Author: claimsbot

1. A buckle comprising:
a socket and a plug,
wherein the socket comprises: a cylindrical main body having an insertion port into which the plug is can be inserted at one end and an attachment to which a corded member is attachable at another end; a hollow part formed within the main body; a pair of left and right openings continuous to the hollow part and penetrating through wall parts of the main body; and a pair of left and right first latch surfaces defined on opening-side wall surfaces of the wall parts of the main body and exposed from the openings to the attachment, the opening-side wall surfaces inclined in a direction intersecting with an insertion direction of the plug,
wherein the plug comprises: a base to which a corded member is attachable; a pair of left and right arms extended from one end of the base; and a pair of left and right second latch surfaces protruding outward from outer sides of the arms, respectively, and inclined in the direction intersecting with the insertion direction of the plug, respectively, the second latch surfaces engagable with the first latch surfaces,
and wherein inner ends of the second latch surfaces are brought into contact with lines that extend in parallel to the insertion direction of the plug and pass through inner side portions located at outermost portions on inner sides of proximal ends of the arms, or disposed further inside the lines.
2. The buckle of claim 1, wherein an inclination angle \u03b8 of each of the second latch surfaces is between 10 degrees and 20 degrees.
3. The buckle of claim 1, wherein the buckle has a minimum tensile strength of 1335N or more and a release load of between 15 N and 25 N.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of performing a multi-register scatter instruction in a computer processor, comprising:
fetching the multi-register scatter instruction that includes a source operand and a destination operand, wherein the source operand specifies a source vector register that includes a plurality of source data elements, wherein the destination operand identifies a first plurality of destination data elements, wherein each of the destination data elements specifies a destination vector register and an index into that destination vector register;
decoding the fetched multi-register scatter instruction; and
executing the decoded multi-register scatter instruction causing, for each of the first plurality of destination data elements, the one of the source data elements that is in a position in the source vector register that corresponds with a position of that destination data element to be stored in the destination vector register at the index specified by that destination data element.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination operand specifies a vector register that identifies the first plurality of destination data elements.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the vector register specified by the destination operand includes a second plurality of destination data elements that includes the first plurality of destination data elements and at least one destination data element that indicates that the one of the source data elements that is in a position in the source vector register that corresponds with that destination data element is not to be stored in a destination vector register as a result of executing the decoded multi-register scatter instruction.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the source vector register and the vector register specified by the destination operand are each 512-bits.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the first plurality of destination data elements is 32-bits of which 8 bits indicate a destination vector register and 8 bits indicate an index into that destination vector register.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination operand specifies a memory location that identifies the first plurality of destination data elements.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the source vector register is 512-bits.
8. A processor core, comprising:
a hardware decode unit to decode a multi-register scatter instruction, wherein the multi-register scatter instruction includes a source operand and a destination operand, wherein the source operand specifies a source vector register that includes a plurality of source data elements, wherein the destination operand identifies a first plurality of destination data elements, wherein each of the destination data elements specifies a destination vector register and an index into that destination vector register; and
an execution engine unit to execute the decoded multi-register scatter instruction which causes, for each of the first plurality of destination data elements, the one of the source data elements that is in a position in the source vector register that corresponds with a position of that destination data element to be stored in the destination vector register at the index specified by that destination data element.
9. The processor core of claim 8, wherein the destination operand specifies a vector register that identifies the first plurality of destination data elements.
10. The processor core of claim 9, wherein the vector register specified by the destination operand includes a second plurality of destination data elements that includes the first plurality of destination data elements and at least one destination data element that indicates that the one of the source data elements that is in a position in the source vector register that corresponds with that destination data element is not to be stored in a destination vector register as a result of executing the decoded multi-register scatter instruction.
11. The processor core of claim 9, wherein the source vector register and the vector register specified by the destination operand are each 512-bits.
12. The processor core of claim 11, wherein each of the first plurality of destination data elements is 32-bits of which 8 bits indicate a destination vector register and 8 bits indicate an index into that destination vector register.
13. The processor core of claim 8, wherein the destination operand specifies a memory location that identifies the first plurality of destination data elements.
