alert the user as to the start and stop of the washing cycle, but it shows the progress of the cycle and provides instructions to the user. Such a device instructs and reminds the user of the steps in washing to aid in promoting compliance with the suggested and recommended guidelines. An overall aspiration is to produce a high reliability dispenser with few moving parts, and wherein a failure will not prevent the liquid cleanser from being dispensed. The design must also be cost effective to manufacture and implement, and allow for easy incorporation into current dispenser designs. A further embodiment should make the dispenser more sanitary by employing anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties into the dispenser plastic housing to reduce the contamination of dispensers requiring a manual or semi-manual engagement. Employing such contamination resistant plastic lowers the potential for spreading pathogens and allows employers to use the less expensive and more rugged mechanical dispenser designs without incurring any increase in the likelihood of spreading contaminants. The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned background. An object of the invention is to provide a dispenser system that aids in compliance with proper hand washing by instructing the user during the washing cycle. The voice instructions operate in conjunction with the recommended timing interval and coach the user on the various steps, three steps in the preferred embodiment, lathering, scrubbing, and rinsing. The multi-part voice instruction messages coach the user in the proper steps of washing and serve as reminders as well as a teaching tool for users. A related object is a system of teaching employees the proper method of hand washing. Employees are given orientation or introduction to the dispenser of the present invention and the aural messages and visual feedback teach the user how to wash and the correct duration of washing. A user that follows the simple lesson will learn proper washing protocol, and decrease the likelihood of contamination as well as lowering liability for damages. Another related object of the invention is to employ customizable instruction messages aimed at the specific target audience. Different languages, different speakers, and different wording can be used to optimize the washing for the particular target audience. Voices of characters or celebrities could be used to provide the instructions. Alternatively, voice instructions can be customized by the supervisor to include instructions specific to the bathroom facility or intended user. Yet another object of the invention is to employ visual feedback during the washing. The voice instructions at each step are coordinated with visual signals that show the user the progress through the washing cycle. Such progress walks the user through the process and has a psychological incentive to complete the entire washing cycle. Multiple LED""s can be arranged to track the progress by using different colors such as green, yellow and red as the user progresses through the washing cycle. A line of LED""s could illuminate one at a time in procession every few seconds such as a countup. Alternatively, all the LED""s could be illuminated at the initiation of the sequence, and count off one by one until the countdown is completed. The feedback characteristic incorporates a continuous indication of time elapsed or remaining time to show the user the progression and allows the user to better manage the time. An LCD display can show a clock that counts up or down for the washing cycle. A related feedback object of the invention is to employ electronics and include a microprocessor to provide customizable feedback, such as modulation of sound or visual signals to the user. The customizable feedback can include increasing frequency of beeps, raising the tone, blinking the displays differently through the cycle, or a count down time display. The feedback indicates where the user is in the cycle and encourages him/her to complete the cycle during the washing period and alert user when the time interval is completed. An object of the invention is to provide a means of tracking the number of usages of the dispenser over a given time period. As a management tool, a supervisor needs to be able to approximately track whether the employees are washing their hands. The supervisor can obtain a simple approximation by tabulating the number of employees during a given shift and the length of time of the shift. Although the supervisor will not be able to identify which employees washed, he will be able to ascertain gross violations of protocol and respond accordingly. A related object includes where the compliance can be monitored by the supervisor by accessing the microcontroller of the present invention and getting the number of usages. The access may be voice actuated, keypad, badge code, magnetic key or any other accessing means. In a preferred embodiment the supervisor uses a magnetic key to obtain dispenser count information as well as to reset the dispensers or customize the operation. The information can be displayed on an LCD or otherwise communicated, but in the preferred embodiment the number of usages is communicated verbally by the dispenser system. The magnetic key in conjunction with the Hall sensor yield a non-invasive method of quickly retrieving the number of usages. The dispenser does not need to be opened to read a counter and the number is not otherwise displayed on the dispenser. Rather, the supervisor swipes the magnet key and is quickly told the count number, And another object is an LCD display provides text or images to assist in the washing process. The instructions could be displayed in conjunction with the audio instructions for the hearing impaired and comply with the various disability acts and requirements. Images could be shown depicting the various stages such as lathering, scrubbing as a means of communicating the information in a manner that is understandable by persons, even if the instruction language is unknown to the user. Another object is to use verbal instructions for the washing sequence interspersed with music or silence rather than a complete verbal instructional message. The instructional message is broken into three steps in the preferred embodiment-lathering, scrubbing, and rinsing. An additional step of inspecting can be included in the instructions. Each step lasts a certain time interval and in a preferred embodiment, the lathering step takes approximately 8 seconds, the scrubbing step takes 7 seconds, and the rinsing step takes 5 secondsxe2x80x94for a total of 20 seconds. An additional object is to provide for different time intervals and steps depending upon the industry or application. Certain sectors, such as nursing homes or health clinics, may require a longer washing cycle with additional steps for sterilization. The microcontroller can be pre-programmed in the factory with the appropriate messages or the user can configure the dispenser by customizing the time and/or messages. Another object of the invention is to employ further electronics to play music or advertisements during the washing period. Such audio output can be interspersed around the voice instructions. Another object is to incorporate modulating patterns to indicate the timing position within the washing interval. The modulating patterns consist of tones that beep in an increasing frequency and can incorporate a visual flashing pattern in conjunction with the audible tones. In versions with a speech synthesizer, a numeric countdown or countup can instruct the user in the washing cycle. Additional instructions are within the scope of the invention, and may include instructions on drying hands or inspecting hands. Additionally, the audio output may include advertisements or promotions to the user. As a captive audience, the audio output in the dispenser is an effective marketing tool. Such advertisement may promote a particular event or product. A related object is to provide for randomization of each washing cycle step to prevent the messages from being mundane. Not only are the messages customizable, but the frequency or repetition can be set to occur at different pushbar requests. For example, the LED""s can continue to be employed, but the voice instructions can be played every fifth time, or every fifth time on average. A further implementation is to have the average duty cycle of voice messages get smaller with realtime, number of usages, or number of supervisor resets, and revert to a new average value. For example, the average duty cycle of voice messages will decrease to every third time and continue to become less frequent over time, number or usages or resets. If the supervisor notes a decrease in usage numbers, the dispenser can be reset to again play voice instructions every actuation. Further objects include a dispenser, whereby the system provides audio guidance to proper washing intervals for the visually impaired. The instructions can aid those with visual difficulty in properly washing and provide other information specific to the facility. Yet a further object is incorporating a means of actuating the sequence. In a preferred embodiment, a Hall effect sensor is triggered each time the pushbar containing a magnet is actuated to dispense liquid cleansers. The sensor can trigger the start of the washing process, and also serve to track the number of usages of the individual actuations of the lever bar. Hall effect sensors are well known in the art and are triggered by introducing a magnetic field in close proximity to the sensor. And yet one further object is to monitor the amount of liquid cleanser in the dispenser by keeping track of the usages number. By knowing the amount of liquid in the dispenser and the amount metered out on each application, a simple processor calculation can approximate the amount of liquid and the remaining number of usages. An appropriate message can be communicated to ensure the dispenser is always adequately filled. An object of the invention is to provide an actuation means such as a mechanical plunger, magnetic sensor, or spring assembly to actuate the timing mechanism. A preferred embodiment uses a magnet and a Hall effect sensor. Other electronic means include optical, ultrasound, or thermal sensing. The optical means encompasses a typical beam-breaking technology, while the ultrasound relies upon the reflected waves to trigger the event. The simple electronic components are powered by a small battery, preferably lithium, for longer lasting duration. A further power source is gel pack batteries, wherein the smaller profile and longer lasting life would be a beneficial factor. Once again, the dispenser of the present embodiment does not require a power source to operate, and functions without any power applied to the unit. The power source is used for communicating the washing instructions, providing visual progress feedback, and recording and reporting number of usages. An object of the invention is a tracking function for the number of usages in order for a supervisor to make an assessment of whether the employees are complying with the recommended guidelines. The number of usages also allows the supervisor to assess the dispenser as a teaching tool for assisting users in washing. The number of usages information is known only to the supervisor who resets the counter until the next inspection. The usage number is communicated by the dispenser aural output. There are also means of using identification by the employee. The identification means includes entering an employee number or code number or PIN number. Alternatively, the employees could be issued RFID badges or name labels. This would serve as a tracking or monitoring mechanism for employers either voluntarily in order to reduce liability, or because of FDA regulations. Another embodiment encompasses a voice recognition means to detect an input voice cue. The users would have to have the voice input into the system, but once recorded, the identification of each user is possible. Technology has lowered the cost for such products while increasing reliability, ease of use and therefore compliance, and decreasing size and weight. The voice commands can be programmed to accept only certain commands and also to recognize an individual user""s voice, thus automating the tracking process and eliminate the need for entering of a PIN or code number. Such an implementation should be easy to operate by the users. A further detection means for outputting a count and re-setting the counter is a magnetic means using the Hall effect sensors. Another object includes using optical, infrared, magnetic, or ultrasonic sensing in a touchless or semi-automatic operation and actuation rather than a mechanical means to allow the convenience of touchless operation. Electronic switching means includes capacitive switching. An object of the invention is an optical and/or mechanical activation where the soap dispensing operation is driven by a motor or solenoid. The motor or solenoid can be either rotary or linear and automatically provide the sufficient force to meter out a liquid portion. In a preferred embodiment, a force of less than five pounds is required to dispense the liquid. Such force complies with the American Disabilities Act requirements. Current gear/cam devices provide this force with minimal consumption of power. And yet an additional object is the design of the present invention as a throw away module or a field replaceable module depending on the manufacturing costs and the operating usage/environment. The package is most conveniently locatable in the dispenser housing and can snap into position on the lid for easy access. An object of the invention is the manufacture and construction of dispensers that incorporate anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial plastics in the design. Although anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial plastics have been deployed in some applications, it has not been introduced into the dispenser industry. The generic name for the agent added to the ABS plastic is OBPA (Oxybisphenoxarsine). The use of anti-microbial/fungal/bacterial thermoplastics resists the growth of germs such as E-Coli, and reduces the transfer of such diseases. The wet environment of dispensers combined with the frequent use by many persons create a breeding ground for various forms of unwanted germs. The use of anti-microbial/fungal/bacterial plastics, such as poly-alpha BN and poly-alpha BN-K, provide a necessary step in preventing the spread of germs. Although the entire unit can be manufactured using this plastic, the most important component is the pushbar. And yet another object of the invention is a dispenser for metering a liquid cleanser to a user and prompting the user in compliance with a recommended washing technique, comprising a container suitable for housing the liquid soap, a power source, a microcontroller connected to the power source, an actuation means, wherein the actuation means is triggered by the user and dispenses the liquid cleanser. Furthermore, the actuation means initiates a washing cycle containing a plurality of washing steps. There is a timer or timing means to count for the washing cycle, and a means of outputting a plurality of aural messages for instructing the user during each of the plurality of washing steps. Another object is a dispenser wherein the actuation means is a Hall effect sensor attached to the dispenser and a magnet attached to a pushbar, wherein the sensor is actuated when the pushbar is operated. Yet a further object is a dispenser wherein there are a plurality of washing step aural messages for each of the washing steps, and the washing step aural messages are randomly selected for outputting as the plurality of aural messages. Additionally, the plurality of aural messages can be in different languages. An additional object is a dispenser further comprising a means of determining realtime clock data. And, a further object is a dispenser further comprising a means of calculating a refill date and communicating the refill date. An object includes a dispenser wherein the plurality of washing steps are lathering, scrubbing, and rinsing. In addition, an object is a dispenser wherein the dispenser is manufactured using an Oxybisphenoxarsine (OBPA) agent. Also, a dispenser further comprising a pushbar containing an Oxybisphenoxarsine (OBPA) agent. An object of the invention is a dispenser for metering a liquid cleanser to a user and prompting the user in compliance with a recommended washing technique, comprising an actuation means, wherein the actuation means is triggered by the user and dispenses the liquid cleanser, and wherein the actuation means initiates a washing cycle containing a plurality of washing steps. There is a timer to count for the washing cycle, and a visual means of indicating progress during the washing cycle. Also included is a means of outputting a plurality of aural messages for instructing the user during each of the plurality of washing steps, as well as a means of tracking a number of usages. A further object includes a dispenser wherein the visual means is a plurality of light emitting diodes. Additionally, an object is a dispenser further comprising a means of sensing a usage number request, wherein the number of usages is output as a verbal numeral. In addition, an object is a dispenser further comprising a means of identifying the user by voice recognition. Also, an object is dispenser further comprising a means of identifying a supervisor by voice recognition. Furthermore, an object is a dispenser further comprising a means of customizing the plurality of aural messages for instructing the user during each of the plurality of washing steps. An object of the invention is a dispenser for metering a liquid cleanser to a user and prompting the user in compliance with a recommended washing technique, comprising a power source, and an actuation means, wherein the actuation means is triggered by the user and dispenses the liquid cleanser, and wherein the actuation means initiates a washing cycle containing a plurality of washing steps. Additionally, there is a means of outputting aural messages, and a visual display means for indicating progress of the recommended washing technique. Finally, there is a processing means for tracking a usage number, and timing of each of the aural messages and the visual display means, wherein the processing means is connected to the power source and the actuation means. A related object includes a dispenser wherein the power source is a gel pack. Another related object is a dispenser wherein the processing means is a microcontroller. And, an object includes a dispenser further comprising a means of customizing the timing of each of the aural messages and the visual display means. An object also includes a method for teaching proper hand washing using a dispenser, wherein the dispenser contains a processing means, wherein the processing means initiates a timed washing cycle containing a plurality of timed washing steps. The method comprising the steps of actuating a mechanism of dispensing a liquid cleanser from a user input, wherein the actuating commences the timed washing cycle. Outputting an instructional message during a first of the plurality of timed washing steps, and displaying a first progress indication. Outputting an instructional message during a second of the plurality of timed washing steps, and displaying a second progress indication. Outputting an instructional message during a third of the plurality of timed washing steps, and displaying a third progress indication. Finally, ending the timed washing cycle. Finally, a last object is a system for teaching a user the proper method of hand washing, comprising the steps of starting a washing cycle containing a plurality of washing steps once an actuation means to dispense liquid cleanser has been manipulated, outputting a first aural instruction during a first washing step, illuminating a first visual display during a first washing step, outputting a second aural instruction during a second washing step, illuminating a second visual display during a second washing step, outputting a third aural instruction during a third washing step and illuminating a third visual display during a third washing step. Other objects, features and advantages are apparent from description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to medical instruments and, more particularly, to an endoscope having flexible tubes within a passive deflection section. 2. Prior Art Endoscopes with passive and active deflection sections are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,551 shows an endoscope with an elongated flexible plastic tube comprising a continuous sequence of connected vertebra-like elements. U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,214 discloses a thin walled tube of elastic material internally supported throughout its length by a series of tubular rigid rings. In one prior art embodiment, control wires from a deflection control to a distal tip of the active deflection are provided with a wire sheath along the passive deflection section. The wire sheath comprises a coiled wire to form a flexible tube around each control wire. A problem exists with these coil wire sheaths in that the coil shape can expand during compression. This can result in a loss of deflection at the active deflection section of the endoscope. In another prior art embodiment, stainless steel tubes are used as the sheaths for the control wires. However, these are only used in applications which have a large bend radius. These tubes can kink very easily, have no resilience, and can fatigue and permanently deform thereby shortening the working life of the endoscope.

Bridge rectifiers for automotive-type alternators are well known in the art. An example of a bridge rectifier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,000. Generally, a bridge rectifier comprises two metallic heat sinks that are electrically insulated from a each other. Each heat sink carries a plurality of semiconductor diodes such that the heat sinks form respective positive and negative direct voltage output terminals. The diodes are grouped in pairs and are connected to respective output phase windings of the alternator.

Plates having compartments are used for holding food Often, a main compartment is designed to hold a main dish whereas the other compartment, or wells, are used to hold sides, condiments, or both. Prior art disposable plates have had various designs or patterns printed thereon, but do not integrate the various compartments into the printed design or pattern. Additionally, prior art designs or patterns printed on disposable plates focused on a small number of designs. The number of designs per collection in the prior art has been less than the total number of plates packaged together for retail sale. Thus, each retail package of plates includes only a complete collection of designs. The prior art does not address the situation where the number of designs per collection exceeds the total number of plates in a retail package and how to widely disseminate all of the designs in the collection in the market place.

This invention relates to a surgical closure that can be repeatedly opened and closed, especially for the abdominal wall. More particularly the invention relates to a surgical closure having fabric of plate-like securing elements that can be tightly but detachably connected to the body tissue and has a closure which can be repeatedly opened and closed. Such a surgical closure is known, for example, from German Patent 34 44 782. This surgical closure is used especially as a temporary closure for the abdominal cavity, preferably for postoperative treatment of peritonitis. Peritonitis, as a secondary form that develops as a result of a perforation of a hollow organ or as a postoperative complication, still has, even today, a high lethality. With increasing incidence, it represents a central surgical problem. The abdominal cavity is subject to a physiological, regulated fluid stream that drains mainly by small openings in the peritoneal diaphragm underside. In this way, bacteria are fed by the lymph tracts to the systemic defense mechanism. The absorption capacity of the intraperitoneal fluid is increased by the mobility of the diaphragm and intraperitoneal pressure. During peritonitis, this drainage is blocked by the pathophysiological development of fibrin and bacteria and circulation is hindered by fibrin-induced adhesions. The defense system is disrupted and a rise in bacterial counts, or their toxins and fibrin, results. If the progression of peritonitis is not stopped promptly, a pathophysiological cascade gets started whose dynamics constantly grow and, after a certain point, can no longer be stopped. To cleanse the abdominal cavity, washing with physiological saline solution is already done during the operation until the wash fluid stays clear. With this mechanical cleansing, bacterial counts, fibrin, dead tissue, toxins and also residual blood (even hemoglobin promotes the start of an infection) are to be removed as completely as possible, to provide, along with surgical removal of septic focus, an optimal condition for healing. In the postoperative phase, in which the fate of the patient is mainly determined, it is decisive to recognize a worsening of the condition as early as possible, and optionally, to remove the cause (e.g., correction of an inadequate suture after oversewing a gastric ulcer) and, by effective lavage, if possible from the first postoperative day forward, to make sure conditions are clean (blood that reappears, fibrin and bacteria are to be rinsed away). In postoperative lavage, the strategy of the open abdomen with periodic washing and the wash treatment with a closed abdomen are known. This so-called open abdomen is made possible by the sliding splint closure and by the snap closure as a temporary closure for the abdominal cavity, with the advantages that repeated intra-abdominal accessibility is guaranteed and the technician, during each washing, can be convinced of the success of the removal of septic focus, and thus, can control the course of peritonitis. In doing so, postoperative, intra-abdominal adhesions can be detached and coatings of fibrin can be removed. The typical drainage complications are eliminated. (Plugging of drainage for the abdominal wall, blockage or obstruction of drainages, infection sources.) A relaparotomy is no longer necessary. Here, the drawback is that right after the operation, washing cannot be performed and no continuous washing is possible. But then, periodic washing is relatively frequent and also a burden for the patient, when the patient is in critical condition. Periodic washing must be prepared carefully; it is performed in the operating room (the abdomen is open during washing) and under general anesthesia. The advantages of the principle of peritoneal dialysis must be done without, since previous temporary abdominal cavity closures do not close the abdomen tightly. The wash effect remains limited, since a desired intra-abdominal pressure is not maintained, and the wash fluid flows, preferably, only in preformed wash channels. Further, after the temporary closure of the abdominal wall, part of the wash fluid oozes into the bed which, in addition to being another source of infection, means ineffective washing, additional burden for the patient, and considerable additional expense for the nursing staff. Patients with an open abdomen belong, at that time, to the most care-intensive patients. If a so-called snap closure or sliding splint closure, as a temporary abdominal cavity closure, is infolded, another drawback comes to bear. Once cut and infolded, adaptation to the tension conditions of the abdominal wall is no longer possible. But, because of edematous swelling of inner organs during the course of peritonitis, the tension of the abdominal wall can increase considerably, with the danger that the sutures tear out. On the other hand, the edges of the incision must be brought together again gradually to the final suture of the abdominal wall later, during the healing phase in which the swelling of the inner organs decreases. Further, the typical complications of snap closures must be taken into account (constriction, tenaculum). There is no particular edge structure to infold into the fascia, so that only the individual sutures provide support. They are often not secure and tear out easily. Continuous peritoneal lavage with a closed abdomen offers the advantage that an effective washing treatment can be started immediately after the operation, and thus, the purpose of the usual Redon suction drainage can be replaced considerably more effectively. The latter has a weak suction capacity, suctioning only right at the spot where it lays. Further, it easily becomes clogged and misleads to the assumption that the incision area has already been suctioned empty. With the sealed system, an intraperitoneal pressure can be built up and dosed. In doing so, the wash fluid (possibly with antibiotic added) also reaches the critical "atmospheric corners" of the abdomen. But not only are wash channels created, as when seepage through without pressure occurs. Fewer fibrin-induced adhesions are formed, since the abdomen contents "swim" and fibrin (among other things) is effectively washed out (thus, simultaneous ileus prophylaxis). Peritoneal dialysis is possible. With it, an increase in the retention values (creatine, urea, potassium) with a threat of renal failure can conceivably be halted simply by using a commercially available dialysis fluid as the wash fluid. The patient can easily be dialyzed, without having to be put into the expensive program of hemodialysis. The associated drawbacks are also eliminated, as they can sometimes occur during the handling of blood volume. Washing can be taken over by a machine according to a desired program; thus, clear relief for the nursing personnel is possible. A chamber count of the leukocytes in the wash fluid makes it possible to monitor simply the response of the peritonitis. A judgment of the efflux can conceivably be performed simply by inspection (cloudiness, fibrin or blood admixtures). Wash fluid sensors to determine the resistance of bacteria can be removed by the catheter at any time, just as other substances can be administered (e.g., electrolytes, protein, heparin). The drawback here is that the abdomen is no longer accessible and thus no direct visual monitoring exists any more, which is important, when the efflux changes pathologically or the clinical condition of the patient worsens. Packing and infection source of the drainage passage points, as well as clogging or obstruction of the drainages represent typical complications. If the abdomen must be accessed again, a relaparotomy must be performed. Despite promising starts, the strategy of the closed abdomen has not been able to be used in practice, since the drawbacks predominate.

Handling huge volumes of data on a daily basis is a task that most organizations have to deal with. Such organizations have been storing huge volumes of data for decades, but now with the availability of new techniques for analyzing those huge data sets, organizations seek to improve their operational efficiency. Data sets today aren't merely larger than the older data sets, but also significantly more complex, for example, unstructured and semi-structured data generated by sensors, web logs, social media, mobile communication, and customer service records. There are many software frameworks to store and analyze large volumes of data in a massively parallel scale. Apache Hadoop is an example and often cited in many journals, publications, blogs, and other technical articles for massively parallel processing system. It is now known to be the de-facto technology platform for supporting storage of massive amounts of heterogeneous data and processing them. The Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) for data storage and its specialized distributed programming model ‘MapReduce’ for data processing, across relatively inexpensive commodity hardware, may be leveraged for mixing and matching data from many disparate sources and reveal meaningful insights. However, Hadoop as a technology has several limitations. First, organizations are interested in ‘interactive analytics’, a solution requiring faster time-to-insight when compared to the time it takes for a MapReduce job to execute and provide the required results. Second, the ability to enable analysts and data scientists to directly interact with any data stored in Hadoop, using their existing business intelligence (BI) tools and skills through a well-accepted SQL interface. Apache Hive, however, facilitates querying the data using an SQL-like language called HiveQL, but it is much slower than what the industry demands in terms of interactive querying. There are several massively parallel query processing (MPQP) tools available in the market that enable organizations to perform interactive SQL-like querying on massive data-sets on the Hadoop platform, called SQL-on-Hadoop tools. However, each of these tools is optimized to perform efficiently for a certain class of queries only, operating on a certain known data type and format on a well-defined hardware and software configuration. The data model and the storage model have to be optimized significantly in order to obtain faster query response times. To add to the problem, the technological landscape of massively parallel query processing frameworks is large and it becomes increasingly difficult for organizations to evaluate each of these tools for the different kinds of queries they have for processing, operating on varying data-sets, (for example, queries from marketing, analysts, engineers, and senior management).

Media streams, such as video and audio streams, may be sent over a network to multiple receiving clients. In a unicast-based system, individual copies of the stream are sent separately over the network to each client. By contrast, in a multicast-based system, a single copy of the stream may be sent to a multicast address, and the multicast-enabled network enables replication of the stream to clients within the multicast group. In some cases, a client may record or store the stream for later playback. In some scenarios, media streams may be sent using transmission control protocol (TCP) for reliability, at a cost of higher latency. In other scenarios, media streams may be sent using user datagram protocol (UDP) with lower latency, at a cost of potentially increased errors or dropouts.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a self-contained device for generating heat through combustion of a non-pressured, high flash point fuel (>100.degree. F.) utilized primarily for heating food and the like. More particularly, this invention pertains to a closed cartridge containing a reservoir of a novel high percentage glycol or glycol derivative fuel and a non-consumable wick immersed in the fuel reservoir to provide controllable means for combusting said glycol or glycol derivative. These devices are commonly found in applications utilizing chafing dishes where food is to be maintained at an elevated termperature for extended periods of time. 2. Description of the Prior Art Restaurants and others involved in the food preparation industry typically have a requirement for maintaining various foodstuffs at an elevated temperature for extended periods of time to maintain said food's edibility as well as to preserve the food from infection by exogenous microorganisms. Prior art means for maintaining foods at elevated temperatures include cartridges and canisters containing alcohol fuels such as methyl and ethyl alcohol;. Said alcohol fuels have relativley low flash points, typically in the range 54.degree. F. to 56.degree. F., which permit these fuels to be ignited directly by flame provided by a match or a candle. These types of prior art devices have several inherent drawbacks which create substantial problems for their users. Most significant among the disadvantages to prior art devices are those encountered in the field of product safety. Utilization of methyl and ethyl alcohols creates a substantial hazard due to fire. This fact arises from the high volatility and low falsh point of these one and two carbon alcohols. A second significant safety concern is that of noxious vapors. Those prior art devices utilizing methyl alcohol as their fuel present a substantial hazard with respect to methanol vapors. Said vapors are toxic and additionally can contaminate any food stored or located in the vicinity of these devices. The third safety consideration is that of shipping. Prior art devices containing methanol and ethanol as their fuels have various restrictions placed upon them by those authorities regulating common carriers and other shippers. Thus, prior art devices are more expensive and inconvenient to transport due to the inherent hazards presented by their fuels. Additionally, prior art devices present a disadvantage in that the range of heat developed by such devices is not easily adjustable. Most prior art devices is not easily adjustable. Most prior art devices utilize various mechanical means to adjust the oxygen flow available for combustion of the methanol and ethanol. This arrangement for control of heat is inadequate in many cases where a very low flame is required because the amount of oxygen required for low flame cannot be adequately regulated using prior art mechanical means thus causing the flame to be often spontaneously extinguished. Therefore, it is desireable to provide a burner device for controllably heating and warming food and the like utilizing a new and unique, clean burning, high percentage glycol or glycol derivative fuel having a low vapor pressure and high flash point relative to commonly used fuels such as methanol and ethanol. Moreover, it is desirable that such a burner utilize a fuel which is nontoxic and produces a low level of nontoxic vapors. It is also desirable that such an improved heating device should have a continually adjustable flame by controlling the amount of fuel available for combustion. While the prior art recognizes that glycol or glycol derivatives can be used as fuel additives; these additives are in minimal amounts (i.e. concentrations measured in parts per million) and are included to enhance the characteristics of the primary fuel component. In addition, glycol or glycol derivatives in substantial concentrations have never before been used, or suggested for use, as the primary fuel component. Finally, it is desirable to provide a burner that is safe to ship and use and has minimal regulatory restrictions on shipment and storage relative to prior art devices.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which saves a print job transmitted from an information processing apparatus for each user, and a controlling method for the image processing apparatus. Description of the Related Art An MFP (multi function peripheral) which is equipped with an image reading device, a printing device and a communicating device and has image processing applications of copying, printing, scanned-image transmitting and the like has been known. Moreover, since security consciousness has increased recently, a great number of MFPs have user authentication functions respectively. In the MFP like this, inputs of a user name and a password are accepted as authentication information via a touch panel, and/or authentication information is read and obtained from a card by using a card authentication function. However, to input the user name, the password and the like from the touch panel on the MFP or to install the card authentication function is troublesome for a user who wishes to use the MFP immediately and promptly in the aspects of costs and operability. Moreover, in the situation that the authentication function has not been installed because sever security is not so required, there are users who cannot use a personalization function of the MFP because there is no authentication function and thus cannot have usability. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-254618 discloses, as the means for saving user's trouble and enabling a user to easily use the personalization function, the MFP which displays the icon image associated with the user on the screen, and by which the user only has to select the displayed own icon image for using the personalization function. In the MFP disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-254618, the user is automatically registered by using, as the user ID for identifying the user, the job owner name and the computer name added in the print data for which the printing has been instructed from a PC (personal computer). However, since the users work in various office environments, there is a case where, in a small-scale office environment, the domain is not used in the user authentication for the PC but the local authentication is used. On the contrary, it is supposed that, in a large-scale office environment, the domain is used in the user authentication for the PC. Further, there is an environment that one user owns a plurality of PCs in the same office and logs in to each PC via the user authentication using the domain.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus having a function for correcting an in-focus position detected by a phase difference AF (autofocus) method or the like. 2. Description of the Related Art In the related art, in a single lens reflex camera which is arranged to attain an in-focused state by the phase difference AF, there is a case where in association with long-time use of the camera, a position which is recognized as an in-focus position is changed due to long-time use of each of a lens and a camera body and an in-focus precision deteriorates to a level lower than an initial precision. In the case of the lens, a case where while the lens is driven to a correct in-focus position, a lens stop position may be shifted from the correct position due to a mechanical deterioration caused by long-time use of a camera is considered. In the case of the camera body, there is considered a case where a mirror which is used in a phase difference detection method is driven many times so that an angle of the mirror is gradually changed and this causes change of an angle at which incident object light is guided to an AF sensor so that a position shifted from the correct in-focus position is recognized as an in-focus position. In the foregoing case, a unit for shifting the in-focus position to an original state without allowing the user to bring the camera to a service center has been installed in a recent image pickup apparatus. In the detection of the in-focus position by the phase difference AF, there is a case where the correct in-focus position cannot be detected by an influence by colors, types, and the like of a light source and a photographing object. If such a problem occurs, such a technique that the detected in-focus position is corrected by the phase difference AF in accordance with an environment where the camera is used is considered. At this time, in a construction in which there are a plurality of focus adjustment areas (AF frames) for the phase difference AF, there is a case where the correction is necessary every AF frame or the like. However, if the number of portions to be corrected increases, there raises an actual problem such that it is difficult for a user to spend time to make individual correction each time the correction is necessary. Therefore, the user wants to correct in accordance with the AF frame which the user wants to use by himself. The Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-292684 discloses a function (AF calibration) which can automatically correct the in-focus position of the phase difference AF by using a contrast detection method. A correction value can be held every focal length. However, in the technique disclosed in the above patent literature, in the case where there are a plurality of AF frames for the phase difference AF, there is not a control technique about how to select the AF frame which is used for correction of the in-focus position by the phase difference AF when a limitation processing of a selection of the AF frames is executed at the time of photographing.

Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) optical devices may include an active surface layer that includes waveguides, optical modulators, detectors, CMOS circuitry, metal leads for interfacing with external semiconductor chips, and the like. Although crystalline silicon is excellent at forming waveguides with submicron dimensions, silicon is a poor material for both generating and absorbing light at wavelengths used for digital communication. While III-V semiconductors are better suitable for forming optical sources, these materials have a lattice constant that is much different than crystalline silicon which means these semiconductors cannot be directly grown on silicon using typical CMOS fabrication techniques without defects. To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.

Tube and shell heat exchangers have long been known as useful tools for heating fluids and using thermal energy. Such tube and shell heat exchangers have been developed to a significant degree of sophistication. These heat exchangers comprise a shell surrounding a tube bundle usually attached to a tube sheet. Fluid flowing through the shell is subjected to indirect heat exchange with another fluid flowing through the tubes. Effective utilization of tube and shell heat exchangers as well as the avoiding of mechanical problems and the reduction of thermal stress in such apparatus is continuing goal in the industry.

1. Field of the Invention This invention generally relates to the field of electronic data storage, analysis, and recovery. Specifically, the invention relates to a system used for arranging and organizing data backup, computing system operation data, storing system data, monitoring and analyzing collected historical system data, predicting a future system occurrence, taking the appropriate steps to notify a specified party of a future occurrence, and taking the appropriate steps to correct or prevent a future occurrence. 2. Description of Related Art Data backup is often recognized as a necessity for nearly all computer-based systems. Businesses and other enterprises that rely heavily on computer systems are often paralyzed in the event of a system failure or a data loss. These failures can lead to lost profits and high repair and recovery costs. Furthermore, many computer systems handle sensitive and valuable data, which holds significant value. Because of the importance and value of continuous system operation and reliable data storage, a number of methods have been devised for data backup. Many of these methods employ large data storage media (such as tapes, high-capacity hard drives, etc.) that are used to periodically transcribe a system's body of data. These backup systems, while effective in copying large amounts of data, have a number of shortcomings. Firstly, many systems do not employ a media management system, which tracks the appropriate media for a given backup. Secondly, present day backup systems do not continuously monitor a system's performance. And lastly, these systems are not able to predict when a system may become unstable, so that system failures can be predicted and prevented. Additionally, the software industry is currently developing within a paradigm of scarcity. There is not enough storage capacity for current needs, so as little as possible is stored. According to Moore's Law: “. . . computing power per unit cost will continue to grow exponentially.” “In this form, “Moore's law” has a factual basis and has proven useful for planning purposes. The most rigorous interpretation of Moore's law is that the total number of transistors on the cheapest CPU will grow exponentially at a constant rate and that this constant rate produces a doubling every 12 (or 18, or 24) months. This variant oversimplifies a complex history.” (Quoted from Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's law Assuming that doubling happens every 18 months, the industry, in all of its sub parts, will move from lack of capacity, to more than twice its current requirements. This shift to a “paradigm of plenty” needs to be recognized and understood in order to effectively capitalize on this increase in capacity. Excess capacity will exist in the form of both computing power and data storage. Two logical questions present themselves. What can be stored that we are not storing, and how can that data be used? We can only store what we have, but increased storage capacity will allow us to include a certain subset of data that is currently being thrown away because it cannot be effectively or economically stored and retrieved. For some industries, this has changed, and for others it will change in the future. A file stored on any digital system (DVD, CD, Hard Drive, Tape Drive, SAN, WAN, etc.) contains a tremendous amount of associated data (termed ‘meta-data’). In the example of a Hard Drive, such examples include file size, file creation date, last access date, last modification date, file permissions, and much more. A web server captures the number of times data was accessed, pages viewed, number of errors, and what IP address accessed the site. In most current systems, each of these pieces of information are recorded for a short time and then deleted. If not deleted, they are normally retained for liability purposes. In such a system, retained data is not stored in an effective manner. Using the proposed platform as described herein, the data can now be reconfigured to perform predictive analysis.

