Author: claimsbot

1. A copolyamide, comprising macromolecular units at least the following monomers:
(I) at least one difunctional monomer represented by the abbreviation AB
(II) at least one multifunctional monomer represented by the abbreviation Aa in which A represents a carboxylic acid function
(III) at least one multifunctional monomer represented by the Bb in which B represents an amine function
the functions A and B being capable of reacting with each other to form an amide unit
a and b being numbers that satisfy the following relationships:
a\u22672
b\u22672
a\u22673 if b=2
b\u22673 if a=2
the ratio
ax

ax
+
by
\u2003is between 0.4 and 0.6,
in which x represents the number of moles of monomer (II) and y represents the number of moles of monomer (III)
the ratio
ax
+
by
(

a
+
b

)

*

(

x
+
y
+

0.9
\u2062
z
)
\u2003is less than 0.12%,

in which z represents the number of moles of monomer (I).
2. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1, wherein a\u22673 and b\u22673.
3. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises no unit derived from a monofunctional monomer.
4. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ratio
x
\u2062
x
+
y
x
+
y
+

0.9
*
z
is less than 0.2%.
5. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1 wherein the monomers (II) and (III) are chosen from the monomers represented by formula (a)
in which
C is a covalent bond or an aliphatic hydrocarbon

radical that optionally comprises hetero atoms, and containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms,
X respectively represents for the monomers (III) and (II) a radical
R4 is a linear or cyclic, aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing at least two carbon atoms and optionally comprising hetero atoms,
m is an integer between 3 and 8, limits included.
6. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1 wherein the monomer (I) is chosen from caprolactam and aminocaproic acid, and mixtures thereof.
7. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1 wherein the melt flow index, measured at 275\xb0 C. under 5 kg, is less than 10 g10 minutes.
8. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 1 wherein it is obtained by mixing, in an extrusion device, at least the following three compounds:
compound (I): a polyamide containing repeating units of formula (c)

below:
\u2014(NH\u2014R1\u2014CO\u2014(c)

compound (II): monomer (II) as defined above
compound (III): monomer (III) as defined above

the ratio
ax

ax
+
by
,
being between 0.4 and 0.6,
in which x represents the number of moles of compound (II) and y represents the number of moles of compound (III)
the ratio
ax
+
by
(

a
+
b

)

*

(

x
+
y
+
z

)
\u2003being less than 0.3%
in which z represents the number of moles of repeating units in compound (I)
the radical R1 being a hydrocarbon radical optionally comprising hetero atoms.
9. A composition comprising a copolyamide matrix and a reinforcing filler, wherein the matrix consists of a copolyamide as claimed in claim 1.
10. A yarn, fiber, filament, molded or injection-molded article, or film consisting of a copolyamide or of a composition as claimed in claim 1.
11. An article obtained by extrusion blow-molding of a polyamide or of a composition as claimed in claim 1.
12. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 5, wherein C is a aliphatic hydrocarbon radical optionally comprising hetero atoms, and containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
13. The copolyamide as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ratio
ax
+
by
(

a
+
b

)

*

(

x
+
y
+
z

)
is less than 0.2%.