14. The processor core of claim 8, wherein the source vector register is 512-bits.
15. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a tangible machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a multi-register scatter instruction, wherein the multi-register scatter instruction includes a source operand and a destination operand, wherein the source operand specifies a source vector register that includes a plurality of source data elements, wherein the destination operand identifies a first plurality of destination data elements, wherein each of the destination data elements specifies a destination vector register and an index into that destination vector register; and
wherein the multi-register scatter instruction includes an opcode, which instructs a machine to execute the instruction that causes, for each of the first plurality of destination data elements, the one of the source data elements that is in a position in the source vector register that corresponds with a position of that destination data element to be stored in the destination vector register at the index specified by that destination data element.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the destination operand specifies a vector register that identifies the first plurality of destination data elements.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the vector register specified by the destination operand includes a second plurality of destination data elements that includes the first plurality of destination data elements and at least one destination data element that indicates that the one of the source data elements that is in a position in the source vector register that corresponds with that destination data element is not to be stored in a destination vector register as a result of executing the decoded multi-register scatter instruction.
18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the source vector register and the vector register specified by the destination operand are each 512-bits.
19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein each of the first plurality of destination data elements is 32-bits of which 8 bits indicate a destination vector register and 8 bits indicate an index into that destination vector register.
20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the destination operand specifies a memory location that identifies the first plurality of destination data elements.

1. An image processing apparatus that is connected to a network and that executes an image processing job, comprising:
a memory storing firmware;
an image processing job reception unit for receiving an image processing job;
a firmware obtaining unit for obtaining new firmware for a rewrite purpose;
a firmware rewrite controller for rewriting the firmware stored in the memory to the obtained new firmware; and
a job transfer controller for transferring an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when the new firmware is obtained to when rewriting of the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.
2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising,
a judgment unit for judging whether the unexecuted image processing job is to be transferred or not, by referring to job attribute information that indicates an attribute of the unexecuted image processing job,
wherein the job transfer controller transfers the unexecuted image processing job when the judgment unit judges that the unexecuted image processing job is to be transferred.
3. The image processing apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the job attribute information is an identification number of a client apparatus that has transmitted the unexecuted image processing job, and
the judgment unit judges that the unexecuted image processing job is not to be transferred, when the identification number does not match an identification number that is registered in advance as a number for which such a job transfer is permitted.
4. The image processing apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the job attribute information is a processing time period that is predicted to be required for executing the unexecuted image processing job, and
the judgment unit judges that the unexecuted image processing job is not to be transferred, when the processing time period is shorter than a predetermined time period.
5. The image processing apparatus of claim 4,
wherein the judgment unit includes
a calculation subunit for calculating the processing time period, based on a data amount of the unexecuted image processing job and an image processing speed of the apparatus.
6. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the job transfer controller includes:
an obtaining subunit for obtaining apparatus attribute information for a plurality of other image processing apparatuses connected to the network, the apparatus attribute information indicating attributes of the plurality of other image processing apparatuses; and
a selection subunit for selecting a transfer target out of the plurality of other image processing apparatuses, based on the obtained apparatus attribute information.
7. The image processing apparatus of claim 6,
wherein the apparatus attribute information includes at least one of a number of colors, a resolution, an installation location, and an image processing job’s wait status.
8. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising,
an output unit for outputting information indicating a transfer target to which the unexecuted image processing job is to be transferred.
9. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the network includes the Internet, and
the firmware is distributed via the Internet as being attached to e-mail.
10. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the image processing apparatus includes a printer, and
the image processing job includes a print job.
11. An image processing method for use in an image processing apparatus that is connected to a network, has a function of rewriting firmware incorporated therein, and executes a received image processing job based on new firmware to which the firmware has been rewritten, the image processing method comprising:
an obtaining step of obtaining new firmware for a rewrite purpose; and
a transfer step of transferring an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when the new firmware is obtained to when rewriting of the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.
12. The image processing method of claim 11, further comprising,
a judgment step of judging whether the unexecuted image processing job is to be transferred or not, by referring to job attribute information that indicates an attribute of the unexecuted image processing job,
wherein in the transfer step, the unexecuted image processing job is transferred when a judgment result in the judgment step shows that the unexecuted image processing job is to be transferred.
13. The image processing method of claim 12,
wherein the job attribute information is an identification number of a client apparatus that has transmitted the unexecuted image processing job, and
in the judgment step, a judgment result shows that the unexecuted image processing job is not to be transferred, when the identification number does not match an identification number that is registered in advance as a number for which such a job transfer is permitted.