Bromine is used in a wide range of industries. For example, bromine is used in the manufacture of flameproofing agents, 1,2-dibromoethane (CH2BrCH2Br) (which is used as a petrol additive to prevent lead being deposited in cylinders), compounds used in photography (e.g. silver bromide, AgBr, which is the light sensitive material in film), dyestuffs and drugs; in the analytical laboratory in testing for unsaturation in organic compounds, where bromine adds across the multiple bonds of unsaturated compounds, as a disinfectant; and in making fumigants, water purification compounds, dyes, medicinals; and sanitizers. Bromine can be produced by oxidation of bromides using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. For example, the following reaction is suitable: H2O2+2HBrBr2+2H2O (Reaction (1)). Bromine can also be produced by oxidation of bromides using chlorine as the oxidant. For example, the following reaction is suitable: 2NaBr+Cl2Br2+2NaCl (Reaction (2)). U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,295 describes use of a strong acid, such as sulfuric or phosphoric acid, to improve effectiveness when hydrogen bromide is oxidized to bromine using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. However, process economics are affected by the addition of an acid; and in some cases an add source is not readily available. Each of Reactions (1) and (2) could benefit from the addition of catalysts to increase the percent conversion of bromide to bromine. Ammonium molybdate ((NH4+)2MoO4−) is a known oxidation catalyst to allow iodometric titration of H2O2. However, NH4+ is not a cation of choice for use as an additive in a commercial bromine tower. Thus in spite of currently available technologies, a need remains for commercially feasible methods that provide increased percent conversion when oxidizing bromides to produce bromine, and catalysts for use therein.

This invention relates to an improved cassette magnetic tape recording/reproducing apparatus. The prior art discloses magnetic tape cassette recorder/players of a type adapted for selecting a single recording from among many recorded on a single magnetic tape. In the conventional apparatus, a movable plate, which carries a magnetic head, is moved backward against the strong elastic force of a spring by an electromagnetically operated plunger. However, operation of the plunger requires a relatively large amount of electricity and creates mechanical noise. Further, the conventional plunger mechanism is complicated in construction and costly.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device and a process of interaction with a user. It applies, in particular, to interactive terminals capable of processing several types of procedures based on one or more documents provided by the user. On the one hand, this terminal is intended to save time for the user, and on the other hand, to enable him or her to quickly and automatically check that he or she has all the information and documents required to carry out a procedure. This terminal is also intended to save time for the organization in charge of implementing the procedure, for example by pre-processing the information and documents required for the correct execution of these procedures, estimating the risks of falsification of the user's identity or the false information or documents he or she provides, and/or collecting other information available in a database to complement or verify the information and documents provided by the user. The objective is thus to speed up and improve relations between organizations that interact with a large number of users—for example customers, service users, visitors or members of the public—and those users. 2. Description of the Related Art There are already in existence terminals equipped with a video camera, scanner and printer for document exchange and remote communication. While they enable dialogue between the user and a remote interlocutor known as the “hotliner” and discussion of the content of documents, they do not perform any automatic processing, and therefore do not increase the productivity of the organization. Other interactive terminals are effectively computers that provide help, in several languages, for preparing administrative formalities. They do not enable documents to be processed. The user must then meet an employee in person to give him or her the documents needed for the procedure concerned. The increase in productivity is therefore further decreased. There are already in existence systems for processing checks equipped with a means of optical character recognition, biometric identification and a risk analysis machine that identifies the user and authorizes, in function of the level of confidence regarding this identification, the payment of a check. There are also already in existence systems used by immigration services that check the fingerprints of a traveler from a passport before authorizing access to the territory concerned. The two systems described above therefore only process low-level information, and only provide binary results; that is to say authorization or refusal and, possibly, the amount of a payment. Aside from confirmations, no information is requested from the user who passively waits for the result of the processing operations. These systems can only process a single type of documents, and therefore do not make it possible to prepare for interaction with an administrative employee. Yet fiscal, administrative, social, and/or insurance organizations work with a large number of procedures, each of which involves a large number of forms, and written proof on paper or in electronic format. Therefore, the need exists for interactive, multi-procedure terminals, i.e. capable of processing multiple procedures based on different types of documents.

Power consumption of mobile battery operated devices such as mobile communication terminals is expected to increase as the demand for enhanced functionality increases. For example, there is a demand for communication terminals that are capable of communicating in a plurality of different communication systems, including second generation systems such as GSM/GPRS and third generation systems such as WCDMA/EGPRS/HSDPA as well as WLAN systems of the 802.11 family. Moreover, increased power consumption is due also to other hardware parts of a typical communication terminal, especially the applications processor and the main display. In addition, advanced features exploiting the hardware functionality contribute to this increase, e.g. 3D games, video players, etc. Such terminals will consume much more energy in comparison with earlier terminals, these earlier terminals having only limited functionality and, e.g., being capable of communicating in only a single communication system. With the current progress in battery capacity unable to keep pace with the increasing demands posed by such feature-rich mobile devices, new ways to control and sensibly reduce the power consumption of terminals are needed. Hardware solutions typically involve implementation of circuitry having inherently low power consumption. Such hardware solutions may involve the use of specific materials as well as reducing the number of components to a minimum. Needless to say, hardware solutions are not very flexible and they provide a very limited amount of functionality. Software solutions, on the other hand, typically offer an advantage over purely hardware-based solutions in that software can keep track of the context of the monitored device and thus make it possible for a software developer to make more sensible decisions as to when and where to optimize power. However, it is only through complex setup of expensive external digital measuring equipment and configuration of dedicated and specialized software that this is feasible in the prior art. That is, visibility of the energy and power consumption of an application in the prior art is possible only through the use of external equipment. A developer need to perform more or less complex configuration procedures to set up the equipment in order to find out where to optimize the operation of a device. A drawback related to prior art methods and devices is hence that an application developer, when developing a software application for execution in a mobile communication device, has a very limited capability of optimizing the software application in terms of its effect on the power consumption by the device. In fact, an application developer typically has no way of finding out how battery lifetime is effected by a software application being developed.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a biological information detection device that detects a biological signal by installing an electrode on the biological surface of the human body. 2. Background Art Among these kinds of biological information detection devices, there is, for example, a heartbeat measurement device that detects an electro-cardiac signal generated in association with a heartbeat, and measures a heart rate from the biological surface. As such a heartbeat measurement device, there is, for example, a device which includes a main body portion having a detection circuit board and the like built-in, and a strap for mounting the main body portion to the human body, the strap being provided with a pair of electrodes. The main body portion and the strap are provided with an electrical connection portion for electrically connecting a detection circuit board of the main body portion to an electrode of the strap. Based on such a configuration, an electro-cardiac signal generated in association with a heartbeat is detected by bringing a pair of electrodes into contact with the chest (biological surface) of the human body, and the main body portion derives a heart rate on the basis of the detected electro-cardiac signal. Further, among the heartbeat measurement devices, there is, for example, a device in which the main body portion is detachably provided to the strap from the viewpoint of maintenance such as cleaning of the strap. When the main body portion is mounted to the strap, the electrical connection portion provided to the strap and the electrical connection portion provided to the main body portion are mechanically connected to each other, and the detection circuit board and the electrode are electrically connected to each other (see, for example, Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 7,526,840 and U.S. Design Registration No. 603,521).

In order to grow plants in greenhouses, a proper combination of light and heat is required. At times, the requisite light and heat are provided naturally from the sun. However, in most northern climates, it is often too cold during the winter to grow plants without some source of heat. Typically, heat is provided using forced air heaters. This does not prove to be entirely satisfactory, however, because much of the hot air is lost through the roof and walls of the greenhouse. As a result, during the winter days, the temperature in the greenhouse can be as low as 50.degree. F. even with the hot air heaters at full blast. One solution to this problem has been to use insulating materials on the roof and walls of the greenhouse. Systems of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,064,648 to Cary, 4,313,650 to Ward et al. and 4,375,232 to Heescher et al. Cary discloses use of a flexible sheet of insulating material, wound in a roll, that can be installed near the roof of the greenhouse. The material can then be deployed at night to cover the roof and prevent heat loss. During the daytime, the insulation is retracted into the roll so that light may enter the greenhouse. A similar system is disclosed in the Heescher patent. There, an insulative foil, made of two layers of plastic separated by air pockets, is selectively deployed over the roof and walls of the greenhouse to prevent heat loss. The foil is folded when stored and opens to form an insulative barrier. Both the Heescher and Cary references suggest that the foil might be coated with aluminum to increase the insulation effect. In Ward et al., reflective and insulative slats are arranged venitian blind style below the greenhouse roof. This construction permits selective capture or reflection of heat or light. Aluminized insulating materials, such as those disclosed in the Heescher et al. and Cary references, are also useful in summer months to prevent overheating from direct sunlight. By deploying the insulating material over the southern exposure of the greenhouse (in the Northern hemisphere), direct sunlight will be reflected out of the greenhouse. Diffuse light still enters the greenhouse through the northern exposure providing light for the plants. While hot air systems, used in conjunction with insulating materials, can be effective to promoting plant growth during cold winter months, such systems are still relatively energy inefficient. One primary drawback to the use of forced air is that the hot air naturally rises to the roof. Thus, the plants do not receive the full benefit of the forced air output. Although the insulating layers prevent much of the heat from escaping, the air near the roof will be warmer than the air near the floor, an indication that the system is not energy efficient. Greenhouses also require large amounts of water. The water is often taken straight from the outside and sprayed on the plants. This water is very cold, especially in winter and, when sprayed on the plants, it cools the plants, soil and surrounding air. Thus, the environment must be reheated to maintain proper growing conditions. In order to maintain a steady temperature in the greenhouse, the water is sometimes heated before spraying. This is typically accomplished using a large capacity water heater. Thus, separate air and water heating systems must be purchased and installed. The water heating systems in the prior art are not able to take advantage of the excess heat produced by the air heating systems and so efficiency is not maximized. Further problems arise due to the build-up of snow and ice on the roof above the insulating material. The prior art has attempted to solve this problem using additional devices which either scrape off the snow or heat the roof. None of the additional devices make use of the excess heat in the heating system, however, so, again, maximum efficiency is not achieved.

A Linux server clustering system (Linux Virtual Server, LVS for short) is a virtual server clustering system, and is a way for achieving load balancing, in the Linux kernel, based on the Internet Protocol (IP for short) layer and the content-based request distribution. A Tencent Gateway (TGW for short) project is developed from an LVS project. By using an IP tunneling (IP TUN for short) manner, a TGW can access a service on a Linux server efficiently and transparently. However, since a windows system does not support the IP TUN technology, it is hard to make the TGW access a windows service by using the IP TUN manner.

As well-known, along with the trend toward the increase in the number and the size of a data center including a plurality of devices such as servers, storages and the like, a power consumed by the data center increases abruptly. In order to solve the problem of large power consumption, technical approach has made such as development of a server having high power conversion efficiency and low power consumption For example, servers in an idle state consume about 60% of the electricity energy. In a data center, servers run at efficiency of about 5% to 20% to cut server response time. To do so, about 10% of the servers in average place in a standby mode. A method for managing loads such as servers in a cluster system evenly allocates the loads to the servers considering performance. Although this leads to improve the performance, the power consumption increases. Thus, the load allocation method is not suitable for reducing power consumption. There is a technique to switch on/off a server on a single threshold basis by the amount of a load. However, this technique is disadvantageous in that a long period of switching on time of the server deteriorates performance of the cluster system and in that frequent on/off operations of the server results in large power consumption. Hence, such conventional technique cannot be used as a desirable load allocation method in view of performance and power consumption.

Heretofore, a linear actuator, for example, which is made up of a fluid pressure cylinder or the like, has been used as a means for transporting workpieces under the supply of a pressure fluid. As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3795968, the present applicants have proposed a linear actuator, which is capable of transporting a workpiece that is mounted on a slide table by causing the slide table to move reciprocally in a straight line along a cylinder main body. However, with the aforementioned linear actuator, in recent years, there has been a demand to reduce manufacturing costs and to enhance ease of assembly by simplifying the structure of the linear actuator.

a) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thin film transistor, a liquid crystal display substrate, a MIS type field effect transistor (MISFET), and their manufacture methods, and more particularly to a transistor having a lightly doped drain structure, a liquid display substrate having such transistors, and their manufacture methods. b) Description of the Related Art Thin film transistors (TFT) are used as switching elements of pixels of an active matrix type liquid crystal display device. A small off-current of TFT is necessary for holding electric charges accumulated by a pixel electrode. The off-current can be reduced by adopting a lightly doped drain (LDD) structure. If both the source and drain regions of TFT have the LDD structure, an on-current reduces. In order to reduce the off-current and retain a sufficient on-current, it can be considered preferable if the LDD structure is formed only on the drain side. For example, in order to form the LDD structure in only the drain region, first impurity ions are implanted into the drain and source regions at a low concentration. Thereafter, the area in the drain region at the low concentration is covered with a resist mask and impurity ions are implanted at a relatively high concentration. The source region is not covered with the resist mask. If the gate length is short, a high precision of position alignment is required when a resist mask is formed to cover the low concentration region on the drain side and expose the source region. A TFT using a polysilicon thin film has a carrier mobility higher than a TFT using amorphous silicon. Therefore, by using polysilicon TFT, an image display area and its driver circuit can be formed on the same substrate. A larger on-current is required for TFT in the peripheral circuit than a switching TFT of each pixel. In this context, it may occur that the LDD structure is adopted for TFT in the pixel area and not for TFT in the peripheral circuit. If the LDD structure is adopted for the source and drain regions of TFT in the pixel area and not adopted for TFT in the peripheral circuit, the number of photolithography processes increases more than if the LDD structure is adopted for all TFTs. An increase in the number of photography processes results in a higher manufacture cost and a lower manufacture yield.

As is known in the art, medical image analysis plays an increasingly prominent role in Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) and therapy planning. As a preliminary stage of the analysis, segmentation of structures from medical images and reconstruction of these structures are difficult due to the large volume of the data involved and the complexity of the anatomic shapes of interest. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization and labeling of rib structures, for example, in a CAD system provide important information for radiologists since they need to report any pathology pertaining to bones in a chest CT scan. The ribs have valuable properties common to bone tissues, i.e., they are rigid and stable in shape, and map to prominent intensities in CT data. Further, rib structures are highly ordered and symmetrical. Because of these features, rib feature group can be used for reliable registration and reference. To make full use of the structural advantages of the ribs, they should be extracted and labeled individually. There are 12 pairs of rib structures in a human body with 8-11 pairs visible in a chest CT volume dataset. They are connected at one end with the spine, and the upper pairs are also connected to the sternum. Since 1970s, there have been many methods to detect and label ribs automatically in 2D chest radiographs, see an article by M. Park, J. S. Jin, and L. S. Wilson, entitled “Detection and Labeling ribs on expiration chest radiographs”, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5030 (2003), pp. 1021-1031; an article by F. Vogelsang, F. Weiler, J. Dahmen, M. Kilbinger, B. Wein and R. Gunther, entitled “Detection and compensation of rib structures in chest radiographs for diagnose assistance”, Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 3338, p. 774-785, 1998; and an article by De. Souza P, entitled “Automatic rib detection in chest radiographs”, Computer Vision Graphics and Image Processing. Vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 129-61, August 1983. D. Kim, H. Kim and H. S. Kang, in a paper entitled “An object-tracking segmentation method: Vertebra and Rib segmentation in CT images”, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 4684 (2002), pp. 1662-1671 proposed an object-tracking segmentation method to segment vertebra and ribs from 3D, CT images. But their goal was to remove vertebra and ribs for better visualization of some interested organs. Therefore, the focus of their method is to detect and prevent a leakage from propagation. The vertebra and ribs are removed as a whole. M. Park, J. S. Jin, and L. S. Wilson, in a paper entitled “Detection and Labeling ribs on expiration chest radiographs”, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5030 (2003), pp. 1021-1031. The paper describes an attempt to make rib edges clear by producing an expiration lung field using a hemi-elliptical cavity. Based on the expiration lung field, the paper describes extracting the rib edges using canny edge detector and a connectivity method, referred to as “4 way with 10-neighbors connectivity”, to detect clavicle and rib edge candidates. Once the edge candidates are formed, the process selects the “best candidates” using knowledge-based constraints such as a gradient, length and location. The edges are paired and labeled as superior rib edge and inferior rib edge. Then the system uses the clavicle, which is obtained in a same method for the rib edge detection, as a landmark to label all detected ribs. This method is, however, for a two-dimensional (2D) chest x-ray system as distinguished from a 3D CT scanning system. Efforts have also been spent on eliminating the ribs and other connected bone structures from the data by region-based approaches, see for example, a paper by G. Bohm, C. J. Knoll, M. L. Alcaniz-Raya, and S. E. Albalat, entitled “Three-dimensional segmentation of bone structures in CT images”, Proceedings of Medical Imaging on Image Processing, pp 277-286, 1999. Although the intensity of rib bone is much higher than the surrounding tissues, the region growing method discussed therein may not provide satisfying results in many cases because: 1) It is very difficult to determine the intensity threshold for the region growing method due to the fact that rib bones in different CT data have different intensity ranges and an adaptive threshold method does not work because of the complexity of the local surrounding structures. 2) The lowest bone intensity and the highest tissue intensity levels are quite close. With noise and partial volume effect, there is no clear-cut intensity threshold between bone and other tissues. 3) The region growing method cannot control its growing path and therefore results in leakage. 4) The intensity range of trabecular bones (interior layer of a rib) is much lower than that of cortical bones (exterior layer) which results in hollowness inside each rib. Also, the intensity of this dark region is non-uniform. Aside from the fact that all ribs and vertebras are connected as one piece, the bones are over-segmented, with many holes in each rib. The surfaces are also far from smooth. These are due to the non-uniform internal intensities of the bone. In short, the above work is only remotely associated with this application. The goal of this application is to individually and precisely segment the rib structures, not roughly removing all the bones as one piece.

Field of the Invention The invention relates to a magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) configuration containing at least two memory cell arrays. In each of the memory cell arrays, memory cells are provided at the crossovers between word lines and bit lines, at least one line type containing the word lines and bit lines is provided with line driver circuits. As is known, the memory effect of MRAMs is based on a variable resistance of the individual memory cells of the memory. A MRAM memory cell is situated at the crossover point of two lines, namely in particular between a word line and a bit line. The memory cell itself contains two magnetic layers isolated from one another by a thin dielectric layer. The value of the electrical resistance of such an MRAM memory cell depends, then, on the polarization of the magnetic layers. If both layers are polarized in the same direction, a low value resistance is present in the memory cell, whereas a high value resistance of the electrical resistance is obtained in the event of mutually opposite polarization of the two magnetic layers. In other words, depending on the polarization of the magnetic layers, a high (↑) or low (↓) resistance results for the memory cell containing the two magnetic layers and the intervening dielectric layer. Of the magnetic layers, one layer is composed of a soft-magnetic material, whereas the other layer is produced from a hard-magnetic material. The soft-magnetic material is chosen such that its polarization can be reversed by a writing current on the word line and the bit line while such polarization reversal by the writing currents is not intended to be possible in the case of the hard-magnetic material. In order, then, that the magnetic layer made of soft-magnetic material can be polarized in two opposite directions, it is necessary that at least one of two programming currents through the bit line or through the word line can flow in both directions through the respective line. For only then can it be ensured at the crossover point between the word line and the bit line that, given correspondingly directed programming currents at the crossover point, the magnetic field for polarization reversal in the magnetic layer made of the soft-magnetic material is strong enough for the polarization reversal. The currents which flow through the memory cell are tunneling currents through the thin dielectric layer, so that a xe2x80x9cmagnetic tunnel junctionxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctunnel junctionxe2x80x9d is present, which is why the MRAM memory cell is also referred to as a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell. In the MRAM configuration, high parasitic currents occur on a selected word line or bit line, the currents ultimately being brought about by the numerous crossover points between a selected word line, for example, and the bit lines that cross it. On account of these high parasitic currents, therefore, a large MRAM configuration can only be constructed from a plurality of smaller memory cell arrays. Therefore, however, that, for each memory cell array containing, for example, m word lines and n bit lines, a total of 2m+n or 2n+m line driver circuits are required. For the MPAM configuration in its entirety, containing 1 memory cell arrays for example, 1(2m+n) or 1(2n+m) line driver circuits are then required. For the line driver circuits, however, a large area is required on a chip containing the MRAM configuration, which is extremely undesirable. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a MRAM configuration which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, in which the area requirement for the line driver circuits is reduced by effective assignment of the latter, thereby obtaining a space-saving architecture. With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) configuration. The MRAM configuration contains at least two memory cell arrays. Each of the memory cell arrays has word lines, bit lines crossing the word lines, and memory cells disposed at crossover points between the word lines and the bit lines. Connecting nodes are provided, and one of the connecting nodes is disposed between and connecting each of the memory cell arrays to each other. Line driver circuits are connected to at least one of the word lines and the bit lines. The line driver circuits are respectively connected to the connecting nodes between the memory cell arrays. Switching transistors are provided. One of the switching transistors is disposed between one of the memory cell arrays and one of the connecting nodes so that the line driver circuits are respectively assigned to different ones of the memory cell arrays. In the case of the MRAM configuration of the type mentioned in the introduction, the object is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that the line driver circuits are respectively connected to connecting nodes between two memory cell arrays and a respective switching transistor is present between the connecting node and the two memory cell arrays. In principle, the configuration of the MRAM configuration effects a departure from an obvious solution to the above problems which is based on respectively placing a current source or current sink at each end of a memory cell array. Rather, in the MRAM configuration according to the invention, the line driver circuits are disposed in such a way that they can be assigned to different memory cell arrays, which results in that the line driver circuits required in total are approximately halved compared with the prior art. Equally, it is possible to reduce the outlay for the current sources in the line driver circuits since a current source is allocated to two memory cell arrays in the present invention. A development of the invention provides for the connecting node between two memory cell arrays to be connected to ground potential via an element having an adjustable voltage drop. As a result, a writing current, having traversed a memory cell array, readily passes to the ground potential via the output side connecting node of the memory cell array and the element having an adjustable voltage drop. By way of example, the adjustable voltage drop can be produced by a variable resistor, a variable transistor diode or an adjustable voltage source. The resulting adjustable voltage ensures that parasitic currents through the memory cells connected to the selective word or bit line can be minimized. A respective series circuit containing a current source and a writing driver transistor is advantageously used for the line driver circuits. In this manner, the current source is assigned to two of the memory arrays. By way of example, an n-channel MOS field-effect transistor may be chosen for the writing driver transistor, and, moreover, this also applies to the switching transistor and the transistor diode. Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a MRAM configuration, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to a catalyst composition for selective catalytic reduction of exhaust gases and a process for its preparation. More specifically, such a catalyst composition may be used in catalyst application for the removal of NOx, especially in exhaust gas after treatment of diesel- and lean burn engines of automotive. In addition the catalyst composition may also be used in stationary applications (e.g. removal of NO in power plant stations). 2. Related Technology The most widely employed technology for removal of NOx out of exhaust gases is S(elective) C(atalytic) R(eduction), e.g. O. Kröcher, Chapter 9 in <<Past and Present in DeNOx Catalysis>>, edited by P. Granger et al., published by Elsevier 2007. Accordingly, NOx is removed by Ammonia into Nitrogen and water according to the reaction:4NO+4NH3+O2=4N2+6H2O For the stationary application mainly V2O5 doped TiO2/WO3 compositions are used commercially since 1970 to remove nitrogen oxide emissions of fossil fuel power plants. Already 15 years ago, the idea was discussed to apply SCR also on mobile diesel engines, which is now an emerging technology for the NOx reduction from heavy duty diesel vehicles, passenger cars and off road machines. A typical SCR system consists of a reduction catalyst, urea injection and dosing components, pipes and a storage tank. A huge number of modern catalysts are extruded substrates or coated substrates with Vanadium Pentaoxide (V2O5) as the catalytically active component. Catalytic coatings of zeolite based SCR are currently being developed because of the limited temperature stability of the vanadium catalysts and the fact that Vanadium Pentaoxide (V2O5) has been classified as a health risk in some countries. Increased temperature stability is especially important in SCR catalysts installed downstream a particulate filter since relatively high temperatures are generated during filter regeneration (M. Rice, R. Mueller at al., Development of an Integrated NOx and PM Reduction Aftertreatment System: SCRi for Advanced Diesel Engines, SAE technical paper 2008-01-132, SAE World Congress Detroit, Mich. Apr. 14-17, 2008) There are further reports on the commercially applied well known V2O5/WO3—TiO2 material for exhaust gas aftertreatment of automotives by O. Kröcher in Chapter 9, p. 267f in <<Past and Present in DeNOx Catalysis>>, edited by P. Granger et al. According to the presentation given by Dirk Vatareck (Catalysts Automotive Applications, Argillon) at the 3rd CTI Forum SCR Systems (Bonn 9 Apr. 2008) Titania-tungsten oxide based catalysts containing V2O5 as active component are applied for making automotive catalysts in a huge number (approx. 4 Mio. Catalysts/year). The preparation of V2O5 containing materials based on TiO2/WO3 which additionally may contain oxides out of transition metals, Rare Earths and other elements and the application in SCR is widely disclosed in numerous publications, patent applications and patents. For example GB 1 495 396 describes a catalyst composition containing as active ingredients oxides from titanium, at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, iron, vanadium, nickel, cobalt, copper, chromium and uranium, and as optional component(s) tin and/or at least one of silver, beryllium, magnesium, zinc, boron, aluminium, yttrium, rare earth metal, silicon, niobium, antimony, bismuth, manganese, thorium and zirconium, which oxides are present as an intimate mixture. EP 787 521 describes the preparation of several V-containing catalysts based on TiO2/WO3 containing additional dopants such as Y2O3, B2O3, PbO, SnO2 the vanadium being present as Vanadiumpentaoxide V2O5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,768 reports on V2O5 containing materials based on TiO2 as a support material and additional oxides out of transition metals as dopants. Additional SCR-Materials which contains V2O5 supported on TiO2 are also described in GB 1 430 730. V2O5 containing materials which contain TiO2, SiO2, S and Oxides of Ce, Sn, Mo and W are reported in UK Appl. GB 2 149 680. U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,947 describes V-containing denitration catalysts in which the vanadium is present in form of an oxide or a sulfate. EP 1 145 762 A1 describes a process for the preparation of a vanadia SCR-catalyst supported on titania. The main disadvantage of the V-based catalyst type is the limited stability at temperatures above 600° C. A report on the stability of a SCR system based on TiO2/WO3/V2O5 is given by Jan M T et al. in Chemical Engineering & Technology, Vol. 30, No 10, 1440-1444, 2007. Accordingly a deactivation of the catalyst occurs since V2O5 melts at approx. 650° C. A TiO2/WO3/V2O5 suitable SCR catalyst for NOx removal of Diesel-powered vehicles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,849 B1, column 2. Although such a catalyst has shown good performance it was found that sustained high temperature operation can cause catalyst deactivation. Heavy duty diesel engines, which are almost exclusively charged, can produce exhaust gases at greater than 500° C. Under conditions of high load and/or high speed, and such temperatures deactivation of the catalyst may occur. In the presentation of Dirk Vatareck (Catalysts Automotive Applications, Argillon) at the 3rd CTI Forum SCR Systems (Bonn 9 Apr. 2008) there were reported maximum operation temperatures for a TiO2/WO3/V2O5 catalyst of 550° C. and 580° C. for short term basis. In view of the application under EURO 6 an improvement in thermal stability of a V2O5 containing TiO2/WO3 based catalyst was reported in the presentation of Dirk Vatareck (Catalysts Automotive Applications, Argillon) at the 3rd CTI Forum SCR Systems (Bonn 9 Apr. 2008). Accordingly a catalyst containing V2O5 as active component and a support material consisting of TiO2/WO3 and additionally containing Si may be operated at max. temp. of 600° C. and 650° on a short term basis. Vanadium based systems with improved thermal stability are also reported by James. W. Girard et al., “Technical Advantages of Vanadium SCR Systems for Diesel NOx Control in Emerging Markets”, SAE technical paper 2008-01-132, SAE World Congress Detroit, Mich. Apr. 14-17, 2008. After ageing at 600° C./50 hrs the catalyst is still active. However, because of high exhaust gas temperatures possible during active Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) regeneration, vanadium SCR catalysts are usually not considered for these applications. With increasingly stringent automobile exhaust emission regulations for Diesel vehicles (US 2010 and EURO 6 regulations) aftertreatment systems containing a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) as well as a SCR catalyst will be required in future. Such systems will demand a higher temperature stability of the SCR catalyst and V2O5 based systems are not considered to be viable for such an application as additionally to the problem of heat stability V2O5 may be exhausted also to the environment (J. Munch et al “Extruded Zeolite based Honeycomb Catalyst for NOx Removal from Diesel Exhaust, SAE Paper 2008-01-1024). Since the activity of SCR catalysts in the temperature range of 180-350° C. is important in the diesel application there have been established systems to improve catalytic activity in the low temperature range. For example with the aid of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) attached in front of the SCR system (NO being present as a majority (=more than 90%) in the raw emission of the diesel engine) is oxidized to form NO2. The NO2 can be used to burn up particulates and to improve the low temperature activity (in the range 180-350° C.), see M. Rice, R. Mueller at al., Development of an Integrated NOx and PM Reduction Aftertreatment System: SCRi for Advanced Diesel Engines, SAE technical paper 2008-01-132, SAE World Congress Detroit, Mich. Apr. 14-17, 2008. In the same publication there are summarized the design parameters of two engine/aftertreatment scenarios for US 2010/Euro 6. One concept will lead to high particulate matters/low NOx with active regeneration of the PM-filter. The SCR catalyst proposed for the described scenario is a zeolite. Zeolites must be used since higher heat resistance of the SCR system is required due to the active regeneration of the PM filter. The second concept comprises an engine concept which will lead to low concentrations of PM and low NOx concentrations. The SCR catalyst may consist of a vanadium based material or a zeolite. Both concepts will use a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) prior to the SCR treatment. The problem of low temperature activity of SCR catalysts is also addressed in US 2008/0234126 A1. It is described a method for the preparation of a vanadium/titania based catalyst with enhanced low temperature activity for removing nitrogen oxides at a window of 300° C. and lower. However, US 2008/0234126 A1 does not address the problem of stability of the catalyst >600° C. An improvement in terms of the thermal stability of a V-containing TiO2/WO3/SiO2 “SCR catalyst” is reported in the WO 2005/046864 A1. According to a preferred embodiment the vanadium in the formulations based on TiO2/WO3/(SiO2) is present not in form of Vanadiumpentaoxide (V2O5) but in form of a Rare Earth Vanadate (REVO4). The Rare Earth vanadate may be introduced to the support material (TiO2/WO3/(SiO2)) as a powder by simple mixing route (of the support and the Rare Earth Vanadate) following by calcination of the mixture. Alternatively the Rare Earth Vanadates may be formed in the composition also in situ during the preparation (calcination) of the catalyst composition from precursors eg. Rare Earth acetate and Ammoniummetavanadate. The presence of the Rare Earth Vanadates in the catalyst is proved by XRD. The catalyst compositions referred in WO 2005/046864 A1 exhibit good NOx conversion activity after being heat treated at 750° C./10 hrs, whereas in contrast the reference material containing V2O5 on the TiO2/WO3/SiO2 support may be considered to be almost inactive after being heat treated (aged) at 750° C./10 hrs. However, WO 2005/046864 A1 does not describe any NOx conversion rates below 250° C., eg at 230° C. and 200° C. which is important for the automotive SCR systems. As shown in comparative example 2 an ErVO4 doped TiO2/WO3/SiO2 composition, which refers to Example 18, Table 2b in WO 2005/046864 A1, was subjected to NOx conversion test at temperatures at 200° C. and 230° C. NOx conversion was found to be zero at 200° and 230° C. and 25% at 250° C. for the “fresh” material. After heat treatment of the compound at 700° C./10 hrs there was found an increase of catalytic activity exhibiting a relatively low NOx conversion at 200° C. and 230° C. being 6% at and 20% respectively; at 250° C. there was measured a conversion rate of 55%. Comparative example 1 refers to a commercially available catalyst containing V2O5 supported on TiO2/WO3/SiO2 which is currently applied in heavy duty diesel SCR. After heat treatment at 650° C./2 hrs the material still exhibits activities. However the activity in the range 200-250° C. is already less than 50%; the activity drops significantly after heat treatment 700° C./10 hrs. In addition in comparative example 1.1 it is shown, that a TiO2/WO3/SiO2: V2O5 catalyst is almost inactive after being heat treated at 750° C./10 hrs. As a summary out of the state of the art review it may be concluded that RE-Vanadate doped TiO2/WO3/SiO2 materials are more heat stable compared to the V2O5 doped materials but show a weakness in NOx conversion at operating temperatures below 300° C. V2O5 containing TiO2/WO3/SiO2 materials seem to be operable up to 650° C. but loose already activity.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates in general to an extruded film processing system, and in particular to control systems utilized in extruded film processing systems. 2. Description of the Prior Art Blown film extrusion lines are used to manufacture plastic bags and plastic sheets. A molten tube of plastic is extruded from an annular die, and then stretched and expanded to a larger diameter and a reduced radial thickness by the action of overhead nip rollers and internal air pressure. Typically, ambient air is entrained by one or more blowers. The ambient air provides a cooling medium, which absorbs heat from the molten material. This speeds up the change in state from a molten material back to a solid material. Additionally, the ambient air entrained by the blowers is used to provide air pressure, which is utilized to control the size and thickness of the film tube. One type of blown film extrusion line utilizes air flow on the exterior surface of the film tube in order to absorb heat. A different, and more modern, type of blown film extrusion line utilizes both an external flow of cooling air and an internal flow of cooling air in order to cool and size the film tube. Whether the blown film tube is cooled from the interior surface, the exterior surface, or some combination of the two, one common problem in blown film extrusion lines is that of obtaining precise control over the diameter of the extruded film tube. Tight control over the diameter ensures uniform product dimensions, which includes the size of the extruded product, as well as the thickness of the plastic material. Acoustic sensors may be utilized to gauge the diameter of the product. When such acoustic sensors are utilized, a feedback loop is established to alter dynamically one or more controllable variable of the process, such as blower speed, and/or temperature control over the cooling air stream.

