A system assigns a byte value to document identifiers in a table. The table includes forward and secondary indexes referenced in key/value pairs of the table, and the keys of the key/value pairs each include a document identifier. The system defines byte ranges, and each of the byte ranges includes a byte value of one of the byte values assigned to the document identifiers. Document identifiers are located in the table using their associated byte values. Keys of the located document identifiers are modified to include a reference to a byte range that encompasses the byte value associated each of the identified document identifiers.

A number of database technologies currently address data processing challenges presented when processing and searching large data sets (e.g., data sets on the order of terabytes and petabytes). Some database technologies implement a sorted, distributed key/value stores. Such database technologies store data in partitions, where each partition includes sorted or sortable key/value pairs. A database technology, such as these, may provide mechanisms that associate keys with values, provide an interface for inserting keys with their associated values (in any order), and provide an efficient interface for retrieving ranges of keys and their associated values in sorted order. An indexed set of key/value pairs that are directly accessed and queried through such mechanisms may be referred to as a forward index of key/value pairs. The forward index is also known as a primary store of one or more partitions associated with a table.
It is also possible to perform queries on secondary indexes that are related to forward indexes. A secondary index is a collection of information that is used to optimize particular types of searches and queries against the sorted key/value pairs of a forward index. It is known to store a secondary index in a way that is co-partitioned, such as in a partition, with the data to which the index entries refer. This technique is known as document-distributed indexing. A document-distributed index (or co-partitioned index) is a secondary index in which each index entry which refers to an object in the forward index is kept in the same partition as the object to which it refers. Partitions storing key/value pairs associated with forward and secondary indexes may be split as their size approaches a maximum size in bytes (e.g., 50 GB) or observed query performance decreases. However, maintaining the co-partitioning of the forward and secondary indexes when a partition is split is challenging and nontrivial.

Partition key/value pair sorting and splitting techniques


A content addressable memory (CAM) including a plurality of rows, each of the rows has a plurality of matchline segments having a plurality of CAM cells coupled thereto. A circuit is provided for precharging the matchline segments to a mismatch condition. For each segment a sense circuit detects a match and in response thereto enables a discharge path in a subsequent segment, to allow matches to be detected therein. This is propagated through all segments in a row to generate a search result for the row.

The present invention relates generally to the field of content addressable memories (CAMs) and more particularly to a circuit and method for reducing power usage during search operations in a CAM.
A CAM is a memory device in which data is accessed and modified based on the content of the stored data, rather than the location where the data is stored. In general, a typical CAM search operation involves receiving a search data word and comparing the search data word with all entries in the CAM to determine whether there exists a single match, a multiple match or a mismatch between the search data word and entries in the CAM. Each storage location in a row of a CAM is connected to a matchline that indicates a match or mismatch result of the comparison between the stored data word and the search word. All match lines indicating a match condition are typically processed by a priority encoder (PE) to determine a highest priority match address which is provided as an output of the CAM.
Each data word and match line combination has a unique N-bit address within the CAM. Accordingly, for any search cycle there may be up to 2N match lines activated. The priority encoder is coupled to the match lines and generates an N-bit address corresponding to the highest priority active match line. This N-bit address may then be used, for example, as a pointer in an Internet Protocol (IP) routing table lookup, compression and decompression or fully associative cache memory implementations in microprocessor systems. Ternary CAMs are widely used in networking applications due to their ability to store logic xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, logic xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d as well as xe2x80x9cdon""t carexe2x80x9d states. There is an ever increasing demand for wider data width CAMSs. CAMs are commonly available in data widths (denoted by M) that are 72-bits and 144-bits and more recently 288-bits wide.
With increasing data widths, power or current consumption during search operations in the CAM becomes increasingly important. The reason for this may be explained as follows.
In a search operation, data is provided to the CAM for comparing to stored data. The CAM cells are normally designed such that a match between search data and stored data provides a non-conductive path, whereas a mis-match provides a conductive path. A row of CAM consists of cells coupled in parallel between common nodes called a match line (ML) and a tail line (TL). Each individual ML connects to M cells (where M is the number of bits or usually the data width). Typically, in a search operation, M-bit search data is provided to a search data path which consists of M search lines coupled to corresponding columns of CAM cells. All N-rows of the CAM simultaneously then compare the search data with the stored data in each cell-typically implemented as an exclusive-OR comparison block-and provide a result of his comparison to each match line associated with each row of the CAM. The result on the match line is then sensed, amplified and typically latched in order to provide a logic level result of the search operation.
There are two main sources of substantial power consumption during search operations in CAM""s: power consumed by match lines and power consumed by search lines. Conventionally, all match lines are precharged to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99 state (a match condition), and then the comparison with search data is allowed to pull match lines to a logic xe2x80x98Lxe2x80x99 state (a miss condition).
In most CAM applications xe2x80x9cmissesxe2x80x9d occur more frequently than xe2x80x9chitsxe2x80x9d. Precharging match lines to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99 and discharging match lines to logic xe2x80x98Lxe2x80x99 for misses tends to generate high power consumption due to the high current associated with charging and discharging all match lines for each search operation. In additions with an increased number of cells connected to each match line for wider-word CAM applications, the capacitance of match lines increases accordingly, which in turn increases the current required to charge and discharge the match lines.
Various solutions have been proposed for reducing the power consumed during search operations, such as segmenting match lines into multiple segments and activating segments sequentially based on match or miss results of previous segments,
For example, a segmented match line architecture is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,280 (Wong et al.)., wherein rows of the CAM are partitioned into a plurality of segments. For each match line, the first of the plurality of match line segments is precharged and a search operation is performed on the first segment. In case of a match in the first segment, the second match line segment is selectively precharged and searching proceeds to the second segment. If there is a match in the second segment, a third segment is precharged and searching proceeds in a similar manner until all segments of a match line have been searched. Precharging of a subsequent segment therefore only occurs in case of a match result in a previous segment. In the case of a match in all segments, selective precharging each segment to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99 however still requires a large current. Furthermore, a significant delay is introduced in the search time by having to wait for the selective precharge to occur in a segment before proceeding with the actual comparison in that segment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,970 (Pereira) a match line is divided into multiple segments all of which are simultaneously precharged to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99 state prior to beginning a search operation. In addition, each CAM cell has an associated discharge circuit for selectively discharging its corresponding match line segment in response to a disable signal from a previous match line segment. A segment therefore is only discharged if the immediately preceding segment results in a miss while all subsequent segments remain precharged to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99. As a result, the miss condition of one segment is propagated along the remainder of the row without discharging all other segments along the row. While this approach alleviates the problem of delays introduced by selectively precharging segments, the potential for high current consumption still remains, since all match lines must first be precharged to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99 state. In addition, the match detect of each segment must be synchronized to a clock signal, clocked since the match line precharges to a hit. As a result, either a number of internal clocks must be generated, or the system clock must be used which increases system latency. Finally, in order to prevent discharge before the segment is enabled a series coupled device is added to each CAM cell, thereby increasing chip area and slowing down the entire operation.
In an article entitled xe2x80x9cUse of Selective Precharge for Low Power on the Match Lines of Content Addressable Memoriesxe2x80x9d by Zukowski et al. IEEE 1997 there is described a method whereby a small segment of an overall match line is precharged and used to perform a partial comparison first and only if a match occurs in that first small segment is the remaining segment of the match line precharged and eventually searched. The article also suggests that theoretically the selective precharge technique could be extended to cover more than one stage, but the additional overhead, extra clock phases and additional buffering would not provide any large additional gains over the single stage selective precharge proposed therein. This approach does not consider the possibility of having multiple match line segments working sequentially but independently of clock cycles, providing a sufficiently fast process technology is available to implement the necessary circuitry. Furthermore, the approach discussed by Zukowski et al. still relies on a precharge to a logic xe2x80x98Hxe2x80x99 state which can draw large amounts of current as previously explained.
Thus there is still a need for a CAM which is capable of consuming less power during search operations than conventional search techniques.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for selectively enabling, during a search operation, at least one of a plurality of matchline segments within a row of a content addressable memory (CAM) array, each matchline segment having a plurality of CAM cells coupled thereto, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) setting the matchline segments to a first search result condition;
(b) evaluating a first matchline segment for a second search result condition; and
(c) selectively enabling a second match line segment, in response to the second search result condition in the first matchline segment, so that said second search result condition can be detected thereat.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a content addressable memory (CAM) including a plurality of rows, each of the rows comprising:
(a) a plurality of matchline segments having a plurality of CAM cells coupled thereto;
(b) a circuit for precharging the matchline segments to a first search result condition (miss);
each said segment including:
(i) a sense circuit for detecting a second result condition(hit) therein; and
(ii) a circuit for enabling a discharge path in a subsequent segment, to detect said second search result condition therein(match).