14. The image processing method of claim 12,
wherein the job attribute information is a processing time period that is predicted to be required for executing the unexecuted image processing job, and
in the judgment step, a judgment result shows that the unexecuted image processing job is not to be transferred, when the processing time period is shorter than a predetermined time period.
15. The image processing method of claim 11,
wherein the job transfer step includes:
an obtaining substep of obtaining apparatus attribute information for a plurality of other image processing apparatuses connected to the network, the apparatus attribute information indicating attributes of the plurality of other image processing apparatuses; and
a selection substep of selecting a transfer target out of the plurality of other image processing apparatuses, based on the obtained apparatus attribute information.
16. The image processing method of claim 11, further comprising,
an output step of outputting information that indicates a transfer target to which the unexecuted image processing job is to be transferred.
17. A computer readable medium having a computer program thereon for effecting an image processing method for use in an image processing apparatus that is connected to a network, has a function of rewriting firmware incorporated therein, and executes a received image processing job based on new firmware to which the firmware has been rewritten, the image processing method comprising:
an obtaining step of obtaining new firmware for a rewrite purpose; and
a transfer step of transferring an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when the new firmware is obtained to when rewriting of the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A system for use in a surgical procedure, the system comprising:
a pneumatic instrument having an inlet and an outlet;
a tank fluidly coupled to the inlet of the pneumatic instrument, wherein the tank provides pressurized helium gas to power the pneumatic instrument; and
a compressor fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pneumatic instrument, wherein the compressor receives the helium gas exhausted from the pneumatic instrument and compresses the exhausted helium gas to supply the tank with pressurized helium gas.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprises:
at least one valve for regulating a flow of pressurized helium gas from the tank to the pneumatic instrument; and
a controller for controlling the compressor and the at least one valve.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller utilizes pressure feedback to maintain a substantially constant pressure for the helium gas contained within the tank.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller utilizes pressure feedback to minimize a runtime of the compressor.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filter for filtering out contaminants in the helium gas exhausted from the pneumatic instrument.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the filter is disposable.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic instrument comprises a vane motor.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic instrument is sealed to prevent the helium gas from escaping.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a conduit having an inner passage and an outer passage, wherein the inner passage is fluidly coupled to the inlet of the pneumatic instrument and the outer passage is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pneumatic instrument.
10. A method for use in a surgical procedure, the method comprising:
providing a supply of pressurized helium gas;
driving a pneumatic surgical instrument with the pressurized helium gas;
exhausting the helium gas coming from the pneumatic surgical instrument into a compressor; and
compressing the exhausted helium gas to restore the supply of pressurized helium gas.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising filtering out contaminants in the helium gas exhausted from the pneumatic surgical instrument.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling the compressor to maintain a substantially constant pressure level for the supply of pressurized helium gas.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein controlling the compressor comprises minimizing a runtime of the compressor.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the pneumatic surgical instrument is sealed to prevent the helium gas from escaping.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pneumatic surgical instrument comprises a vane motor.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising regulating a flow of pressurized helium gas going through the pneumatic surgical instrument.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein regulating the flow of pressurized helium gas is performed by at least one valve.
18. A kit for use in a medical procedure, the kit comprising:
a surgical instrument having a pneumatic motor assembly; and
a supply of pressurized helium gas for powering the surgical instrument;
wherein the helium gas exhausted from the surgical instrument is recycled and compressed by a compressor to restore the supply of pressurized helium gas.
19. The kit of claim 18, further comprising a controller for controlling the compressor to maintain a substantially constant pressure level for the supply of pressurized helium gas.
20. The kit of claim 18, further comprising at least one valve for regulating the flow of pressurized helium gas through the surgical instrument.
21. The kit of claim 18, wherein the pneumatic motor assembly is sealed to prevent leakage of the helium gas.
22. The kit of claim 21, wherein the pneumatic motor assembly comprises a vane motor.
23. The kit of claim 18, further comprising a disposable filter for filtering out contaminants in the helium gas exhausted from the surgical instrument.
24. The kit of claim 18, wherein the supply of pressurized helium gas is stored in a tank.
25. The kit of claim 24, wherein the tank and the compressor are located remotely from the surgical instrument.