A typical example of the flexible display includes a film which is made of a synthetic resin such as polyimide (hereinafter, referred to as “plastic film”), and elements supported by the plastic film, such as TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) and OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). The plastic film functions as a flexible substrate. The flexible display is encapsulated with a gas barrier film (encapsulation film) because an organic semiconductor layer which is a constituent of the OLED is likely to deteriorate due to water vapor. Production of the above-described flexible display is carried out using a glass base on which a plastic film is formed over the upper surface. The glass base functions as a support (carrier) for keeping the shape of the plastic film flat during the production process. Elements such as TFTs and OLEDs, a gas barrier film, and the other constituents are formed on the plastic film, whereby the structure of a flexible OLED device is realized while it is supported by the glass base. Thereafter, the flexible OLED device is delaminated from the glass base and gains flexibility. The entirety of a portion in which elements such as TFTs and OLEDs are arrayed can be referred to as “functional layer region”. According to the prior art, a sheet-like structure including a plurality of flexible OLED devices is delaminated from a glass base, and thereafter, optical parts and other constituents are mounted to this sheet-like structure. Thereafter, the sheet-like structure is divided into a plurality of flexible devices. This dividing is realized by, for example, laser beam irradiation. Patent Document No. 1 discloses the method of irradiating the interface between each flexible OLED device and the glass base with laser light (lift-off light) in order to delaminate each flexible OLED device from the glass base (supporting substrate). According to the method disclosed in Patent Document No. 1, after irradiation with the lift-off light, respective flexible OLED devices are divided from one another, and each of the flexible OLED devices is delaminated from the glass base.

Computer numerical control or “CNC” milling machines often must be precisely “leveled” in a manner which causes the vertical orientations of support contact points upon the undersurface of the machine's base or chassis to coincide with a horizontal plane. Ideally, leveling procedures performed upon such machines eliminate any warping, deflection, or distortion of any of such support contact points away from the horizontal plane. Such machine leveling is known to be facilitated or accomplished by adapting a milling machine's floor contacting feet or pedestals to function as vertically extendable and retractable hydraulic cylinders. Operation of such cylinder pedestals through selective injections and ejections of hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders' interior fluid filled volumes is known to align a machine's base with the horizontal plane. Where such cylinder pedestals are arranged beneath a heavy milling center machine in a support matrix, operation of the cylinder pedestals either individually or in groupings gives rise to significant difficulties, complexities, and challenges. In such leveling operations, various groupings of cylinder pedestals or individual cylinder pedestals are alternatively raised, lowered, locked against fluid flow, and opened for equipment “floating” interchange of fluid volumes. In any such equipment leveling task, a multitude of such alternative operations directed to the cylinder pedestals may be required to be performed. Known assemblies, machinery and equipment which facilitate such a operations are cumbersome in use and time consuming. The instant inventive assembly for hydraulic fluid actuated machine leveling solves or ameliorates such difficulties and challenges by providing and associating with a machine supporting matrix of hydraulic cylinder configured pedestals a specialized network of hydraulic fluid carrying conduits wherein hydraulic fluid flow and pressure is controlled by incorporation of a specialized combination of shutoff valves and a variable relief valve.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of video encoding/decoding, and more particularly, to a method that performs intra prediction by using interpolation filtering while encoding and decoding. Discussion of the Related Art In general, a residual signal is generated by using intra prediction and inter prediction while video coding. The reason for acquiring the residual signal is that when the residual signal is coded with the residual signal, the quantity of data is small and a data compression rate increases and as the prediction is better, a signal of the residual signal is small. In an intra prediction method, data of a current block is predicted by using contiguous pixels of the current block. A difference between an actual value and a prediction value is referred to as a residual signal block. In the case of HEVC, in the intra prediction method, 9 prediction modes used in the existing H.264/AVC increases to 35 predictions modes as illustrated in FIG. 1 to be more subdivided, and as a result, the prediction is performed (however, a planar prediction mode and a DC prediction mode are not shown in FIG. 1). In the case of the inter prediction method, the current block is compared with blocks in contiguous pictures to find a most similar block. In this case, positional information (Vx, Vy) of the found block is referred to as a motion vector. A difference of pixels in the block between the current block and the prediction block predicted by the motion vector is referred to as the residual signal block (motion-compensated residual block). As described above, a video encoding and decoding method is required, in which the intra prediction and the inter prediction are subdivided to decrease the quantity of data of the residual signal and a calculation quantity is small without degradation of codec performance by using efficient transform.

The present invention relates to an improved tarnish remover. More particularly this invention relates to a tarnish remover/metal polish containing as essential ingredients a metal iodide such as potassium iodide, an acid, and water. The tarnish removers/metal polishes of this invention are effective, safe, and low in cost. In the prior art many formulations have been proposed for removing tarnish and oxides from silver, copper, brass, and other metals. "Tarnish," as the term is used herein, embraces a film discoloration of the metal surface which occurs as a result of a chemical change in the metal as opposed to a mere physical soiling. An example is the formation of a sulfide or oxide film which is from all indications integral with the metal surface and similar to metal corrosion. The prior art formulations which have been proposed have been designed to either only remove the tarnish, etc., or to remove the tarnish, etc., and additionally repress the tendency of metal surfaces to re-tarnish or stain upon exposure to ordinary atmospheric conditions, thereby eliminating at least partially a periodic, time-consuming cleaning problem and to prevent a deterioration of the metal surfaces. The prior art tarnish removers or metal polishes designed primarily to remove tarnish and stain conventionally comprise an abrasive material and a carrier such as water, a hydrocarbon solvent, or glycerine, either with or without a soap or an emulsified agent. Tarnish removers and metal polishes designed to repress tarnish and stain have included a film-forming material in the compositions such as waxes and resins so as to leave behind a thin coating, and in addition the use of anti-tarnish components such as a mercaptan or thiourea for the prevention of retarnishing. Exemplary prior art tarnish removers or metal polishes include the compositions described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,199 which utilize thiourea in an acidic dip-type silver and copper cleaning composition; U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,593 which discloses silver cleaning compositions in paste or liquid form containing abrasives, an emulsifying agent, a hydrocarbon carrier and, if desired, a mercaptan or thiourea; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,501 which discloses a silver polish containing a mild abrasive and a long chain alkyl mercaptan as an anti-tarnishing agent. The mercaptan apparently forms a thin protective film upon the silver and prevents retarnishing. The aforesaid silver and copper cleaners and polishes are useful and have met with substantial approval. However, each has disadvantages and limitations. It has been found that certain of the acidic dip type formulations have a deleterious effect upon silverware, possibly resulting in more rapid retarnishing after the silver is again exposed to normal use and possibly causing removal of the silver surface. The compositions apparently function primarily as a cleaner and provide little or no protective coating. On the other hand, polishing compositions of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,593, because of the hydrophobic carrier employed, are relatively difficult to wash off the silver after polishing. There is also an indication that the silver tarnishes more easily after initial cleaning. The rapid retarnishing may be a result of more exposed silver surface due to scratches on the silverware. Some polish-type formulations are believed to remove some of the metal surface when used. Additionally, a number of the prior art polishes or tarnish removers containing chemicals, such as thiourea, have toxic characteristics, some suspected to be carcinogenic, and for that reason are not well received.

This application claims the benefit of the People's Republic of China Application No. 201110212538.5, filed on Jul. 22, 2011.

The present invention relates generally to apparatuses and methods for controlling a length of a brewing cycle during which time a brewer brews a beverage. The present invention more specifically relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a length of a brewing cycle during which time a brewer brews a beverage, where an initial brew time which is stored in a controller can be adjusted relatively easily. Some automatic brewers which brew hot beverages, such as coffee or tea, provide that the length of a brewing cycle can be programmed into the brewer so that each time the brewer performs a brewing cycle, generally the same volume of beverage is brewed. For example, some automatic brewers provide a controller which generally controls the brewing operation and the length of the brewing cycle. Additionally, a warmer switch, a brew button and a run/program switch are provided on the brewer. To initially set the length of the brewing cycle of the brewer, a user switches on the warmer switch causing a warmer in the brewer to turn on, then switches the run/program switch from a "run" setting to a "program" setting. Then, the user presses the brew button to begin brewing, and after allowing the brewing to continue until the desired amount of beverage has been brewed by the brewer, the user turns off the warmer switch or presses the brew button a second time. The controller programs the brewing cycle to be the length of time between the beginning of the brewing and the switching off of the warmer switch or the pressing of the brew button a second time by the user. Subsequently, should the user wish to initiate a brewing cycle of the same length of time, the user switches the warmer switch on, switches the run/program switch from the "program" setting to the "run" setting and presses the brew button. Should the user wish to adjust the length of the brewing cycle which has been previously programmed into the brewer, the user may repeat the entire above-described process, i.e. switches the warmer switch on, switches the run/program switch to a "program" setting, presses the brew button, and then either switches the warmer switch off or presses the brew button a second time. Alternatively, on some automatic brewers, the user may turn an analog knob on the brewer to set the length of the brewing cycle. Then, after the brewer completes the brewing cycle, the user may adjust the setting of the analog knob depending on whether or not the previous setting had resulted in the desired volume of beverage being brewed. Using the analog knob on the brewer to adjust the brewing cycle often results in much trial and error where the user first sets the knob, and then waits to see if the setting provides the desired volume of beverage. If not, the user adjusts the knob before starting another brewing cycle. Therefore, while one method of adjusting the brewing cycle requires a user to repeat the entire process of programming the length of brewing cycle into the brewer, the other method may require a user to go through much trial and error. In brewers which have multiple batch settings, the user may have to repeat either process with regard to more than one brewing cycle setting of the brewer.

Since the introduction of sound with film in 1927, there has been a steady evolution of technology used to capture the artistic intent of the motion picture sound track and to replay it in a cinema environment. In the 1930s, synchronized sound on disc gave way to variable area sound on film, which was further improved in the 1940s with theatrical acoustic considerations and improved loudspeaker design, along with early introduction of multi-track recording and steerable replay (using control tones to move sounds). In the 1950s and 1960s, magnetic striping of film allowed multi-channel playback in theatre, introducing surround channels and up to five screen channels in premium theatres. In the 1970s Dolby introduced noise reduction, both in post-production and on film, along with a cost-effective means of encoding and distributing mixes with 3 screen channels and a mono surround channel. The quality of cinema sound was further improved in the 1980s with Dolby Spectral Recording (SR) noise reduction and certification programs such as THX. Dolby brought digital sound to the cinema during the 1990s with a 5.1 channel format that provides discrete left, center and right screen channels, left and right surround arrays and a subwoofer channel for low-frequency effects. Dolby Surround 7.1, introduced in 2010, increased the number of surround channels by splitting the existing left and right surround channels into four “zones.” As the number of channels increases and the loudspeaker layout transitions from a planar two-dimensional (2D) array to a three-dimensional (3D) array including elevation, the task of positioning and rendering sounds becomes increasingly difficult. Improved audio authoring and rendering methods would be desirable.

Many of today's entertainment or communication-related electronic user devices rely on receiving, transmitting, and/or using streaming digital data or content. Adaptive bit rate streaming is a technique for streaming digital data (particularly, multimedia content) over digital networks. Adaptive bit rate streaming may include detecting a bandwidth capacity and CPU capacity of the user device in real time and adjusting the quality of a video stream accordingly to allow continuous streaming with a highest quality stream of the different bit rate streams corresponding to a current bandwidth capacity and CPU capacity of the user device. In some implementations, a streaming client of a user device may access a manifest file (also referred to as a variant playlist file) that identifies different streams of an identical piece of content available for download at differing bit rates. The streaming client may also access index files that identify segments of the streams, and the order in which the segments are to be played. In some instances, when starting streaming of content, the streaming client requests segments from the lowest bit rate stream from a streaming server.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to gaming, and more particularly to a device and method for dispensing game tickets for playing games of chance for monetary prizes. 2. Description of the Prior Art Gaming is a widely popular form of entertainment and an economically important industry. State-run lotteries and other games of chance produce significant amounts of revenue for funding various socially beneficial activities such as education, economic development, etc. In the private sector, games of chance are often used for both fundraising and entertainment purposes. For example, various charitable, social and fraternal organizations purchase sets of game materials consisting of game cards and tickets. Game cards typically have break-open windows or scratch-off areas for concealing winning and losing symbols prior to purchase. Game tickets are typically folded and sealed for concealing winning and losing symbols prior to purchase. Players unfold them to reveal the symbols as the games are played. Winning game symbols typically entitle the players to monetary prize amounts. The games can be designed with predetermined payout percentages. The game operators are thus assured of predetermined profit amounts after all of the cards or tickets are sold and all of the prizes are awarded. The prior art includes various devices for packaging, promoting, displaying, and dispensing game cards and tickets. For example, folded-and-sealed tickets have for many years been placed in transparent glass and plastic jars, thus acquiring the designation "jar ticket". However, jars are not well suited for packaging with modern, high-speed packaging equipment. Moreover, jars can be impractical to ship due to their size, shape, weight, and susceptibility to breakage. Cardboard boxes are therefore preferred for packaging and shipping game cards and tickets. However, a disadvantage with many of the cardboard boxes currently used for packaging and shipping game cards and tickets is that they are not particularly convenient for dispensing tickets. Game operators must therefore transfer the cards and tickets to other containers, such as jars, for display and sale. Although this distribution system is in widespread use, the labor and inconvenience associated with handling and transferring large volumes of cards and tickets are significant disadvantages. The present invention addresses the disadvantages of previous devices and methods of packaging, shipping, displaying, and distributing cards and tickets for playing games of chance. Heretofore there has not been available a game ticket dispenser and dispensing method with the advantages and features of the present invention.

The invention relates to cover sleeves for pots, including flower pots. The invention arose from continuing development efforts directed toward providing cover sleeves for flower pots which are not only aesthetically pleasing but also provide functional advantages, ease of manufacture, and accommodate varying pot sizes including variances in standard sizes. The invention also arose out of continuing development efforts relating to the subject matter of commonly owned copending U.S. application Ser. No. 29/089,316, filed Jun. 12, 1998, incorporated herein by reference.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to devices used to interconnect the structural members of a building for the purpose of transferring forces between the structural members of a building, such as the wall of a building and the floor and/or roof framing systems. 2. Description of the Prior Art Buildings can be subjected to excessive natural or abnormal forces (seismic, wind, blast, etc.) with disastrous consequences. Investigations have found that "tilt-up" buildings, especially older buildings with timber framed roof framing systems, are vulnerable to damage and/or collapse during earthquakes. Tilt-up buildings typically consist of a structure that is constructed with concrete wall panels that are precast horizontally on the ground, and after curing, tilted up into place. Numerous tilt-up buildings are constructed with timber roof framing systems. One common type of timber roof framing system is referred to as a "panelized" system, and typically consists of longspan glulam beams, timber purlins, timber joists, and roof sheathing. The roof sheathing typically consists of 4'.times.8" sheets of plywood, and spans between the joists. The joists typically consist of 2.times.4's or 2.times.6's and span between the purlins. The purlins typically consist of 4.times.12's or 4.times.14's and span between the glulam beams. The plywood sheathing is typically oriented with the long dimension parallel to the joists, or perpendicular to the purlins. The joists are typically spaced 2 feet apart. The purlins are typically spaced 8 feet apart to accommodate the length of the plywood sheathing. The glulam beams are typically spaced 20 to 24 feet apart. Sections of the panelized roof are typically fabricated on the ground and raised into place with a crane or forklift. For installation purposes the joists and purlins are typically cut short to allow for field variations in the dimension between purlins and glulam beams. In areas subject to high seismicity the connections between the concrete wall panels of many tilt-up buildings and the timber roof framing systems are commonly deficient when gauged by the currently established seismic design standards and/or recommendations for such buildings, and may present for the potential of a partial or complete collapse of the building during an earthquake. More particularly, in many older tilt-up type buildings this connection typically consists of only the nailing between the roof sheathing and the timber ledger that is bolted to the wall panel. When the wall panels try to separate from the roof diaphragm and roof framing system during an earthquake, this type of connection will typically subject the ledgers to "cross grain bending", a mechanism which is highly vulnerable to failure, and may allow for the potential of a partial or complete collapse of the building. This type of connection has been specifically disallowed since adoption of the 1973 edition of the Uniform Building Code. It is generally recommended that tilt-up buildings with such deficiencies be retrofitted with new connections per the currently established seismic design standards and/or recommendations for such buildings. For tilt-up buildings with panelized roof framing systems, a common method of installing retrofit structural elements for the purposes of connecting the wall panels of these buildings to the roof diaphragms, for those wall panels oriented perpendicular to the joists or parallel to the purlins, consists of installing a series of timber struts that extend from the wall panel into the roof diaphragm. These struts are attached to the wall panels and interconnected with each other (across interceding purlins) with a variety of steel connection devices (plates, bent plates, holdowns, bolts, etc.). These connection devices are generally attached to the struts in an eccentric manner, but may be connected to the struts in a concentric manner. In some installations these steel connection devices include rods acting in tension and extending the full length of the struts. This assemblage of timber struts and connection devices and/or rods is referred to as a "dragline". There are a number of potential problems associated with the above described retrofit installation of draglines. The steel connection devices used to interconnect the struts of a dragline are subject to improper installation, especially when a dragline is installed in a difficult location. In such situations the connection devices are prone to being improperly located, or aligned, and the bolt holes for the connection devices are prone to being oversized. Ideally, the timber struts of a dragline should each be sized on an individual basis to fit precisely and tightly between two adjacent purlins, or between a purlin and a ledger. In practice, however, these struts are generally cut short to facilitate and expedite installation, and unless adequate shimming is provided at the end bearings of the timber struts, such practices provide for a poor overall dragline installation. In general, the proper installation of timber struts is relatively labor intensive and costly, especially when the strut ends must be cut at skewed angles to match existing conditions, or installed in difficult locations. Ideally, draglines should be installed with nailing between the timber struts and the roof diaphragm (plywood sheathing). Such installations provide for a direct transfer of the seismic loads generated by a wall panel to the roof diaphragm during an earthquake. Typically, due to the costs and potential leakage problems associated with the removal and replacement of roofing, the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the timber struts is often omitted. When draglines are installed without any nailing between the roof diaphragm and the timber struts, the seismic loads generated by a wall panel during an earthquake are transferred to the roof diaphragm via mobilization of the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins connected to the draglines. In order to properly transfer these loads through the dragline, the end bearings of the timber struts must be tight. If the timber struts have been cut short and the end bearings have not been shimmed tight, then the purlins may be subjected to rotation, and the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins may be subjected to unintended forces. This condition may potentially degrade the capacity of the purlins, as well as degrade the capacity of the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins. In practice, the timber struts of a dragline are frequently cut short, the end bearings are not shimmed tight, and the timber struts are not nailed to the diaphragm, resulting in a dragline installation that may not provide for the adequate transfer of seismic forces between a wall panel and a roof diaphragm. Even if the timber struts are initially installed with tight end bearings, it is frequently the case that the timber struts are installed "green" and later shrink, leaving a gap at the end bearings, as they dry out. This can be avoided by using timber struts that have been pre-dried (kiln dried), or are non-shrink (Parallams), however the cost of these materials is significantly greater than that of green timber. Typically, draglines are only designed for tension loads, and the struts are interconnected eccentrically. Recent investigations and studies of earthquake damaged tilt-up type buildings have recommended that draglines be designed for both tension and compression forces, and interconnected concentrically. Such recommendations intend to provide for a positive means of transferring the compression loads generated by a wall panel during an earthquake to the roof diaphragm, and eliminate problems associated with eccentric interconnections. The installation of concentric interconnections, and interconnections that are capable of resisting compression loads, incurs additional costs due to added steel connection devices, added shimming of strut end bearings, and added installation time. In summary, the above described dragline installation is difficult to install, labor intensive, costly, and the installed quality is subject to significant variation. In practice, draglines are typically installed without any nailing between the roof diaphragm and the timber struts. For this condition the seismic tension loads generated by a wall panel during an earthquake are transferred to the roof diaphragm by mobilizing the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins attached to the dragline, and the roof joists adjacent to the dragline. In order to properly transfer these loads through the dragline, the end bearings between the timber struts of the dragline and the purlins must be tight, or must be shimmed tight. Generally, the end connections used to secure the timber struts to the purlins or ledgers are inadequate in resisting and transferring the seismic design forces associated with a dragline. Unless the end bearings between the timber struts of the dragline and the purlins, as well as the end bearings between the roof joists and the purlins, are tight, or have been shimmed tight, the purlins may be subjected to unintended rotation and the nailing between the roof diaphragm and purlins may be subjected to unintended forces, and thus potentially degrade the capacity of the purlins, as well as degrade the capacity of the nailing between the roof diaphragm and the purlins.

The safe disposal of sewer effluents and water treatment requires measurements of suspended solid concentration in treatment pipes, culverts and other conduits. A sewer effluent containing a low value of suspended solids may be subject to a reduced treatment or no treatment at all. A plant treating sewer effluents from several municipalities may bill those municipalities in accordance with the volume flow and the total suspended solids concentration measured on the intake conduits from each municipality. In the past, intrusive periodical samplings of solids-carrying water were taken and analyzed in laboratories to provide needed information about the solids content of the water. Various methods have been proposed to electronically measure total solids concentration in a volume of liquid, but no instrumentation has been provided for concurrently measuring suspended solids concentration as well as flow on a continuous, real time base. This invention results from an attempt to provide a more practical instrumentation for use in sewer and water collection systems, distribution systems and treatment plants.

1. Technical Field Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure relate to the sport of fishing and, more particularly, to a line reeling apparatus for providing users with an easy and convenient means of assisting the relining of a reel with a damaged line of a fishing pole. 2. Prior Art One of the most beloved and well known sports enjoyed by Americans is fishing. In fact, the estimated number of U.S. recreational anglers is well over 50 million, with more participants than golfing and tennis combined. An enduring American tradition, fishing is enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life. Recent data released by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reveals that the sports fishing brings $116 billion worth of benefits to the local, state and national economies. Because sport fishing is extremely enjoyable, many participants find it suitable to fish whenever the time permits and the opportunity presents itself. Every child, boy or girl, remembers the first time their father or grandfather took them fishing. In addition to reveling in the quality time spent in the beautiful outdoors with a respected adult, kids are very excited to try to lure an unsuspecting fish with their pole and bait. Nothing quite equates the sense of accomplishment felt by a child when he successfully catches a fish. The sudden jerks that signify a nibble on a line, the tense downward pull that ensures a hook has found its mark, and the frenzied reel-in of the line to find the prize swaying from the other end, all combine to foster feelings of glee and wonder for children who fish. With all the positive benefits of exposing youngsters to this thrilling sport, the first few attempts at teaching children the art are fishing can be a bit challenging. Particularly, properly lining a reel onto a pole can be a bit daunting to young anglers. Trying to manipulate the thin material of the line and carefully wind it over the reel can be a frustrating endeavor, especially if the line jumps or becomes twisted and thus one must start the entire process over from the beginning. In addition, adults who experience hand ailments such as arthritis may find it painful, or even impossible, to manually reline. Often requiring the fisherman to seek assistance from a friend, relining a fishing pole can be a challenging endeavor that takes away much of the fun associated with this exciting sport. Accordingly, a need remains for a reeling apparatus in order to overcome prior art shortcomings. The exemplary embodiment(s) satisfy such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for assisting the relining of a reel with a damaged line of a fishing pole.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-color light apparatus, and more particularly to a multi-color light apparatus with only two power wires to transmit data and power. 2. Description of Related Art In winter, most people living in North America will decorate their houses with multi-color light apparatus to celebrate Christmas. The multi-color light apparatus includes many different illumination functions, such as showing different colors (red, green or blue color), flashing and so on. Normally, the multi-color light apparatus with many different illumination functions is driven by a driving control integrated circuit (IC). The driving control IC will output different control signals to the multi-color light apparatus, so a plurality of light bulbs in the multi-color light apparatus will be randomly or sequentially turned on according to the control signals. With reference to FIG. 3, a conventional driving control IC 30 includes a plurality of pins. Those pins include a red light output pin (OUTR), a green light output pin (OUTG), a blue light output pin (OUTB), a ground pin (GND), a signal output pin (SDO), a signal input pin (SDI), a mode set pin (SET) and a power input pin (VDD). The data signal is outputted from the driving control IC 30 via an electric wire. The power signal is outputted from the driving control IC 30 via another electric wire. Therefore, the conventional driving control IC 30 requires at least three electric wires (a data wire, a positive power wire and a negative power wire) to drive the multi-color light apparatus to perform many different illumination effects. Accordingly, a need arises to develop a multi-color light apparatus without using too many wires, so the cost is reduced and the usage of the electric wires is minimized.