Circuit and method for reducing power usage in a content addressable memory


Data is recursively migrated during uptime from a first table to a second table in a first schema in a database while taking into account changes to the first table in a change table. The database has first and second application servers respectively connecting to the database using first and second schemas and running first and second versions of a software program. Downtime can be initiated to migrate the remaining entries in the change table to the second table, delete the first table, and rename the second table to have a same name as the first table prior to deletion so that during uptime the second application server connects to the second table and runs the second version of the software program. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Downtime can occur during the upgrade of a software platform. Such downtime can be due to data migration issues. For example, in some systems, an application specific program is executed to convert the data structure and semantics from a version written by an old software version to the version required by a new software version. With conventional arrangements, such application specific programs are executed during downtime and require several hours for complicated or large platforms.


A semiconductor device, including first and second fin patterns separated by a first trench; a gate electrode intersecting the first and second fin patterns; and a contact on at least one side of the gate electrode, the contact contacting the first fin pattern, the contact having a bottom surface that does not contact the second fin pattern, a height from a bottom of the first trench to a topmost end of the first fin pattern in a region in which the contact intersects the first fin pattern being a first height, and a height from the bottom of the first trench to a topmost end of the second fin pattern in a region in which an extension line of the contact extending along a direction in which the gate electrode extends intersects the second fin pattern being a second height, the first height being smaller than the second height.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one of the scaling techniques for increasing the density of a semiconductor device, a multi-gate transistor has been suggested. The multi-gate transistor may be obtained by forming a fin-shaped silicon body on a substrate and forming a gate on the surface of the silicon body.


An inkjet head includes an ink flow path unit. The ink flow path unit includes a common ink chamber and plural individual ink flow paths. Each individual ink flow path extends from the common ink chamber to a nozzle through a pressure chamber. The ink flow path unit includes plural stacked plates including first and second plates. At least a portion of the individual ink flow paths are formed in the stacked plates. The first plate is formed with plural holes that form the portion of the individual ink flow paths. One surface of the first plate is formed with plural annular escape grooves that surround the holes, respectively. All the annular escape grooves communicate with an atmosphere.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an inkjet head, which ejects ink onto a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet head, whose flow path unit containing ink flow paths therein is formed of a plurality of stacked plates, has hitherto been available as an inkjet head, which ejects ink from nozzles. For instance, an inkjet head described in US 2004/119790 A1 contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety has a flow path unit including a manifold and a plurality of individual ink flow paths, each of which extends from the manifold to a nozzle through a pressure chamber. Further, the flow path unit is formed of a plurality of stacked metal plates. The plurality of metal plates are bonded together with an adhesive. When the plates are bonded together, excessive adhesive flows, to some extent, into the individual ink flow paths. In order to minimize the amount of adhesive flowing into the ink flow paths, escape grooves for making an excessive adhesive to escape is formed in each of mating faces of the plurality of metal plates so as to surround holes forming the individual ink flow paths.


A light device may include a printed circuit board having at least one conductive section. An LED may be electrically connected and fixed on a conductive section of the printed circuit board by means of a soldered connection. The printed circuit board may also include a coating-type insulating layer and/or the conductive section has an edge. The fixing region of the LED is connected to a discharge space by means of an outlet, so that during the production process, melted solder can flow off in a defined manner. The arrangement and/or embodiment of the outlet is such that in a preferred direction of movement of the LED is developed in order to position same in a defined manner.

For many applications, an accurate alignment of a light source with respect to an optical unit connected downstream, which further processes the light, is necessary, in particular with respect to the optical main axis of the optical unit, if it is used as a projection optical unit. Efficiency losses and artifacts, for example, inhomogeneities in the color and intensity distribution, can thus be reduced.
If a module is provided with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which includes multiple chip-shaped LEDs arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB), it is routinely necessary for the individual chip-shaped LEDs of the module to be aligned with low position tolerance respectively in relation to one another and with respect to the printed circuit board.
So-called "pick and place methods" are typically used in the prior art for positioning LEDs on a printed circuit board. In this case, the chip-shaped LEDs are picked up and placed on the printed circuit board with a comparatively high accuracy, for example, a tolerance of at most 25 μm. Such a positioning accuracy is not sufficient for many applications, however, or is reduced again by the subsequent soldering process.
In addition, there is still a further problem, which obstructs the accurate positioning of the LEDs on the printed circuit board. A printed circuit board includes an electrically conductive substrate or an electrically conductive layer, for example, a copper substrate or a copper layer, as essential components, in which conductor tracks for supplying the LEDs are formed. Furthermore, the printed circuit board can have a lacquer layer, which is deposited on the conductive substrate and is used as electrical insulation. For soldering a respective LED, the substrate may include a contacting area or copper area or copper pad, which has a similar size as the corresponding LED. The LED can then be positioned on the contact area, wherein the positioning limits are then implemented by the contacting area. Alternatively, it can be provided that the contacting area is significantly larger than the corresponding LED for thermal spreading. A displacement of the LED during the mounting is then limited in this case by the layer opening of the lacquer layer. Accordingly, a lacquer layer cannot be provided in the region in which the LEDs are placed on the printed circuit board and are to be contacted with the substrate. To prevent contacting problems from occurring, this lacquer-free zone has to be larger by at least the order of magnitude of the lacquer tolerances than the size of the chip-shaped LED. For example, a chip-shaped LED having a cross-sectional area of 1 m×1 mm typically requires a lacquer-free zone of at least the size of 1.05 m×1.05 mm. In particular if the contacting area cannot be used as a spatially limiting element because of the thermal spreading below the LED, because its surface extension has to significantly exceed the size of the chip-shaped LED, only the lacquer layer can be used as the spatial delimitation of the chip-shaped LED, which floats during the soldering.
A solder is typically used for the electrical contacting and fixing of the chip-shaped LEDs on the printed circuit board. This solder is heated enough that it melts and forms a type of solder cushion, on which the chip-shaped LED floats after the placement, until the solder has solidified again after a corresponding cooling procedure.
Attempts have heretofore been made to enhance the positioning accuracy of the LEDs on the printed circuit board by way of the smallest possible layer openings of the lacquer layer and/or the smallest possible quantities of solder. Both approaches are limited in the possibilities thereof, however, since the risk of a poor electrical and thermal connection of the LEDs and the printed circuit board increases in that either the chip-shaped LED is partially arranged on the lacquer layer or the solder quantity is excessively small. In applications having individual LEDs, a subsequent adjustment of the module and/or the associated optical unit somewhat in relation to one another could provide a remedy, but this is complex and costly. Moreover, this is hardly still possible in the case of applications as in the field of effect lighting, in which modules can have several tens of LEDs up to more than 100 LEDs. In this case, the deviations between the LEDs then can no longer be compensated for later.


A system for generating an extended specular lighting field for reading symbols on a reflective background surface is described. A scanner generates illumination for illuminating the symbols. Reflection of the illumination incident upon the reflective surface is retroreflected onto the symbols on the reflective surface. Reflection of the retroreflected light by the reflective surface is received by the scanner for processing information about the symbols. By using the reflective surface to help illuminate the symbols, an ordinary scanner can be used to read the symbols.

Direct part marking is a process for permanently marking the surface of parts, such as surgical equipment, electronics components, and aerospace parts, with machine-readable symbols that contain encoded information. Many different types of marking methods can be used, for example, dot peen, electro-chemical etching, laser etching, and cast marks.
Examples of machine-readable symbols include linear barcodes, matrix barcodes, and text, and these machine-readable symbols are generally read with a scanner or imager having a point light source, such as a laser or light-emitting diode. The marked surface can be very shiny, and thus highly reflective. Consequently, when the point light source in the scanner illuminates the symbols on the specular surface, the image reflected back to the scanner is unreadable because it is too intense.

System for generating an extended specular lighting field


The present application relates to a process for manufacturing maleic anhydride that comprising the following steps: a) fermentation of renewable raw materials and optionally purification to produce a mixture comprising at least butanol; b) oxidation of the butanol to maleic anhydride at a temperature generally between 300° C. to 600° C., using a catalyst based on oxides of vanadium and/or molybdenum; c) isolation of the maleic anhydride obtained at the end of step b). It also relates to the maleic anhydride obtained from renewable raw materials, to the copolymers and compositions comprising said maleic anhydride and also uses of use of this maleic anhydride.