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 comprising:
detect, at a computer system, commencement of a user session in an on-line trading platform, the user session comprising an initial search request;
examine the initial search request in the user session;
determine that the initial search request includes a phrase that represents a brand name, the brand name identifying a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name;
examine brand resilience value assigned to the brand name, the brand resilience value indicating importance of the brand name to users of the on-line trading platform; and
based on the brand resilience value, using at least one processor of the computer system, select a search strategy for the user session.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search strategy is a brand-focused search strategy, the brand-focused search strategy comprising presenting item listings associated with the brand name and omitting presenting item listings associated with further brand names that are distinct from the brand name.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the search strategy is a brand-neutral search strategy, the brand-neutral search strategy comprising presenting item listings associated with the brand name and also presenting item listings associated with one or more further brand names that are distinct from the brand name.
4. The method of claim 1, comprising determining brand resilience value for the brand name in response to the initial search request.
5. The method of claim 1, comprising accessing the brand resilience value for the brand name in response to the initial search request, the brand resilience value being stored in a database.
6. The method of claim 4, comprising determining the brand resilience value as a function of brand popularity value for the brand name and the on-click percentage value for the brand name.
7. The method of claim 4, comprising determining the brand popularity value for the brand name as a function of a number of searches in the on-line trading platform, over a period of time, that include the brand name.
8. The method of claim 4, comprising determining the on-click percentage value for the brand name as a focused number of clicks by a user, during a single session, on references to item listings that include a particular brand name, divided by a total number of clicks by the user, during that same session, on references to item listings that include any brand name.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the brand resilience value comprises:
determining a position of a brand name in an x-y scatterplot, where x-axis is log(brand popularity value) and y-axis is log(on-click percentage value);
calculate a line of regression m(x) in the x-y scatterplot with respect to a plurality of brands, the brand name being from the plurality of brands;
calculating a standard deviation sd with respect to the plurality of brands in the x-y scatterplot; and
calculating the brand resilience value as a number of standard deviations above or below the line of regression.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected search strategy utilizes brand affinity value for the brand name and a further brand name, the brand affinity value indicating likelihood of a user who is interested in a target brand represented by the brand name being also interested in a further brand represented by a further brand name, the determining of the brand affinity value based on correlation of transactions with respect to item listing that include the brand name and transactions with respect to item listings that include the further brand name, by the same user in the on-line trading platform.
11. A computer-implemented system comprising:
at least one processor coupled to a memory;
a new session detector to detect, using the at least one processor, commencement of a user session in an on-line trading platform, the user session comprising an initial search request;
a session type module to:
examine, using the at least one processor, the initial search request in the user session, and
determine, using the at least one processor, that the initial search request includes a phrase that represents a brand name, the brand name identifying a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name;

a brand resilience module to examine, using the at least one processor, brand resilience value assigned to the brand name, the brand resilience value indicating importance of the brand name to users of the on-line trading platform; and
a search strategy selector to select, based on the brand resilience value, using the at least one processor, a search strategy for the user session.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the search strategy is a brand-focused search strategy, the brand-focused search strategy comprising presenting item listings associated with the brand name and omitting presenting item listings associated with further brand names that are distinct from the brand name.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the search strategy is a brand-neutral search strategy, the brand-neutral search strategy comprising presenting item listings associated with the brand name and also presenting item listings associated with one or more further brand names that are distinct from the brand name.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the brand resilience module is to determine brand resilience value for the brand name in response to the initial search request.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the brand resilience module is to access the brand resilience value for the brand name in response to the initial search request, the brand resilience value being stored in a database.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the brand resilience module is to determine brand resilience value for the brand name as a function of brand popularity value for the brand name and the on-click percentage value for the brand name.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the brand resilience module is to determine the brand popularity value for the brand name as a function of a number of searches in the on-line trading platform, over a period of time, that include the brand name.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein the brand resilience module is to determine the on-click percentage value for the brand name as a focused number of clicks by a user, during a single session, on references to item listings that include a particular brand name, divided by a total number of clicks by the user, during that same session, on references to item listings that include any brand name.