The present invention relates to high-performance radiation sensitive resist compositions and their use in multilayer lithography processes to fabricate semiconductor devices. Specifically, the present invention is concerned with negative-tone silicon-containing resist compositions based on an acid catalyzed crosslinking of aqueous base soluble silicon-containing polymers. The resist composition of the present invention can be used as the top imaging layer in a multilayer, including bilayer, technique to fabricate semiconductor devices using various irradiation sources, such as mid-ultraviolet (UV), deep-UV (for example 248 nm, 193 nm and 157 nm), extreme UV, X-ray, e-beam and ion-beam irradiation. In the manufacture of patterned devices such as semiconductor chips and chip carriers the steps of etching different layers which constitute the finished product are among the most critical and crucial steps involved. In semiconductor manufacturing, optical lithography has been the main stream approach to pattern semiconductor devices. In typical prior art lithography processes, UV light is projected onto a silicon wafer coated with a layer of photosensitive resist through a mask that defines a particular circuitry pattern. Exposure to UV light, followed by subsequent baking, induces a photochemical reaction which changes the solubility of the exposed regions of the photosensitive resist. Thereafter, an appropriate developer, typically an aqueous base solution, is used to selectively remove the resist either in the exposed regions (positive-tone resists) or, in the unexposed region (negative-tone resists). The pattern thus defined is then imprinted on the silicon wafer by etching away the regions that are not protected by the resist with a dry or wet etch process. The current state-of-the-art optical lithography uses DUV irradiation at a wavelength of 248 nm to print features as small as 250 nm in volume semiconductor manufacturing. The continued drive for the miniaturization of semiconductor devices places increasingly stringent requirements for resist materials, including high resolution, wide process latitude, good profile control and excellent plasma etch resistance for image transfer to substrate. Several techniques for enhancing the resolution, such as reduced irradiation wavelength (from 248 nm to 193 nm), higher numerical aperture (NA) of the exposure systems, use of alternate masks or illumination conditions, and reduced resist film thickness are currently being pursued. However, each of these approaches to enhance resolution suffers from various tradeoffs in process latitude, subsequent substrate etching and cost. For example, increasing NA of the exposure tools also leads to a dramatic reduction in the depth of focus. The reduction in the resist film thickness results in the concomitant detrimental effect of decreased etch resistance of the resist film for substrate etching. This detrimental effect is exasperated by the phenomenon of etch induced micro-channel formation during substrate etch, effectively rendering the top 0.2-0.3 um resist film useless as an etch mask for substrate etching. It would therefore be desirable to provide for enhanced resolution without experiencing drawbacks of the prior art. Furthermore, bilayer imaging schemes have been suggested. In a bilayer imaging scheme, typically, images are first defined in a thin, usually 0.1-0.3 um thick, silicon containing resist with a wet process on a relatively thick high absorbing organic underlayer. The images thus defined are then transferred into the underlayer through a selective and highly anisotropic oxygen reactive ion etching (O2 RIE) where silicon in the top imaging layer is converted into nonvolatile silicon oxides, thus acting as an etch mask. To be effective as etch mask, the top imaging layer needs to contain sufficient silicon, usually greater than 10 wt %. The advantages of bilayer imaging over the conventional single layer imaging include higher resolution capability, wider process latitude, patterning high aspect ration features, and minimization of substrate contamination and thin film interference effects. Moreover, the thick organic underlayer offers superior substrate etch resistance. The bilayer imaging is most suitable for high NA exposure tools, imaging over substrate topography and patterning high aspect ratio patterns. Various silicon-containing polymers have been used as polymer resins in the top imaging layer resists (see R. D. Miller and G. M. Wallraff, Advanced Materials for Optics and Electronics, p. 95 (1994)). One of the most widely used silicon-containing polymers is polysilsesquioxane. Both positive-tone and negative-tone resists have been developed using an aqueous base soluble polysilsesquioxane: poly(p-hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane). For positive-tone bilayer resists, poly(p-hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane) was modified with a diazo photoactive compound or an acid sensitive t-butyloxycarbonyl (t-BOC) for I-line and chemically amplified DUV lithography, respectively [U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,385,804, 5,422,223]. Positive-tone resists have also been developed by using dissolution inhibitors [U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,169]. For negative-tone bilayer resists, an azide functional group was chemically attached to poly(p-hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane). Exposure of the azide functionalized poly(p-hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane) caused crosslinking in the exposed regions. Thus, negative-tone images resulted. However, these bilayer resists suffer from inadequate resolution, low sensitivity, and poor resist profile in some cases due to high optical density. In view of the state of prior art resists, it is desirable to develop new bilayer resists with high resolution, high sensitivity, and good profile control for patterning semiconductor circuities. In particular, new negative-tone silicon-containing resists are desirable since negative-tone resists generally offer advantages of better isolated feature resolution, good thermal stability, small isolated and dense feature bias. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a highly sensitive, high resolution negative-tone resist compositions with relatively high silicon content. Another object of the present invention is to provide chemically amplified negative-tone silicon-containing resist compositions that can be used as top imaging layer resists in multilayer lithography for semiconductor manufacturing, and, in particular, in the patterning of semiconductor circuities. These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by an acid catalyzed, high contrast crosslinking of silicon-containing polymers bearing a phenolic moiety by using crosslinking agents that react with the hydroxyl group of the phenolic moiety in the silicon polymers (O-alkylation). These objectives are achieved also by using a bulky photo-generated acid to reduce acid diffusion for high resolution. More specifically, highly sensitive, high resolution chemically amplified negative-tone resists are obtained by acid catalyzed crosslinking of aqueous base soluble hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane polymer via O-alkylation. These crosslinking agents include, but are not limited to, uril and melamine derivatives. The O-alkylation not only increases the molecular weight of the parent polymer but also converts the hydrophilic hydroxyl group in the parent polymer into a less hydrophilic phenolic ether group. Both lead to high contrast for the negative-tone resists. Another aspect of the present invention is directed toward a silicon-containing negative-tone chemically amplified resist composition which comprises (a) an aqueous base soluble phenolic silicon-containing polymer or copolymer; (b) a crosslinking agent; (c) an acid generator; (d) a solvent for said polymer resin and crosslinking agent; and, optionally, (e) a photosensitizer that is capable of absorbing irradiation in the mid-UV, deep-UV (e.g. 248 nm, 193 nm and 157 nm), extreme-UV, X-ray, e-beam or ion-beam range. The chemically amplified resist composition of the present invention may further comprise (f) a base and/or (g) a surfactant. The crosslinking agent, acid generator, photosensitizer, base and surfactant can be either a single compound or a combination of two or more compounds of the same function. A further aspect of the present invention involves using the silicon containing resist in a bilayer imaging scheme where a thin layer of the silicon-containing resist is applied and imaged on a thick, highly absorbing organic underlayer. The images thus formed are then transferred into the underlayer through anisotropic O2 or CO2 reactive ion etching. Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only the preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. The present invention relates to a high sensitivity, high resolution, aqueous base developable silicon-containing negative-tone resist composition. The resist compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for the top imaging layers for bilayer imaging. In one embodiment of the invention, the high sensitivity, high resolution chemically amplified negative-tone resists are obtained by acid catalyzed crosslinking aqueous base soluble hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane polymer and copolymers with crosslinking agents that react with the hydroxyl group (O-alkylation) of the silicon-containing polymers. Examples of suitable crosslinking agents include, but not limited to, uril and malamine derivatives. In another embodiment of the present invention, the chemically amplified silicon-containing negative-tone resist composition comprises (a) an aqueous base soluble phenolic silicon-containing polymer or copolymer; (b) a crosslinking agent; (c) an acid generator; (d) a solvent for said polymer resin and the crosslinking agent; and, optionally, (e) a photosensitizer that is capable of absorbing irradiation in the mid-UV, deep-UV (e.g. 248 nm, 193 nm and 157 nm), extreme-UV, X-ray or e-beam range. The silicon-containing chemically amplified resist composition of the present invention may further comprise (f) a base and/or (g) a surfactant. The crosslinking agent, acid generator, photosensitizer, base and surfactant can be either a single compound or a combination of two or more compounds of the same function. The silicon-containing polymers or copolymers have the structure and functionalities that satisfies these requirements: aqueous base solubility, high silicon contents (greater than 5 wt %, preferably greater than 10 wt %), good thermal properties (glass transition temperature greater than 80xc2x0 C., preferably greater than 100xc2x0 C.), have functionalities that act as crosslinking sites for acid catalyzed crosslinking, good optical transparency at the imaging wavelength (OD less than 5/um, and preferably less than 1/um), and film forming capability. One family of such silicon-containing polymers have a basic structure as expressed by the following general formula: Where R1 represents an acid insensitive (inert) blocking group. Examples of suitable R1 groups include C1-C10 hydrocarbons, C2-C6 carbonates, and mesylate. The hydrocarbon groups include alkyl and aryl groups. These inert blocking groups serve to modulate the dissolution rate of the silicon-containing polymer resin. Z represents hydrogen or trimethylsilyl group. X represents molar fraction, being less than or equal to 1, preferably X=1xe2x88x920.3 and more preferably X=1xe2x88x920.6. The number average molecular weight of the silicon-containing polymer is about 800 to about 200,000, preferably about 1500 to about 20,000. The aqueous base soluble hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane polymer and copolymers can be in ladder form, cage form, random form, and/or combinations of two or more of these forms. The silicon-containing polymer may be prepared from alkoxybenzyltrihalidesilane by hydrolysis of the trihalidesilane into silanol and then followed by condensation of the silanol under the catalysis of bases. The resultant hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane polymer and its copolymers with alkoxybenzylsilsequioxane can be obtained by controlled conversion or partial conversion of the alkoxyl group into hydroxyl group with boron tribromide. Other hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane copolymers can be prepared by partial blocking of hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane homopolymer with appropriate blocking groups, such as carbonate mesylate, and other ethers. For example, other ether blocked silicon-containing copolymers may be prepared by reacting the hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane homopolymer with an alkylhalide. Ester blocked silicon-containing copolymers can be synthesized by reacting the hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane homopolymer with carboxylic halide. Illustrative examples of the insert blocking groups include methoxy, ethoxy, isopropyl carbonate, acetoxy, and mesylate. The blocking level is typically less than 0.4 molar fraction of the phenolic group to ensure aqueous base solubility. Preferably, the blocking level is no more than 0.25 molar fraction of the phenolic group. It should be pointed out that more than two inert blocking groups can also be used to prepare the silicon-containing polymer resin as long as the said polymer resin is soluble in aqueous base and has adequate thermal property, i.e. glass transition temperature no less than 80xc2x0 C. Therefore, aqueous base soluble hydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane terpolymers and higher polymers can also be used as the polymer resin for the negative-tone resist. The crosslinking agents used in the present invention may be a single compound or a combination of two or more compounds that generate stable carbocations in the presence of photogenerated acid to crosslink the silicon-containing polymer resin at the hydroxyl site of the silicon polymer resin (O-alkylation). Such crosslinking reactions afford high contrast negative-tone resists because it not only leads to an increase in the molecular weight of the silicon polymer resin but also results in the conversation of the hydrophilic hydroxyl group into a less hydrophilic phenolic ether group. Typical crosslinking agents are uril and melamine derivatives with general formula as shown below. R2, R3=C1-C8 alkyl or C6-C9 aryl hydrocarbon R4=CH3, CH2CH3; or where Zxe2x95x90NRRxe2x80x2 or Rxe2x80x3 where R, Rxe2x80x2 and R5-R8 each independently represents H, CH2OH, CH2ORa. Where Ra is C1-C4 alkyl group. These crosslinking agents are able to produce stable carbocations in the presence of photo-generated acid to effect high contrast crosslinking of the silicon-containing polymer resin containing phenolic moiety. The ability of these crosslinking agents to generate carbocations depends in large part on the size of the leaving groups. Generally, the smaller the leaving groups, the better it is to generate the carbocations. The carbocations thus generated crosslink the silicon-containing polymer at the hydroxyl site of the phenolic group, resulting in an increase in molecular weight of the silicon-containing polymer resin and a conversion of the polymer into a less hydrophilic structure. Therefore, high resist contrast ensues. Suitable urils that can be used as the crosslinking agents include, but are not limited to, the following The preferred crosslinking agents are tetramethoxylmethyl glycouril (commonly available as Powderlink), methylpropyl Powderlink, and methylphenyl Powderlink. It should be pointed out that combinations of two or more of these crosslinking agents can also be used as crosslinking agents. The photoacid generator used in the resist formulation (component c) of the present invention are compounds which generate an acid upon exposure to energy. They are commonly employed herein as well as in the prior art to generate stable carbocations of the crosslinking agents for the crosslinking of the silicon-containing polymer resins. Illustrative classes of such acid generators that can be employed in the present invention include, but are not limited to: nitrobenzyl compounds, onium salts, sulfonates, carboxylates and the like. To minimize acid diffusion for high resolution capability, the acid generators should be such that they generate bulky acids upon exposure to energy. These bulky acids contain at least 4 carbon atoms. A preferred acid generator employed in the present invention is an onium salt such as an iodonium salt or a sulfonium salt. Examples of photoacid generators are discussed in great length in disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. More preferred acid generators are di(t-butylphenyl) iodonium perfluorobutane sulfonate, di(t-butylphenyl) iodonium perfluorohexane sulfonate, di(t-butylphenyl) iodonium perfluoroethylcyclohexane sulfonate, and di(t-buylphenyl)iodonium camphoresulfonate. The specific photoacid generator selected will depend on the irradiation being used for patterning the resist. Photoacid generators are currently available for a variety of different wavelengths of light from the visible range to the X-ray range; thus, imaging of the resist can be performed using deep-UV, extreme-UV, e-beam, laser or any other irradiation source deemed useful. The solvents that are employed as component (d) of the resist formulation of the present invention are solvents well known to those skilled in the art. They are used to dissolve the silicon-containing polymer, the crosslinking agent, the photoacid generator and other components. Illustrative examples of such solvents include, but are not limited to: ethers, glycol ethers, aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, esters and the like. Suitable glycol ethers that can be employed in the present invention include: 2-methoxyethyl ether (diglyme), ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoether acetate (PGMEA) and the like. Examples of aromatic hydrocarbons that may be employed in the present invention include toluene, xylene and benzene; examples of ketones include methylisobutylketone, 2-heptanone, cycloheptanone, and cyclohexanone; an example of an ether is tetrahydrofuran; whereas ethyl lactate and ethoxy ethyl propionate are examples of esters that can be employed in the present invention. Of the solvents mentioned hereinabove it is preferred that a glycol ether or ester be employed, with PGMEA being the most preferred glycol ether and ethyl lactate is the most preferred ester. The optional component of the present invention, i.e. the photosensitizer, is composed of compounds containing chromophores that are capable of absorbing radiation in the mid-UV, deep-UV, extreme-UV, X-ray or e-beam range. Illustrative examples of such compounds for mid-UV radiation include, but are not limited to: 9-anthracene methanol, coumarins, 9,10-bis(trimethoxysilyl ethynyl) anthracene and polymers containing these chromophores. Of these compounds, it is preferred to use 9-anthracene methanol as the photosensitive compound for irradiation source. The bases that can be employed in the present invention, as component (f), include, but are not limited to: Coumarins, berberine, cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene, tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide (TBAH), amines, polymeric amines and the like. Of these bases, it is preferred that coumarins be employed in the present invention as the base component. The surfactants that can be employed in the present invention as those that are capable of improving the coating homogeneity of the chemically amplified negative-tone resist compositions of the present invention. Illustrative examples of such surfactants include: fluorine-containing surfactants such as 3M""s FC-430 and siloxane-containing surfactants such as Union Carbide""s SILWET series and the like. The combination of these resist components should be such that the silicon content in the formulated resist compositions is at least about 3 wt %, preferably at least about 8 wt %, in order to achieve sufficient RIE etch selectivity to the organic underlayer materials. In accordance with the present invention, the chemically amplified silicon-containing negative-tone resist composition preferably comprises from about 0.1 to about 50 wt. % of component (a); from about 0.005 to about 40 wt. % of component (b); from about 0.001 to about 14 wt. % of component (c); and from about 40 to about 99.5 wt. % of component (d). If a photosensitizer is present, it is preferably present in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 8 wt. %. When a base and/or surfactant are used, they are preferably present in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 16 wt. % of said base (component f), and from about 100 to about 1000 PPM wt. % of said surfactant (component g). More preferably, the chemically amplified silicon-containing negative-tone resist composition of the present invention comprises from about 0.5 to about 30 wt. % of component (a); from about 0.05 to about 20 wt. % of component (b); from about 0.005 to about 10 wt. % of component (c); from about 80 to about 98 wt. % of component (d); and, if present, from about 0.002 to about 8 wt. % of a photosensitizer, from about 50 to about 800 PPM wt % of a base, and from about 250 to about 1000 PPM wt. % of a surfactant. In accordance with the present invention, the silicon-containing resist compositions can be used as a top imaging layer in a multilayer imaging scheme for manufacturing of semiconductor devices. As an illustrative example, the silicon-containing resist compositions used in a bilayer imaging is described as follows: In the bilayer imaging scheme, the resist system comprises of two layers: a silicon-containing top imaging layer as disclosed hereinabove and a highly absorbing organic underlayer. The underlayer material typically meets the following requirements to achieve optimum imaging results: matched reflective index with the top imaging layer, optimum absorption at the imaging wavelength to reduce thin film interference effects, optimum chemical and physical interaction between the top layer and the underlayer (good adhesion but no intermixing), chemical inertness to prevent contamination of the top layer. Illustrative examples of underlayer materials for 248 nm imaging include, but not limited to, hard baked Novolak resins, hard baked I-line resists, plasma deposited diamond-like carbon, crosslinked polymers with an appropriate die or thick DUV bottom anti-reflective coatings, such as IBM""s BARL, Shipley""s AR3, and Brewer Science""s DUV 30. The thickness of the underlayer film is dictated by the substrate etching needs. It should be no less than 300 nm, preferably no less than 500 nm. The bilayer imaging process is well known to those skilled in the art. This process comprises the following steps: The organic underlayer material is deposited, usually by spin coating, on the substrate. The underlayer material undergoes a baking or other processing steps, such as UV hardening to effect crosslinking in order to prevent inter-mixing between the top imaging layer and the underlayer. The silicon-containing top imaging layer is then applied on top of the underlayer film and baked to give a top layer thickness typically about 50 to 400 nm, preferably about 100 to 300 nm. The top imaging layer is exposed to an appropriate irradiation source. This is followed by post-exposure baking and development in an aqueous base developer, such as aqueous tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. The images thus obtained in the top imaging layer are then transferred to the underlayer with an anisotropic RIE. The etch chemistry can be O2, CO2, SO2 and/or a combination of these etch chemistries.

(1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to riding mowers, and in particular, to a hydrostatically controlled rear steer mower with a front steering mechanism. (2) Description of the Prior Art Lawnmowers are well known in the art and have been used for decades to maintain a lawn's appearance. In the prior art, the lawnmower design has typically been of the form of a riding mower that is propelled by the use of a gasoline or diesel engine. A mowing deck is located beneath the mower, and in some circumstances in front or behind of mower. The mowing deck is usually powered by the same gasoline or diesel mower that propels the vehicle. The mowing deck may contain a series of pulleys connected with mowing blades that operate in a rotational pattern to cut a lawn. Many problems have plagued the riding lawnmower. In the past, riding lawnmowers were incapable of cornering in an acceptable turn radius. In order to correct this problem, the prior art implemented a rear steer mowing system, commonly called a zero turn mower. This rear steer mechanism made each rear wheel independently controllable by the operator and turning was facilitated by slowing the inner turn radius wheel while accelerating the outer turn radius wheel. However, these zero turn mowers were deficient in the regards that they were susceptible to loss of tire grip while cornering and on steep terrain. When the rider was operating the vehicle on a steep terrain, the higher elevated tire would lose contact with the terrain surface and thereby cause the mower to sway out of control from the operator. This created a dangerous and inefficient method of mowing. Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved hydrostatically controlled rear steer mower that is capable of maintaining tire grip while traversing rough, uneven or highly sloped terrain.

Software programs are subject to complex and evolving attacks by malware seeking to gain control of computer systems. These attacks can take on a variety of different forms ranging from attempts to crash the software program to subversion of the program for alternate purposes. Additionally, it is particularly difficult to protect the run-time data of the program. The protection of this run-time data is especially important when it involves the program's secrets and configuration information or digital rights protection keying material needed by applications to protect content in main memory and while in transit.

In a conventional radiographic system, an x-ray source is actuated to direct a divergent area beam of x-rays through a patient. A cassette containing an x-ray sensitive screen and light and x-ray sensitive film is positioned in the x-ray path on a side of the patient opposite the source. Radiation passing through the patient's body is attenuated to varying degrees in accordance with the various types of tissue through which the x-rays pass. The attenuated x-rays emerge from the patient in a pattern and strike the phosphor screen which in turn exposes the film. The x-ray film is processed to yield a visible image which can be interpreted by a radiologist as defining internal body structure and/or condition of the patient. In conventional systems of the type described above the x-ray source is mounted to a support structure. Such structure is commonly a ceiling supported, telescoping carriage which permits selection of various source to film distances. The weight of the source and associated componentry are counterbalanced against gravity via a spring motor and a cable/pulley arrangement. A support cable take-up drum or cam is provided to compensate for the variance in the spring tension force over the operative range of spring extension. The take-up drum is provided with a helical groove which receives the support cable. By decreasing the support cable drum take-up radius as the counterbalance springs are extended, a substantially constant counterbalance force is applied to the support cable. Further details of the above described counterbalance system can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,070 to Amor Jr. et al. which is owned by the present assignee. It is to be noted that the above described counterbalance system is useful where the center of gravity of the moving component moves in a substantially vertical, straight line. More recently, digital radiography techniques have been developed. In digital radiography, the source directs radiation through a patient's body to a detector in the beam path beyond the patient. The detector, by use of appropriate sensor means, responds to the incident radiation image to produce analog signals representing the sensed radiation, which signals are converted to digital information and fed to a digital data processing unit. The data processing unit records, and/or processes and enhances the digital data. A display unit responds to the appropriate digital data representing the image to convert the digital information back into analog form and produce a visual display of the patient's internal body structure. Digital radiography includes radiographic techniques in which a thin spread beam of x-rays is used. In this technique, often called "scan" (or slit) projection radiography (SPR), a spread beam of x-rays are scanned across the patient's body, or the patient is movably interposed between the source and an array of individual cellular detector segments. In such an embodiment, relative movement is effected between the source/detector arrangement and the patient's body, keeping the detector aligned with the beam, such that a large area of the patient's body is scanned by the beam of x-rays. One such SPR system is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. 4,626,688 to Barnes entitled Split Energy Level Radiation Detection and in the following publication: Tesic, M. M. et al.; "Digital Radiography of the Chest: Design Features and Considerations For a Prototype Unit", Radiology, Vol. 148 No. 1, pp 259-64, July 1983. The above described SPR Systems are configured such that the scanning motion is about a substantially vertical axis, i.e., the detector moves along a path defining an arc lying substantially in a horizontal plane. It has also been proposed to provide an SPR system wherein the scanning motion is about a substantially horizontal axis thereby causing the detector to move along a path defining an arc lying substantially in a vertical plane. In both configurations the scanning motion is provided by means of electromechanical servo-systems driven by controllable electric motors. An encoder is utilized to provide a closed loop feedback system wherein motor performance is adjusted in accordance with the sensed location of the detector. In the second system wherein the scanning motion is about a horizontal axis, a difficulty is encountered in that the center of gravity of the rotating body rotates about the pivot point. The torque required to effect scanning motion about the pivot axis varies sinusoidally. A electromechanical servo system designed to compensate for the torque variations would be unduly complex. Further, a motor able to provide sufficient torque to overcome the system torque at the extremes of the scan motion would be large and prohibitively expensive. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a lightweight, reliable, simple and inexpensive counterbalance system which compensates for gravitation torques experienced in a system which rotates about a substantially horizontal axis thereby permitting the use of less costly and complex drive components.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to manufactured homes and more particularly to an improved frame for transporting a manufactured home that lowers the overall height of the manufactured home during the transportation thereof. 2. Background of the Invention In recent years, the manufactured home industry has substantially increased the quality of materials and construction of manufactured homes. This increase in quality and construction has been the result of superior materials, superior construction techniques, and new innovations which have resulted in a substantial increase in performance with a reduction in cost. In general, a manufactured home is erected in an automated manufacturing factory using modern patterns, assembly line, and modern assembly equipment. The use of these automation techniques substantially reduces the cost and the time of construction of the manufactured home. After the manufactured home is completed, the manufactured home is stored on supports to await transportation to a permanent site for the manufactured home. The manufactured home is loaded on a transportation carrier for transportation to the permanent site for the manufactured home. The manufactured home is positioned onto the transportation carrier by crane or other lifting means. The transportation carrier comprises a steel frame assembly supported by plural axles and transport wheels. The transportation carrier includes a hitch for attaching the transportation carrier to a towing vehicle such as a truck for transporting the manufactured home to the permanent site. After the manufactured home is towed to the permanent site, the manufactured home is removed from the transportation carrier by a crane or other lifting means and the manufactured home is positioned on a foundation at the permanent home site. After removal of the manufactured home, the carrier transport is towed back to the manufacturing factory by a towing vehicle such as a truck for use in delivering another manufactured home. Unfortunately, the carrier transport is returned to the manufacturing factory without a load thereby substantially increasing the overall cost of delivery of the manufactured home. It is estimated that the cost of returning the carrier transport to the manufacturing factory is approximately one dollar per mile. Furthermore, the task of moving the manufactured home from the carrier transport to the foundation at the permanent home site requires the use of a crane or other lifting means. Accordingly, the transportation and installation of manufactured homes requiring the use of a carrier transport substantially adds to the overall cost of the manufactured home. Among the most significant construction innovations developed in the manufactured home industry is the use of a dual purpose flooring system for a manufactured home. The dual purpose flooring system for a manufactured home comprises plural longitudinally extending beams and a multiplicity of transverse cross beams. The plural longitudinally extending beams are preferably steel I-beams with the multiplicity of transverse cross beams comprising wooden trusses. The dual purpose flooring system provides a first function for the manufactured home by providing a removable transport wheel assembly and a removable hitch assembly for transporting the manufactured home to the permanent home site. Preferably, a removable transport wheel assembly and a removable hitch assembly are secured to the plural longitudinally extending beams for transporting the manufactured home and eliminating the need for an independent transportation carrier. When the manufactured home reaches the permanent home site, the removable transport wheel assembly and a removable hitch assembly are removed from the manufactured home and are shipped to the manufacturing factory. Only the removable transport wheel assembly and a removable hitch assembly which comprise the most expensive portions of a transport carrier need to be returned to the manufacturing factory. In addition, the removable transport wheel assembly and a removable hitch may be returned to the manufacturing factory by a conventional freight carrier thus eliminating the need for using the towing vehicle as was the problem in the prior art manufactured home carrier transports. The dual purpose flooring system provides a second function for the manufacturated home by providing a right floor for supporting the manufactured home at the permanent home site. The plural longitudinally extending beams remain with the manufactured home after removal of the removable transport wheel assembly and the removable hitch assembly to provide a rigid support to the permanently mounted manufactured home. The plural longitudinally extending beams remains with the manufactured home to add to the structural integrity and strength of the flooring system. Several examples of the aforementioned dual purpose flooring system are disclosed in the following U.S. Letters Patent of the presented inventor. The dual purpose flooring system provides a third function for the manufactured home by reducing the overall height of the manufactured home when the manufactured home is being transported to the permanent home site. Since the removable transport wheel assembly and the removable hitch assembly are directly secured to the plural longitudinally extending beams of the manufactured home, the dual purpose flooring system reduces the overall height of the manufactured home, the dual purpose flooring system reduces the overall height of the manufactured home during transportation by the thickness of the frame of the carrier transport of the prior art. Typically, the carrier comprises a steel structure fashioned from I-beams that are from ten to twelve inches in height. Typically, an axle is mounted on leaf springs which are secured to the bottom portion of each of the I-beams of the carrier. Accordingly, the frame of structure reduces the overall height of the building structure during transportation by the thickness of the carrier. Typically, the thickness of the carrier is ten to twelve inches. The overall height of the building structure during transportation is extremely important since overall height of the building structure must be below the maximum permitted transportation height established by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The building structure must be below the maximum permitted transportation height in order to easily pass under typical roadway bridges, underpasses, tunnels and the like. Presently, the maximum permitted transportation height established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is thirteen feet six inches. In the event the transportation height of a building structure exceeds fourteen feet, than the building structure must be preceded by a flag truck having a fourteen foot sensor to detect any roadway bridges, underpasses, tunnels and the like that would prevent the passing of the building structure thereunder. In the event the flag truck detects any roadway bridges, underpasses, tunnels and the like that would prevent the passing of the building structure thereunder this maximum permitted transportation height, the building structure must be routed to avoid this obstacle. Accordingly, the transportation of a building structure in excess of the maximum permitted transportation height adds significantly to the cost of the transportation. The pitch or slope of the roof of a building structure is limited by the maximum permitted transportation height established by the U.S. Department of Transportation. A greater pitch or slope of a roof has a distinct advantage for building structures located in regions with inclement weather such as rain, snow or ice. Secondly, a greater pitch or slope of a roof approximates the pitch or slope of a roof of a site built home. U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,299 to Lindsay discloses an improved floor assembly being incorporated into a mobile building. A pair of identical frame assemblies form the floor of the building each including a plurality of middle beams mounted to and atop lower beams and further including a pair of adjacent interior sidewalls attached to the middle beams and extending therebeneath being adjacent the lower beams. The exterior sidewalls are mounted to the frame assemblies. Wheeled carriages are removably mountable to the assemblies facilitating transportation of the assemblies to a building site. A skirt is permanently mounted externally to the sidewalls and extends adjacent the floor assembly. A bracket is connected to the middle beam and the bottom beam of each frame assembly and in addition is connected to a pole which supports the adjacent middle portions of the frame assemblies. The interior sidewalls are slidably received in the bracket. In an alternate embodiment, the floor frame assembly is incorporated into a floor joist. U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,189 to Lindsay discloses a floor frame assembly, formed principally of wood material, having two load-bearing outer beams and front and rear end members defining a periphery and a plurality of transverse load-supporting trusses connected normal to the outer beam between the end members. In a preferred embodiment, each truss has an upper elongate member, a shorter central elongate member attached parallel thereto by vertical cross-braced elements, and on either side of the central member a braced vertical member spaced therefrom to provide gaps of predetermined height and width. Each truss also has an end portion of the upper elongate member in cantilever form for contact thereat with a load-supporting surface at the permanent location of the floor assembly, so that additional external beams or continuous wall surfaces to support the completed floor frame assembly and any superstructure thereon is rendered unnecessary. The floor frame assembly may be further supported by conventional piers or jackposts at points under two elongate, load-supporting, inner beams closely received and connected to the trusses within the gaps. These inner beams may optionally be made of wood material, wood material supported along the edges at selected portions by metal reinforcement, or entirely formed of I-section beam lengths. In one aspect of the invention, at least one of the load-supporting outer beams has a larger vertical dimension than the other outer beam and two floor frame assemblies thus formed may be united at their respective wider outer beams and provided additional support thereunder to generate a commensurately larger floor frame assembly structure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,072 to Lindsay discloses a unified floor frame assembly having two elongate outer load supporting beams formed of elongate beam sections that are butt-spliced to be cambered in parallel vertical planes to counter forces that may tend to cause sagging of the floor frame assembly during transportation. At inner vertical perimeter surfaces of the elongate beams are provided attachment plates for attachment, first, of a wheel carrier assembly detachably mountable thereto with a plurality of wheels partially recessed within the floor frame assembly and, second, a towing hitch assembly attachable to a forward end of the floor frame assembly for applying a towing force thereat. A moisture, dirt, insect and pest excluding thin covering is provided underneath the floor frame assembly and sections of heating and ventilating ducting, piping, wiring and the like are includable during manufacture of the floor frame assembly. Individual floor frame assemblies may be supported at their permanent location underneath the periphery or, where two such floor frame assemblies are to be coupled to obtain a larger size floor, central elongate beams may be supported by metal posts. Upon delivery of the floor frame; assembly to its intended location, the wheel carrier assembly and the towing hitch assembly are both detached and removed therefrom for reuse. U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,546 to Lindsay discloses a towable unified floor frame assembly deriving lengthwise strength from two elongate I-beams disposed symmetrically about a longitudinal axis. The I-beams are separated by a plurality of angle-sectioned metal cross members welded therebetween. A plurality of trusses, corresponding in number and location to the metal cross member, is disposed to support an outer perimeter and a floor thereabove. Each truss incorporates upwardly inclined bracing elements located outwardly of the I-beams connected to flat metal connecting elements individually unified to the I-beams, preferably by welding. A waterproof and dirt-excluding cover entirely covers the underneath of the floor frame assembly. Heating and ventilating ducts, power and telephone wires, water and waste pipes, thermal insulation and the like, are installed within the floor frame assembly. The entire floor frame assembly, and any superstructure built thereon, may be readily towed to a selected location on a plurality of wheels detachably mounted to brackets provided underneath the I-beams, a towing force being applied by a forwardly disposed detachable towing hitch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,809 to Lindsay discloses a lightweight, strong, safely transportable modular unified floor assembly including a lengthwise wooden girder beam formed with male and female ends to facilitate cooperative integration thereby to another similar floor assembly. In another aspect of the invention, the floor assembly is manufactured with a stairwell opening of selected size and at a selected location. The floor assembly even with a stairwell opening according to this invention is strong enough to be transported comfortably and safely from its point of manufacture to the site at which it is to be located for use. The first advantage of the dual purpose flooring system is the elimination of the need for a transport carrier for transporting the manufactured home to a permanent site. The second advantage of the dual purpose flooring system is the additional strength of the flooring system over the conventional flooring system of the prior art. The third advantage of the dual purpose flooring system is the reduction of the overall height of the manufactured home when the manufactured home is being transported to the permanent home site. It is a primary purpose of the present invention to improve upon the aforementioned dual purpose flooring system to provide a more superior manufactured home. It is a specific purpose of the present invention to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly wherein the frame can be lowered during transportation relative to the frames of the prior art. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly wherein the frame may be further lowered during transportation for enabling the roof pitch of the building structure to be increased to a level heretofore unknown in the prior art. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly wherein the frame raises the level of an axle of the transport wheel assembly for lowering the overall height of the building structure during transportation of the building structure. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly wherein the frame has a strength at least as great as a conventional dual purpose flooring system. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly which does not substantially increase the cost of the frame. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly that is adaptable to existing manufacturing processes of manufactured homes. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved frame for transporting a building structure on a wheel assembly that facilitates the assembly of the manufactured home in the manufacturing factory. The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description setting forth the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to power staple guns, and relates more particularly to such a power staple gun which has pairs of staple grooves for loading staples of different lengths, and marks for indexing the loading of staples of different lengths. Various power staple guns are well known, and intensively used for driving staples into workpieces. FIG. 1 shows a power staple gun according to the prior art, which comprises a gun body 16 having a staple nozzle 15 at one end, a coupling frame 17 at an opposite end, a magazine 10 connected between the staple nozzle 15 and the coupling frame 17 and defining two parallel staple grooves 14 for loading staples 12, and a follower member 11 for pushing staples 12 toward the nail nozzle 15. The magazine 10 further has a rectangular staple loading port 13 at one side for loading staples 12 in the staple grooves 14. When the follower member 11 is pulled backwards toward the coupling frame 17, staples 12 can then be inserted through the staple loading port 13 into the staple grooves 14. When staples 12 are loaded, the follower member 11 is released from hand to move the staples 12 forwards. If long staples are used, they can be loaded in the magazine 10 from the top side. This structure of power staple gun is still not satisfactory in function. One drawback of this structure of power staple gun is its limited application. Because the power staple gun has only one pair of staple grooves, only limited sizes of staples can be used. Another drawback of this structure power staple gun is that there is no indexing means to show staples of different specifications. When staples of different sizes are alternatively used, wrong staples may be loaded and driven into workpieces. Furthermore, when buying staples, the user shall have to check if the staples fit the power staple gun.

1. Technical Field The present invention relates to a screen on which an image is projected. 2. Related Art There has been known a screen having a plurality of lens elements formed on a light-incident surface on which light is incident, each of which reflects the incident light (see JP-A-2006-215162, for example). The screen described in JP-A-2006-215162 is so configured that a plurality of unit shape portions having the same shape are regularly disposed two-dimensionally on a surface of a substrate sheet and each of the unit shape portions is formed of a semispherical or convex-lens-shaped protruding portion. A reflection surface is formed on the surface of each of the unit shape portions in a section where light is incident from a projector disposed in advance in an intended position. Projection light obliquely projected from a position in front of the screen is diffused and reflected off the reflection surface of each of the unit shape portions, whereby viewers in a wide viewing range can view a projected image. However, since the unit shape portions on the screen described in JP-A-2006-215162 are regularly arranged two-dimensionally, light fluxes that exit from adjacent unit shape portions travel along substantially the same optical paths and reach a predetermined viewing position, likely causing a moire pattern (interference fringes) and scintillation in a projected image. Such a moire pattern and scintillation tend to degrade the displayed image.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air-fuel mixture intake apparatus having a two-barrel or duplex carburetor for internal combustion engines. 2. Prior Art There has been a strong need for internal combustion engines which will emit a reduced amount of pollutants such as carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons and improve fuel economy without impairing engine performance and lowering the thermal efficiency of engines. Various systems such as lean air-fuel mixture combustion systems or EGR systems have been practiced to reduce harmful components in the exhaust gas and achieve better mileage. These known systems have proven unsatisfactory in that in low-load operating conditions or especially in low-speed, low-load operating conditions, the volumetric efficiency of an air-fuel mixture introduced into a combustion chamber is low and an increased amount of exhaust gas tends to remain in the combustion chamber, and the air-fuel mixture in the chamber cannot easily be ignited. Furthermore, the speed of combustion and hence the speed of travel of flames are low, resulting in unstable fuel combustion in the combustion chamber. The foregoing systems thus have the disadvantages of low thermal efficiency and sluggish engine operation. Improved engine performance, efficiency and fuel economy accompanied by better emission control can be best achieved by speeding up fuel combustion in combustion chambers. To increase the rate of combustion, there have been proposed many arrangements which are designed to burn an air-fuel mixture at a higher speed by developing disturbances in the air-fuel mixture, to promote fuel carburetion, and to uniformize fuel distribution among engine cylinders. One of the proposed arrangements comprises an auxiliary intake passage for generating swirls in a combustion chamber during the intake stroke. Another proposal is composed of a combustion of primary and secondary intake passages, with primary and secondary throttle valves located closely to a combustion chamber in some applications. According to still another construction, a projection or a valve is disposed adjacent to an intake valve to produce a biased flow of airflow mixture. The auxiliary intake passage is designed to introduce an air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber at a high speed. With the cross section of a main intake passage being selected to suit high-speed, high-load engine operation, the speed of flow of the air-fuel mixture becomes reduced in lowload operating ranges in which the volumetric efficiency is small, with the results that sufficient swirls will not be generated in a combined flow of air-fuel mixtures from the main and auxiliary intake passages. The auxiliary intake passage is less effective to produce swirls than desired under medium and high load conditions in which the throttle valve is wide open and the boost pressure is relatively small. With the auxiliary intake passage, fuel tends to be less atomized during idling operation due to a bypassing flow of air-fuel mixture. The speed of flow of air through the venturi of a carburetor is low and hence fuel is not fully atomized in low-load engine operation. Such insufficient fuel atomization causes fuel in a liquid form to flow down an intake passage into a combustion chamber, with the result that air and fuel will not be mixed uniformly and fuel will not be distributed uniformly among engine cylinders, resulting in poor fuel combustion in the engine cylinders. To improve fuel combustion in low-load operating conditions, there has been devised a carburetor having a variable venturi which is variable in cross section in order to keep substantially constant the speed of flow of air through the venturi where a fuel discharge nozzle is located, irrespective of varying amounts of air flowing through the venturi. Although the variable venturi enables an engine to operate relatively stably and flexibly in a wide operating range from low load to full load conditions, it fails to effect stable air flow control when the throttle valve opens slightly because the venturi cross section does not change appreciably even if the opening of the throttle valve varies. Therefore, exhaust gas purification cannot be achieved by the variable venturi while the engine operates under small loads. There have been known internal combustion engines equipped with a duplex or two-barrel carburetor or with primary and secondary intake passages for each engine cylinder, the secondary intake passage being put into service under certain load conditions. Such an intake system is more advantageous than single-carburetor intake systems in that it can effect better fuel atomization particularly in low to medium load ranges, cause more disturbances in the air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber, and improve the rate of fuel combustion. An internal corbustion engine having a secondary throttle valve provided for each engine cylinder and actuatable when the engine is subjected to a higher load can prevent interference between the cylinders such as leakage of the air-fuel mixture therebetween on the secondary side, resulting in better fuel distribution among the engine cylinders. When secondary throttle valves are inadequate in their opening and closing motions or cannot be closed completely, the engine operation becomes as unstable as there are such defective secondary throttle valves since each engine cylinder is equipped with a secondary throttle valve. During deceleration, the secondary throttle valves subjected to bouncing or re-opening motion under a large negative pressure developed in the combustion chambers, with the consequences that stability and recovery of idling operation are poor, and the rpm of the engine during idling operation is relatively high, resulting in worse fuel economy. Furthermore, the secondary throttle valves open rapidly during acceleration, and hence the engine performance becomes impaired in the acceleration mode due to retarded fuel introduction into the engine cylinders.