In particular, the invention relates to a process for manufacturing maleic anhydride from alcohols derived from the fermentation of renewable raw materials; preferably, the renewable raw materials are vegetable matter.
Maleic anhydride is generally obtained by oxidizing aromatic compounds, especially benzene, or by oxidizing alkanes, especially n-butane.
In recent years, essentially because of the growing awareness of the toxicity of benzene and the increase in the cost of producing it, pathways for the synthesis of maleic anhydride starting from other raw materials have been investigated. Benzene is in fact obtained from non-renewable raw materials of fossil origin (oil). However, oil resources are limited; extracting oil requires excavating deeper and deeper under tougher and tougher technological conditions, necessitating sophisticated equipment and the use of processes which consume more and more energy. These constraints have a direct consequence for the cost of manufacturing maleic anhydride.
Another synthesis pathway is currently more widely used, namely the oxidation of butane; however, butane is also obtained from oil and/or from natural gas fractions.
Advantageously and surprisingly, the inventors of the present application have developed a process for the industrial manufacture of maleic anhydride from renewable raw materials.
The process of the invention means that at least a portion of the raw materials of fossil origin can be dispensed with and replaced by renewable raw materials.
The maleic anhydride obtained using the process of the invention is of a quality such that it can be used in all applications where the use of maleic anhydride is known. In particular, the inventors have shown that it is possible to produce a maleic anhydride of higher purity by using the process of the invention, which uses renewable raw materials rather than raw materials of fossil origin.

Manufacture of maleic anhydride from renewable materials, maleic anhydride obtained, and uses thereof


A random number generator (RNG) resistant to side channel attacks includes an activation pseudo random number generator (APRNG) having an activation output connected to an activation seed input to provide a next seed to the activation seed input. A second random number generator includes a second seed input, which receives the next seed and a random data output, which outputs random data in accordance with the next seed. An input seed memory is connected to the activation seed input and a feedback connection from the activation output so that the next seed is stored in the input seed memory to be used by the APRNG as the activation seed input at a next startup cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protection of random number generation in embedded circuitry, and more specifically, to the protection of random number generation on embedded micro-control circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
High quality random number generators are important features, among other things, for embedded chips that provide cryptographic operations in the marketplace. The quality of outputs from such random numbers generators is particularly critical. The Random Number Generator (RNG) may be used to provide input for cryptographic algorithms. This is the basis for how these mathematically secure operations can be achieved. These cryptographic operations can include Data Encryption Standard (DES) also known as (symmetric), the RSA algorithm (invented in by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman), Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) also known as asymmetric key generation and other data values used in digital signatures.
It is important for the security and effectiveness of the cryptographic algorithms that the random numbers used in cryptographic operations are of "good" quality, and are kept secret. Random numbers that are predictable open the cryptographic algorithms (or their keys) to attack. Equally, it is of little use to generate a secret key (for a symmetric or an asymmetric algorithm) if the random numbers used for the key are leaked to the outside world.
The act of testing the random numbers for "goodness" or entropy on some embedded systems, such as smart cards, can leak the value of the random bits to the outside world via side channels. Currently, standards for pseudorandom number generators do not solve this problem. Furthermore, embedded devices are susceptible to problems in repeatedly writing to persistent memory, such as Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) or Flash memory, that are called "HotSpots". Such memories can be written only a limited number of times, and if that limit is exceeded, then data can no longer be written reliably to the same location.
Current implementations use a stored seed in EEPROM to initialize the RNG and continuously update the seed, thus creating a HotSpot.
There are two fundamental types of Random Number Generators (RNG), namely hardware or "True" Random Number Generators (TRNG), and software or Pseudo Random Number generator (PRNG) that are utilized in cryptographic operations.
A TRNG is produced by a number of ways through electronic circuits. High quality circuits use, for example, a method of using two noise diodes and amplifying the output on to a frequency carrier envelope or by a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO). The output becomes Transistor-transistor logic (TTL) or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) logic that can be correlated to zeros and ones.
As a True RNG may still include bias and correlation from the output random bit stream, it must be tested through software to ensure that there are non-predictable patterns. Currently, there are no standards for non-deterministic testing of TRNG, so they must use what is called continuous output testing (sampling the output).
The Application Notes and Interpretation of the Scheme (AIS) from Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI), a German Certification body is the standard owner for AIS 31 and AIS 20. The AIS 31 standard discusses this type of testing (i.e., sampling the output), but for embedded devices where startup performance is critical, this becomes unacceptably slow.
If a TRNG is not supported in an embedded device, then an implementation of a PRNG is usually incorporated. A PRNG is an algorithm that generates a sequence of zeros and ones. The quality of output can be seeded from a number of sources like clock frequency, date/time and other inputs. Cryptography can be used to manipulate the seed like Message-Digest Algorithms (MD5) or Secure Hash Standard (SHA1). These manipulators are called message digests, which act like a fingerprint for data. These techniques decrease the probability that repeatable patterns will occur. There are a number of statistical tests that can be run against the random bit output, that are described in Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-1, but in FIPS 140-2, these tests have been dropped. FIPS 140-2 recommends a continuous output testing instead.
The basic software pseudo random number generator (PRNG) has two inputs and an output according to FIPS 186-2.
Referring to FIG. 1, a PRNG 10 receives as input a seed 12 and an optional user input 14. PRNG 10 outputs a random bit stream 16. PRNG 10 is, on system start-up, initialized with secret seed 12, and optional user input 14. Then each time the PRNG 10 is called, it generates additional pseudo random bits 16. The algorithm used within the PRNG is defined in the DSA standard FIPS 186-2.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,628,786, entitled "Distributed state random number generator and method for utilizing same", describes networked computers generating and sharing entropy in proportion to the need for random numbers utilized to initialize the internal state of random number generators residing on the computers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,072 entitled "Method and apparatus for generating random numbers", a random number generator generates high quality random numbers by sampling the output of a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) at a frequency much lower than the frequency of the oscillator output. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,223 entitled "Robust random number generator", the use of one TRNG and one PRNG is described to provide the mechanism to produce random bits. These three references are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Each of the prior art references described above lack the security features to resist Side Channel Attacks (SCA). They also lack any reference to standards, the secure initial loading of the seed, and hot spot prevention. Therefore, the microcontroller's signals and/or their associated memory/data can be read by external scanning techniques. These techniques come under the class of Side Channel Attacks (SCA) and include power analysis, timing analysis, RF analysis, and template attacks, etc.
One example of an attack is a Power Analysis attack that measures the current consumed by a device, which correlates to the computation being performed within it. Power analysis can reveal the bit sequences that are being processed in the microcontroller, hence making the data known. Examples of well-known Power Analysis attacks include Simple Power Analysis (SPA), Differential Power Analysis (DPA) and template attacks. Related classes of attacks known as Electromagnetic Attacks involve capturing the electromagnetic (EM) emanations from the device. There are also known examples of attacks with combined information from multiple side-channels such as power and EM-emanations.
Another example of prior art problems includes a Trusted Computing Group (TCG) which includes a method within its secure bootstrap process to update its seed value for the RNG at the end of the devices active session. This seed update process can potentially be replayed when writing to non-volatile memory (NVM) by powering down the device before the seed is updated. This means that the same seed value is being used over and over again until the complete seed value can be obtained.

Method, apparatus and system for resistance to side channel attacks on random number generators