19. The system of claim 11, wherein the selected search strategy utilizes brand affinity value for the brand name and a further brand name, the brand affinity value indicating likelihood of a user who is interested in a target brand represented by the brand name being also interested in a further brand represented by a further brand name.
20. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium having instruction data to cause a machine to:
detect commencement of a user session in an on-line trading platform, the user session comprising an initial search request;
examine the initial search request in the user session;
determine that the initial search request includes a phrase that represents a brand name, the brand name identifying a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name;
examine brand resilience value assigned to the brand name, the brand resilience value indicating importance of the brand name to users of the on-line trading platform; and
based on the brand resilience value, select a search strategy for the user session.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host, the steps comprising:
a) generating a quasi-unique ID value and associating said quasi-unique ID value with a command to be issued by a host to a printer operatively connected thereto;
b) issuing said command and said associated quasi-unique ID value to said printer;
c) executing said command at said printer;
d) returning status information from said printer to said host, said status information comprising said quasi-unique ID value.
2. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 1, wherein said quasi-unique ID value comprises an integer generated by said host.
3. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 1, the steps further comprising:
e) storing said command in a buffer within said printer prior to attempting to execute said command step (c).
4. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 3, wherein said buffer comprises at least a current command pointer and a previous command pointer.
5. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 4, wherein said buffer comprises means for storing a last command status byte.
6. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 5, wherein said buffer comprises an input buffer adapted to receive and store a stream of data comprising commands and characters to be printed.
7. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 1, wherein said returning step (d) comprises said host issuing a printer command status (PCS) command to said printer.
8. A method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host, the steps comprising:
a) providing a printer for receiving a stream of data comprising commands and characters to be printed from a host operatively connected to said printer;
b) issuing a plurality of commands from said host to said printer, each of said plurality of commands a quasi-unique ID value;
c) storing said plurality of commands in an input buffer within said printer;
d) parsing said commands in said input buffer; and
e) upon receipt of a PCS command, returning said quasi-unique ID value associated with the command most recently executed by said printer and at least a portion of the status information.
9. A method for restarting a print job in a POS printer, the steps comprising:
a) providing a host computer for supporting a POS printer connected thereto, said host issuing a plurality of commands to said POS printer, each of said commands having a first quasi-unique ID value associated therewith;
b) providing a POS printer connected to said host for receiving and storing said plurality of commands from said host;
c) establishing an identical starting value for both first and second quasi-unique ID values in said host and communicating said second quasi-unique ID starting value to said printer;
d) issuing a plurality of commands at said host and storing said plurality of commands at said printer; and
e) parsing and executing each one of said plurality of commands issued by said host and stored by said printer, as each command is executed, associating said second quasi-unique ID value with the command being executed;
whereby a print job at said POS printer may be restarted dependent upon which of said plurality of commands executed successfully there at.
10. The method for restarting a print job in a POS printer as recited in claim 9, the steps further comprising:
f) incrementing said second quasi-unique ID value upon completion of execution of each of said commands.
11. The method for restarting a print job in a POS printer as recited in claim 10, the steps further comprising:
g) upon request from said host, returning status information from said printer to said host, said status information including said second quasi-unique ID value.
12. The method for restarting a print job in a POS printer as recited in claim 11, the steps further comprising:
h) using said returned status information including said second quasi-unique ID value to determine which of said plurality of commands issued by said host executed properly at said printer.
13. A method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host, the steps comprising:
a) generating a quasi-unique ID value and associating said quasi-unique ID value with a command to be issued by a host to a printer operatively connected thereto;
b) issuing said command and said associated quasi-unique ID value to said printer;
c) monitoring said printer for the occurrence of an abnormal condition which prevents execution of issued commands;
d) generating a unsolicited status response to said host, said unsolicited status response comprising said quasi-unique ID value associated with an issued command upon occurrence of said abnormal condition in said printer.
14. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 13, wherein said abnormal condition comprises at least one from the group: accidental opening of the printer cover during execution of said command, running out of media upon which to print, power failure, and printer input buffer overflow.
15. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 13, wherein said printer comprises means for periodically generating an unsolicited status response to said host.
16. The method for linking a status response from a printer to a host with a specific command issued by the host as recited in claim 15, wherein said period for providing said unsolicited status response to said host is programmable by said host.