Cast copper alloy ingot CAC406, which has heretofore been used for parts of water supply systems and devices, contain 4.0 to 6.0% by weight of lead. Thus, lead in this material tends to dissolve into tap water. In order to reduce the amount of toxic lead that dissolves into tap water, consideration is now being given to developing lead-reduced or lead-free copper alloys. But such lead-reduced or lead-free copper alloys are difficult to cast and cut, and also tend to be low in pressure resistance. Valves made of such alloys therefore tend to cause water leakage. Alloys are thus being considered that are not only low in lead content, but sufficiently high in pressure resistance and other necessary properties compared to alloys that are higher in lead content. Among such alloys is one disclosed in Patent document 1, to which bismuth and selenium are added to improve machinability. Patent document 2 discloses an alloy to which silicon and magnesium are added to improve strength and leaching properties. [Patent document 1] JP Patent publication 2004-68096A [Patent document 2] JP patent publication 2004-52106A

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which transmits an ultrasonic beam from an ultrasonic probe to a subject, such as a biological body, receives the echoes from the subject, and obtains ultrasonic image data on the subject, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasonic diagnostic method which adjust a transmission voltage sent to an ultrasonic probe to the optimum value. 2. Description of the Related Art With an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic probe is brought into contact with a subject, such as a biological body. In this state, the ultrasonic probe transmits an ultrasonic beam to the inside of the subject and receives the echoes from the inside of the subject, thereby acquiring ultrasonic image data on the subject. The ultrasonic probe transmits an ultrasonic beam of acoustic power corresponding to a transmission voltage specified by a system control unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. As for the transmission voltage to the ultrasonic probe, a transmission voltage preset within an acoustic power limit range by the system control unit is set as the maximum transmission voltage. The ultrasonic beam is adjusted according to the type of subject, such as an unborn baby or an internal organ, so as not to transmit high acoustic power to the subject. The acoustic power of the ultrasonic beam is adjusted by the user manually operating an acoustic power adjustment switch provided on the panel of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The acoustic power adjustment of the ultrasonic beam is made in the acoustic power limit range by the manual operation, with the transmission voltage calculated by the system control unit being used as the maximum transmission voltage. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, too, the safety of acoustic power of an ultrasonic beam is required. The transmission voltage for the ultrasonic beam is set to a transmission voltage calculated in advance by the system control unit. Accordingly, when an actual subject is diagnosed, the acoustic power of the ultrasonic beam has to be limited for the region which needs no diagnosis in the subject. To limit the acoustic power of the ultrasonic beam, the user operates the acoustic power adjustment switch manually, thereby adjusting the acoustic power of the ultrasonic beam to the optimum value. Such an adjustment of the acoustic power of the ultrasonic beam is made for, for example, each of a plurality of diagnostic regions of the subject. However, when the user operates the acoustic power adjustment switch manually for each of the plurality of diagnostic regions to optimize the acoustic power of the ultrasonic beam, this decreases the diagnostic throughput of the diagnostic regions. Moreover, since a plurality of diagnostic regions of the subject are diagnosed, the total time required for the diagnostic regions becomes longer. Consequently, the irradiation time of the ultrasonic beam to the subject becomes longer. The technique for not only controlling a method of driving a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators included in an ultrasonic probe in an ultrasonic Doppler spectrum method so as to follow the heat generation limit or acoustic output limit but also observing the Doppler spectrum with high sensitivity has been disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-305129. Specifically, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-305129 has disclosed a method of switching between a power mode in which the amplitudes of the driving signals corresponding to a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators are relatively high and a power mode in which the amplitudes of the driving signals are relatively low in synchronization with the biological signal of the subject. It is an object of the invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasonic diagnostic method which are capable of adjusting a transmission voltage sent to an ultrasonic probe according to a subject to an optimum value automatically.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to three-piece solid golf balls comprising a center core, an intermediate layer, and a cover and more particularly, to three-piece solid golf balls which are improved in feeling on impact, controllability, and durability. 2. Prior Art Among a variety of golf balls, thread-wound golf balls and solid golf balls are now popular. The solid golf balls are currently increasing to be a mainstream product. Among them, two-piece solid golf balls consisting of a core and a cover are most widespread. Most amateur golfers are fond of two-piece solid golf balls which have excellent flying performance and durability although these balls have the disadvantages of a very hard feel on hitting and low control due to rapid ball separation on hitting. For this reason, many of professional golfers and skilled amateur golfers who impose weight on feeling and control prefer wound golf balls, especially wound golf balls using a soft balata cover, to two-piece solid golf balls. The wound golf balls are superior in feeling and control, but inferior in flying distance and durability to the two-piece solid golf balls. Under the present situation that two-piece solid golf balls and wound golf balls have contradictory characteristics as mentioned above, players make a choice of golf balls depending on their own skill and taste. In order to develop solid golf balls having a hitting feel approximate to the wound golf balls, two-piece solid golf balls of the soft type have been considered. For such two-piece solid golf balls of the soft type, soft cores must be used. If the cores are soft, however, repulsion becomes low with a concomitant loss of flying performance and durability is considerably deteriorated. That is, the superior flying performance and durability which are a characteristic of two-piece solid golf balls are lost, and in an extreme case, the balls become unacceptable for practical use. Controllability, which is required even on full shots with drivers, is most important on control shots like approach shots. In an exemplary situation that the next shot should fly beyond the bunker and a short distance from the green edge to the cup, the player who is either professional or amateur will naturally wish to hit a ball with a minimal run. Such controllability of a golf ball largely depends on spin properties. On a full shot with a club having a relatively large loft, the club loft is dominant to that the ball itself so that almost all balls are given an appropriate amount of spin and few balls overrun. However, on a approach shot over a short distance of 30 or 50 yards, balls will significantly vary in run or controllability. The major factor causing such a difference is not a basic structure, but the identity of cover material. In two-piece solid golf balls, however, covers made of soft material are effective for improving controllability, but detrimental for gaining flying distance.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus that picks up an image by using a solid state image pickup device. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, image pickup apparatuses using solid state image pickup devices have been widely used in various apparatuses including the case of medical endoscopes. In the case of a medical endoscope that is inserted into a body cavity, it is necessary to achieve diameter reduction to reduce a pain given to a patient by reducing an outside diameter of an insertion portion that is inserted into the body cavity, and it becomes necessary to reduce a size of a solid state image pickup device that is disposed in a distal end portion of the insertion portion. In order to reduce the size of the solid state image pickup device which is disposed in the distal end portion of the insertion portion, it is conceivable to configure some pixels at a peripheral side of pixels forming a light receiving portion to have a configuration of effective pixels having no optical black pixels (OB pixels) that generate signals of black levels on an picked-up image by mechanically blocking light from reaching some pixels at the peripheral side of the pixels forming the light receiving section. Although it becomes possible to reduce the size of the solid state image pickup device which is disposed in the distal end portion of the insertion portion by adopting the solid state image pickup device having no OB pixels in this way, the black levels on the picked-up image is in an indefinite state by adopting the configuration having no OB pixels, and the entire image becomes white (black floating) or becomes unnatural black (black sinking) on monitor display, so that a circuit configuration that generates signals of black levels is needed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-019577 as a first prior example discloses an image pickup apparatus including a mechanical shutter configured to capture an object optical image, an image pickup device configured to output an image signal based on the object optical image incident through the mechanical shutter, storage means configured to hold the output from the image pickup device in a light shielding state time by the shutter as a dark output, and correction means configured to estimate noise components in an actual photographing time based on an exposure time period at the actual photographing time at which the object optical image is captured through the mechanical shutter, and the dark output stored in the storage means, and remove the estimated noise components from the output of the image pickup device at the actual photographing time to output the output of the image pickup device. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-82698 as a second prior example discloses an image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device capable of acquiring a first photographed image and a second photographed image in one image output period, image judging means configured to judge whether or not to acquire an image for dark shading correction in accordance with photographing conditions, image acquisition means configured to acquire the image for dark shading correction instead of the second photographed image when the image judging means judges to acquire the image for dark shading correction, and image correction means configured to correct the first photographed image and the second photographed image by using the image for dark shading correction.

1. Field of the Invention This invention is directed to a protective structure and to a protective system for protecting buildings, streets, and other areas from explosions caused by an explosive device such as a bomb. More particularly, the protective structure and protective system employ a membrane-like mesh structure made up of, for example, steel wire. The mesh structure surrounds a composite fill material such as reinforced concrete. The protective structure deflects in response to and absorbs the energy associated with the blast load of an explosion, and the mesh structure prevents composite fragments from injuring people or property in the vicinity of the explosion. The protective structure may be sacrificial in nature, i.e., its sole purpose is to absorb the energy from the explosive shock wave and contain composite debris caused by the explosion, or the protective structure may be employed as a load-bearing structural component. Accordingly, this results in reduction in personal injury and property damage due to the explosion. 2. Background Information Protection of people, buildings, bridges etc. from attacks by car or truck bombs, remote controlled explosives, etc. is of increasing importance and necessity. The explosive force or pressure wave generated by an explosive device such as a car bomb may be sufficient (depending on the size of the explosive device used) to disintegrate a composite wall, thereby causing shrapnel-like pieces of composite to be launched in all directions, and causing additional personal injury and property damage. Conventional reinforced composite structures such as reinforced concrete walls are well known to those skilled in the art. Such conventional structures typically employ steel reinforcement bars embedded within the composite structure or wall. However, in the case of an explosion or blast load which may generate a pressure wave in excess of tens of thousands of psi, a conventional reinforced composite structure will be ineffective in providing sufficient protection, and the blast load will cause disintegration of the composite, thereby causing shrapnel-like pieces of composite to be launched in all directions, and causing additional personal injury and property damage. One example of a proposed solution for this problem is the Adler Blast Wall™ which, is made up of front and back face plates which contain a reinforced concrete fill material. According to the developers of the Adler Blast Wall™, if an explosion occurs proximate to the front face plate, the back face plate will catch any concrete debris which results from the explosion. However, if the back face plate of the Adler Blast Wall™ is sufficiently displaced in the horizontal or vertical direction due to the explosion, small pieces of concrete debris traveling at high velocities may escape, thereby causing personal injury or property damage. Accordingly, there is a need for a protective structure which further minimizes the possibility that such small pieces of concrete debris traveling at high velocities will escape the protective structure employed. It is a first object of this invention to provide a blast resistant protective structure which minimizes the possibility that small pieces of concrete debris traveling at high velocities will escape the protective structure in the event of an explosion or blast load proximate to the structure. It is one feature of the protective structure of this invention that it employs a membrane-like mesh structure made up of, for example, steel wire, and structural steel cables in contact with the mesh structure, for example welded to the mesh structure forming a cage around it, or interwoven into the mesh structure. The mesh structure is compressible in all three dimensions, and surrounds a composite fill material such as reinforced concrete, fiber reinforced plastics, molded plastics, or other composite plastics. In the event of an explosion proximate to the protective structure of this invention, the mesh structure advantageously prevents composite fragments produced due to disintegration of the composite fill material of the protective structure from injuring people or property in the vicinity of the explosion. It is another feature of the protective structure of this invention that, in the event of an explosion proximate to the protective structure of this invention, the protective structure deflects in response to and absorbs the energy associated with the blast load of the explosion. It is a second object of this invention to provide a protective system which employs a number of the above described protective structures which are joined together via a number of support members, thereby providing a protective wall of sufficient length to provide more complete protection of a given area as well as additional ease of construction and use. The protective system may be used, but is not limited to use in constructing buildings, tunnels, portals etc. It is a feature of the protective system of the invention that the support members be capable of receiving the respective ends of the protective structures to provide an integrated wall structure. It is another feature of the protective system of the invention that the support members may also employ a mesh structure made up of, for example, steel wire. The mesh structure may surround a composite fill material such as reinforced concrete, fiber reinforced plastics, molded plastics, or other composite plastics. Thus, in the event of an explosion proximate to the protective system of this invention, the mesh structure prevents concrete fragments produced due to disintegration of the concrete fill material of the support members from injuring people or property in the vicinity of the explosion. Other objects, features and advantages of the protective structure and protective system of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the detailed description of the invention set forth herein.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device modeling method of modeling the electrical characteristic of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device to simulate a circuit that includes the ESD protection device and an ESD simulation method of simulating the ESD protection device. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the ESD destruction of a device becomes a serious problem in the large scale integration or miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuits and the self-aligned silicide (Salicide) process for reducing the resistance between devices, making it necessary to use an ESD protection device. The conventional ESD protection device and ESD protection circuit simulation, however, are very complicated and difficult to set each parameter for modeling the device. For example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2001-339052 discloses a method of simulating a protective circuit against the ESD destruction. That is, to model an ESD protection device, first, a model for the equivalent circuit of an ESD protection device is made, and measurement is taken for the device made by the final process or the physical parameter is extracted from the electrical characteristic obtained by the device simulation to form an equivalent circuit. Then, 100 or more model parameters of the equivalent circuit must be further fitted or adjusted. This method is applicable to a relatively large IC by way of the equivalent circuit of the ESD protection device. However, the formation of the equivalent circuit needs the adjustment of many parameters. In addition, if the production process is changed by circuit correction, for example, no simple operation, such as parameter change, can solve the problem. That is, if the production process is changed, the model parameters for the previous modeling are no longer useable, and the model parameters for forming the equivalent circuit must be adjusted again. Moreover, the above method is only a circuit simulation and fails to specify the destruction location by ESD.

Computer systems generally have several levels of memory; each level of memory can provide differing levels of speed, memory capacity, physical size, power requirements, voltage levels and/or volatility. These aspects are often at odds with each other. For example, increases in speed often lead to corresponding increases in power requirements. For this reason, many systems use a variety of different memories within the same system. From the view of the processor these memories are often hidden in the sense that common data is temporarily cached in smaller and faster memory circuits. This common data is mapped to larger and slower memory circuits, which are accessed when the faster memory does not contain the desired data. The common data, if changed in the cached memory, can eventually be written to the larger and slower memory circuits. This allows for the slow memory access time to be hidden so long as the faster memory contains the appropriately mapped data. Computer systems generally contain some type of mass-storage memory that is able to store data when the computer system is powered down or when the memory otherwise loses power. This type of memory is referred to as nonvolatile memory because it is able to maintain data integrity when the computer system is not powered. Nonvolatile memory, however, can be slower by orders of magnitude relative to various volatile memories. Yet, nonvolatile can also be less expensive (per unit of memory capacity) and/or less power hungry. A common type of nonvolatile mass-storage memory device is a hard disc drive (HDD) that uses a rotating magnetic media. HDDs are used for home-computers, servers, enterprise applications and various other devices. Under normal operation a computer system transfers sensitive data from temporary memory to a HDD before the computer system is powered down. This allows for the sensitive data to be saved in memory that persists after the power is removed from the computer system. When the computer system is subsequently powered up, this data can be accessed and used by the computer system. HDDs with rotating magnetic media have been in use for many years and have undergone various improvements including efficiency, reliability and memory capacity. Various data storage applications, however, are beginning to use other types of memory with more frequency. Solid State Devices (SSDs) are one such type of memory, and are attractive for many applications. Speed, cost and power requirements also factor into the selection of data storage devices such as SSDs or HDDs. In addition to the above, power consumption is an important factor in most data storage systems, and effectively managing power consumption at startup can be particularly difficult. Generally, capacitive circuits draw a significant amount of power upon turn-on, as do motors used to drive HDD spindles. This can present challenges such as those relating to one or more of cost, power supply lifetime, etc. While SSDs are useful in various applications, aspects of their operation and implementation remain challenging. For example, the above-discussed power consumption issues can be challenging to the implementation of capacitive-type SSD circuits, HDD drives, and to combinations of such drives. Power consumption issues are further exasperated when many of these drives draw power from a common power source. Providing power in an efficient, reliable and inexpensive manner has been challenging.

The present invention is directed to an ergonomically improved duty gear belt worn by police officers or military personnel which is conically contoured and can be worn around the hips to distribute the load of duty gear components over wider areas of the hips. Law enforcement, military personnel and the like require an extensive array of accessories to perform their assigned duties. For example, police officers carry a wide range of accessories such as a night stick, a flashlight, a chemical agent dispenser, handcuffs, communications radio, firearms, and extra ammunition magazines for their firearm. The total weight of these accessories can often reach up to 25 pounds. Typically, these accessories are attached to a belt worn around their waist and commonly referred to as a duty gear belt. Typical prior art duty gear belts are formed of a semi-rigid material, such as leather having a constant width of about two to two and one-half inches. Each of the various accessories are attached to the duty gear belt through the use of loops or other fasteners which connect them to the duty gear belt. Although these duty gear belts were effective in connecting the accessories to the waist of the wearer, they were not designed for ergonomic comfort or to provide desirable weight distribution of the accessories around the waist of the user. Due to the heavy weight of the accessories and the non-ergonomic design of prior duty gear belts, many wearers developed discomfort during use and even as severe as back injuries and nerve damage. Consequently, there is a need for an ergonomic duty belt that is comfortable, reduces injury and evenly distributes the weight of the duty gear accessories upon the wearer.

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of closely related hereditary neurodegenerative disorders which affect infants, children and adults, and which occur at a frequency of between 2 and 4 in 100,000 live births (1, 2). Most forms of NCL afflict children and their early symptoms and disease progression tend to be similar. Initial diagnosis is frequently based upon visual problems, behavioral changes and seizures. Progression is reflected by a decline in mental abilities, increasingly severe and untreatable seizures, blindness and loss of motor skills while further progression can result in dementia or a vegetative state. There is no effective treatment for NCL and all childhood forms are eventually fatal. Several forms of NCL are differentiated according to age of onset, clinical pathology and genetic linkage. These include infantile NCL (INCL, CLN1), classical late infantile NCL (LINCL, CLN2), juvenile NCL (JNCL, CLN3) adult NCL (CLN4), two variant forms of LINCL (CLN5 and CLN6) and possibly other atypical forms (1.3). The molecular bases for two of these forms of NCL have recently been identified by positional cloning. Mutations in palmitoyl protein thioesterase (PPT), which removes the lipid moiety from acylated proteins, results in INCL (4). JNCL results from mutations in the CLN3 gene product, a 48 kDa protein of currently unknown function (5). The identity of the molecular lesion in LINCL has remained elusive although the disease gene has recently been mapped to chromosome 11p15 by genetic linkage analysis (3). There are reasons, however, to suspect that the CLN2 gene product could have a lysosomal function. First, LINCL, like other forms of NCL, is characterized by an accumulation of autofluorescent lysosome-like storage bodies in the neurons and other cells of patients. Second, a number of other related neurological disorders are caused by lysosomal deficiencies, e.g. PPT in INCL, neuraminidase in sialidosis and β-hexosaminidase A in Tay-Sachs disease. Third, continuous infusion of leupeptin and other lysosomal protease inhibitors into the brains of young rats induces a massive accumulation of ceroid-lipofuscin in neurons that resembles NCL (6,7). Thus, there is a need in the art to identify and characterize the CLN2 gene and its gene product (CLN2). There is a further need to develop diagnostic and therapeutic applications, based on CLN2, for prenatal testing and treatment of LINCL. The present invention addresses these and similar needs in the art. The citation of any reference herein should not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the invention.

1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to the use of radiation measurements for determining the elemental content of bulk material in an on-line process, and to the fusion of sensor technologies, specifically Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) and Dual-Energy Gamma Attenuation (DGA), to make this measurement possible. 2. Description of the Related Art Several technologies exist to determine the composition of bulk materials. Two that are specifically important to the present invention are Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) and Dual-Energy Gamma Attenuation (DGA) analysis. The PGNAA technique involves bombarding a bulk material sample with neutrons from a neutron emitter (typically Cf-252). The neutrons collide with atoms/elements in the sample, emitter housing, and/or an external moderator and are captured by the nuclei of atoms/elements present in the sample. The capture process often involves the release of gamma rays at energies specific to the captured atom/element. These gamma rays are detected typically by a scintillation crystal (typically NaI). The sum of the detected gamma energy at these specific energies is referred to as an energy spectrum. Analysis of the energy spectrum provides analytical information on the proportion of the various elements present in the bulk material. Various PGNAA based sensor systems are known. One such analyzer is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,992, titled “Self-Contained, On-Line, Real-time Bulk Material Analyzer,” issued to Atwell, et al., on Apr. 15, 1986, which uses PGNAA technology in an attempt to determine the elemental content of the bulk material. The described analyzer uses an arrangement of neutron sources and gamma ray detectors in an enclosed assembly to perform its analysis. Additionally, a similar device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,477, titled “Bulk Material Analyser for On-Conveyor Belt Analysis,” issued to Sowerby, et al., on Mar. 26, 2002, uses PGNAA technology in a bulk material on-conveyor belt arrangement to analyze bulk material. Again, this analyzer uses a neutron source and gamma ray detectors in an enclosed assembly to perform its analysis. The DGA analysis technique involves bombarding a bulk material with gamma rays from two gamma ray emitters of sufficiently different energies. The gamma rays interact with the bulk material resulting in the attenuation of the number of gamma rays transmitted through the bulk material. The gamma rays are typically detected by a scintillation crystal (typically NaI). The sum of these released gamma rays at these specific energies is referred to as an energy spectrum. The technology relies on the fact that elements with different atomic numbers attenuate gamma rays at specific energies in different ways. Thus, for low-energy gamma rays (i.e., those generated by a low energy gamma emitter such as Am-241), the attenuation of gamma rays is largely dependent on the atomic number of the atoms/elements present in the bulk material. For high-energy gamma rays (i.e., those generated by a high-energy gamma emitter such as Cs-137), attenuation is independent of the atoms/elements in the bulk material. Analysis of the energy spectrum leads to a determination of the bulk elemental composition of the bulk material. DGA based sensors are known in the art. DGA devices are based on the premise that analyzed material will attenuate different energy gamma rays in fixed repeatable ways. A DGA device consists of a gamma energy source arrangement consisting of dual energy gamma emitters. The gamma emitters are chosen in such a way that the material to be analyzed will attenuate the different energy gamma rays in ways that are conducive to measuring one or more specific properties of the material being measured. One such application of DGA technology uses gamma ray sources to interrogate coal, with the assumption that the material that coal is composed of will attenuate the differing energy gamma rays to produce a measurement that is conducive to determining coal ash content and density.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to coding in information and data processing systems and, more particularly, to a method for correcting a bust of errors plus random errors in data. Such errors may, for example, originate from reading data from a disk drive storing the data. 2. Background Description Many methods are known for correcting random errors in codes with check symbols. Reed-Solomon codes are designed to correct random errors. If the code has t syndromes then the minimum distance between two code words is t+1 so at most t/2 random errors can be corrected. If some of the errors are erasure errors (i.e., their location is known) then f erasure errors and e random errors can be corrected as long as 2e+f does not exceed t. Methods for correcting those errors are known, and are not a part of this invention. In many cases it is known that errors may occur in bursts as well as at random locations. For some applications, such as in correcting errors while reading magnetic disks, it is known (or suspected) that a burst of b errors (some of which may have the value 0, i.e., no error occurred at those locations) have occurred (a burst of b errors is b errors whose locations are contiguous) in addition to e random errors. In this case 2e+b+1 cannot exceed t. The usual method for correcting a burst of b errors in addition to e random errors is to start with l=0 (l being the location of the start of the burst) and treat the locations l, l+1, . . . , as the location of b erasure errors, and employ one of the known methods for correcting b erasure errors (whose locations are l, l+1, . . . , l+b−1) and e random errors. The value of l is then changed to l+1, and the process repeated. It should be emphasized that there may be multiple solutions to a burst of b errors and e random errors, and some other criterion has to be used to resolve this ambiguity when it arises. The drawback of this method is that as many values of l as the length of the code must be checked (more precisely, the length of the code minus (b−1)). Typically, the value of l ranges from 170 to 500-600.

An important consideration in data communication equipment is circuit density. Most central data communication locations have limited space. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the size of data communication equipment, and install as much data communication equipment as possible in a relatively small space at a central data communication location. For data communication manufacturers, making high density frames can be a challenging process in which engineers develop frames to meet the high density needs of the central data communication locations while protecting communication lines, maintaining bend radii of the communication lines, and managing massive amounts of the communication lines. This is particularly true for optical fiber communication lines, where the engineers create total front access (TFA) frames having a high density of optical fibers. Frames exist having a high density capacity of about 3,000 fiber terminations per frame, but the frames are not TFA, and instead require access to the backs of the frames. For example, in the case where the frame has a high density capacity of about 3,000 fiber terminations per frame, the splices are done at the back of the frame. Thus, a user must first splice cables at the back of the frame, and then traverse around a plurality of frames (e.g., a row of frames) to get to the front of the frame to patch the cables at the front of the frame the user is working on. Moreover, when higher density capacities of fiber terminations are involved, the frames may be a dedicated splicing only frame or a dedicated patching only frame, resulting in a higher quantity of frames, and consuming more space. Further, when higher density capacities of fiber terminations are involved, footprints of the frames can become uncommon (i.e., not a standard size), resulting in uncommon space consumption in data communication locations. For example, when higher density capacities of fiber terminations are involved, a 23-inch mount (58-centimeter mount) frame may be designed to have a footprint of a width about 30 inches (76 centimeters) and a depth of about 24 inches (61 centimeters), which may be an uncommon footprint size used in central data communication locations and may be difficult to utilize with other existing frames and/or in relatively small spaces at the central data communication locations.

This invention relates to exterior sheathing panels useful in building construction. To provide adequate resistance to lateral forces, such as seismic and wind forces, all buildings typically must have bracing attached to the framework of the exterior walls. The materials and labor required to install such bracing adds to the expense of construction. Bracing is generally provided by the application of one or a combination of the following materials to the exterior building walls: metal, wood, plywood, or other reconstituted wood based panels located at the corners and spaced apart at certain distances along the walls. Alternatively, panels made from wood, laminated paperboard or gypsum wallboard are placed about the entire perimeter of the building for reinforcing purposes. Insulating panels are also commonly placed on the exterior framework of a building. Such panels, which are used to retard heat transfer through the exterior walls, are commonly made of polystyrene, polyurethane, or phenolic foams or glass fiber materials. Sheets of metal foil, used to prevent foam aging, are adhered to the planar surfaces of panels made from such materials. Insulating panels known to the inventor do not have sufficient shear strength and fracture toughness to significantly brace the framework of a building. Therefore, additional exterior wall bracing is used with these insulating panels. An additional problem associated with available insulative sheathing products is the propensity for such products to puncture or break during either transportation or construction. In light-frame housing construction, workers frequently attach the sheathing to the studs before placing the wall in an upright position. Workers often walk on top of the panels in order to attach the panels to the studs. Walking on known insulating panels can cause them to rupture. A recurring problem associated with available sheathing is the temperature related expansion and contraction of the panels which causes the panels to retract from the supporting nails. Once a panel retracts, a pathway is created for the infiltration of air and moisture, which reduces the overall thermal performance of the panels. Therefore, a need exists for improved insulating sheathing panels directed toward overcoming these and additional problems of the prior art.

In the manufacture of circuit card assemblies (CCAs) such as multi-layer ceramic cards, the ceramic or other such substrates are populated with a variety of devices, including leadless chip carriers having typical board to device clearances of, for example, 0.006 inches and generally a minimum stand-off of 0.004 inches. Inasmuch as solder and solder flux mountings and connections are most commonly used in mounting and connecting the various devices to the substrate, the extremely close spacing between device and board traps flux residues that must be removed to avoid problems in subsequent manufacturing steps, such as when the CCAs are conformally coated. The removal of flux residues has been generally accomplished through the use of vapor degreasing equipment. Typical of such prior art degreasing equipment is a dual sump assembly in which the first sump contains a degreasing solvent which is heated and the second sump also contains the same solvent. The first sump functions as a wash bath and the second sump functions as a rinse bath. A suitable conveyor means introduces a basket, for example, containing one or more CCAs into the heated solvent of the first sump. After a washing period, which may be of any suitable duration, the basket is removed from the liquid of the first sump and lifted into a vapor area above the sump through which it is passed to the second sump, where it is rinsed. In some cleaning applications, it is highly desirable, if not mandatory, that the contaminant level after cleaning not exceed ten micrograms per square inch on the circuit board. More particularly, the ionic contamination of the surface of the board, which generally comprises a ceramic substrate populated with various devices and is, for example, six inches square, must be lower than ten micrograms (NaCl equivalent) per square inch; ion chromatography requirements by type must be less than one microgram per square inch for each of the ions chloride, bromide, and sulfate; and there should be no visible residue left on the surface under 7.times. magnification. Heretofore, excellent cleaning results which met the foregoing criteria had been achieved with 1,1,1 trichlorethane in both of the sumps of the previously described vapor degreasing equipment. However, that particular solvent is a Class 1 ozone depleting substance (ODS-1) CFC covered under the Montreal Protocol, the use of which is restricted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations, and international treaties. As a consequence of the foregoing, it is extremely important that there be a cleaning system for circuit boards that uses environmentally "friendly" materials while meeting or exceeding the aforementioned cleanliness criteria.

The increase in electronic commerce has increased the focus on security of the electronic transactions using this medium of commerce. In the world of computer transactions and electronic contracts, there is no face-to-face acknowledgement to identify the consumer or other person wishing to perform the transaction. As institutions become more reliant on computers, they have modified their business infrastructure (i.e., their “business process”) in an attempt to keep up with electronic commerce. The business process of an institution includes the methods used to interact with a customer (e.g., how transactions occur, what information is required from the customer, help desks to support the customer), the information contained in customer accounts, the databases used and how they are modified by the institution, and personnel training. Institutions and persons desiring to utilize electronic commerce are faced with several issues regarding electronic transactions. The first issue is whether the person requesting the transaction is who they say they are (“identification”). And the second issue is whether the requested transaction is actually the transaction intended to be requested (“accuracy”). In other words, whether the requested transaction has been compromised, either fraudulently or through transmission errors, during the course of transmitting and receiving the request. To address the identity, of the person requesting the transaction, current financial business processes bind information in accounts to authenticate non-face-to-face transactions. For example, an account holder's mother's maiden name, a personal identification number (PIN), and a social security number have all been used and integrated into the current financial infrastructure to aid in reliably identifying someone requesting a non-face-to-face transaction. To address the accuracy of the electronic message being sent and the identity of the person sending the electronic message, digital signatures are utilized. Digital signatures are used with electronic messages and provide a way for the sender of the message to electronically “sign” the message as a way of providing proof of the identity of the sender and the accuracy of the message. In a digital signature system, a sender digitally “signs” the message using a private key (encryption software used to create a digital signature). The receiver validates the sender's digital signature by using the sender's public key (software used to decrypt the digital signature) sent to the receiver by the sender. While, digital signatures provide some assurance of accuracy for the message and the identity of the sender, they are also subject to security risks. These risks include compromised private and public keys or merchant fraud. To address the security risks and validate the digital signatures, computer technology has developed “certification authorities” to be used in a Certificate Authority Digital Signature (“CADS”) system. In a CADS system, certification authorities are third parties that essentially “vouch” for the validity of a digital signature's public key and, hence, the validity of the digital signature. However, certification authorities used in the CADS system come with inherent risks, such as an expired certification authority and a compromised private key, which affect the entire public key infrastructure. In addition, the increased reliability provided by certification authorities does not easily combine with the business process currently established. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method to increase the reliability of electronic transactions while not imposing significant modifications on the business processes already in place.

Many electronic devices such as personal computers, mobile devices including phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) use some form of authentication, typically a password that must be input into the device to gain access. The password is most often typed onto a keyboard or other interface which then allows the user to gain partial or full access to the utility of the device and/or network. A problem associated with using passwords is that they are time consuming and inconvenient for the user to enter. Users often use informal passwords or share their password with others which works to compromise system security. These practices negate the password's value and make it difficult to have an accurate auditing of access. Moreover, passwords are expensive to administer when forgotten or misplaced. Although the use of other types of security access systems such as voice recognition, fingerprint recognition or iris scans have been implemented, these types of systems require a different procedure to access and use the device. These techniques also require a specific and time-consuming enrollment process in order to be operational. Additionally, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), and ultrasonic transmitter devices have also been used as proximity-type devices to allow access when the transmitter is in a predetermined range of the device. The problem associated with these types of systems is the transmitter must be continuously worn or otherwise carried by the user. Should the transmitter signal be lost, misplaced or become inoperative, the user will no longer have any access to the device. Moreover, if another user has possession of the transmitter, the other user gains full access to the device. Obviously, this can lead to all types of security issues should the transmitter be lost or stolen. Finally, biometric authentication using facial recognition is also often used to gain access to electronic devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,739 to Kyle and U.S. Pat. No. 6,724,919 to Akiyama et al., which are both herein incorporated by reference, disclose examples of identity verification systems wherein a database is employed to compare facial features of a user to those in the pre-established database. Once a comparison is made, then authentication is verified and access is granted to the system. The disadvantage of this type of system is the requirement of a separate and specific enrollment procedure by the user to create the database. As with this type of facial recognition system and others in the prior art, the database must be populated before being used; otherwise, the system will not operate. This puts an unnecessary burden on the system operator, requiring detailed education on the steps to populate the database before the system may become operational. Additionally, this type of security system does not permit the automatic updating of the database to accommodate changes in head position, user features (such as different glasses), a change in the camera's operational characteristics, lighting and other environmental factors. This can limit the speed, accuracy, and even the success of database matching (recognition). Also, these prior art facial recognition and other biometric systems operate only at the instant of authentication. Thus, these systems have no way of confirming the identity of the user even milliseconds after the actual authentication. The device has no way of knowing when a user has stepped away from the device, leaving the device unsecured. Existing methods of locking based on inactivity of data entry, such as keyboard or mouse activity, do not provide the needed flexibility. If they are set to lock on a very short delay, the user is locked out as the user is using the device. Conversely, if the delays are set long enough to not impact the user, the device is vulnerable to unauthorized access when the user steps away. Hence, the need exists to provide a system and method for providing secure access to an electronic device using facial recognition that provides continuous authentication, no special enrollment process, automatic updates to the biometric database to improve recognition performance and multi-factor authentication while not requiring unnecessary data processing. The recognition system and method should be capable of running on devices requiring relatively low computing power so as to provide an inexpensive and responsive approach to providing biometric user authentication with a high level of security.