International Business Machines Corporation


An amine functional water reducible resin and an ink composition incorporating an amine functional water reducible resin which is water insoluble under certain pH conditions and selectively water washable under certain other pH conditions. The method aspect of the present invention relates to a method of making, using and recovering the ink composition and a method of making the water reducible resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ink compositions and more particularly to water insoluble ink compositions which can be printed in a substantially water insoluble form, but which can be cleaned up using aqueous solutions. Although the ink composition of the present invention can be used in a variety of printing processes, such composition has particular applicability to lithographic printing. The present invention also relates to novel resins used in the preparation of such ink compositions and to methods of making and using such compositions and resins.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
A wide variety of printing processes currently exist in the art. Although it is contemplated that the ink composition and related resins will have applicability to most if not all of these processes, it has particular applicability to a lithographic printing processes commonly referred to as lithography. Lithography is a method of printing which relies on differences in solubility and surface wetability between an oil based component and an aqueous or aqueous based component to effectively transfer the printing ink to the desired image area and prevent it from transferring to the nonimage areas.
During conventional lithographic printing, an oil based ink composition and an aqueous fountain solution are applied to a printing plate. Because of the solubility and the wetability differences of the oil based and aqueous compositions, the fountain solution is preferentially attracted to and preferentially wets oleophobic nonimage areas, while the ink is preferentially attracted to and preferentially wets oleophilic image areas. It is well known and accepted in the art that successful lithographic printing requires inks which exhibit stability relative to water and thus remain water insoluble. Absence of this characteristic will result in poor print quality, poor edge definition, dot gain and various other print deficiencies. Thus, lithographic inks are selected and formulated for their ability to remain stable, cohesive and insoluble when contacted with water. The simultaneous feeding of the ink composition and fountain solution to the print plate is accomplished through a variety of methods and roller configurations known in the art.
During the course of lithographic printing, the printing plates are periodically changed as one job is completed and another started. Whenever this occurs, the blanket cylinder in an offset process must be cleaned to remove ink residue which is present from the previous job. Further, if a change of ink is desired, the entire print train including the application rollers, the print plate and the blanket must be cleaned. Such cleaning is commonly accomplished using an appropriately formulated wash solvent. To be effective as a wash solvent, the wash must be compatible with, or be able to dissolve or sufficiently disperse the ink. Since the inks are oil based or water insoluble, this necessitates the use of organic or petroleum based or other non-aqueous wash solvents to effectively remove the ink from the rollers, printing plates, blanket cylinder, etc.
These organic wash solvents can give rise to employee safety concerns and are a large source of both air and water pollution as volatile organic compounds (VOC's) are dispersed into the atmosphere or disposal systems. Such pollution is due to evaporation into the ambient air or into a venting system during the washing of the print components as well as the disposal or laundering of shop towels and rags used in the cleaning process. Attempts to develop water based wash or cleaning solutions have not been successful due to the inherent ability of the ink to resist water. Attempts have also been made to use water/solvent mixtures by emulsifying petroleum-based solvents into water through the use of emulsifiers and surfactants, but these products suffer from inherent instability due to immiscibility of water and the solvents and perform slowly. Further, such mixtures do not completely eliminate the use of petroleum solvents which are still commonly present in an amount of about 30-80%. Other industry trends include the use of solvents such as terpenes. While not petroleum based, their performance has been marginal and they are costly and in short supply. In addition, their use and disposal also pose environmental concerns.
Thus, although offset lithography is recognized and established as a dominant printing process for certain applications, drawbacks exist because of the pollution and disposal problems referred to above. These are becoming more of a drawback and more of a problem as new pollution control regulations and standards are mandated. In fact, because of the very nature of the lithographic process at least one of the components (either the ink composition or the fountain solution) must be oil based or water insoluble. This in turn necessitates the use of an organic or petroleum based solvent to wash the apparatus. This is generally accepted as a necessary limitation of the lithographic process about which little can be done.
For nonlithographic applications, certain water based or water soluble inks are currently available. Some of these utilize water dispersible or soluble resins which have been preneutralized to provide such properties. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,628 issued on Oct. 20, 1990 to Amos et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,618 issued on May 15, 1979 to Burke. While these inks can be cleaned up with water or water solutions and thus reduce pollution concerns, it is generally recognized that existing water soluble or dispersible inks exhibit inferior water and alkaline resistance as well as inferior drying, adhesion and gloss properties when compared to conventional solvent based inks.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to address the above problems, while still providing an ink composition which, when printed, will result in highly acceptable print quality and durability.

Ink composition and resins and methods relating thereto


The present invention relates to a bicycle pedal adapter configured to be clicked onto a bicycle pedal which is intended and constructed to be used for a bicycle shoe having a cleat, wherein the bicycle pedal adapter is configured to convert the bicycle pedal to a bicycle pedal suitable to be used with a normal shoe without a cleat, wherein the bicycle pedal adapter is flat, wherein the bicycle pedal adapter comprises a main body having a height, a width and a length, wherein the width is more than four times the height and wherein the length is more than five times the height, and wherein the main body has a front end and a rear end, the bicycle pedal adapter comprising:—a front coupling at the front end, the front coupling being configured to mate with a front clamping member of the bicycle pedal and—a rear coupling at the rear end, the rear coupling being configured to mate with a rear clamping member of the bicycle pedal, and wherein the bicycle pedal adapter is configured to be clicked onto the bicycle pedal and to be uncoupled from the bicycle pedal, and wherein the bicycle pedal adapter comprises a foot support surface which faces upwards, wherein the main body does not comprise a plurality of coupling holes via which the bicycle pedal adapter can be connected to a bicycle shoe via a connecting member.

Cycling has become a popular form of transportation for recreational as well as commuting purposes. Many bicycles, especially in the field of speed cycling, comprise step-in or clipless pedals. Said pedals are constructed to releasably engage a cleat that is mounted on the sole of a bicycle shoe. Said pedals roughly come in two types. The first type has cleat engagement mechanisms on both sides. This type is commonly used for off-road bikes. The second type has the engagement mechanism on just one side of the pedal. This second type is typically used on road-racing bicycles. The present invention mainly relates to the second type.
It was recognized in the present invention that without the correct cleats and shoes it is rather inconvenient to cycle with the said clipless bicycle pedals. Cycling with regular shoes and no cleats is therefore not recommended. When a user does desire to cycle with his regular shoes on, he or she could switch between regular pedals and clipless pedals. This is however highly cumbersome, because it requires changing the pedals of a bike.
It is possible to use the more flatter underside of the pedal. Although this is a possibility, it is rather unsafe on rainy days when the pedal becomes slippery. In addition, both sides of the pedal are not flat and do not offer much grip. Moreover, the centre of gravity of the pedal is such that the pedal rotates to a stable orientation in which the underside faces away from a direction of approach of the shoe of the rider. Therefore, it is very difficult to engage the underside with the shoe.
A cleat adapter that solves the abovementioned problem of cycling with regular shoes and clipless pedals is known, such as published under number US2016052593 (A1). In the disclosed construction, however, the centre of gravity of the pedal and cleat adapter assembly is negatively influenced by the cleat adapter. The bicycle pedal itself is designed to move to a predetermined, substantially vertical orientation when it is not engaged with a cleat. This standard and stable orientation helps the cyclist to easily engage the pedal with the cleat on his or her shoe in a routinely manner. The so called Fly Pedals of the abovementioned publication influence this standard, stable orientation, thereby increasing the difficulty level of placing a regular shoe on the correct side of the pedal. Another disadvantage of the Fly Pedals is the difficult manual decoupling of the Fly Pedal from the pedal, as experienced by its users. In addition, the user has to buy an extra pair of normal cleats, because the Fly Pedals are mounted on a normal cleat. Alternatively, the user has to change the cleats between cycling with shoes having cleats and cycling with the Fly Pedals. The latter option more or less defeats the purpose of the Fly Pedal.
Other bicycle pedal adapters exist which have parts which extend to below the bicycle pedal. The bikedap (www.bikedaps.com) is an example of such pedal adapters. These bicycle pedal adapters have a disadvantage in that they are quite large and bulky. Furthermore, these pedal adapters provide a foot support surface which is positioned too far to the rear instead of at the axis about which the pedal rotates. This results in a low quality user experience.
Finally, one could use the shoe cleat adapters themselves. However, they are not designed to be manually decoupled from the bicycle pedal. It requires quite some strength to remove these existing shoe cleat adapters by hand which could lead to injuries in the process. Also the concave and small foot support surface of the shoe cleat adapters do not make this a suitable alternative.


A flat panel display, which can save manufacturing costs and allow various types of dither masks to be applied, and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The flat panel display includes a look-up table (LUT) storing one dither mask, which is used to algorithmically generate additional dither masks. The dither masks are applied to image data to improve image quality.

1. Field
The field relates to a flat panel display and a method of driving the same, and more particularly, to a flat panel display, which can save manufacturing costs and allow various types of dither masks to be applied, and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Recently, there have been various types of flat panel display devices of reduced weight and volume when compared with cathode ray tubes. The flat panel display devices may take the form of a liquid crystal display, a field emission display, a plasma display panel, an organic light emitting display device, and the like.
Among these flat panel display devices, the organic light emitting display device displays images using an organic light emitting diode (OLED) that emits light as a result of the recombination of electrons and holes. The organic light emitting display device has a fast response speed and is driven with low power consumption.
Generally, pixels of an organic light emitting display device display images by charging a predetermined voltage into a storage capacitor Cst included in each of the pixels and by supplying a current corresponding to the charged voltage to an OLED This is called an analog driving method. However, in such a method, there is a limit of gray-level expression because the number of gray levels expressed is related to the precision of the voltage stored in the storage capacitor Cst. Furthermore, it is difficult to display a uniform image due to the threshold voltage and mobility variation of the driving transistors included in each of the pixels.

Flat panel display and method of driving the same


The invention discloses an intraoral retractor for a temporomandibular joint and relates to the technical field of medical instruments. The invention comprises a retraction mechanism, a main connecting rod and an operating mechanism; wherein the retraction mechanism and the main connecting rod are bent overall, one end of the retraction mechanism is a supporting end, and the other end is connected with the main connecting rod; a draw hook in a withdrawn state is provided in the supporting end, the operating mechanism is disposed at a tail end of the main connecting rod, and the operating mechanism can enable the draw hook to thrust out of the retraction mechanism and move up and down in the supporting end. The invention has a small size with the overall structure designed as a small bent pipe, the bending angle fits features of a human body, only a small incision is required for the retractor to enter the oral cavity of a patient, so the patient may suffer less pain, and no scar is left on the patient's face.