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

What is claimed is:

1. An optical disk reproducing apparatus reproducing information from an optical disk having information recorded by formation of a string of a plurality of pits having at least two different depths, by irradiation of an optical beam, comprising:
a photoreceptor element detecting a quantity of reflected light of said optical beam from said optical disk;
a pit depth detecting unit detecting a depth of each pit formed on said optical disk, based on the quantity of reflected light detected by said photoreceptor element;
a servo signal generating unit, generating a tracking servo signal allowing said optical beam to track said pit string, by detecting deviation between said optical beam and said pit string, based on the quantity of reflected light detected by said photoreceptor element; and
an output control unit controlling an output of the tracking servo signal generated by said servo signal generating unit, based on the result of detection by said pit depth detecting unit.
2. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said output control unit supplies the tracking servo signal generated by said servo signal generating unit for tracking by said optical beam, when a pit having such depth that is to be reproduced is being tracked, and holds and supplies for tracking by said optical beam the tracking servo signal generated at the time of tracking of said pit having the depth to be reproduced, when a pit of a different depth is being tracked, based on the result of detection by said pit depth detecting unit.
3. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said pit depth detecting unit detects depth of each pit, based on a difference in the quantity of reflected light from said pit string along tangential direction.
4. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
said pit depth detecting unit includes a first detecting unit generating a first signal representing the quantity of reflected light from said pit string,
a second detecting unit generating a second signal indicative of the difference of the quantity of reflected light from said pit string along the tangential direction, and
a third detecting unit generating a third signal indicative of depth of each pit, based on said first and second signals.
5. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
said third detecting unit includes
a first comparing circuit comparing said second signal with a first reference value,
a second comparing circuit comparing said second signal with a second reference value, and
a holding circuit holding results of comparison by said first and second comparing circuits, at a time point of change of said first signal.
6. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said servo signal generating unit generates said tracking servo signal, by detecting a phase difference in the quantity of reflected light detected by said photoreceptor element.
7. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said servo signal generating unit generates said tracking servo signal, by detecting a difference in the quantity of reflected light detected by said photoreceptor element from an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side of said optical disk.
8. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said photoreceptor element has a cross-shape, divided into two along the tangential direction and divided into two along the radial direction of said optical disk.
9. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said photoreceptor element is divided into two along the tangential direction of said optical disk, one of the two-split photoreceptor element is further divided into two along the tangential direction of said optical disk, and the other is further divided into two along the radial direction of said optical disk.
10. An optical disk having a track including a plurality of recessed and protruded portions formed thereon, from which information is reproduced by optical beam irradiation, the recessed and protruded portions existing mixedly such that a signal indicative of a deviation between said optical beam and said track is detected with different polarity at each of the recessed and protruded portions, wherein
ratio of mixture of said recessed and protruded portions is set such that a tracking servo signal, obtained by time-averaging said detected signal in a time period shorter than a response time of tracking servo when said optical beam tracks said track, has one of said different polarities.
11. The optical disk according to claim 10, wherein
said formed recessed and protruded portions are pits.
12. The optical disk according to claim 10, wherein
said formed recessed and protruded portions include a recording mark.
13. The optical disk according to claim 10, wherein said formed recessed and protruded portions include a groove andor a land.
14. The optical disk according to claim 10, wherein
said detected signal is a signal detected based on a phase difference in the quantity of light reflected from said recessed and protruded portions of said optical beam.
15. The optical disk according to claim 10, wherein
said detected signal is a signal detected based on a difference in the quantity of light reflected from said recessed and protruded portions of said optical beam between an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side of said optical disk.
16. A optical disk reproducing apparatus reproducing information from an optical disk having information recorded by formation of a track formed of a plurality of recessed and protruded portions, by an optical beam irradiation, comprising:
a photoreceptor element detecting a quantity of reflected light of said optical beam from said optical disk;
a signal detecting unit detecting a signal indicative of a deviation between said optical beam and said track, based on the quantity of reflected light detected by said photodetector element, said optical disk having recessed and protruded portions existing mixedly, from which said signal is detected with the polarity being different in each of the recessed and protruded portions;
a servo signal generating unit generating a tracking servo signal by time-averaging said detected signal in a time period shorter than a response time of tracking servo when said optical beam tracks said track, ratio of mixture of said recessed and protruded portions being set such that said generated tracking servo signal has one of said different polarities; and
a gain changing unit changing gain of the tracking servo, in accordance with magnitude of said generated tracking servo signal.
17. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein
the recessed and protruded portions formed on said optical disk are pits.
18. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claiml6, wherein
the recessed and protruded portions formed on said optical disk includes a recording mark.
19. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the recessed and protruded portions formed on said optical disk includes a groove andor a land.
20. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein
said signal detecting unit detects said signal based on a phase difference in the quantity of light reflected from said recessed and protruded portions of said optical beam.
21. The optical disk reproducing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein
said signal detecting unit detects said signal based on a difference in the quantity of light reflected from said recessed and protruded portions of said optical beam between an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side of said optical disk.
22. A method of tracking an optical disk having a track including a plurality of recessed and protruded portions formed thereon, from which information is reproduced by optical beam irradiation, comprising the steps of:
detecting a quantity of reflected light of said optical beam from said optical disk;
detecting a signal indicative of a deviation between said optical beam and said track, based on said detected quantity of reflected light, wherein said optical disk includes recessed and protruded portions existing mixedly from which said signal is detected with the polarity being different in each of said recessed and protruded portions;
generating a tracking servo signal by time-averaging said detected signal in a time period shorter than a response time of tracking servo when said optical beam tracks said track, wherein ratio of mixture of said recessed and protruded portions is set such that said generated tracking servo signal has one of said different polarities; and
changing gain of the tracking servo in accordance with magnitude of said generated tracking servo signal.
23. The method according to claim 22, wherein
the recessed and protruded portions generated on said optical disk are pits.
24. The method according to claim 22, wherein
the recessed and protruded portions formed on said optical disk includes a recording mark.
25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the recessed and protruded portions formed on said optical disk includes a groove andor a land.
26. The method according to claim 22, wherein
in said step of detecting said signal, said signal is detected based on a phase difference in the quantity of light reflected from said recessed and protruded portions of said optical beam.
27. The method according to claim 22, wherein
in said step of detecting said signal, said signal is detected based on a difference in the quantity of light reflected from said recessed and protruded portions of said optical beam between an inner peripheral side and an outer peripheral side of said disk.