1. Technical Field This application generally relates to computer data storage, and more particularly to a cache used with computer data storage. 2. Description of Related Art Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage devices such as the Symmetrix™ family of data storage systems manufactured by EMC Corporation. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. An example data storage system may include one or more data storage devices, such as those of the Symmetrix™ family, that are connected together and may be used to provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system. A host processor may perform a variety of data processing tasks and operations using the data storage system. For example, a host processor may perform basic system I/O operations in connection with data requests, such as data read and write operations and also administrative tasks, such as data backup and mirroring operations. Host processor systems may store and retrieve data using a storage device containing a plurality of host interface units, disk drives, and disk interface units. Such storage devices are provided, for example, by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass. and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,939 to Yanai et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,394 to Galtzur et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,147 to Vishlitzky et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,208 to Ofek. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical disk units. The logical disk units may or may nor correspond to the actual disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data stored therein. Performance of a storage system may be improved by using a cache. In the case of a disk drive system, the cache may be implemented using a block of semiconductor memory that has a relatively lower data access time than the disk drive. Data that is accessed is advantageously moved from the disk drives to the cache so that the second and subsequent accesses to the data may be made to the cache rather than to the disk drives. Data that has not been accessed recently may be removed from the cache to make room for new data. Often such cache accesses are transparent to the host system requesting the data. Data may be stored in a cache in order to increase efficiency. However, there can be a cost associated with performing cache management operations, such as storing and retrieving data from the cache, in particular if the cache is locked for exclusive access in a particular implementation. One technique for implementing a cache is to store the data in blocks and link each of the blocks together in a doubly linked ring list referred to herein as a replacement queue. Each block of the replacement queue represents a block of data from a logical disk unit. The blocks or slots are placed in the doubly linked ring list in the order in which they are retrieved from the disk. A pointer may point to the block that was most recently added to the list. Thus, when a new block is to be added to the cache within the replacement queue, the structure of the replacement queue, in combination with the head pointer, may be used to determine the oldest block in the replacement queue that is to be removed to make room for the new block. An implementation of the replacement queue may use both a “head” pointer and a “tail” pointer identifying, respectively, the beginning and end of the replacement queue. The “tail” may determine the oldest block or slot in the replacement queue. Two such pointers may be used in an replacement queue arrangement as it may be desirable in accordance with cache management schemes in which some data may remain permanently in the cache and the “oldest” and “newest” data may not be adjacent to one another. Cache management techniques are described, for example, in issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,539, Jan. 10, 1995, entitled “System and Method for Dynamically Controlling Cache Management”, Yanai et al., assigned to EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass., which is herein incorporated by reference, in which a data storage system has a cache controlled by parameters including: (a) a minimum number of data storage elements which must be retrieved and stored in cache memory and used by the system before the cache management system recognizes a sequential data access in progress; (b) the maximum number of tracks or data records which the cache management system is to prefetch ahead; and (c) the maximum number of sequential data elements to be stored in cache before the memory containing the previously used tracks or data records are reused or recycled and new data written to these locations. The cache memory is in a least-recently used circular configuration in which the cache management system overwrites or recycles the oldest or least recently used memory location. The cache manager provides monitoring and dynamic adjustment of the foregoing parameters. Described in issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,432, Jan. 7, 1997, entitled “Cache Management System Using Time Stamping for Replacement Queue”, Vishlitzky et al., which is herein incorporated by reference, is a system that includes a cache directory listing data elements in a cache memory and a cache manager memory including a replacement queue and data structures. A cache manager determines which data element should be removed or replaced in the cache memory based on the elapsed time the data element has been in the memory. If the elapsed time is less than a predetermined threshold, the data element will be maintained in the same location in the replacement queue saving a number of cache management operations. The predetermined threshold is established as the average fall through time (FTT) of prior data elements in the memory. A modified least-recently-used replacement procedure uses time stamps indicating real or relative time when a non-write-pending data element was promoted to the tail of the replacement queue, the most-recently used position. Also disclosed is another embodiment in which the number of times the data element is accessed while in the memory is compared to a fixed number. If the data element has been accessed more than the fixed number, it is placed at the tail of the replacement queue ensuring a longer period for the data element in the memory. Described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,939, Apr. 27, 1993, entitled “System and Method for Disk Mapping and Retrieval”, Yanai et al, which is herein incorporated by reference, is a device-by-device cache index/directory used in disk mapping and data retrieval. An embodiment using the foregoing queue may have a drawback in that an exclusive access policy may be enforced using an “expensive” locking mechanism in connection with the queue as a shared resource such that only one process may access and manipulate the queue at a time. Additionally, in connection with performing queue management operations, for example, such as adding elements, the complexity of the queue structure may make it difficult to allow more than one process to manipulate to the data structure at any time. One way to enforce this one-at-a-time access is to use a locking technique that allows a process exclusive access to the queue. However, when multiple processors may need to use the cache, then the exclusive access policy may become a bottleneck. An embodiment having a complex cache management scheme may also have increased traffic within a system. Accordingly, the number of times that a cache lock operation is performed may also increase. Thus, it may be desirous and advantageous to have a cache management scheme which is efficient and flexible minimizing the costs associated with accessing a cache.

The present invention is directed to a carton tester and in particular to a centrifugal carton tester for testing carrier style paperboard cartons of the type used in the beverage industry. Beverages such as soft drinks and beer are typically sold in bottles or cans which are packaged in carriers in lots of six, eight or twelve bottles or cans to a carrier. The collective weight of these bottles or cans in a carrier when combined with adverse conditions such as a wetting of the carrier and/or rough handling of the carrier can result in a failure of the carrier. Failure of a carrier in the handle region can result in the dropping of the entire carrier. Failure of other portions of a carrier can result in the release of one or more bottles or cans from the carrier. Accordingly, it is important to test such carriers to determine their failure points under various adverse conditions and to make sure the carriers are manufactured to certain standards. The centrifugal force tester of the present invention has been developed to measure the force required to produce failure in a package designed to hold and support a relatively heavy product. It is primarily designed to test the carriers commonly used in the soft drink and beer beverage markets to carry multiple units of bottled or canned beverages. It is contemplated that the centrifugal force carton tester can be used (1) to establish minimum standards for cartons (2) to monitor carton quality at the point of manufacture; and (3) to evaluate performance levels of cartons exposed to adverse environmental conditions such as refrigeration in storage or exposure to rain on open delivery trucks. The weight of a package is that force exerted by gravity on the mass of the carton and its contents. Obviously for any package to be usable it must be able to support (or hold) a force equal to its own weight. In addition it must be able to withstand additional forces created during normal handling or abuse. An example of an additional force is the force developed due to the angular acceleration of the package when a person walks and carries a carton with the normal swinging of the arms. The total maximum force so generated is limited to about twice the package weight. Another force is the force generated when a package is taken from a height and lowered to a carrying position. The force on the carton at the end of this action again exceeds the package weight. This force is more difficult to predict but it is estimated to be up to two to three times the package weight. The weight of a package is the force created by gravity on the mass of the carton and its contents. Mathematically, weight can be expressed by the following equation: EQU W=mg where, W=weight of package PA1 m=mass of carton and its contents PA1 g=acceleration of gravity=32 ft/sec.sup.2 PA1 F=force PA1 m=mass PA1 a=acceleration PA1 F.sub.f =Force to Failure PA1 m=mass of carton PA1 a.sub.f =angular acceleration at failure EQU a.sub.f =V.sup.2 /r (II) PA1 v=peripheral velocity of the carton at failure PA1 r=radius from the axis of rotation to the bottom of the carton, and, PA1 V=(RPS).multidot.C PA1 RPS=Revolutions per Second at time of failure PA1 C=Circumference along the outside perimeter of the carton This weight equation is a specific application of the general equation for force from physics: EQU F=ma where, In designing the tester of the present invention, it was decided to use the force created by angular acceleration when an object is rotated in a circular motion tethered to the axis of rotation. A force gauge is inserted in the tether between the axis of rotation and the carton being tested. The rate of rotation is increased with time causing a continuing increase in the angular acceleration until the carton fails. The failure force of the carton can be read directly from the force gauge or calculated indirectly from the angular acceleration, the radius of the tether from the axis to the bottom of the test carton, and the velocity of rotation at the time of failure. Therefore, at the time of failure: EQU F.sub.f =m.multidot.a.sub.f (I) where where, where, For practical purposes the preferred method is the use of a force gauge which can be read and recorded directly after the test is completed.

(a) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a channel state feedback method by quantizing time domain channel coefficients. (b) Description of the Related Art In a multiple-user multiple-antenna communication system, communication between a plurality of terminals and base stations is simultaneously performed at the same time and same frequency through a spatially identified signal. In this instance, a terminal must not be interfered with by a signal transmitted to another user during communication through a single receiving antenna. For this, a base station performs an appropriate beamforming process based on channel information with the terminal. In detail, one part of information to be known by the base station in the multiple-user multiple-antenna communication system is channel information with the terminal to be simultaneously communicated by the base station. In the frequency division duplex (FDD) system, the terminal measures channel information between the base station and the terminal and transmits a measured channel coefficient (a channel value) to the base station so that the base station knows the channel information. Considering the existing multiple-user multiple-antenna communication system, the terminal transmits a quantized direction of a channel vector for the base station and the terminal and a corresponding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value to the base station. Here, the channel vector indicates a channel state between the base station and the terminal. The channel state is expressed as a channel vector assuming that the base station has a plurality of transmitting antennas and the terminal has a single receiving antenna. The base station selects a plurality of appropriate terminals from among many terminals in consideration of the channel state, and transmits data to the selected terminals. In this instance, what is to be considered when the terminals are selected is selection of the terminals having less interference between the quantized directions of the channel vectors of the selected terminals and having a great SNR. The orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system is widely used for transmitting signals in the current communication system. However, the above-noted scheme is difficult to apply to the OFDM system because it is proposed for a single-carrier system. This is because channel state transmission in the frequency domain from the terminal to the base station is not performed by all subcarriers, but several subcarriers are sampled by considering the limited feedback resource and the channel state is then transmitted on the sampled subcarrier in the OFDM system. The base station uses the channel state on the sampled subcarrier, and performs an interpolation process for checking state information of the subcarrier receiving no channel state value to know the channel state on the subcarrier. However, the above-noted existing method transmits not the channel vector but the quantized value of the channel vector direction to the base station. Therefore, it is difficult to know directions of other subcarriers by using the quantized direction of the channel vector on a specific sampled subcarrier. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

The use of halogen lamps in light fixtures provides many advantages over the use of flourescent and incandescent lamps. Halogen light sources provide, among other benefits, pure white light, instant start-up with no flickering, and are operational at any temperature including sub freezing temperatures. However, halogen light fixtures typically employ one or more lamps having a wattage that is often 100 watts or greater. This use of high wattage lamps increases the heat generated in and around the fixture. Thus, there is a need for light fixtures that allow and provide for the efficient dissipation of the heat generated by the lamp or lamps contained therein. Not only will the dissipation of heat prevent the fixture itself from becoming dangerously hot, it also assists in protecting the fixture's internal components from heat damage as well. In addition, because of the high temperatures created by a halogen lamp, the possibility exists that objects located near the lamp may unintentionally combust. Consequently, there is a need for a fixture design that prevents objects or structures such as walls and the like from coming into close contact with the light generated by the fixture in order to reduce the risk of inadvertent combustion.

The present invention relates to real-time navigation and more specifically to utilizing non-GPS information to update navigation information in real-time. Navigation devices exist today that utilize GPS information to track the location of the navigation device and thus the device's user. Existing navigation devices typically store a cartographic map of data indicative of a roadway network for a geographic area and offer various applications and features to support the user's navigation through the geographic area. One exemplary application is to provide the user with audio instructions to direct the user between source and destination locations within the roadway network. Various routing parameters exist upon which the route through the roadway network may be based, such as time, distance and the like. However, the data stored in the navigation device that is indicative of the roadway network is static in that the data is representative of the status of the roadway network only as of the last time that the navigation device was uploaded with a new cartographic map of the roadway network. The cartographic map reflects limited non-periodic or non-reoccurring information regarding the status of the roadway network. For example, while the cartographic map may store data identifying road segments that typically exhibit slow travel times (e.g. due to numerous traffic lights, rough road conditions and the like), the data is unable to identify for non-reoccurring, one time events that impact travel over the roadway network. Examples of non-reoccurring events are traffic accidents, icy road conditions, flooded roads, construction, weather conditions, temporary traffic back-ups and the like. Heretofore, travelers generally obtained information regarding these non-reoccurring events through the automobile's FM/AM radio that played various types of content, such as entertainment-related content, traffic-related content and the like. To obtain travel-related content, drivers tuned to a weather channel or traffic channel to hear local travel conditions. No system exists that is able to utilize real-time travel-related content to update navigation information and provide updated navigation information to the user. A need remains for improved navigation devices, modular electronic devices and methods for use thereof that are better suited to inform users of real-time travel-related conditions and to utilize such real-time travel-related conditions to update navigation information.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates in general to a monitor, and more particularly, to a monitor improved in tilting structure of the monitor against a base member, and improved in combining structure of the base member and an inclined plane. 2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional monitor includes a base member 201 laid on a horizontal plane, a monitor main body 202 to display a picture thereon, and a link member 210 to link the base member 201 with the main body 202. A lower part of the link member 210 is rotatably combined to the base member 201 by a pair of fixing brackets 204 and 206, and an upper part of the link member 210 is fixed with the main body 202. Thus, along a direction of an arrow “A” in FIG. 1, the link member 210 is vertically rotated against the base member 201, but the main body 202 cannot be tilted against the link member 210. Therefore, with the conventional monitor, it is inconvenient to adjust an angle of the main body 202 as necessary. Contrary to the monitor shown in FIG. 1, it is possible that the upper part of the link member 210 is rotatably combined to the main body 202, and the lower part of the link member 210 is fixed with the base member 201. Accordingly, the angle of the main body 202 is more efficiently adjusted. As computer systems rapidly spread, demand of various monitor capabilities are also being rapidly increased. In relation to the increased demand of the monitor, there has been provided an arm stand to support the monitor, which is manufactured separately from the monitor and combined to the monitor, to thereby meet a user's preference. A combining structure of the monitor and the arm stand has been regulated by VESA (VIDEO ELECTRONIC STANDARD ASSOCIATION). However, in the conventional monitor, because the base member 210 must be laid on the horizontal plane, it is impossible to install the monitor onto an inclined plane such as a wall, the arm stand, etc. Because the main body 202 is not folded to the base member 201, the monitor is packed in a state as shown in FIG. 1, or in a state that the link member 210 is folded to the base member, which is not shown. Thus, a packing volume of the monitor cannot be decreased, thereby increasing costs to keep and carry the monitor. Furthermore, if regulations regarding the angle adjustment of the main body 202 are different in various nations, it is difficult to adaptively meet regulation requirements for the angle adjustment.

Many organizations wish to gain better control over their print environment because printing is a significant source of expenses, and one that is often difficult to manage. These costs come from a variety of printing practices, including the use of inkjets (which are relatively cheap to buy, but relatively expensive to run), inappropriate use of color (e.g., for draft documents, emails, personal files, etc.), and inappropriate use of devices (e.g., large runs sent to small workgroup printers rather than high volume reprographics centers). A number of products in the market allow organizations to track the type of printing that occurs (such as Lexmark Markvision™, HP WebJetAdmin, Xerox® CenterWare™ Web and Pharos Blueprint®). Using this information, organizations can begin to phase out devices with a poor fit with respect to system usage requirements. However, changing user behavior is difficult when users are able to directly access printers on the network. Some existing approaches (e.g., Pharos® Uniprint®, EnvisionWare® LP:TOne, Equitrac® XYZ) can prevent users from accessing printers directly, and instead force them to print via these products' print servers—enabling the system administrator to set appropriate print policies. All of these products have a potential disadvantage, namely that they require changes to the organization print environment, such as through installing components on the workstation, changing the print destination, installing software on the print server, and/or changing the print server queue configuration. Such products may also require the customer to make changes to the printer itself to remove the capability of users to print directly thereto.

The present invention is in the pharmaceutical area, and in particular relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing 5'-diphosphohexose and 5'-diphosphohexosamine derivatives of nucleosides. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ("AIDS") was recognized as early as 1979. The number of cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has increased dramatically each year since then, and in 1982 the CDC declared AIDS a new epidemic. Infection with the AIDS virus is highly variable. Initially, the virus replicates abundantly, with virus present in the central nervous system and the cells of the immune system. This is frequently accompanied by fevers, rashes, flulike symptoms and neurological complaints. These symptoms generally disappear within a few weeks, as the amount of virus in the circulation drops. However, virus is still present in the immune cells, the cells of the nervous system, cells of the intestine and bone marrow cells. The victim typically dies two to ten years after the initial asymptomatic period, following a protracted and painful illness. Human immunodeficiency virus, a retrovirus, is the etiological agent of AIDS, as well as of a variety of related disorders, such as AIDS Related Complex (ARC). HIV infection begins when a virion or virus-infected cell binds to susceptible cells and fuses with them, injecting the core protein and viral RNA into the cell. The RNA is transcribed to viral DNA. The double stranded DNA migrates to the nucleus and is integrated into the cell's DNA. The viral DNA can remain dormant for an indefinite period of time, or the genes can replicate and be translated into viral proteins. The viral proteins are assembled into new virions that bud from the cell, spreading the disease. HIV preferentially infects the T4 lymphocytes, immune cells important in helping to suppress infection by other agents, thereby impairing proper functioning of the immune system. As a result of impaired immunity caused by the destruction of helper T-cells by the HIV, the host becomes susceptible to opportunistic infections, various types of cancer such as Kaposi's sarcoma, and other disorders associated with reduced functioning of the immune system. A variety of approaches have been developed to treat AIDS infections, including inhibiting the binding of the virus to host cells with dextran sulfate or soluble CD4 (a glycoprotein found on the surface of cells of the immune system which the HIV binds to when infecting the cells), administration of anti-idiotypic antibodies (an antibody to the antibody against CD4), blockage of viral protein synthesis by compounds such as phosphorothioate, and inhibition of protein glycosylation by compounds such as 2-deoxy-D-glucose. However, these approaches are still in early experimental phases, and have not been approved for clinical treatment. AIDS and ARC chemotherapy have been recently reviewed by Schinazi, Strategies and Targets for Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Therapy, "Aids in Children, Adolescents, and Heterosexual Adults: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Prevention," Elsvier, N.Y. 1988); E. D. Clercq, J. Med. Chem. 29, 1561-1569 (1986); H. Mitsuya, S. Broder, Nature 325, 773-778 (1987); and R. Yarchoan, et al., "AIDS Therapies" The Science of AIDS Scientific American (W. H. Freeman and Co. N.Y. 1989). A number of nucleosides have been found to have anti-HIV activity, including 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT), 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (DDC), 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (DDA), 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxyuridine (AzddU), 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dieoxycytidine, 3'-deoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine, 3'-azido-5-ethyl-2',3'-dideoxyuridine (AzddEU), 3'-azido-5-methyl-2',3'-dideoxycytidine (AzddMeC), 9-(2,3-Dideoxy-2-halo-.beta.-D-arabinofuranosyl)-N.sup.6 -methyladenine (2'-halo-D.sub.2 MeA), and N.sup.6 -methyl-D-glycero-2',3'-dideoxyfuranosyladenosine (D.sub.2 MeA). The present application is a continuation-in-part of applications directed to AzddU. It is generally accepted that the active form of nucleosides such as AZT, AzddU, AzddMeC, D.sub.2 MeA, and DDC is the triphosphorylated derivative. Triphosphorylated deoxynucleosides appear to inhibit the replication of HIV by limiting the production of viral DNA by at least two mechanisms: competitive inhibition of reverse transcriptase and chain termination of viral DNA due to the missing 3'-hydroxyl group. The therapeutic effectiveness of all of the known active nucleosides depends on how easily the nucleoside can enter cells and undergo phosphorylation by cellular enzymes. The efficiency of this process varies considerably among nucleosides, and can severely limit the usefulness of the compounds. For example, nucleoside triphosphates without modification, are not useful clinically, since they cannot pass through the cell membrane, even though the triphosphate may have greater antiviral activity. Nucleosides are also converted by intracellular enzymes into less active metabolites. If the conversion rate to less active compounds is faster than the rate of triphosphorylation of the nucleoside, the pharmaceutical effectiveness of the nucleoside is diminished. For example, it is known that DDA in the triphosphate form is a potent HIV inhibitor in vitro, but in vivo the enzyme adenosine deaminase rapidly converts DDA to the less active DDI (2',3'-dideoxyinosine) before DDA can be phosphorylated. DDI-5'-monophosphate must then be converted to DDA-5'-monophosphate by cellular enzymes to restore the activity of the compound. The therapeutic effectiveness of a drug is the determining factor in the dosage required for therapy. Nucleosides that pass through the cell membrane with difficulty or which are metabolized into less active or inactive forms in the cell must be administered in higher dosages. Unfortunately, most nucleosides are toxic to healthy uninfected cells at high dosage levels. AZT has been studied extensively in humans for treatment of HIV infections. However, bone marrow toxicity and other side effects limit its long term usefulness. For example, Richman, et al., have shown that because of AZT-associated hematological abnormalities, twenty-one percent of patients undergoing AZT therapy required multiple blood transfusions during the six month treatment period. Bone marrow depression may be due to the accumulation of phosphorylated AZT within cells, which may result in a substantial depression of thymidine 5'-triphosphate pools. Another drawback of AZT is its short half life in humans (about 1.1 hour) and its elimination in urine as 3'-azido-3'-deoxy-5'-glucuronylthymidine, a metabolite with no substantial antiviral activity. Many nucleoside derivatives have been developed that have anticancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal activity. Effective therapy with these nucleosides, as with the anti-HIV nucleosides, is significantly affected by the ability of the nucleoside to pass through the cell membrane and diffuse to the active site before the compound is converted to an inactive form or eliminated. Nucleoside diphosphate sugars are used in vivo for the synthesis of oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycolipids, glycoproteins, and components of bacterial cell membranes. Certain nucleoside derivatives have been found to block the glycosylation of proteins. However, most, if not all, known nucleoside glycosylation inhibitors show little selectivity and have low activity against viral infections. Camarasa, et al., J. Med. Chem., 28, 40 (1985) reported that uridine 5'-diphosphate glucose analogues, 5'-O-[[[[(2",3",4",6"-tetra-O-benzyl- and 2",3",4",6"-tetra-O-benzoyl-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl)oxyl]carbonyl]ami no]sulfonyl]-2',3'-isopropylideneuridine (P-536), a UDP-glucose analog, and the corresponding deisopropylidenated derivatives, show in vitro antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1. Alarcon, et al., in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1257, (1988) reported that P-536 has broad antiviral activity, including activity against adenovirus type 5, vaccinia virus, and poliovirus type 1. The compound was demonstrated to inhibit protein glycosylation if added at a time when late viral proteins were being synthesized, and to inhibit the synthesis of nucleic acids and phosphorylation of nucleosides. Alcina, et al., Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1412 (1988), later demonstrated that the same compound has activity against the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. In light of the state of the art, it is clear that there is a strong need for biologically active nucleoside derivatives that can pass through a cell membrane and reach the active site prior to conversion to inactive metabolites or elimination. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide nucleoside derivatives that have enhanced antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal or anticancer activity. It is a further object of the present invention to provide nucleoside derivatives that can easily pass through a cell membrane in the proper chemical form to perform a desired biological function, or a chemical form. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method to enhance the cellular levels of nucleosides.

1. Technical Field This invention relates to the field of data transmission, and in particular to systems and methods for reliably determining the voltage level of data signals transmitted at high speeds. 2. Background Art Computers and other data processing devices operate at ever increasing frequencies. In order to avoid bottlenecks, data must be provided to these devices at high speeds and without distortion. However, as transmission frequencies exceed 150 MHz, it becomes more difficult to ensure that transmitted data signals have sufficient time to settle before they are sampled and the next data transition begins. This problem is compounded by the need to operate computers at lower system voltages, to limit the power dissipated by high frequency processors. High frequency operation of buses, which transfer data signals to different parts of the computer system, poses especially difficult problems. At frequencies of 100 MHz or more, bus traces behave like transmission lines. In particular, the inductive and capacitive properties of bus traces distort data signals, increasing the time it takes for signal voltages to settle sufficiently to be sampled reliably. For example, at high frequencies, the capacitance of bus traces requires signal transitions to be driven with higher currents, and for 32-bit and wider buses, the number of signal transitions being driven results in substantial current pulses on the supply voltage lines. These current pulses couple with the inductance of the bus traces to generate voltage glitches. In addition, impedance mismatches between the bus and the circuits driving the data signal creates reflections on the bus. Data signals are distorted by reflected signals generated by voltage glitches and signal voltages. One result of these distortions is that a data signal in a given clock cycle may appear to be in either a high or low voltage state, depending on when in the clock cycle it is sampled by a receiver. Conventional strategies for handling high speed data signals employ circuitry to guarantee a window of relatively clean signal transitions, and a single reference voltage is selected within this voltage window. There are a number of drawbacks to this approach. Noise is generated differently for high-going and low-going transitions, and the resulting asymmetry in the signal distortion must be accounted for by the circuitry. In addition, the circuitry used to provide a clean voltage window becomes more complex and less effective as signal frequencies increase.

Scroll compressors in each of which a compression mechanism including an orbiting scroll and a fixed scroll is housed in a casing have been known to date. The compression mechanism includes a compression chamber formed by engaging the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll with each other. As shown in Patent Document 1, some of such scroll compressors reduce separation between the orbiting scroll and the fixed scroll by utilizing a pressure rise in the compression chamber. The scroll compressor shown in Patent Document 1 is connected to a refrigeration circuit of an air conditioning system. A compression mechanism of this scroll compressor has a suction port that is open at a suction position of the compression chamber, a discharge port that is open at a discharge position of the compression chamber, and an intermediate port that is open at an intermediate position between the suction position and the discharge position in the compression chamber. The suction port communicates with a low-pressure line of the refrigeration circuit, and the discharge port communicates with a high-pressure line of the refrigeration circuit. This configuration can press an orbiting scroll against a fixed scroll by utilizing the pressure of a fluid introduced through the intermediate port from the compression chamber at the intermediate position into the back pressure space. In this manner, application of a pressing force to the orbiting scroll can reduce separation of the orbiting scroll from the fixed scroll.

Ethanol is a commonly encountered toxic substance. Methods for qualitative and quantitative determination of ethanol in body fluids, particularly human body fluids, are used in medicine and in law enforcement. In medicine, the level of ethanol in the blood is significant in diagnosing liver malfunction and alcoholism, as well as for understanding the reason for an emergency room patient being comatose. In law enforcement, such assays are used to determine whether or not an automobile operator is driving under the influence of alcohol. Ethanol testing can be accomplished using both enzymatic and nonenzymatic assays. The nonenzymatic assays have a number of disadvantages and are being widely replaced by enzymatic assays which are more accurate, highly specific, more sensitive and require less expensive procedures. Enzymatic assays are generally based on the use of alcohol dehydrogenase to catalyze the reaction of ethanol to acetaldehyde. This reaction can be used alone, or in combination with other reactions to produce a spectrophotometric signal which can be related to the amount of ethanol in the tested specimen. One enzymatic assay is based on the direct measurement of the reduced coenzyme (NADH), such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,736 (Bucolo). This assay is carried out entirely in solution. Another enzymatic assay is described in EP-A-0464 942 (published Jan. 1, 1992) which uses nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD.sup.+) as a coenzyme with alcohol dehydrogenase to produce the reduced form of the coenzyme. The coenzyme, in turn, reacts with a tetrazolium salt to produce a detectable dye. The described assay is carried out in a multilayer analytical element containing tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer and both crosslinked and uncrosslinked gelatin layers. One problem that has been encountered in developing a dry analytical element for the assay of ethanol is the strong interference by fluoride ion present in human serum. Fluoride ion is commonly used as a preservative in serum, and interferes in assays possibly by altering the equilibrium between ethanol and acetaldehyde, and causes the assay results to be biased positively compared to the true value of ethanol in the specimen. This problem has been effectively solved using a multilayer analytical element containing a high amount of buffer which is arranged in certain layers. Moreover, this element typically contains crosslinked gelatin as a binder for one or more of the reagent layers. Further details of such elements are found in U.S. application Ser. No. 08/005,683 (filed Jan. 19, 1993 by Detwiler) which is entitled MULTILAYER ANALYTICAL ELEMENT CONTAINING PRIMARY AMINE BUFFER AND METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF ETHANOL. While the element just described can be used effectively to detect ethanol, coating its many layers requires multiple steps and causes manufacturing inefficiencies. It would be desirable to reduce the number of coating steps in preparing an element which is just as effective in the detection of ethanol, and thus provide manufacturing efficiencies needed in the highly competitive field of clinical chemistry.

This invention relates to folding rear view mirrors for vehicles. With vehicles such as agricultural or industrial tractors the variety of trailers, implements or attachments which may be drawn behind the tractor is very varied and this presents a problem in providing rear view mirrors which can be easily adjusted between the different width settings that are necessary to provide a clear rear view around the different trailers, implements or attachments which may be used. One option is a telescoping arrangement as described, for example, in U.S. 2003/0117729, but such arrangements are not simple to adjust if not mechanised and may have penalties in terms of cost and component count. Simpler systems based on pivoting links, described in GB 1 339 123 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,929, allow a mirror mount to collapse inwards if an obstacle is encountered but do not support adjustment over a wide range of width settings whilst remaining visible to the user.

Many vehicles include cargo areas having a relatively flat floor leading to a door, such a liftgate, tailgate or hatchback. The door typically pivots away from the flat floor to facilitate access to the cargo area. As a result of the relatively flat cargo area floor, some objects stored in the cargo area may shift during vehicle travel or otherwise come to rest against the door. Upon movement of the door away from the floor, these objects may roll, slide or otherwise fall out of the cargo area. Particularly with a hatchback or liftgate that pivots vertically away from the cargo floor, it can be difficult to prevent cargo from falling out of the vehicle upon opening the liftgate.

Providing cooling passageways structured to flow cooling fluids from and within components of gas turbine engines remains an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology.

The present invention relates generally to fuel injectors for gasoline engines, and more particular to a unit injector for such engines. A typical gasoline injector for an automotive engine is connected to a fuel rail which is pressurized to a relatively low pressure. Such pressure is typically in the vicinity of 268 kilo-pascals or 39 PSI. It has proved exceedingly difficult to generate a Properly atomized fuel spray pattern at the injector metering orifice due to this low pressure fuel. Further, since known fuel injectors are often attached directly to the engine, the heat of the engine will cause air bubbles to form within various fuel chambers of the fuel injector. Such air bubbles will cause a cycle to cycle variation in the performance of the fuel injector. The formation of these air bubbles is enhanced by this low pressure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gasoline fuel injector which is communicated to a relatively low source of pressurized fuel and which includes means for increasing such fuel pressure to at least approximately 6895 KPA. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fuel injector characterized by a finely atomized fuel spray. Another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel injector in which the rate of formation of air bubbles is significantly reduced or eliminated. Accordingly, the present invention comprises: A unit injector adapted to receive fuel from a relatively low pressure source, comprising: a housing, armature means responsive to an electromagnetic force for opening and closing a metering orifice to control the ejection of fuel therefrom and various fuel receiving chambers disposed about the armature means and upstream of the metering orifice. The injector further includes a check valve disposed upstream of the fuel receiving chambers, responsive to a pressure differential thereacros to control the flow of fuel to such chambers and first accumulator means disposed in first of the fuel receiving chambers, compressable in response to the Pressure of the fuel therein for pressurizing the fuel in the various fuel receiving chambers and for controlling the rate at which fuel is ejected. An outer bellows, received about a portion of the housing, fluidly sealed at one end, and adapted to expand and contract as fuel is received and purged therefrom, including a flexible, springlike wall effective to restore the outer bellows to its non-expanded size. The injector further includes means defining a pressure chamber, means for communicating fuel to and from the bellows to the pressure chamber, means movable with the outer bellows to pressurize the fuel in the pressure chamber and for urging same across the check valve, to pressurize the fuel in the various fuel receiving chambers, compressing the first accumulator means (180), and means for generating the electromagnetic force to move the armature means away from the metering orifice. In one embodiment of the invention the moveable means includes a cylindrical shaped piston while in another embodiment of the invention such means includes a cup-shaped piston having an insulative liner. Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pedal, and more particularly to a pedal for a bicycle. 2. Description of Related Art When a bicycle rider is riding on a bicycle, he/or she has to alternatively and repeatedly tread on two pedals of the bicycle with his/or her legs so as to drive the bicycle to move forward. However, when the bicycle rider rides on an bumpy road or when the bottoms of the shoes of the bicycle rider is too slippery, the legs of the bicycle rider would unexpectedly depart from the pedals, and his feet would be hurt by the impact of the pedals. This is particularly a serious condition in a bicycle racing contest. A conventional bicycle pedal set comprises two pedal bodies, a driving assembly and a braking system. The two pedal bodies are respectively pivoted on two cranks of a bicycle. Each pedal body comprises a controlling member and an engaging member. The controlling member drives the engaging member so that the engaging member is selectively positioned in one of an engaging state and a releasing state. The driving assembly drives the two controlling members of the two pedal bodies. The braking system connects the driving assembly, a front wheel brake lever of the bicycle, a rear wheel brake lever of the bicycle, and two brakes of the bicycle. Under this arrangement, when the rear wheel brake lever is not pressed, the engaging members are positioned in the engaging state; in contrast, when the rear wheel brake lever is pressed, the braking system drives the driving assembly so as to drive the controlling members of the pedal bodies; as a result, the engaging members are positioned in the releasing state by the controlling members. However, the conventional bicycle pedal set has a disadvantage as following. The conventional bicycle pedal set is heavier than another bicycle pedal set without the engaging member. Actually, weight reduction is recently an important topic for improving the performance of the bicycle. The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Crapemyrtle plant, botanically known as Lagerstroemia indica and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘G2X133143’. The new Crapemyrtle plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact, mounding and freely-branching Crapemyrtle plants with large inflorescences, high temperature tolerance, winter hardiness and resistance to Powdery Mildew. The new Crapemyrtle plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in August, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Lagerstroemia indica identified as code number 8170-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Lagerstroemia indica ‘Coral Filli’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,317, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Crapemyrtle plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on Jan. 9, 2011 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Bellefonte, Pa. Asexual reproduction of the new Crapemyrtle plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bellefonte, Pa. since Feb. 2, 2011 has shown that the unique features of the new Crapemyrtle plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The present invention relates to a fiber opening device in a spinning unit of an open-end spinning machine, and more particularly such a device having an opening roller rotatably mounted in a housing to which a sliver is fed by a drawing-in roller. In open-end spinning, a sliver consisting of fibers that are generally parallel is combed to separate the fibers by an opening roller enclosed in a housing and the fibers are fed by air current in the housing to a fiber discharge opening in the housing from which they pass through a fiber guide tube to the spinning element, e.g. a spinning rotor. As the fibers are of small size, even very small crevices between and within the components of the device, such as at edges and corners, can result in entrapment of individual fibers and the accumulation of a clump of fibers that disrupts the even flow of fibers that may ultimately break loose and pass into the spinning rotor to create a faulty slub in the yarn. Typical of the known fiber opening devices in open-end spinning machines is the device disclosed in German patent document DE-PS No. 19 14 115, in which a trash discharge opening for separating trash, such as hull particles, dirt, etc., is formed in the housing between the drawing-in roller and the fiber discharge opening to the guide tube. Such a trash discharge opening will allow undesirable clumps of fibers to be discharged and not pass through the guide tube to the rotor, but it does not prevent the formation of clumps, which can result in faulty yarn, e.g. thin areas, during the formation of a clump of fibers prior to being broken loose and discharged. In known fiber opening devices, there are several locations at which fibers can be caught and accumulate in crevices. Typical of these are the pivoted feed trough, the drawing-in trough and the corners between the housing sidewalls and circumferential wall.