Mandibular condylar fracture is a maxillofacial fracture of high incidence. The condylar fracture causes reduced occlusal function and limited opening of the mouth. If not taken operation immediately, the fracture may be displaced by the muscle under a traction force, serious consequences such as facial deformity may occur, leading to great harm to a patient.
Generally, there are two common operations for treating mandibular condylar fractures. According to one operation, an incision is made on the face of a person to fully expose a broken end of the fracture, and then the condyle is repositioned and fixed. The disadvantages of this operation are that facial nerves may be damaged, and an obvious scar may be left on the face of the person after the operation, causing great negative side effects to the patient. According to the other operation, the mandible is retracted by hand to expose a gap of the mandibular joint and find out the broken end of the condyle for reposition. However, retraction by hand is unstable and the force application point is not easy to control, causing difficulties in exposing the gap of the joint, longer duration of the operation, and greater risks.
The Chinese patent No. 201410353406 discloses a mandibular condyle reposition expander, including a lower supporting and combining portion and an upper supporting and combining portion corresponding to the incisura of the underjaw and the zygomatic arch of the human body, wherein a front end and a rear end of the upper and the lower supporting and combining portions are hinged with support rods, the support rod is in threaded connection with a central shaft, and moves on the central shaft through a worm gear and worm mechanism to achieve the supporting and combining function. However, the expander occupies a large space, which means a large incision has to be made to allow the operation, an operator may have difficulties in holding it, and the degree of expansion cannot be visually seen from the outside, as a result, the efficiency of the operation is reduced.

Intraoral retractor for temporomandibular joint


A track fitting garage door locking apparatus includes a male block with an internal housing and a key hole. A locking mechanism may be coupled to the internal housing and detachably coupled to the male block. A worm screw is coupled to the internal housing and passes through an opening of the guide track. A female block may be affixed to the guide track. The female block may include an axial bore aligned with the worm screw. A key may be removably interfitted within the key hole and thereby lock and unlock the lock mechanism such that rotational articulation of the male block causes simultaneous rotation of the male block, the internal housing and the worm screw. In this manner, the male block may be linearly reciprocated towards and away from the female block as the worm screw and the internal housing are simultaneously rotated in a corresponding direction.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to garage door locks and, more particularly, to a track fitting garage door lock for preventing unauthorized entry into a user's garage.
2. Prior Art
The art of locking assemblies with guards to prevent unauthorized access to a locking pin by burglar tools, such as a cutting tool, or a chisel or a jimmy, has been well explored. Most of these assemblies employ a padlock where the shackle is shielded. Unfortunately there is no simple closure assembly which provides adequate protection against an unusually forceful and carefully planned attack on the locking assembly so as to disable or dismantle it. Typically, such locks include a mounting element secured to the sliding member with the mounting element having a bolt which is moved between an unlocked position and a locked position. Many locks are of complicated construction and thus were expensive to manufacture.
Additionally, some locks were difficult to manipulate between the locked and unlocked positions. The essential concern of a suitable locking system is one that will prevent unauthorized access by means of burglarizing tools. Accordingly, the lock must be provided with appropriate guard plates to avoid insertion of a chisel, tool, or the like, between various parts of the locking system, whereby the entire lock could be chiseled off the guide rail. Additionally the head portion of the lock should be appropriately protected to avoid the possibility of grasping the head of the lock and completely ripping the lock from the guide rail.
Accordingly, a need remains for an apparatus in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a track fitting garage door lock that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for providing a user with an effective means of preventing unauthorized entry into a garage.

Track fitting garage door lock apparatus and associated method


The present application provides a pharmaceutical composition for administration to a patient suffering from diabetes and other metabolic disorders, the composition comprises a) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to human insulin receptor, and b) an activated-potentiated form of an antibody to endothelial NO-synthase.

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic condition characterized as hyperglycemia (high levels of sugar in blood). Continuing increments of blood glucose levels increase the risk of diabetes-related complications such as kidney damage, vision loss, heart disease, and foot ulcers.
There are two major types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, hyperglycemia develops because the pancreas cannot produce insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears in childhood or young adulthood. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is capable of producing insulin, but it cannot adequately meet the body's demands. The problem is that the body does not respond to the insulin appropriately, which in turn leads to less glucose being absorbed by the cells and results in abnormally elevated blood glucose levels. After overworking the pancreas for a number of years, the pancreas may eventually fail and exhaust its ability to produce insulin, which at this point a person with type 2 diabetes may require insulin therapy.
Insulin, a natural hormone produced by the pancreas, transports glucose from the bloodstream to the inside of the cells. Thus, the main job of insulin is to regulate the glucose transport into the cells thereby lowering the level of blood glucose.
The actions of insulin are controlled through the activation of a heterotetrameric receptor which is found in the plasma membrane. The insulin receptor is a glycoprotein composed of two extracellular alpha-subunits and two transmembrane beta-subunits linked by disulfide bonds. Ullrich et al., Nature, 313:756-61, 1985. The alpha-subunits contain the insulin-binding domain, and the intracellular portion of the beta-subunit contains the insulin-regulated tyrosine protein kinase (the enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a high-energy group from a donor (usually ATP) to an acceptor).
When an insulin molecule is released by the beta cells of the pancreas and arrives at a cell, it binds onto the insulin receptor on the surface of most cells. Once insulin binds, the intrinsic phosphotransferase function of the insulin receptor beta-subunit is activated, resulting in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of intracellular proteins. Once the insulin receptor has been activated, the phosphorylation event leads to an increase in glucose storage and consequently a decrease in blood glucose levels.
Effective control of glucose level is difficult to achieve for prolonged periods even with the most meticulous mode of insulin therapy in the most motivated patients. Thus, there is a continuing need for new drug products with desired therapeutic efficacy for treatment of diseases and metabolic disorders.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule that has been shown to acts in the signaling of different biological processes. Endothelium-derived NO is a key molecule in regulation of vascular tone and its association with vascular disease has long been recognized. NO inhibits many processes known to be involved in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, including monocyte adhesion, platelet aggregation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. Another important role of endothelial NO is the protection of the vascular wall from the oxidative stress induced by its own metabolic products and by the oxidation products of lipids and lipoproteins. Endothelial dysfunction occurs at very early stages of atherosclerosis. It is therefore possible that deficiency in local NO availability could be a final common pathway that accelerates atherogenesis in humans. In addition to its role in the vascular endothelium, NO availability has been shown to modulate metabolism of lipoproteins. Negative correlation has been reported between plasma concentrations of NO metabolic products and plasma total and Low Density Lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol levels while High Density Lipoprotein [HDL] improves vascular function in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. The loss of NO has considerable effect on the development of the disease. Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality caused primarily by the accelerated development of atherosclerotic disease. Moreover, reports show that diabetics have impaired lung functions. It has been proposed that insulin resistance leads to airway inflammation. Habib et al., Nitric Oxide Measurement From Blood To Lungs, Is There A Link? Pak J Physiol 2007; 3(1).
Nitric oxide is synthesized by the endothelium from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NO synthase). NO synthase occurs in different isoforms, including a constitutive form (cNOS) and an inducible form (iNOS). The constitutive form is present in normal endothelial cells, neurons and some other tissues.
The therapeutic effect of an extremely diluted (or ultra-low) form of antibodies potentized by homeopathic technology has been discovered by the inventor of the present patent application, Dr. Oleg I. Epshtein. U.S. Pat. No. 7,582,294 discloses a medicament for treating Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or prostatitis by administration of a homeopathically activated form of antibodies to prostate specific antigen (PSA). U.S. Pat. No. 7,700,096 discloses a homeopathically potentized form of antibodies to endothelial NO-synthase. The homepathically potentized form of antibodies to endothelial NO-synthase is marketed in the Russian Federation and other countries under the name IMPAZA®.

Pharmaceutical compositions comprising activated-potentiated antibodies to human insulin receptor and endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase


A sealed microphone assembly is disclosed including a microphone (120), a microphone housing (110) having a cavity (116) being resonant at an audio frequency range, and a sealing membrane (130). The sealing membrane 130 covers the cavity 116, thereby making the microphone assembly (100) fully sealed. The attenuation caused by sealing the microphone assembly (100) is compensated by the resonant characteristic of the cavity (116). The cavity (116) also includes one or more apertures (112) for creating a bandpass response.

Land/mobile communication devices, such as portable and mobile two-way radios, are extensively used to provide communication capability in a variety of emergency and non-emergency situations. During an emergency, the communication devices are expected to operate flawlessly, even under severe environmental conditions. Submersibility and protection from the entry of undesired substances is an important consideration in design of submersible communication devices and for achieving highly-reliable communication during inclement weather or when the communication device is utilized at sea.
Generally, a communication device includes a housing for enclosing radio circuit assembly and subassemblies. However, one or more apertures may be formed on the exterior surfaces of the housing for allowing a user to interface with the communication device. For example, user interface apertures may be formed for positioning interface switches. More importantly, the communication device housing usually includes acoustic microphone and speaker apertures to allow transfer of acoustic energy from speaker or into microphone.
Many submersible or otherwise known waterproof communication devices already exist. Conventionally, a number of sealing means, such as pads and gaskets, are utilized for sealing the apertures of the radio housing. Gaskets seal the outer periphery of the housing while individual sealing pads seal apertures formed within the inner periphery of the housing.
A particular problem arises, however, when a microphone aperture is sealed using a sealing pad or a sealing membrane. This is because the sealing membrane may cause excessive acoustic attenuation, hindering transfer of acoustic energy into the microphone, thereby reducing the efficiency of such transfers.
Conventional approaches for preventing entry of undesired substances through the microphone aperture comprise using a long, curved acoustic pipe which extends from a microphone positioned well within the enclosure to attach to the microphone aperture disposed on the housing. In this way, the curved formation of the acoustic pipe substantially prevents entry of water and other undesired substances. The curved pipe approach, however, causes both frequency response deterioration and increased acoustic distortion. Furthermore, strictly speaking, this approach doesn't fully waterproof and seal the communication device. Therefore, there exists a need for a microphone assembly which is fully waterproof and which can be used in a communication device without increasing distortion and acoustic attenuation.


A downhole wet connect uses a bearing relation between materials to take advantage of the piezoelectric effect between them. Voltage is applied from the surface to the uphole pad which induces a voltage to be generated from the downhole pad to a storage device to store power for operating downhole equipment. The generated voltage can also be used as a real time power supply for downhole equipment. Alternatively, the generated voltage can be coded as a signal to downhole equipment to send date acquired downhole to the surface. The transmission of information is two way. Voltage input from the surface is stopped as downhole equipment sends a voltage based signal uphole for conversion by surface processors to capture the data. Alignment or downhole debris issues do not affect the transmission capability of the pads in the wet connect.

Frequently in downhole operation a lower completion is installed and an upper completion is run into it and connections are made downhole. Apart from the main tubular segments being connected there are frequently auxiliary lines that run parallel to the main tubing that also need to be connected with the main tubular that supports them. These auxiliary lines can be hydraulic, pneumatic, signal or power transmission lines to name a few. Fiber optic cables are also run in control lines, sometimes by pumping the cable down one conduit and returning the cable to the surface by making a u-turn in the auxiliary line near the bottom of the completion.
The connection downhole for the main tubular and the auxiliary lines it supports is frequently referred to as a wet connect. Some of the issues that affect wet connects are the need to get the components aligned before they are moved together for completing the connection. This is normally accomplished with a v-shaped guide path on one half of the connection that a lug on the other half of the connection runs into so that relative rotation is created as the lug finds an elongated longitudinal portion of the track that the v-shaped portion converges into for the needed alignment. Alignment is typically less critical for tubular hydraulic auxiliary lines but is more significant an issue for power or signal lines where making a good wire to wire contact is important for proper circuit operation or power transmission. Also a concern is the effect of downhole fluids on the ability of mating wires to make good contact. While seals can be used to isolate well fluids once the joint is made up, the issues arise when the yet connected coupling halves are still spaced apart and have not yet fully come together. Different designs for such connections have been proposed but have yet to effectively deal with physical requirements of alignment or the environmental issues that can prevent effective contact for wires or fiber optics that are brought together downhole in a wet connect. Some examples of previous designs are U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,776,636; 6,439,932; 5,967,816; 5,389,003 and 5,141,051.
The present invention seeks to overcome some of the issues affecting the prior design so as to improve the functionality of wet connections for power or signal transmission. The invention employs concepts of piezoelectric transformers and uses suitable materials that exhibit this property as the mating pair in a wet connect for cable or signal lines. The materials, such as certain ceramics are positioned in each half of the wet connect so that when the upper portion of the wet connect is run in from the surface, it will have a bearing relation to its counterpart in the lower portion of the wet connect. A voltage can be applied from the surface to the upper ceramic at an appropriate frequency which is converted into a force that acts on the lower ceramic on which it bears. Depending on the relative dimensions of the ceramics, the lower ceramic emits either the same or an elevated or reduced voltage. This concept underlies the performance of piezoelectric transformers. In the downhole application, the generated voltage goes to operate downhole equipment and any excess can go to a storage device. Alternatively, by coding the voltage being transmitted such as by using predetermined patterns of voltage variation, signals are sensed from the surface by a downhole processor that in turn can control downhole sensors or other equipment to support the needed activity downhole. Conversely, input from the surface can be interrupted so that a downhole processor can transmit a predetermined pattern of voltage that goes to the surface where a surface processor can decode the information obtained downhole and store and display it. One big advantage to this is that intimate contact between the ceramics is not required. They simply need a bearing relationship to each other in an orientation related to the way the ceramics were polled when they were manufactured.
A brief background citing materials, applications and the theoretical basis of operation of piezoelectric materials used as transformers follows. A somewhat arcane and little-known technology that relies on the piezoelectric effect is adding a welcome design alternative to the art of generating high voltages. The idea of a piezoelectric "transformer" is not a new one, but the complicated nature of the design, which requires some knowledge of electronics, mechanics, and materials, has taken 43 years to get right. The advantages of piezoelectric transformers are many: small size, no windings and thus no short-circuit capability between the windings, and the ability to generate a wide range of high-voltage ac or dc outputs. One immediate application of these transformers is for generating the high voltage that's necessary to run the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp of an LCD.
Piezoelectric transformers are not transformers. They have no wires or magnetic fields. A better analogy is that they are dynamos. The piezoelectric transformer works like a motor that is mechanically coupled to a generator. Understanding this concept requires a basic understanding of piezoelectricity.
Many materials, such as quartz, lithium niobate, and lead-zirconate-lead-titanate (PZT) exhibit some form of the piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric transformer uses PZT, hence, it is a PZT transformer. Two piezoelectric effects exist: the direct effect and the inverse effect. With the direct effect, placing a force or vibration (stress) on the piezoelectric element generates a charge. The polarity of this charge depends on the orientation of the stress compared with the direction of polarization in the piezoelectric element. During the manufacturing process, poling, or applying a high dc field in the range of 45 kV/cm to the PZT transformer, sets the polarization direction.
The inverse piezoelectric effect is, as the name implies, the opposite of the direct effect. Applying an electric field, or voltage, to the piezoelectric element results in a dimensional change, or strain. The direction of the change is likewise linked to the polarization direction. Applying a field at the same polarity of the element results in a dimensional increase, and fields of opposite polarity result in a decrease. An increase in one dimension in a structure results in a decrease in the other two through Poisson's coupling, or the fact that lateral strain results in longitudinal strain at Poisson's ratio. This phenomenon is a factor in the operation of the transformer.
The piezoelectric transformer uses both the direct and inverse effects to create high-voltage step-up ratios. A sine-wave voltage drives the input portion of the transformer, which causes it to vibrate. This operation is the inverse, or motor, effect. The vibration couples through the structure to the output to generate an output voltage, which is the direct, or generator, effect.
The piezoelectric transformer is constructed of PZT ceramic, but more precisely it is a multilayer ceramic. The manufacturing of the transformer is similar to the manufacturing of ceramic chip capacitors. The process prints layers of flexible, unfired PZT-ceramic tape with metallic patterns, then aligns and stacks the layers to form the required structure. The next step involves pressing, dicing, and firing the stacks to create the final ceramic device.
The input section of the transformer has a multilayer ceramic-capacitor structure. The pattern of the metal electrodes creates an interdigitated plate configuration. The output section of the transformer has no electrode plates between the ceramic layers, so firing produces a single ceramic output structure. Conductive material, which forms the output electrode for the transformer, coats the end of the output section.
The next construction step establishes the polarization directions for the two halves of the transformer. Poling of the input section across the interdigitated electrodes results in a polarization direction that aligns vertically to the thickness. Poling of the output section creates a horizontal or length-oriented polarization direction. Operating the transformer drives the input in thickness mode, which means that an applied voltage between the parallel plates of the input causes the input section to become thicker and thinner on alternate halves of the sine wave. The change in input thickness couples through to the output section, causing it to lengthen and shorten and thereby generating the output voltage. The resulting voltage step-up ratio is proportional to the ratio of the output length and the thickness of the input layers.
The equivalent circuit model for the piezoelectric transformer looks identical to that of its series-resonant magnetic counterpart. The differences, however, extend past the nominal values to the physical representation of the various components. The input and output capacitances are simply the result of having a dielectric between two metal plates. The effective dielectric constant of PZT material is 400 to 5000, depending on composition. At this point, unfortunately, basic electronics ends. The rest of the components are more complicated. The inductance is the mass of the transformer. The capacitance is the compliance of the material, or the inverse of spring rate. Calculating the compliance requires using the applicable generalized beam equation and Young's modulus, which is a constant that expresses the ratio of unit stress to unit deformation. The resistor represents the combination of dielectric loss and the mechanical Q of the transformer.
The acoustic, as opposed to the electrical, resonant frequency is related to the product of the capacitance and inductance. The transformer operates in length resonance, and the associated motions are identical to those of a vibrating string. The major difference between a PZT transformer and a vibrating string is that the PZT transformer's frequencies are in the ultrasonic range and vary, by design, from 50 kHz to 2 MHz. Like the string, the transformer has displacement nodes and antinodes. Mechanically clamping a node prevents vibration, which reduces efficiency in the best case and prevents operation in the worst.
The final element in the model is the "ideal" transformer with ratio N. This transformer represents three separate transformations. The first is the transformation of electrical energy into mechanical vibration. This transformation is a function of the piezoelectric constant, which is the electric field divided by stress, the stress area, and the electric-field length. The second transformation is the transfer of the mechanical energy from the input section to the output section and is a function of Poisson's ratio, or the ratio of lateral to longitudinal strain, for the material. The final transformation is the transfer of mechanical energy back into electrical energy, and the calculations are similar to those for the input side.
Resonant magnetic high-voltage transformers have an electrical Q of 20 to 30. The equivalent for the piezoelectric transformer is its mechanical Q, which exceeds 1500. This high Q is both good and bad. The ultimate efficiency can be very high, but the usable bandwidth of the transformer is only 2.5% that of the magnetic type. The resonant frequency depends on the compliance of the material, which, in turn, is a function of Young's modulus. An unusual property of piezoelectric materials is that Young's modulus changes with electrical load. In most, if not all, cases, the shift in resonant frequency over rated load is greater than the usable bandwidth. Thus, the piezoelectric transformer must operate at resonance to maintain efficiency and stability. The near-resonance designs for magnetic transformers work poorly, if at all, with piezoelectric transformers. Having tracking oscillators is a requirement.
With the above background and general explanation of the execution of the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate its full scope from a detailed description of a specific downhole application described below as read with the associated drawings while recognizing that the full scope of the invention is to be found in the claims.