1. Technical Field The present invention relates generally to reactors, and more particularly to fabricating substrates that may be used in reactors. 2. Description of Related Art Many reactions involving fluids (e.g., gases, liquids, and the like) use reactors. Many reactions are temperature dependent, and so a reactor (or zone within a reactor) may be required to have certain chemical, mechanical, thermal, and other properties at a temperature of interest to the reaction. Some reactions are performed at high temperatures (e.g., above 100 C, above 400 C, above 800 C, above 1100 C, or even above 1500 C), and so may require reactors having appropriate properties at the temperature of interest. Some reactions entail a heterogeneous reaction (e.g., involving a fluid and a surface). Abatement of exhaust streams (e.g., from engines, turbines, power plants, refineries, chemical reactions, solar panel manufacturing, electronics fabrication, and the like) may include heterogeneous reactions. In some cases, the period of time during which a fluid interacts with a surface may affect the efficacy of a reaction. Certain reactions may benefit from increased contact times between a fluid and a substrate. Certain reactions may benefit from reduced contact times between a fluid and a substrate. Some reactions proceed at practical rates at high temperatures. In some cases, an exhaust stream may provide heat that may heat a reactor (e.g., as in a catalytic converter on an automobile). Controlling both contact time (e.g., between a fluid and a reactor) and a temperature at which the reaction occurs may be challenging with typical reactor designs, particularly when heat transfer and mass transfer are not independently controlled. Effective reaction (e.g., mitigation of a pollutant) may require a reactor design that maintains a desired temperature or range of temperatures over a certain volume or region having a certain surface area, notwithstanding that the primary source of heat to the reactor may be the exhaust stream. Such requirements may be challenging, particularly when mass transfer and/or reaction kinetics are at odds with heat transfer kinetics (e.g., from an exhaust stream to a reactor, or from the reactor to the environment). The use of exhaust heat to maintain a reactor temperature may result in impaired performance under some conditions. For example, a catalytic converter may inefficiently decompose pollutants prior to having been heated to an appropriate temperature (e.g., when the vehicle is cold). A diesel particulate filter may require “regeneration” (e.g., the creation of a temperature and oxygen partial pressure sufficient to oxidized accumulated soot). Regeneration often requires heating the filtered soot to an oxidation temperature, which often relies on heat from the exhaust stream and/or heat from other sources. Regeneration may require electrical heating of a reactor. Some combinations of engines and duty cycles may result in contaminants (e.g., soot) reaching unacceptable levels before a mitigation system begins efficient operation (e.g., a soot filter may “fill up” before regeneration occurs. Regeneration may require injection of a fuel and associated combustion heating beyond the motive heat associated with the working engine (e.g., direct injection of fuel into an exhaust stream). In some cases, the provision of regeneration heat (e.g., via electrical heating, post-injection, downstream injection, and the like) may decrease the overall efficiency of a system. Some streams of fluids may be subject to a plurality of reactions and/or reactors. For example, a diesel exhaust mitigation system may include a diesel oxidation reactor (e.g., to oxidize CO and/or hydrocarbons), a particulate filter, and a reactor to remove NOx (oxides of Nitrogen). In some cases, these reactors are disposed in series, and so an exhaust system may include several components, each having an inlet and outlet, with the outlet of one component connected to the inlet of another component. Such systems may be complex and/or difficult to integrate. In some cases, each component may require a separate mass and/or heat injection apparatus. For example, excess diesel fuel may be injected into an exhaust stream to create combustion at a diesel oxidation reactor in order to raise an inlet temperature of a particulate filter. A NOx reactor may require injection of a reductant, (e.g., urea, ammonia, Hydrogen, and/or other fuel) in order to facilitate a reaction at a certain temperature. A diesel particulate filter may benefit from NOx injection (e.g., to oxidize soot). In some cases, latent heat and/or chemical species exiting a first reactor may not be efficiently utilized in a second “downstream” reactor, notwithstanding that the heat and/or species might be useful in the downstream reactor. In some cases, the heat and/or species exiting a first reactor must be controlled in such a way that performance of a downstream reactor is not inhibited. Improved reactor designs might provide for such control. Many refractory substrates (e.g., catalytic converter, diesel particulate filter, and the like) are fabricated using extrusion. Such substrates often have long channels, with the “long” direction of the channels associated with the extrusion direction. The long direction may also be aligned with the flow of fluid through the substrate. As a result, reaction kinetics, heat transfer kinetics, fluid flow properties, and the like may be constrained by the method of fabrication of the substrate (e.g., extrusion). For example, a certain minimum residence time (associated with a reaction) may require a substrate having a minimum length, which may dictate an extruded substrate whose length is impractical for a given application. For a typical filter (e.g., a diesel particulate filter, or DPF), filtration may preferentially begin at regions having higher fluid flow rates. In some cases, the deposition of particles may preferentially occur at the downstream end of a filter substrate, and so a particulate filter may “fill up” from the downstream end toward the upstream end. A DPF may be “regenerated” by oxidizing filtered particles (e.g., filtered soot). Often, the downstream end of a DPF substrate may be cooler than the upstream end, and so regeneration of soot may require that the coolest part of the substrate reach regeneration temperatures. In certain applications, it may be advantageous to provide for preferential soot filtration at portions of the substrate that heat up faster than other portions.

In a shot ball game machine, such as a pachinko machine, predetermined game parts including a starting means, a pattern display means, and a big prize means are mounted in the game region of a game board. In playing a game, game balls are shot to the game region by shooting means. And, if a game ball is detected by the starting means, under the condition of this detection a plurality of patterns in the pattern display means are varied for a predetermined time, and whether a special game state is to be generated or not is decided on the basis of a random number obtained under the condition of this variation. If there is a decision to the effect that the special game state should be generated, a patterns after the variation is stopped in a particular manner, whereupon the special game state to open the opening/closing plate of the big prize means is generated. The big prize means closes the opening/closing plate when a predetermined time has passed since the opening or when a predetermined number of game balls win prizes during the opening. Further, under the condition that game balls pass through the particular region, the special game state, that is, the opening of the big prize means, is repeated predetermined times at a maximum. Game moves taking place in the game board, including lottery or the like to decide whether or not such special game state is to be generated, are controlled by a main control circuit board stored in a main circuit board case on the back of the game machine main body. Therefore, if predetermined electronic parts including ROMs on the main control circuit board are dishonestly replaced by those which provide a higher probability of generation of the special game state or the like, the special game state can be easily generated. Accordingly, the method heretofore employed is such that as the predetermined electronic parts including ROMs, those having intrinsic identification information, such as a serial number, applied thereto are used on the one hand and on the other hand after the main control circuit board having the predetermined electronic parts mounted thereon has been stored in the main circuit board case, the latter is sealed by a sealing means which, when opened, will leave a trace of opening. Thereby, if such sealing means are inspected in game parlors or the like, the presence or absence of a dishonest act can be decided, e.g., by the presence or absence of a trace of opening the sealing means, or by a difference in the intrinsic identification information on the electronic parts. In assembling a pachinko machine or the like provided with a circuit board case disposed on the back of the game machine main body and having such main control circuit board stored therein, it is necessary for game machine makers to confirm and record the intrinsic identification information on the electronic parts and to reliably seal the main circuit board case by the sealing means. In the prior art, however, since the intrinsic identification information on the electronic parts and the sealing state of the sealing means are visually confirmed by the operator in the inspection step subsequent to the assembling of a pachinko machine, there is a danger of omission of inspection or the like to overlook the state of the sealing means despite the fact that the sealing means has not sealed. Further, in the case of confirming the intrinsic identification information on the electronic parts prior to sealing the main circuit board case and then sealing the main circuit board case by the sealing means, it cannot be absolutely denied that between the confirmation of the intrinsic identification information on the electronic parts and the sealing of the main circuit board case, there is a dishonest act, e.g., to open the main circuit board case to replace the main control circuit board by a new one and to let the latter read a dishonest intrinsic identification information. With these prior art problems in mind, the invention has for its object the provision of a game machine circuit board case inspection method, and a game board or game machine inspection method, which are capable of reliably effecting the reading of intrinsic identification information applied to electronic parts on a control circuit board in a circuit board case and confirming the sealed state of a circuit board case and also capable of preventing a dishonest act, e.g., to replace electronic parts and let them read dishonest intrinsic identification information in an inspection step.

Photographic cameras have been in widespread use for quite some time. Basically, such a camera operates by exposing a portion of a light sensitive media, i.e. a frame of film, for a pre-defined period of time to scene illumination. The light is focused on the frame through a lens that has an aperture of a given, often variable, size. A shutter, situated behind the lens and in front of the film, opens for a selected period of time in order to permit the light to transit therethrough, illuminate and expose the film. As a result of being properly exposed and subsequently developed, the film undergoes a photochemical process, on a two-dimensional basis throughout the frame, that locally varies the optical transmissivity of each portion of the frame in proportion to the amount of illumination that reaches that portion of the frame from a corresponding portion of the scene, thereby producing, depending upon whether reversal or negative film is used, either a two-dimensional positive or negative optical image of the scene. As such, tonal variations that appeared in the scene are captured in the frame of the film. Photographic prints are often made from negatives, while transparencies (commonly referred to as "slides") are made from positives. Though this overall process, which relies on the use of silver halide as a photosensitive reagent in film, has basically remained unchanged over many years, this process is highly non-linear and subject to a great many variables which significantly complicate its use. In particular, exposure (E) is defined, under a standardized definition, as being a product of the illuminance (I) multiplied by the time (t) during which the film is exposed to this illumination. In this regard, see specifically ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard PH 3.49-1971 "American National Standard for General Purpose Photographic Exposure Meters" (re-affirmed in its entirety with no modifications in 1987 as ANSI standard PH 3.49-1987) [hereinafter referred to as ANSI standard 3.49-1987], and also ANSI standard PH 2.7-1986 "American National Standard for Photography--Photographic Exposure Guide" and specifically page 13 thereof. In a camera, the combination of two settings, namely lens aperture (size of the lens opening) and shutter speed (time during which the shutter remains open), primarily defines a particular exposure. Unfortunately, lens aperture and shutter speed define more than just an amount of exposure, these settings also dramatically affect picture (hereinafter including both prints and transparencies) quality and must be judiciously chosen in each photographic situation; otherwise, a picture (also referred to hereinafter as an image) having inferior quality will result. To illustrate the variability among photographic parameters and the difficulties in choosing appropriate lens aperture and shutter speed settings, consider for the moment a particular scenario that often occurs and presents significant challenges to a photographer: photographing a scene in relatively low light conditions with sufficient depth-of-field to cover a desired subject. In dealing with a low light situation, a photographer, particularly an amateur, might, at first, open the lens aperture to its maximum value in order to pass as much light as possible therethrough to the film. A suitable shutter speed would then be chosen based on scene luminance, typically using an indication provided by an internal light meter located in the camera. Unfortunately, such an approach might fail. Specifically, while, the lens aperture size specifies the amount of light that instantaneously strikes the film, this size also defines the so-called depth-of-field in the resulting photographed image, i.e. a range of minimum to maximum camera-to-subject distances in which objects located therein will be perceived in the image as being sharp and in-focus. As the aperture size of a given lens increases, i.e. the lens is opened and its so-called "f" number decreases, which ordinarily occurs in low light conditions, the depth-of-field produced by that lens correspondingly decreases. Accordingly, with certain subject thicknesses, the depth-of-field that results from a maximum lens aperture exposure may be too restricted to fully cover the entire subject. Thus, portions of the subject located at camera-to-subject distances that are outside the range specified by the depth-of-field for the given lens aperture, i.e. too close to or too far from the camera, will appear out-of-focus in the resulting photographed image. Therefore, in order to provide an appropriate depth-of-field to cover the entire subject, a smaller lens aperture than the maximum available size must be used along with a slower shutter speed to generate a sufficient exposure. Unfortunately, a photographer is often unable to steadily hold a hand-held camera for times typically in excess of, for example, 1/50th of a second for a 50 mm lens. Hence, as the shutter remains open for increasingly longer periods of time, the camera becomes increasingly sensitive to camera shake or subject motion which, when it occurs, blurs and ruins the entire picture. Therefore, to reduce the incidence of noticeable image blur, particularly resulting from camera shake, shutter speeds equal to or slower than of 1/50th second for use with a 50 mm lens should be avoided for use in a hand-held camera. Consequently, other techniques, such as mounting the camera on a tripod or using an auxiliary light source, e.g. a so-called flash unit, or higher speed film, i.e. a more sensitive film, are often required in order to provide acceptable combinations of lens aperture openings and shutter speeds in low light conditions. Unfortunately, a flash unit or a tripod may not be currently available. Also, films that are increasingly sensitive tend to produce pictures that exhibit increasing graininess, thereby adversely impacting the quality of the picture. With this scenario and in the absence of having a flash unit, a tripod or the ability to change film for use in photographing a particular low light scene, the photographer may not be able to select shutter speeds and lens aperture sizes that will produce a picture of optimum quality. Instead, the photographer is forced to accept compromise settings which will likely produce a picture of sub-optimum quality, such as being under-exposed, but, owing to the latitude in the performance of the film, will hopefully still exhibit sufficient quality to still be acceptable to a viewer. To a certain extent, the developing process can compensate (through so-called "forcing") for under-exposure conditions, though the ability to do so and still provide pictures of sufficient quality depends upon the subject matter in the scene and hence can be rather limited. In this regard, see D. M. Zwick, "The Technical Basis of Photographic Speed Determination or What is a Normal Exposure", SMPTE Journal, Vol. 88, No. 8, August 1979, pages 533-537 (hereinafter referred to as the L Zwick publication) and specifically pages 536-537 thereof. In certain extreme situations with worsening exposure conditions than that illustratively described above, the lighting conditions may, for all practical purposes, totally frustrate the ability of even a skilled photographer to produce a picture of merely acceptable quality. In these situations, photography would be essentially impossible. For example, consider the same low-light scenario above but where the photographer desires to use a lens that has a relatively large focal length, e.g. a telephoto lens, to capture a scene. For a given film size, the depth-of-field varies in proportion to the square of the focal length of the lens and hence significantly decreases with increases in focal length. Therefore, the depth-of-field provided by such a lens, for certain lens apertures, may not meet the scene requirements. Large focal length lenses also tend to be bulky, massive and relatively heavy and thus, once mounted to a hand-held camera, are hard to hold steady for even moderate shutter speeds, such as 1/30 or 1/60th of a second. Accordingly, to avoid significant camera shake, the slowest shutter speed at which these lenses can be used, without a tripod, is often quite limited. Moreover, since physical limitations on lens size often prevent a large focal length lens from being constructed with large lens aperture sizes, this forces the use of increasingly long shutter speeds to achieve a proper exposure under low-light conditions and exacerbates the need to use other techniques, such as a tripod, auxiliary light source or a faster speed film, to provide usable lens aperture and shutter speed settings that will provide a proper exposure. In the absence of using a tripod or an auxiliary light source, which--owing to the amplitude fall-off as the inverse square of distance to the subject--becomes ineffective at large subject-to-camera distances, or the ability to change to and/or even the availability of sufficiently fast films that exhibit low graininess during the printing process, low-light photography with large focal length lenses is oftentimes practically impossible. Therefore, as one can now appreciate, even a skilled photographer often experiences difficulties in choosing the proper photographic settings under certain lighting conditions, e.g. lens aperture and shutter settings, selection of lens focal length, use and amount of flash illumination. While certain lighting conditions are so extreme that they simply can not be handled by even a professional photographer, the vast majority of scene lighting conditions fortunately do not fall in this category. Nevertheless, some of these latter conditions often present sufficient difficulties to effectively frustrate the ability of an amateur photographer to take a picture of acceptable quality. In fact, for many inexperienced amateurs, choosing lens aperture size and shutter speed settings amounts to little more than mere guesswork, through which the probability is high that the amateur will select wrong settings and quickly become frustrated. Frustration, if it occurs sufficiently often, leads to dis-satisfaction, which in the context of an amateur photographer often means that that photographer will simply stop taking pictures and turn to other leisure activities which he or she believes to be less trying and more satisfying than photography. Since amateur photographers constitute a major portion of the photographic market, including both equipment and film, their continued satisfaction is essential to the photographic industry. Having recognized this fact, the art has for many years pursued a goal of developing a camera that, over its lifetime, will produce more pictures that exhibit at least an acceptable and preferably higher level of quality than those resulting from cameras heretofore in use while, at the same time, relieving the photographer of the tedium and difficulty associated with choosing the photographic settings appropriate to a current lighting condition. Hence, over the years, considerable activity has occurred in the art to provide cameras that automatically select a lens aperture size and/or shutter speed appropriate for a current scene being photographed. While these attempts have resulted in cameras of increasing sophistication and improved performance, each of these attempts suffers one or more drawbacks which limits its attractiveness. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,395 (issued to F. T Ogawa on Nov. 4, 1975) describes one approach at providing an automatic camera. Here, a camera relies on using an electronic circuit and associated electro-mechanical drive mechanisms for invoking and controlling each one of a sequence of photographic operations required by the camera to take a picture. Unfortunately, this apparatus appears to require a photographer to manually select an appropriate lens aperture size. With this selection, the circuitry attempts to control shutter speed, determine if a flash is necessary and, if so, and fire the flash unit. Accordingly, while the photographer is advantageously relieved of determining an appropriate shutter speed and whether flash is necessary, improper depth-of-field could readily result in a significant number of pictures, particularly those taken under various low-light conditions, that exhibit unacceptable quality. Another illustrative approach at providing an automatic camera is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,307 (issued to N. Shinoda et al on Jul. 25, 1978 and hereinafter referred to as the '307 Shinoda et al patent). Here, a microcomputer is used within a camera to provide several different modes of automated photography; namely, shutter priority mode (where the photographer manually selects the shutter speed and the camera selects the lens aperture size), aperture priority mode (where the photographer manually selects the lens aperture size and the camera selects the shutter speed), program mode (where the camera selects both the shutter speed and lens aperture size) and manual mode (where the photographer manually selects both the shutter speed and lens aperture size). During camera operation in a non-manual mode, the microcomputer computes the appropriate selection(s) based upon film speed and scene lumination. Unfortunately, since the microcomputer uses scene luminance, but not scene content, in determining exposure settings during program mode and shutter priority modes of operation, the microcomputer can generate a lens aperture size setting that, in many instances, is not likely to provide sufficient depth-of-field for a current scene. Similarly, an amateur photographer who operates the camera in the aperture priority mode may often manually select a lens aperture size that provides insufficient depth-of-field. In the shutter priority mode, the photographer can manually set minimum and maximum lens aperture limits. In this instance, the microcomputer will provide suitable indications in the viewfinder of the camera to alert the photographer when the computed lens aperture size is beyond the set limits, thereby requiring the photographer to manually change the lens aperture size accordingly. However, this need to manually set and/or subsequently manually adjust the exposure settings of the camera places an added burden on the photographer, one which is best avoided in cameras destined for amateur photographers. An additional illustrative approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,089 (issued to D. M. Harvey on Jan. 5, 1982, assigned to the present assignee and hereinafter referred to as the '089 patent). Here, the camera contains a microcomputer which uses scene lumination and exposure latitude information of the film to compute a range of acceptable exposure values (EV values). The current exposure value corresponding to the specific lens aperture size and shutter speed at which the camera is presently set is compared to the range. If the comparison reveals that the specific exposure value lies within or outside of the range, then the microcomputer provides an appropriate indication to the photographer to either "validate" the settings for the prevailing scene lumination or inform the photographer to choose other settings to photograph the scene. Unfortunately, the photographer is required to manually choose both the lens aperture size and shutter speed settings and to manually change them, if necessary. This places a significant and undesirable burden on a photographer, which might be best avoided if the camera is destined for the amateur market. While these approaches in the art clearly teach that image quality can be improved by increasing camera sophistication through use of an internal microcomputer for scene measurement, and exposure determination and control, all of these approaches share one significant disadvantage: they all appear to require the photographer to manually intervene in some fashion in order to achieve optimum image quality. This intervention takes the form of either manually providing an initial exposure setting, e.g. a lens aperture size that satisfies depth-of-field requirements, or subsequently making manual corrections, as indicated by the microcomputer, to these settings in order to provide a proper exposure. As such, these prior art approaches appear to universally fail to provide truly automatic control over a camera--control that is necessary to substantially, if not completely, eliminate guesswork by amateur photographers and further heighten overall image quality. Having recognized this failing in the art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,323 (issued to C. S. Bell on Nov. 15, 1988, also assigned to the present assignee and hereinafter referred to as the '323 Bell patent) describes automatic exposure control apparatus for use in a camera that through measurement of scene parameters, such as scene lumination and subject-to-camera distance, attempts to satisfy depth-of-field requirements and reduce image blur. In particular, this apparatus first determines various combinations of appropriate lens aperture size and shutter speed settings based upon measured scene lumination. Thereafter, using measured subject-to-camera distance, the apparatus selects one of these combinations that provides the required depth-of-field. As the subject moves farther from the camera, larger lens aperture sizes and increased shutter speeds are selected in an effort to maintain the needed depth-of-field while reducing the likelihood of image blur resulting from either camera shake and/or subject motion. By minimizing image blur, this apparatus can advantageously provide a perceptible increase in overall image sharpness though at the expense, in certain instances, of compromising image exposure. Nevertheless, further improvements in overall image quality can still be made even if image blur is minimized for a given scene. In this regard, it has been well known for some time in the art, especially by professional photographers, that most films, particularly negative print film and to a much lesser extent reversal films, possess some latitude with respect to exposure. In fact, the curve of log exposure (log E) vs. density for each layer of a color negative film generally remains at a minimum value (i.e. no latent image is formed) until a given minimal amount of exposure is reached at which point the curve begins to increase. The curve then linearly increases in density throughout a range of increasing log exposure values until point is reached at which a shoulder exists in the curve. The curve then exhibits a fairly broad plateau at which image density remains constant or slightly increases throughout several values of increasing log exposure. In addition, with certain film types, the graininess exhibited by the layer tends to decrease with increasing exposure, and increasingly sharp images may occur at increasing exposure levels. The ISO (ASA) film speed is defined from the exposure necessary to produce a specific value of image density on each layer of the film. Typically, the lowest log exposure value on this curve that will produce an "excellent" quality image in terms of faithful tone (color) reproduction defines a so-called normal exposure point. The normal exposure point is not a region but rather by a single point on the log exposure vs. density curve for the film. With these definitions in mind, lens aperture and shutter speed settings, that will produce an exposure at the ISO normal exposure point, can then be readily determined by substituting the values for the ISO (ASA) film speed and scene luminance into an ISO standard metering equation and calculating a result. See, specifically, ANSI standard PH 2.27-1988 "American National Standard for Determination of ISO (ASA) Speed of Color Negative Films for Still Photography" and ISO standard 588-1979, with the former ANSI standard adopting the latter ISO standard for determining the film speed; and the ANSI standard 3.49-1987, particularly page 21 thereof for the ISO standard metering equation; as well as the Zwick publication. For ease of reference, the pertinent standards will be referred to hereinafter as the "ISO/ANSI exposure standards" with an exposure defined by these standards being referred to hereinafter as synonymously either an ISO "standard" or "normal" exposure and the normal exposure point being referred to as the ISO normal exposure point. From these definitions and use of the standard metering equation, the ISO normal exposure point occurs at higher density and exposure values on the log exposure vs. density curve than those for the ISO (ASA) speed point. Inasmuch as linear response can still be had at each of several stops of over-exposure from the ISO normal exposure point and yield improved image quality, professional photographers often, depending upon lighting conditions, intentionally over-expose negative film, beyond that specified by its ISO normal exposure point. Unfortunately, those automated cameras that utilize film speed in determining exposure settings, such as that described above in the '323 Bell, the '307 Shinoda et al and the '089 Harvey patents, do not automatically take into account that, for certain films, image quality can actually be improved through intentional over-exposure. Nevertheless, the art has recognized, as disclosed in illustratively U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,986 (issued to K. Shiratori et al on Jul. 8, 1986 and hereinafter referred to as the '986 Shiratori et al patent) the utility of including a manual adjustment into an automated camera that permits a photographer to manually shift the exposure settings in order to intentionally over- or under-exposure a photographed image. The amount of the shift can either be manually set by the photographer or read by the camera from encoded information stored in metallic patterns (the so-called "DX" code) situated on an outside surface of a film canister. Unfortunately, this arrangement relies on the photographer, not the camera, to make the determination of when the film is to be over-exposed. Since many amateurs are simply not familiar with film exposure characteristics and to avoid what they believe to be a risk, here arising from simple ignorance, of ruining a picture, these amateurs, including those using the camera described in the '986 Shiratori et al patent, are not likely to intentionally over-expose a picture even in those situations where, in fact, image quality could be improved by doing so. Consequently, a continuing two-part need still exists in the art; namely, to provide automatic exposure control apparatus for use in a camera that not only further reduces the tedium, difficulty and guesswork associated with using currently available automated cameras to take pictures under a wide variety of different lighting conditions but also provides pictures which have n increased overall level of quality as compared to that provided by these automated cameras. Furthermore, to provide pictures at an increased quality level, a specific need exists in the art for such exposure control apparatus that automatically selects appropriate exposure settings based not only upon scene luminance but also upon scene depth-of-field requirements, avoidance of image blur and, very importantly, exposure latitude and the exposure vs. quality function of the film in use.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an impeller for a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus and a method of fixing blades of a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus. In particular, it relates to an impeller as well as method of fixing the blades of the impeller, and of fixing a lock-up damper spring plate without making a hole or slit in any of constituting members. 2. Description of Related Art In a conventional hydraulic power transmitting apparatus, as a means of fixing blades to a shell, there are known the following, i.e., means of fixing both the members by welding or brazing, or means of fitting claws provided in the blades into slits and then fixing them together by caulking or brazing (see Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 79359/1982). In the above-described conventional art, welding or brazing will give rise to thermal strains to the shell and the blades. Particularly, in case of brazing, a large amount of electric power is consumed in a brazing furnace. When a flux for preventing oxidation is used, there is a possibility of generating harmful gases from the flux. In case the claws provided in the blades are fitted into the slits, three-dimensional slits and the claws of the blades must be manufactured at a high accuracy in order to facilitate the assembling work. This results in a higher manufacturing cost and in a reduced strength in the shell due to the presence of the slits. In addition, since the force of fixing the blades is weak, a working fluid may leak through the slits out of the shell, resulting in a remarkable reduction in the performance of the hydraulic power transmitting apparatus. In view of the above disadvantages accompanied by the conventional art, the present invention has an object of providing an impeller for a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus and a method of fixing blades of a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus in which the shell and the blades as well as the shell and a lock-up damper spring plate can be fixed without resort to welding or brazing as well as to fitting of claws into slits. In order to attain the above and other objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention is an impeller for a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus. The impeller comprises: a shell; a plurality of blades fixed to the shell, each of the blades having a blade main body and a fixing flange which is bent at an angle relative to the blade main body; wherein the shell and the fixing flange are placed one on top of the other and are pressed together at a fixing point such that a hollow cylindrical projection having a bottom is formed; and wherein the projection comprises a diametrically expanded portion along a bottom outer periphery of that member out of the shell and the fixing flange which lies on an inner side in the projection, the expanded portion being thrusted into that member out of the shell and the fixing flange which lies on an outer side in the projection. In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an impeller for a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus. The impeller comprises: a shell; a plurality of blades fixed to the shell, each of the blades having a blade main body and a fixing flange which is bent at an angle relative to the blade main body; wherein each of the shell and the fixing flange are placed one on top of the other and are pressed together at a fixing point such that a hollow cylindrical projection having a bottom is formed, an outer periphery of the bottom having an axially extending ring-shaped convex; and wherein the projection comprises a diametrically expanded portion along a bottom outer periphery of that member out of the shell and the fixing flange which lies on an inner side in the projection, the expanded portion being thrusted into that member out of the shell and the fixing flange which lies on an outer side in the projection. Preferably, the projection is formed in a plurality of numbers, and at least one of the projections is projected inward of the impeller. According to this arrangement, in case another constituting member of the impeller is disposed in close proximity to the outside of the shell, a particular projection which is likely to interfere with the above-mentioned member can be projected inward, instead of outward as is the case with the remaining ones, to prevent the mutual interference. Further, preferably, at least one of the projections is positioned radially inward relative to a center of radial length of the blade. Ordinarily, in the turbine blades, a large force in a direction of peeling off the blades is operated on an outlet side in an inner circumference. By arranging at least one of the projections as described above, a large fixing force against the peeling can be secured. Preferably, the fixing flange has a larger width on a radially inner side and a diameter of a projection to be provided on the radially inner side is larger in diameter than the diameter of remaining projections. According to this arrangement, the projection of a larger diameter can generate a larger force against the peeling off the blades. Preferably, the impeller further comprises a lock-up damper spring plate having a shape free from interference with a projection that is on a circumferentially outermost position, the damping spring plate being fixed to an outside of the shell by a projection which is the same as the projection for fixing the shell and the fixing flange. According to this arrangement, the lock-up damper spring plate can be fixed to the shell without giving rise to the interference with the projection for fixing the fixing flange and without giving rise to the thermal strains. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of fixing blades of a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus. The method comprises: preparing a shell from a first metallic plate and a plurality of blades from a second metallic plate, each of the blades having an integrally formed fixing flange; placing the shell and the fixing flange one on top of the other; pressing the shell and the fixing flange together to form a hollow cylindrical projection such that a material in a corner portion of an inner member of the shell and the fixing flange inside the projection is expanded outward so as to be thrusted into a material of an outer member of the shell and the fixing flange inside the projection. Alternatively, there is provided a method of fixing blades of a hydraulic power transmitting apparatus. The method comprises: preparing a shell made of a first metallic plate and a plurality of blades made of a second metallic plate, each of the blades having an integrally formed fixing flange; feeding the shell and each of the fixing flanges into a die assembly in a state in which one is placed on top of the other, the die assembly comprising: a die having a die hole with a bottom; and a punch which is adapted to be inserted into, and out of, the die hole; wherein a clearance between the punch and an inner surface of the die hole is smaller than a sum of thicknesses of the shell and the fixing flange, and wherein the die has a ring-shaped groove which is formed along a corner of the bottom of the die hole so as to extend in an axial direction of the die assembly; pressing the shell and the fixing flange together to form a hollow cylindrical projection such that a material in a bottom corner portion of an outer member out of the shell and the fixing flange is forced into the ring-shaped groove and that a material in a bottom corner portion of an inner member of the shell and the fixing flange is expanded diametrically outward so as to be thrusted into the material of the outer member.