Downhole wet connect using piezoelectric contacts


A continuous solvent extraction process for the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons from a feedstock comprising aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons provides more efficient heat utilization by using a lean solvent stream to heat the rich solvent stream as it passes from a primarily extractive stripping section to a section that primarily provides steam stripping. The feed stream is contacted with a lean solvent stream in an extraction zone to separate it into a raffinate stream comprising non-aromatic hydrocarbons and a first rich solvent stream comprising solvent, aromatic hydrocarbons and non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The first rich solvent stream passes to a first stripping zone section from which a first vapor stream is recovered and a second rich solvent stream is discharged. As the second rich solvent stream is passed to a second section of the stripping zone it is heated by heat exchange with the lean solvent stream that is recovered from the second stripping zone section. Heat exchange of the rich solvent with the lean solvent between stripping sections removes substantially more heat from the lean solvent stream than was previously removed when the lean solvent stream was used to heat stripping steam. The additional heat made available by this invention reduces the overall heat input and permits the use of low pressure steam to heat the stripping stream.

Conventional processes for the recovery of high purity aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) from various hydrocarbon feedstocks including catalytic reformate, hydrogenated pyrolysis gasoline, etc., utilize an aromatic selective solvent. Typically, in the practice of such processes, a hydrocarbon feed mixture is contacted in an extraction zone with an aqueous solvent composition which selectively dissolves the aromatic components from the hydrocarbon feedstock, thereby forming a raffinate phase comprising one or more non-aromatic hydrocarbons, and an extract phase comprising solvent having aromatic components dissolved therein.
An important consideration in the design and operation of an aromatic extraction process beyond the recovery and the purity of the products is the operating cost. Excluding labor and capital charges, the major component of the operating cost is the energy requirements of the process. Because the products produced from this process are generally not finished products, but are often intermediate components for the blending of finished fuels and for the production of petrochemicals, any reduction in processing costs can translate into a significant economic advantage. An example of the energy costs for a conventional process for this application appeared in a discussion of the UOP Sulfolane Process which may be found on pages 8-53 to 8-60 in a book edited by Robert A. Meyers, entitled Handbook of Petroleum Refining Processes, published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, in 1986. In Table 8.4-1 on page 8-60 of this reference, the processing costs are presented for a 10,000 (B/D) barrel per day Sulfolane Unit producing 6,000 B/D of BTX extract. The energy costs, comprising steam, electric power and cooling water, amounted to 83% of the total processing cost on a daily basis, expressed in monitory units. Solvent make-up charges were 2%. Labor and maintenance costs made up the remaining 15%.
In commercial practice the amount of energy used by aromatics extraction processes range from 600-900 BTU's (British Thermal Units) per pound of aromatic material extracted. When one considers that the recovery of aromatic hydrocarbons involves the use of three major material cycles, typically hydrocarbon, water, and solvent, there are numerous possibilities within the process for the management of energy as these materials are vaporized and condensed to effect the separation.
A number of examples have been developed to achieve energy savings using continuous solvent extraction-steam-distillation for the recovery of aromatic hydrocarbon. Representative examples are believed to be presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,690,733; 4,693,810 and 4,664,786. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,733, issued to Forte et al., shows an aromatics extraction process segment wherein high pressure steam is fed to a steam ejector and the resulting steam is employed in a first heat exchanger to provide heat to reboil a distillation column for the recovery of lean solvent and in a second heat exchanger to transfer heat from the recovered lean solvent to the condensate from the first heat exchanger before returning the condensate to the steam ejector to complete the steam generation cycle. The process is claimed to lower energy costs by reducing reflux to feed ratios in the extractor and lowering solvent recirculation rates. Capital costs are increased by the addition of the steam ejector and an additional heat exchange is required over conventional practice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,810 (Forte et al.) divides the stripping water into two streams. One stream is passed to a motive steam generator to vaporize the water and is then passed to a steam ejector. The second stream is passed to a heat exchanger wherein heat is transferred from a lean solvent stream to vaporize all of the stripping water, rather than just a portion, and return the water vapor to the stripping column by means of the steam ejector. Capital costs are increased by the cost of the steam generator, steam ejector, and additional heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,786 (Forte et at.) recycles stripping water to a steam distillation zone while heat recovered from an overhead stream is used to vaporize the stripping water using a motive steam generator to pump stripping water vapors into the stripping column.
Other processes for producing high purity aromatics are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,714,033 and 5,022,981. These processes provide for the use of a single distillation column wherein both extractive distillation and a steam stripping occur. This patent discloses the preferred use of a polyalkylene glycol solvent in a temperature range of from about 100.degree. C. (212.degree. F.) to about 200.degree. C. (392.degree. F.) to provide a high purity aromatics product.
Another process for producing high purity aromatics is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,454 and provides for the use of extractive and steam distillation in separate columns. A particularly suitable class of solvents for use in the above-identified patent are those commonly referred to as the sulfolane type. The process utilizes an extraction temperature, with a sulfolane solvent, in the range of from about 80.degree. to about 400.degree. F. and can provide a high purity aromatic product.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,092 discloses a method for aromatic hydrocarbon recovery that utilizes a single column wherein a side-cut vapor fraction comprising aromatic hydrocarbons and a minor quantity of solvent is withdrawn and introduced into a separate rectifying zone maintained under rectifying conditions, to provide a relatively solvent free aromatic extract product.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,295 discloses a method for aromatic hydrocarbon recovery that also utilizes the single column, vapor side-cut approach. However, this method differs from that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,092 in that the rectification zone is refluxed with the aqueous phase from the overhead condensate, instead of the hydrocarbon phase. Also, the bottoms fraction from the rectification zone is introduced to an intermediate section in the stripped column instead of the lower section.
Another aromatic hydrocarbon recovery method that uses a single column to provide two stripping section is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,669, allowed Jan. 28, 1991. This arrangement uses a separate rectification column for purification of the aromatic product, but teaches that the rectification zone may be incorporated into the column.
Overall energy requirements of the process can be significantly reduced by minimizing the amount of heat withdrawn from the process to the environment as in cooling, or condensing of process streams. The condenser duty translates into the amount of energy that cannot be recovered, that is lost or taken out of the process. By lowering the temperature of the lean solvent, the selectivity of the solvent is improved and the amount of non-aromatics extracted with the aromatics is reduced, reducing the overall energy consumption.
Another way in which energy requirements can be reduced is by the utilization of less expensive heat sources. Many solvent extraction processes have arrangements that need high pressure steam to provide effective heating. Arrangements that permit the substitution of low pressure steam for heating-refiners generally view low pressure steam streams as waste heat--will offer significant savings over processes that need high pressure steam.

Process for the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons with energy redistribution


A method for using a single sample suspected of containing a microorganism for both a local rapid test immunoassay and a remote laboratory test. The sample is collected from a patient at a physician's office or from the environment to be tested. The sample is collected using a swab or other implement, combined with a rapid test processing reagent and a portion of the processed sample is used for the local rapid test. The rapid test processing reagent typically consists of a buffer, a salt, and a detergent and is compatible with the local rapid test immunoassay. Only a portion of the processed sample is used for the local rapid test, leaving a remaining portion of the processed sample to be used in a remote laboratory assay. At least some of the remaining portion of the processed sample is combined with a stabilization agent that preserves at least the nucleic acid in the processed sample for the remote laboratory assay.

The linkage between point of care (POC) rapid testing and laboratory-based testing has typically been addressed through preservation of samples to support culture-based laboratory testing methods. Currently, samples collected at the POC site are either processed and used directly in a rapid test (the portion of the processed sample not used in the rapid test being discarded); or diluted in liquid transport media to enable transfer for laboratory-based testing such as rapid immunoassay, culture and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Specimens that generate negative results from a POC test are often reflex tested—the negative result is confirmed by lab-based testing methods such as PCR. In addition, specimens that generate positive POC test results are frequently tested for additional characterizations such as subtyping or other epidemiologic information.
Referring to FIG. 1, at physician office POC sites (and other non-laboratory sites where patients are seen or samples for rapid testing are collected), swab specimens 100 are used almost exclusively to deliver sample into solution 110 for the rapid test 120. Processing and testing the sample in the physician's office and other non-laboratory sample collection sites does not contemplate a means for enabling lab-based testing such as confirmatory and/or reflex testing or other tests the require lab-based analysis. With the current methods, a physician (or other administrator of a POC rapid test) cannot perform both a POC rapid test and a lab-based test using the sample collected at the site (e.g. the physician's office). Therefore, an opportunity to perform lab-based testing on such samples is lost. Swab samples 130 collected at POC sites within a hospital or clinic are almost exclusively placed within a volume of liquid transport media 140 for transfer to the testing laboratory for remote testing. The diluted samples 150 may be further processed by adding them to a solution 160 for a rapid test 170. However, this method often results in a POC sample diluted 5 to 10-fold, or more, which can diminish performance of the rapid test due to sample dilution effects.
Collection and transport of a second swab at the POC site could be used to address the need to perform laboratory-based testing, although this is clearly not the standard of practice and doubles the number of samples to be taken. In addition, although collected from the same patient, variations in collection methods, organism load, etc. could lead to erroneous results when comparing the test results between two independently collected swab specimens. Accordingly, a system and method that addresses these problems is desired.

Method for linking point of care rapid diagnostic testing results to laboratory-based methods


The storage device includes slider members, each having a resilient clasp element for receiving and holding a recording medium housing. Each of the slider members is spring-loaded and slidable between a storage position in the storage device housing and an unloading position contained completely within the housing. In the unloading position a recording medium housing held by the slider member projects from a housing opening in the storage device housing so that it can be removed from the slider member but the slider member need not be pushed back. The storage device has a locking device for each slider member including a resilient blade attached to the storage device housing at one end and having a latching element at the other end so that, when a recording medium housing is put into a housing opening and received by a slider member in the unloading position, it can be pushed into the housing and secured in the storage position. An unlocking device including a push button mounted on the housing next to each housing opening is provided so the slider member can be released from the storage position to slide into the unloading position simply and reliably.

The present invention relates to a storage device for recording media, particularly compact disks, magnetic tape cassettes and the like.
A storage device for recording media is known comprising a slider member slidable into a storage position against a spring force, which is held by a locking device in a storage (locked) position. The locking device can be unlocked by a push button to bring the slider member into a unloading position projecting from the front side of the storage device, in which it can receive a recording medium housing, i.e. a disk housing, tape cassette housing or the like.
Storage devices for recording media such as music tape cassettes, compact disks or the like are known, in which one or more slider member are located in a storage device housing which is open on one side. Each slider member can hold a recording medium housing, i.e. including a music tape cassette, a compact disk or the like, and is slidable against a spring force in the housing. The slider member is held in the pushed-in position by a locking device and can be unlocked again by pressing a push button. The unlocked slider member is moved by action of the spring force in the direction of the housing opening so that the slider member with the recording medium housing on it projects from the front side of the housing far enough so that the recording media unit can conveniently be taken from it.
In the known storage device in the unloading position a portion of the slider member projects from the housing. The locking device in the slider member is also moved from the interior of the housing to the outside. After removal of the recording medium housing the slider member must again be put in its locked storage position, so that the adjacent slider member are again accessible. If now, for example, a compact disk housing is to be put in the storage device, before the compact disk housing can be deposited on the slider member and the slidable holding pushed back into the storage device, the slider member must be put in the unloading position by operation of the push button.

Storage device for recording media, particularly compact disks, magnetic tape cassettes and the like

Fischerwerke Artur Fischer GmbH & Co. KG.


A signal generating unit of a formatter inputs a misalignment amount δ unique to an individual recording apparatus and record data into a record signal compensation unit, and in accordance with these the record signal compensation unit generates a compensated beam deflection signal and substrate velocity signal to a beam unit and rotation and movement drive unit. With this arrangement, it is possible to perform compensation which matches errors in individual unit, in response to the errors (mechanical errors) in assembly dimension precision of parts and control precision of control devices which can vary among individual unit of the recording apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus using an exposure beam such as an electron beam, a laser beam, a charge beam, or the like, in particular to a record control signal generating apparatus that outputs a control signal to a recording apparatus for manufacturing a master disk of a recording medium such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, or the like using an exposure beam, and in particular to a recording apparatus and a recording system using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beam recording apparatus performing lithography using an exposure beam such as an electron beam, a laser beam, or the like are widely applied to master disk manufacturing apparatus for large-capacity disks such as digital versatile discs (DVDs), Blu-ray discs, and other optical disks, hard disks for magnetic recording, and so on.
For example, when manufacturing optical disks, and the like, first a predetermined concave and convex pattern is formed on a master disk along a track, and a disk stamper is formed from this master disk. Using the disk stamper, after synthetic resin is hot-pressed or extrusion-molded, and the record surface where a pattern is replicated from the master disk undergoes a metal deposition process, a translucent substrate is formed.
Here, recording of the pattern to the master disk is performed using a beam recording apparatus. With a beam recording apparatus, control is performed such that a spiral (or concentric) track trajectory is drawn on a substrate recording surface, by placing a substrate which acts as the master disk on a spindle (θ stage) that is rotated in a rotating direction (θ direction), and at the same time the rotating spindle itself is placed on a feeding stage (X stage), and fed in a radial direction (X direction) including the center of rotation. (For example, JP, A, 2003-242924 and JP, A, 2003-241394.)
As described above, the beam recording apparatus is originally designed such that when the feeding stage is moved in the X direction, a beam irradiation position passes through the center of rotation of the spindle. In reality, however, there are cases in which it does not pass through the center of rotation due to errors in each recording apparatus, because of dimensional errors or assembly errors in component parts of the recording device. Further, there are cases in which misalignment of the irradiation position occurs due to the control precision when adjusting the beam emitted by the electron column, even if the electron column that emits the beam, the spindle, and the feeding stage are disposed to an appropriate positional relationship, and the amount of this misalignment may change every day (even in the same recording apparatus). If recording is performed with misalignment (=error) occurring between the beam irradiation position and the spindle center of rotation due to such causes, recording precision is difficult to achieve, and there was a possibility of the occurrence of distortion of the recording pattern.
The above problem is given as one example of the problems to be solved by the present invention.

Recording system, recording apparatus, and record control signal generating apparatus using an exposure beam


In an embodiment, a system includes an end cover and a liquid cartridge. The liquid cartridge is configured to mount in a fuel nozzle of a turbine engine, wherein the liquid cartridge comprises a one piece flange configured to couple to the end cover, wherein the flange comprises a water inlet, an air inlet, and a fuel inlet.

The present disclosure relates generally to a turbine engine and, more specifically, to a fuel nozzle with an improved liquid cartridge.
Mixing liquid fuel and air affects engine performance and emissions in a variety of engines, such as turbine engines. For example, a turbine engine may employ one or more fuel nozzles to facilitate fuel-air mixing in a combustor. Each fuel nozzle may include a liquid cartridge to enable distribution and mixing of the liquid fuel and air in the combustor. The liquid cartridge may include a tip portion, a central body, and a flange configured to couple to fuel, air, and water supplies. Unfortunately, the configuration of the tip and its component may cause flow disruption and wear that may require replacement and/or maintenance of the liquid cartridge. Further, the configuration of the central body requires support in the chambers of the body as fluid flows through it. The central body can require a special alignment with respect to the tip, due to supports within the central body as well, increasing complexity of the liquid cartridge. In addition, the flange may have a plurality of components that lead to increased complexity and cost. As a result, the liquid cartridge may have increased costs due to complexity of the assembly and maintenance due unwanted wear and tear.

Fuel nozzle liquid cartridge including a fuel insert