Prior to the present invention, draftsmen and/or architects and/or engineers utilizing the latest technology of utilizing a computer drawing-mouse or digital tablet-cusor while concurrently comparing blueprints or the like on a monitor screen to and in comparison with exhibit-drawings and in thee concurrent use of the mouse or digital tablet-cusor to superimpose data viewed from the drawing-exhibit onto the computer screen blueprint, have been faced with the heretofore difficulties and/or hardship and unsolved problem of inadequate ways of simultaneously handling and/or temporarily mounting/supporting all of the papers while using the computer mouse or digital tablet-cusro. Normally and often the exhibit-papers and/or documents are of large and varying width and length sizes and shapes not readily adaptable to conventional document holders. As well, frequently and normally such exhibit-papers and/or documents are in the nature of non-rigid paper not readily supportable. Paper weights and/or tacks have been less than satisfactory alternatives and conventional document holders conclusively are not functionally capable of adequately doing the job. Because of the necessity of manually handling the mouse or digital tablet-cusor when making drawing and/or notation changes to the blueprint image on the computer screen, together with visually making reference to particular points on the drawing-exhibit in comparison to the image viewed on the computer screen, the person's mere two hands while maintaining his concentrated attention to the task of making needed entries onto the computer monitor's memory as viewed on the screen, has proven to be extremely difficult and awkward and not readily possible devoid of excessive strain, consumption of excessive time and experiencing of distractions from optimal concentration and attention to the crucial matters being attended to. Moreover, in arriving at the present invention, it was noted that no easy solution existed for mounting, suspending or hanging a document support on computer monitors, it being additionally discovered that notoreously when moving from one computer monitor to another either within the same or different desks and/or offices, the width and height dimensions of word processor and/or computer monitors vary considerably from one monitor to another. That fact accounts for prior art devices heretofore having been rigidly mounted onto monitors by screws or adhesive or the like, as above-noted.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument, such as an electronic organ or an electronic piano, having an opening/closing mechanism for a keyboard cover which closes/opens a keyboard portion. 2. Description of Related Art An electronic musical instrument having a keyboard, e.g., an electronic organ, generally includes a keyboard cover which covers and protects a keyboard portion while the instrument is not used. Two types of keyboard covers are used: a sliding cover which is arranged to be slidable back and forth on the main body of a musical instrument (instrument main body) and is stored in the instrument main body when it is open; and a pivot cover which is arranged to be vertically pivotal and is erected on an instrument main body when it is open. Since the sliding cover is formed like a folding shutter by coupling a large number of cover constituent members so as to be flexible, its structure becomes complicated, and a large number of components are required, resulting in a high manufacturing cost. In contrast to this, since the pivot cover is constituted by one plate-like cover member, it can be manufactured at a low cost. In addition, since the pivot cover is erected on the instrument main body when it is open, no storage space for the cover is required in the instrument main body. In the latter case, however, if a musical instrument has two or more upper and lower keyboards, the depth and weight of a keyboard cover are increased. For this reason, an opening/closing operation of the cover becomes less easy. In addition, the cover may abruptly fall to clamp the hands of a player due to a shift in the center of gravity of the cover when it is opened/closed. In order to solve such a problem, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-46219 discloses a keyboard instrument in which when a keyboard cover is closed, a pivoting force based on the weight of the cover is damped by a damper mechanism using a spring at a latter stage of the pivoting movement of the cover. A keyboard cover having such a mechanism, however, is increased in area with an increase in depth. For this reason, when the cover is opened and erected on an instrument main body, a player inevitably feels a sense of oppression. In order to solve such a problem in a pivot keyboard cover, the present applicant has developed a keyboard instrument, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-11995, in which the pivot point of a keyboard cover is set at a position separated forward and downward from the rear end by a predetermined distance so that when the cover is opened, its rear end portion is inserted from an opening formed in the upper surface of an instrument main body to be stored therein. An example of such a mechanism will be briefly described below with reference to FIG. 9. A pivot keyboard cover 3 is provided above a keyboard portion 2 arranged on a front portion of an instrument main body 1. First and second links 5a and 5b constituting a four-joint rotating link 5 are pivotally supported between a triangular support member 4 fixed to a rear end portion of the cover 3 and a fixed portion as a pivot point in the instrument main body 1 by using pins 6a, 6b, 7a, and 7b. When a front end portion of this keyboard cover 3 is raised to cause the cover 3 to pivot from a position indicated by solid lines, at which the cover 3 is closed, in a direction indicated by an arrow P, the rear end of the cover is moved along a path indicated by an alternate long and dashed line L. As a result, a rear portion of the keyboard cover 3 is stored in the instrument main body 1, resulting in an cover open state indicated by imaginary lines. According to this keyboard opening/closing mechanism, since a torque based on the weight of the keyboard cover 3 acts in opposite directions before and after the pivot point, the cover 3 can be lightly opened and closed by overbalancing it. In addition, since the rear portion of the keyboard cover 3 is stored in the instrument main body 1 when it is open, a sense of oppression to a player can be reduced. In such a conventional keyboard cover opening/closing mechanism, however, since the four-joint rotating link is used to pivot the keyboard cover 3, the degree of freedom of a path for pivoting movement is low, and the cover 3 is moved in the manner shown in FIG. 10A. During this pivoting movement, a large gap S is formed between the keyboard cover 3 and the front end (point A) of a top board (upper surface plate) 1a of the instrument main body 1, and an object may fall inside the instrument main body 1. For this reason, a large dust cover 8 must be arranged, as shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, a portion of the top board 1a must be hinged to a back board 1b to be pivotal in a direction indicated by an arrow Q so that an upper portion of the instrument main body 1 can be opened, thus allowing easy removable of an object therefrom. In addition, the use of the four-joint link requires a large space for the pivoting movement of the rear portion of the keyboard cover 3 in the instrument main body 1, as shown in FIG. 9. This inevitably leads to a great reduction in mounting space for other components, e.g., a transformer 9 shown in FIG. 10A. In any of such conventional keyboard cover opening/closing mechanisms, the safety in closing the keyboard cover is mainly considered, but damping of a shock in opening the cover is not much considered. For this reason, since a required operating force considerably varies throughout the opening/closing process of the keyboard cover, a smooth opening/closing operation cannot necessarily be performed. Furthermore, a gap is formed between the keyboard cover and the front end of the top board of the instrument main body upon opening/closing of the cover, and a musical score, a piece of paper, a clip, or the like may fall from the gap. As a result, a necessary thing is lost, or a mechanism or a circuit in the instrument main body may be broken down due to the object which has fallen inside the instrument main body. In order to eliminate such inconvenience, a large dust cover must be arranged under the keyboard cover opening/closing mechanism, or a portion of the top board must be pivotally hinged to the back board to be pivoted to open the upper portion of the instrument main body, thus allowing removal of an object which has fallen inside the instrument main body. Such an arrangement increases the cost. In addition, an object which has fallen inside the instrument main body cannot be removed unless a user notices it. Moreover, if a sufficient spring constant as a damper is provided to a spring for a damper mechanism, as a safety means, for damping a pivoting force based on the weight of a keyboard cover, the pivoting force based on the weight of the cover upon closing balances the damping force of the spring. As a result, the cover floats from the keyboard portion, and a feeling that the cover is reliably closed and the stability of the cover are impaired.

The invention proceeds from an optical plug-in connector, having a first plug part and a second plug part which can be latched to said first plug part, wherein the optical plug-in connector has, along a plug axis, a plug-in region in a front region and a connection region in a rear region. Optical plug-in connectors of this kind are required in order to establish a releasable connection between two optical conductors or cables and to release said connection again. Coupling of two optical conductors is very complicated since the connection has to be free of contaminants and is therefore highly susceptible to faults. The light exit and light entry areas of the optical conductors have to be extremely clean and free of contaminants in order for contact to be made. In the plug-connected state, it is also necessary to ensure that, as far as possible, no contaminants, moisture or dust come into contact with the contact points. Any kind of foreign body on the coupling point between the conductors has an adverse effect on the transmission accuracy of the plug-in connector. In order to reduce the influence of foreign bodies on the transmission point, so-called beam widening is often used in optical plug-in connectors. In this case, the optical beam which exits from the optical conductor is widened by means of a lens. The diameter of the light beam is increased in size and oriented in parallel by the lens. Contaminants made up of small particles are smaller in relation to the light beam with its relatively large cross section obtained in this way. The widened light beam is therefore less sensitive to contaminants, soiling and moisture than the light beam in its original size. Therefore, optically widened light beams are advantageously used in the field of optical plug-in connectors. One problem with plug-in connectors of this kind is created by the production method. A high degree of accuracy is required for producing optical plug-in connectors which are intended to widen an optical beam, transmit said optical beam and focus said optical beam again. Many traditional production methods, such as injection-molding methods for example, are highly inaccurate for this purpose. The primary reason for this is that, in the injection-molding method, different areas of the article produced are provided in different moldings. When these different moldings are assembled, relatively large tolerances occur, these tolerances being transferred to the manufactured article.

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable soybean variety. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. The breeder's goal is to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits. These traits may include higher seed yield, resistance to diseases and insects, reducing the time to crop maturity, tolerance to drought and/or heat, altered fatty acid profiles, abiotic stress tolerance, improvements in compositional traits, and better agronomic characteristics. These product development processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, can take from six to twelve years from the time the first cross is made until the finished seed is delivered to the farmer for planting. Therefore, development of new varieties is a time-consuming process that requires precise planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction. A continuing goal of soybean breeders is to develop stable, high yielding soybean varieties that are agronomically sound with maximal yield over one or more different conditions and environments.

It has been shown that, for time-harmonic electromagnetic fields with exp(-i.omega.t) excitation, a homogeneous, low loss, isotropic chiral (optically active) medium can be described electromagnetically by the following constitutive relations: EQU D=.epsilon.E+i .xi..sub.c B (1) EQU H=i.xi.E+(1/.mu.)B (2) where E, B, D and H are electromagnetic field vectors and .epsilon., .mu., .xi..sub.c represent the dielectric constant, permeability and chirality admittance of the chiral medium, respectively. A "chiral medium" comprises chiral objects of the same handedness, randomly oriented and uniformly distributed. A chiral object is a three-dimensional body that cannot be brought into congruence with its mirror image by translation and rotation. Therefore, all chiral objects can be classified in terms of their "handedness." The term "handedness," as known by those with skill in the art, refers to whether a chiral object is "right-handed" or "left-handed." That is, if a chiral object is fight-handed (left-handed), its mirror image is left-handed (right-handed). Therefore, the mirror image of a chiral object is its enantiomorph. Chiral media exhibit electromagnetic chirality which embraces optical activity and circular dichroism. Optical activity refers to the rotation of the plane of polarization of optical waves by a medium while circular dichroism indicates a change in the polarization ellipticity of optical waves by a medium. Them exists a variety of materials that exhibit optical activity. For example, for 0.63-.mu.m wavelength, TeO.sub.2 exhibits optical activity with a chirality admittance magnitude of 3.83.times.10.sup.-7 mho. This results in a rotation of the plane of polarization of 87.degree. per mm. These phenomena, known since the mid nineteenth century, are due to the presence of the two unequal characteristic wavenumbers corresponding to two circularly polarized eigenmodes with opposite handedness. The fundamentals of electromagnetic chirality are known. See, e.g., J. A. Kong, Theory of Electromagnetic Waves, 1975; E. J. Post, Formal Structure of Electromagnetics, 1962. More recent work includes the macroscopic treatment of electromagnetic waves with chiral structures D. L. Jaggard et at. Applied Physics, 18, 211, 1979; the analysis of dyadic Green's functions and dipole radiation in chiral media, S. Bassiri et al. Alta Frequenza, 2, 83, 1986 and N. Engheta et al. IEEE Trans. on Ant. & Propag., 37, 4, 1989; the reflection and refraction of waves at a dielectric-chiral interface, S. Bassiri et at. J. Opt. Soc. Am. A5, 1450, 1988; and guided-wave structures comprising chiral materials, N. Engheta and P. Pelet, Opt. Lett., 14, 593, 1989. The following table compares the electromagnetic properties of chiral and nonchiral materials: __________________________________________________________________________ Simple Medium Chiral Medium Characteristics D = .epsilon.E D = .epsilon.E + i.xi..sub.c B Constitutive Relations H = (1/.mu.)B H = i.xi..sub.c E + (1/.mu.) __________________________________________________________________________ B Wave Equation .gradient. .times. .gradient. .times. E - k.sup.2 E = .gradient. .times. .gradient. .times. E - k.sup.2 E - 2.omega..mu..xi..sub.c .gradient. .times. E = 0 Wavenumbers ##STR1## ##STR2## Eigenmodes Linear Polarization Allowed RCP and LCP Only Wave Intrinsic Impedance ##STR3## ##STR4## __________________________________________________________________________ Prior radomes have been known and used to protect antenna elements from the adverse effects of a harsh environment. Radomes have also been used to control the radiation cross-section ("RCS") parameters of antennas and antenna arrays that receive and transmit electromagnetic energy. Typically, prior radomes have been made of low loss dielectric materials which have been designed to have minimal interaction with the antennas found therein. However, prior radomes have been unable to efficiently and effectively provide control of radiation and scattering properties for antennas and antenna arrays both in low RCS applications and high efficiency antenna design. There therefore exists a long-felt need in the art for sophisticated and effective antenna radomes to provide sensitive radiation control and RCS management for low profile antennas.

1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to attachment systems for staple line buttress materials. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods of temporarily attaching staple line buttress materials to an anvil and staple containing cartridge of a surgical stapling instrument. 2. Background of Related Art Surgical stapling instruments, or “stapling devices”, are employed by surgeons to sequentially or simultaneously apply one or more rows of fasteners, e.g., staples or two-part fasteners, to body tissue for the purpose of joining segments of body tissue together. Such devices generally include of a pair of jaws or finger-like structures between which the body tissue to be joined is placed. When the stapling device is actuated, or “fired”, longitudinally moving firing bars contact staple drive members in one of the jaws. The staple drive members push the surgical staples through the body tissue and into an anvil in the opposite jaw which crimps the staples closed. If tissue is to be removed or separated, a knife blade can be provided in the jaws of the device to cut the tissue between the lines of staples. When stapling relatively thin or fragile tissues, it is important to effectively seal the staple line against air or fluid leakage. Additionally, it is often necessary to reinforce the staple line against the tissue to prevent tears in the tissue or pulling of the staples through the tissue. One method of preventing tears or pull through involves the placement of a biocompatible fabric reinforcing material, or “buttress” material, between the staple and the underlying tissue. In this method, a layer of buttress material is placed against the tissue and the tissue is stapled in conventional manner. In more recent methods, the buttress material is positioned on the stapling instrument itself prior to stapling the tissue. An exemplary example of this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,594 to McKean et al. In McKean et al., a tube of buttress material is slipped over the jaw of the stapler. The stapler is then actuated to staple the subject tissue and secure the buttress material between the tissue and staple line to reinforce the tissue and staple line. Some novel surgical staplers utilize fasteners or clips to temporarily connect buttress material to the jaws of the staplers. However, in some instances, it would be desirable to mold or machine structure into the jaws themselves to facilitate attachment of correspondingly structured buttress materials. It would be further desirable to provide such structure in a manner which does not interfere with the operation of a knife blade associated with the jaws.

Fishing lures have been provided generally in the shape of spoons and minnows having a line attachment means on one end and hook attachment means on the other, often in the form of embedded or otherwise rigidly attached eyelets. The bodies of such lures have been painted or otherwise coated with reflective material applied as by dipping. Such lures have been bent or weighted so as to provide a variety of movements or actions as, for example, simulating an injured minnow so as to attract fish. The use of reflective paint or material on lures is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 284,056 and 564,839. A lure having a bright color is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,805,416. The fishhook of U.S. Pat. No. 1,390,767 has a body of pliable lead while the sinker of U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,294 has a spoon shape with attachment means on one end. A sinker having a particulate puttylike mass of sinker composition or heavy material is attachable to a fishing line assembly. It is an important object of this invention to provide a lure which is constructed of heavy moldable lead like material which may be bent by the fisherman as desired to vary the action of the lure while casting is facilitated avoiding the addition of at least part of additional sinker material as may otherwise have been necessary to cause the lure to sink and act as desired for a lure of given shape and appearance. It is also an important object of the invention to provide a line to which a reflective tape which may have an iridescent appearance has been adhesively applied. Another important object of the invention is the provision of a lure having a body which may be molded of lead like material to which eyelets may be attached during molding and which may be coated with a water resistant bendable material and to which reflective material may be applied in the material or otherwise as by a reflective adhesive tape.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device equipped with series connected thyristors and adapted for use as a reactive power compensator or the like. FIG. 1 shows a conventional reactive power compensator as an example of this type, wherein there are included an AC power source 1 for supplying a voltage V, a power source impedance 2, an inductive load 3, a reactive power compensator 4, a phase advance capacitor 5, a current controller 6 consisting of a diode 7 and a thyristor 8 which are so connected as to constitute an antiparallel circuit, a voltage transformer 9, a current transformer 10, a reactive power detector 11, and a gate signal generator 12. The reactive power detector 11 serves to detect a reactive power Q out of a circuit voltage V.sub.R obtained from the voltage transformer 9 and a circuit current I.sub.R obtained from the current transformer 10 and, upon increase of the detected reactive power Q to a preset value, feeds a capacitor output command signal q to the gate signal generator 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the gate signal generator 12 comprises a timing pulse generator 121, an inverter 122, AND elements 123a and 123b, and a signal generator 124. The timing pulse generator 121 receives the output V.sub.R of the voltage transformer 9 shown in FIG. 1 and, as illustrated in FIG. 5, produces a gate-on command pulse P.sub.ON synchronously with the negative maximum value of the output V.sub.R and also a gate-off command pulse P.sub.OFF after delay of a predetermined time To therefrom. And both the pulse P.sub.ON and the capacitor output command signal q are fed to the AND circuit 123a, while the pulse P.sub.OFF and the inverted capacitor output command signal q obtained from the inverter 122 are fed to the AND circuit 123b. The gate signal generator 124 consists of a self-excited oscillator which, in response to an input signal received at its terminal A from the AND circuit 123a, feeds a wide-duration gate signal GP to the gate of the thyristor 8 and maintains such an action continuously until arrival of a signal at its terminal B from the AND circuit 123b. FIG. 2 shows a current controller 6 employed when the main circuit of the device is of high-voltage type. This controller consists of a plurality of series connected diodes 7a, 7b and 7c and a plurality of series connected thyristors 8a, 8b and 8c. Also shown are pulse transformer 13 and demodulators 14a, 14b and 14c. Hereinafter the operation of this device will be described with reference to the waveform charts of FIGS. 4 and 5. Since the thyristor 8 remains in its off-state until arrival of the capacitor output command signal q, the phase advance capacitor 5 is charged at a potential equivalent to the negative maximum value V.sub.max of the voltage V, so that a voltage V.sub.A-K having a waveform of FIG. 4 (c) including both the supply voltage V and the output voltage V.sub.C of the capacitor 5 superposed thereon is applied between the anode and the cathode of the thyristor 8. Supposing now that the capacitor output command signal q is produced at time t.sub.0, the gate-on command signal P.sub.ON is not outputted despite application of the signal q to the gate signal generator 12 until time t.sub.1 at which the supply voltage V reaches its negative maximum value, so that the gate signal GP is not generated either until arrival of time t.sub.1. This circuit configuration is designed in such a manner as to prevent flow of a rush current from the phase advance capacitor 5 by placing the thyristor 8 in a conducting state when the voltage V.sub.A-K applied thereto is in the vicinity of its zero level. Upon generation of the gate signal GP, the thyristor 8 is turned on to permit flow of a capacitor current Ic of FIG. 4 via the phase advance capacitor 5, thereby compensating for the reactive power in the main circuit to improve the power factor thereof. When the power factor is thus improved to reduce the reactive power below a predetermined value, the capacitor output command signal q comes to be extinct. But even after extinction of the signal q at time t.sub.2 as shown, the capacitor current Ic still keeps flowing via the diode 7 until time t.sub.4 at which the supply voltage V reaches its negative maximum value. For this reason, the gate-off command pulse P.sub.OFF is preset to have a duration shorter than one cycle of the supply voltage V by the turn-off time T.sub.OFF of the thyristor 8. The above conventional device performs its operation as mentioned when the load 3 is an inductive one. However, in case the load 3 is a thyristor unit or the like, the waveform of the supply voltage V is distorted as shown in FIG. 6 due to higher harmonics included in the circuit current I, so that a distorted current comes to flow in the phase advance capacitor 5. An example of such distorted current is shown in FIG. 6 (d). If the time point, at which the current Icd flowing in the diode 7 (hereinafter referred to as diode current) becomes zero like the capacitor current Ic, deviates toward time t.sub.3 of extinction of the gate signal GP in the case where the current controller 6 is equipped with series connected thyristors 8a, 8b and 8c as shown in FIG. 2, there may occur an undesired phenomenon that, for example, the thyristors 8a and 8b are turned off while the thyristor 8c fails to be turned off because of some variation in the turn-off characteristics of the individual thyristors. And with subsequent increase of the supply voltage V posterior to time t.sub.4, the entire voltage comes to be applied to the thyristor 8c alone to eventually cause its withstand voltage breakdown. (Hereinafter this will be referred to as first case of withstand voltage breakdown.) Furthermore, when the waveform of the capacitor current Ic is distorted as shown in FIG. 7 (d), i.e. in case the current flowing in the circuit of thyristors 8a, 8b and 8c at the time of extinction of the gate signal GP is commutated to the circuit of diodes 7a, 7b and 7c at time t.sub.42 and then is blocked by the thyristors 8a, 8b and 8c at time t.sub.43 : the period from time t.sub.42 to time t.sub.43 is excessively short to fail in securing a sufficient turn-off time as a result, and due to the variation in the characteristics of the individual thyristors, there occurs a phenomenon that, e.g. the thyristor 8c alone is left in its on-state and is finally led to withstand voltage breakdown. (Hereinafter this will be referred to as second case of withstand voltage breakdown.)

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method. 2. Related Art A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a target portion of a substrate. The lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs), flat panel displays, and other devices involving fine structures. In a conventional lithographic apparatus, a patterning means, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, can be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC (or other device), and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g., comprising part of one or several dies) on a substrate (e.g., a silicon wafer or glass plate) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (e.g., resist). Instead of a mask, the patterning means can comprise an array of individually controllable elements that generate the circuit pattern. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively exposed. Known lithographic apparatus include steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion in one go, and scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through the beam in a given direction (the “scanning” direction), while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It will be appreciated that, whether or not a lithographic apparatus operates in stepping or scanning mode, it is desired that the patterned beam or beams is/are directed onto the appropriate target portion of the substrate surface. In many circumstances, multi-layer structures are built up on the surface of the substrate as a result of a sequence of lithographic processing steps. It is of course desired that the successive layers formed in the substrate are correctly in register with each other. Thus, great care is taken to ensure that the position of the substrate relative to the beam projection system is accurately known. Various techniques are used to determine the position of a substrate relative to the beam projection system. These generally rely upon the substrate having formed upon it alignment marks that are arranged around the periphery of areas of the substrate onto which active circuit components or the like are to be formed. These marks are located to provide reference points relative to which the position of target portions on the substrate are determined. The alignment marks can be detected optically using the beam projection system, which is also used to project patterns onto the substrate. Such a “through the lens” or TTL approach to the problem of locating alignment marks allows for the position measurement location to be the same as the image formation location. Thus, “Abbe” errors are minimized. In other systems, the alignment mark detectors and the main beam projection system have different optical axes, in which case some means can be provided for compensating for relative movement of these axes. In an example of a scanning-based system, as the frame supporting the beam projection system and the alignment mark detectors is scanned across the surface of a substrate by moving the substrate, the position of the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the scan direction and the scan speed is adjusted in dependence upon the measured positions of the alignment marks. Alternatively, or additionally, the digital image to be projected can be adjusted. In the case where the patterning means comprises an array of individually controllable elements, this can involve translating or otherwise adjusting the digital pattern applied to the array. The height of the substrate can also be controlled using some type of level sensor arrangement. Typically, a lithographic apparatus of a given production facility is designed (or configured in a relatively inflexible way) for use with substrates of a fixed size. In the case of flat panel displays or color filter plates, the substrate dimensions can be of the order of several meters, with multiple panels being formed on each substrate. The alignment marks are provided around the periphery of the substrate, as well as between panels. However, there is a desire to introduce flexibility in the layout of panels on the substrates, such that a given production facility can be used to produce panels with different dimensions. This has meant that, for non-standard panel layouts, either only alignment marks around the periphery of the substrate can be used (as the periphery is the only “blank” region common to all substrate layouts), or some manual realignment of the detectors must be carried out While a continuous array of alignment mark detectors positioned across the substrate to detect alignment marks in various intermediate positions can be desirable, this is not practical due to the very high resolution required and the number of detectors that that would necessitate. A number of factors, for example thermal effects, can cause local variations in the shape of a substrate. It is therefore desirable to provide alignment marks at relatively small intervals across the surface of the substrate. However, the approach described in the previous paragraph mitigates against this as the entire central area of the substrate is effectively unusable for the placement of alignment marks. Therefore, what is needed is a lithographic apparatus and method that allow for the flexible positioning of alignment marks within the central area of a substrate to be patterned.

Photoelectric technology has spawned a wide variety of digital products, such as scanners, digital cameras, digital video cameras, and the like. Scanners can rapidly transform paper documents to electronic files and have been widely used in paperless office environments. Refer to FIG. 1 for a conventional scanning apparatus 1, which includes at least a body 11, a lid 12, a carrier 13 for holding an optical module, a transport mechanism 14, a human-machine interface 15, a data processing unit 16 and connection lines 17 and 18. The body 11 has a scan window 111 that is permeable to light. The lid 12 is pivotally coupled on one side of the body 11. The carrier 13, transport mechanism 14, data processing unit 16 and connection lines 17 and 18 are housed in the body 11. The transport mechanism 14 is coupled on the carrier 13 to move the carrier 13 reciprocally within the range of the scan window 111. The data processing unit 16 is connected electrically to the carrier 13 and the human-machine interface 15 through the connection lines 17 and 18. When users operate the human-machine interface 15 through the connection line 18, the data processing unit 16 drives the carrier 13 through the connection line 17 to move along the transport mechanism 14 to scan a scanning document (not shown in the drawing) by projecting light through the scan window 111. The optical module determines the scanning quality of the scanning apparatus 1. As the optical module is movable, to prevent the optical module from losing focus or being damaging during transportation, the carrier 13 or the optical module is generally coupled by a locking structure 131 before shipping from the plant so that the carrier 13 (or the optical module) is fixed during transportation or moving to avoid damage. Furthermore, the scanning apparatus 1 is generally quite bulky. When the scanning apparatus 1 is not used, the interior space of the scanning apparatus 1 not filled with scanner elements is not fully utilized.

1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains generally to encoding and decoding data, and more particularly to a method for embedding data in still images and video frames. 2. Description of the Background Art As multimedia data becomes widespread, such as on the internet, there is a need to address issues related to the security and protection of such data, as well as to ensure copyright protection. Most multimedia data sources are readily accessible to, and downloadable by, all users of the internet. While access restriction can be provided using electronic keys, they do not offer protection against further (illegal) distribution of such data. Digital watermarking is one approach to managing this problem by encoding user or other copyright information directly in the data. The purpose of digital watermarking is not to restrict use of multimedia resources, but to resist attack from unauthorized users. While watermarking of image data could be visible, such as a background transparent signature, a visible watermark may not be acceptable to users in some contexts. Therefore, it is preferable to digitally watermark and image by invisibly hiding a signature information into the host image. The signature is then recovered using an appropriate decoding process. In order to be effective, an invisible watermark should be secure, reliable, and resistant to common signal processing operations and intentional attacks. Recovering the signature from the watermarked media could be used to identify the rightful owners and the intended recipients as well as to authenticate the data. In this paper we are mainly interested in embedding data such that the signature is invisible in the host image. The challenge is to simultaneously ensure that the watermarked image be perceptually indistinguishable from the original, and that the signature be recoverable even when the watermarked image has been compressed or transformed by standard image processing operations. Research on digital watermarking can be categorized into two broad classes depending on the data embedding domain. One such class is based on embedding data in the spatial domain, while the other is based on injection in the frequency or transform domain. Most of the recent research on watermarking emphasizes the transform domain approach. Targeted applications include watermarking for copyright protection or authentication. Typically, the data used to represent the digital watermarks are a very small fraction of the host image data. Such signatures include, for example, pseudo-random numbers, trademark symbols and binary images. Spatial domain methods usually modify the least-significant bits of the host image, and are, in general, not robust to operations such as low-pass filtering. Much work has also been done in modifying the data in the transform domain. These include DCT domain techniques and wavelet transforms. While most of the contemporary research on watermarking concentrates on copyright protection in internet data distribution, a different kind of watermarking, commonly known as data hiding, is at present receiving considerable attention. Data hiding is a generalization of watermarking wherein perceptually invisible changes are made to the image pixels for embedding additional information in the data. Data hiding is intended to hide larger amounts of data into a host source, rather than just to check for authenticity and copyright information. In fact, the problem of watermarking or copyright protection is a special case of the generic problem of data hiding, where a small signature is embedded with greater robustness to noise. Data hiding provides a mechanism for embedding control, descriptive, or reference information in a given signal. For example, this information can be used for tracking the use of a particular video clip, e.g., for pay-per-use applications, including billing for commercials and video and audio broadcast. Data hiding could be quite challenging if one considers embedding one image in another image. There has also been work on data hiding in color images. Once method is to use an amplitude modulation scheme wherein signature bits are multiply embedded by modifying pixel values in the blue channel. The blue channel is chosen as the human visual system is less sensitive to blue than other primary colors. Also, changes in regions of high frequencies and high luminance are less perceptible, and thus are favorable locations for data embedding. Robustness is achieved by embedding the signature several times at many different locations in the image. Another approach is use the S-CIELAB, a well-known standard for measuring color reproduction errors. In that approach, amplitude-modulated sinusoidal signals are embedded into the yellow-blue color band of an opponent-color representation scheme. It will also be appreciated that, in perceptual data hiding, one is interested in embedding and recovering high quality multimedia data, such as images, video and audio. The host multimedia data itself could be subject to signal processing operations, typically compression. Depending on the end user application, both lossy and lossless data embedding is of interest. Like in digital watermarking, two scenarios are possible. One is that the original host into which the data is embedded is available. Alternatively, the original host information may not available. This is a much more difficult problem. Data hiding can also be used for transmitting different kinds of information securely over an existing channel dedicated for transmitting something else, such as transmitting hidden speech over a channel meant for transmitting H.263 video, as in this work. Since a substantial amount has already been invested in the development of the software and hardware infrastructure for standard-based data transmission, it makes monetary sense to try to use the same for transmission of secure or non-standard data.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a novel system and methodology for providing information with respect to electronic entertainment and more particularly to an information program content guide which provides for related services. 2. Description of the Related Art Various text based systems for providing information on television shows and the like are now available. However, these devices and/or printed publications are rather limited in their scope. Systems such as the VCR+(trademark) system which employs information found in a local newspaper, provides a code based system which requires that the manual codes printed in a newspaper be entered into a VCR to allow automatic programming of the VCR. This system however, does not allow for an interactive link of the flexibility that is demanded or needed by users at the present time. This invention expands upon, and provides a significant improvement over, the text based preprinted information systems and further provides a mechanism by which additional related services and information can be provided to a user. Other computer and electronic based systems, such as would be found on a cable system, suffer from various other problems, such as a lack of interactivity and the ability to provide interactive links or for the information to be updated in an easy manner. A computer based system is provided in this invention which may use, for example, a personal computer which extracts, consolidates and provides a display mechanism for displaying the various types of information to access from multiple sources of electronic signals and sources for use by an individual. Although this computer system is primarily designed to incorporate a large screen monitor capable for viewing at a distance, this invention should not be considered so limited in its use and in fact be used in conjunction with monitors of all sizes. The computer system of this invention incorporates integrated hardware and functionality in which electronic signals from a plurality of sources and of various types can be acquired by the computer system""s central processing unit. The system interprets and processes information which is played back and displayed to the user. These signals may be acquired from an analog signal or from a digital signal. Just some of the examples of the signal sources might be standard analog television transmission, which occurs over the air, cable analog television transmissions, digital cable television transmissions, and direct broadcast satellites, either digital or analog. Additional digital information can be carried as part of an analog television signal for example, as part of the vertical blanking interval (VBI) or in other portions of the video and audio wave form, including in the picture portion itself. Digital data may also be acquired by the central processor by cable modem, satellite digital video transmission or over standard telephone lines, including Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), wireless transmission, AM/FM radio broadcasts, digital media such as CD ROM, CDI, magnetic diskettes or the like. Further additional information can be acquired from prerecorded items such as would be used in video cassette recorders, audio CD players or the like. This information would then be converted either from its native analog format or reformatted from its stored digital format or transmittal digital format into a data format by which the computer may use this information. The presentation of this information in a manner which is usable by an average user, is one of the significant features and advantages of this invention. Specifically, the computer system acquires information from a multiplicity of electronic signals and provides a coherent mechanism of presenting this information to a user in a format which is easy to understand and suitable for usage. For example, in the case of broadcast television signals, these signals are received and converted into a moving digital graphical display and the processed signals can then be displayed on a system monitor with the accompanying audio signals being received and converted to digital samples and then replayed through the digital display to analog converters provided in the system. Obviously, the signal acquisition method and apparatus and its processing used to present the signal, either visual or aural, will vary depending upon the type of signal source that is received and the manner in which it is received. In the case of digital signal sources, the processing method used to interpret and present the signal obviously depends upon the type of digital information. One of the concerns is how the information is contained within the data stream or on the context in which the data is received. The mechanism by which the signal arrives at the computer system obviously may vary as set forth above and this invention should not be limited to the specific methodology of receiving the signal. In any complex computer system which is capable of receiving and displaying or playing back audio signals, there is obviously a rich and diverse source of signals for entertainment and for content. However, it is difficult for an individual user to select from the wide selection of possible programs and content types in an easy and expeditious manner. In conventional approaches, once a selection is made or in use, it is difficult or time consuming to change to or investigate other signal/content sources without entering complex commands. In the case of searching and finding content delivered over different means (for example, switching from a television broadcast signal and a modem data signal), it may be necessary to consult multiple sources of information or xe2x80x9ccontent guidesxe2x80x9d to determine what material might be of interest to the user and what is available. Another problem that is present in prior art systems is the ease with which actions can be prompted to the user on a given signal type and carried out using another signal type. An example of this is an advertisement on television containing a telephone number for placing an order to purchase goods, or a world wide web address, which is displayed as part of a television program. The conventional method of taking action would be for the user to note the telephone number, pick up a telephone, dial the telephone number, request the specific merchandise and provide credit card information or billing information to the operator. If a world wide web address is provided on the television show, it may require several displays of this address before the user can note the exact syntax of the address, copy it down, enter it into his web browser and communicate with this web page. One of the unique advantages of this invention is an integrated content guide (ICG) with associated features is provided. This content guide provides an integrated method for searching and finding content of interest both within and across pluralities of signal types and programming and provides an integrated approach for the presentation of this information and of advertising information which is sent along with this signal. An additional advantage of this invention is a mechanism by which links and/or related information, which are (is) kept in the context of the program being viewed or listened to, may be used as part of the content guide.